“Moving through rehab, I had no hope of anything changing in my body. When I came out (of rehab) I knew this was the life I would have to live,” says psychologist, Dr. Dan Gottlieb. Dr. Dan is a quadriplegic who accredits the feeling of hopelessness for allowing him to live life in the moment.
Life outside of rehab was not easy for Dr. Dan. He admits that he dealt with feelings of anger and depression for a long period of time. There are some of Dr. Dan’s peers who thought of him as foolish because he did not have hope of being able to walk again. Dr. Dan was just simply living in the moment. He was not going to let feelings of hope alter his mindset because he felt other people with spinal cord injuries would get so consumed with the idea of walking again that they would be left with negative feelings when it did not happen.
“Fast forward many years, these people weren’t very happy because they weren’t walking. They had hope and that hope didn’t serve them well, and my hopelessness served me well.”
Dr. Dan wishes that people would stop living in the future. He states that people tend to try to live a life that they once had or a life that one wants instead of living in the present.
“I wish for all of us that we live the lives we have in this life, in today’s life because at this moment we might not be suffering.”
Dr. Dan’s message is a good reminder to not let life pass you by by wishing and hoping for a better tomorrow. Live life in the present and the goodness of life will make its presence known!
Share this post as a reminder for yourself and others to live life in the present!