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Last Sunday I slipped, fell, and broke my ankle. It was so severe that I had surgery within 24hrs. This accident changed life for me, and I will forever have a metal plate, and several screws as part of my human body....
Before this injury, my days were full of movement: walking, driving, working, creating, working out, managing life on the go. I'm 90 days out of my 2-year wilderness season, 50 days out from purchasing my first home, 1 week out from publishing my 4th book, and recently published my website and blog again after a 5-year pause. Life is interesting... I thought to myself, will I shut down since the injury has brought me to a halt? Or do I remain optimistic that God had slowed me down again for greater purpose? I'm not quite sure yet, but what I've told myself, is that I will be intentional about my mind during this healing and rehabilitation period. This journey will be an emotional journey that will require mental toughness, self-awareness, patience, grace, and trust. This week I made a conscious decision: I would lead my thoughts with optimism, even when it felt uncomfortable.
Acknowledging the Trauma
An injury is never just physical. There’s emotional shock, frustration, fear, and sometimes even grief for the version of yourself that moved freely just days before. Ignoring those feelings doesn’t make them disappear, it only buries them. So, last week optimism didn’t mean pretending everything was fine. It meant allowing space for the hard moments without letting them define the entire day.
Some moments were especially heavy:
I have already recognized a shift in my vulnerability in my current state. I've had several co-workers and friends reach out asking what they can do to help. Each time, I've said physically I'm okay, I have what I need, but I will need company at some point. I wrote about not doing life alone in my recent published book, You Can't Outwork Grief: My Journey Through the Wilderness. It's interesting that I was literally guiding myself through this journey that I will be working through over the next 3-6 months. I talked a great amount about stillness not being punishment, but worship. I talked about giving grace daily. I talked about patience, and trusting the slowdowns that life creates. It's almost like God is challenging me to apply my very words, my guidance during a challenging journey ahead.
Redefining Productivity
One of the biggest mindset shifts last week was redefining what productivity looks like. Before this injury, I was on a roll y'all. I was in the gym 6 days a week, I was excited about publishing my book, work was going well, I planned to start leadership workshops next month, and then this happened. I had 2 emotional moments with God over the course of 8 days, and in each moment, I was reassured that I'm where I should be, at the right time. This isn't a setback, but preparation and a pivotal part of my journey.
In this season, optimism isn’t about pushing through pain or proving strength. It looks like:
Gratitude as a Daily Practice
Each day last week, I found one thing, sometimes small to be grateful for:
Optimism Looks Different Here
Last week taught me something powerful: Optimism doesn’t always look like joy. Sometimes it looks like resilience.
It’s choosing hope while sitting in uncertainty.
It’s trusting the healing process when the finish line isn’t clear.
It’s reminding yourself that this chapter is temporary, even when it’s uncomfortable.
As I head into week two, my focus remains simple:
✨ One week down. One step at a time. ✨
Give Grace,
~Carrie P.~
Click the link below to purchase your Copy of my new book:
You Can't Outwork Grief: My Journey Through the Wilderness: Porter, Carrie: 9798244650211: Amazon.com: Books
Last Sunday I slipped, fell, and broke my ankle. It was so severe that I had surgery within 24hrs. This accident changed life for me, and I will forever have a metal plate, and several screws as part of my human body....
Before this injury, my days were full of movement: walking, driving, working, creating, working out, managing life on the go. I'm 90 days out of my 2-year wilderness season, 50 days out from purchasing my first home, 1 week out from publishing my 4th book, and recently published my website and blog again after a 5-year pause. Life is interesting... I thought to myself, will I shut down since the injury has brought me to a halt? Or do I remain optimistic that God had slowed me down again for greater purpose? I'm not quite sure yet, but what I've told myself, is that I will be intentional about my mind during this healing and rehabilitation period. This journey will be an emotional journey that will require mental toughness, self-awareness, patience, grace, and trust. This week I made a conscious decision: I would lead my thoughts with optimism, even when it felt uncomfortable.
Acknowledging the Trauma
An injury is never just physical. There’s emotional shock, frustration, fear, and sometimes even grief for the version of yourself that moved freely just days before. Ignoring those feelings doesn’t make them disappear, it only buries them. So, last week optimism didn’t mean pretending everything was fine. It meant allowing space for the hard moments without letting them define the entire day.
Some moments were especially heavy:
- The pain that reminded me healing isn’t instant
- The loss of independence
- The mental fatigue that comes with needing help
I have already recognized a shift in my vulnerability in my current state. I've had several co-workers and friends reach out asking what they can do to help. Each time, I've said physically I'm okay, I have what I need, but I will need company at some point. I wrote about not doing life alone in my recent published book, You Can't Outwork Grief: My Journey Through the Wilderness. It's interesting that I was literally guiding myself through this journey that I will be working through over the next 3-6 months. I talked a great amount about stillness not being punishment, but worship. I talked about giving grace daily. I talked about patience, and trusting the slowdowns that life creates. It's almost like God is challenging me to apply my very words, my guidance during a challenging journey ahead.
Redefining Productivity
One of the biggest mindset shifts last week was redefining what productivity looks like. Before this injury, I was on a roll y'all. I was in the gym 6 days a week, I was excited about publishing my book, work was going well, I planned to start leadership workshops next month, and then this happened. I had 2 emotional moments with God over the course of 8 days, and in each moment, I was reassured that I'm where I should be, at the right time. This isn't a setback, but preparation and a pivotal part of my journey.
In this season, optimism isn’t about pushing through pain or proving strength. It looks like:
- Resting without guilt
- Celebrating small wins (like safely getting through the day)
- Listening to my body instead of fighting it
Gratitude as a Daily Practice
Each day last week, I found one thing, sometimes small to be grateful for:
- Support from loved ones
- The permission to pause and reflect
- The reminder that my worth is not tied to how fast I move
Optimism Looks Different Here
Last week taught me something powerful: Optimism doesn’t always look like joy. Sometimes it looks like resilience.
It’s choosing hope while sitting in uncertainty.
It’s trusting the healing process when the finish line isn’t clear.
It’s reminding yourself that this chapter is temporary, even when it’s uncomfortable.
As I head into week two, my focus remains simple:
- Heal intentionally
- Stay present
- Extend grace to myself
✨ One week down. One step at a time. ✨
Give Grace,
~Carrie P.~
Click the link below to purchase your Copy of my new book:
You Can't Outwork Grief: My Journey Through the Wilderness: Porter, Carrie: 9798244650211: Amazon.com: Books
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