Lessons from a fractured foot

Five weeks ago, I fell while standing on a chair cleaning out a closet. That fall resulted in a sprained ankle and a spiral fracture in the metatarsal bone.

Why did this happen?

I was going too much, too hard, too fast... I had already worked eight hours straight (with just 20 minutes for lunch), and I thought I had two or three hours of work still ahead of me. While I was waiting on other people to send me what I needed, I decided to clean out the office closet (as we may be moving soon).

I didn't slow down to get an actual step stool instead of a chair. I didn’t put the binders I was clearing out down before I took that blind step down off the chair. More importantly, I didn't realize that it wasn't important to fill every possible moment with doing.

The result? Unable to put any weight on that foot for 6-8 weeks and several weeks of physical therapy to stabilize my core and help parts of my body that are overcompensating while I use crutches or a knee scooter.

Actual, deeper results?

I've had to slow down, of course, especially in the first couple of weeks as I was dealing with pain and needing to elevate my foot and apply ice frequently. I quickly learned what is truly important and a priority. Of course, that meant I had to redefine "important" and "priority." All those things that I thought I had to do - and do NOW - actually didn't need to be done right away. Many of them, like a strategy for The Shuler Group, was on my timeline, not anyone else's. That first week, I canceled most meetings, except those with hard-to-reschedule clients, and did a bare minimum.

So, all that doing, doing, doing? Not done! And not critically important.

Another lesson: trust. Since I can't be on my feet, that's meant that my husband Mark has to do almost everything around the house: cook, clean, get me ice, do the shopping, get my mug of tea or glass of water, and the list goes on. I've had to sit back and let him take care of me (another side lesson).

As part of that, though, I've had to let him do things his way. If I'm cooking or cleaning, I have my standards and ways of doing things. As a temporary invalid, I don't have much say in the vacuuming. :) I've had to let go of certain expectations or standards, which is also part of the trust.

Finally, in my spare time, especially on the weekends, I used to paint. Now, since I can't stand, I have had to find other ways for my creative outlets. I've revived my cross-stitch project. I've sketched. I've doodled. I've bought canvases, just waiting for the days I can paint!

I'm trying to use these 6-8 weeks to truly grasp the messages the Universe is trying to send me.

• Don't work so hard
• Take breaks (not literal ones!)
• Trust
• Let go
• Know it will all get done in its own time
• Be creative about being creative

What lessons do you need to learn - and that would be helpful to learn now before you get a swift kick in the behind to make sure you get it?

Dawn Shuler is the CEO and Founder of The Shuler Group. As a certified Strengths Performance Trainer, Dawn helps organizations create sustainability and profitability by focusing on people, processes, and performance.