Patience, Patience, Patience

I have written about patience—and how I would like more of it–before, but at the moment it is a concept I am finding I need to revisit. I am 2 1/2 weeks out from a hysterectomy and my doctor gave me strict instructions not to exercise for SIX WEEKS after surgery. When she told me this, I nearly cried. “But my whole life is exercise!” I told her; she didn’t budge. So now here I am trying to navigate a very foreign existence. The first week or so, it was relatively easy to obey orders because I didn’t feel so good but now that I’m feeling more like myself, it’s becoming more challenging. I understand the reasoning behind the doctor’s concern and I certainly want my body to heal properly, but the kicker is that all of my energy gainers involve exercise: riding my horses, yoga, hiking, etc. I talk with clients a lot about the importance of engaging in activities that give them energy as a way to balance out the unavoidable stressors (energy drainers) we all have, and here I am unable to implement that very strategy. Oh, and I also have a farm to keep up with and 5 horses to care for each day which means lots of exercise-like chores. Ok, it’s only six weeks so that’s where the patience truly comes in. Can I tone down this restlessness by incorporating other strategies such as daily meditation and mindfulness? Can I accept that I can’t do what I want to right now and focus on what I can do? Can I allow others to assist me right now with tasks that I normally do easily myself? Can I embrace the chance to engage other activities like reading and cooking that are usually lower on my priority list? I want to be able to experience this as a time to learn more about patience and acceptance so that even when I can return to my normal activities I am better able to weather the inevitable inconveniences and challenges of life.

Wish me luck!