“ How do I cope with knowing that I may never get back to where I was—that this might be a permanent change for me?”
—Emily
Many athletes—whether they’re professionals or amateurs—have a strong athletic identity. When that’s threatened by injury, especially if it’s a permanent shift, it’s normal to feel frightened and unmoored, Coach Carrie shares in this week’s listener Q&A episode.
Whether you have to give up your sport altogether or must adjust the way you participate, you should allow yourself to feel grief at the path you’re no longer taking. But even as you mourn the loss, see if you can also channel gratitude, tapping into all the things your participation brought you. Those two emotions can indeed co-exist, she points out.
From there, Carrie shares a lesson from author Dimity McDowell—a preview of next week’s episode!—about finding a new pursuit, and a reminder that how you feel right now isn’t necessarily how you’ll feel forever. Even if it doesn’t seem possible, hold open the hope that you’ll find a new way to fulfill yourself going forward.
A huge thank you to LEVER Movement, the exclusive sponsor of season 9 of The Injured Athletes Club podcast! They’re the creators of the LEVER system, a portable, lightweight device that attaches to a treadmill to reduce your body weight. Use the code INJURED20 to get 20% off your purchase here.
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DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational & informational use only and & does not constitute medical advice. Do not disregard, avoid or delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your health-care professional because of something you may have heard in an episode of this podcast. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified medical professional for proper evaluation & treatment. Guests who speak on this podcast express their own opinions, experiences, and conclusions, and The Injured Athletes Club podcast hosts nor any company providing financial support endorses or opposes any particular treatment option discussed in the episodes of this podcast and are not responsible for any actions or inactions of listeners based on the information presented. The use of any information provided is solely at your own risk.