Home » Recovering
Tag:

Recovering

Dealing with Loneliness
Healthy Living

Aging: Finding Joy in Your Life Again

by Kendall VanBlarcom
written by Kendall VanBlarcom

It’s not easy getting older. Not only do you have to deal with the aches and pains of this stage of life, but the reality of death is harsh. You may have lost loved ones that were a big part of your life. Losing them may have brought you to your knees in desperation of wanting them to come back. While you may have been able to get back on your feet again, things are not the same. You may have lost the joy in your life. Aging: vFinding Joy in Your Life Again Aging: Finding Joy in Your Life Again

The Importance of Joy Aging: Finding Joy in Your Life Again

You can live without joy, but life isn’t what it should be. Joy is something that makes you love life. It makes you want to wake up each morning to see what lies ahead of you. It gives you that appreciation of life that many people take advantage of.
Without joy, you can feel sad, depressed, and empty. You may feel as though you are just going through the motions of each day. There’s no meaning. There’s no motivation to experience life. Finding Joy in Your Life Again
At this point, you may not even want to live life. You may just want to be depressed. There’s an element of comfort in feeling that way because it may seem like it takes too much effort to live life the way it should be lived. However, getting yourself out of this pit of despair can make it much easier for you to get through each day AND give yourself a life worth living again.
All it takes is putting joy back into your life. You can do that by starting the following:

  • Forcing yourself to step outside – doing this will help you because the sun provides vitamin D, which can regulate your mood. When you are in a good mood, you will feel more motivated and open to feeling joy.
  • Engaging with friends – it’s important to connect with friends because they remind you that while you’ve lost loved ones, you still have others around you. Pushing other loved ones away may feel easier to deal with than having them pass away, but the ones in your life now are the ones who help you cope with the others who have had to move on. It’s what they are meant for in everyone’s life. Reach out to them, embrace them, and enjoy having them in your life while you still can. Aging: Finding Joy in Your Life Again
  • Participating in activities – the body and mind are meant to be active. Allowing your body and mind to do that will help it experience joy again. You may need to start with something small and then increase what you do to allow yourself to become interested again.
  • Taking care of yourself – taking care of your basic needs and then doing things that make yourself look and feel good are all important. Getting into a self-care routine is a good idea. This may mean getting up, showering/bathing, fixing your hair/shaving, and putting on something you feel pretty/handsome in will make a difference. It will make you feel alive. Aging: Finding Joy in Your Life Again

Doing these things can feel close to impossible, but they are not. Do a little each day and increase it as you feel that you can. Many of my clients enjoy telling me about what they are thinking and feeling because it helps them cope and be able to do the things mentioned in this blog post. With regular sessions, clients are able to come up with ways to bring the joy back into their life. They are happy to report them and thankful they have a personal confidant that can guide them through some of the tough parts of this stage of life. Aging: Finding Joy in Your Life Again Aging: Finding Joy in Your Life Again
The senior years are hard, but you’ve been through difficult times in your life. You’ve overcome those challenges, and you can do the same now. Contact me for help. We all need help from time to time, and it would be a pleasure to be able to be your rock. Aging: Finding Joy in Your Life Again

Aging: Finding Joy in Your Life Again

Aging: Finding Joy in Your Life Again Aging: Finding Joy in Your Life Again

Aging: Finding Joy in Your Life Again Aging: Finding Joy in Your Life Again
0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
6 Steps To Getting Back To Exercise After Injury
Exercise & Fitness

6 Steps To Getting Back To Exercise After Injury

by Andrew Vertson
written by Andrew Vertson

Someone called my clinic a few days ago and asked: “How long does it take to get back to exercise after an injury? 6 Steps To Getting Back To Exercise After Injury
 
I hurt my ankle a month ago and want to know how long it will take me to get back to running. It’s frustrating not knowing if it’s safe to get back out for a run…”
When something like ankle pain strikes or an injury hits you out of the blue, not being able to exercise like you used to and now knowing when it’s safe to exercise again is annoying. 6 Steps To Getting Back To Exercise After Injury
I know you’re itching to get back into it, but let’s just put the brakes on a minute…
Injuries are no joke.
They are your body’s way of sounding an alarm and telling you something’s not right, so we shouldn’t start back full steam ahead right away.
Instead, we should make an intelligent comeback to exercise, after taking time off due to injury…
It requires a gradual approach.
I know you’re dying to get back to normal and waiting if frustrating, but ask yourself this:
Would you rather make slow, pain-free progress towards building back to a healthy exercise level so you don’t risk another injury? During recovery, it’s important to listen to your body.
It’s all about trust. 6 Steps To Getting Back To Exercise After Injury
Your body will tell you when it’s ready to get back to doing certain things and when you’ve done too much.
Other facts that will have a significant impact on your return to exercise include;
Your age, how long you’ve been suffering from your injury, and what you do to get back to physical activity safely.
With that said, here are 6 steps you can take to get back to exercise safely, after an injury:

1. Take It Slow

It’s easy to want to go back to exactly what you were doing before an injury, but not so fast!
If you go back to running how you did before right away, or you go back to the gym and exert all your energy…
You do run the risk of making yourself weaker which means a higher risk of another injury!
Add to that your body has likely been out of exercise for a couple of weeks, it could be a little weaker.
Take it slow and go back into it gradually.
And if you feel pain – Stop.

2. Begin with Walking

It’s the most natural type of movement for the body, and if you’re injured, a gentle walk is one of the best ways to keep active.
Swimming is also a great form of gentle exercise. See how your body feels and gradually increase your time spent doing it.

3. Remember, Pain is Pain

While some people will live by the motto “no pain, no gain”, when it comes to an injury the motto is actually “pain, no gain”.
Pain is the body’s signal that you’ve gone too far or done too much.
Rest and recovery are just as important as re-introducing exercise so give your body time to recover so you can return to it safely.

4. Work on Your Balance

This might not be something that comes to mind right away…
But doing exercises to improve your balance in turn will improve your posture AND strengthen your core – which is essential to exercise safely.
Without a strong core, you run the risk of injuring yourself quick.

5. Eat Well and Keep Hydrated

Eating well and keeping yourself hydrated are key to recovery.
Food plays a big part in the body’s healing process and helps to make your joints strong again. Stay away from alcohol and junk foods during your recovery time.
Eating whole, natural, foods and drinking plenty of fluid (water!) will help speed up the process.

6. Consider Getting Help from A Hands-On Physical Therapist

A hands-on therapist can provide you with a step-by-step program tailored specifically to you and your needs, to help you get back to the exercise you enjoyed in the quickest and safest way possible.
A physical therapist will also be able to assess when you’re ready to get back to activity as normal, and will help make sure the injury doesn’t re-occur.
When it comes to your health, fitness and lifestyle, it’s important to listen to expert advice! That way you can be sure to get back to running and activities much quicker and safer, just like you deserve. 6 Steps To Getting Back To Exercise After Injury

6 Steps To Getting Back To Exercise After Injury

6 Steps To Getting Back To Exercise After Injury 6 Steps To Getting Back To Exercise After Injury 6 Steps To Getting Back To Exercise After Injury 6 Steps To Getting Back To Exercise After Injury 6 Steps To Getting Back To Exercise After Injury

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail