Empathic – showing an ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
…
Strength – the quality or state of being physically strong.
I have landed in a place after the last few weeks where these two things have become very important to me. So important that I feel like I need to almost look at everything with one or both of these things in mind. It may even be a motto, mantra, or whatever you want to call it.
I don’t know exactly what to call it, but do you know that thing that some people have where you just have to say one word to them and they instantly go nuclear? You see it a lot in politics. You can simply make mention of a certain political topic and people will immediately fly off the handle. You won’t convince them to change their opinion or even consider that there might be a better way to think through whatever topic you’ve brought up to them. I’m not immune to it. I’m very sure that there are some topics that over time have just molded their way into my thought process and I’m not even aware that I’m being irrational or not even considering a more valid approach. What would our lives be like if every time we talked to someone we really made an effort to listen and understand what they were saying and where they were coming from?
There are so many areas of life where this concept can have great affect. Your personal relationships, your business relationships, political conversations and really anyone that you come into contact with in your life. Do you ever pay attention to how present you are when you are talking to people? In my case it was frightening how disconnected and distracted I could be when speaking with people. Once I started paying attention, it was amazing how powerful, meaningful and emotional the world around me became. I’m only beginning to scratch the surface here, but I look forward to growing my own empathic powers.
Strength is important too. 🙂 Obviously after the crazy month I’ve had I am super interested in getting my physical strength back. I would say about 2 or 3 times a day I catch myself in a moment that reminds me that I’m not as strong as I was a couple months ago or that I can’t move like I could a couple of months ago. Last night my Dad came over to my house to pick up his riding lawnmower he left here a few weeks ago. We had to take the deck off of it to get it in the back of his truck. Normally I would just pick it up myself and put it in the truck. This time my right shoulder reminded me that I wasn’t going to be able to do it that way. Little things like that get under my skin every once in a while, but I quickly rebound and remember that I’m on a new journey and “bouncing forward.” This is my story and I get to watch it unfold. Mental strength is just as important as physical strength. Things like meditation and breathing are helping me focus better and have much less anxiety about things that I use to really have a lot of anxiety about. If I skip the 10 minute “Oak” app assisted meditation in the morning I can REALLY tell a big difference in my attitude and mental fitness throughout the day.
So these are the things I’m focused on right now. I try to constantly ask myself some questions throughout my day and in all my conversations. Am I really listening and understanding where this person is coming from? Am I helping this person every way that I can? Am I adding value to this situation? Is this making me stronger mentally or physically? Am I helping to make someone else stronger mentally or physically? If the answer is yes, then I find that I am truly a happier person. If the answer is no, I can clearly see the anxiety and self-doubt start to appear. I really look forward to the growth and change that I know is going to come my way, and I want to share all of it with you. If you have anything that I can help you with, don’t hesitate to drop a comment in the comment section here!
Today’s Training
Strength
12 Minute Ping Pong
- 5 x Deadlift
- 5 x Barbell Curl
Conditioning
“Hefty Hefty Cinch Sack”
30 Minute AMRAP
- 36′ Yoke Carry (Empty Yoke, add weight if you want)
- 500 Meter Row
- 10 Weighted Step Ups (24/20 inch box) – 35/25 lbs Kettlebells or Dumbbells
What. A. Day. I thoroughly enjoyed this workout! On the deadlift I worked up to 155 lbs!! I started with 115, added 135 and then did the last set at 155. The curls were only 45 lbs and I worked up to 50 lbs. Boy howdy, this conditioning was a lot tougher than I thought it would be. Those weighted step ups are rough! It was good though, I made it through 6 whole rounds plus one Yoke carry. It’s been a long time since I used that yoke. I need to use it more often. What an awesome tool!
-The Rev