Life is unpredictable and full of surprises. It can throw you curveballs when you least expect it and change your world in an instant. Whether it’s an accident, a natural disaster, or a health scare, life can be overwhelming and even traumatic at times. But it’s important to remember that everything is doable if approached one step and one breath at a time.
This idea was inspired by the life of a podcast host who has experienced her fair share of setbacks and challenges - including those mentioned above. She has learned through her experiences that no matter how difficult things may seem, taking things step by step and breath by breath can help you get through even the toughest of times.
Let’s take a closer look at her life, experiences, and the lessons she has learned along the way.
Act Three: A Time to Do What You Want
Joanne Greene is currently in what she calls “act three” of her life, which is her favorite stage. In this stage, she gets to do what she wants, such as writing and doing podcasts. She has learned a lot and enjoys sharing her knowledge with others to possibly help them avoid pain.She also enjoys practicing yoga, hiking, spending time with friends, and being an extrovert. But it hasn’t always been this way.
Joanne is the grandchild of immigrants who prioritized community, fun, beauty, arts, hard work, and education, which gave them fortitude and an ability to meet life's challenges. Her parents, on the other hand, were not as open to fun or talking about deeper emotions. Joanne is a person who feels things deeply and believes in survival being deeply ingrained in her DNA. She has compassion for people who break a finger and doesn't believe in measuring one injury or loss against another. She believes that nobody escapes having to go through difficult times in life, and she’s no stranger to them herself.
The Traumatic Accident
Joanne was physically and emotionally broken after being in a traumatic accident. She received targeted psychotherapy to address the trauma and underwent somatic therapy, which is good for trauma. During the therapy session, the therapist discovered that the trauma had lodged in the speaker's neck. She was able to work through it with the therapist and regained full range of motion in her neck. Without addressing the trauma, the speaker may have had lifelong physical limitations. The accident forced her to learn how to be still, ask for and accept help, and lower her expectations of others.
Joanne was surprised that she could sit still, something she had never done before. She previously saw herself as a "human doing" rather than a "human being." She needed to stare at a tree branch for hours due to pain and inability to concentrate. But again, taking things step by step and breath by breath helped her get through the experience.
She had just come off a period of four years where she had lost her mother, sister and brother, and thought she had already hit her lowest point before the accident happened. Despite being physically and emotionally battered, she is optimistic and has a strong will to survive. When she was hit by a car as a pedestrian, she immediately told herself "let's do this" and was determined to recover. The recovery from the accident took a year and a half, which was a difficult timeframe for her to comprehend. But it was during this time that she began to write and share her experiences with others through her podcasts.
The Podcasts
Joanne hosts two podcasts. One is only three minutes long and features micro essays about her life, while the other is called "All the F Words" and explores topics such as friendship, family, and fundamentalism with a two-generational perspective from Joanne and a younger writer friend. Through her podcasts, the speaker hopes to leave people with the idea that everything is doable if approached one step and one breath at a time. She also emphasizes the importance of breathing and taking a moment to regulate one's system.
The Hurricane
Joanne and her husband went on vacation to Cabo San Lucas, but they were hit by a category four hurricane. The hurricane caused them to lose power and water, and it was a traumatic experience. Joanne and her family were stranded without power or internet access for two days. They were eventually airlifted out by the Mexican military. The experience reignited trauma for her, causing her to seek therapy again. Despite the traumatic experience, the hurricane taught her to count her blessings and feel gratitude for what she does have, even in uncomfortable situations, such as being in pain and not being able to get food on her own.
The Cancer Scare
Despite feeling fine and having a routine colonoscopy scheduled, Joanne was informed that she had cancer. She encourages listeners to not postpone medical tests.There are always setbacks and complications with any surgery, even if it's minor. It's impossible to anticipate all the possible complications of a surgery. Joanne experienced setbacks during her recovery from surgery.
Final Thoughts
Life can be difficult and sometimes even traumatic. But it’s important to remember that everything is doable if approached one step and one breath at a time. Breathing and taking a moment to regulate our systems can help us get through even the toughest of times. Through her life experiences, Joanne has learned to count her blessings, feel gratitude for what she does have, and to take things step by step. She hopes to inspire others to do the same through her podcasts and writing.
And as for you, dear reader, if you’re going through a difficult time, remember to take things one step and one breath at a time. Everything is doable, no matter how difficult it may seem.
