Reader,

This week, I heard something on the radio that caught my attention.

Céline Dion was back on stage.

After six years away from full concerts, she returned to Paris this month for a residency—something that, not that long ago, she didn't know would be possible.

In 2022, Céline publicly shared that she had been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological condition that can cause muscle stiffness and painful spasms. Her symptoms had affected both her ability to move and the voice that had been such a significant part of her life and career.

So I became curious: What had the last several years looked like for her?

What I found was a story not simply about getting better, but about learning to live with a body that had changed.

In a 2024 interview with Vogue France, Céline was very clear that her condition hadn't gone away. She said she was learning to live with it.

And movement was part of that process.

At the time, she was participating in athletic, physical and vocal therapy five days a week, working with a medical team and addressing everything from her toes, knees and calves to her fingers and her voice.

She described it as taking things one day at a time.

Two years later, she's back on stage.

Change is possible.

But I don't think the lesson here is that if we simply work hard enough, we can get our old lives back.

Bodies change.

Health changes.

Circumstances change.

And sometimes moving forward includes learning to live with something we wish were different.

I see versions of this in my work all the time.

People may want to get back to walking, working out, gardening, travelling, playing with their grandchildren, participating in a favourite activity or simply feeling more confident moving through their day.

There can be progress and setbacks. Good days and harder days. Sometimes goals change along the way.

The destination doesn't need to be a stage in Paris for it to matter deeply.

What are you hoping to move toward?

And perhaps just as importantly:

Can you start from the body you have today rather than waiting for the body you wish you had?

Being present to where you are right now doesn't mean giving up on change.

In fact, it may be where change begins.

Movement, when it's appropriate for you and supported with the right guidance when needed, can be one part of that process. It can help us explore what our bodies are capable of today, make adjustments, gather information and gradually build confidence.

Not necessarily to get back to exactly where we were.

But to keep moving toward the things that make our lives meaningful.

Céline Dion's return to the stage is an extraordinary example.

Your version doesn't have to be extraordinary to anyone else.

It only has to matter to you.

And if pain is one of the things making it difficult to know how to move forward, that's exactly what we'll be exploring together this Tuesday.

On September 22 at 10:00 AM MT, I'm hosting my next free* Move Smart, Feel Better webinar:

Should I Keep Going? How to Know What to Do When Movement Hurts

We'll explore how to notice what your body is telling you, experiment with movement rather than automatically pushing through or stopping, make adjustments, and reassess what happens next.

If this feels like a conversation you need right now, I'd love to have you join me.

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Stay well and happy moving,

Lisa

*The webinar is included with your free MoveNOW membership in The MedFit Movement Studio.
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Supporting you in your physical activity journey.

​www.lisaworkman.com​