Start Where You Are
It’s easy to tell yourself, I’ll start when I feel stronger, I’ll start when I’m on vacation, I’ll start when I have more time. Taking action can feel so far away, but one thing I’ve learned from starting this business and from leaving my previous job is that there are never perfect circumstances to do the thing that you want to do. Instead of starting with perfect conditions, think about starting imperfectly and figuring it out from there. Sure, you’ll make mistakes, you may feel embarrassed at first, out of your comfort zone, and lack the confidence, but the more you show up for yourself, things will start to fall into place.
In the context of physical therapy, that can look like taking the first step to schedule a physical therapy appointment because your back has been hurting. Maybe you think, I’ll schedule that physical therapy appointment when my back starts to feel better after resting it, but physical therapists are equipped to treat you whether or not you are in the early stages of pain or when it has become chronic. From experience, having a physical therapist take a look at an injury early on can set you up for a quicker recovery so that you can go back to the things you love to do.
In the context of wellness, that could look like going to a workout class scared, going to a workout class not necessarily knowing what you got yourself into. I’ll tell you guys a little story: when I started college, my roommate convinced me to try rowing. I did not do sports in high school, I’ve never stepped foot on a shell (what they call the boats they use in rowing/crew). We woke up early that first day of practice. I remember us running “indian sprints” where we run in a straight line and the person all the way in in the back of the line runs up to be the leader, and repeat, for however long we did it for that day. It was hard and probably the first time I ever did something that hard physically. We got out on the water in a boat of 8 people and learned to row on the Delta. My roommate said that we should join and we did (with a lot of reluctance and honestly, so scared). But as that year progressed, we saw so many beautiful sunsets on the Delta, were up before the rest of our dorm, and got to go to regattas all over California. If I hadn’t done that scared, I never would’ve experienced those things.
So, I’m encouraging you, if you are on the fence about doing something for yourself, it’s okay to not feel your most confident, to not feel your strongest, to not be at your best, you just have to start. You don’t have to wait if you are in pain or feeling really deconditioned/ out of shape. You just need to start where you are and go from there, step by step, building range of motion, building strength, and building confidence back. You can start to trust that your body can return to the things you love, whether that’s running, playing with grandkids, playing pickleball, or participating in a race or competition, etc.
Rehab and wellness are not always linear, there may be bumps in the road, setbacks from doing too much too soon or not doing enough, but one thing that is true is that you can always improve from that bump or setback, you just have to be willing to put in the work. The StrengthSpan logo is inspired by these bump, setbacks, and gradual progressions forward.
So, if you are ready to start where you are in the context of physical therapy and wellness, I am here to help!
With gratitude,
Kay M.
p.s. Stay tuned for more physical therapy related posts on osteoporosis, strength training, balance, and all things older adult!
