Day Seven - Knees

Today I'm Grateful for:-

Today I'm grateful for my knees...

I was just watching a tv program that said, if you want to lose weight (as I do) try running up stairs, and I laughed out loud saying that I can't even walk upstairs let alone run.

So many people take the 'normal' things like going up a flight of stairs, walking the dog or getting your '30 minutes a day' for granted. Really, if you are in chronic pain all the time, just doing these things takes a conscious effort. More than an effort, you physically have to force yourself to keep moving. So what happens if your knees are swollen and riddled with arthritis? You can't just jog up a flight of stairs, and if you walk too far, and the pain sets in, you can't get home again. I could complain about my knees and the pain they cause for ages, but that isn't what this blog is all about is it?

How do you take such a huge negative (like arthritic pain) and turn it into a positive? I had to think for awhile about this, partly because I have had a few bad pain days in a row, and am getting quite down about it again, and partly because I can't think how anyone could possibly think that anything about being in pain is a positive thing.

Only it is...
think about it, I might not have any feeling in my legs at all! I could be wheelchair bound, I could be on crutches (painful in itself). At least my knees still work - not as well as I would like - but damn it, they still get me from A to B, I'm not reliant on anyone to bathe me, I can go shopping if I want. You know what, my knees should be thanked everyday, instead of being told they are 'bad' knees! 

That reminds me of a book I read a while ago, and in it, it says "stop trash-talking your bod! If you want to talk to or about your long-suffering parts, fine, but remember: you'd be up a creek without them." and "A sore knee is not a 'bad' knee; try 'tender' instead. Big legs are strong; why label them 'fat'?
Dahn yoga (aka Dahnhak) is a modernised version of an ancient Korean holistic-health program... while standing, clap your hard-working hips (for example) repeatedly with your cupped palms and shout, "I love my sexy hips!" Pat (hard) all around your hips - front, back, sides - and keep telling them how much they mean to you. (If you're not chanting, at least exhale through your mouth and think loving thoughts!) Choose any part - every part- and express your love for it, out loud and often, while patting or rubbing it (stimulating circulation) with your hands. Don't forget your beautiful face and your powerful brain.

Ok, so I may not be pounding on my knees (or anywhere else) anytime soon, but I will definitely be changing my mental monologue and my attitude about my body. I may even share some of the new 'mindspeach" with you. Maybe.

Today, I'm just saying "Thanks Knees, you're awesome, hope you feel better soon."

Kisses
Julie


*Ref: 50 ways to leave your 40s by Sheila Key & Peggy Spencer, MD