Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot
On Fridays, I like to share experiences from my week—both with patients and in my personal life—that have left a meaningful impact. My hope is that these reflections offer you something of value, a bit of insight or encouragement that resonates with your own journey and inspires you in some way.
A great lesson. During my second 100-mile race, I fell into step with another runner. We ended up becoming friends and logged more than forty miles together. In the middle of that long night, my oldest son who was only thirteen at the time, joined us and paced me for thirty miles straight. When he finally peeled off and my new friend and I headed back out, the man turned to me and said, “Your teenage son just did something at 13 that most people believe is impossible and he never complained once. Do you realize how powerful your example is? He pushed through because you showed him what was possible. Can you imagine what that will do for him?”
Those words hit me hard then and still do. They remind me that our actions often teach louder than anything we could say. Also, we are all influential in ways we rarely notice. Whether we’re setting an example, offering encouragement, or pushing someone through a difficult stretch, our behavior leaves a mark. When we choose to act with intention, discipline, and integrity, we create ripple effects that can shape the confidence and character of those around us. That comment spoken to me years ago has stayed with me, and it continues to remind me that striving to be our best isn’t just about personal growth but is also one of the greatest gifts we can offer the people in our circle.
Something I notice. Most of us have spent countless hours worrying about every possible outcome, detail, or misstep when something stressful is on the horizon. Yet we almost never devote that same intensity of thought to the things we’re excited about. That contrast reveals that we tend to pour our energy into the negative while barely acknowledging the positive. We might replay a small comment someone made at a party for days, while giving only a passing thought to something meaningful we achieved. Our minds lean toward the problems, and unless we’re intentional, they’ll stay there.
The mind is powerful, and we must carefully choose what to feed it. It’s healthy to understand the challenges we face, but we harm ourselves when we build imaginary scenarios on top of the real stuff. Living in that defensive posture blinds us to the strengths, opportunities, and blessings right in front of us. When we shift our attention toward our progress, relationships, wins, and gifts we begin to see possibilities instead of limitations. The more time we spend recognizing what supports us, the lighter our burdens become and the more equipped we are to handle whatever comes next.
Something I believe. We live in a society where many want and expect results yesterday. People are always on the lookout for hacks and shortcuts that lead to drastic weight loss, financial windfalls, and more. While it is worthwhile pursuing avenues that serve us most effectively, it is not realistic to think they’ll change us overnight. For that reason, it is best to understand that progress happens in steps not leaps.
If you were to make changes to how you ate, exercised, or saved money starting today you would not notice any change tomorrow. Nor would you be likely to see any discernable difference by the end of the week. However, if you kept that going for 90 days or more, you absolutely could and would. The “steps” of our life are the small yet crucial decisions we make in our habits, processes, behavior, and standards that shape us. “Leaps” are the accumulation of all those steps over a period of time. You could be a new person within a year by consistently repeating healthy, positive, and effective things daily. This may lack the sizzle and excitement of a quick fix, but I promise you, it’s more effective.
Something I loved. I was listening to a football podcast this week and a former Dallas Cowboys player from their 90’s dynasty was the guest. He told the story of his teammate Leon Lett making a foolish error on a Thanksgiving Day game in 1993 that caused the team to lose. He said the thing he remembers most about that game was that he expected a tirade from coach Jimmie Johnson when he addressed the team in the locker room. Instead, he pointed to Leon and said, “Make sure you all love on him, and I’ll see you next week.” He said everyone did exactly that and they ended up winning every game from there on out. This story shows the significance of uplifting someone when they’re down rather than piling onto their struggles.
It is easy to show excitement and appreciation when someone is doing well. However, if we turn on them when they go through a challenging time, it says that we only care about them if they perform well. That is purely transactional. Supporting someone (or receiving support ourselves) after mistakes or rough patches in life tells them that we care about them as people. Many of those in my life to whom I am the most loyal once stood by me when I struggled. This story was a great reminder to me of the need to support the people we care about first while worrying about their results second.
Some quotes I Love.
“Life is a fight for territory and once you stop fighting for what you want, what you don’t want will automatically take over.” – Les Brown
“Overnight success stories take a long time.” – Steve Jobs