“Happiness is the default state of mind. So when the mind becomes calm and clear, it returns to its default, and that default is happiness. That is it. There is no magic; we are simply returning the mind to its natural state.
…happiness is not something you pursue; it is something you allow. Happiness is just being.”
Re-reading this insight from the book Search Inside Yourself by Chad Meng-Tan is motivating me to make sure I don’t forget to meditate today, like I have the last two days. Even just two minutes is fantastic!
A quiet moment helping my muscles recover in cold mountain river water on a hot day
Morning Stats
Yang/firing up:
gave myself a high-five in the mirror (idea came from Mel Robbins’ book The High 5 Habit)
“We humans like gritty hard work, because gritty hard work provides better long-term survival benefits. And if we can tap into that, we can fundamentally change the quality of our life.
While grit requires more energy and emotional fortitude in the short run, it provides a much bigger boost in mood and motivation in the long run.”
3 x 11, 9, 8 (28 total) My most-ever (strict) pullups in a row is 16, before I had my baby almost five years ago. My new goal, as a fresh 40 year-old, is 20 in a row – hoping this 4-5 days a week consistency will get me there.
a bit more strength training and a one hour run with plyometric drills
Getting creative getting those morning pull-ups in
Yin/cooling down:
20 minute yoga/stretch/trigger point therapy work
Morning mantra: “I’m grateful for this day. I will use my time wisely.”
(Forgot to meditate again – gotta work on that!)
Evening Update
One hour mobility/strength combo session with Higher Ground Athletics
2 minute meditation
Legs up the wall with cups on them (while playing a giraffe game with my kid!)
Feeling grateful/hopeful that the Achilles tendinitis I’ve had for three months (that I thought was plantar fasciitis) is starting to finally go away!
According to some quick search engine research, it seems to take either 21 or 66 days to form a habit, so we’re either 1/7th or 1/22nd of the way there – either way, congrats!
Morning stats
Yang/firing up
stood on one leg while brushing teeth to activate glutes
cold shower (technically three of them today because the pool shower had no hot water for my pre-and post-swim rinse)
listened to this motivational speech by Denzel Washington
90 minute bike ride
20 minute swim (this took more effort than the bike ride!)
Yin/cooling down
no social media until 9am
12 minute stretch/yoga
(forgot to meditate in the morning)
morning mantra: “My body is rested and my mind is clear.”
“It is our choices, Harry, that show us what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – J.K.Rowling
Evening update
listened to 15 minutes of the meditation app “Simply Being”
5 minute foam roll
5 minute Hypervolt
30 minute core/grip/shoulder workout
Feeling grateful Taylor and I got to meet up with a friend, her four year-old, and her newborn.
STOP READING if you’re already living your best life; this blog is not for you…
But if you’re like me, and you feel pretty good about your life, but you have a feeling you could do, learn, give, discover, and/or accomplish MORE, come along for the ride – we’ll grow together.
With so many ways to reach new heights and deeper levels as a human (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, financially, intellectually), where the hell does one begin?
Some might start with their highest priority, or some with their biggest weakness, but I’m going to start with what I know best and work out from there: the physical.
I have a goal…
The OCRWC 3k World Championship race is in 101 days, and I want to put myself in the best possible position to win it.
Despite leading by a hair for most of the race last year, I finished third. Like before, I’m training very hard, but if one wants a different outcome, they must do something different. So I’m ready to take things to the next level. To have a shot at being THE best, I’ve got to discover and develop MY best. Let’s start with first thing in the morning…
How are your mornings? My mornings have a solid foundation of healthy habits already (https://medium.com/authority-magazine/rose-wetzel-american-ninja-warrior-athlete-on-the-morning-routines-and-habits-of-highly-a4b8814f0812), but they can definitely be better.
One might think that to be a better athlete, one should just do more working out, and I will be adding in almost-daily, ever-increasing pushup and pullup challenges, but there’s a saying in Chinese medicine that if you have too much yang, your body forces you to shift to yin. Think of the last time you over-worked yourself, with too many hours cleaning up messes at work or home and not sleeping well – we tend to get sick, and our body forces us to take rest, no matter how inconvenient the timing is. I remember many of my personal training clients who worked high-stress corporate jobs would work extra hard to get things lined up before a vacation and then…get sick on vacation.
So, to become the best athlete I can be, in my quest to become the best human I can be (or was it the other way around?), I’m adding in both yang (think things that fire up the nervous system) and yin (think things that slow it down and help it recharge) in the hopes that the yin will allow me to create capacity for more yang (in the form of training) without getting injured or burnt out. Bring on massage therapy after an intense couple weeks of training – yes, please!
Morning mantra: “My body is rested and my mind is clear. Today is going to be a great day.”
2 minute meditation
10 minute yoga/stretch
no social media until 9am
My goal is to share my progress with you everyday to hold myself accountable. I’ll add in a few things that generally take me out of my comfort zone and/or cause me to be more disciplined, such as doing dishes (I hand-washed a TON for my family of 11 people, as a kid), swimming, burpees, heavy carries, and things like changing our car’s oil. I’ll add in my typical run training as well, once my body recovers from the 14.7-mile, 2600 feet of climbing, and 31 obstacles my body endured last weekend in Puebla, Mexico!
