When I was five, my brother, then seven, shattered his arm while pretending to be the wildly famous 1970’s daredevil, Evel Knievel. He had built a bike ramp out of firewood a little too close to a fire hydrant. The collision between my brother and the hydrant landed him in the hospital for three weeks with his arm in traction.
I remember feeling shocked when he returned home from the hospital unable to walk. He had not injured his leg, it was his arm that had been broken. My parents explained to me that his legs had grown weak after spending three weeks in a hospital bed. My seven-year-old athletic brother who was a terrific swimmer and soccer player had lost the use of his legs in only three weeks time.
My parents worked with my brother and he quickly regained the use of his legs. But I learned a lesson from that experience that I still carry with me today. The lesson that I learned… IF YOU DON’T USE IT, YOU LOSE IT!
We must get active. We must get moving. We must incorporate some form of exercise and activity into our daily lives. We often take for granted that which we can move. But if we were to lose the movement tomorrow…we will wish we had done things differently. Don’t wait to see things through hindsight. Get moving today.
I don’t feel well. I can’t walk well. I am tired. I am in pain. Get rid of the excuses. By making excuses, you are sabotaging yourself. Your level of movement will be as unique as we all are different. Some of you may be ready to run a mile. Some of you may be ready to run ten. Some of you may need to ride a bike, go for a swim, or just take a walk. My aunt who has had a stroke just needs to wiggle her feet everyday.
No excuses. Let’s get going. Remember- WHAT YOU DON’T USE, YOU WILL LOSE!
*It is always a good idea to consult your physician before beginning a new exercise program.
Go on. Get started.
You are worth it!
Image Credit: trikatykid.wordpress.com www.personalexcellence.co
Yes – we are worth it! Thanks for the reminder!
Yes, we are! I hope you have a great weekend!
Thanks for the inspiration. I made a habit of exercising at an early age so moving and using it now seems just a natural part of my life. Some days I guess I do take it for granted. Most of the time, especially when I am not enjoying my exercise and need a little kick-in-the-pants, I am grateful that I have the ability to move and use my body. I remember when I had my mastectomy how I had absolutely no range of motion in my right arm. I didn’t think I would ever get back to my fitness routine. But I started using it – a little physical therapy every day – starting with just millimeters of painful movement – and within months I had regained my full range of motion. The body is so resilient.
What an excellent example of taking baby steps to get to where you are going! You are courageous and didn’t give up, even when it hurt! Thank you for sharing your inspirational story with us, Vicki! The body is resilient if you work it like you did. 🙂
Reblogged this on How To Make It Look Easy and Still Have Time for Lipstick and commented:
Very Good Point!!!
Vicki, thank you for sharing this post with your readers. Hugs to you!
my pleasure …
Great post, Kristin! Have a wonderful weekend! S
Thanks, Sloan. I hope that you are enjoying your weekend, too!
Kristin, you are such an inspiration!
Thank you for all of your continued support, Anneli! 🙂
That’s very easy for me because you have something good to offer with every post. Keep posting and I’ll be happy to keep reading.
Great post! I’ve never thought of fitness this way before. I shared this on my Facebook page.
Crystal, thank you so much for sharing this on Facebook. It really is important to move it so we don’t lose it. I hope that you enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Reblogged this on The Musings of Lady Gwendolynn and commented:
Thank you for this important reminder Kristen! I sometimes forget that’s why it’s important to do this because I get so “wrapped up” in what I’m working on, which is usually my writing or helping people which means, pretty much, lots of sitting for me. XD Thank you so much!
Thank you for sharing this, Gwendolynn. It is easy to get so wrapped up in doing other things that we forget how important it is to move our body. But if we do not move it, we really do lose it. Enjoy the rest of your weekend! 🙂
Wonderful! I’m sorry to hear about your brother. How is he doing today?
Great George. He made a full recovery and works out everyday! We all have to keep moving to keep our body healthy. Thank you for asking. Enjoy your Sunday!
Reblogged this on Wholeheartedness and commented:
Thanks for the reminder, K.!
Thanks, Todd!
And what’s true of the body is equally true, if not more so, of the mind. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. And the mind is just as subject to entropy and atrophy as the body. Use it or lose it. We are what we think. And if we want to think well, we’ll have to read books of substance. Intellectual and mental exercise is just as necessary and life-improving as physical exercise. What physical exercise does for the body, playing chess, bridge, developing our critical thinking skills, reading good books, poetry—reading or writing it, drawing, doodling, and exercising our creativity, does for our minds. Reading fluff, watching too much non-educational TV, going for comfort, ease, the path of least resistance too often, is the equivalent of a diet of fast food, Cheetos, and sugary soft drinks.
Nice post, as always, Kristin, and a great reminder!
Kindest regards,
John
Thanks, John. You bring up an excellent point here. The mind is a terrible thing to waste! We must us it! Enjoy your day. As always, I appreciate your insightful comments.