We all have different characteristics that make us tick. Each of us has varying things that can push our buttons or light up our souls. We are driven by our individual goals and desires. All sharing the unknown of how much time we will be afforded, and with the choice to make it count.

As the minutes tick by during my pool physical therapy routine, I can’t help but soak in my surroundings. The most obvious is that I am the youngest patient in the pool. As people exit the facility, I notice their scars from surgeries. I overhear conversations of progress or lack thereof from others. We are all there for different reasons, but with the common goal of getting stronger and enjoying a better quality of life.

Regaining strength is a slow process that takes great fortitude. Last week during one of my therapy exercises, my physical therapist asked me how it was going. I said, “I’m not doing well with this exercise today.” She encouraged me to not say that I am not doing well as each therapy session is not to be compared to the last. The goal for each appointment is to do the exercises to the best of my ability without causing a significant increase in pain or tingling in my extremities. These insightful words kept me moving forward with my therapy routine in a positive manner, and can also be applied to everyday life.

Without a conscious effort, we can be hard on ourselves. We want to keep improving. Do things faster and better. Have instant gratification with visual results. Just like in my physical therapy sessions, measuring ourselves and our lives in this manner is not realistic and puts a lot of pressure on us.

At the end of physical therapy, part of my routine is to float in the deep end of the pool for 10 minutes which allows my body to relax. While in the deep end of the water, I drift off into my own thoughts. I contemplated on the wisdom that was shared with me by my therapist. I scanned my surroundings while observing everyone else in the pool. I thought how our clocks are all at different times. Some are ticking faster or slower than we know or want. While floating in the water, I looked outside at the flowers and watched the leaves of the trees sway in the wind. I smiled while looking at the reflection of the water ripple across the ceiling of the pool. No matter how many years I am blessed with, I am determined to absorb the beauty that surrounds me no matter what circumstances float my way.

How do you make each day count?