Motivational stories: Sally

IT's not very often I will deliberately repeat a newsletter from the daily dose of motivational medicine. But I have wanted to go back through each day to see the thoughts and the ways I have tried to motivate you. Sometimes I know I have failed, sometimes I know I have done what I had hoped and made you re-think what it is you are doing.

Some of you have been with me forever and I would like to say thank you for sticking with me. Some of you of course are very new to the Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine. What you may not know if you are a newcomer is the style of the posts vary - some days it will be suggestions to try, some days just a quote I have found inspiring, and yet others - things I have observed and experienced. Every aspect of our lives can be a reason for motivating ourselves to do better today than we did yesterday.

But today I would like to send you a post from a few years ago. This one bears repeating and you will understand why.

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Sally's story:

I met Sally at the gym again today. A fey scottish grandmother who still bears the effects of a stroke almost two years on. It might affect her speech but not her spirit. Over the last couple of years, Sally and I have sweated over the small stuff (we're not into pumping heavy weights you understand). But she is more disciplined than I. Five days a week she gets up at 5am. Walks her dog, then walks to the gym. It doesn't matter what the weather is doing, or whether she wants to. She just does it.

Today I found out why.She has beaten cancer, gone through a heart operation to have a pace maker fitted, and she lost the use of one side of her body for a while. I also found out that she had retired from her job as a counsellor for the second time this year at the age of 68. But that is not what is truly remarkable about Sally. Added up it is more than most people ever have to deal with. You see as Sally is walking home she is gearing up for the hardest part of every day.

She is going home to someone who looks like the person she married all those years ago. Had children with and grew together as they grew older. But is now a stranger in his own body and his own home. He doesn't know that Sally still believes in those vows she spoke all those years ago - In sickness and in health, for better or worse.

How hard is it for Sally? How hard is it for her each and every day?

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I haven't seen Sally for a couple of years now (as I changed gym), so I can't give you an update. But something tells me she will still be at the gym every day as it opens, keeping her body and mind active and supple. Motivating herself to be the best person she can be.

How about you? Are you doing all that you can or are you guilty of only doing enough to get by? No-one knows what is in store for them, what challenges lie ahead, but today's lessons will give us the knowledge and the skills to rise to each of the challenges we may face. And therein lies our personal growth potential.

So - stand tall, be proud of who you are and what you have achieved so far and face the world with a smile and the knowledge that you can handle whatever comes your way.

With love and light

Elle

Comments

[Happy Lists]

Thank You for this dose of perspective. It was just what I needed to get me motivated to keep up the hard work. If Sally can do it, we all can do it!

[Elle]

Absolutely
Go for it
Elle