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One of my greatest teachers in this life has been physical injury, here are a eight lessons that I’ve learnt from her:
1. Patience.
There is no quick. Your body heals as it does - perfectly. Concern yourself with creating the best conditions for healing.
Besides trauma, most injuries come from moving badly for too long or doing too much too quickly. Or both. Remove 50% of the risk by being patient.
2. Listen.
Pay attention - you’re receiving instructions, not giving them. Your body guides you with signals and signs at every step, pay attention, and give her what she is asking for - stop demanding.
3. Persist.
Never stop. With patience and a plan, you can achieve more than you dreamed possible.
'Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.' - Bill Gates
4. There's always a lesson.
Take responsibility. Your body can only become what you do with it. If it's sore or broken, you've caused that - nothing else can.
5. Move
Most injuries need more movement than rest. But not many of us are sensitive enough to navigate how - back to the second point, Listen.
6. Give more than you take.
In some way or another, you’ve been asking more of your body than you’ve been giving - that's how injury happens.
7. The gift is in the injury.
Like every other obstacle in life, our greatest growth can come from these trials, with the right perspective.
There is always hope, and if you go deep enough you'll see that injuries happen FOR us - not TO us.
8. Pain is speaking to us, not punishing us.
We have demonised all things uncomfortable. Pain is not bad, it is information to be used. It is sophisticated signalling that can guide us when we understand.