Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot
On Fridays I like to share some of the experiences I’ve had during the week with patients and in my personal life that I’ve found significant in some way. I like to share them in hopes that you might find value in them and have something resonate with you in your life.
Which stone are you? I listened to a podcast last week and the guest Marcus Luttrell said something I found fascinating. He remarked that every person was 1 of 3 types of stones – sharp, dull, or smooth.
Sharp stones keep others improving, motivated, focused and make them better. Smooth stones keep things as they are – not necessarily worse or not better, kind of the comfort zone basically. Finally, dull stones bring down your sharpness, so they would be the detractors. I think we all can fit into one of these categories. I would put myself as a sharp stone now, but I can say with certainty that I’ve been all three at some point. What type of stone would you say you are? What would others say you are?
An analogy I think works. I had a small plumbing issue at my house this week. In full disclosure, I am not the handiest homeowner in the world. I’m more of a “write the check” guy than the guy that takes on projects but this time, it was on me to fix it. I was kind of embarrassed as I watched YouTube videos and then went to Home Depot trying to get the right tools and supplies for the job. It was intimidating for me and I expected my whole house to end up underwater. In the end though, I was able to get it done and was proud.
The reason I bring this up, is that whenever we have something we want to get into – exercise, nutrition, a new field, a new hobby, a new sport, etc. we can feel small and like everyone else is so far ahead of us. That daunting feeling is often what prevents us from moving forward. What we all need to remember though is that we all are gifted in different ways and there is nothing wrong with being a beginner. If you’re new to exercise for example, don’t worry about what shape you’re in, what happened before or any of that; learn as much as you can and start a new chapter. We all begin as the guy watching YouTube videos with no clue at Home Depot but if we stick with something, we can all get better!
A source of inspiration. Many of you have probably heard the stories of Dick and Rick Hoyt (from my home state of Massachusetts!). Rick was born with cerebral palsy in the 70’s and his parents were told to put him in a home and forget about him. Instead, they had a computer built for him through which he was able to communicate once his parents taught him the alphabet, etc. In his teen years, he asked his father Dick if he’d push him in a local 5k race. His father hadn’t run or been in shape for years but agreed and they finished 2nd from last. However, Rick smiled the entire race and told his dad it made him feel alive more than anything else ever had. This began a lifetime of Dick pushing his son in some of toughest marathons and triathlons the world has to offer. Recently, Dick passed away at the age of 80 and I began to go back and watch a lot of the content created about these two remarkable men over the years. I cry every time, but they have inspired me with their bond as father and son and strength of the human spirit and cannot imagine how many thousands or millions they motivated over the years with their story. If you don’t know of these two, get on YouTube and look them up!
Do I like k-tape? I love it. K-tape is an abbreviation for kinesio-tape which is an elastic sports tape that can provide support and pain relief for muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It works well because it provides “bracing” without having to wear a big brace. I’ve used it many times for tennis elbow (I get it once a year or so from adjusting) and always use it when I do my 100 mile runs to provide support for my knees and keep the wheels from falling off as fast. K-tape is inexpensive and easy to use. If you have a condition you’d like to try it on, simply Google your condition and “k-tape” and inevitably there will be a 1–2-minute video showing you how to apply it. It’ll stay on your skin easily for a couple of days and can really help a variety of ailments.
Some quotes I love.
“Conformity is doing what everyone else is doing, regardless of what is right. Morality is doing what is right regardless of what everyone else is doing.”
“When you get criticized for doing the right thing, it’s still the right thing.”
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius
Want more?
- Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor
- To see previous Friday 5 Spots, visit www.newbodychiro.com and go to “blog”
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