OUCH! This week Coach Sam shares the day her back said “NO” and how it can feel like when your life says “STOP.” When her herniated L4–L5 back discs began pressing on her S1 nerve root (sending signals from her back, glutes, all the way down her leg to her foot) what were basic everyday tasks turned into full on battles. Coach Polly & Sam open the curtain on that experience and translate it into a clear plan: how pain signals actually work, why the brain decides what to amplify, and how you can step back into agency even when the pain is loud. Pain happens to all of us sooner or later so learn here how to speak to the pain and make peace with healing.
We break down the nervous system in plain language—nociceptors, spinal cord gating, endorphins, and the stress cascade—so you understand why your heart races, sleep tanks, and exhaustion builds. From there, we shift to the practical: distinguishing structural pain from normal soreness; advocating with clinicians; using imaging wisely; and balancing pain relief with root-cause solutions. We talk through missed appointments and emotional swamps, then show how to regulate in minutes with breath, movement, and better self-talk so the “central governor” dials down alarm instead of spiraling into hypersensitivity.
You’ll also hear the small, human moves that keep life intact: building an A team that calms rather than catastrophizes, replacing heavy training with gentle walking to pump blood to healing tissues, clearing the calendar to protect recovery, and choosing simple pleasures—like a short coffee run or a few minutes outside—as daily signals of safety. The theme is consistent: protect your nervous system, keep your hope, and take the next intelligent step. If you or someone you love is navigating sciatica, herniated discs, or persistent pain, this is your field guide to staying functional, optimistic, and informed.
If this conversation helps, follow the show, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a quick review to help others find it. Your story might be the nudge someone else needs to choose agency over agony.

-Coach Sam & Polly xoxo

@everydayawesomeproject

Follow Coach Polly @getbusythriving and Coach Sam @thesamanthapruitt

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everydayawesomeproject

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everydayawesomeproject
Linktree for ALL THE THINGS: https://linktr.ee/everydayawesomeproject

Website/About Us: https://everydayawesomeproject.com/about-us/