Over the last three months, I have noticed a recurring theme in the mindset of many of the patients of Aligned Life Chiropractic and Wellness. I have also noticed this same mindset in myself lately. This theme, I believe, stems from a lack of understanding of who we really are as human beings. An inability to look inward and recognize our own brilliance. I believe it also comes from a lack of maintaining a long term focus and instead, getting caught up in the short term details. The theme I am speaking of is not loving yourself during a time period in which you are struggling physically or emotionally.
As someone who regularly comes in direct contact with people who have either recently been injured or who are dealing with a chronic problem, I see the mental and physical challenge of keeping a positive outlook about ourselves. For myself, I have identified that when I am injured, I will commonly resent my body. I will feel as if my body is letting me down and that it is inhibiting me from being my best. Due to these negative feelings, I also notice that my emotional health suffers too. I am writing this not to sound like a complainer, but to let you know that if you have similar feelings that these are common emotions.
That being said, what can we do when our bodies are not running in pristine condition (or even average condition)? The first step in eliminating this downward cycle is recognizing that we as human beings are not just our bodies. We are blessed to have many different pieces of ourselves, all of which are capable of giving us joy. What I mean by this is if your physical body is weakened, then it may be a time period to use your mind to bring you joy. For example, it may be a perfect opportunity for internal reflection, for preparing for your future by setting goals, by getting clear on what you can do for other people and for using your mind to bring you happiness. It may also be the perfect time to focus on getting back to basics with your nutrition, your journaling, your stretching routine, your date nights with your spouse or any other non-physical action that breeds the feeling of progress.
Secondly, I recommend changing the story in your head that is trying to have you focus on the things you currently cannot do and start focusing on all of the areas of your life you can kick ass. By not taking part in a pity party (which can be easy to fall into) and instead seeing this time period as an opportunity, you will feel a greater sense of self love.
Lastly, I believe that one of the amazing parts of being a human being comes from experiencing struggle and being able to become more empathetic to others in similar situations. By recognizing that if we had not had these painful experiences, it would be difficult to really put ourselves in other peoples shoes, we can gain clarity on our own experiences. Through this mindset shift, we can actually become grateful for our pain and use it to connect deeper with others.
If you are struggling with these types of feelings, know that there is a team of people at Aligned Life who understand your challenges, respect your desire to get better and are here to partner with you as you restore balance to your mind and body!
