Death will be a chapter in every life and for all those close contact with you. This story ending carries the weight of many burdens—emotionally, financially and energetically, etc. As with anything in this world, the reaction towards this situation is where our internal peace is made or broken. It is known that everybody handles life and death differently, however, I’d like to share with you how I have responded with death of my mother as well as how we can use these lessons for a more fulfilled life.
Writing this piece, I can feel my heart racing as I keep positive thoughts flowing all the while fighting the anxiety of what I feel. I have been putting off blog posting due to being afraid that it would not result in a coherent flow that would impact many others. However, with recent events, I have come to understand that having a positive influence on any one individual creates a cascade of positive energy that is passed on. The quick background is that my mother was a hard-working young (66yo) lady who hustled until the end, living the life she thought was best for herself and family. She supported herself through crippling back pain with Sciatica, a fractured shoulder and heart bypass surgery, to name a few. These life situations did not stop this woman from owning every day of her life. As her friends would know, you wouldn’t have had any idea about these problems because she would deal with them on her own. I admirably watched as she conquered obstacle after obstacle including being laid off from a job she held for over 40 years as a 61 year old woman. In the end, it was the pace that she operated at which lead to her wonderful life being cut short.
Here are a couple of the thoughts I’ve chewed on that help(ed) me stay at peace with the void losing my mother created.
You must act with urgency by laying a foundation of time, which you use, that fills you with energy, joy and deliberative focus. Whether the time comes sooner or later when you need relief you can always fall back on doing what you love for the limited journey. Just as I use weight training for release, you can find something that makes you passionate—darts, bowling, Ju Jiitsu, etc. For some it could be lighter activities such as playing board games or reading.
Life is short—get lost in it!
Keep contact with the people that help you align yourself with the future you want to see. They will show up when they are needed for support and can help guide you through any detour. I’m highly fortunate that my rock, my wife, helps me understand when a different perspective is needed through triumphant or tough times. Lean on those that are invested in you!
Anything sustainable that will bear fruit in life takes time. Life will be a process that comes with oscillations that arise in the short term. Fighting through the in-the-moment frustrations, the desire to give up your chosen path for an easier one, and the self-doubt will allow you to focus your time and energy on building something worthwhile. That something won’t be easy to come by, but it is important to invest the time and energy that you have into such an endeavor. Time will pass by regardless of what you are doing, and you might as well be doing something worthwhile with it!
Moving forward I hope to go through deeper thoughts on training topics that will range from nutrition of the athlete compared to the non-athlete to the best way to build your squat or deadlift. This was the nudge I needed to create urgency in my life to do the things I hope to get lost in.
