The predictability of fitness and health.
I have never had a 9-5 job. Every job I have ever had was “start to end”. Meaning, you started, and you were finished when you were done.
That time might be after training my last client.
That time might be after I cook my last meal for that last table.
That time might be when the last team leaves.
I grew up in the restaurant biz, so to me, work is something that you do until you get it done, or until you run out of time.
I grew up with and in situations filled with unpredictability.
And, as people can attest that know me, I like to do unpredictable things.
I like to ruffle some feathers and remind people that it's not all boring.
Jamie hates it...my unpredictability. But...she's stuck around for 8+ years...so I guess she really loves it ;)
She's actually said that exact sentence to me.
That’s why I think that pursuing health is so important to me. It allows me to exercise (ha…ha…) a certain degree of predictability into my very unpredictable life.
I like knowing that I will have enough energy to get through the day.
I like knowing that I don’t have to plan on sick days.
I like knowing how I am going to feel when I wake up in the AM.
I like knowing I can go for a walk/run/hike without being afraid if I can finish, or worrying if my knees are going to hurt the next day.
I like eating the same thing every day because it allows me to be structured with my day.
I like having a platform that I can operate off of that at least allows me some predictability for my day.
To me, the predictability that health gives you is THE BIGGEST REASON to start exercising and taking care of yourself.
Most people’s lives are split up into a few choices we make on a daily basis:
I know I can do this.
I think I can do this.
I might not be able to do this.
Shit…where did this come from, can I handle it?
“Anxiety is what you feel when you think you are ill prepared to handle a challenge.”
Of those 4 choices, I want the first choice to be as broad as possible. I want 80% of the things I do on a daily basis to be in the “I know I can handle this” category.
I want about 10% to be in the “I think I can” category.
And ideally, I don’t want numbers 3 or 4 to come up that much.
Being healthy allows me to have a broad bowl that I can put the “I know I can handle” stuff into.
Pick up game? SURE!
Car has a flat tire? No worries!
Boss being an asshole? That’s fine! Today is my gym day! I’ll work it off!
Being sick for me is really hard. Like…über hard.
I want to know I can hike to this spot at any time and know I will be alright. Spot withheld because I'm greedy. But if you live in New London you probably know it already.
I love to travel and we are going to Baltimore for a biz event this weekend and the thought that I may wake up and feel like shit, or not want to go out and see the city (Jamie and I are both foodies) because I am worried about wearing a mask (or something else) and what people will think of me is killing me.
I hate not knowing how I will feel the next day when I lay my head down to sleep.
I hate not knowing if I will even get any sleep that night!
When I was healthy…I could count on pretty much consistent energy levels because I generally got 8 hours of sleep every night.
Restful. Sleep.
Last night, I was up from 1 AM to 6 AM. That’s the norm now. Maybe tonight I will get some good sleep…maybe not.
Exercise and eat right.
NOT because it helps you lose weight or feel better. I mean…those are great reasons! But you should want to exercise and eat right because it gives you predictability in an already turbulent sea of un-predictability.
Plus…the healthier you are…the more shit you get done…and the more shit you get done…the more experiences you have to draw from to make you a better person and potentially give you a more fulfilling life.
