To the Athlete Who Had to Stop

To the athlete who had to stop, I am so sorry that this has happened to you, but please remember you can get through this. There is more to life than sports, even though it doesn't feel like it right now.

Stopping/retiring from a sport due to any injury can be devastating. It's not "just a sport" because, at that time, it is often your entire life. It can be your reason to get up in the morning. It was my reason for being in shape and eating healthy. Being an athlete also gave me goals to work towards for tomorrow, next week, and far into the future. Without those goals, I didn't know where to allocate my own time. I also didn't know how to motivate myself. 

It can be the lost sense of your team even if you do compete individually. My team was my friends who I rode with who were much more like family. The idea of not being with them every day was not something I knew how to handle. Watching them also continue in a sport that I loved so dearly was also very difficult. You can be proud of your friends, but it can still hurt that you're not alongside them. 

As our upcoming podcast guest shares, his family dynamics changed; he didn't know what his place was without football. It was the topic of conversation at the dinner table, and he wasn't sure how to talk about anything else. It took time for him to realize that there was a lot more to him than football and that his family would be interested in those parts of him too. 

There are so many factors into taking a step back from something that is so strongly attached to who you are, so take it slow and remember to be open with those close to you!

Tips for When You Have to Stop/Take a Break

Tip # 1

Stop blaming yourself for your situation; accidents happen, we push ourselves too hard, ignore symptoms, and it catches up with us. You're young, and you may "have known better," but not enough to truly stop.

Tip # 2

Take a break from social media if you have to. If watching all of your friends post images of them competing, then maybe you'd do better from a break from it. It doesn't mean you're not supporting them right now, but you need to focus on yourself first.

Tip # 3

Talk to a professional. I really mean this one. There is no shame in talking to someone. It is excellent if you have supportive friends and family, but they will unlikely be able to give you the tools you need to get better.

Tip # 4

It doesn't always mean forever. Depending on your sport, symptoms, injury, and many other factors, it could be temporary but TAKE THE BREAK! Don't rush back even if your care team believes you can get back into it. Start slowly rather than going from 0 to 100 so you can keep track of your health. If your body starts telling you to slow down, listen to it.

Tip # 5

There are other ways to be involved with sports rather than being "on the field." Become a coach or trainer, look at other avenues in the sport that need more help? Could you become a ref? A judge? Don't limit yourself, but it is also totally okay if you need to step away forever. Sometimes the triggers of being around maybe really emotional, so stepping back and staying back may be best for you.

Tip # 6

There is more to you than being an athlete; don't ever forget it!

Please be sure to listen to our two athlete episodes hopefully, they will help you feel less alone!

One day at a time,
Bella