Page 19 - 2020 Winter CMTA Report

? WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND?Ask David.

Dear David, invaluable in our society, and I am nounced. Finding opportunities to
For the last 10 years, I have had sure your skills are transferable if help others is a great way to get
my dream job working as a physi- the need to change areas of spe- out of our heads and see that
cal education teacher in an cialty arises. Your passion and CMT does not have to stop us
elementary school in a great school sensitivity to kids who might be from having a life of meaning and
district. Unfortunately, I was diag- different will contribute to your purpose. Our suffering is real, but
nosed with CMT1A at 32 years being a top-notch educator, when we focus on it we lose per-
old. That was three years ago. regardless of the subject you teach. spective and forget that all of us
I am only mildly affected at this I have received many letters have so much to give in our own
point and my CMT is not affect- from members of our CMT com- way. We have an opportunity to
ing my ability to do my job, but munity who are in similar find meaning in life just by the
my boyfriend insists that I quit situations. Just when we think we way we handle our attitude Write to David at
immediately and find a different have a part of our life figured out, towards our own suffering. We info@cmtausa.org.
career before I make a fool of we are thrown a curve. In many can find meaning just by the way
myself. One of the aspects that occupations, apart from doing we handle our challenges. Picking David Tannenbaum has
an LCSW degree and has
attracted me to teaching physical construction on skyscrapers, there ourselves up and showing others been a psychotherapist in
education was the opportunity to are usually workarounds. If it that a limitation does not have to New York City for the
be sensitive to the children who past 30 years, specializing
in helping others with the
were less coordinated and had a means taking things a bit more keep us down is inspirational to task of growing emotion-
more difficult time with sports. slowly and giving ourselves breaks others who let the slightest prob- ally and spiritually
I need some guidance around to rest, then so be it. It’s the same lem in life become overwhelming. through physical chal-
lenges. “My CMT has
my career choice. with trying to keep up with active Trying to have compassion for been my greatest challenge
kids. Don’t for one second think ourselves is the key, which is not and my best teacher in
David replies: that you are a less effective worker the same as feeling sorry for our- life,” says David.
My first response is that you if you need to take things at a selves, although that is okay on
should keep the job and ditch the slower pace. Your head and your occasion as long as it’s temporary.
boyfriend. Just kidding, but seri- heart are just fine and won’t inter- Compassion for ourselves reminds
ously, this is your decision, not his. fere with your job performance. us that loving ourselves is not in
It seems foolish to leave a profes- What will interfere is your anxiety spite of our CMT, but just maybe
sion you love before your CMT about what others think. because of it. Seeing beauty and
interferes with your ability to do A larger issue that concerns accepting our imperfections gives
your job—you could still continue many of us is how to find mean- us a depth of being that only those
teaching in an area you love for ing in life when physical who face challenges in life can
many years. Good teachers are limitations become more pro- truly understand. h

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