Do you ever have those days when you feel like you can’t do anything right or that nothing is going right? Well, that was me last week. The whole week. Our family business is growing, and I’m trying to navigate that. Also, I’m trying to advocate for getting my kiddo tested for autism, and I realized the school district dropped the ball the whole year and somehow had me flagged as a parent “resistant to getting their kid tested”. Also, my kiddo took off at the bus stop (future track athlete?), and I had to carry him (and all his stuff) 1/4 mile uphill back to the car. And the cherry on top? I realized there was a heavy propane smell coming from our crawl space, the fire department came, and (long story short) didn’t have a working stove or hot water for days.
In short, I had every reason to complain and let everything go to shit. But I didn’t do that. I remembered the old adage: “Don’t say, “Why me?”. Say, “Try me”.” You see, at a previous point in my life, this would have been a prime opportunity for stress eating. Or drinking. Or doing something otherwise self-destructive. Instead, I accepted the POWER OPPORTUNITY of relying on God’s strength and saying, “F*** you, life. I’m going to thrive and produce fruit in spite of you.” (I know it’s kind of cheesy that I spoke directly to the devil/life/whatever, but it helped me. Maybe doing so will help you, too, as you navigate a comparable situation.
Also if you’re like me, you don’t frequently like to let other folks know about the hard things you’re dealing with. I personally don’t want to waste time or dwell on the negative. Another thing that might help in that situation is journaling. Get out all of your complaining on one sheet of paper in 15 or 30 minutes. Then, you can burn it or simply ball it up and throw it away (like I do). This process has been shown to PHYSICALLY change your brain for the better.
Finally, take the time to count your wins. Here’s what DID happen last week that I am PROUD of: I began doing a mobility flow routine that I enjoy with really upbeat music. I was still able to hit my protein and produce goals each day by using a George Foreman grill and the microwave. My weight, waist, and hip measurements dropped (which is great because I’m on a mini cut). I implemented 30 minutes of dedicated quality time with my son each day. I hit PRs for reps on both lower and upper body exercises (including 410 pounds for leg press and 310 pounds for hip thrust).
Sometimes,… when everything around you is telling you “no” or telling you that it will be comforting to give up and let be, there is power and beauty in saying “yes” to yourself and “yes” to your goals. Everyone has little adversities that they experience that no one would ever know about because they don’t speak about it. How are you going to handle it the next time life hits you?
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