Hey ,

Life has a funny way of keeping us on our toes—sometimes, quite literally. Picture this: I'm on a ladder, minding my own business, and then, in a flash, I'm airborne. For a brief moment, as I tumbled through the air, I had one clear thought: "Oh no, this is going to hurt." And it did. I crashed into a rack of dumbbells, collecting sprains, strains, contusions, and, let’s be honest, a bruised ego.

At almost 40, I have to admit, my ninja skills aren’t what they used to be. I’m not as quick, not as resilient as I was in my 20s. But here’s the thing—I’m still here, and I’m making progress on my recovery. Accidents happen. Injuries happen. Setbacks happen. This one’s particularly ill-timed, with a 100-mile trek just around the corner. It’s going to be far more uncomfortable than I’d hoped, but I’m gritty—I’ll get through it. Fingers crossed.

I won’t lie, though—this fall made me feel a bit defeated. Ever feel like life just keeps throwing punches, one after another? It left me feeling anxious, sick to my stomach, and downright depressed. I hate those feelings… but they’re normal. They’re part of life, especially when things go haywire.

Being stuck at home, off my feet, gave me plenty of time to reflect. I thought about my attitude, my approach to the chaos, and my goals. While far from ideal, this experience became an opportunity. An opportunity to change—my mindset, my perspective, my definition of success. Setbacks can actually lead to bigger, better things if you let them. They can be wins instead of losses.

So, how do you turn your losses into wins? Here’s some friendly advice:

1. Shift Your Perspective: Instead of focusing on what’s going wrong, look for what you can learn. Every setback is a lesson in disguise.
2. Embrace Change: Use the downtime to rethink your goals. Maybe this setback is a nudge to head in a new, better direction.
3. Stay Resilient: Life will knock you down, but it’s your choice whether to stay down. Get up, dust yourself off, and keep moving forward.
4. Celebrate Small Wins: Recovery is a journey. Celebrate the small victories along the way—they add up to big success.
5. Keep Your Eye on the Prize: Stay focused on your long-term goals. Setbacks are temporary, but your goals are worth fighting for.

Remember, setbacks are just setups for comebacks. When life throws you a curveball, don’t let it knock you out—use it to swing for the fences. Keep going, keep growing, and keep turning those losses into wins. You’ve got this!

P.S. Slowing down a bit while focusing on my recovery has allowed me some time to get some articles published. Here are my latest on Muscle & Fitness:

• 3 Muscle-Gaining Strategies for Maximizing Muscle Growth
• The 5 Best Squat Variations for Building Strength and Size
• 6 Superior Core Training Exercises for a Stronger Center

Stay strong!

Tasha Whelan