A week ago I tackled this topic from the perspective that a period of rest is foundational to one’s physical recovery from the exertion of exercise training. After mulling about this idea for the last few days, some additional perspectives came through and I want to further discuss ‘recovery’ from the perspective of our belief system. When I thought about the word ‘recovery’ I realized that the term usually infers to some sort of trauma or breakdown (in the body or in the psyche); that something has been lost or taken away. And in fact, when we exercise hard, there occurs micro-traumas to muscle tissue. The repair or recovery process of these tissues can only occur when we allow those muscles to rest. This happens when we sleep at night or when we take an active ‘recovery’ day of exercise which does not engage the previously worked muscles with intensity and force. Either way, whether we sleep or move restfully, we allow our body to do the work of muscle repair. What makes recovery hard work? Our belief system! If we think (believe) that a period of rest is going to take something away from us (strength, stamina, athleticism) or that we will be diminished or reduced in body or spirit, then we find it very difficult to allow ourselves adequate recovery time. It is what we BELIEVE about rest and recovery that makes recovery hard work. Our beliefs are powerful; they have the ability to hinder our recovery and our peace of mind. If you can change your  beliefs about the value of your ‘recovery’ periods, then you can and should expect your periods of rest to rejuvenate you in body, mind and spirit.

It’ may look like I’m doing nothing, but at the cellular level I’m really quite busy. ~Roger Ramjet