Day 3 Exercise

I exercised yesterday. One job that I do is farm work with learning disabled adults (care farming). Luckily, in the last year, I have become more office based, but there are still times when I'm needed outside doing the farm work. Yesterday I was out with a young man who is very physically able, and we were all over, I walked more than 10,000 steps, and felt quite good. I was also sharing a bit about TMS with another support worker as we walked. And then in the evening, after reading some posts here, I tried a yin yoga class. And today I'm hurting! Not from having exercised, but that other pain. The one that comes and goes. The one that had been gone for a good three weeks. And the new one, the strong pain in my jaw, that started just after the other one seemed to settle.

I returned to exercise (yoga and walking, mostly, and garden work) in the last month or so, after getting a diagnosis of arthritis and reading that no matter what variety, no one I could find said that exercising would make it worse. So I just decided to get on with it. After starting to read The Divided Mind (about three weeks ago, at the recommendation of my osteopath), with a big 'aha' the pain mostly went, and I have been even more happy to exercise. Before all this, I had been reduced to a slow, short, restorative yoga class now and then, sometimes ending in tears on the mat, and not even always able to do all the poses, and pain killers to get me through a day working out at the farm, and no extra walking or garden work. So, this is really good and encouraging.

I like feeling strong and being able to do what needs to be done. I've never really been athletic. I have certainly been envious of athletic people. I had awhile that was relatively pain free (about 10-12 years ago) and I was running a bit, doing strength training and really doing yoga then. This last week, I could say that I could feel that some strength training, yoga and a walking holiday would certainly be possible to consider now. Where only a month ago, I was afraid to think that.

I will be doing yoga again this evening, because I like how it feels, because I can, and because this pain is not from any actual physical problem, so there is no reason not to. (that's me talking sternly to myself!)

 

This forum is beautiful. In looking around, I found this, which was perfect for me now:

Why do symptoms move and change?

Thank you

 

I did it. I just went where I wanted to go for a walk this morning. A beautiful nature reserve, with lots of trees and clear paths. It felt like I had new legs! And I was observing my thoughts, and taking in the beauty of what was around me. When anything wanted to falter (my mind or body) I just said, I am not that fragile! (that's what I got from Marc Sopher's book) As I was approaching the car, I reminded myself it doesn't have to hurt to sit after walking (even though it has for ages!!), and it won't matter if it does. What a change.