Bending Without Breaking: Finding Grace in Life’s Unexpected Curveballs - Ep #11

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Welcome back to next chapter Uncensored.
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I'm Liana Rowlands.
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Grab your beverage of choice, sit back and let's chat.
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Have you ever found yourself looking back at your life's challenges, completely stuck in the what-ifs and should-haves?
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It can be so hard not to go down that rabbit hole.
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Today I want to share how I navigate those moments and how choosing gratitude helps me shift my focus back to what brings me joy.
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Let's be honest, life has a way of throwing curveballs at us at the most inopportune times.
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Not that there's ever a good time for one.
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Sometimes those curveballs are huge life shifts, but other times they hit close to home in very physical ways.
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Not too long ago I tore my hamstring and talk about a complete halt.
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Suddenly I was forced to slow way down.
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I couldn't get out on the field for baseball and golf was completely out of the question.
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Oh dear, did I just bring up bad memories?
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I'm knocking on wood right now.
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Managing moments like that can feel incredibly frustrating, daunting, and overwhelming, especially when your favorite outlets are taken away from you.
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But regardless of whether it's a minor headache or a major life pivot, the real challenge is how do we bounce back?
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When those heavy winds blow, it helps to think of a willow tree in a storm.
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The rigid trees try to stand completely unyielding, and they're the ones that snap.
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But imagine yourself as a willow tree.
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It bends and sways, yields to the storm, and dips low.
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That flexibility isn't weakness.
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It's how it survives.
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When the wind dies down, the willow rises back up because its roots held firm.
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Have you heard of the Japanese art of Kintsugi?
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I think that's how you pronounce it.
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It's where broken pottery is repaired with gold lacquer.
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Instead of hiding the cracks, the gold highlights them, making the piece even more beautiful for having been broken.
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Bouncing back doesn't mean standing unshakable.
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It means allowing ourselves to bend without breaking.
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Mending the brakes with grace and gratitude, and recognizing that our cracks are just a part of our story.
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So how do I actually get through those rough spots?
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For me, it comes down to two simple practices mindfulness and intentionally weaving in gratitude.
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Now when I say mindfulness, I don't mean sitting cross-legged on a cushion for an hour.
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Though if you do that, more power to you.
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For me, mindfulness is really about micro moments.
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When a curveball lands and my brain starts spiraling into what if this happens or what if that goes wrong?
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I slow down and shrink my focus to right now.
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Just the next five minutes.
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Maybe I'll make a cup of coffee, notice the warmth of the mug in my hands, or take three slow deep breaths.
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It's a simple way to tell my nervous system in this exact second I am okay.
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And that's where gratitude comes in.
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Gratitude isn't about pretending things don't hurt or slapping a fake smile on a situation.
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It's about practicing the both and thinking.
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I can acknowledge that a situation is incredibly stressful, and at the same time, I can notice the small glimmers of good that are still here.
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When I tore my hamstring, just going from standing to sitting or going for a walk was painful.
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But I had to hold both truths at once.
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This physical setback stinks and it slowed me down, and I can be grateful for the extra rest, the time to catch up on other passions, and a body that is actively healing.
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Finding gratitude in those sidelined moments is how we start painting gold over those cracks.
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Every day I practice gratitude by acknowledging the good that's right in front of me.
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The very fact that I'm alive and able to experience life with all its ups and downs is something I feel grateful for every time I wake up.
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At the end of the day, bouncing back is a practice, not a destination.
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It's an ongoing choice to hold the heavy stuff in one hand and gratitude in the other.
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My challenge for you this week is that when life throws an unexpected twist your way, take three deep breaths and remember the willow tree.
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Give yourself permission to sway, lean into your roots, and trust that you have everything you need to rise back up.
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Thank you so much for sitting with me today.
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It means the world to have you here in our little corner of the podcast world.
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If this episode spoke to you, please share with a friend who might need to hear it too.
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Hit that follow or subscribe button and leave a review if you can.
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It really helps other women find our community.
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I'll see you next week on next chapter Uncensored.
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Until then, protect your peace, give yourself grace, and choose to paint your life's cracks with gratitude because you are so worth it.
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Bye for now.
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Special thank you to Moavii for the track Try Me, which was used under a free to use attribution license.