I Broke My Wrist and It Was the Best Thing that Could Have Happened to Me

Adversity is a catalyst for evolution.

The most trying circumstances in life have the potential to foster the most growth. I desire good health, stability, and sunny days, but if that’s all I had, I would not have felt the pressure needed to incite radical improvement in my life.

Before I broke my wrist, I was drained and overwhelmed. I had no time to make a plan to get off the hamster wheel because I was running too hard to get through the workweek. I spent at least one full day off recovering from the damage done. I was earning decent pay, but spending it mindlessly, and looking outside myself for comfort and answers.

That broken bone brought the fast-moving machine to a halt in a single moment. After the initial excruciating pain wore off, I was given the gift of time (and energy) to examine my reality.

The unexamined life is costly. I had racked up astronomical credit card debt with exorbitant interest rates. With autopay set, I had stopped noticing the details. Enslaved to the mechanics of my ill-considered lifestyle, I was destroying my body, mind, and soul.

One of the gifts of being unable to work for 12 weeks and facing a sharp decrease in income is sudden clarity. It became brutally clear that the way I was living was unsustainable. I felt deep shame as I looked at the financial hole I had dug for myself. It was painful to take an early withdrawal on my 401k to stop the bleeding. But facing the situation and taking action has given me breathing room to pursue a new life.

I will be working fewer hours when I am cleared to return to work. I am taking first steps toward developing a side hustle. While still unable to bear weight on my left wrist — doctor’s orders — I am more optimistic about my health and my life than I have been for a long time.

I don’t wish anyone adversity, but when it comes your way, it’s possible to find a lesson or some new clarity. May it be so for you.

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