Setbacks happen to everybody and in different areas of our life. For some it might be in your life or even work but what I am talking about in this article is about the setback to my health and how I managed to overcome the same. I will tell how to make use of a setback to eventually become a better person.Talk being an optimist well I always look at a glass half full.
When I heard the words ‘Slip disc’ a couple of months ago from a surgeon’s mouth, I was perplexed as to how it could happen to me when I take care of myself in every way be it with proper exercise form, rest or food intake. Eventually I learnt that this can happen to anyone and for no obvious reason. I then began my journey in overcoming this and not allowing my health setback to pin me down or worse derail me . what I have learnt through this is –
Acknowledge it:No one is immune to setbacks. If you have one, recognize the problem. By doing this you can start the process of transformation, for it is on the other side of the setback that we realize we are not going to be the same person we were before. We are going to be wiser, stronger, and better for it.Like everything in nature there is a journey we all need to take and there’s no sense in putting our head in the sand to pretend it isn’t happening. Acknowledge that through the tough times, the miracles of transformation happen and we can flourish on the other side. We are capable of doing amazing thing and even more if we can grow through our own challenges. By acknowledging this we are also telling our sub conscious mind that it is time to start the healing process. This is exactly what I did first after the words ‘Slip disc’ did hit me like a ton of bricks. I acknowledged it and began working on the solution.
Give yourself time:Just as we need to allow time for just about anything to be mended , we need to allow ourselves time to overcome our setbacks. Impatience only makes them harder and longer than they need to be. We are in such a hurry to fix our problems and move on; usually I have noticed that impatience is a pattern that overflows into other areas of our life which can cause more damage.I remember the first few days when the doctor had advised me to be completely bed ridden and not even move around. For someone who is extremely active this was one thing I could not see myself doing for weeks together. I had to tell myself to make the best use of the time. I made use of the time at hand by catching up on my reading and listening to audio books. This is not easy mind you but by practice, this will work wonderfully with just about anybody. What I have realized is that it is no use to dwell on an existing problem and become more negative. The best strategy at times is to push it through and live on the notion that time is indeed the best healer.
Eliminate the Blame:We all do know that sometime things like a health setback happen for no reason. The one thing I have learnt is not to consider blaming oneself because it will never do you any good from the inside. We all know that once we get injured or fall sick then it is irreversible and there is not much anyone can do. Work on being positive and seeing things through a positive mindset. Like with any situation I got free advise that probably lifting weights was the main culprit. Well I realized that blaming anything or anybody was worthless and it made more sense to focus on a positive long term outcome.
Work on your your sub-conscious:Working on your sub-conscious mind can help you sustain in times of uncertainty and difficulty. When we feel like we don’t have the physical, mental or emotional strength to pull through a setback our faith in something more powerful and within ourselves gives us the energy we need to keep going.Working at the sub-conscious level did wonders for me especially since I looked at alternate medicine for my Slipped disc . Focusing on my sub-conscious mind allowed me to see beyond this setback and find a bigger purpose.
Step out of your comfort zone:After a couple of weeks I decided to move out of my comfort Zone and focused on just being active. Importantly looking at the health setback right in the eye and telling it that whatever it takes I will overcome it did a world of good. This is when I started running and have never looked back. Usually I run on the treadmill but to move out of my comfort zone I started running on the road. I still do it couple of times a week and love it as much as any other physical activity.
I believe that We can learn so much from other people who are dealing with their own challenges but we have to share our own first to do it.Eventually I knew that I would be a better person if I stick my neck and believe in myself . Yes we are all going to deal with setbacks in life but we can overcome them if we see them as part of a bigger picture, and commit to seeing them through from start to finish. Remember that the setback won’t stop you from being who you want to be and doing what you want to do. It never did for me and I see no reason as to why it should for you. Whatever the setback you are facing right now believe that you can and will handle it. You will not allow your life to be dictated by it at any cost.I remember these words by an unknown Author “Breakdowns can create breakthroughs. Things fall apart so things can fall together.” When I look back I can’t agree with these words more.
Would love to hear some of your challenges and how you managed to overcome it to eventually become a winner. Do share your experience on my Face book Fan page or on my mail id coach@satishrao.in