Wipe-Out or Wimp?

[Guest guest]

After shifting my attitude from self-pity to gratitude this morning, and hearing

the bottles clanging through the assembly line (it's a bottling day at the

winery), I decided to get dressed and walk down to see if they needed any help.

They always do on bottling days as I'm not the only one who tires quickly when

forced to stand in one place (the more people helping, the more breaks everyone

can take).

I stayed for 2 hrs. before my back and legs convinced me it was time to go home

and take a break. Since I offer my help for free (they usually offer me a

couple bottles of wine), no one seemed to mind that I was leaving.

I told them I'd probably come back after resting my back awhile and they all

thanked me and told me not to worry, just to do as I feel.

Well, I feel bad. Even though I feel absolutely exhausted and in a

more-than-usual amount of pain, I question myself. How much pain is enough pain

to quit? The owner of the winery and his sister (who I rent from) are much

older than me, in their 70's I would guess, and they aren't quitting. I wonder

how much pain they are in?

Since it's so hard to measure pain, and to compare it to how others feel, I

often question myself. Am I really tough and good at hiding it? Or am I just a

big baby that wimps out too easily?

I know these are not questions anyone can answer for me. It's a process of

trial and experience. I just wonder if others are sometimes as unsure of

themselves as I am?

Thanks for listening!

Carol in CA.

[Guest guest]

Carol

Most of us know our limitations as far as what we can

do safely before we increase our pain.

I know with me I am always pushing it , hoping that

some miracle happened and I'll be better than the day

before LOL

Its not wimping out to quit when you feel the pain

increase, after all pain is supposed to be a warning

signal that we are doing too much.

I think one wimps out when they quit trying to push

themselves and just sit inside all day having given

up.

I know I have my days when I do just that too because

I know that pushing myself even a little those days

will bring on more pain than I am in already.

I think most of us really attempt more than we know we

should because we don't want to give up on our former

healthy bodies.

You should never feel ashamed to have to quit working

because of the pain. People who know you , know what

you live with and are probably glad to see that you

haven't given up and that you keep on trying.

Jim

[Guest guest]

Hi Carol

I don't think its a matter of being a wimp or even being brave. I think

sometimes the pain takes such an emotional toll because we anticipate and know

how bad it can get.

It also beats up on your self esteem. We define ourself by what we do an then

we can't do it any more so who are we? Sometimes when I am at work and people

are treating me as if I just don't know what I am talking about, because I can't

stand or walk like they can, I get angry and then feel very sorry for myself

that in turn makes my pain worse. What a wicked cycle.

I am working on finding things that I do as well or better than others still and

making a list of those things to read when I am beating myself up.

Sylvia

>Carol Landry wrote:

>Well, I feel bad. Even though I feel absolutely exhausted and in a

more-than-usual amount of pain, I question myself. How much pain is enough pain

to quit? The owner of the winery and his sister (who I rent from) are much older

than me, in their 70's I would guess, and they aren't quitting. I wonder how

much pain they are in?

>Since it's so hard to measure pain, and to compare it to how others feel, I

often question myself. Am I really tough and good at hiding it? Or am I just a

big baby that wimps out too easily?