After leaf peeping in Vermont the last week, I have been thinking a great deal about change. The weather changed from biking sleeveless to biking in fleece jackets to biking in rain gear. The leaves were changing from green to yellow to orange to red. The difficulty changed from flat sections, to rolling hills to pedaling 3 miles uphill to long, exciting downhills. Change is always upon us.
I like to think as the trees begin to lose their leaves, how they become more glorious in their color. Do you feel like you are becoming more glorious, wiser, beautiful, more complete as you age, or are you feeling older, more brittle, more lifeless? A few years ago, I had numbness in my right arm that lasted over a year, coming from inflammation of the nerves in my neck, starting from a virus. My head would pull to the right and my shoulder rose to my ear to ease the pressure from the nerves. When I would bike on bumpy roads, the tingling became unbearable. When I looked to the right, my bike would veer to the right. Biking in Vermont was only a distant dream.
Through learning to move in better patterns, therapy and hard work, I have succeeded in this goal. So often I hear clients limit themselves on what they can do or will ever do again. Is there something that is limiting you physically? Is it time to change that paradigm? I am too old to believe everything can be cured. Aging is aging! However, I certainly think things can be better and know ways to make it happen. For example, that shoulder that still doesn’t have all the range after an injury years ago, the stiffness in the hip every time you get up, pain in your back sitting or bending, waking up with a painful neck can all improve. Join with me this fall as we learn to age gracefully and continue to be the best self we can be. Transformation is never far away.
A Jewel from Judy
A little driving tip after being on the road! Make sure your right foot is in line with your knee when you are pressing on the gas pedal. Position your heel in front of the gas pedal and then your foot will stay straight. When you brake your heel stays still, and your foot turns in. Many people set their heel in between the gas and brake pedals so the foot is pointing outward on the gas. Why is this a problem? As your foot turns out, your knee rolls in which can lead to knee pain and ankle tightness. It also tightens the hip flexors which can create problems for the hip and back.
Blessings, Judy
Awesome!
Thank you, Judy, for your wisdom and grace. If anyone can help others in being the best they can be physically, it is you. Your knowledge and expertise has gotten me over many challenges with my body and made me better than ever going forward.
Thanks. Kathleen! I do my best.