Jul 28, 2018 | Blog
The other day I announced that I’m starting a new blog series. Make sure you read what it is and why I’m doing it. Seriously – that part is important. It will take you 30 second. Read it now if you haven’t already.
My goal is to see just how amazing I can feel if I do everything as close to “best for me” as possible.
If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, please click here. Otherwise, keep reading below.
One thing I’ve been practicing over the past few days is spending just a little more time on all the good things. Usually, I rush from one thought to another, one choice to another, never really pausing to let the good stuff simmer. To be honest, the thoughts I usually let simmer are the negative ones – worry, stress, frustration, etc.
Yesterday, after taking a walk along the waterfront, I sat down to soak it all in. Sure, I needed to get back to work. Yes, there were a million other things to do. But, I stopped to just enjoy what was around me for a few minutes.
In the evening, I glanced in the mirror and thought, “I look pretty!” Instead of dismissing the lovely thought or turning to a critical thought, I just stayed with it for a few more moments.
Where we let our mind rest determines so much about our mood and mindset. I’m trying to let my mind rest on the good just a little more often.
In fact, I’m practicing that this morning! I’m attending a training for the weekend and I’ve had a few moments of nervousness: what if I don’t fit in? What if I don’t pass the test? What if I can’t keep up?
All those are future thoughts. When I think those thoughts, I am manufacturing problems. They aren’t rooted in reality. What’s real is that I’m sitting in my comfortable hotel room with a cup of coffee. I am fine. I am great! I’m letting my brain rest in those thoughts.
I got up at 4:30am today so I could work for a few hours before my training begins. My legs are pretty tight from Thursday’s workout so I spent the first few minutes stretching before opening up my journal and spending a couple minutes in gratitude.
5 – 7am: Work!
7 – 8am: Meditate & get ready for training
8 – 8:30am: Walk to the training center
8:30 – 12pm: Class (more on this later)
12 – 1pm: Lunch! I brought salmon, cauliflower rice and brussels sprouts from home. It was pretty good!
1 – 5:30pm: Class!
This included a LOT of movement. Tons of squats and overhead presses as well as a more organized workout.
3 Rounds for Time (RFT)
5:30 – 6:45: Walk to the harbor for dinner with my sweet sister.
Debi and I love Mexican food and we almost always get guacamole as a starter and then split fajitas. That’s what we did tonight. We got chicken & beef – it was a reasonable serving for one person, but we happily shared it with each other.
7:00 – 10pm: Studying (related to this weekend away)
I’m sooooooo tired! See you tomorrow!
Jul 27, 2018 | Blog
The other day I announced that I’m starting a new blog series. Make sure you read what it is and why I’m doing it. Seriously – that part is important. It will take you 30 second. Read it now if you haven’t already.
My goal is to see just how amazing I can feel if I do everything as close to “best for me” as possible.
If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, please click here. Otherwise, keep reading below.
You guys. Please listen carefully.
Progress is not linear. There WILL be ups and downs. But I need you to embrace this one idea.
Do not quit.
The last 18 months (for me) have been both wonderful, exciting and incredibly hard. After months of weird symptoms (including losing feeling in both my legs for months), I was diagnosed with Hashimotos thyroiditis. At the same time, I was informed that there was some unexplained swelling around my brain. I had moved back to New England after 16 years in North Carolina and I was starting over. Completely over.
My marriage ended. My social circle evaporated. I was building a business own my own while dealing simultaneously with heartbreak and health challenges.
I wanted to stop trying. Many times, I wanted to give up myself and my health. The temptation was higher than ever to turn to food for comfort.
I refused.
Despite thinking, “What’s the point? My body is broken! Who cares? What does it matter?” I refused to stop taking care of myself. I refused to lie and say I don’t care about my body, because I do.
I reminded myself daily that I don’t take care of myself to see the scale go down, I take care of myself because that’s who and how I want to be.
As I started to get a handle on my Hashimotos and reduce inflammation, I made the choice to go through the process of freezing my eggs. (In hindsight, it was absolutely terrible timing.)
My body, likely more sensitive due to the Hashimotos recovery, reacted harshly to the drug therapies. For months, I didn’t feel like myself. I was sad, tired and hormonally off kilter.
No matter how clean I ate or how much I worked out, my body wasn’t responding. There was much more happening in my life that compounded these stressors, but I’m not here to whine. The point is:
Yes, I was frustrated. However…
I reminded myself that self-care is not optional. It’s not something I do only when my body responds how I desire it to. It’s something I do no matter what.
I embraced maintenance and I embraced struggle.
I did the work. I stayed consistent. I studied my body.
Six months ago, I started to make some lifestyle changes. I started Transcendental Meditation. I got increasingly serious about removing toxic influences – toxic influences from food, from my environment, and even from people around me.
I stayed the course even when the results were more internal than external.
I take great care of myself because it’s the right choice. It’s not something I do only when it goes right. It’s not something I do only when it meets my expectations.
It’s simply what I do.
I listened to my body and I leaned in instead of pulling away. I kept trying. I kept experimenting.
I modified my workouts. I doubled down on my mindset. I asked for accountability from people around me.
This morning, I went to the gym and my trainer took my measurements. We were comparing my body now to my body just 4 weeks ago.
My hips are smaller. My waist is smaller. My arms and my legs and my bust line are all smaller.
I was pleased that my body is responding. I was proud of the progress.
However, what I am most proud of is that I didn’t quit.
I will never quit. I love life too much to ever quit.
Do the work. Stop making excuses. Stop making it optional. Stop making it contingent on some external factor.
Never, ever stop trying. Not today, not tomorrow, not a month from now.
Okay. Enough of that. Onto today.
I was up later than normal last night. It was probably 11pm before I fell asleep but when my alarm went off at 4:45am, my feet hit the floor with a smile. Another day to take great care of myself!
5 – 6:15am: Dove right into work!
I don’t usually jump right into work first thing except on days when I workout early. Today was one of those days. I had a list of things I wanted to accomplish before heading to the gym.
6:15 – 8:15am: Workout (includes drive time)
- Warm-up and stretching
- 21-15-9
- calorie row
- calorie assault bike
- 100m farmers carry after each round
- Forearm smash (ouch!)
8:15 – 10am: Work!
10 – 11am: Food prep for weekend away
I’m attending a training all weekend and in order to participate in the training AND get my work done in the mornings & evenings, it’ll be easier for me to bring most of my food. The time that would otherwise be spent walking to a restaurant, waiting & eating is better spent staying on top of work. I love doing trainings and going to events, but it’s always a challenge to make sure I stay on top of my work.
I cooked up a bunch of cauliflower rice, some broccoli rabe, ground pork and salmon filets that I’ve packed and will bring in a cooler. I’m also bringing a case of water.
11 – 12pm: Packing for weekend & lunch
- Leftover lobster
- Brussels sprouts (cold)
12 – 1pm: Work!
1 – 2:30pm: Drive time for weekend away
2:30 – 3:30pm: Walk around the seaport
3:30 – 6:30pm: Work! (I’m super fascinating, aren’t I?)
6:30 – 7:30pm: Dinner in the hotel room
- Salmon
- Broccoli rabe
- Cauliflower rice
7:30 – 8:30pm: Walk around the seaport
8:30 – 9:30pm: Reading and researching for upcoming Masters Club webinar
10:00pm: Bed!
Are you taking on the challenge of seeing how amazing you can feel each day? If you are, tag me in your Instagram stories!
See you tomorrow!
Jul 26, 2018 | Blog
The other day I announced that I’m starting a new blog series. Make sure you read what it is and why I’m doing it. Seriously – that part is important. It will take you 30 second. Read it now if you haven’t already.
My goal is to see just how amazing I can feel if I do everything as close to “best for me” as possible.
If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, please click here. Otherwise, keep reading below.
In episode 504 of the Primal Potential podcast, I shared my results from a recent assessment of my microbiome. Based on the makeup of my own microbiome, there are foods I need to avoid, minimize and maximize. Implementing these recommendations is a big part of how I’m pursuing this goal of feeling as amazing as possible. (I’m also sharing how you can get this information for yourself, including a discount code!)
The superfoods that were recommended in my assessment aren’t based on the properties of the foods, they’re based on the population of my microbiome. I think that’s pretty cool. Here are some of mine.
My goal today is to incorporate these. I’m going to have arugula & avocado with my lunch and salmon & broccoli with dinner.
…..
I did NOT sleep well last night. I think it’s because I was hot. I turned off the AC a couple hours before bed and woke up around 2am hot. I got up, used the bathroom and felt wide awake and hungry. I had a small handful of hazelnuts and managed to fall asleep about 90 minutes later.
Do I beat myself up for a handful of nuts in the middle of the night? No. Why not? Because it wouldn’t help. It’s not a pattern or a habit…I woke up, was hungry, ate. The end. No drama.
When my alarm when off at 4:50 this morning, I got up. Why? Because it’s a habit.
I don’t re-negotiate my wake up time with every alarm. The decision is made at night. The promise is kept in the morning. I refuse to start the day by breaking a promise to myself. When I feel super tired upon waking, I get excited about how ready I’ll be for bed that night. Perspective.
5 – 5:30am: Journaling, gratitude, stretching, water
5:30 – 8am: Work!
8 – 9am: Out to breakfast (pictured on Instagram)
- Breakfast bowl with eggs, veggies, bacon and cheese
9am – 1pm: Work!
To give a little insight into my work days: the projects vary. Some days are writing days, other days are podcast days, others are client-work days. Every day includes responding to emails, engaging on social media, interacting with clients in our private Facebook groups and administrative tasks. When I’m working, I practice the discipline of staying off social media and email unless I’m working on social media and email. Minimizing distractions is a key to productivity! This is a huge opportunity for practice!
1pm: Meditate (20 min) and lunch
- Large salad with arugula, cucumber, tomato, romaine lettuce, and hemp hearts. (For more on hemp hearts, don’t miss episode 505 of the podcast!) I didn’t have any salad dressing so I made some on the fly with:
- Frozen avocado from yesterday (thawed)
- Cilantro
- Garlic
- Salt
- Lime juice
- Why no protein in this salad? With the eggs at breakfast and the salmon planned for dinner, I’ve got my protein covered for the day. I often eat only 2 large meals per day (versus 3+) and when I consume 3 meals (like today), I’m mindful to not go overboard on protein.
2 – 3pm: Reading & note taking for my upcoming Masters Club webinar
3:00 – 5pm: Workout!
- Crossover Symmetry
- Shoulder stability
- Foam rolling and lacrosse ball work
- Group warm-up
- Ascending weight back squats 2-2-2-2-2
- 21-18-15-12-9-6-3
- Deadlifts
- Back squats
- Sit-ups
- Crossover Symmetry
5 – 6pm: That workout kicked my butt. It was hot, humid and HARD. Though I had planned to cook broccoli & salmon for dinner, I left the gym not wanting to cook and really craving cold food. Plus, I was exhausted and didn’t want to do any prep. I drove to one of my favorite local restaurants (The Raw Bar) and got a naked lobster roll to go. Naked = no bun = big cup of lobster with very, very, very little mayo/dressing added. I planned to take it home to eat but my girlfriend texted asking if I wanted to get a drink.
YES!
You might be wondering how this ties into feeling amazing:
I want to be the kind of person who spends happy, light hearted, quality time with friends without worrying about food, alcohol or going overboard.
I want to be the kind of person who can sip a great tequila or have a vodka soda (like I did last night) and feel great about it.
I want to be the kind of person who can chat with a friend for hours without snacking or drinking too much and that’s exactly what I did last night. I enjoyed my lobster in the car and talked with my friend for hours over a vodka soda. It was perfect.
I got home around 10pm and went straight to bed, feeling proud and certain that these moments are absolutely part of feeling amazing! It was probably around 11pm that I fell asleep. Here’s to another amazing day (and leftover lobster!)
Jul 25, 2018 | Blog
The other day I announced that I’m starting a new blog series. Make sure you read what it is and why I’m doing it. Seriously – that part is important. It will take you 30 second. Read it now if you haven’t already.
My goal is to see just how amazing I can feel if I do everything as close to “best for me” as possible. If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, please click here. Otherwise, keep reading below.
After dinner last night, I noticed that my mood was better than normal. Often, around 8 or 9 at night, I’m starting to get tired and, to be honest, a bit short-tempered. Last night, I was calm and happy. The reason I’m mentioning that is because these kinds of subjective assessments are something I want to be very mindful of in this “how amazing” experiment. I know that when I’m not eating well, sleep well or taking great care of myself, I’m far more tired, negative & grumpy. What changes as I make daily improvements?
I started the day by posting this on Instagram. A great body is of absolutely no use without a great mind. There are lots of people who are lean, fit & miserable. You cannot live your best life without a great mind. No matter how great your body is, if you are chronically negative or anxious, you won’t be happy. Doing that mindset work is critically important!
5am: Up & at ’em! Unfortunately, my coffee pot malfunctioned this morning but I didn’t let it fluster me. Instead, I saw it as a great opportunity to stick to water. I began the day with gratitude & my journal, plus a little back mobility (exercises to improve the mobility of my back).
6 – 7am: Work!
7am: Ran out to get coffee
8am: Meditate (20 minutes TM)
8:30am – 1pm: Work
1pm: LUNCH (& picking up ingredients)
Yesterday I saw something new-to-me in the grocery store. Typically, I only buy organic fruits & veggies but, I was so excited to find FROZEN avocado pieces, that I just had to buy them despite the fact that they aren’t organic. They inspired me to make my shamrock shake for lunch. I originally posted the recipe here on the blog, but I modified it today to avoid spinach & stevia. As I’ll be sharing in episode 504 of the podcast, I need to avoid spinach. I posted a picture of the shake on my Instagram story.
- 2 cups water
- 2 chunks frozen avocado
- 1/2 bag frozen cauliflower
- 1/2 can coconut milk
- 1 tbsp cocoa nibs
- 2 drops peppermint essential oil
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
I have to confess to being unprepared. Since I was eager to use the frozen avocado, I ran out to the store to get coconut milk and chia seeds. Normally, those are things I buy from Thrive Market. I rolled my eyes (at myself) when I got home and compared the prices.
I spent $3.49 per can on the coconut milk at the grocery store. When I plan ahead (or just simply keep it on hand) and buy it from Thrive Market, it’s only $2.39/can. I bought two cans today and had I stocked up from Thrive Market, I’d have saved $2.20. Grrrrr. Plus, the chia seeds cost me $8.99 at the grocery store and would have only been $6.99 from Thrive Market. Needless to say, I came home and placed an order so I don’t make that mistake again.
2 – 3pm: Back on that work grind!
3 – 5pm: Mobility & workout
- Crossover symmetry
- Shoulder stability
- Hip thrusts
- Group warm-up
- 15 minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible)
- 5 pull-ups
- 7 push-ups
- 9 wall balls
- Crossover symmetry
5 – 6pm: Swimming for fun! (More accurate: hanging out in the water)
6 – 7pm: DINNER (pictured on my Instagram story)
I’m working on doing just a minute or two of deep breathing before I eat. There are a couple reasons for it. First, lowering my stress response will aid my digestion. Second, it helps me be more present (instead of distracted) during my meal. The more present I am, the more satisfied I am, lowering the likelihood that I’ll be snacky later.
- Large green salad
- Broccoli with garlic
- Grilled steak
7 – 8pm: Work!
8 – 9:30pm: Reading & evening chores
10pm: In bed with all my screens OFF! This includes, phone, computer and television!
What did you do to win this day?
Jul 24, 2018 | Blog
Yesterday I announced that I’m starting a new blog series. Make sure you read what it is and why I’m doing it. Seriously – that part is important. It will take you 30 second. Read it now if you haven’t already.
My goal is to see just how amazing I can feel if I do everything as close to “best for me” as possible. If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, please click here. Otherwise, keep reading below.
It’s a beautiful new day. I love the blank slate that comes with every morning. One of the first things I see every morning when I wake up (because it’s in my bathroom) is this beautiful quote:
This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever. In its place is something that you have left behind. Let it be something good.
Everytime I read it, it makes me smile, it makes me grateful & it inspires me. Today I will see just how amazing I can feel when I take impeccable care of myself. Remember, this isn’t just about nutrition. I’m looking to optimize
- sleep
- mindset/perspective/thoughts
- stretching & mobility
- workouts
- focus & distractions
- hydration
- nutrition
Here’s what that has looked like for me today.
4:45am: Alarm goes off. Glass of water, journaling, stretching
5 – 6am: Dive right into my work with black coffee
6 – 7am: Meditate (20 minutes of Transcendental Meditation) & admin tasks
7 – 8am: Work on upcoming podcast (sneak peak – it’s all about the results of the microbiome testing I had done!)
8 – 9am: Grocery shopping (this is usually prime work time but work was being done outside my house so I used the opportunity to get the shopping done). Here’s what I picked up.
- Avocado
- Arugula
- Cucumber
- Distilled water
- La Croix
9am – 1pm: Work (drank about 1 liter of water)
1pm: LUNCH (pictured on my Instagram stories)
Large salad with farm fresh lettuce, arugula microgreens, cherry tomatoes, avocado, bacon & Primal Kitchen balsamic dressing. Their dressings aren’t cheap, but I save by getting them from Thrive Market. I also poured the dressing over some chicken thighs that I’m going to grill for dinner!
I really love big salads with farm-fresh veggies. As I ate this one, I felt really inspired by how great it feels to eat amazing foods! I feel infinitely better when I’m eating well than when I’m not! Eating well is the true indulgence!
2 – 3pm: More work and 20 minute transcendental meditation
3 – 5pm: Workout! (drank about 1 liter of water)
- Crossover symmetry for shouder strength + shoulder rehab exercises
- Foam rolling
- Group warmup
- 15 minutes to build to a heavy jerk
- Workout for time
- 10 clean & jerks
- 400m run
- 8 clean & jerks
- 200m run
- 6 clean & jerks
- 100m run
- Crossover symmetry cool down
5 – 6pm: Finish up work for the day
6pm: Dinner!
- Cauliflower rice cooked in ghee
- Grilled chicken thighs (Primal Kitchen dressing as marinade)
- Large green salad
7 – 8pm: Working outside in the yard
8 – 9pm: Reading Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself while doing some lacrosse ball mobility work
9:30pm: Bed
Sweet dreams! See you for another amazing day tomorrow!
Jul 23, 2018 | Blog
Earlier today I announced that I’m starting a new blog series. Make sure you read what it is and why I’m doing it. Seriously – that part is important. It will take you 30 second. Read it now if you haven’t already.
My goal is to see just how amazing I can feel if I do everything as close to “best for me” as possible. I didn’t decide on this initiative until a few hours into the morning so the first few hours of this day definitely don’t reflect my very best.
5am: Wake up. Coffee (black). Start responding to emails and doing morning work.
6:30 – 8am: Gym for workout #1 (this includes drive time)
- Crossover Symmetry for shoulder stability
- Shoulder strength warm-ups
- Lacrosse ball muscle work
- Rowing warmup
- 5x200m run (approximately equal work/rest intervals)
- 100m sled push
- 5 min bike cool down
8 – 9am: breakfast (pic posted on my Instagram stories)
- Omelet with avocado, sprouts & tomato
- Iced coffee (black)
- Water
9 – 10am: Work
10am: 20 minute Transcendental Meditation
10:30 – 12pm: Work (drank 1 liter of water)
12 – 1:00pm: Walk, stretch and mobility with lacrosse ball
1 – 2:00pm: Protein shake & meditate (20 minutes Transcendental Meditation)
I’m not much of a protein shake drinker. This might have been the first protein shake I’ve had in a few months. I did a full episode on protein shakes to explain why, but the bottom line is that I prefer to eat my food than drink it and I prefer whole foods to processed ones. With that said, I haven’t been to the grocery store for veggies and it’s super hot & humid here today, so a shake sounded nice. Into my Vitamix I put:
- 1 inch fresh ginger (I had to have ginger today since today’s podcast is all about it)
- 1 cup cashew milk
- 1 cup frozen cauliflower rice (in lieu of ice – it has no flavor)
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
2 – 3:00pm: Work
3 – 5:00pm: Workout #2 (includes drive time)
- Crossover Symmetry
- Foam rolling
- Build to a heavy single rep bench press (I hit a PR today!)
- METCON: 5 rounds for time of
- 1 minute max rep bench press
- 1 min max rep box jumps
- Crossover Symmetry to recover
5 – 7:00pm cook dinner, eat, read (pic on Instagram)
- 2 cups broccoli
- 1 ear corn on the cob
- 2 grilled chicken thighs
I made a great marinade for the chicken and added fresh ginger! It’s kind of an asian-style marinade and so delicious!
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 1 inch fresh ginger, minced
7 – 9pm Back to back live webinars for my summer clients
9:30pm Bedtime
I feel pretty good about this day and I’m excited to continue to see just how amazing I can feel each day! More to come tomorrow!
Jul 23, 2018 | Blog
Hi! Guess what? Today I’m kicking off a new series on the blog called, “How Amazing”.
If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, please click play. Otherwise, keep reading below.
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This idea came to me about an hour ago while I was warming up for my workout. Per usual, I got to the gym about 20 minutes before my workout so I could do some mobility & stretching. As I finished up my workout I thought, I wonder just how amazing I could feel if I did absolutely everything right.
How amazing could I feel if I did everything right with my training?
How amazing could I feel if I did everything right with my hydration?
How amazing could I feel if I did everything right with my nutrition?
Mindset? Sleep? Meditation? Journaling?
While I know perfection isn’t possible, there’s certainly a lot of room between perfection and where I am now that I can explore.
Just how amazing could I feel? How much happier would I be? How much better would I sleep? How much less stress or negativity would I have in my life?
Why not try?
So, I am. I don’t know if this will be a week long blog series or a month, but I know I’m starting today and I’ll post daily.
I intend to share when I wake up, how I spend my time, when I stretch, meditate and workout, what I eat, and surely much more.
The goal here isn’t to suggest that my way is the right way. It’s certainly not the only way. And how I structure my days certainly would only work for me. But I think this is something we can all benefit from pursuing.
How amazing can you feel?
Why not try?
Jul 18, 2018 | Blog
I wanted to share with you a short message my sister sent me the other day that resonates with me on every level.
If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, please click play below. Otherwise, just keep on reading!
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The message from my sister said:
Of course I struggle. I just don’t quit.
I like it so much I made it the background of my phone.
Sometimes we think that people who reach their goals or create success simply struggle less than we do. We tell ourselves that they have it easier, in some way.
That’s usually not true. They struggle. I struggle in big ways and small ways. But, I refuse to quit.
I get tired. I get sad. I feel stressed, overwhelmed and pressured. My motivation fades. I make choices I don’t feel proud of.
But I refuse to quit.
I won’t turn back. I won’t give up. I simply refuse to quit.
Every day I wake up and ask myself, “What will I do to make today amazing? What will I do to make myself proud?”
Then, I get to work making those things happen.
Stop making your goals optional. Stop re-negotiating what you’ll do and not do each day.
Set your eyes on where you want to go and put one foot in front of the other. Get to work.
Here’s to showing up for yourself. Here’s to not quitting. Here’s to trying. Here’s to doing your best.
Here’s to a day of making yourself proud!
Jul 16, 2018 | Blog
First and foremost: thank you SO much to everyone who sent birthday wishes! This past week has been incredibly special and I’m grateful to everyone who was a part of it.
If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, please click play. Otherwise, keep reading below.
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If you didn’t see on Facebook or Instagram, or hear on the podcast, July 12th was a pretty big day for yours truly and for Primal Potential.
- It was Primal Potential’s 4 year anniversary!
- Episode 500 of the podcast aired!
- It was my 35th birthday!
- I finished the first (of many) draft of my first book!
To get some serious writing done and to spend my birthday with my family, I spent the week at our family beach house in York, Maine.
We were walking along the beach in the early evening on my birthday and I saw a bunch of kids doing something that struck me in a new way.
These kids were visibly excited to be at the beach. They were so excited to get in the water and were running full speed up to the water’s edge. As soon as the first wave came at their feet, they’d shriek and run back towards dry land.
As soon as it got a little uncomfortable or unfamiliar, they turned and ran back.
Have you ever done something like that?
You’re so excited to make a change – start working out, eat clean, lose weight, pay down debt – and you start charging forward. Then, it gets uncomfortable.
Maybe it’s uncomfortable because you’re tired or under the weather. Maybe you’re emotional. Maybe you’re stressed out or facing temptation or it’s a birthday or holiday.
As soon as it gets uncomfortable or unfamiliar, you run right back to the familiarity of your comfort zone.
Here’s the rub: life begins to look a lot like that. First comes enthusiasm or determination. Next comes forward progress. Inevitably, you run into the unknown, difficulty or temptation. At that point, you have a choice.
Will you charge forward into what is uncomfortable and unfamiliar or will you run away, more interested in the comfort of the familiar?
You’ve heard me mention Ben Bergeron before – he’s an elite CrossFit coach and the owner of the gym I moved to Natick for. He has a company called CompTrain that writes workouts for high level athletes. (Episode 369 of the podcast was a review of his book, Chasing Excellence.) The other day, CompTrain posted something powerful.
“What does improving feel like? It has a telltale emotional flavor: struggle. In order to improve, we have to stretch ourselves beyond our current abilities. We have to, by definition, reach and fail, then do it over and over again. You can fear the struggle, or you can embrace it for what it means: growth.”
Friend, you don’t have to be an athlete to grow from this message.
When things get uncomfortable, like it does for those kids who feel the cold water rush over their feet, you have two options: turn and run for comfort, or press on for progress.
Which will you choose?
Love you! Here’s to the next 500 episodes and another amazing day to become better versions of ourselves.
