It can happen to the worst of us: you’re running down the field doing the thing you love most, you jump up in the air, you land wrong, and then you find you can hardly walk. It’s especially annoying if it happens right before the big tournament you were going to participate in and your team might have even nominated you for a Callahan afterwards.
An injury like that can make anyone sad. But Alec Roman’s Advanced Recommendations is here to help. Just remember: R.U.G.
- Remind yourself that you were VERY good at your sport
- Understand that you will never love anything as much again
- Get yourself buried in work
Remind yourself that you were VERY good at your sport
It’s simple. If you had a career-ending injury, that means you had a career in the first place. That means you were pretty good at what you were doing. You can pass the time in physical therapy reminiscing on some of your coolest plays, or how it felt to hang out with your teammates. Remind yourself that you were important to your team, and that they may have trouble continuing without you. This is all important to understand the severity of your injury.
Understand that you will never love anything as much again
Don’t delude yourself with wishful thinking. If you had your hobbies figured out and you’re already an adult, it’s very unlikely that you will find anything else that you enjoy as much in the future. If you hold out hope that you will find something else to love, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Brace yourself for a life of boredom and frustration.
Get yourself buried in work
Getting an injury is sad. Losing your only passion is even sadder. You’ll need something to distract yourself from all this sadness. I recommend throwing yourself into work as much as possible. Do all the tasks you’re assigned to, and more; ask for overtime, and ask for a promotion. The more time you spend doing and thinking about work, the less time you will have to be sad. If you find yourself feeling upset on the weekends, get a second job. There’s really no better way to cope.
These tried-and-true steps are guaranteed to help you recover emotionally from a career-ending injury. Please comment if they have helped you.
Alec Roman's Advanced Recommendations 