What Do You Do to Get Back on Your Feet After You Fall?
When the phone rang, the caller ID showed it was my daughter calling. With my 5 year old grandson crying in the background, she said Taylor fell and there is blood everywhere.
I hung up immediately and quickly drove the short distance down our street to their house.
We nursed the split on his chin, wiping blood from his nose as well. Laying him on the couch to get a better look at the wound, we tried to determine how serious it was. Did it need stitches? Would a butterfly bandage suffice? Did he smash his nose, his lip as well? Were his teeth okay?
Still crying and whimpering, my heart hurt for him.
I prayed for him.
I distracted him, asking him about his favorite topic.
Dinosaurs.
He quieted down right away. You could tell he was thinking.
He loves to play dinosaurs. In fact he has a “claw” that he fits between his toes and he gets his fingers shaped claw-like and he is a T-Rex. For those of you who don’t know that is short for Tyrannosaurus Rex, known as the most fearsome of the carnosaurs.
This time, he tells me he was pretending he was an Ornithomimus. It’s my first introduction to this particular dinosaur. They are very fast he informs me and also omnivores. I know what that means, I say, you taught me, they eat meat and plants.
So while spinning around fast, somehow he fell to the floor in a face plant with a direct hit to the chin.
While we were having a dinosaur talk, his mom called a nurse friend to see if she could come over and take a look and give us some professional advice.
Nurse Becky arrives with the necessary equipment in hand. Three pieces of red licorice and assorted bandages.
Her “bedside manner” calmed him as she explained what she was going to do…..with the promise of red licorice when she was finished.
It’s amazing how fast a child can recover. Maybe it was the tylenol we gave him right after it happened that was finally taking affect. Or maybe it was Mimi’s prayers for him. Or was it being all doctored up with butterfly bandage and a Lightening McQueen bandage to cover it all? Or, was it the sweet Red Licorice that got him sitting upright?
Whatever it was, he bounced right back up soon after his fall.
I thought to myself…..there is a lesson in this for us all.
How often do we trip and fall? Or blunder and make a mistake?
Whether it is in your personal life or business life how long does it take us to bounce back?
Do we want to stew over our “fall”, over thinking the situation?
Or wallow in self pity, feeling like we can’t possibly get up after this booboo.
No!
Let’s learn a lesson from children.
They are very resilient.
They recover quickly.
They forget their hurt, stop crying and move on.
So, learn from your “falls”, cry a little if it hurts, but don’t stay there very long!
Call a friend or mentor and ask for prayer or professional advice.
Savor that “sweet licorice” (friendship/advice/sympathy) Then move on to the next game or challenge, whether it’s becoming an Ornithomimus or a strong force in your business.
Oh, and later on that night, Taylor raises his finger to his mom and says, “Mommy, Now I know that being an Ornithomimus is a dangerous job.”
Being in business can be a “dangerous job” at times too, but we can all get back up if we fall or get knocked down.
All the best to you in Your Business!
Your Networking Friend,
Hello there.
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What a wonderful story Lynn!! What you said is so true about how we fall and get hurt, make mistakes, etc. but it’s important not to sit there and cry about it but get right back up and move on! Thank you for sharing such a precious story with a wonderful message! God Bless, Trish
Trish Kirby recently posted..Great Achievement is born of a Struggle
Hi Trish, Yes we need to be brave little soldieretts (if there is such a word) like little kids are.
Marvelous story and lesson from this post. Getting back up is the best thing we can do after a fall, whether it be physical, mental or spiritual. Never should we keep to the ground, but instead rise up, dust of and simply move on. Thank you Lynn for another great post.
Kenworth Peters recently posted..Network Marketing and Getting Leads
Thank you Kenworth for visiting my blog. We can learn so much for children. They are very resilient.
Having two small kid myself I can totally visualize and relate to your story Lynn. And yes, kids are soooo resilient – a necessary trait for all network marketers and business owners out there. I think sometimes we “sweat the small stuff” way too much. If we screw something up in our business we must simply be resilient like our kids and just keep truckin’
Thanks for that great story and reminder….
Steve Dooley recently posted..FEAR – False Evidence Appearing Real Drives Network Marketers Into Extinction
Steve, Very true, we do probably fret too much over the small stuff. Let’s learn to bounce right back after our miss steps.
I agree that we need to be able to bounce back. However, sometimes a really good cry with a supportive person nearby can be one of the best ways to “bounce back.” I agree that wallowing is not helpful, but trying to bounce back without processing emotions can also be hurtful to our progress in the long term.
Steve-Personal Success Factors recently posted..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck
Good point Steve. Sometimes a good cry is all we need. It can be very cleansing and we feel relieved after wards.
Hi Lynn,
Falling, hmmm …. definitely a change going oon in my life that requires I look where I place my feet. Thanks for your post here.
Thank you for your visit and comment Bill. I hope you plant your feet in the right spot. All the best to you.
Lynn,
Ouch, the chin bleeds a lot and is tough to get stopped. He’s a trooper, for sure.
And, yes, there are ways for us all to handle a fall, a set back, even an upset. We tell ourselves story after story about how bad things are, you didn’t get a break, your luck just isn’t running in your favor. They are all stories.
When it happens, take a moment to do what you need to do. Pout if you must, but set a time limit. I’ll pout for 3 minutes and then get back to it. The longer you wait the more stories you get to tell yourself.
Get back up on the dinosaur and ride!
RICK
PS Have a friend whose son says RAWR in dinosaur means “I love you.”
Rick Lelchuk recently posted..New USDA “My Plate” Assures Obesity Epidemic Alive and Well
Thank you Rick for you comment. It made me smile. Have a great day.
Hey Lynn,
What a brave little soldier. I love your analogy of a child bouncing back from a fall with a set back in business.
We can certainly learn so much from our children, whether its one of lifes little lessons or just what on earth an Ornithomimus is!!
I can’t even say it, let a lone try to pretend to be one.
Beth
Beth Hewitt recently posted..Be who you want to be
Hi Beth, I know what you mean about not being able to pronounce Ornithomimus! My grandson, Taylor corrects me when I don’t know how to pronounce the dinosaur names right. I’m learning!
Thank you Lynn…as Beth said….what a brave little soldier! Children can teach us so much and this is no exception. It is a great lesson for all of us in business. Falling down is part of the entrepreneurial journey and the sooner we embrace that fact and learn to pick ourselves up again without too much fuss, the sooner our road can lead to success. Just think of how many successful businessmen have been bankrupt at some stage during their business lives.
Thank you for this timely reminder.
Louise
Louise Steiner recently posted..Video Email – 7 Reasons Why You Need Video Email Software In Your Business
Hi Louise, I agree, we can learn so much for children. One thing is how not to be an A-dull-t, but to enjoy each moment!
Thank you Louise for stopping by!
Lynn
Great post Lynn. I think the one thing kids have over us adults is they are born equipt with a healthy level of self-esteem – and if they are fortunate enough to have nurting parents and family around then – as your grandson obviously is, then they have a good shot and retaining that strength and agility as they grow up. Some people aren’t so lucky, so falling down is perceived to be just one more blow to an already fragile ego and it’s much tougher to recover.
Marquita Herald recently posted..A True Story- Embracing Fear as the Price of Growth
Hi Marquita, Yes, a healthy self esteem with nurturing family is very important to a child’s upbringing. I love how kids bounce back after falling!
Blessings to you!
Lynn
Hello Lynn:
Very interesting post, you had me on the edge of my chair as I have 2 Granddaughters 6 & 3….Such a great example you have given us,,,I can so relate, Why just yesterday I had to go pick up the 6 yr. old who fell from the monkey bars at school & she had, had to have stitches,,,she was at first pretty hysterical but by the time we arrived 5 miles down the road all pain was forgotten & she wanted to ride her bike…If only we as Adults in all areas of life can learn to ‘bounce back’ so quickly how valuable that will be…..Thanks for sharing
Matt Geib The Great
HI Matt! lol, all in the day of a life when caring for children. Accidents are bound to happen. Mistakes are made. The question is how are we going to deal with it. Life is always a learning process, even as adults.
Have a awesome day!
Lynn
Hi Lynnn:
There are so many lessons that we can learn from our kids! If a child gave up every time they fell they would never learn to walk.
Sadly, many of us don’t follow this pattern.
Blessings,
Kevin
Kevin Martineau recently posted..Quit dying to the wrong things