Back to First Principles

Well, here I find myself again.

It really is true that without our health, there is no foundation to accomplish much at all. As many of you know, I faced a health crisis two years ago. After a fall in an icy parking lot, a shattered disk, a wait far too long for surgery, significant pain medication, a gruelling withdrawal process, and the loss of my home, partner, and family all in one go — to say life threw me a curve ball is an understatement.

But isn't that how life goes sometimes?

I was lucky to have a strong practice to return to after the sheer survival of about four months of physical, relational, financial, and emotional upheaval. At one point I remember saying to a very good friend, "I just don't know if I can do this." A handful of people is what got me through.

But I got through with a newfound appreciation for the fragility of life and the necessity of tending to our physical body as the foundation for being able to do all else.

Two weeks ago, after months of waiting for test results, I received the call from the surgeon. I will be having spinal surgery again, in hopes of increasing my quality of life and freeing me from remaining pain. The news came as a shock. But very quickly, it turned into an opportunity to return to first principles. Without good health, I cannot be of help to others.

I hope this serves as a reminder to the people around me.

Those who practice Groundwork know all too well how unhealthy our lives can become when we are overwhelmed and caught in a fight to survive. Less presence, less joy, less peace, less health. Health, in all respects, seems to be the easiest thing to forget, the lowest item on the list, when we are in battle with our inboxes, our capture lists, the tasks we wish we could get to faster. Health even competes with laundry, an addictive series, and for me, the needs of the people I love. But when the body demands to be heard and I have no choice but to listen, the priorities flip completely.

Perhaps you remember me saying in a coaching session, at a retreat, or in a class: "The highest priority above all else is that you are established at being, before going into doing." In this very physical existence, the body is interwoven with that principle. Now, it's a two part question: Am I established internally at being? Am I well in my body?

The beauty of working from first principles is the capacity it generates for real focus. Am I doing the highest value work? What are my actual priorities, not my someday aspirations? The clarity has been fierce. It has slashed several recurring calendar items and forced a complete rethinking of what belongs in my Weekly Review. I am grateful for it.

It's also forced me to stay homebound for now. While I await my surgery date in March 2027, I plan to excel in my work virtually which will allow me to have a greater impact. I am working diligently with an advisor to refine the teachings and uplevel my capacity to deliver my work. My joy for the challenge has emerged.

And while physical health challenges can feel so far outside our control, my spiritual practice has been renewed with vigor. I give thanks constantly for what is working. I celebrate the people who stand beside me in crucial moments. I understand life better, and that in turn means I understand my work better too.

If you have had a similar experience, I would genuinely love to hear from you.

In this season, I have chosen to focus on working with groups. I am also developing the team of coaches I have been building for several years now, so that together we can reach more people who share these aspirations. If you know someone who would benefit from this work in a group setting, please do reach out.