Ask the readers: Staying positive after injury or illness? : zenhabits

Every Friday is Health Tip Day at Zen Habits.

Reader Nicole, who is on the Zen Habits May Challenge email list and has been working on developing an exercise habit all month wrote to ask this question:

It occurred to me that a few of us in the May Challenge list are dealing with injury recovery or body healing-type issues. Do you have any specific tips (beyond the general motivation hacks) for dealing with this sort of thing and staying positive and motivated for the long haul?

I can only speak for myself — I recently came back from an illness and did daily exercise through most of May. However, I recently injured my back, and my exercise routine has been sidetracked for the last few days. But here are a few things that work for me:

Forget the past. Sure, you were doing great with your exercise and now you’ve missed a week (or whatever). And you’re feeling depressed about it. But don’t think about all that. The days you missed aren’t important. What’s important is what you do from here on out — and that will be something great!
Commit. It’s easy to say that you’re going to get back into it, and then push it back another day, and then another, until it becomes very difficult. I suggest you make a commitment, to everyone you know, or on your blog, or in the Zen Habits Challenge.
30-day Challenge. Do a 30-day Challenge — try to exercise every single day for 30 days until it becomes a habit.
Start slow. You’ve just been injured or sick. Your body isn’t what it used to be. Start out gently, going slowly and just for a short amount of time. Later, as you get used to it, you can step up the intensity or length of exercise.

I’d like to hear all of your suggestions. How do you stay positive after coming back from an illness or injury? Let us know in the comments!
Also see:

zenhabits : breathe

Ask the readers: Staying positive after injury or illness?