Header Logo
Services
Newsletter
Subscribe Read Past Issues
Media About Contact
Log In
← Back to all posts

When small tweaks cause major chaos

Sep 24, 2025
Connect

I hurt my knee earlier this week while cramming in some early morning yardwork.

You know the deal...when you think "Oh, I can just check that off the list real quick."

So out I went to do my annual fall chopping-of-the-clematis-off-my-trellis in my Adidas slides.

(i.e. not dressed particularly correct for such an event, but garbage day was coming)

I have no idea what I did, but after I got everything cut off and thrown away, my knee was hurting.

So I started stretching and moving it to no avail. Then icing it. Then rubbing Deep Blue on it. Then resigning myself to making a chiropractor appointment.

It got me thinking about how often in life and business we jump into things without a lot of thought, on a whim.

(⬇️ Btw, watch instead of reading, or read on below.)

When small tweaks causes major chaos

And sometimes by doing that, instead of making things better, it makes things worse.

It caused me to slow down while doing normal things like getting out of chairs, or standing at my standing desk. Or watching how I stepped, or walking up and down flights of stairs.

It caused me to spend extra time treating it, making appointments, going to appointments.

All because "Oh, let me just do this real quick."

I'm not saying we can't run out and do things on a whim, but it got me thinking:

"Dawn, if you had made a plan to do this on a leisurely Saturday in your tennis shoes, would this be your situation right now?"


On top of it all, a couple days later, the pain moved to my hip.

Then the day after that, I woke up and it had moved to my foot.

Probably because I was favoring the knee and I was walking different. 

So it started creating chaos in other areas.

 

And that got me thinking about your life and business...

  • Where are you out of alignment?
  • What area did you pain start in?
  • Is the original pain now causing pain somewhere else?
  • Does it hurt even more in the secondary area?
  • What kinds of modifications are you having to make?
  • What extra activities adding because you're limping along?
  • What extra help are you having to get, that you wouldn't usually need?
  • Where are you stretching yourself, trying to do something that's not in your lane?
  • Where are you believing the lie that your pain isn't costing you more time?

 

I'd love to hear if you feel like you're in alignment, if you've ever been out of alignment, or if this brings up a realization for you.

Maybe it's time to reclaim your lane and figure out what it looks like to get back in alignment.

I'd love to have a conversation with you about that. You could Pick-My-Brain, you could jump into a Momentum Reset, there all kinds of ways we could connect on that.

But most importantly, let's just start with you sharing where you're at with your alignment via email. I'd love to go back and forth a little bit on that.

Love doing life with you,
Dawn


Whenever you're ready, here are some ways I can help:

Explore 1:1 & Group Coaching

Schedule a 45-min 'Pick My Brain' Session

Join an Event (Next Up: 11/6 Momentum Reset)


And here's 1 simple way you can help others:

Forward this email and invite them to link arms 🤝 with us

 Sign Up for 'Do Life Together' Free Email Coaching

 

Responses

Join the conversation
t("newsletters.loading")
Loading...
What are you unknowingly saying “no” to?
In just five weeks, we will be exactly HALFWAY through the year. Take a sec to think about that list of things you wanted to accomplish when the year started. I mean, the big things. The important things. Have you been checking them off? Are you excited when you look at  how far you've come? Or are you feeling overwhelmed by everything left to do? Or are you already saying "Eh, I guess there's...
Want to work smarter?
    If you’ve been with me for any amount of time, it probably won’t surprise you that I really like my calendar. Like really like. Because of that, I get asked a lot of questions about time management, life hacks, and how to get stuff done without burnout or the trap of hustle culture. Many of us handle all there is to do by writing a massive running list. We keep adding tasks ...
Are you keeping promises to yourself?
Have you ever stopped to look at how you actually spend your time? I'm not talking about the scheduled appointments on your calendar with other people. I know you show up for those. You have integrity in those areas. I’m talking about your integrity with yourself. I'm talking about the commitments you made to your own goals, your projects, or your life at the start of this week, this month, or ...

Do Life Together

I’d love to link arms with you. I send weekly stories and real-talk guidance to help you build a life you love, whatever the season.
Footer Logo
Media About Contact
Services
© 2026 Cornerstone

Stay Connected


Join my mailing list to receive free weekly tips and insights!