As a self-proclaimed snooze addict and “non-morning” person, my back injury taught me that it’s crucial to have a kick-ass morning routine, regardless of my current circumstances.

Why? A solid morning routine gives us a sense of accomplishment and regularity, and sets a positive tone for our days, helping to prevent us from slipping into a negative mindset, which is critical for those of us who  experiencing a physical setback.

Develop Your Success Habits

As the legendary motivational speaker and author Brian Tracy once said, “Successful people are simply those with successful habits.” And he’s right. One of the ways to do this is known as the ‘Hour of Power.’ A lot of self-help gurus have created their own version of ‘Hour of Power,’ but I think we need to develop our own interpretation of this phenomenon. Why? Because if it doesn’t makes sense for our own lifestyles and preferences, we’re not going to stick to it!

Make Lasting Changes

What I really love about this approach is that if you don’t have the ability to move your body right now, there are so many other things you can do to make your mornings special, fulfilling, and TRANSFORMATIVE. Here are some easy ritual ideas for getting started with creating your own Hour of Power (that don’t involve physical activity!):

• Writing in a gratitude journal
• Embarking in a prayer and bible reading routine
• Journaling your goals and future plans
• Making a to-do list for the day that sets you up for success
• Watching, listening to, or reading something inspirational or uplifting
• Having a healthy breakfast and preparing a healthy lunch

Focus on What You CAN Do

When I first started this journey, I was not able to do any physical activity, so I focused on rituals that I COULD do. As I healed and time progressed, I was able to incorporate gentle movement into my hour of power. Fast forward to the present day, and this involves starting my day with light stretching that moves my spine in all six directions, while I’m listening to a Christian Meditation.

If you’re not a morning person (like me!), you may need to start off with 15 minutes of power, and work your way up to an hour. You can also try doing a chunk of time in the morning, and a chunk of time in the evening.

Or, if you honestly just can’t function in the morning no matter how hard you try, your power time slot can literally be any time of the day you choose. Remember, YOU set the terms, and of course, you can always change the terms in a way that makes the most sense for your life.

You’ve got this, and I’ve got your back (no pun intended)!

Xo,
Christa D.

The post Your Hour of Power: Kicking Ass with Your Morning Routine appeared first on Healthy Back Life.

Focus on the bad, and you move toward more bad. It’s not really rocket science, but it’s still not easy—especially when your back hurts and you can’t do any at the moment. If you’re having trouble feeling grateful at the moment, here’s some inspiration that helped me:

Gratitude Change Your Life

But it’s not just about “forcing yourself” to be a positive person when you feel like crap. It’s a monumental shift in focus that moves you from living in a state of lack, to living in a state of sheer abundance; and yes, even when your back hurts.

It instills the belief that you’re thankful for what you have, right now, in this present moment, rather than worrying about what you don’t have (or won’t have at some future point in time). In fact, it is in THIS moment, right now, when you have the most to gain by a grateful perspective on life. In the face of hopelessness gratitude has the power to energize, heal, and inspire. Truly, a grateful heart, can become the best habit you’ll ever form.

Gratitude Makes Your Glass Half Full

Now…don’t get me wrong. I always struggled with the “glass half empty” perspective throughout my life, and I am not suggesting that gratitude will come easily or naturally during a back injury. We cannot easily will ourselves to feel grateful…the thoughts we have about the way things should be are not within our control.

However, having gratitude breathes positivity into all of your events and circumstances. It reminds you that whatever it is that you’re going through, it will pass, and on the other end you’ll emerge victorious. You’ll accomplish your goals, overcome your obstacles, and become a better person, who is not only going to kick this back injury’s ass—but you will also help other kick this very same injury’s ass someday.

Gratitude Makes You a Big Picture Thinker

Physical, mental, and spiritual strength can all be derived from the simple and basic behavior of gratitude. You’re the sum of all these parts, and it’s gratitude that can help to benefit each of these parts. However, being grateful is a choice, and when disaster like a back injury strikes, gratitude provides a perspective from which we can view life in its entirety, and not be overwhelmed by temporary circumstances.

There’s an inner, big picture belief that develops when you’re truly grateful for things. It provides the peace and stillness you need to get out of the weeds, and on to the horizon.

Simple Tips for Getting Started With a Simple Gratitude Practice

Now that you know why gratitude is so important when your back hurts, here are some simple strategies that helped me transform from a miserable “patient,” to a grateful breath of fresh air.

• Don’t be picky: Gratitude doesn’t have to be saved for the “big” things in life. The habit of being grateful starts with appreciating every good thing in life, no matter how seemingly small it may seem. I’ll throw you a bone to get started: you have eyes to see this blog post!
• Practice: Sit down daily and think through five to ten things you are grateful for—studies have shown that persistence with your gratitude practice permanently changes brain patterns that lead to greater empathy and happiness.
• Write it down: After your practice session, write down your positive thoughts! Keeping a journal of all of the things you are thankful for can help you keep track of these positive thoughts. While you are putting the pen to paper, you have no choice but to consciously think about the words you are writing without other distracting, ungrateful thoughts.

Yes, a thankful perspective is hard to achieve—but with practice, you can go from self-doubting cynic, to a positive thinker who is fueled by what is, rather than what isn’t.

You’ve got this, and I’ve got your back (no pun intended)!

Xo,
Christa D.

The post Why You Still Need Gratitude (When Your Back Hurts) appeared first on Healthy Back Life.

From questions about my identity, to plaguing anxiety that I would never return to my pre-injury self (and that my friends and family would desert me because of it), my emotions had officially spiraled of control. Truth be told, I knew if I didn’t get my Sh***it together sooner than later, I was well on my way to the depths of a deep depression that would be hard to crawl out of (especially given the fact my family’s history with mental illness was not on my side).

Luckily, I realized there are actually some pretty simple ways to overcome the mental barriers that active individuals can experience alongside an injury. Here are some of my favorites:

Develop Your Spiritual Muscles

I personally believe that God is in control, and nothing (I repeat: NOTHING) can stop the plan he has for our lives. Therefore, I truly believe my back injury was all part of His master plan for my life. And whatever setback you’re dealing with right now, it’s part of God’s plan for you, too. And hey, if you don’t believe in God, than it’s part of the universe’s plan for you…or part of your own higher purpose in life…but whatever you believe your plan comes from, it’s important to start making sense of the ‘madness’ that is from a higher power’s perspective.

That something is going on that bigger than yourself. That things are in motion. That this is really a SET UP, instead of a set back (ha, thank you Pastor Joel Osteen for that fun phrase!). Now that you’re in a position where you can’t strengthen your physical muscles, NOW is the time to strengthen your spiritual muscles instead.

A great way to get started is clueing into nudges, clues, and “signs” if you will, that encourage you on your spiritual journey. I am an extremely intuitive person, but until I started to develop my spiritual practice, I never noticed the strange “coincidences” that were pointing me deeper into my path. Then, once I opened my eyes (and my heart), these messages were lurking everywhere (literally – I was starting to think I was nuts lol).

But for you, it may be something as simple as having three different people recommend the same chiropractor, or connecting with an encouraging, like-minded person with exactly the same injury through a seemingly random occurrence at a coffee shop (but it was JUST what you needed at that very moment).

Regardless of where your spiritual path is leading you, stay open and aware, and you will begin to feel subtle course dictations (and corrections) as you continue to embark on your course to healing.

Get Focused (On Other Things)

Now is the time to do the stuff you always said you would. We all have things we say we want to do but life has a habit of getting in the way! Whether this is reading more, learning how to play an instrument, or even attending a paint night with a friend, now is a great time use this time to focus on that (non-active) thing that’s been on your mind for years!

If you are one who enjoys having something to look forward to (who doesn’t?!) than now is also a great time to focus on planning your next adventure.

While it may feel like you will never be physically able to do the activities you love again, you will. What are some things you have yet to discover? What or where have you always said you wanted to do/visit? Start planning and researching, read blogs, go on Youtube, do whatever it is you need to do to get yourself excited about the possibilities of the future.

However, I recommend not attaching any dates to these plans since healing is not always a predictable or linear process – this is not an exercise that is meant to put unwanted pressure on yourself and cause further stress, but is more to entice a forward-thinking, positive attitude toward the future. A future YOU WILL realize when you are better.

I hope you found these coping strategies to be helpful! Remember, there is evidence out there that we can come back both physically AND mentally stronger post-injury. So stay focused on the recovery process, maintain a positive and grateful spirit, and most importantly, have a little faith (all you need is a mustard seed, after all) that it will all work out for the best. You will come out of the other side of this injury, healthier and stronger than you’ve ever been. Now all you need to do is believe it.

You’ve got this, and I’ve got your back (no pun intended)!

Xo,
Christa

The post Mindset Strategies for Dealing with a Back Injury appeared first on Healthy Back Life.