“What you consistently do is what you adapt to…If we want to heal, we have to learn to process.” ~ Brianna Wiest, The Mountain is You
I’m pondering what direction I’ll take with this idea that’s come full circle in my mind. A progressive idea laced with movement, balance, and growth. I know it will revolve around forward motion, but that notion is not as uncomplicated as one might imagine. We are, after all, dealing with reality. Life is sometimes a “one step forward, two steps back” dance with fear, pain, and our inner selves. The darkness we try to hide from. I’m going to review part of my journey from this last rotation around the giant yellow star that’s glowing at the heart of our solar system. The topic being: Day 0 to Day 360 of walking ever so slightly closer to the ground. But first, a short stroll down memory lane…
Run – The issue of balance has often been my Achilles’ heel, metaphorically speaking. And one day the metaphor turned literal. I attacked my fitness endeavors at the start of the New Year with high intensity, instead of easing in like my now reasonable self would do. Hard to believe that was eight years ago. Chasing that runner’s high…if only I’d paced myself. I had to push pause on the running. Achilles tendon injury. Boot + therapy = disappointment and postponement of goals. And maybe I didn’t experience healing in totality from that Achilles injury, and perhaps the low back injury that had yet to happen would end up being much worse because of it. Tie in the riveting lesson that’s applicable to other areas of life…take the time to heal before you jump back in.
Walk – I’ve been no stranger to physical pain since that original injury. Countless therapeutic endeavors. I’ve often said, “If I have to walk to Mordor and throw a ring into a fire, whatever it takes to get rid of this burden, I will do it!” At certain times all I’ve sensibly been able to do is stretch or walk the track, but I tread on no matter how insignificant the steps toward Mount Doom…I mean my fitness goals may seem. Some of my physical therapists recommended I try barefoot shoes, for a wide variety of reasons. After I got past my narrow-minded views on athletic shoes (I was pretty attached to my Brooks), I decided to see what the “live life feet first” idea was about. I bought a pair of XERO shoes. And…XERO is now the sole brand of athletic shoes I’ve worn this past year and hence the inspiration for these thoughts on loop in the brain. Okay, I’ll get to the review portion now…
Barefoot – These shoes are completely flat! No arch and no raised heel. Of course it took some time to get adjusted to, but I do prefer the barefoot feeling. I like the wide toe box, shoe flexibility, and the sensation of the ground beneath my feet. I’ve noticed my posture has improved, and I’ve experienced a decrease in foot, ankle, and back pain since changing my stance.
Forza – I wear the Forza Trainers for working out in the gym, for teaching dance fitness classes (I love feeling connected to the floor in these!) and I also find them to be great for playing tennis. I was shocked the first time I wore them for running around on the court…they are very lightweight and make side to side movements easier. They are also a great shoe to wear all day at work. The Forza Runners are my favorite indoor running shoe. Forza. Can I just say how much I love the sound and meaning of the word? Force. Power. Strength. The ability to face the difficulties of life. An encouragement…“you can do it!”
Stringing It Together – Sometimes we run when we should walk and vice versus. Figuring out the right stride is a continual challenge in our journey. Sometimes we think we’re really going somewhere and eventually realize all we’ve actually done is made a 360. Sometimes that 360 is what wakes us up and finally moves us forward. Maybe I’m talking about more than just physical injuries and barefoot shoes. I had every intention for this blog to solely be a shoe review, but another thought running in the distance has caught up with me…
The Mountain is You – I’ve been hooked on a book lately. If I could go back in time, I’d give this to a much younger me. Maybe I could save myself some pain. Or maybe I wouldn’t have appreciated the book’s lessons without being tested. Some pain/trauma/tragedies in this world should never happen, and I would love to eradicate them. But to never know pain is not necessarily a blessing. Misery can in fact be found where stability and comfort are present. And on the flip side, joy and gratitude can be experienced in spite of difficult times. I believe in order to understand pain we have to experience pain. While I would never wish for pain so insight could be gained, I’m grateful for the life-changing message of this book which has helped me process some past rough emotional terrain I kept circling through.
Maybe I’d tell my younger self, “Life is going to be hard, but you’re going to make it. Everything you’re ever going to need is already inside you…don’t ever doubt yourself. Walk, run, dance, climb a mountain…you can do it! Just keep doing it. You’re so strong; you just don’t know it yet. You’re going to go through some really dark times, but the light inside you will prevail.” An eclipse of pain just prolongs it. The growth that happens after facing the darkness and putting in the effort for healing makes the challenge worth it. Our brains can be rewired to do amazing and difficult things. We can forge a new reality with the thoughts we choose to perpetuate. Courage. What a beautiful word. Don’t ever tell yourself you can’t. You can! Forza.
Regarding the barefoot shoes…I give XERO a 10/10. Definitely recommend.
Blue Moon Muse 