You don't deserve to be more pain-free or move without aches or tightness. It's not something you deserve — it's something you're responsible for.
Only you can control you. Any movement dysfunction is your responsibility to overcome or learn to manage. Nobody can do it for you. It's not something you can outsource, do once a week, or find a quick fix. Improving your movement starts with taking responsibility for the habits you choose.
Dr. John Townsend inspired this article based on his book "The Entitlement Cure." He discusses how we all encounter entitled people regularly. They demand things and believe they deserve outcomes but are unwilling to accept the reality they are responsible for the consequences of their life choices.
We all have "pockets of entitlement" in our lives. These are small areas where we believe we deserve something we've not earned. For many of us, that pocket is related to our health. We feel we deserve to be healthy and live pain-free, but how often do we take responsibility and take action?
Dr. Townsend's solution to entitlement is doing things the Hard Way. He defines the Hard Way as the habit of doing what is best, rather than what is comfortable, to achieve a worthwhile outcome.
So what is the Hard Way when we discuss movement and physical therapy?
It's the active and intentional choice to move. Working out, going on walks, doing daily mobility exercises. These are just examples of ways you can take responsibility for your movement. They take time and effort. It requires doing it daily over decades. You have to choose for yourself the habits you want to embrace and which ones to eliminate.
Physical therapy provides the knowledge and hands-on treatments to get you moving. It's not designed to be something you go to and leave with your doctor. You have to take the knowledge we provide you and apply it in your daily life.
It's not comfortable. It's not easy. It's not quick. If you think it is, then you might have an entitled mindset regarding your health and physical fitness.
Embrace the Hard Way and keep the outcome in mind that you want to achieve with your body and movement. Dr Samantha can help you start moving again, and provide the knowledge and tools needed to keep moving. If you haven't already, schedule a discovery call today to learn how she can help you get active.
