“I have a bad back.”

“I have sciatica.”

“I can’t work out. I have a messed up shoulder.”

“I’ll never be able to run again.”

….Sound familiar?

Chronic pain easily finds itself weaved into our identities.

These statements are prime examples of language gone bad. They imply that there is no opportunity for change.. that this is how it is always going to be. They imply identity; there’s no space for hope to create a different story.

These statements imply that we are powerless in our situation.

But is that accurate? Are we really powerless?

What if we change the story.. the language?

“I am currently experiencing low back pain.”

“I experience symptoms of sciatica and I receive chiropractic care to manage my pain.”

“I’m not performing overhead movements right now because I’m rehabbing my shoulder.”

“I currently have pain when I run, so I am performing my physical therapy exercises and biking every day.”

These statements open the door to change, powerfulness, responsibility, new possibility, hope.

This isn’t about positive affirmations, although those have their place. This is about reframing our language and perspective to feel powerful over our circumstances again. When we can step into our powerfulness, we can begin to take responsibility, ditch the victim mentality, and make conscious decisions to move forward in what originally felt like a powerless situation.

So… if you feel powerless to the pain or injury… if you feel burned out on no results… if you’ve lost hope and accepted that this is how it will always be.. you are not alone.

Schedule an appointment with us and give us the opportunity to come alongside you as you bravely venture through this journey of healing.

If you are courageous enough to change your story, you may quickly come to find that your life changes with it.

How have you viewed pain in the past? How can you reframe your perspective differently in the future?

Written by: Abbe Wallace, NMT