My Destination Postcard
I recently attended a workshop by Choose To ThinQ on the books ‘The Power of Habit’ and ‘Switch’. The book ‘Switch’ by the Heath Brothers on Driving change talks about writing down a ‘Destination Post card’ — which is a vivid picture from the near-term future that shows what could be possible; the gut-smacking goal that appeals to both the rational and the emotional parts of the brain. Ramanand, the facilitator while talking about the book, suggested writing down a destination postcard and keeping it in a prominent place where you can see it often. Even more important is sharing it — not just the end goal or result but the genesis of the thought and the vision with friends and family to build a support ecosystem. So, dream it, share the dream, and marvel at the end result was my take away. This post is an attempt to do just that.
While this looks like a bucket list item for many, it is very important for me. Could be life changing.
When I was 13 years old, I was affected by a combination of Guillain Barre Syndrome and Spinal Meningitis. This paralyzed my entire body. So, an athletic girl who loved cycling transformed into a log — all in 24 hours. Doctors said it was a rare combination of viral and bacterial infection together. I couldn’t move anything but my neck. I was in the ICU for over 40 days with ready ventilator support. At the end of two months, Doctors said they were successful in ensuring the infection doesn’t spread to my lungs or brain but they said there might not be much recovery. I could, at best, learn to manage myself in a wheelchair is what they said.
I was heartbroken. I had a lot of dreams and everything came crashing down. Living a life of a quadriplegic was not acceptable. I was only 13. My parents and my brother got me home. My dad carried me on his arms- I couldn’t even sit with support. That was the beginning of a new phase in all our lives. We were a family that went through a lot of ups and downs and would never give up so it was obvious we resolved to get me back to normalcy. My Dad was my coach. Being a sportsperson himself, he knew how to get me re-learn a lot of the movements. I had to learn to sit, stand, walk, hold a pencil and every little thing using my limbs. My daily routine involved physiotherapy for atleast 8 hours. After about 6 months, I could sit without support for long hours, walk with support, and write a little. So I resumed school — something I loved. For over two years, I needed Mom to help me in my daily chores and my brother helped me see beyond my illness and start dreaming again. Soon, I started becoming independent, could walk long distances, climb small stairs and got back to acing my academics.
The next few years, my focus was on getting back to ‘normalcy’ as I defined it. I started focusing on my academics, studied at premium educational institutions including doing my MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, then got a plush job at a multinational corporate and married a dear friend. Life turned into a Fairytale! Soon we had two kids and I got into being a typical working woman — managing work, home, kids and everything. I was doing fairly well on all my responsibilities. Health was ok. I had two muscle grafting surgeries which weren’t successful but I could manage to get myself out of it.
Fast forward to 2017, it was one of the lowest points in my health. Nothing drastic happened but I realized I was getting weaker, struggling to manage my daily routine and more importantly realized I wasn’t taking care of myself. On the work front, in my corporate job, I showed up to work everyday, obsessed over the quality of deliverables, worked long hours and went over and beyond what was expected of me. I was a fast tracker and grew up the corporate ladder. On the contrary, I didn’t take care of myself. I stopped exercising for over 2 years, didn’t take care of my injuries and was 20 Kgs overweight. I wasn’t happy. I did a quick reality check and quit my job and started working as an independent consultant. This gave me time to catch up on all the lost sleep over the years and sleep a regular 7 hours, eat healthy and at regular intervals, bring down my stress levels by taking up work that I enjoy doing (Problem solving is what I do as work. It keeps my brain active and gives me the adrenalin rush). I started exercising. Six months into it, a bad ankle injury, a few ‘purpose in life’ inspiring conversations with Harish (my better half) and my brother, I realized I needed a goal — for a couple of years to stay focused and take my physical health to the next level. I need to do rigorous exercises without injuring myself and get into the fit zone. Then came this workshop — the exact trigger I needed to set that gut-wrenching goal.
Now you know why this is so important for me!
The journey from now to 2020 is not going to be easy. Far from it . I am still 13 kgs overweight, cannot run at all, started jogging (from about a couple of weeks). My muscle strength in my legs is 3/5 and my core is 2/5. My hands — left — 0/5; right 2/5. (Just got an assessment done). I have a long way to go. It will be a journey filled with pain, disappointment and mental agony. It is going to be a test of my grit and perseverance and rising beyond my vulnerabilities and insecurities.
I am committing here to give it my best and reach my destination. I am publicly declaring my goal to emphasize my commitment. I plan to build a support group to share my progress updates every fortnight, celebrate successes and seek support in those weak moments when I feel like giving up. Any advice that will help me reach my destination is most welcome. If you want to be a part of the support group, do drop me a note at mailtosirisha@gmail.com. I will not only send you my fortnightly goals and progress made but also the emotions and experiences along the way.
