.png)
I like you, had a grand plan for 2025 and it was going perfectly well until I woke up on the wrong side of the bed...literally (sort of). Historical perspective: I've been dealing with neck issues for 20 years. Nothing too major, but something I always have had to pay attention to and be aware of. However, when things are going well, it's very easy for me to forget to maintain the little things for my health so I can continue to do the big things in my life.
Me: "Kids, did you have a nice trip this weekend?"
DelMo Kids: "Not really, it's just not the same when you're not on the mountain with us. It kinda sucks."
Me (trying not to cry): "I'm sorry. It's my fault. I'll never let that happen again."
I, like you, had a grand plan for 2025 and it was going perfectly well until I woke up on the wrong side of the bed...literally (sort of).
Historical perspective: I've been dealing with neck issues for 20 years. Nothing too major, but something I always have had to pay attention to and be aware of. However, when things are going well, it's very easy for me to forget to maintain the little things for my health so I can continue to do the big things in my life. Read that again.
I'd like to preface the following with this: Prior to this incident I had changed nothing to my normal daily routine of walking, swimming, pull ups, push-ups, and air squats.
Through the course of 2024, my body has been sending me signals of particular aches and pains in my neck, back and knees that I conveniently avoided tending to because I was "too busy." I have come accustomed to "powering through" these types of annoyances and "toughing it out." I have had success with this approach in the past so I figured I would get through like I always do. I had no idea I was on a collision course with Murphy's Law.
On the morning of Tuesday, January 7th, I woke up with tightness on the right side of my neck...not out of the ordinary considering my history. This tightness progressed through the day and by the weekend I was in full blown agony unlike anything I had experienced before. Pain shooting down my right shoulder/back, into my arm, and creating pins, needles and numbness in my right shoulder/arm/hand. During this time, I received two massages and two rounds of acupuncture to try and alleviate the pain. I was extremely apprehensive to visit the chiropractor because I did not want ANYONE touching my neck for fear of doing even greater damage. I was nearly incapable of sitting/standing at my computer for longer than 10 minutes. To make matters worse, I was a few days out from going on an annual family trip to the mountains and there would be no way I could partake in any activity with the amount of pain I was experiencing. The timing couldn't have been worse.
On Wednesday, January 15th, I was able to get imaging of my neck and it's not in optimum condition. (See Video Here)Herniated discs, muscle strain, muscle spasms, and spinal misalignment...the royal flush you could say. The doc told me, no swimming, no lifting anything above your head, and 100% no skiing/snowboarding until this issue is corrected. Basically, he placed me on the IR for one month. Here's the scary part, I WAS GLAD HE SHUT ME DOWN...THAT'S HOW MUCH PAIN I WAS IN.
Ladies and gentlemen, I look forward to January and February like most of the United States looks forward to July and August. It is my time to hibernate with my family and create lasting memories in the snow. The mountains are the one place where we go to be together and NOT even think about our phones, email, or bother with disruptions. Right now, that's on hold and it's 100% a result of me NOT DOING THE WORK to prepare for these active family trips.
This realization hurts in more ways than I can count. I take pride (a deadly sin) in pushing myself to great extremes in almost all aspects of my life and the one thing that truly matters, my health, was placed on the back burner in 2024. Murphy's Law stated the following: "You are 47.8 years old Stephen. When I send you a signal to address your health you answer my call immediately or I will make you pay the price." This message is now heard loud and clear.
How does this relate to you? Are you being honest with yourself? Well, let me go first and start by being totally honest of my own reflection of 2024 which led me here:
- I neglected to get adequate sleep through most of the year.
- I put off my regular Pain Free maintenance schedule.
- I did not receive regular (once every 3 weeks) body work as I had done in the past
- I did not drink enough water daily
- I ate too many processed foods
- I neglected my daily aches and pains which were trying to tell me something
- I did not receive regular chiropractic care (as I had done in the past)
- All of this = me NOT DOING THE WORK
Don't be like me. Take the necessary steps to achieve your performance goals whatever they are. For me, family trips to the mountains are my "races" and I didn't do the work leading up to this first trip in order to set me, and my family, up for success. I am committed now more than ever.
Some of you have already been sidelined by injury in your path to wellness in 2025 and have already thrown in the towel. DON'T DO THAT. Use your setback to create an inspiring comeback. Right now, you need to take a big picture view, the 30,000ft view of your life and really dig into your current situation. Do you see a trend? Because I failed to do the regular little things in my daily care, it culminated into me missing out on BIG THINGS with my family. This is100% my responsibility. Now, I can sit here and sulk, pout, say, "Why me God?" or I can use this experience as rocket fuel to propel me in 2025 so I never miss another opportunity to be active with my family ever again.
Take a guess at what I will do.
If you are sitting there in a similar situation and have already contemplated quitting on 2025, DON'T. You must take care of you. You must get healthy, then restart your journey. Whatever has occurred should be viewed as a gift and not a curse. I'm right there with you. Let's move forward together:)
