{"id":9647,"date":"2023-04-12T07:12:41","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T13:12:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/?p=9647"},"modified":"2023-04-12T07:54:29","modified_gmt":"2023-04-12T13:54:29","slug":"life-hitting-you-like-a-dodgeball-this-is-your-sign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/2023\/04\/12\/life-hitting-you-like-a-dodgeball-this-is-your-sign\/","title":{"rendered":"Life Hitting You Like a Dodgeball? This is Your Sign"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Six weeks from the launch of my new book<\/a>,<\/em> I found myself in the emergency room with severe pain in my neck and shoulder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was diagnosed with a herniated disc and began treatment, but what I couldn\u2019t get out of my mind was something I\u2019d read when a friend suggested I look into the spiritual meaning of shoulder pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we are under stress, many of us unconsciously hunch and twist in towards ourselves. Imagine someone was throwing a dodgeball at you\u2014how would you protect yourself? You\u2019d turn away from the impact, contracting your abdomen and curling around yourself. Instinctually, most of us do this by showing the metaphorical dodgeball our right shoulder blade\u2014if there\u2019s an impact, it won\u2019t hit the heart.\u201d (source<\/a>)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those words instantly transported me back to my middle school gymnasium \u2014 the musty smell, the squeaky floor, the big vat of balls just waiting to become projectiles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hated dodgeball.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For some reason, I was an easy target and my classmates always seemed to throw the ball harder than necessary. I felt the sting of impact before the ball even touched me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re out!!!\u201d the aggressor would yell at me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don\u2019t know what hurt worse \u2013 the bruise on my skin or the one on my heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suddenly, it made sense why this spiritual explanation of shoulder pain \u2013 to protect the heart \u2013 resonated so deeply. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every time I\u2019ve launched a book into the world, my fear of rejection caused me to overwork and overcompensate. When I agreed to write Soul Shift<\/em>, I promised myself I\u2019d protect ME as I ventured into this depleting territory. I\u2019d done well for many months, but as the launch date drew near, I was slipping into old habits. My body was giving me a warning sign, and I chose to heed it.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five weeks out from the book release, I stepped back.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I did not follow-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I did not re-record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I did not pull all-nighters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I did not skip meals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I did not post until I could not post no more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Little by little, I released control, trusting my book would land into the hands that needed it.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two days after Soul Shift<\/em> released, I brought a signed copy to my doctor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After we hugged and got a photo together, she checked my upper shoulder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWow,\u201d she said with a look of genuine surprise. \u201cThis is not where I expected you\u2019d be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m pretty sure she thought I\u2019d be immobile on floor of the gymnasium.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Honestly, I did too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I\u2019ve learned the importance of listening to my body in order to protect myself. Sometimes that requires turning inward, but sometimes protection requires turning outward<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m talking about human connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The worst possible place for me to be when presented with the standard measurement of success in the publishing industry (i.e., initial sales numbers) is alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, what I experienced inside my body in the aftermath of Live Love Now<\/em> <\/a>(which launched in the COVID-19 Shutdown of Spring 2020) was so concerning that I sought professional help.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To avoid a similar experience with Soul Shift<\/em>, I planned a few in-person book signing events in cities I\u2019ve lived and worked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t need to do those events,\u201d a trusted person in my inner circle said. \u201cThat\u2019s just extra work for you, with very little return.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I recognized that statement as their opinion, not my truth<\/strong>. This person had no idea what it was like to write a book and then work tirelessly to garner pre-orders and early reviews. But because I did, I knew I must advocate for myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cI know you are trying to protect me,\u201d I stated, \u201cBut I know what I am going to need at that point: to look into the faces of those being touched by my book<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The first of these in-person events is tomorrow night<\/a>. Last weekend, I bought five tickets to give away on social media. I explained that I understood the fear of going outside one\u2019s comfort zone to attend such an event. But because doing so often results in true a sense of belonging, I wanted to give away a few tickets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within minutes, I heard from several beautiful souls who\u2019d felt the nudge to attend, but fear had stopped them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour post was my sign,\u201d one person said. \u201cI\u2019d love to have one of your tickets.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I ended up buying five more tickets and now have a piece of paper with ten names. I can\u2019t help but feel excited about what\u2019s to come given we will all be there because we listened to our hearts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes protecting our heart means turning inward, but sometimes it means opening our chest toward the healing power of connection.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

My friends, if today finds you weary from life hitting you like a dodgeball, will you take a moment and ask yourself two very important questions?<\/p>\n\n\n\n