Setback is a bit premature, I suppose, as I haven’t even figured out how I want to approach this project other than to know that I would love to incorporate many bits and pieces of The Happiness Project into my life. In her book, Gretchen (I have a hard time calling her Ms. Rubin, as she refers to herself as Gretchen throughout the book) says that she was not tackling her Happiness Project as part of a mid-life crisis. However, many of the questions she raised are the questions that I consider to be part of my mid-life crisis, and I think I can apply her strategies towards resolving my own crisis and come out a more centered, happier person on the other end.
I was so inspired by her book that not only did I give it five stars in Goodreads (my first I think), I actually went out and bought it this weekend. I very rarely buy books, other than travel guides, cookbooks, and tech-type manuals. But this book? I had to have my own copy to mark up, read and re-read, chew over. This book came to me at the right time and place. At other times in my life, I don’t know that I would have loved it as much. I might have even been as annoyed by it as I was by “Eat, Pray, Love”. But it spoke to me.
While I’m in the very, very preliminary stages of working out how to launch my own “Happiness Project”, I can see that I’ve already started mine as I have made some resolutions recently that certainly apply to this, most notably “Be authentic”, which is Gretchen’s motto (but rephrased as “Be Gretchen.”), which seems to be appearing as a theme in my posts lately.
But the pain and medications I’m on right now have me suffering setbacks in pursuing this project before I’ve even done the preliminary planning. I am at the point where I can’t imagine walking again or ever being pain-free. My emotions fall apart in a moment, whether moving to crying or to getting horridly angry. I’m trying to remind myself that “This too shall pass.” and that my typical non-steroid altered emotions are much more manageable. How can I ever tackle any of the challenges I want to set for myself when I am in this state?
I keep saying “This too shall pass.”, but I’m starting to lose hope.
Sharon was flat on her back for at least a month with sciatica. She went to a chiropractor who does spinal decompression and after a while got better. She’s fine now. So there is hope.
Sorry you’re in such bad shape.
Get in touch if you want more info.
Thanks! I’m going to try some massage and back exercises, but after that I bet I’ll look into something further. I appreciate the support and recommendations! I have no desire to let this terrible pain take over my life !!