inMotion Magazine

Finding Balance 3 Diet. Exercise. Genetics. All of these things are important for living a long life – but there’s more to it than that. What you really want is to live longer well , to be healthy enough to continue doing the things you love. Living a full, balanced life includes being with friends and family, playing catch with your child or going to work. A positive mental attitude, the ability to laugh and find the humor in situations, getting outside of yourself and helping others, working at something you love to do, and having the will to beat the odds – these things that we do define and give purpose to life. Without meaningful activities and relationships, life loses its vitality, and our moods darken and fade. However, while working contributes to enhanced mental and physical health, as well as to a better quality of life, employed people with limb loss may have even more to juggle than their colleagues without disabilities. Often there are a number of competing obligations, such as a spouse or children, or others who depend on you, which makes taking care of yourself particularly important. This means setting aside some “me time” and engaging in activities that promote physical and emotional well-being. In its simplest sense, wellness focuses on taking proper care of your body through exercise, nutrition and routine medical exams. But you shouldn’t forget the whole – mind, body and spirit. You might, for example, consider techniques for tending to your mind like visualization and guided imagery to deal with tension and anxiety or playing word games and cards to maintain mental sharpness. Or nourishing the spirit through meditation, prayer or letting go of resentment and self-criticism. You’re still basically the same person inside that you were before the amputation. Successful adjustment is achieved by learning to do the things you enjoyed before (even if you have to learn to do them differently) and seeing yourself as a whole person who just happens to have a missing body part. The focus should no longer be on what’s gone, but on the future. In the journey to finding balance, no two amputees share the same experience, confront the same obstacles, or achieve the same level of ability. But whether you’re already well along that path, just starting, or even getting back on track after a temporary setback, the integration of mind, body and spirit is the key to a long, healthy and balanced life. Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving. ~Albert Einstein Editor’s Message FINDING BALANCE ~ Bill Dupes, Editor-in-Chief Integrating Mind, Body and Spirit