Well, recovery is going great. It feels like it’s been about a million years, and sometimes I feel like I’ve nearly forgotten what it’s like to walk on my own two legs…but I’m almost out the other side of this.
It’s been almost 6 weeks since surgery. This week I start working my way off the crutches. Victory. I’ve been doing my best to set myself up for success this whole time, from “Moment Zero” with the injury all the way through now. Proactivity and a positive attitude have gotten me pretty far. Attitude can make or break you. And I don’t just mean dealing with injuries…
It’s easy to give up.
You’re injured…that’s it, I’m ruined, I’ll never be the same.
You stopped going to the gym for 3 weeks…I can’t show my face there again.
You got a divorce…I’m already THAT undesirable, working out won’t help anything.
You haven’t started…It’s never worked, it’s never stuck, and it’s never going to. Why bother?
The list goes on.
Any of these could plant you firmly on the couch never to be seen again…it’s all about what you do next. Do you take the high road and plan for 5 steps from now, or do you wallow in the misery of the moment?
Many of the greatest achievements of our time would not have happened if someone had given up. You simply can’t let a bad attitude get the best of you. Michael Jordan failed so many times it made his head spin…but how many people are wearing Air Jordans today? Albert Einstein didn’t speak until he was 4 years old…and…well, I think we know how THAT turned out. Get my point?
Focus on the positive. Focus on what will drive you. Is it your family? Is it loved ones? Is it a particular goal? Is it doing something for you? Whatever it is, find it, focus on it, and let it push you to achieve things that would otherwise be forever out of your grasp. Need some motivation from the outside? Seek friends who will empower you. If you need it, there is a support system just waiting for you to call on it.
You are bigger than this…whatever “this” may be. Every victory you can claim is important, even the little victories that seem insignificant.
At 5 weeks out of surgery I was on a stationary bike working my knee. At just under 6 weeks, I’m already gearing up to start really hitting the gym hard. I’m already planning my next race. Attitude is everything, and my attitude is that I’m getting back into it as fast as I can.
Broken bones heal, torn muscles mend, cuts, scrapes, bruises…they vanish in an instant…but a broken spirit might not – and that’s what negativity brings. I don’t let it get there. I’m through being beaten down. Now, I will not be broken. When I fall, I will get back up stronger than before. This is my personal victory every single day. Find Your Victory…and embrace it.
