It’s Not That Serious… Until It Is

I was told to expect less of my body. I chose to expect more of my life.

Holding It All Together

For a long time, I believed strength meant holding on. Holding it together. Holding everyone else up. Holding myself to impossible standards.

I was very good at it.

But life has a way of teaching you that real strength often comes from letting go.

Letting go of old hurts that quietly turn into armor. Letting go of expectations that were never yours to carry. Letting go of the belief that if you just worked harder, proved more, or endured longer, everything would eventually feel safe.

A Polished Life on the Outside

My life has been full, global, and outwardly successful. I grew up in a hardworking family, moved across states as a child, and learned early that responsibility was not optional. I worked alongside my father in his business before I understood the word leadership, but I understood trust. I understood delivering on your word. Those lessons carried me across continents, into boardrooms, and into roles where I led teams and generated millions in revenue as a sales executive.

From the outside, everything looked polished.

Then Came the Storm

In 2009, I woke up in the intensive care unit after what was supposed to be a routine, minimally invasive spinal surgery. Instead, I was paralyzed from the waist down and in excruciating pain. Over the next several months, I underwent two additional spinal surgeries, spent thirty days in intensive care, and endured months of rehabilitation and physical therapy. Eventually, I learned to walk again with the assistance of a walker.

When I finally arrived at my end-of-treatment appointment, proud of how far I had come, my neurosurgeon painted a bleak picture of my future. More surgeries. Chronic pain. Medication. Depression. Disability. Eventually, within about a year, a wheelchair.

That moment, when I slowly walked out of my neurosurgeon’s office with the help of a walker, could have defined the rest of my life.

I refused to let it.

Choosing a Different Path

Instead, I chose a different path. One that blended Western and Eastern medicine. Acupuncture. Physical therapy. Deep tissue massage. Meditation. Movement. Patience. Discipline. Handwork. Tears. And a deep belief that my body was not done with me yet.

I also adopted a practice that changed everything: a Perfect Day visioning exercise.

The Power of a Perfect Day

Every morning, for one minute before getting out of bed, I visualized my perfect day in vivid detail across every area of my life: health, family, work, spirituality, finances, intellect, and joy. I engaged all five senses. I imagined unlimited resources. I pictured cycling winding roads with the sun on my face. Being surrounded by a loving family and partner. Walking confidently into rooms, dressed in a simply elegant business dress, to teach and lead women. Traveling with ease. Sleeping peacefully in crisp cotton sheets after a full, active day.

That vision became my anchor.

Healing Is Not Linear

Healing was not linear. And it was not fast. For more than fifteen years, I’ve managed chronic pain intentionally. Nerve and disc damage. Herniations that still cause nightly pain, numbness, and tingling.

And yet, I live fully.

I bike. I kayak. I swim. I hike. I move. I choose activity not because it’s easy, but because it’s possible.

That storm reshaped how I understand strength. Strength is not denial. It is adaptation. It is listening. It is choosing yourself again and again, even when the story handed to you says otherwise.

A Life Reimagined

Since 2021, I’ve lived in Florida, and something about the water, the light, and the rhythm of life here helped that lesson land. I spend more time outside now. Cycling scenic trails. Kayaking calm waters. Swimming in warm ocean waves. Walking without a destination. Nature reminds me that nothing blooms year-round and that rest is part of the design.

Yoga and meditation keep me centered. Breathwork brings me back when my mind races ahead. Music moves me deeply, whether it’s jazz in an intimate space, the Florida Symphony Orchestra, or R&B playing as the sun sets.

I read constantly. Recently, I finished The Getaway Girls, a novel about three women in their 60s and 70s who take an RV adventure through Italy. I laughed more than I expected. And I realized I wasn’t just reading a story. I was giving myself permission to imagine freedom without explanation. Adventure without apology.

Purpose and Legacy

Family keeps me grounded in this truth. My daughters and granddaughters are my compass. They remind me that legacy is not about perfection. It’s about presence.

Today, as an entrepreneur and executive coach, my work is deeply personal. I help women, especially women of color, recognize their value, trust their voice, and stop waiting to be chosen. I do this work because I’ve lived the cost of being unseen. And I’ve experienced the freedom that comes from finally seeing yourself clearly.

The Truth I Know Now

If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s this:

You are not behind. You are not broken. And you are not alone.

Some things are serious. And some things are not.

Knowing the difference changes everything.

-Cherilynn C