I learned “Full Yard Sale!” while I was skiing in Taos, NM.
When a skier or snowboarder eats it on the slopes and loses all of their gear like his skis, poles, hat, goggles, and anything else, They shout “YARD SALE” to everyone on the hill around them and the ski lift above him, and we all have a good laugh as the path behind them looks like a yard sale just happened.
A Full Yard Sale recovery is where you accept that recovery can be messy and yours may very well involve losing things you previously had along the way. Getting back to the old you may not be an option. So embrace that 100% means recovering into the “new you “ without some of the abilities, functionality, relationships, body parts, or circumstances you had from before.
Like the skier embracing with humor that he has, in fact, lost his poles, mask, and items on the snow by yelling FULL YARD SALE! Yell out with gratefulness that you too have lost some things along the way, and will be continuing on without them, and free yourself from the rumination on what you had to leave behind…
^That post is public on social. This part is not. Here is why I wrote this and shared it with all of you.
I lost my friend here.
My body broke just across that blue sign behind the fire truck.
We were in the white van.
Then we were not.
A lot happened that night but I’ll stick to what’s important right now.
I lost dorsiflexion in my left ankle so now I lunge and run a little oddly.
I lost the ability to walk for a year and that shows up in a modified stance for squats, jumps, and just standing.
I don’t drive fast, or fly the bird at people who drive stupid.
I lost some of my calm and don’t do great while riding with others.
But I still Lunge. I still jump, and run and drive, and do well enough to ride along for a trip.
It’s not the same. It’s not without pain. It’s not without modifying or adjusting or accepting that my 10 may be someone else’s 6, but that a 10 is still a 10.
Running pain-free is not my 10. Running is my 10.
Being able to play sports as I used to is not my 10. Being able to play them period is my 10.
Having a shoulder that moves seamlessly and snatches 225lbs is not my 10. Having a shoulder that will let me do a lot of cool stuff and keep building a body that serves me… that is my 10.
I didn’t have a full recovery. I have a Full Yardsale! recovery going on every day. It takes constant reminding of myself. It takes the memory of the lost. But it’s there and it’s a 10/10 if I acknowledge and honor it.
If you are like me and miss some of the things you lost. I hope you can turn that trail of lost things into a yard sale. I hope you can take a big breath and realize what a miracle it is just to be here and have that breath. I hope you make your 10/10s YOUR 10/10s.
I hope you yell “Full Yard Sale!” when the moment hits, and it’s time.
P.S. If you do have the moment of loss and longing, and Manage to say “Full Yardsale!” Count yourself for an 11/10 for that day.
