Rolling with the punches

If you've read some of my other posts, it is obvious that I am an avid athlete and fitness supporter. Many times, something that occurs in sports or fitness relates perfectly to normal life. That is why so many sports cliches exist and are used for everyday purposes. "Go the distance" or "finish the race" are two used for non-sporting circumstances. My purpose today is to relate goal setting/adjusting from a sports perspective to our everyday lives.
This past weekend, the Breezy Point Triathlon was cancelled due to weather. Many people had trained for this event, as it was a major goal for some to complete a triathlon for the first time. There were some that wanted to set a personal best time. The cancellation was probably a major letdown for all of these folks. There is probably a lot of "what do I do now?" going on. For veteran racers, this has probably happened before where an injury, weather, or life in general has prevented them from doing their goal race. One thing I have learned is that you have to look forward and "roll with the punches." Unless a major injury or health problem has occured/developed, there are many other opportunities to test or prove oneself. Look for another event that is coming soon, as your fitness/health will not deteriorate as long as you maintain it. Secondly, the race/goal event is only part of the experience. The training and fitness/health development is the important part, improving your health and learning your own limits. Focusing on these factors will allow you to move forward positively. We must learn from our past, but not dwell on it. Life is always going to "throw you a curveball" along the way, so learn how to move past these times.
Many patients I work with have had major "curveballs" thrown at them. These negative experiences(job loss, divorce, etc...) tear these folks up both emotionally and physically as the stress mounts. I do my best, as a chiropractor/health care provider, to make them physically comfortable as they are dealing with these life events. I am not a counselor, but I would hope that these people would take time to try to look forward, so they can distance themselves from these negative events. If they continue being caught up in the negative swirl, they will not be able to get healthy, and this is a problem. I try to focus my patients on positive outcomes, helping them find a possible outlet to focus their energies. As I said before, fitness is one of my favorites as great health gains can be achieved through improved fitness. At the same time, exercise is a great stress modulator/mediator.
So try not to let these negative events keep you down, "get back in the game" and find something else positive to focus yourself on.