It happened again.
I came home from practice for my son’s recreational soccer game, ran up the stairs and felt it immediately. My back was locked and blocked.
And then immediately came this sinking feeling:
“Not again. I felt so good.”
And me Was doing well. That was about two years without a major flare-up, about four times longer than my average for most of my 30s.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know I’ve looked into this I have been suffering from back pain for over 20 years due to congenital spinal canal stenosis and previous injuries. So I’ve gotten pretty good at recognizing the warning signs so I know when I’ve pushed a little too hard and need to back off.
This time I noticed. I had been careful. And it happened anyway.
But here’s what I want to share with you today.
When you’re in pain, stuck, or feeling like you’re off track – especially if this has happened before – it’s so easy to feel like that’s how it’s going to be from now on. Forever.
I see it all the time with my coaching clients. People struggling with chronic pain or conditions like POTS or RA. But also people who are struggling with tendonitis, or a hard week at work that has ruined their workout streak, or a stressful stretch that has thrown them off track when it comes to eating.
The thought sounds like:
“It’s starting again. I just can’t carry on like this.”
But that’s not true. It’s simple feels true at the moment.
The evidence almost always says otherwise. And that’s exactly why we sometimes need help reorienting our internal dialogue. Because if left to its own devices, your brain will happily ignore any evidence that doesn’t agree with the “I’m lost” story it’s telling.
Here’s what I keep remembering (and what I would tell you too):
✅ You are more expert in your situation than you realize.
At this point you have found some things to help you. Or, almost as valuable, you found things that not help. Either way, the pool of unknowns is shrinking. This is progress, even if it doesn’t feel like it.
For example, I know that I need to do short, gentle bursts of exercise throughout the day to manage my pain and restore my ability to function. But that there is no “magic” exercise for this and my body’s needs are different every day, so I have to be patient while I figure out what feels good Today. I used to feel lost and overwhelmed by this idea. Now I know I just have to go through the process.
✅ Every outburst taught me something.
Sometimes it’s physical (a movement to avoid, a movement that helps). Sometimes it’s mental (a story I keep telling myself that doesn’t really serve me). Sometimes it’s just having more empathy for others who are struggling with chronic pain and challenges. I try to get at least one new puzzle piece out of each of them.
✅ You can’t rush it. You can’t force it.
That’s the hardest thing for me. I want a timeline. I think it gives me a sense of security and control when I feel most vulnerable. But sometimes the most important step is to surrender to the process and refuse to let guilt, fear, or anxiety pile on top of an already hard week.
But “surrender” does not mean “do nothing.”
You can’t speed up the process, but you can may Always find yours NAW – Your next available prize.
Not the huge comeback plan. Not the “I’ll be back to 100% next Monday” pressure. Just the next little thing you can do at the moment This breaks the spiral.
For me this week the NAWs looked like this:
- Get on the heating pad
- I’m sending a message to my doctor
- expenditure 5 minutes on the floor perform some gentle movements
- I write down the circling thoughts so that they aren’t just floating around in my head 😅
That’s it. A few little things. None of them “fixed” anything. But each one distracted me is traded by the situation perform a small action in it.
Your NAW will look different depending on what you are navigating:
- After a stressful week, you’re no longer on track with your eating? Your NAW may jot down or draw on an idea for your next meal Takeaway food when you are short on time and energy.
- Missed a few training sessions? Your NAW could be a 10-minute exercise snack, not a complete “I’ll do double tomorrow” comeback. (The almost always backfires.)
- In a mental spiral? Your NAW might write it down, talk to someone, or grab something simple from you Nutrition menu.
The flare-up is the flare-up. The story you tell yourself around The flare-up – and the next little thing you do – is where you actually have control.
So if you’re going through a rough patch right now, whether it’s because of pain, an injury, a derailed routine, or just a season where everything feels harder than it should – I know exactly how it feels.
This isn’t forever. You’ve already come back once. You will come back.
what is your Next available win? 💪
You got that.
– Coach Matt
PS: If you’re dealing with a flare-up or injury, Coach Damien is someone on our team who I trust and who works with people on these things every day. Take our quick coaching quiz to find out who is a good fit for you.
