I will start by saying Harry Selkow is a huge mentor of mine and I don't even think he knows how much. I read Harry's log regularly, and so should you. In there he not only has great training advice, but sage life advice as well. It has helped me greatly over the years. I had a bit of an epiphany this morning that may help others, so I figured I'd share.
This morning in the shower my mind was running in a million different directions thinking about the trials and tribulations ahead. Then it dawned on me, I'm in my beautiful bathroom taking a gloriously warm shower. I really should be present for this moment. I hazard to guess there are millions of people if not more around the world who are not afforded this luxury. I need to enjoy it.
The other day it was my Mom's birthday. She and my father came over and we had a great day. The sad thing for me is, that will often cause me think about the future and the uncertainty of life. Perhaps it was losing my brother a bunch of years ago that puts my mind in that place, but that doesn't make it better. Instead, I need to simply enjoy and cherish that moment.
Pondering all this for a bit makes me realize why I love training so much. With as hard as many of us train, we have to be present in those moments. You can't overload your body in precarious lifts such as squatting, benching, and deadlifting without being present. If your mind drifted during those and other lifts, there's a risk of serious injury.
I often talk about how training is therapy for me. Now I do train a lot, but it's a relatively small part of my existence. I'm realizing I need more of that training mindset throughout the day. I need to focus on the task at hand. Be present in the moment. Even in bad moments. Be present, push through, and then leave them behind.
I don't expect this post to help everyone. But if it helps just one person, I'm glad I put it out there. Thanks for reading.
Cheers
Chris