I Can and So Can You!

Fear will not stop me.  The past 10 years have brought me feet surgery (yes, both of them), breast cancer, mastectomy and lymph node dissection, reconstruction, chemotherapy, radiation, carpel tunnel, hysterectomy, hearing loss, balance issues, poly neuropathies in both legs, gall bladder surgery, plantar fasciitis, numbness, tingling and cramping in my right hand that is persistent, cramping in my left rib cage and back (post-reconstruction garbage), shoulder pain, and lymphodema in my left arm.  And since working out my right knee is wanting to join the party.  Here’s the thing though, I can and I will learn to compensate, overcome, and do whatever I need to do to be successful.  I’ve fought with my body over these past years to do things it didn’t want to do but I also gave in too often.  My determination has taught me that I can do more than I ever thought I could do.  I’m seeing improvements in areas I thought were a lost cause.  I’m working hard on balance and see changes that are so encouraging.  I think the single most important thing I have done is change my thinking.  In the past I would have said, “I can’t do that because of xxxx.”  You put whatever you want in the xxxx, my legs hurt, my feet hurt, my  shoulder pain, my knee, my balance, my hand, my strength, my whatever……and there it ended. As soon as I told myself I couldn’t, I couldn’t.  Today however I can.  And I can by telling myself I can, and then DOING IT.  I cannot succeed by not trying.  I may have to make modifications.  As a matter of fact, I make TONS of modifications to everything I’m doing right now.  I do what I can do safely.  I push myself.  I alter an exercise to meet my needs.  I’m getting the help I need from my trainer to try things I’ve been afraid of trying in the past.  I’m stepping outside of my comfort zones and just doing it. 

I’m more in tune when hearing about others aches and pains and excuses, and that’s okay.  I understand where they are coming from.  I was there myself for a very long time.  I think it was my yoga instructor on my first night there, in January, who has really helped me see this.  I struggled so much with the class, the balance, the poses, my body cramping but she always reminds us to listen to our own body.  She also reminds us to see the positive.  Tell yourself you can do it.  Focus, concentrate and do what is right for you.  But mostly it was after class one day when I tried telling her how some of it was hard because of ……(insert excuses here).  She pointed with her finger to her head and said, “it all starts up there”, or something like that.  And she is right.  So from that point forward, I only tell myself what I can do.  As soon as I start hearing myself say I can’t do whatever, I turn it around and either shut up, try it and do it or just do my darn best and tell myself I CAN do it.

I listen to my body.  I’m doing a lot right now and I know that.  I’m learning about new limits that are further than I’ve been pushing.  I’m learning how to make my heart beat fast, how to challenge myself, how to face fears and never say never or I can’t.  I still have pain, and I have limitations but I’m learning to put my focus elsewhere and concentrate on what I can do.  I’m just an average everyday woman like many others out here trying to get healthy and fit.  If I can do it, so can you!  So if you are reading this, take away this small message and tell yourself you can every time you are faced with the thought of “I can’t because ….”.  YES YOU CAN.