What Do You Want To Do?

I’m really just a big kid at heart.  But now as a big kid in an adult body and life, rather than playing with Legos and Star Wars action figures, it’s golf, skiing, and kayaking.  As easy as it was to give up the Legos and action figures, I still get annoyed and whine like a child when I “can’t” go golfing or skiing…. usually because “mommy said so”.

I love getting better at things.  I love seeing progression and improvement.  It is one of the reason’s I’m drawn to Martial arts, you can see and feel the improvements on a week to week and month to month basis.  Then those  improvements are reinforced by belt promotions.  That’s part of why I haven’t trained in four years, when you become a black belt, the reinforcement doesn’t happen as often.  Sounds kind of like chiropractic and health, eh?  You reach a plateau and “give up.”  The key is to keep going…

Golf WAS the same thing for me.  When I was in college, my friends and I would play weekly at minimum.  I kept getting better.  I listened to my friends and followed their advice and saw the results.  Then I got married, started a practice, and had children.  Now, I’m lucky to get out once or twice a year because finding 4 or 5 hours to play 18 holes is challenging.  I say “lucky” because I still want to play weekly, but we’re always carting kids around or my wife tells me we have something to do.  It annoys me to no end because I don’t WANT to cart them around.  I WANT to be on the golf course (you can easily substitute, kayaking, running, hiking, skiing etc for golf).  But we do our duty, even if it isn’t what we WANT.

Health is near the top of my list of life’s priorities.  A few years ago we dumped our cable because we sat in front of it  EVERY night and got lazy.  It was interfering with our lives and willingness to get up off the couch and DO something.  When we did, I took up running.  running is something that I love doing because it get’s me outside.  I’m in touch with nature, moving, listening to a river or the wind.  It really is good exercise for the body.

The other benefit is simply that I get out of the house.  Being outdoors clears my head.  I can’t stand being a homebody just sitting indoors on the couch all day or night.   Fresh air, dirt under my feet rather than floor boards.  Sun, rain, snow, leaves falling around me… yeah… that gives me a free and clear mind… PEACE of mind to be in and around nature.

But I love activity also.  It’s not enough to just be outside.  I can’t stand lounging on a chair or just sitting at the beach doing nothing.  (once a summer, ok, yeah, it’s really good, you got me there).  My wife and I went through this a couple of winters ago.  I hadn’t gone skiing for two or three seasons in a row while money and time were tight.  I was going crazy, sulking around the house, destroying the house just to fix it and keep myself occupied.  I definitely drove her nuts… even if she won’t say it, I know… Then one day I “woke up” and HAD to go skiing despite the arguments about spending money and spending time away from the family.  I couldn’t bear it anymore.  So I took my oldest and taught him how to ski.  Now, three years later, he keeps up with me and will ski anything I ski.  (LOOK AT THAT FORM!!)  I’m sure in a couple of years time he’ll be skiing places that I won’t dare go.  But at least he got off his butt and got moving… he DID something and found out he loved it.

We each broke the mold of our shell.  Not only that, IT ALL WORKED OUT… for the better mind you… now, I get out during the winter months and she purposefully gets me out of the house… Thankfully I have a wife who agrees to it.

So let me ask you… what’s it going to take to help you break out of your shell?  What’s your innate (you’re gut) telling you to go out there and DO?  If Chiropractic to you is just pain relief, it’s time to stop playing with the Legos and grow up.  Nothing wrong with Legos, but what do you really want to DO?