Let’s get right to the point. I wear orthotics. There I said it. I wear orthotics. It used to make me feel like an old lady in my New Balance runners with super thick soles. And I am not saying that I still don’t feel that way sometimes, but I have reserved myself to the fact that I absolutely have to wear them. And I am trying to focus on being grateful to be able too. Because without them my knees are incredibly sore, my back is a mess, my feet are in excruciating pain and well I need my feet and legs to move around, ya know?!
Full discloser, this lesson has been learned the hard way. I admit, against my better judgement, I have tried to do without them. I desperately want to wear cute shoes. I want to not have to wear clompy running shoes with any and all outfits. But when I have gone astray in the my cute shoe adventures, it has led back one way or other to be a serious pain in my…feet.
Last week I couldn’t find the orthotics inserts for my shoes. This may not surprise you, as I have been known to misplace things here and there. However, with important (and expensive) things I am *usually* very good at keeping mental notes to their whereabouts. And why would I have taken them out of my running shoes in the first place? Ah the thoughts that pepper my brain day in and day out.
I searched everywhere. Ok not everywhere everywhere, but all the likely places. In all my pairs of shoes, in bags, I looked briefly in the front closet… I was feeling increasingly defeated. I know too well the ramifications of not wearing them after all. They had to be somewhere. As I tied up my (also clompy) winter boots to head into the snow Monday evening, I continued the retracing of my steps in my mind. I was nearing the stage of my search where I was going to tear apart my entire front closet (you know, the last straw) and was dreading it.
I don’t know when the lightbulb went on. I don’t remember flipping the switch. But as I tied my boot laces it occurred to me from a very distant memory that my highly sought after inserts were actually IN my winter boots. The very boots that were on my feet. I am embarrassed to say, I was right. I had been literally walking around with them on my own freaking feet for a week, while I searched high and low for them. I just can’t.
Goodness knows I will be looking for my glasses next, all the while they’ll be sitting peached on my head. Sounds about right for this orthotics wearing girl…
PS. I would be absolutely remiss not to shout out Dr. Tabrizi from
Physiomed in Alliston (if you are local *highly* recommend!) He is the absolute best and doesn’t make me feel bad when I have been led astray by the cute shoes and my feet are a mess. In fact he made me a small pair of orthotics that actually fit in cute shoes! How is that for a win! I mean there is risk in having 2 pairs to keep track of (clearly)… but still. If self care looks like orthotics then so be it. 💕
