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.
A concept I believe in. Competing in ultramarathons as I do; I am often running and alone with my thoughts for hours at a time (as many as 30 in my longest races). What I’ve learned is that your mind is your biggest strength and your greatest weakness. To maximize strength and minimize weakness, you must avoid negotiating with your own mind.
The reason for this, is that your mind has a built-in protective mechanism. When things get tough or challenging, your mind will do all it can to get you to stop and seek comfort. It will tell you you’ve done enough, it really doesn’t matter, you’re too tired, you could get hurt, etc., but it’s all nonsense. Conversely, if you can use your mind to think positively then you will find yourself pushing past your previous perceived limits and shattering goals you didn’t know you could. Both outcomes are always possible, the biggest variable is your mind. The mind is a tricky thing so be aware that anytime you start doing something hard, your mind will begin trying to convince you to stop. Don’t negotiate with terrorists and that includes your own mind!
Can you get adjusted too much? I suppose this is theoretically possible under the right circumstances though extremely unlikely. Even in chiropractic school when we practiced on one another so often (and weren’t yet good at doing so!) it never became a problem. My receptionists usually ask to be adjusted daily (their choice not mine) and notice excellent improvements as opposed to more sporadic care. When I’ve worked with other chiropractors, I usually received daily adjustments because of the benefits it provides me.
In my experience, when people are getting adjusted even somewhat more frequently, they begin to have less vertebrae that are misaligned and soon need fewer adjustments to maintain a healthy spine. Each individual case is different but well-performed adjustments would be difficult to over-do.
A type of workout I’ve been enjoying. With my two youngest children being 3 and (almost) 1 years of age, I spend a decent amount of time in parks. This week, I’ve been taking them to the parks before 7am when it’s relatively cool outside. As I’m there, I play with them and will work out around them as well for fun. This includes pullups, dips, pushups, abdominal and core exercises, jump squats and more. It’s enjoyable for me, the little ones think it’s funny and mimic what I do. This plants a seed in their young minds that exercise is important and enjoyable while allowing me to exercise with my kiddos in a unique way.
An Interesting observation. I had several random conversations this week that brought about a similar theme. Though the details varied, the essence of each conversation was “I’m really stressed so I’ve been making bad choices physically, mentally and nutritionally.” Each person went on to explain in detail why this was the case.
What interested me was that no one ever says that they’re too stressed to do the right things but often use this as an excuse to do the wrong things. Have you ever heard “I’ve been feeling down so I started exercising and eating better to help myself out”? Likely not. None of us like to feel anxious, stressed, etc., but doing things we know are wrong and that don’t benefit us is certain to only worsen the problem. Things won’t always be perfect but if we’re trying to get through a tough time and we know bad choices will make it even tougher, we should avoid them.
Some quotes I love.
“The worst thing you can do is nothing.” – Terry Pratchett
“I’ve found that the areas that I complain about the most are directly tied to the places where I need firmer boundaries.” – Nedra Glover Tawwab
“Don’t punish yourself for making poor decisions but be relentless on yourself for standing still.” – Tom Bilyeu
“All that matters is how you feel about yourself when you are by yourself.” – Tom Bilyeu
“I always think more of a man who keeps his word and less of a man who doesn’t. Integrity is a simple litmus test and universal principle of trust, credibility, and influence.” – Ryan Michler
Want more?
- Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor
- To see previous Friday 5 Spots, visit www.newbodychiro.com
- Check us out on Facebook under New Body Chiropractic