One of the highlights of my week last week was when I received inspirational artwork from one of our regular virtual exercise members. It's totally amazing. It changed how I think. What's more?
She made it!
And although she shared it wanting to celebrate what she felt we do at BJC, I was really struck by the words she chose to represent what she had felt since starting our program.
In the middle it reads with three lines:
MAKE CHANGES
BE COURAGEOUS
TAKE THE RISK
I must admit that the word courageous isn't a word I use often when I am discussing different exercise habits. But this image really made me reconsider that!
- Sarah 🌼
What exactly is courage?
If like me, you are pondering the definition of courageous.. here are a few right here..
"Not deterred by danger or pain; brave."
"the ability to do something dangerous, or to face pain or opposition, without showing fear"
"Courageous people do feel fear, but they are able to manage and overcome their fear so that it does not stop them taking action."
Be Courageous, Take the Risk
It's tempting to think that words such as courageous and determined should be reserved for athletes, or for those who works towards and achieve supreme feats!
However, if you have a chronic condition, chances are you might feel hesitant or even fearful about commencing any type of exercise. And there are plenty of good reasons why this might be the case!
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You might have experienced pain during or after exercise previously.
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You might have been told that you should avoid certain movements
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You might be worried that exercise will make your condition worse
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You might wonder whether doing an exercise session will leave you feeling exhausted and unable to manage your day.
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You might worry that your efforts won't help you reach your goalsHave you lost motivation to attend a class when your favourite instructor left?
It's only since receiving this image that I've realised that overcoming fear is one of the essential steps needed before commencing regular physical activity.
Fighting Fear: It's Personal!
For some of us, overcoming the concerns and fears related to movement might happen quickly after weighing up some of the pros and cons related to getting started. For others, these fears might take some time to navigate, and require accessing support and guidance from others.
Acknowledging the fears that you have and discussing them with your health care team or those you trust can be a good place to start. Also empowering yourself with knowledge related to movement and how it might help you can also be helpful.
Like so many other challenging habits that we might know are good for us, there is no one size fits all approach when its comes to getting started. But taking that first step does take courage!
I don't think courage only relates to the getting started with movement either.
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It takes courage to keep showing up, even if you are sore and tired
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It takes courage to get back into things after a setback or flare
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It takes courage to keep going
What do you think? Do you think moving regularly takes courage? How did you overcome your challenges when you got started?
The artwork, she made it. Being courageous and making a change. She really "made it"!