Forced Recovery

“Don’t stop me now I’m having such a good time I’m having a ball…” I couldn’t have picked a better song to be playing in my metaphorical car mind over the last 5 years than this song written by Queen.

I try my best to live and enjoy each moment to the fullest, but #Livingthelife2022 has not been as straightforward as I hoped it would be.

I’d like to share with you some of my challenges that have forced me to slow down or stop from this year thus far, my initial reaction, how it affected others, and my final resolve.

But first, what is “Forced Recovery”? Unlike a vacation forced recovery can happen at any moment, anywhere, and for any length of time. It can be an assault to your physical, mental, emotional, spiritual bodies or interactions within your community.

My first incidence of forced recovery mode happened recently when my grandmother passed away at the end of the previous year. I noticed many feelings of sadness arising, and felt that in my family as well. However, when we spent time together, we were able to recall many of the good memories we had and grateful for it. Slowing down also helped us value each other more and not take our time together for granted.

Some physical issues I have been going through added another metaphorical stop sign in my mind that forced me to slow down. Without getting into any specifics, I am having some GI problems that have forced me to stop running, strength training, and biking until they were partially resolved and further understood. My initial feelings were that of anger, frustration, and a sense of confusion because 3 of the 4 physical activities that have shaped my routine were halted. However, over time I have learned to recite and follow the same motto I give to my patients, “There is no time better spent than getting to know yourself better.”

Just when I feel like the drive would start going smoother another sign in the mind showed, “Detour coming up”! I had been trying to challenge myself mentally by improving on my speaking skills to hopefully apply them to teaching classes. After 2 years of leg work, I was finally able to launch 2 classes out of the facility I am working at. However, after unionization occurred, I was forced to stop these classes. I felt a little bitter, lacking hope that I could shape my career.

I noticed I tend to be reserved when I feel disheveled and wait for a new solution to arise. In this case, I treated the situation as a detour. I just have to think creatively to change a few lanes, make a different turn to get back to the original goal.

#Livingthelife2022 Has not been the easy joy ride I was expecting it to be -- in place of a declaration, this hashtag has been a call to action. Old adages like “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” come to mind. There is some truth in them. Life is just life, it is what it is.

Victor Frankl said it well in his quote, “When you cannot change your circumstances you are forced to change yourself.”

All of these stop signs and detours have brought me through different scenic side roads I wasn’t expecting to find in life and in the spiritual realm. The challenges I had been dealing with thus far have helped me to reconnect to something much larger than myself.

Awareness of my feelings in these situations has helped me to feel and know the difference between a contracted mind, focused on negative things, and an expanded mind, focused on gratitude for the things I do have and a change in perspective.

This greater awareness has helped me understand my mini rollercoaster ride of energy levels during the day. I tend to have a burst of energy in the morning, declines, another burst of energy before lunch, and then downhill after that.

Being able to understand this allows me to exercise more self-compassion and patience for myself and others towards the end of the day.

Sometimes the music doesn’t match the moment, and at this point in life I changed the tunes I have been listening in my mind. You might know it, it’s a classic Rolling Stones song… “You can’t always get what you want, no you can’t always get what you want—but if you try sometimes you just might find you get what you need.”

*Physically: “No time better spent than understanding yourself”

*Mentally: “Challenges are opportunities to think more creatively”

*Emotionally: “You cannot be 100% for anyone else, if you aren’t 100%”

*Spiritually: “Be aware and that is enough to find some space” 

*Community: Rolling Stones “You can’t always get what you want, no you can’t always get what you want—but if you try sometimes you just might find you get what you need.”