My Walk in Uncertainty – Part 2

Six months. Three surgeries. One purpose. And now—I’m finally back.

On March 21st at 10:30 a.m., I was in a recovery room after my third knee surgery—the final step in a journey I never expected. The pain block had worn off too early. I was shaking, writhing, overwhelmed. I whispered to the nurse,

“I don’t know what’s happening to me… can you please help?”

It was one of the lowest moments of my life.

But it began something powerful—not just a journey of recovery, but of rediscovery.

The Hardest Part Wasn’t the Surgery

After my first knee replacement came an unexpected infection. The second surgery removed the implant and inserted a spacer to fight the infection. After eight weeks of waiting, I had the third and final knee replacement.

None of that prepared me for what came next.

The pain, the fear, and the haze from medication—especially oxycodone—left me unable to sleep, work more than a few hours a day, or even do what I love most: create, refine, and deliver workshops that inspire change.

My physical therapist Amber was direct:

“Knee replacement is the only time I must hurt you to help you heal.”

And hurt, I did.

For months I did PT at home with the amazing support of my partner Jeff, and three times a week in the clinic. Still, I plateaued. My knee stopped improving. I needed a “manipulation” procedure—done under anesthesia—to force more mobility.

It got me to 110°, but I needed 120° just to walk normally, sit comfortably, and ride a bike.

So, I doubled down. I worked through 1-2+ hours a day of rehab. I cried more than once. But I never considered giving up. I was tired—but determined.

It was tempting to avoid Physical Therapy – at the gym especially.

So, I used one of my tools to stop procrastinating: GIT – Give It Ten (10 minutes).

“Eat Your Frog,” a bestselling book by Brian Tracy gave me the “10 minute” idea.

I created the “GIT” tool and the IT team at Coca-Cola Bottling Company Charlotte (CCBCC, “Coke”) liked it so much they named it. 

Coke brought me in during their largest expansion. The IT team was overwhelmed and at odds. After just five sessions using tools like GIT, they experienced shifts: higher engagement, better retention, less stress, and more productivity. So, they hired me long-term.

I delivered 100 different weekly workshops - two times/day over a period of almost 3 years.

After 2 years we paused for more feedback. 93% said YES! Continue the program.

How does GIT (Give It Ten) work?

1. Decide on your most important goal. This is #1 goal, highest priority – the thing that really matters but you keep pushing off.

2. Set your watch or phone for 10 minutes

3. START right away – work for 10 min. – this is the time needed to get into “flow.”

What is flow? Science tells us it’s the place of complete focus and productivity.

Why 10 minutes? Neuroscience tells us:

1. If you ask your brain to focus for a long time (“Let’s work on this for an hour,”) your brain will tend to direct you to procrastinate – grab coffee, do low priority emails, etc.

2. If you tell your brain – “Just focus for 10 minutes,” it will be more likely to cooperate.

So…take your #1 priority today and “GIT” it to “get it done.”

After applying GIT I saw the change…

It happened—slowly. 115°. Then 120°. Then 125°. And just this week—130°.

I can’t tell you how excited and proud I was. When the doctor walked in and saw my progress, he said:

“WOW! 130—I hoped you’d get to 120. That’s amazing, Paula.” I smiled and said: “Yes. I am amazing.”

I felt that proud. It was so much work to get there.

I’m walking freely now. I’m sleeping. I’m riding my e-bike. I’m back.

What I Gained Was Greater Than What I Lost

Through this painful, beautiful recovery, I became someone I always hoped to be:

• More self-aware

• Better at rewiring negative thoughts

• More joyful and grounded in the present

• Even more committed to my purpose:
  

To uplift, educate, and inspire people to become the best version of themselves.

You cannot give what you do not have.This journey forced me to go deeper with my daily practices—meditation, gratitude, affirmations, visualization, and real connection.

They helped me reshape my inner narrative. And when you transform your story, you transform your results. This is the key to more resilience, clarity, and real success.

Now, I’m Bringing That Resilience Back to the Stage

I’ve returned to doing what I love:

🎤 Keynotes that uplift, energize, and leave teams with practical tools they’ll remember and use to be more effective and improve well-being.🤝 Workshops that transform how teams handle stress, change, and internal conflict.

A Coca-Cola leader said it well:

“Paula helped our teams stop fighting.”

If your people are navigating pressure, change, or burnout—and you want tools that make them more productive, more focused, and more RESILIENT—let’s talk.

📩 Email: paula@claimleadership.com 💬 Or simply reply here.

🌟 Topics include: Resilience – Your Superpower, Mastering Emotions, Dealing with Constant Change, and more.

📊 Results: 9 out of 10 participant rating—consistently.

If someone you care about needs to hear this message today, please share it. 🙏

I’d love to hear from you—about your own journey, your recovery, your rediscovery.We’re in this together.

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Paula’s leadership training transforms your company’s culture into a place that engages and retains top talent, saving millions. Her clients include Coca-Cola, Lowe’s, Microsoft, KPMG and Collins Aerospace.

Paula Guilfoyle

Training Leaders to Be Resilient

Phone: (704) 906-8045

Email: Paula@ClaimLeadership.com

Book Paula for Speaking