03/29/2023
Who would have known that having foot surgery would be an opportunity to be reminded of important life lessons? I certainly didn't. I dreaded having surgery for months, as it meant no driving, working out, or pretty much doing anything active for six weeks post-surgery. I'm usually on the go, so I started to have anxiety about how miserable I was going to be post-surgery for weeks leading up to it. Surprisingly, that hasn't been the case. I'm four weeks into my recovery now and while I miss some things for sure, I've also been intentional about practicing gratitude. And I realized that I have so much to be grateful for. This was a minor inconvenience, but nothing serious. Thankfully. And I have been so grateful to have support and acts of kindess from family, friends, colleagues, and clients.
This has also reminded me of the importance of asking for help and accepting it. Like many of us, I sometimes struggle with that. But I've had to get over it with my surgery. And it's been nice for me and also for those who have been able to help. Research shows that serving others helps us to feel better, and I have seen that with those who have graciously been there for me in my recovery.
I've also been reminded of the importance of attitude. Instead of focusing on what I can't do, I'm focusing on what I CAN do. And I can do a lot. I'm thankful to be able to do the work that I love remotely when necessary. Slowing down has allowed me to do some things that I either didn't have or make time for before. And just because I can't do my workouts of choice right now, I discovered that I can use a punching bag (being mindful of my foot, of course) and that may just help my golf swing when I get to go back to my favorite activity!
One last reminder is how fruitless my anxiety was leading up to the surgery. I wasted energy worrying about things that haven't come to pass. And that's the case with anxiety for many of us much of the time. So I have also been practicing what I talk with clients about much of the time--challenging anxious thoughts and replacing them with more realistic and positive alternatives. And, unsurprisingly, that works!
