Have You Embraced Your New Normal?

Wouldn't it be great if change in our life was flagged with this sign?

I woke up today, finally realizing that I am in a new era.

Perhaps for the rest of my life the following will be true:

I can no longer comfortably drink coffee while driving

My tennis forehand smash is officially retired.

The books I write will not be handwritten or typed - they will be dictated

Grabbing a gallon of milk will be with most certainly be with my left hand

My right forearm will join my knees in helping predict precipitation

Packing a piece of carry-on luggage will no longer be overstuffed

I could go on and on about the way my life will be in the future without the full use of my right arm. But I won't.

I am going to embrace my "new normal."

I'm not going to focus on what I won't or cannot do anymore because of  permanent partial damage to the radial nerve in my right arm. It's been a long 13 months coming. From the first diagnosis of my radial nerve palsy to the more extensive radial tunnel syndrome, I have lived with the pain, frustration and hopelessness that is watching something you took for granted slowly slip from your grip (no pun intended). After surgery 9 months ago, I naively thought that "all would be alright" and I'd go back to "normal," soon.

Well "soon" never came. And may never come.

So I'm letting go of the thought that my right arm will return to 100% strength and sensory functionality. And what a freeing exercise this is turning out to be. Immediately, I am starting to see what I CAN do with the limbs I have.

Am I going to stop my strengthening exercises or heat therapy? Not a chance. But I have put aside my thoughts of full recovery as a condition to do anything. I am no longer postponing anything in my mind.

What about you?

Is there a "new normal" you've been running from or hoping against?

Often times change that catapults us into "new normal" is swift and sudden. Not a lot you can do to prepare. Other times, it's slow and incremental and gives us glimpses that we often ignore to our own detriment.

Take it from me, your "new normal"  will catch up to you one day.

Why not join me and embrace your "new normal" today?