#357: How to Heal

When I first read this piece from Sasha, I started thinking about the various ways the Goldilocks sweet spot can be applied to different areas of life. For example, though Sasha discusses it in regards to the physical sense, I was actually thinking of its relevance to the emotional one.  As in, when it comes to navigating emotional challenges or negative feelings and setbacks, I can neither ignore those troubles, nor wallow and get lost in them. Additionally, in moving through my days with the mindset that complications are inevitable, I'm preparing myself to be better-equipped to face them and then more easily ride them out. Thank you Sasha for this thought-provoking piece which has inspired me on a variety of levels. 

- Amanda

How to Heal

I have arrived at the age in life where being physically active coincides with a steady drumbeat of small but manageable injuries.

And I’m learning a lot about how to heal.

Most of all, healing requires finding that Goldilocks sweet spot of consistently engaging the injured part of the body but not overdoing it.

So, not complete rest.

But not so much activity that I make things worse.

It has to be….juuuuuuust….right. For weeks, even months, without a lot of clear feedback that I’m making progress.

Two things occur to me:

First, for better or worse, this is a new lifetime skill. This means that I need to shift my mindset from “now that I’m injured, I’m taking a temporary break from my normal routine” to “recovery and prevention is part of my normal routine.”

And, second, this approach and mindset applies to overcoming my fears or areas where I feel blocked.

If I want to make progress, I can neither ignore the things I find difficult nor go straight at them, full bore.

I need to engage gently, safely, and consistently over time, and keep at it despite not seeing obvious signs of progress.

Change happens slowly, imperceptibly, but it does happen if I keep at it.

One day I wake up and discover that I'm at a different, better place thanks to my consistent attention and commitment.

The post How to Heal appeared first on Sasha Dichter's Blog.