Several months ago, I joined a new gym. I needed a change after having 2 kids in the past 3.5 years and really wanted to increase my strength and fitness. Each time I arrive at the gym for my workout, I’m excited and motivated to work hard and really push myself out of my comfort zone. Then when I reach about 10-15 minutes of intense effort…my mind tries to get in the way. “Ugh..This is SO hard. What time is it? Am I almost done? My legs are burning. Will I be able to finish?” It’s amazing how my mind can play tricks on me! I know in order to get the results I am seeking I need to push through those challenging moments and get to the end. Because at the end I will feel that rush of accomplishment and will go through the rest of my day feeling energized and productive.
Isn’t that the way life is, though? When you start care, you are excited about the possibilities. It is so easy to feel optimistic when things are beautiful and easy. Many patients feel hopeful and doubt doesn’t really come into play. But, then a hurdle comes. Maybe you start to have a strange pain in an area you didn’t even have before you started getting adjustments! Maybe you are not getting results as fast as you would like. That is when it gets hard. Your mind starts to tell you that maybe the body can’t heal like we have been explaining to you. Maybe I will never get rid of this problem. Maybe I should just stop care?
But, on the other side of the pain, of the doubt, is a feeling of freedom. If you can just trust in your body’s awesome power and push through the hard stuff, there will be a greater reward for you in your life. When you have better connection between your brain and your body, you are more equipped to deal with the hurdles and the hills. That is what I know for sure.