It happened again.
I came home from my son’s soccer practice, ran up the stairs, and felt it right away. My back is clenched and closed.
And then that sinking feeling quickly sets in:
“Not again. I was doing very well.”
Me too it was you’re good. This was almost 2 years without a major breakout, about 4 times my average during most of my 30’s.
If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’ve been through it low back pain for over 20 years due to congenital spinal stenosis and previous injuries. So I was able to read the warning signs so I knew when I pushed too hard and needed to back off.
This time, I had noticed. I would be careful. And it still happens.
But here is what I want to share with you today.
When you’re in pain, or stuck, or feel like you’ve fallen by the wayside – especially if it’s happened before – it’s very easy to feel like this is how it’s going to be from now on. Forever.
I see it with my coaching clients all the time. People dealing with chronic pain or conditions such as POTS or RA. But also people dealing with tendonitis, or a tough week at work that ruined their exercise streak, or a stressful stretch that threw them off track with their diet.
The concept sounds like this:
“Here we go again, I can’t go on like this.”
But that is not true. It is what it is feels the truth at the moment.
The evidence almost always says otherwise. And that’s why we need help to reframe our inner dialogue sometimes. Because it’s left to its own devices, your brain will happily ignore all evidence that doesn’t fit the “I’m damned” story you’re telling.
Here’s what I keep reminding myself (and what I was going to tell you, too):
✅ You are more master of your situation than you realize.
At this point, you’ve found some things that help. Or, almost like a precious commodity, you have found such things don’t do it Help. Either way, the pool of unknowns is shrinking. That’s progress, even if it doesn’t feel like it.
For example, I know that I need to get short, repeated attempts at gentle movement throughout the day to help manage my pain and restore function. But that there is no “magic” exercise that does it, and that what my body needs each day will be different, so I have to be patient while I figure out what will feel right. today. Before, I felt lost and overwhelmed by this idea. Now, I know I just need to continue the process.
✅ Every outbreak has taught me something.
Sometimes it’s physical (movements to avoid, movements that help). Sometimes it’s psychological (a story I always tell myself that really helped me). Sometimes, it is more compassion for others who are dealing with chronic pain and challenges. I try to walk away from each one with at least a new piece of the puzzle.
✅ You can’t rush it. You can’t force it.
This one is very difficult for me. I want a timeline. I think it gives me a sense of confidence and control when I’m feeling really vulnerable. But sometimes the most important step is to commit to the process and refuse to pile guilt, fear, or anxiety on top of what has already been a difficult week.
But “surrender” does not mean “doing nothing.”
You can’t speed up the process, but you it can be always find yours NAW – Your Next Available Win.
It’s not a big comeback plan. Not the “I’ll be back to 100% next Monday” pressure. The next little thing you can do right now that disrupts the rotation.
For me, this week, the NAWs looked like this:
- Getting into the heating pad
- Sending a message to my doctor
- Spending 5 minutes down making soft movements
- I get rid of the busy thoughts so that they don’t just rattle around in my head 😅
That’s all. A few small things. None of them “fixed” anything. But each one took me away it is being worked on in the form to taking one small action in between.
Your NAW will look different depending on what you’re traveling with:
- Off track with your diet after a hard week? Your NAW may jot down the idea for your next meal, or return to a go-to-dinner when your time and energy are short.
- Missed a few workouts? Your NAW may be a 10-minute snack, not a full “I’ll do it twice tomorrow” comeback. (That it almost always backfires.)
- In the mind? Your NAW may write down, talk to someone, or hold something that is easy for you Food Menu.
A flare-up is a flare-up. It’s a story you tell yourself about the rash – and the next little thing you choose to do – is where you have control.
So if you’re going through a tough time right now, whether it’s pain, injury, poor technique, or just a season where everything feels harder than it should – I know exactly how it feels.
This is not forever. He has come back. You will come back again.
What yours next win available? 💪
You got this.
– Coach Math
PS If you’re dealing with a rash or injury, Coach Damien he is someone on our team that I trust who works with people on these things every day. Take our Quick Training Quiz to see who would be a good fit for you.
