E59 Paralyzed from the Chest Down to Marathon Runner: The Power of a “Watch Me” Mindset

Nov 24

Written By Ella London

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Episode Summary |

What happens when a doctor says you’ll never run again? If you’re Ian Bowen, you say, “Watch Me.” In this spinal cord injury recovery story, Ian shares how he went from paralyzed from the chest down to marathon runner—using resilience, mindset, and intuition when doctors said he’d never run again.

Ian and I dive into what he calls Positive Persistence and his RINSE method for getting through the hardest seasons of your life. At 32, with two young kids and a rare neurosarcoidosis diagnosis, he woke up from spinal cord surgery unable to move anything from the chest down.

Instead of accepting “you’ll never run again” as his future, Ian chose a “watch me” mindset.

If you’ve ever been told “that’s impossible,” or you feel stuck in a season you didn’t choose, this conversation will help you remember how powerful you really are.

Chapters |

00:00 The Journey of Resilience

03:10 Defying Limitations and Embracing a New Identity

06:03 The Power of Mindset in Overcoming Adversity

08:58 Finding Strength in Past Experiences

11:44 The Role of Support and Accountability

14:28 Navigating Grief and Acceptance

17:14 Daily Practices for Inner Strength

23:46 Navigating Grief and Acceptance

27:23 The Power of Acceptance and Moving Forward

30:30 Mindset and Decision-Making in Recovery

33:43 Finding Gratitude Amidst Adversity