Hit, Halted and Wiser

The Morning I Got Hit (And the Lesson I Didn’t See Coming)

The previous night, I barely slept. My mind was racing, busy with a million thoughts that refused to quiet down, but the next morning, I decided to go for a run anyway. Running is usually my way of clearing my head, but that morning, my exhaustion caught up with me.

I stopped on the side of the road to tie my running shoes. Not the sidewalk, like I normally would, but right at the edge of the street - and then… everything happened in an instant.

A car came around the corner - it didn’t see me. All I remember was the screech of brakes and instinctively, I covered my face with my arms - I bounced on my buttocks. Somehow, I wasn’t worse off, but the whiplash hit a day or two later. My arm was in a sling and I couldn’t lift weights or exercise like I normally do. A simple run had turned into weeks of recovery.

The driver got out to help. I think we were both equally startled, but what I realized in those days of forced rest was this: the incident wasn’t just about a moment on the road - It was about life itself.

I had been running on empty - literally and mentally. My body and mind were signaling me to slow down, but I ignored it. Being knocked off my routine became a harsh, undeniable lesson: rest isn’t optional. Being mindful isn’t just about avoiding danger on the street; it’s about taking care of yourself in every area of life.

The Lesson: Life moves fast, but you don’t have to. Listen to your body. Pay attention to your mind. Pause before you rush and remember: the small choices - tying your shoes on the sidewalk, taking an extra hour of sleep or simply slowing down - can prevent much bigger “impacts.”

Sometimes it takes a jolt - literal or metaphorical - to remind us that rest and awareness are not luxuries. They are necessities.

So today, I tell myself - and I tell you - Pause. Breathe. Slow down. Life isn’t a race and your body and mind are your most valuable assets. Ignore the signals and you risk a crash. Pay attention, rest when needed and move with awareness. True strength isn’t just in pushing harder or faster - it’s in knowing when to step back, recover and honour your limits.

Remember: the smallest acts of care for yourself can prevent the biggest setbacks. Treat rest as part of your routine, not a reward after burnout. Life’s lessons don’t always come gently, but they do come. Make sure you’re awake enough to notice.