Tag: resilience

Embracing Injury with Patience and Gratitude

Greetings fellow adventurers!

Today, I want to delve into a topic that many of us may encounter along our path to an active and fulfilling lifestyle: injuries. As we pursue our passions, such as climbing, distance running, or mountain biking, it’s not uncommon to face setbacks due to injury. In this blog post, we will explore the transformative power of accepting injuries with patience and even gratitude, embracing them as opportunities for growth.

  1. The Lesson of Patience: Injuries can be frustrating, forcing us to put our aspirations on hold and disrupting the momentum we have built. However, they also provide us with a valuable lesson in patience. By accepting and respecting our body’s need for rest and recovery, we develop patience as we wait for the healing process to run its course. Patience allows us to shift our focus from immediate progress to long-term well-being, nurturing a deeper understanding of ourselves and our bodies.
  2. The Gift of Self-Reflection: During the healing process, we have an opportunity for self-reflection. Injuries force us to slow down, providing an opportunity to reevaluate our goals, motivations, and approaches. We can use this time to delve into our mental and emotional well-being, examining any imbalances or areas of improvement. Through self-reflection, we gain a deeper understanding of our limits, strengths, and the underlying reasons behind our pursuits.
  3. Gratitude for What We Have: Injuries can be a stark reminder of the blessings we often take for granted. When we are unable to participate in our favorite activities, we realize just how much joy and fulfillment they bring to our lives. By practicing gratitude for the abilities we possess and the progress we have made, we cultivate a mindset of appreciation. Gratitude fuels our motivation to recover and return stronger, inspiring us to make the most of every opportunity once we regain our strength.
  4. Exploring Alternative Paths: Injuries can lead us to explore new avenues that we may not have considered before. While we may be temporarily sidelined from our primary activity, we can embrace this opportunity to discover other forms of exercise or engage in activities that nurture different aspects of our well-being. Exploring alternative paths allows us to broaden our horizons and discover hidden passions or talents, enriching our overall experience.
  5. Cultivating Resilience: Perhaps the most significant gift that injuries bestow upon us is the chance to cultivate resilience. When faced with obstacles and setbacks, we have an opportunity to strengthen our mental and emotional fortitude. By adopting a positive mindset, focusing on the lessons learned, and persevering through the challenges, we emerge from injuries with newfound resilience and a greater capacity to face future hurdles.

As we navigate the realm of injuries, let us embrace them with patience and gratitude. They are not roadblocks but rather detours that redirect our journey toward self-discovery, growth, and resilience. By accepting injuries as part of our active lifestyle, we open ourselves to transformative experiences and emerge stronger, both physically and mentally.

Boldly going, occasionally delusional.

-Troy

Words Are Anchors… Or Only Clouds?

Words matter. We hear it all the time. We experience it all the time. We can be in the midst of a fantastic day and then BOOM, some words happen and we become completely thrown off. Maybe the words were a sharp criticism or back-handed compliment. Maybe they were a flirtation that you never expected. Maybe it was a social media post not necessarily aimed at you, but it hit home so hard that you can’t ignore it. Words anchor us to meaning. If you’re like me, you walk around (or run, or sit Zazen) and ruminate about words from time to time.

In the last few years, I have learned that resilience is perhaps the most valuable skill in my life. Resilience, Emotional Intelligence, grit, mindfulness, whatever we’re calling it this week, is the skillset that we use to bounce back from a setback to be able to focus on what is going on right now.

I mentioned earlier that words anchor us to meaning. To expand on that, think about the words that people have used to describe us or to give us feedback. If you’re like me, at least some of those words have stuck and turned into labels – some good and some bad. But either way, they anchor us and limit our possibilities. I have always been on the thin side with a slight frame, which my family lovingly referred to as “skinny.” Now 40 years later, I still doubt my athletic ability before going out for a long run or a soccer match. Will I be strong enough to compete?

One of the ways I’ve recently been able to build resilience around words is to think of them as clouds. Clouds are amazing. They can be beautiful formations in the sky or a grey blanket between the sun and us terrestrial beings. They can provide life-affirming rain or life-threatening lightening. But as with all of these cases, clouds change. Today’s dreary morning is this evening’s sky-on-fire sunset. Like clouds, words are impermanent. While words may represent “reality” right now and they should be given appropriate attention, the situation can and will change.

Interestingly, I’ve also been thinking about my words; especially, my words for others. Even though I’m building resilience to words by imagining them as wispy clouds moving across the sky, I have to recognize that other people aren’t where I am. So these days, I’m being careful to not anchor anyone with my words. I’m finding that it really doesn’t take that much extra time or care. Instead of, “You always do this,” I’m offering up, “I noticed that this happened when I did X.” I am finding that simple adjustments to my words are enriching my relationships because… words matter.