On September 12th, 2015 I took a slight tumble. I fell backwards from my friend’s third story balcony and fell around 35 feet into the landscaping below. (GASP). 

Yes I was drinking and yes I know I’m very blessed to be alive.

But that’s the key! I did live and I’m also not paralyzed. More or less because I’m a stubborn bastard, I actually made a complete recovery after crushing my T11, T12, and L1 vertebrae….blah blah blah who cares.

ON TO THE GOOD STUFF.

I call this write up “things I learned from breaking my back”, but I should add on that these are things that can be applied after any life moment.

Getting seriously hurt (emotionally, physically, etc.) is what happens first in any life.

What happens next is completely up to the individual affected and their mindset towards making some changes and that sort of shit.

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Number ONE:

THINGS COULD BE ALWAYS BE WORSE.

The legendary musical artist Shaggy once sang in his hit song “Keep’n It Real” that:

“No matter how inside you’re blue
There’s always someone who has it worse than you
Sometimes you gotta pay your dues
So don’t worry just push on through…”

For real. Kick ass song. (Also check out Boombastic by Shaggy. Careful, you can literally get pregnant just listening to it) But I believe the message here rings true. Are you sulking about your situation? Of course it’s tough to get out of a funk, but the best way to combat that is with change and a constant effort towards new goals.

How can we get better today?

Number TWO:

APPRECIATE EVERYTHING

When I was all busted up, I was surprised by the amount of people that sent cards, books, food, candy, movies, cookies shaped like a porpoise saying, “get whale soon”…it reinforced in me that there are countless good people out there.

Between the outpouring of love and the fact that I was still alive and kicking that really helped me to see a new beauty in simple, every day things. When my dog Niko would beg me to go outside, I no longer rolled my eyes and opened the door for him. I would go for a short walk with him and appreciate the fact I could walk too, even though at the beginning it hurt and I felt like a total bitch. Kind of a crazy perspective change for me.

I also CRUSHED Reese’s peanut butter cups while I was bed ridden and healing up.

Sometimes it’s about those little things.

Number THREE:

DON’T BE A WHINER.

Everyone has trials and tribulations. Everyone interprets pain differently. Everyone is dealing with their own shit right at this very second. Be strong and show people that you’re a badass who can deal with pain, not whine about being in it.

If it really hurts, then go ahead and whine about it but only to like, six people tops.

Use it to push towards things you want. Overcoming obstacles are things everyone does and by doing just that, you may be motivating someone without even knowing it.

Sucking it up and doing your best doesn’t go unseen, I swear.

Number FOUR:

MAKE LISTS.

I made lists for everything. I STILL make lists for everything. Hell, you’re even reading a damn list of mine right now.

When I was just stuck laying in bed, I’d make lists of books or magazines to read, people to reach out to, letters to write…basically anything I could do from bed and check off. (My back hurt, I was chilling pretty hard)

Now I continuously make lists. I make a “power list” the night before for each day which includes “5-7 critical tasks that help you win the day” (thanks @hellonetworking for some great conversation). Basically, these are things that bring me closer to some of my long term goals. I try do half in the morning, half in the afternoon. Think of a bunch of important crap that promotes my personal growth, business growth, or the growth of others around me- or my power items.

Then I have a secondary list of items to fill in. Basic things like do the laundry, get a car wash, go grocery shopping (need a list for that one too…) and items like that. Literally any type of feasible list is good for mental growth. It’s nice to check things off.

List your workouts, your to-do’s, things that interest you to research later…my phone and notebook are full of lists and check marks.

Write down as much as you can. List it out.

Number FIVE:

NEVER TAKE A DAY OFF EVER AGAIN.

Read into this however you please. I think it’s important to enjoy weekends and holidays and vacations and time off, and I do this with the best of them. But like stated earlier, just work a little bit towards bettering yourself each day.

Stick to that power list!

For me, not taking a day off ever again means:

Wake up at a decent time. Never let two days go by without working out. Set yourself up for failure. Get super uncomfortable. Be the person that Niko my dog thinks I am.

Go kick some ass.

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Dillon Pomeroy | (952) 836-5644 | dillonpomeroy@gmail.com