LISTING SHIP: THREE IMPORTANT TOOLS FOR COPING
Life. Is. Challenging. No shit Sherlock…
Yesterday I learned a few things that sent my ship to starboard a few degrees. Over the past few years, I’ve experienced listing (“Listing” is a nautical term to describe when a vessel takes on water and tilts to one side.) Sometimes one degree, or “Chad grab the buckets🛳️ 😉”.
What do YOU do when your ship starts to list? When things, in training, personal or professional, start to take on water?
Here are some great tools that I’ve adapted.
Acknowledge you’re upset, sad, or mad. This was so hard for me in the past. (Yes, I still bury it, in some old Cro-Magnon way, “I’ll be fine, just let me get through it”.) If we don’t acknowledge that our training isn’t going great, family or friends are sick or work has sucked, we will be pinned down by the weight. This can trigger a spiral.
Avoid a social media trigger. Social media is good at F’ing with your mojo. How? Looking at social media to see how “happy” people are. How healthy and active everyone appears to be. Wow, Sally did 70 miles on her bike today? I suck! That’s one hell of a trigger. Don’t take on water!
Here he goes again. Walk. For gosh sake Chad, enough on the walking! Well, walking has helped plug the holes in my ship. The exercise and the fresh air. Silly Wiki explains (but very true!). Furthermore, science-based facts on how exercise can help.
Get out of your current environment. I find it incredibly helpful to get out of the house, or where you are feeling the flood. Head to a coffee shop, do the proverbial “walk”, do something new or old (I hear putt putt is making a comeback?).
I hope you don’t need a bucket. But, if you do, we will be happy to help you bail!
Tailwinds,
Chad
NOVEMBER 6, 2022