Six Years, Four Surgeries, and a Torn Elbow Later
What do you do when pain becomes your constant companion? When your body betrays you, and recovery feels endless, you’re forced to rewrite the story of who you are. Six years ago, I never imagined that injuries and surgeries would take center stage in my life. From the shock of my first surgery to the moment I realized that being injured had started to feel like my new normal, the road has been a test of patience, strength, and resilience.
Injuries don’t just reshape your body; they reshape your mind, your perspective, your identity. Anyone who has faced a significant injury—whatever that may be—knows how it tests your strength and patience in ways you never imagined. The journey is rarely easy, but it’s undeniably transformative, teaching lessons that shape the way you approach health, perseverance, and self-discovery.
Sometimes, I wish I had something like this to read during my recoveries. It helps to know that growth will come from the struggle.
So, for anyone who’s faced their own setbacks, here are 12 lessons I’ve learned along the way— reminders to hold onto on the hard days.
The human body is capable of incredible things.
After each injury, each surgery, after feeling like you’ll never be the same—you heal. Your body is resilient. It fights for you, even when you doubt it. When you think it’s failing, it’s working—rebuilding, adapting, finding new ways to support you. If there’s one thing injury has taught me, it’s this: your body is always on your side. You just have to trust it. Healing is its own kind of victory.
Patience is a muscle you have to build
It strengthens with time, setbacks, and perseverance. In a world of instant gratification, where we expect results at the tap of a screen, learning to wait—especially when it comes to healing—feels unnatural. The waiting game can be unbearable, and setbacks can shake your faith in the process.
It always seems to happen righhhht when you feel like everything is finally aligning. Injury teaches patience in ways you never asked for. Some days (many days), progress feels invisible. Frustration creeps in. You wonder if you’ll ever get back to where you were. But just like training for your sport, patience requires consistency, trust, and belief that every small step forward matters.
Physical wealth is foundational
Without a healthy body, all other forms of wealth lose meaning. You could have financial success, strong relationships, and personal fulfillment, but if you lack the energy, strength, and longevity to enjoy them, they become hollow victories. Taking care of your body is the greatest investment you can make—it’s what allows you to truly live.
You don’t truly feel what you have until it’s gone—but that doesn’t mean you took it for granted
I didn’t realize how much I relied on my body—its strength, its speed, its resilience—until an injury took it away. It’s not that I didn’t appreciate it before; I was just too busy using it, pushing it, trusting it. Maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be. We don’t fully grasp what we have while we have it because we’re in the middle of living it. It’s only when we’re forced to slow down that we feel what we once had. And now, in missing it, we understand its value in a way we never could before.
What you don’t heal will find a way to surface—whether you realize it or not.
The things you’ve been through, whether you name them as trauma or not, shape the way you think, react, and move through life. Pain that goes unprocessed doesn’t just disappear—it shows up in your relationships, your self-talk, your ability to trust, and the way you handle setbacks. You can push it down, pretend it doesn’t affect you, but eventually, it will.
When I tore my elbow, it didn’t just take me off the field—it took me away from my first (and really only) shot at signing a professional contract in the NWSL. Everything I had worked for quite literally disappeared in the blink of an eye. Sure, the physical rehab was tough, but the mental battle was even harder. I had to grieve the version of my career I had imagined, come to terms with the fact that I would never get to call my parents and tell them I got a contract, learn to accept a new reality, and rebuild myself—shifting toward a new path.
Healing isn’t about erasing the past; it’s about working through it so it no longer controls you. You deserve clarity, peace, and the ability to move forward without carrying the weight of what you haven’t faced. But that only comes from doing the work.
When you’re feeling stuck, listen to Mel Robbins
When you’re feeling down, stuck in what seems like a series of uncontrollable setbacks, listen to Mel Robbins. Sometimes, when you’re stuck in your own head, overthinking, feeling defeated, the best thing you can do is borrow someone else’s mindset. Mel has a way of cutting through the noise, reminding you that you’re not alone and giving you the push you need to get out of your slump. Whether it’s a podcast, a short clip, or one of her books, her words have a way of snapping you back into action. Because sometimes, you don’t need to have it all figured out—you just need to take the next step. And if you can’t find the motivation within yourself, let someone lend you theirs.
No amount of frustration or regret can change the past or control what happens next
You can replay the moments over and over, wishing you had done something differently or that things had unfolded another way, but it won’t undo what’s already happened. I’ve spent so much time longing for the version of myself before each injury—stronger, faster, a little less broken. But the past is just that—the past. Nothing new grows there.
If you want to move forward, you have to let go of the anger and focus on what you can do now. The decision you wish you made back then? Make it today. Show up for your recovery, for your body, for the future version of yourself who will thank you for choosing progress over staying stuck in what-ifs.
The right people show up when you need them.
Simple as that.
You’re never truly starting from scratch
Your body remembers. Your mind remembers. You’re new journey is built on experience.
Behind every scar, there’s an untold story of survival.
Your scars—visible or not—are a testament to your strength. They remind you of the battles you’ve fought, the resilience you’ve built, and the growth you’ve achieved through the hardship. Each one carries a story—a chapter of survival, transformation, and hope. A reminder that even in your darkest moments, you are capable of healing and emerging stronger than before.
But old injuries don’t just disappear. They show up in aches, compensations, and imbalances, reminding you that taking care of your body is a lifelong commitment.
When I look at my own scars, I’m reminded of how they’ve rewired my brain to see with more compassion and empathy. They remind me of how quickly life can change and how they’ve reshaped my values and principles. Each scar holds a silent story of strength, survival, and transformation.
Learn to Live with Unfinished Projects
I’m speaking to you–the human or athlete who had to stop too soon, whether due to injury, burnout, or life circumstances. I understand that feeling of being forced to walk away before you’re ready. That pain, the loss of purpose–it can feel overwhelming. But you are not alone. The journey of rediscovery and reinvention is real. How lucky are you to be sitting here right now as you step into the unknown.
You carry the best parts with you
