From Physical Setbacks to Mental Breakthroughs.
I tend to think of myself as a competent, strong person. And there are zones where I hold myself back because I feel a little fragile. You know, that whole strong but fragile thing.
I had a horrible knee injury when I was a teenager. Freak accident. My kneecap basically flew to the back of my leg and had to get put back without any sedation (it was the 90’s). The best part was that it happened not once, but twice. Once I got to the hospital the ER doc tested my knee and boom, there it goes again. And nope, no sedation the second time around either.
As a result, lateral movement of any kind was something I avoided because I was scared. So, I did everything but that. It’s what got me running and rowing (straight and steady). And then over time I worked with good people who were able to coach me to believe that yes of course you can ski, of course you can jump, you just need to get strong. And to get strong, well you need to believe that you are not fragile.
Where do you feel fragile?
What happened that makes you avoid/hesitate/ or better yet, overdo in the hopes that no one notices that you are scared? What would it take to take steps to shift to noticing and finding your strength in that movement? What do you notice in the people you lead? What things do you see them avoiding?
When we believe we are strong we take risks, we do the things that progress us and create joy. And when we miss what’s the worst that can happen? We might get injured. We might get bruised up. We might OMG… lose. But guess what? In the words of Andre Agassi “what I know for sure, is that no matter what happens on the court, at the end of the day I will go home and my family’s there”. And yes, sedation practices are different in 2024 than they were in 1993.
So, get to it. It’s March 1st.
You’ve got this. March 1st is just the beginning. It’s that time of year where the urgency of hitting the new year hard starts to fade, February can be a tough month – it’s dark, the momentum of January 1st is behind us. And then March hits, and the days start getting longer, and we can start leaning into what we really want to get done this year.
Moments of vulnerability remind us that we are human. They teach us resilience, showing us that even when we stumble, we have the capacity to get back up, perhaps even stronger than before. In noticing and being ok with our fragility, we can find a deeper kind of strength, one that’s not just physical but emotional and mental too.
Have a think – isn’t it often the case that our biggest regrets are not about the things we did, but the things we let pass us by because we were too afraid? It’s not just about winning or succeeding in the traditional sense. It’s about showing up for ourselves, about having the courage to say, “I am here, I am vulnerable, but I am also brave.” AND it can be really hard to do 🙂 But give it a shot. ❤️
Even if you’re not a tennis fan, this book is incredible and absolutely worth a read. Have a great weekend everyone 😊
@BioLayne is worth a follow on IG. He’s a bodybuilder and a scientist. I find his athleticism and nerdiness super fun. You can get a feel for him by listening to him on Armchair Expert with Dax Shepherd – here’s the link to an episode on Spotify.