On Fridays I like to share experiences I’ve had during the week with patients and in my personal life that I’ve found significant. I like to share them in hopes that you might find value in them and have something resonate with you in your life.
A great reminder. I attended a wedding last weekend for a wonderful, loving couple. The officiant of the wedding told their story that included the time it took for the groom to eventually approach his future bride. He also spoke of the many years during which they had to overcome logistics, distance, and other challenges to continue to flourish as a couple. It was great to hear their story and it served as a great reminder to me.
Regardless of what you are trying to achieve, the basic formula is simple. It will boil down to having the guts to pursue it, being willing to face challenges, and having the wherewithal to remain committed during difficult times. Whether for a relationship, business, or attainment of any goal; I like to think of those three factors as a screening process. If you’re willing to have courage and face tough times, you can be successful in anything you go after.
Something that made me proud. One of my sons recently mentioned to me that a player on his team had missed a full week of practice and a game. My son asked him if he had been sick or injured, to which the boy replied, “actually my uncle killed himself.” My son could see the boy’s pain and told him that he had also lost his uncle (and an aunt too) at a young age only a few years ago. My son had true empathy and was able to comfort and be a friend to him in a different way because of similar experiences.
We all have unique lives that take us in many directions, some good and others not. Those experiences may not allow us to relate to everyone but give us the blessing of being able to relate perfectly to some. As in the case of my son with his teammate, sometimes we can become a shepherd for others. We can show them things will get better, offer hope, or just relate to their situation better than most. Regardless, experiences that once were a burden may one day put us in the position to help someone just like us. I believe that is important and something to be proud of.
An interesting interaction. I was recently speaking with someone who is in overall poor health and has been for years. At one point in the conversation, I mentioned the importance of maintaining good habits to create better health and was basically mocked. This person began to tell me that I wasn’t healthy because I was not visiting doctors enough, that my health was based only on genetics, and that healthy people die just as easily from diseases/conditions as unhealthy people. This type of thinking is sadly very common.
Genetics play a role in certain aspects of health and there is nothing wrong with having regular checkups to establish and monitor baseline aspects. However, that is a tiny part of anyone’s health. The overwhelming majority consists of the quality of decisions made in in terms of how we do/don’t move our bodies (exercise), what we ingest into our bodies, and how we care for ourselves mentally. When those decisions are consistently positive, you will be far less likely to be sick, injured, immobile, hurt, and requiring visits to doctors constantly. There is not a doctor on the planet that is more important to your health than the decisions you choose to make for yourself physically, nutritionally, and mentally.
Something I learned from football. I’ve been around football for many years both playing and coaching. Obviously, being such a violent and physically demanding sport, it is common to see bigger and stronger people playing the game with the most success. However, there are instances where I have seen very undersized players make up for their lack of size with aggression and thrive. They run at full speed into collisions relying on passion and courage when other bigger and more talented players often hesitate or will not do so. Sometimes these smaller players get run over or embarrassed, but they keep coming back for more. Seeing this always influenced me.
This same premise has applications in daily life. We are all given a set of basic talents, skills, and genetics. On their own, they can only take us so far. However, those gifts can be enhanced greatly through a combination of courage, aggression, determination, and grit. As a result, what may seem out of reach based on ability can become attainable.
Some quotes I Love.
“Only those that see the invisible will do the impossible.”
“Half the world is composed of people that have something to say and can’t, and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it.” – Robert Frost
“If the voice in your head is mean to you, remember someone manipulated that voice and instilled it in you. Kill that fake voice and find yours.” – Gary Vaynerchuck
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.” – Victor Frankl
“It’s not a bad thing to ask for help, it’s a sign that you want to win more than just protect your ego.” – Dr. Josh Handt