Reflecting on a “Bad Year”

Not to sound unsympathetic to your problems, but someone else might kill to have your “bad year”

Where to start?

The year started with a little irritating pain in my side that wouldn’t go away, and no this isn’t me trying to use some creative writing style metaphor to describe someone incredibly annoying, but a genuine niggling injury just above the right hand side of hips.

After multiple visits to doctors, a sports therapist and physiotherapist I pinpointed the problem first occuring when I took my youngest daughter in her pram out for a walk with the dog.

Battling a whippet pulling to the side, while trying to keep a pram moving in a central line was not a good outcome for my posture, and like any strain I felt the burn after the walk, and dismissed it like any other pain, that, with time would die down.

It didn’t and got to the point where long walks would become complete agony – my first visit to the doctor was recommendation to be patient and keep resting more. My second visit the doctor prescribed a numbing steroid gel.

The third doctor put me through a mild panic checking my kidneys for signs of cancer, even though the organs were a bit far back to be responsible for the pain.

I wasn’t getting much luck from my GP, so began paying for a sports therapist, who after my first session admitted he couldn’t get deep into the tissue enough, so they recommended me a physio, which cost a bit more, but didn’t add much else expect adding a few more stretching exercises to my arsenal.

I was getting ready to go back to the GP, seeing if there was someone else they could refer me to, when the pain felt, well… just less.

I continued with the stretches, keeping myself active at the gym making sure to avoid anything that would strain that area.

As the weeks went by the pain got less and less, and I found I could start walking further distance, until the pain went.

The whole episode lasted about 8 months, sorting itself just in time for my annual holiday to Fuerteventura, and meaning I could break up time from sitting around the pool and eating with walks around the scenery.

During those months a multitude of issues occurred around the house, most in the scheme of things such a minor inconvenience, I can barely remember it as a thing that happened that annoyed me at the time.

The big three issues were:

1. A van from a major online store that takes it’s name from a river in Brazil reversing into our front garden wall and driving off without fessing up.
2. The pipes to the radiators blowing out, causing multiple leaks and no heating.
3. Finding multiple leaks of rain water coming through the roof into the attic, resulting in having to find somewhere else to hide the kids christmas presents.

Reflecting on a “bad year”

This post could go into more of the issues my family faced this year, some more personal, others just dumb stuff, but as the introduction went on way longer than I intended, I’lI gloss those problems to try and keep on message with what I’m trying to say.

Number three on my list is still unresolved, due to only being discovered this weekend. 

This was a disappointment as after all the problems began to get resolved (or at least are on their way to getting sorted), I started to feel positive again, and perhaps our year of bad luck was coming to an end.

So as I vented my frustrations to my patient wife about how it was scramble to find a tradesman, and another inevitable payment to sort out, she calmly said

“Hey come on, at least you’re still alive. Let’s not let this ruin our weekend”

But those words I took in and pulled myself away from descending into a nervous breakdown, found clarity in my thoughts, and put in an action plan involving various containers to catch drips until the roofer could arrive.

That weekend was pretty good as I put aside my worries.

Having a bad year? It could be worse

At least you’re still alive.

These words felt familiar to another talk we had earlier this year that I mention in this post, and even then I first heard it many years ago as I walked away unscathed from a crash on the motorway, as I stressed about the mess my car was in.

There is nothing wrong with sweating the small stuff, and there is nothing wrong with getting frustrated at the challenges life throws at us that hold us back, or force us to change plans, but remembering “it could be worse”, and “at least you’re still alive” can really help gain perspective.

Gratitude, Gratitude, Gratitude

I’m grateful to have my health.

I’m grateful for the friends and family I have around who support me.

I’m grateful for the roof over my head.

I’m grateful for the food in my fridge.

I’m grateful to have a warm house when it’s freezing cold outside.

I’m grateful to have a job.

I’m grateful for the random acts of kindness from strangers.

I’m grateful for the honesty and integrity of others.

I’m grateful to love and have been loved.

I’m grateful to be alive, so I can continue, in whatever small way to make a difference to the lives of others.

I’m grateful that all the problems, challenges and frustrations do not stop me for good, and although I’d rather not have them at all, on the positive at least they make me stronger.

This year may have been a “bad year” for me and my family, but as I reflect on these problems I realise these we’re nothing we couldn’t conquer.

I’m grateful to have my mind, and sanity so I can write these words, and reach out to you.

Having a bad year?

Whatever your struggle, keep going, you’ve got this.

Wishing you the best in your success.

James @Perfect Manifesto

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