Your Best Thing Can Be Your EVERY Thing

When I go on walks around my neighborhood, I’m often wearing a hat to protect my skin and eyes from the sun.

Yesterday’s yellow number made me a Wilderness Explorer.

Let me clear, I do not ACTUALLY like exploring the wilderness too terribly much.

I enjoy cities and sidewalks more than trails and forests.

But this hat is special to me.

I bought it at Animal Kingdom the last time I was at Disney World with Brandon when it started misting outside and I didn’t want wet hair to ruin the vibes.

The day or two prior I was puking my brains out because I got sick at the resort.

But I blocked out those bad days because the good ones were so good.

And while I don’t feel attached to many clothing items I own, this is definitely one of the important ones that “sparks joy”.

Here’s a vlog from that last Disney World trip:

(and an explanation of why I think most child free adults are sleeping on it as a bomb ass vacation destination)

When I have problems, hang ups, or plateaus in life, I mentally address them with the principles of training.

Having been an athlete my whole life, the 30+ years have built up to create some sort of framework or perspective with which I can view every other part of my existence.

It’s actually subconscious at this point.

**Whenever I’m feeling impatient with progress I remind myself “I just need more reps” until I get it.

**When a particular workout or effort in life doesn’t seem to have moved the needle too much, I know that’s not true.

I know that even the most seemingly non-eventful practice sessions of anything are shaping my subconscious abilities.

Just like with muscle memory, there are things being absorbed and stored deep in my psyche that will only reveal themselves after years of accumulation.

**When things feel binary and like I’m out of options, I remind myself that is a symptom of an inexperienced mind.

A good coach or trainer knows how to modify, adjust, blend, regress, or adapt to the body or the athlete.

If I can’t see those choices right now, it doesn’t mean they aren’t there.

**When I initially saw physique changes with my first way of lifting (bodybuilding), I thought everyone had to train that way to see their physique change too.

It wasn’t until I saw even more progress with 3 other lifting sports (powerlifting, olympic lifting, crossfit) that I realized they all work, and actually compound on each other.

It’s the time spent carrying heavy weight (rather than your movement style or equipment of choice) that will eventually move the needle.

What I’m trying to say is that mastery in any one thing can create the mental reference system you need in places where you aren’t as experienced.

It’s a constant guidepost that I can alway grab at for clarity.

It’s the quickest tool I have for emotional regulation.

The literal default question to myself is:

“What’s this like if it was an athlete’s problem and you were the coach?”

For you, dear reader, the question might be phrased differently whether you’re a badass secretary, engineer, teacher, painter or parent who’s mastered that kind of game.

Whatever it is, I think if you’ve taken the time to get super good at one thing, you can get good at any other thing that much faster and smoother because of it.

Transfer your best thing into every thing.

It was Brandon’s turn to pick a show last week, and we’re almost done watching the last season of Jack Ryan on Amazon.

While the stories are good and interesting, I’m often snapped out of the viewer’s immersion at least once per episode because of how insanely cringe this shit can get.

I feel the same about James Bond movies.

I’ll be sucked in for a solid 30 minutes and then he’ll say something like “What makes you think this is my first time?” or “I wouldn’t dream of it.” while being shot at by bad guys and just die with laughter and secondhand embarrassment.

Also, (slight spoiler), who the fuck is funding these non-CIA missions when he leaves his job?

Like I’m sure the government paid well, but like multiple private-plane-rides-across-the-world well?

Forged passport and rented helicopter well?

And how do these fools have phones that work in any remote location for 5 days without dying or losing service?!

All it takes is one ultra cheesy line and I’m spiraling out of believability land and into roasting the whole show for the next 10 minutes and it turns the action into a comedy but it’s whatever.

Anywayyyy I like 5/10 recommend it if you’re fresh out of other options.

I like the actors in it from their other movies or shows, so that was a plus.

A couple reminders from Instagram …

(that I had to screenshot instead of embedding bc Substack won’t do it correctly lately uggghhhh)

Talk to you in a few days :)

xoxo,

AV