This article is written by Jemma Louise Hunt from A Wellness Tale.
Many of us turn to walking as an introduction to exercise following months and years of being housebound by chronic illness. And in the early days, the first tentative steps towards movement are enough to keep us fully motivated and inspired. There is triumph in circuiting the garden for the first time, and pride in ambling up to a neighbour’s house and back, because nothing beats the euphoria of smashing your earlier walking goals.
But healing in chronic illness is never linear and there are often setbacks. Maybe through enthusiasm or sheer determination you walked beyond your current exertion limits, weakening your body and its capabilities? Or perhaps you have reached the peak of your current abilities and a long, frustrating plateau ensues?
It is at this point we might begin to lose motivation, and if the exhilarating and celebratory moments of our early achievements no longer encourage us, what can we look to for inspiration going forward?