Now What? A quick guide to help you rise when life knocks you down

By Karen M. Allen and Kendra Cagle

Life is filled with hardships. Some hardships are expected, some come out of the blue, and some slowly build up over time. Knowing this is a reality for everyone, Karen is on a mission to share practical mindset tools and strategies to help people build an unbreakable foundation.

It's not about having a perfect life where nothi

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Groflo, LLC
• Release date: Nov 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9781735943114

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

HOW I GOT HERE

I feel inclined to start by saying, I’m sorry you’re going through this.

I don’t know what this is for you, and it’s different for everyone, but you probably aren’t reading this book for fun. Most likely, you’re reading this book because life has knocked you down and you’re looking for help. So I’m sorry you’re here.

But I want you to know, you’re not alone.

When we experience things like death, unexpected illness, miscarriage, divorce, postpartum depression, job loss… Basically, when we experience getting the wind knocked out of us; usually the first emotion we feel is numbness.

Maybe you’re like me and you’re going through something that no one around you has experienced so you really do feel like you’re on a deserted island.

This detaches us from the world around us, which then leads to the intense feeling of isolation and loneliness.

My heart is swollen with compassion for you, friend, even though I don’t know you. I just want to take a moment to acknowledge your strength being here at this juncture in life and looking for help. And I promise, by the end of this book, you will have practical ways to move through this hardship with techniques that will help you rebuild yourself and even unlock abilities you didn’t know were buried deep inside of you.

But first, you’re probably wondering . . .

how I got here.

Well, it was a normal Monday. At the time, I was a regional recruiter for a national home-building company—a high-demand, stressful, unforgiving environment. I was recruiting for a high-level position while navigating unpleasantries from a toxic colleague. Typically after leaving work, I would detach from the dreadful environment and enjoy time with my family, but on this particular night, I decided to go above and beyond and schedule interviews from home.

My husband, Richard, was a newly established CrossFit owner. We had just opened the gym six months prior and business was really picking up. Our box (a CrossFit term for gym establishment) was a family-friendly place, and it was common for our clients to hang out with their kids outside of their hour-long workouts. Our clients were like our extended family. Even though we all resented Richard during the grueling workouts, he was like the conductor of a sweaty symphony; we all loved and looked forward to our time together.

Our son, Caleb, was two years old and my (step)daughter, Saniyah, was seven, and every single day, they’d hang out with their dad at the gym. It wasn’t uncommon to see my little one mimicking Richard doing squats, variations of ab workouts, kettlebell swings, and box jumps on rubber Olympic plates.

Normally I would arrive at the gym for the 5:30p class, and after my workout, the kids and I would hang out until the last class ended at 7:30p. However, since I was determined to pour my all into this vacant position, I texted Rich and explained the scenario. He’d already been aware of the drama and toxicity behind the story and, of course, was my number one supporter. So when I told him I needed to conduct interviews from home, he encouraged me to knock