I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag.
Today’s tip is to listen to your body and be grateful for what it can do.
I wasn’t great at listening to myself, physically or mentally, as a younger man. I pushed hard, I bulldozed through issues. I just moved on, ignoring issues.
That worked OK as a younger person, but as an older man, that causes issues. While I do think movement helps get through some minor issues, I do need adjustments. A few examples recently.
My ankle, the right one, is getting worse as I get older. I complained enough that my wife bought me a compression sleeve that I’ve carried in my laptop bag. My sister-in-law got me another one when I stopped using the laptop bag and forgot the brace on a trip. I put that one in my travel bag, which I do use for trips of all sorts.
I was in Philadelphia a little over a month ago coaching. Our hotel was on the river and it was about a mile and a half uphill walk to the convention center. I wore my brace because I needed it. Walking up there to register was a little painful. My ankle ached. My wife noticed and got us an Uber on the way back, which I appreciated and accepted. Not something I’d have done years ago.
I did wear the brace while coaching, which helped while standing on that hard cement floor. I also walked a bit more than I wanted, because my wife likes walking, but listened to my ankle and went slower.
When we returned, I went back to yoga class, and a few times the ankle was sore and not too stable. Rather than do a one-legged mountain, I kick-standed my left foot against the right, allowing some work, but not too much.
I appreciate what I can do, but I am listening more to my body.