My Only Goal Was to Walk to Gate B25 at JFK

This spring, I faced that question more personally — and painfully — than I ever expected. After a hip replacement, I experienced a sudden dislocation that stopped everything in its tracks. 

Before everything shifted, I was moving through life at a familiar, though imperfect, rhythm — balancing more than my share of responsibilities. I was determined to exceed my physical therapy milestones, prepare to return to work, coordinate my mother’s care at the nursing home, and plan for my holiday travel. I was stretched, yes, but I knew how to manage “stretched”. Like so many of us, I found a cadence in the chaos.

Physical therapy was simply a checkpoint on the way back to “normal.” I followed every instruction, reviewed my professional and personal goals, and even binge-watched the shows colleagues suggested. “Ain’t nothin’ gonna break my stride,” truly was my soundtrack. I believed momentum alone would carry me forward.

But the day my hip dislocated, everything stopped. Interestingly, it happened on a day when I felt like I was finally thriving again — productive, focused, and even optimistic. In an instant, I recalled something I learned years ago working in a hospital: life can pivot without warning. One moment you’re in motion; the next, you’re at a complete and sudden halt.

My release from rehab for my dislocated hip + the adaptive equipment for home.

My instinct was to stay positive — to ignore everything difficult so I could cling to optimism. I remember asking the ER doctor, “Do you think I’ll make my 10 AM call?” as if life might keep going on schedule. I cried. I tried to walk. I kept giving myself pep talks: Just wait a day… maybe two… this will get better.

But it didn’t. And slowly, painfully, I learned that I could not do even the basics alone. The shift from independence to needing help for everything was jarring. Humbling. Sometimes heartbreaking. It forced me to sit with a level of vulnerability I had never allowed myself to feel.

As the founder of Conversational Traveler, a boutique travel agency that curates celebration and bucket list journeys, I regularly witness the deeply personal reasons people choose to travel. Clients mark milestones, honor relationships, and reclaim joy after loss or change. I have always held space for those stories. But I had never imagined that I would become the one needing to pause, to reset, to find the courage to move differently. This time, I wasn’t just planning someone else’s journey. I was learning how to navigate my own.

My priorities, my forecasts, even my carefully planned goals changed instantly. That was my new finish line.

When your life script throws an unexpected plot twist, the path forward isn’t smooth or linear. Like in business, recovery required flexibility, patience, and an almost stubborn belief that progress — even the tiniest kind — still counted. I learned that before you can see the big picture again, sometimes you must focus on one smaller, fiercely personal goal that connects directly to your spirit.

Was it selfish to focus solely on myself? Maybe. But giving myself permission to slow down and heal intentionally illuminated everything else. It reignited my creativity, restored my confidence, and strengthened both my physical and mental agility.

And yes — I made it to gate B25.

Michelle reached her goal and traveled to Ireland!

🌿 My Five Lessons from the Reset

1. Passion surfaces in stillness.
   When you carve out quiet moments or intentionally leave white space on your calendar, your truest desires rise — clearly, beautifully, and undeniably.

2. Small steps create big momentum.
   Whether rebuilding a business or your body, slow, steady, and deliberate actions often lead to the most meaningful progress.

3. Change demands growth.
   Every unexpected shift — professional or personal — reshapes you, refines you, and, if you let it, reveals a stronger version of you.

4. Teamwork matters deeply.
   The team may be small but mighty — the compassionate friends who check in, the devoted physical therapist who refuses to let you quit, the encouraging colleagues who remind you that setbacks are temporary.

5. Resets build resilience.
   Every pause, every challenge, every forced detour has the potential to become the powerful foundation for your next, more purposeful chapter.

This experience didn’t just change how I move — it changed how I travel through life.

Travel has always been my passion and my profession, but now it’s also my therapy. It’s the sacred space where we rediscover who we are, what we value, and what still sparks joy. Whether crossing an ocean or simply sitting quietly with a sunrise, intentional travel gives us permission to pause, breathe, and remember that forward motion doesn’t always have to be fast.

So as you reflect on your own journey, I’ll leave you with this question:
💭 When was the last time you created white space on your calendar — not for work, not for others, but purely for you?

Michelle Green, ASTA Verified® Travel Advisor, is also the founder of Conversational Traveler and a Board Member of the NYC Chapter of the American Society of Travel Advisors (NYC ASTA). She passionately believes that meaningful connections are the authentic souvenirs of every journey, inspiring her to curate milestone-worthy experiences that last a lifetime. Michelle’s blend of luxury travel expertise and heartfelt belief ensures every itinerary is intentional, elevated, and as uniquely personal as the travelers themselves. For travel inspiration, follow her on Instagram.