Fractures

A fractured pelvis.  This will wipe out a person’s running career faster than you can say “gitty-up girl”!  Last October, I trained for a marathon and subsequently injured myself.  Hobbling on crutches and not running for seven months caused a degree of frustration and disappointment that I didn’t realize could occur from a simple running hobby.  I quickly discovered that the best way to recover from a fracture is to remove what is causing the pressure.

Yet, when I finally received a medical release to return to running again, I had lost confidence and was unsure if I wanted to embark on any future running endeavors.  I met a fellow runner, however, who imparted great wisdom to me.  He said, “You will know if you truly enjoy running if you can hit the trails without concern for what your watch says about how fast you go and how far you run.”  Initially, this seemed counterintuitive, because most runners live and breathe by their pace and distance.  I understood what he was implying, though.  He was letting me know that if I truly enjoyed running I would be willing to do it for the sheer act of running by removing the self-imposed pressures.  The pace and distance would naturally progress as a result of running for the sake of running.  In addition, I would be less likely to injury myself because I would be in-tuned to my body and not focused only on the outcome.

As I pondered this advice, I realized that this is critical advice for many decisions in life. 

Would you do your job even if you didn’t get paid?  If you simply did what you loved, a natural salary should be forthcoming.  You likely would enjoy getting to work each morning as you pursued a meaningful career.

Would you parent your children according to your intuitive values, without concerns about social pressures?  If you simply followed your inner parenting voice then well-rounded children should grow.  You would likely enjoy the parenting process more as you groom children according to their individuality.

Would you RSVP to events based on your innate interests instead of feelings of guilt?  If you simply attend events of your liking, natural “yes” and “no” responses to others could occur.  You would likely find your schedule less frenzied and overwhelming.

Would you buy that material object if you weren’t concerned about what the Joneses would think?  If you simply made purchases based on your needs and wants, many unneeded debts would be avoided.  You would likely own possessions that are gratifying and not filling up wasted space.

After my fractures healed, I discovered that I actually do still love to run.  I actually appreciate it more now than I did before.  I am free now to experience the run for what it truly should be: fresh air, stress relief, the beauty of nature, my improved health.  Sometimes it takes momentum stopping to gain valuable perspective about whether or not that activity actually improves or decreases your quality of life.

If you are feeling a disconnect with a certain aspect of your life, don’t wait for an “injury” to force you to stop and reflect.  Pause now and ask yourself why you are making the decisions you are.  Careers, schedules, parenting, finances, relationships…all of these areas are better suited when following your inner compass.

Changepoints:

We might wish to diagnose a life-fracture when:

·       We feel uncertain about decisions we are making.

·       We find we are saying “yes” or “no” to things based on what we think others want us to do.

·       We believe our life choices are from outer-motivations instead of inner-values.

·       We are focused solely on an outcome instead of the process.

·       We lack joy in activities that should be fulfilling in and of themselves. 

Heal your life-fractures.  What areas do you need to relieve pressure? 

outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results