It happened again. | Nerd Fitness

It happened again.

I came home from coaching my son’s soccer game, ran up the stairs and felt it instantly. My back stiffened and locked up.

And then this sinking feeling came immediately:

« Not again. I was doing so well. »

me too it was doing well That was about 2 years without a major flare-up, about 4 times longer than my average for most of my 30 years.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’ve dealt with lower back pain for over 20 years thanks to congenital spinal stenosis and previous injuries. So I’ve gotten pretty good at reading the warning signs so I know when I’ve pushed too hard and need to back off.

This time I had noticed. I was careful. And yet it happened.

But here’s what I want to share with you today.

When you’re in pain, or stuck, or feel like you’ve gotten off track—especially if it’s happened before—it’s so easy to feel like that’s the way it’s going to be. Forever.

I see it with my coaching clients all the time. People dealing with chronic pain or conditions such as POTS or RA. But so are people dealing with tendinitis, or a tough week at work that wrecked their workout streak, or a stressful stretch that threw them off the rails with food.

The thought goes like this:

« There you go. I just can’t go on like this. »

But this is not true. It’s simple feelings true right now.

The evidence almost always says otherwise. And that’s exactly why we sometimes need help reframing our inner dialogue. Left to its own devices, your brain will happily ignore any evidence that doesn’t fit the « I’m doomed » story it’s telling.

Here’s what I keep reminding myself (and what I’d say to you too):

✅ You are more of an expert on the situation than you realize.

So far you’ve found some things that help. Or, almost as valuable, you’ve found things that don’t help. Either way, the pool of unknowns is shrinking. It’s progress, even when it doesn’t feel like it.

For example, I know I need to make short, repetitive efforts at gentle movement throughout the day to help manage my pain and restore function. But that there is no « magic » exercise that will do it, and that what my body needs from day to day will vary, so I have to be patient until I figure out what feels good today. I used to feel lost and overwhelmed by this idea. Now I know I just have to go through the process.

✅ Every outburst has taught me something.

Sometimes it’s physical (a movement to avoid, a movement that helps). Sometimes it’s mental (a story I keep telling myself, but it doesn’t really serve me). Sometimes it’s just more empathy for others dealing with chronic pain and challenges. I try to walk away from each one with at least one new piece of the puzzle.

✅ You can’t rush. You can’t force it.

This is the hardest for me. I want a timeline. I think it gives me a sense of security and control when I feel most vulnerable. But sometimes the most important step is to commit to the process and refuse to pile guilt, fear or anxiety on top of what is already a difficult week.

But « surrender » doesn’t mean « do nothing. »

You can’t rush the process, but you can always find yours NAW – your next available win.

Not the giant comeback plan. Not the « I’ll be back to 100% by next Monday » pressure. Just the next little thing you can do right now which breaks the spiral.

For me, this week’s NAWs looked like this:

• Mounting the heating pad
• I am sending a message to my doctor
• Spending 5 minutes on the floor make a few gentle movements
• I write down the spinning thoughts so they don’t just spin in my head 😅

That’s it. A few little things. None of them « fixed » anything. But each moved me away from which are acted upon from the situation yes performing one small action inside it.

Your NAW will look different depending on what you’re navigating:

• Not on track with food after a hard week? Your NAW can jot down an idea for your next meal or go back to a go for a meal when your time and energy are short.
• Missed a few workouts? Your NAW can be a 10-minute snack on the go, not a full-on « I’ll do double tomorrow » comeback. (This it almost always backfires.)
• In a mental spiral? Your NAW can record it, talk to someone, or simply grab something from yours Food menu.

An outburst is an outburst. The story you tell yourself about the breakout – and the next little thing you decide to do – is where you’re actually in control.

So if you’re in a tough stretch right now, whether it’s pain, injury, a derailed routine, or just a season where everything feels harder than it should—I know exactly how that feels.

This is not forever. You’ve come back before. You’ll be back again.

What is it yours next win available? 💪

You got that.

– Coach Matt

PS If you are dealing with an aggravation or injury, Coach Damien is someone on our team that I trust who works with people on these things every day. Take our quick learning quiz to see which one would be right for you.