When I was a young girl, into gymnastics, I liked to do back walkovers everywhere -- on the driveway, on the lawn, on the sidewalk, on the balance beam. I could do back walkovers anywhere and because I could, I did. Perhaps to the annoyance of my family. And then a thought occurred to me. I planned to do one back walkover every day for the rest of my life, just so I would never lose the skill. Alas, I'm over 50 now and haven't done a back walkover in about 35 years. I simply don't bend that way anymore.
This leads me to something I can do. Run. I am a runner, a slow and steady runner. I enjoy my runs and typically use my three, four or five miles to think, and as I like to say, "Solve the world's problems." But even though I enjoy my runs, there are times when I just don't feel like doing it. I would rather sleep, watch television, eat junk food or clean a toilet (yup, my lack of motivation has provided my family with a clean bowl or two). When I am in one of those moods, I have five motivational mantras I use to kick my own butt. Feel free to use them when you're feeling unmotivated to run, walk, swim, bike, hike or do what it is that you do:
- Do it because you can. Kind of like the back walkovers. There may come a point in time when my body just won't bend that way anymore, so as long as I am able, I owe it to my heart to get out there and run.
Earlier on Huff/Post50: