Gratitude

I stand in awe of this extraordinary body
   God created and gave me:
of all its marvelous inner workings and abilities,
  enabling me to take in all that is around me,
    rich sights, endless colors, myriad shapes,
    movement, odors, temperatures, textures;
of its power to heal itself;
of its outward manifestations,
  presenting to the world my being,
  my expressions,
  my thoughts.

As is my duty, my privilege, and my joy,
I vow to be a caring, responsible caretaker of this body,
   my body,
to feed it properly,
to give it movement,
and rest,
and all the love and attention and devotion it deserves
  as a precious treasure,
me.

It's about time.

Every day, every day, the thought goes through my head, sometimes making it to a list of things to do, that today is the day I am going to start exercising for the rest of my life.  Every night, I hit the bed without having done so.  What does it do to your psyche when, day after day, you break a promise to yourself and your health?  It can't be good.  

Today, I came across an article with 10 encouraging quotes to get us up and moving.  Several  resonated with me, one of which I posted on Facebook.  Along with a dear friend who posts a positive energetic message every morning, I am going to start posting an encouraging exercise quote daily to help keep this in the forefront of my mind and perhaps to motivate others, also.  So, today's quote from an unknown source is:

                 "No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch."

Perfect for those of us who are not up to marathoning yet.

To your health!

You want me to move?!?

No, no one is asking me to vacate my home.  You know what I am talking about.  It's that dreaded word, "exercise."  It's there, waiting for us to make a move, a commitment and time in every day.  I am so resistant to the word that I keep trying to find substitutes that will encourage me rather than paralyze me:  movement, in motion, anything but that word which suggests a tedious routine and a schedule.  

Each day brings the same thought:  TODAY, I will start ________  (fill in your own form of exercise.  Mine is Qi Kung.)  It a resolution that, sadly, is almost never realized.  There are well-meaning DVDs in a box and equipment stored behind my couch, professional hula hoops, a rebounder, which have never been touched.  The recumbent bike I purchased is now on loan at a neighbor's.  I did manage one time last year to follow a Qi Kung dvd for a total of 9 out of 13 days.  I was so proud for a moment, but it didn't stick.  I would put it off until later and later into the day until I was following it half asleep at 1:30 in the morning.

The reality is that we all need to extend our muscles beyond their everyday activities.  It recently became frighteningly clear when my parents both landed in the hospital and were totally debilitated in a matter of three days.  When I questioned how this could be possible so quickly, my brother forcefully pointed out that, because of lack of regular exercise, they had no muscular reserves and nowhere to go but down and fast.  I heard that!

So, today:

ESCAPE FROM THE PRISON OF YOUR INERTIA!

MAKE A BREAK FOR IT AND GET MOVING!

Your muscles will love you for it and you will find yourself breathing, moving and smiling with renewed energy and ease.  Salud!