Rest Is Not a Four Letter Word!

 

I often joke I am a recovering Type A personality. Many polio survivors became Type A personalities as a way to cope with the challenges of overcoming the initial polio virus. To complicate my recovery from polio, I endured years of abuse at the hands of family members. My wake up call to transform the Type A personality habits came in the form of Post-Polio Syndrome in December of 2006. As one who typically could not sit still and was always "busy", it was a big challenge to learn how to rest and pace myself. 

Coincidentally, I found my way to the sport of running. The runner within me was born in my imagination. I wrote the poem, "Running the Race" in February of 2007. That poem foreshadowed my 2009 Boston Marathon run! Any runner will tell you that one of the most challenging parts of training is rest days, and taper madness is real. Yet rest, both on the roads and in life is vital for recovery. We often think of rest as a waste of time or label ourselves as lazy. I don't know about you, but when I feel stressed, it is a challenge to let go of trying to control things; to rest and trust with meditation and prayer, visualizing positive outcomes being grateful for the blessings in my life. Resting in a state of grace and gratitude is one of the best ways I know to recharge and have the strength I need to meet whatever the challenge may be.

As an older runner and one who has had challenges to my neuromuscular system, I know what happens if I don't honor my rest days. I become vulnerable to injuries and mental burnout. I lose the joy of running and the health benefits it brings to me mind, body and soul. There are many different kinds of rest days depending on what any individual needs.  There are times when a total rest day is needed; times when an unscheduled rest day needs to be taken. Other times, a gentle walk or an added day of strength training feels good for a rest day. The more active kind of rest days always seem to be easier but the days when we need to honor what our bodies and minds are telling us; to take a total time out are somehow harder to navigate.

Often times, the Universe will push us to rest when we get ill or injured. One of the reasons I am writing this post is to remind all of us to not wait until we reach that point but to give ourselves permission to rest when we need it and NOT FEEL GUILTY!

 

Here's the paradox. We often feel and think that we have to 'push through' to get something done or go beyond when our body says stop. Now there are times when we can go a little farther or if there's a deadline looming, to keep going until it's done. But most times, when we take that break or give ourselves an extra rest day, we become more focused, more creative and, on the roads, are able to come back even stronger after rest AND before we end up injured or ill.

Ben Crosby who I met through the On the Runs Podcast (and be sure to listen to his Episode 126 by following this link) posted his struggles about rest on his Instagram page @a_better_ben   He is in comeback mode after having surgery this past summer. He shared how he couldn't finish his 10 miler as planned and realized he needed to take unscheduled rest days. Yesterday he posted the joy of a sunrise run and being able to do 10 miles!

David R. Hamilton PhD's latest book, "The Joy of Actually Giving a F***" has excellent advice on self-care. He talks about how we cannot give from an empty cup. He talks about the various ways we can take care of our physical and mental well-being that goes beyond the often thought of spa day when it comes to self-care. When we deliberately carve out time to do what brings us joy, we are practicing self-care. He underscores the need for exquisite self-compassion and self-love which ties in to giving ourselves the grace to rest and take care of ourselves when we need to. 

During these past 18 years, in the wake of the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, I have learned about patience, pacing, trusting the process, having faith that when I let go of control I am actually gaining control over myself and that rest is NOT a four letter word. It is a vital part of being able to perform at our best.

In health and wellness,

Mary

Visit my website to be inspired by my journey. May it ignite a spark within you to go farther than you ever believed you could. Be sure to visit the News and Events Page with links to podcast interviews, speaking engagements, where you can find my incredibly inspirational story and upcoming events.

Proud to BU is a podcast highlighting the illustrious achievements of Boston University Alumni. Here is the link to my episode.

My books that pack powerful messages of healing, hope and possibilities are available on Amazon  My 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is receiving rave reviews and is a selection of the WBZ News Radio Book Club.