Falling Down

Dear Aspen reader,

Last winter my husband and I hiked to the top of a local crater with some friends. On the way down (the steep, railroad ties…might I add) my foot caught the edge of a tie and my torso twisted. My bottom plummeted down and I landed on the ground between the ties. Definitely not one of my finest moments as a fitness professional.

Have you ever fallen while exercising? Maybe a trip while running, a twisted ankle from a misstep or a fall from a bike? No matter what the situation or injury it can be embarrassing and leave you feeling physically strained.

If you’ve had an instance like me, what was your reaction? Did you lay there and stay there, choosing to remain until the end of time? Probably not.

I’m sure you tried with the might you had left to brush it off and stand again. Because that would be silly, right? Just remaining in the same place, refusing to get up.

But we do that all the time when it comes to our mental wellness. We remain, not moving past a failure or disappointment. We spend far too much time in those places, continuing to pick at a scab or touch a bruise; ultimately hindering any internal injury and lengthening the process of healing.

If we are equipped to get up physically and start moving again, don’t you think it’s the same for us mentally?

You might argue that it’s not the same. But in my experiences, it is. It’s all a choice. We choose to get up and get moving again. We must make the decision to move forward and allow healing to take place.

But trust me, it’s not always easy. And it doesn’t mean that there won’t be further injury along the way; you might even fall down again. So start small. After you’ve sprained an ankle you don’t take off running the next day. You allow yourself some time to recover but, in the end, you move again.

And do you want to know the best part about falling down? It means that you, in fact, are moving. You can’t fall if you aren’t moving and choosing to stand again. So continue to stand and continue to move - as you do you’ll find yourself becoming healthier, both mentally and physically.

In health,