A Disappointment

MidLifer Chronicles 20

An Injury

I have been nursing some disappointment this week as my wrist injury (the one I mentioned in passing last week) has proven to be more problematic. In other words it hasn't sodding healed.

I have worked out where I first injured it and contrary to my first thought, it wasn't the Crossfit Open Workout from last week. It actually arose a couple of weeks earlier as a result of a ritual bedtime game Rosie and I play.

Inspired by the cartoon Bluey (if you haven't watched it you have to check it out. It's great). In the cartoon the Dad plays a game called 'Crazy Blanket' in which he pretends to try to sleep and use his children as blankets and all mayhem ensues.

So, Rosie has grown accustomed to playing this and I have to pretend Rosie is the blanket, etc. In a twist on the game we also started to use her quilt as a way to roll her from one end of the bed to the other. This seems pretty harmless (well for me anyway) but I recall one evening, wrenching my wrist in the process of pulling the quilt up with Rosie on it.

I did the typical Dave thing of ignoring it and carrying on regardless. Trouble is it didn't go away, and after last week's Open Workout, it got worse.

So, after seeing that the third and final workout of the open included wall walks (basically walking your way up a wall with your feet into a handstand position), I realised I couldn't take part. I can barely push myself up off the couch without pain.

Having to Step Out

So, I reluctantly withdrew from the Open. I am gutted to be honest. I hate leaving things not finished. I feel like I've let people down and I hate not seeing through a commitment. As well as that I was standing 447th out of 1544 competitors worldwide in my category. I wanted to see where I would finish!

But I guess this is the reality of pursuing goals. There will be setbacks and disappointments, and there will be mixed emotions. I am a people pleaser and work on that but those feelings of letting people down were real.

Of course I hadn't, but nevertheless that old thought pattern reared its ugly head. Couple that with the disappointment and it's no wonder I felt a bit low about it.

But it's funny. If, as I used to in the past I spent my time bemoaning the situation, I would have struggled to let go.

The Futility Room

Instead, I decided to focus on the positives and the fact that for my first time in the competition I had acquitted myself well. And as far as injuries go, it was earned in a worthy way.

So, after a little time in my own "futility room" I have now let go of the feelings and focused on the upsides. And in so doing, I have moved on.

Ok, so it's not a major setback. But it shows how these things can serve to undermine the bigger picture. And for me the bigger picture is improved health and long term energy and wellbeing. That still stands and is still very much the priority.

And my focus over the next couple of weeks is - 'what can I do instead' rather thank dwelling on what I can't do.

My question this week is; what do you find yourself dwelling on when you have faced a setback? Give yourself permission to be human, allow yourself some time in your own 'Futility Room' but do consciously consider the upside as well as the downsides and then picture yourself letting it go, walking out of your Futility Room and shutting the door behind you.

Find Out More

In the meantime, check out the podcast to check out the episodes and if you want to learn more about the support I offer in relation to helping you achieve your health and weight loss goals sustainably, visit the Academy or learn more about my more intensive Re-Shape Accelerator programmes, designed to help you to get your health back on track and establish lifelong habits for a more fulfilling midlife.

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Dave

Dave Algeo, Restless Mid-Lifer
'It is never too late to get life back on your terms and have even bigger adventures!'
dave@restlessmidlifer.com

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