What I learned after flying through the air head first…
Invincible. That is how I felt as a jockey. I was crazy fit pushing my body physically, senses heightened, and completely one with a 1,200 pound animal, my perfect trifecta.
On the day that I found myself flying through the air head first, entangled with a Thoroughbred racehorse, I had no idea how that exact moment in time would shape the rest of my life.
I hit the dirt going 42 mph. The racehorse I was riding went down, taking me down with him. I had many crashes, injuries, broken bones before but this one was different, this crash ended my career as a jockey. I had fractured my back, jaw, skull, and suffered a brain injury.
Over those first many years, I battled with my body. As a professional athlete and over achiever, I approached my recovery with the same attitude of “push through”, “do more”, and “no pain, no gain” which only increased my pain and made me more disconnected from myself. And the battle continued…
I was so frustrated with my body on many levels. It just didn’t work the way it used to, the way I wanted it to, and any progress was painfully slow as I was consumed by back and neck pain. And the brain injury caused daily migraines, mental fog, and sensory sensitivities. And the battle continued…
The fear crept in as I could not do what I loved to do that brought me so much joy. All this body pain, new physical limitations, coupled with a fuzzy brain just did not match my personality. And then the blow when a doctor classified me as partially disabled, put up his hands with no other options. And the battle continued…
Living with chronic pain became very isolating as it was hard for my friends and family to understand. I put a smile on my face and tried hiding it or downplaying it as best I could. I was worried how other people would view me, look at me differently, and it made me feel less than the person I once was. However, I was not the same person as before.
The disconnect from myself was palpable. I did not live in my body since it was a very scary place filled with pain. But if I didn’t live in my body, that just left my head space to occupy and that sure wasn’t a fun place either after a brain injury, daily headaches, and migraines. I found myself in this no man’s land with a body that felt out of my control. I did not know how to move forward, navigate my new existence, live with less chronic pain, and have joy again.
It has been a long road, almost 32 years from that day when I went flying through the air head first. All the countless injuries, surgeries, and trauma set me on a course to deeply understand my body and heal from the inside out. Over time, I stopped battling with my body so that I could lean in and listen, and trust my body again.
Here is what I learned and know to be true for me…
Chronic pain and chronic stress are two sides of the same coin and deeply impact my overall health.
Energy management is key since my energy can quickly be depleted yet it is slow to refill my energy reservoir.
Awareness on how to listen to my body, what it feels, and what support it needs to heal is the powerful foundation to my resilience.
Allowing myself grace as it took time to rewire my nervous system to bring ease and calm into my daily life.
Understanding the language of my body, my migraine triggers, pain patterning, and inflammation equals freedom.
There is joy even within the pivot through modifications.
Shifting my mindset to focus on what I do have control over and making empowered choices puts me back in the drivers seat.
And the biggest takeaway, I am not my pain.
Throughout the ups and downs, I know I am resilient and draw on this knowing every single day. This knowing gives me a great sense of peace and I can apply these skills to any challenge life throws my way. I know how to be fearless, vulnerable, and authentic so that I live a life that feeds my soul filled with happiness and joy.
Why I am sharing my story with you? It is because this is exactly why I do the work I do, helping people step off the chronic pain and migraine rollercoaster and step into reclaiming their life.
The Whole Body Empowered Framework is a 2-step holistic approach by infusing the BodyMind Method (the inner work to reconnect and understand your body) with Lifestyle Medicine principles (the 6 pillars to transform your health and decrease your pain) while nurturing your wellBEING.
It’s time for a revolutionary guide to pain management and the tools to feel like YOU again.
Discover how you can unlock chronic pain and migraine relief without battling your body!
You are invited to schedule a Complimentary WholeBody Consultation by clicking HERE and let’s connect.
Looking forward to talking with you soon -
Julie