blogmarchInjuries suck. I’ve been babying a bad wrist and knee all summer. These injuries make everything hard to do, the chores and the fun stuff. My daughter has been rehabilitating a knee injury. This morning when we were working out together she said, “I can’t stand doing the elliptical machine, not playing basketball is killing me.” Boy, do I know what she means, there is nothing like playing a game of basketball or doing something that you love to get your workout in. And unfortunately, most people don’t truly understand this until the time comes when they can no longer play.

My husband hasn’t been able to play much basketball for quite some time because he has bad knees, but recently he hurt his back and he couldn’t do anything at all for about three months. Since his recovery, he has been working out like a madman. When someone asks him why, he replies, “Because I can.” He wakes up at 5:30am to go to the gym to lift, condition and play racquetball, and he has been doing something he once said he would NEVER do, riding hundreds of miles on his bike. This weekend he is even participating in the STP (Seattle to Portland) bike race. He is the picture health.

He is in the shape that I strive to be in. So, I’ve decided to adopt the “Because I Can” attitude. Too often I adopt the “If I workout I’ll have to take another shower” attitude or “I should do the bills” attitude or “I need to (fill in any excuse here)” attitude, but something tells me the “Because I Can” attitude would better serve me.

It was so nice to have my daughter ask me to workout today and it’s good to have dogs that need walking to keep me moving, but when I’m injured and can’t play basketball, more often than not I need a boost to keep me exercising. But from now on I’m just going to do it, no excuses. I’m going to have more fun, write more, and find the time to workout…because I can.