Some moments don’t just change your plans — they change your entire understanding of yourself. Author Bruce Feiler calls these events lifequakes: the big disruptions that shake up the foundations of our lives and force us to rebuild.
For many people, receiving the diagnosis Poretti–Boltshauser syndrome is exactly that kind of lifequake. Not because everything suddenly gets worse, but because everything suddenly makes sense — and then needs to be reinterpreted.
What is a lifequake?
A lifequake is a major life event that:
- disrupts your routines and expectations
- challenges your identity
- forces you to reevaluate the past and reimagine the future
- and asks you to rebuild in a new direction
It’s not inherently negative or positive — it’s simply transformational.
Why this diagnosis can feel like an earthquake in slow motion
Poretti–Boltshauser syndrome is rare, often misunderstood, and diagnosed very early in life, or at a much later time. It creates a sudden feeling of understanding yourself but also having a lot of questions.
Here’s why it hits so deeply.
- A name for something you’ve lived with all your life.
When you finally hear, “This is what you have,” it can feel like the world shifts.
Suddenly, events from your past fall into place:
- exhaustion that didn’t match your age
- coordination that never improved
- a level of effort that others didn’t seem to need
2. A rewrite of your personal narrative
- A diagnosis doesn’t change who you are — but it changes what your story means.
- You start seeing your life through a new lens.
And that requires emotional and mental recalibration. - Letting go of the ‘standard template’
Many people discover that the expected 40-hour workweek was never realistic for their body — not because they lacked discipline or ambition, but because their energy and neurological pathways work differently.
That realization brings freedom, but also grief.
3. Uncertainty about the future
Lifequakes shake loose the ideas you held about the years ahead.
Suddenly, the questions become:
“What is sustainable for me?”
“How do I manage my energy wisely?”
“What do I need to thrive, not just cope?”
How to navigate a diagnosis-driven lifequake
There is no single roadmap. But these principles help many people move from shock to clarity:
- Allow emotional aftershocks
A lifequake isn’t a moment — it’s a process.
You don’t have to be strong right away.
Give yourself space to feel confused, relieved, angry, grateful, overwhelmed…
All of it belongs.
- Rebuild your identity with kindness
You’re not becoming someone new — you’re finally understanding the person you’ve always been.
Useful questions:
What strengths carried me this far?
What qualities became sharper because I’ve lived life this way?
What can I acknowledge without judgment?
- Design your life, don’t just “adapt”
This is one of the most empowering shifts.
Instead of asking:
“How do I keep up with what’s expected?”
Try asking:
“What kind of rhythm and routine actually support me?”
This is where tools like energy units, spoon theory, or personalized pacing systems become incredibly grounding.
- Seek supportive spaces, not perfect understanding
Not everyone will get it — and that’s okay.
What you need is:
- people who listen
- people who don’t minimize
- people who respect your boundaries
- people who trust your lived experience
- Redefine success on your terms
Success is not endurance.
It’s sustainability.
It’s alignment.
It’s showing up in ways that are healthy, meaningful, and true to your body’s reality.
Your worth was never tied to productivity.
- Create a narrative that brings peace
Lifequakes break apart the old story, but they also give you a chance to build one that fits.
A story with more kindness.
More realism.
More ownership.
And more honesty about the kind of life you deserve.
A lifequake as transformation
Receiving a diagnosis like Poretti–Boltshauser syndrome can feel like the ground moves beneath you. But in that movement, there’s also clarity — and room for growth.
It’s not about being a victim or being heroic.
It’s about being human, learning your limits, embracing your strengths, and building a life that finally matches who you are.