If there’s one thing people can’t get enough of, it’s inspiration. Just take a moment to peruse platforms like Tumblr, Pinterest, and We Heart It. People are so hungry for visual inspiration that they flock to these sites. In fact, Pinterest alone has a whopping 100 million users. That means there’s an awful lot of inspiring happening on a minute-to-minute basis.
Plenty of individuals aren’t into social platform-based inspiration. They draw their encouragement from other sources. Some people get out into nature and watch the sun rise or go for a hike, or hang out with someone who challenges them…the list goes on and on.
Where do you look for inspiration?
Fitness Inspiration
One of the main things people desire to be inspired about is fitness. Even those who are already in shape usually desire to look or feel even better. The trouble is, getting and staying in great physical shape is not always fun. Sometimes it can be grueling. This is precisely the reason why those who want to get or stay fit must motivate themselves with fitness inspiration. A great way to do this is by learning about others who have defied all odds to get in shape. One such individual is Ida Keeling.
Ida Keeling, 100-Year-Old Runner, Will Inspire You to Get Fit
Ida has overcome incredible odds in her lifetime. Her husband died when he was just 42. She raised four children as a single mother. She endured social abuse and injustice. She grew up poor. She went through a deep, dark bout with depression. She experienced the horror of losing two of her children to drug-related issues. Mrs. Keeling has had a life that would have done most people in halfway through it. But Ida, 100 years old, is still going strong. Where did she find her inspiration when she thought she couldn’t go on? What is her secret? The answer might surprise you: running.
Keeling took up running, which she claims as her therapy, very shortly after the death of her sons. Noah Remnick, writer for the New York Times, reported, “After some coaxing from her daughter, Ms. Keeling, then 67, registered for a five-kilometer race through Brooklyn. It had been decades since she had last gone running. So began the sunset career of Ida Keeling, at a time when most of her peers were settling in for a future of seated yoga or abandoning athletics altogether. In the decades since, she has traveled across the world for competitions. She often races alone, the only contestant in her age group.”
Watch a video about the incredible story of Ida Keeling here.
Let a Physiotherapist Help You Get In Shape
There are many ways to become more fit. Like Ida, you could take up running (be sure to start slow). Or, you might join a gym. Another option is to enlist the help of a physiotherapist. These healthcare professionals can expertly craft a fitness plan that’s customized for you, and will benefit you beyond mere physical appearance. Reach out to a physiotherapist today for more details.
An unknown individual said, “Some people succeed because they are destined to, but most succeed because they are determined to.” Has Ida Keeling experienced the health and fitness success she has because of destiny or determination? No one will ever know. What we can be sure of, though, is that even if an incredible level of physical fitness was not Ida’s destiny, it became it by sheer grit. What about her story inspires you to be more determined in your pursuit of health and happiness?