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When Life Throws You Lemons...
By Karen Vally on 13 Feb 2025
Last Sunday morning at 5 am, I was awakened by the familiar buzzing of a mosquito. I flapped the sheet up and down to chase the offender away, but to no avail. A few minutes later, as I was dozing off again, Persistent Pete was back again. Highly irritated, I switched on the light and went into combat, with an aerosol of Peaceful Sleep. By this time, I was wide awake, so I went through to the kitchen to put the kettle on. On my return, I slipped on the floor alongside our bed, where the residue from the spray had landed. To break my fall, I instinctively put out my left hand. My first response, was to apply an ice pack. However, as the day wore on, my wrist became red and swollen.
Early on Monday morning, I was examined by one of our local doctors. To my horror her first response was, "I think that's a break, but let's hope it's not. I would like you to go for an x-ray." Within an hour, she called me with the good news that it was a fracture and not a break, so fortunately, no surgery was required. I went back to her consulting room, where she set my left forearm in a caste, which will remain in place for a week. Thereafter, it will be removed and replaced with a brace and a splint, which is to be worn for a further 5 weeks.
Life is not, in my view, full of ups and downs, but consists instead of twists and turns, and right now, I am on the long and winding road back to the full use of my non-dominant hand...Never before have I been so acutely aware of what it must feel like to be disabled. Never before have I been so acutely aware of the extent to which I have taken for granted, my ability to carry out my daily tasks independently.
While I am really missing my yoga classes, I have replaced them with daily walks and riding our stationary bike. My daily deep breathing and meditation practices have been most effective in cultivating calmness. Journaling in the evening provides me with an opportunity to refect on each day's experiences.
When life throws you lemons make lemonade, is a proverb that encourages us to convert a difficulty into something desirable.
Two days after my injury, I met someone with a very serious knee injury, one which will require surgery. How easy it is to fall into the trap, even momentarily, of thinking that we're the only ones going through a tough time. Similarly, how often, when things are going along smoothly, we naively expect them to stay like that forever. It's these unexpected knocks that teach us valuable lessons, lessons that complacency soon obliterates, until the next twist or turn in the road called life...
So the next time you encounter an unexpected situation, try to stay calm and breathe deeply. This enables us to think clearly. Acknowledge how you feel rather than suppress these natural responses. Explore ways in which you can take a few small steps forwards, so that you regain a sense of progress and control. Find ways in which to adapt to your new set of circumstances. Try to cultivate a positive mindset. Remember to ask for help and most importantly of all, to prioritize self-care.
"Keep in mind that you possess greater strength and resilience than you may recognize. Harness the lessons from your previous triumphs over obstacles, to bolster your confidence in confronting the unforeseen. Believe in your capacity to adjust, acquire new insights, and evolve from whatever surprises life presents."
The two great coaching and mentoring sessions I had yesterday, and the great conversations I have had this week, two with a new young dad, and two with prospective new clients, have been such a source of joy.
"By reframing your perspective and remaining open to new possibilities, you can turn adversity into a stepping stone toward a brighter future."
We cannot control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond, and that can make all the difference.
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