No pain, no gain...

I am in the cranky part of rehabilitation with my shoulder. In order to achieve the last few degrees of mobility, I have to stretch further than they want to go, repeatedly. Three times a day. My recovering injuries don't like it. Consequently they get achy and I get cranky. "No pain, no gain" was coined in a rehab room, I am convinced of it.

I feel sorry for my family. I actually hid in the basement where I could do my exercises and avoid losing it on my children for being children. I was super uncomfortable and it wore me down. I was seeing red from plates on the counter rather than being put in the dishwasher. Not usually something that makes me want to lose my mind.

Do I feel like doing my exercises? No! Lately, my shoulder hurts from the exercises and makes me uncomfortable for the rest of the day. Plus, it can be discouraging when I used to lift weights that actually looked like weights and now, well, now I am lifting a very small, unimpressive bar and it exhausts my poor recovering injuries. Do I want limitations in my mobility for the rest of my life? No! No I don't! So which do I want more, comfort or mobility?

I think we all know the answer to that one.

I have been known to teach my kids that the best things come with hard work, discomfort and persistence. Sometimes we have to push through the discouragement, show some tenacity in order to reach our goal.

What was I thinking!!! Now I have to put action to my ideology. They are watching.

Are you missing out on something great because you want to avoid some discomfort?

Is there a goal you have but the road to achieve it looks hard and potentially painful?

This is where our mettle is tested. What are we made of? Are we willing to face the challenge?

Am I short sighted?

Can I see past the present to the rewards hard work and discomfort will grant me?

I haven't been able to do some of my favourite things for over a year. Others for 2 years because of the timing of my injuries.  How badly do I want to ski again, or water ski? Will I ever get to rock climb with my kids? Where do I want to be? What things do I want to be able to do?

Even though I know the answers, I don't always want to think about the potential rewards. But, those are the things I need to remember when I am achy and sore. Those are the thoughts I need to focus on when I would rather sit with the ice on my shoulder and avoid doing my exercises.

The progress I am making is slow, incremental really. A few degrees of movement every week. Essential degrees of movement. I need to think long term. I need to keep pushing. The goal isn't in sight, but I know it is coming!!

No pain, no gain...