Is all of this “living in the moment” stuff the key to a happy life, or is it working to my detriment? I’m a single-income entrepreneur trying to grow my business and my savings account, living on the expensive West Coast with a dog who eats better than most people do—does that mean I should spend more time contemplating and living for the future?
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May you always pursue the narrow path, a life that calls for something more. And not perfection, but fulfillness…something deeper beyond the shore. — Morgan Harper Nichols Continue Reading…
Kicking it into second gear, I hammer the gas pedal to the floor and aim for the hairpin corner—this seems crazy, my thoughts tell me. Letting go of panic, my focus turns to the moment and the actions I need to take. I trail brake and drift the car sideways through the corner, looking ahead for the perfect trajectory before I stomp the gas again.
Your first instinct in any stressful or high-risk situation is to react. Like a rally car driver who learns to disengage their impulses when driving full throttle through a winding forest, you can increase your performance by learning to tune into the moment. Continue Reading…
Nearing the end my ride, I veer off into the berms for a little practice before finishing up. I focus on outside foot pressure as I rail some turns and pickup speed. My mind is a little hung up on technique and not focused on the trail conditions…
Before I could correct, my front tire washes out in the loose gravel and I get ejected over the bars. CRACK! Direct impact on my shoulder! “That didn’t sound good.” I said to Kula who was frantically racing around me as I lay on the trail. Jumping to my feet, I wheel my bike one-handed down the last few turns—I knew I needed to get down the trail before the adrenaline wore off. Fortunately I came upon a guy who offered to load my bike on the car for me. “Do you want me to call an ambulance?” he asked. “No, that’ll be $80 bucks! I’ll call a friend thanks.”
As my body slipped into the ice cold water, it was as if I was stepping into another self. The bitter cold began to bite my skin as I got deeper and deeper, until I was up to my neck. Breathe, I told myself, calmly focusing my mind. My muscles contract and shivers run up my spine, as the cold switches to a pins and needles burning sensation; my nerves becoming confused. The temptation to tapout is calling my name. Continue Reading…
We all want to be better — fitter, healthier, more skilled, more successful, a more likeable person etc. The trouble is, we rarely stick to the habits it takes to get there.
Most people focus on outcome-based goals like “I want to lose weight” or “I want to run a marathon”. But these are superficial changes. The path to building lasting habits is actually changing your identity. Meaning, if you change the type of person that you believe that you are, then it’s easier to change your actions. Continue Reading…
Deciding to ride the trail means you’re going to face many obstacles, and no matter how much you avert your gaze from the steep rock slab and slippery roots, they’re always there. Similarly, you can go through life trying to drown your pain in addictions, but it’s always there—floating around deep inside.
As in every path, you can only get to your destination by moving forward, one obstacle at a time. The fear of failure and facing the unknown stops many people from progressing, but your inner terrain must be traversed in the journey to recovery.