#askthetoughquestions

[mubal4]

Running from? Running to?

 This year will be the 6th that I’ve been part of the ultrarunning community.  I’ve said countless times that this community is incredibly special, addictive, and very welcoming.  The support that I’ve found in this culture, not only from a running perspective, but also personal and emotionally, is heartwarming.  Sure, there are outliers just like any group, but 90% of the folks I’ve come across in this community have been genuinely and authentically, wonderful human beings.  Fortunately, I’ve had the opportunity to meet and connect with many of them; whether that has been at events racing or volunteering, sharing miles during a race or on a run, or just meeting someone out somewhere striking up a conversation about trail running.  Many, me included, have shared that, during deeper conversations, that they (we) are running from something, or we are running toward something.  Everyone has a story and ultrarunners are no different 😊.  There are countless out there, and you can find so many of them, that got into this sport to run from addiction; be it drugs or alcohol. Others have shared stories of abuse, bad relationships, bankruptcy, career failures, depression, disease, sickness, etc.  The other side, there are those that want to be able to test themselves, do something so many told them they couldn’t.  Maybe do something they, themselves have always told themselves, “it will never happen.” They want to go where they have never gone before.  Said before, this sport, this culture – being out in nature, in sunshine, on the trials, climbing mountains, running – is healing, calming, soothing, and freeing.

 When I initially got into the sport, I didn’t realize it at the time, I was running from things.  Looking back now, it was all the things I’ve shared in this blog – depression, sadness, failure, failing, being a screw up, screwing up!!  In reality, I was running from the someone that I no longer wanted to be. Maybe I was trying to hide from that person and not face him again.  Maybe I believed if I ran far enough those mistakes, failure, hurt I caused, pain I inflicted on others and myself, would just go away.  

 I did not!

 However, what I did find is that it came me a place to go that helped me think.  Help me battle that person. Help get to know that person better; ask those tough questions of myself.  It put me face to face with that fear I was running from – the fear of me continue to be that same person I was or what I thought myself. The more I got out on the trails and in nature, running, climbing, hiking – challenging myself physically, mentally, emotionally; the more I thought I was cleansing myself.  The scars will always be there but each time I am fortunate to get out there, the more I feel I am healing.  The more freedom I feel that I am experiencing.  

 At some point, and I can’t highlight the specific moment, I feel that I was no longer running from something.  Now, I am running to something.  That something is the better version of myself – that person that I want to become; for my wife, for my girls, for anybody else I may have the pleasure or opportunity to impact.  The answer is yes, absolutely, 100% - I still run from things.  Stress, anxiety, fear, uncertainty, THE GREAT UNKNOWN – are all things that when I run enter my mind on whatever the topic of the day may be. But during those times, asking myself those tough questions, I may not find an answer or come to some epiphany – but I’ve made progress on the challenge or, what I like most, I moved on from it; let it go.  Because, in reality, most likely, that circumstance that was creating the emotions was something I was just building up in my head, maybe from my ego 😊.

 Running is what has help me, and continues to do so, cleanse and free myself from all that surrounds us.  For others it may be cooking, reading, fishing, painting, playing the piano – whatever it may be, keep doing it.  There may be some gift awaiting you in that thing that you do that is meant to be shared with the world.  Or maybe, that thing is providing you that healing you need to let go, and become the person you were always meant to become?

[beautiful-serenity-320]

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[sullivanandrew]

THOUGHT PROVOKING THURSDAY... We ask all the tough questions here at The Don't Forget Travel Group (we dont answer them, we just ask them 😂) #thoughtprovokingthursday #askthetoughquestions #badjokes #dadjokes #imhereallweektrytheveal #thedontforgettravelgroup #travel #adventure #alwayworking #adelaide #wanderlust #reallife #escape #vacation #explore #newadventures #travelagent #luxurytravel #letsgo #signboard (at The Don't Forget Travel Group) https://www.instagram.com/p/BofPcc8nb3b/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1e8pn0mm5kd2o

[socialsf]

#Senator @kamalaharris #facielexpression #nuffsaid #askthetoughquestions #SessionsHearing #knowyoursenator

[adisturbedmusing]

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[mubal4]

What’s to come?

 There are many prognosticators out there or Monday morning quarterbacks that have the perception that they can either predict the future or let us know that they would have handled things differently after the fact. Sure, these would be wonderful talents in Vegas or playing the lotter if successful. However, how come we don’t see these things come to fruition?  It is almost impossible to predict what is to come and incredibly challenging trying to plan for it.  As for looking back and wanting to handling things differently, a topic we discussed on the podcast this week, what I found, is that there isn’t much I would do differently because the belief is “if you go back in time and step on the butterfly, you mess up everything.” No one’s life is perfect, especially mine.  I, like us all, am flawed, messy, and complicated, but I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize what I have with my wife, two daughters, and what we are creating with our family and friends.  So let’s leave, trying to change the past, well, in the past.

 However, I do believe we have to evaluate and acknowledge the past to plan for what’s to come.  This may slant a little toward my professional life.  I say that because recently my company put out a very good article, directly related to our business and how we help law firms with technology. The article focused on how law firms, any business or individually really, help mitigate future risk in preparing for the next disaster. (Link here for those interested)  It was centered around what we can and have learned from the pandemic and if there are steps to be taken to be better set up navigate the “next crisis.” I don’t think there is an answer to solve these types of things and certainly I am not sure if things like this are preventable.  It is debatable right, but from my perspective, a pandemic, a war, natural disaster, those types of crises, and others similar are out of my control, so it is hard for me to spend time trying to prepare for them.  The article is centered on what organization can do from a technology perspective, but maybe we can break them down for us as human beings to possibly be more prepared, or at least informed and aware, for when whatever is going to happen next, happens 😊!

 *”How much risk are you willing to take and in which areas?” – Health, finances, legacy, knowledge, job? I look at this and think about what are the things that are most valuable to me that I want to protect? My family and my health are the top two! I want to say family first but if I don’t have my health, how am I to take care of my family? The health aspect was tested during the pandemic for all of us, to a degree.  So many things were unknown and uncertain.  Some of us kept living our lives within certain parameters and some did live in a bubble.  I don’t judge or criticize either of those decisions; we just need to understand what were the lessons learned from those choices, did they work for us, and is the knowledge transferable to “the next crisis.”  Good questions to ask (this sentence will be revisited 😊).

 *”What types of data do you have and where is it kept.” – Maybe we can look at this as our knowledge and lessons.  Again, what is important to us and what important information do we need to protect? Obviously, we can look at money, investments but what about wills, living wills, trusts, deeds, insurance policies, etc.? Some of this information is now digital, which helps but what if the internet crashes and we don’t have access to birth certificates, social security cards, etc.? (Funny – there was a recent Family Guy episode where Peter broke the internet and people were fighting in the streets) – Maybe that Family Guy scenario is for real.  What would happen to our society if we couldn’t access the internet? Would it be a blessing or a curse? Again, good questions to dig into?

 The next three are directly related to technology but so I will summarize – What does your foundation look like, back up plans, what would happen if you didn’t have access to the above documents, or maybe your money? – I look at the foundation as really acknowledging that tragedy and crises do happen.  We’ve heard stories of folks that we’ve lost that didn’t have a will or family members that never had those difficult discussions around, “what happens if/when you get sick/pass, what is your plan.” I know, some dark stuff for a Friday but these are important questions to get out there.  So, by foundation, this is what I mean, having those hard conversations. Again, somethings we can, in a sense, have a plan for but, difficult to plan for a pandemic right.  But what did we learn from this last one? We all had to pivot and change that way we live to a degree.  We all learned some things about ourselves and how strong we can be; how creative we can be and how resourceful we can be. All pieces to add to our foundation.  I believe the backup plan and accessibility are part of that as well and we can continue to add things to that foundation to better develop our plan.

 These are just a few points I wanted to take out of the article and share.  I think the most important point and I believe the best nugget from the article to share is what I hinted at above:

 "The more you ask uncomfortable questions when there isn’t a crisis, the more likely you’ll be able to avoid business-shattering consequences."

 We can replace the “business-shattering consequences” with just consequences, and I don’t believe we can avoid all of them.  It is an ever-evolving process and we, as humans continue to evolve, and I believe get better.  Collectively we have the foundation, knowledge, and experience to overcome much; we’ve been able to do it to this point.  I don’t believe we can plan for everything, but we can certainly plan to be better prepared for what’s down the road, specially when we have the chance to come up for air.  With that all being said, it is good to have awareness and knowledge but there is that big portion of uncertainty and the great unknown.  Keep what you can control within your control, the other stuff, we need to let that pass.  

 And, in the great words of Iron Mike Tyson, “yeah, it is great to have a plan, until you get punched in the face.” We will get punched in the face, but I believe the right foundation will enable us to get right back up!