I finally made it to the swimming pool this morning after professing to want to get back to lap swimming for exercise. I was going to go last Tuesday, then didn't. Then I was going to go on Thursday, and didn't. Then I was going to go this Tuesday. Didn't make it. This morning I asked myself exactly when I was going to make the plunge. I decided it was today. I was telling Mike about a woman I heard talking to someone else once about her years long success at quitting smoking. She said, "I want to smoke every day. I just don't smoke." I decided it was kind of like that. I don't want to leave the house to go swimming every day, but I will go swimming anyway. It's good for me--better than smoking, for sure. (P. S. I've never been a smoker.)
It was actually quite enjoyable. I love moving through the water. Since I'm returning after a long absence and since I've been relatively pain free for the first time in years, I didn't want to do too much. I often do too much in these sorts of quests. Since I'm limited in how much I could or should do, I promised myself to at least stay in the water for 20 minutes. I ended up staying 25 minutes. I've been home several hours now, and I haven't noticed any flare-ups. This is a good thing. For now, I've committed to going every Tuesday and Thursday, and I walk with my friend on Fridays. That's a reasonable amount of exercise, but if I can get back to swimming the way I want to, I may decide to add a day when I feel ready. For now, I'm celebrating actually getting myself there with no apparent harm done--at least not yet.
So now I need to get going on some other things. I told myself I'd vacuum the sewing room today. And I told myself I'd do a little more quilting on my Ribbit, Ribbit quilt. I've been messing around aimlessly on the computer for about an hour now. Messing around on the computer is what I do when I don't want to do something else. Vacuuming? Not a thrill to contemplate. Quilting? I wish it were easier and that I were better at it. Neither of those things exactly lights the jets under my feet. I decided to tell you that it was time for me to get going. Now I'm getting going.
It was actually quite enjoyable. I love moving through the water. Since I'm returning after a long absence and since I've been relatively pain free for the first time in years, I didn't want to do too much. I often do too much in these sorts of quests. Since I'm limited in how much I could or should do, I promised myself to at least stay in the water for 20 minutes. I ended up staying 25 minutes. I've been home several hours now, and I haven't noticed any flare-ups. This is a good thing. For now, I've committed to going every Tuesday and Thursday, and I walk with my friend on Fridays. That's a reasonable amount of exercise, but if I can get back to swimming the way I want to, I may decide to add a day when I feel ready. For now, I'm celebrating actually getting myself there with no apparent harm done--at least not yet.
So now I need to get going on some other things. I told myself I'd vacuum the sewing room today. And I told myself I'd do a little more quilting on my Ribbit, Ribbit quilt. I've been messing around aimlessly on the computer for about an hour now. Messing around on the computer is what I do when I don't want to do something else. Vacuuming? Not a thrill to contemplate. Quilting? I wish it were easier and that I were better at it. Neither of those things exactly lights the jets under my feet. I decided to tell you that it was time for me to get going. Now I'm getting going.
2 comments:
I used to go swimming too, but stopped, I should go back. I really like exercising outside though, I feel more energized. I love using the water walking floats and doing that, but with my bad rib, it hurts to wear the waist band.
Debbie
Each time we do something is one more time that we do it. As opposed to not doing it-even one is better than none. I too flare up when I do too much and the internal governors are not in place to stop me. With age, I hope comes wisdom :)
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