The sticky kitchen floor needs to be mopped. Not a big deal–except this is my way of celebrating 6 weeks since my knee surgery. Nothing is easy anymore. Cleaning most anything while using a walker is a challenge, but it needs to be done. Learning new ways to do daily tasks frustrates me, but it also puts my brain through its challenges, making it stronger and creating new connections.
The brain loves novelty, doing ordinary things in new ways. That’s exactly the story of my life now that I’ve returned home after a month at the rehab center. No need for creativity to generate new brain pathways; that used to mean coming up with a new route to the grocery store or brushing my teeth with my non-dominant hand. Now they ambush me many times every day. Positive focus tells me to be grateful for the challenges. They will indeed help me to learn and keep my brain active–this time with physical rather than mental tasks. In a couple of weeks, my surgeon will lift the weight restrictions and I’ll be able to go back to my habitual approaches–or not. I’ve discovered I actually enjoy setting up my “office” in a bookcase next to my recliner rather than climbing the stairs to my working desk. Maybe that’s how progress happens.