My Huge Setback and How I’m Handling It

About 6 months ago I started my weight lifting journey. 

If you’ve ever pushed a very large boulder up a very steep hill, this is a bit what starting out feels like. 

[A bit of the back story:  Several events converged that left me feeling physically weak and oddly fragile.  It was the perfect storm of (1) the pandemic shutting down my beloved yoga studio, (2) being hit hard by the freight train of menopause, and (3) being initiated into the time-strapped ranks of those caring for elderly parents.  Fast forward 2 years, and I decided that settling for a weaker, fragile “new normal” was not an acceptable option.  Enter the weight training.  For more details on how I got started check out this post.]

Back to my story.  6 months in and I was hitting my stride.  Momentum was on my side. 

I love momentum!  Momentum is when you’ve logged enough effort in one direction that there’s some current or propulsion that starts to carry you along.  

And then…

I got injured. 

It was a stupid injury which made it all the worse.  It was one I could have avoided if I had just spoken up and said no to something that I knew didn’t feel quite right.

But I kept quiet and pushed ahead. 

Why?  Not sure...I think I didn’t want to create conflict or make the other person feel bad; maybe I was a bit embarrassed to speak up, afraid of how I would I look; I certainly didn’t listen to and honor my ‘gut.’ 

The result was that I injured my side in a way that brought all my progress to a screeching halt. 

No more working out. 

No more ballroom dance. 

Ice and rest were now my assignment.

I was devastated and angry and discouraged.

As I’ve been resting on the sidelines the past 2-3 weeks, reluctantly slowing my pace, I’ve been wondering, as I often do,

Is there a bigger lesson at play here?

In what other areas of my life do I sometimes go mute?  Where am I holding back and missing out on experiences I could be having?  Where am I on the sidelines watching other people do big things, serve, create, or have fun all because I didn’t use my voice?

When we hold back or stay silent, we often miss out on the good stuff in life. 

Can you relate?

The work of designing lives and careers we love is often the work of strengthening our voices. 

We practice hearing and honoring the silent nudges of our hearts. 

We strengthen our ability to say NO to things that aren’t the best so we can make room for the joy that is our ‘Hell, yes!’

This takes courage, my friends.

As my side heals and strengthens, I’m also strengthening my ability to say NO to things that don’t feel quite right.  I’m being more selective with whom and how I spend my time.  I’m sharpening my focus. I’m revisiting all the tools, concepts and practices that have enabled me to take big steps forward in my personal and professional life.

How about you? 

Care to join me on this journey? 

If you’re interested in learning these tools, concepts, and practices, reach out for coaching! 

If you’re ready to stop undermining yourself and feel more confident in everything you do, consider getting on the wait list for the upcoming Exceptional Careers Mastermind:  Designing from the Inside Out.  This round is for women only, and we’ll be covering the foundational practices you’ll need to show up in your life with renewed clarity, confidence, strength, focus, impact and ‘know-how’ to build a life and career you love.