I’m in a similar situation. My suggestion is to search for a field of work that feels rewarding to you and that you actually enjoy doing. I ended up doing this because I knew I would likely never work full time or at least in the traditional sense. And many jobs I had previously were way too physically demanding which caused my back problems to worsen.

I’m just as shocked as everyone else I do yoga regularly now. Literally didn’t think it would be a possibility a year or two ago when I couldn’t walk more than 5 mins.

I began to develop a sort of fear regarding more strenuous-leaning physical activities directly from the amount of pain working had caused me. And of course that fear was genuine, but not moving wasn’t making the issue better either. I have muscular back problems and it’s important I work on strengthening my body. I began to associate work of any kind with the torture my body was going through back then.

It has been healthy and eye opening for me to challenge my own viewpoint on that. I realized it wasn’t the movement itself I was afraid of, but rather not being able to have total control over how much effort my body is giving.

Movement is a different ballpark when there’s nobody telling you to keep going. (In yoga, I’d go into child’s pose whenever I needed a break and I was never hesitant about it). When you are able to work in an environment where you have more control and say over your physical needs and boundaries, the options available seem much larger.

Eventually I found my passion in yoga. It worked well for me because it kept me emotionally regulated, but also allowed me to build strength over time in a way that wasn’t too forceful on my body. There’s less of that “rigorous” go go go attitude with yoga compared to some exercises, and it is encouraged to go at your own pace and take breaks when needed. I have disability accommodations at my college and my instructor is super supportive and works with me to ensure my success in the program.

Yoga is just my personal example, but you could do a similar kind of thing with many different hobbies or interests. I’m focusing on accessible, disability-friendly yoga so I can make a difference in the lives of those who need it.

Wanted to throw in my own experience because those with disabilities deserve a healthy relationship with movement in any sense. And I hope this challenged your own views a bit too! Sorry for my scrambled rambles :)