Times are always changing. This is probably the only constant we have in life–change will occur! We can learn from those changes or keep making the same mistakes. A great book by John C. Maxwell, “Failing Forward”, is a great way to keep learning from our mistakes. The wind at times this week has been really blowing. I go to the Lake to take some pictures, and I can hardly hold the camera steady. I will wait a little bit, and the scenery will change, and a few minutes later, it changes again. That is truly what life has in store for us as well. Our decisions going forward are based on the decisions we made prior to that. It then keeps building. A decision leads to one decision, which then leads to the next, and so on. One day alone has a countless number of decisions that we make, which then leads to the next. At the end of the day, we can wonder, “well what if I had done this, then this would have happened, and then this would have happened”, and on and on it goes. The whole day could have ended up differently. It can change just like the wind. The winds of change!
My friend and training partner Tom joined us this morning for run club after being out for health issues since October. It was great having him back out and going again. It has been a struggle for him and his family, but he is making progress. We don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring, or if we will have a tomorrow, so we need to fully take advantage of today!
Follow those winds. See what changes they have to make. When we are out running, it makes you tougher when you have to go against the wind. I have told my daughter when we are running and the weather is bad, especially wind and cold, that the bad weather “puts hair on your chest”, and then when we turn into the wind it “rips it right off again”! Those winds of change make us better able to adapt to those tough times in our lives. After all is said and done, they make us stronger! Better! Improved!
Spend your days with people who enjoy the same thing as you. And as Kate shows here, we can all learn a lot from kids as well. As adults, we have to be more responsible, but we need to remember to have “some fun along the way” as well. Each of us still has our own inner kid waiting to come out. That too can change like the wind! So, remember, those “winds of change” keep teaching us something. We just have to be paying better attention to them, and not just complaining about them! Keep moving everybody!
Here we are at the top of Black Elk Peak (formerly Harney Peak). We were hiking up last year, and the fog was beginning to roll in. We managed to get to the top and got to experience some incredible views before the fog got so thick, we could hardly see to get back down. You have to learn how to become more resilient in times of adversity. Everyday life involves this as well. You are going along, things are going smoothly, then the frustrations come on, the stress piles on, and then next thing you know it is like hiking in the fog. You are not sure if you are on the right track. Are you going to make the right decisions? Afterall, one decision results in one outcome, which leads to another outcome, and so on. If you make the wrong decision, what is that final outcome going to be? That in and of itself is stressful. You keep going on and trust your instincts. Trust! And count on others around you to help make the right decisions, and actions.
Jill and Paula were running with me last October when we did our first trail run. You “walked” up the hills! We kept pushing each other. We need to rely on that kind of help each day as well.
Some days seem more uphill than others! Keep pushing. Keeping training (not trying–like my blog last week). “What does not kill you makes you stronger!” I have a T-shirt that I will wear to workout when riding inside on the bike: “What does not kill makes you stronger! Except Bears…Bears will kill you!” Ha! It all depends on attitude, and perspective.
Sarah and I are always pushing each other, encouraging each other. There has not been a shortage of adversity lately when it comes to medicine. There are always difficulties to overcome. That is why when you have time off, you need to have it off, and enjoy it! The weather lately has also been difficult to overcome, and it is easy to say we all feel the same. The wind on Saturday was ridiculous again.
The waves were roaring beginning in the afternoon. Some days life is just like the weather. You wonder how you are going to weather the next “storm” that comes on. You just have to remember for all of the challenging times, there are good days that follow.
There are those days when so many things go just perfect. You just wish you could clone those days. But if we did not have the “stormy” days, we really would not appreciate the calm, peaceful ones. You never know what life is going to throw at you. Stay positive. Keep pushing. Just like we may have multiple decisions to make each day, and each of those decisions may influence the next one, if we don’t keep going, we will never find out what those decisions may mean. I was just talking to someone the other day that I wish at times that I had the ability to be able to fast forward time to see how things would turn out. But we don’t have that luxury. We are going to make mistakes. We need to learn from those mistakes. Each “mistake” is a learning opportunity to be able to get it right the next time. Or at least to do better! That is why we “strive to survive”, more so some days than others. It is kind of like golf for me. I rarely go because I am really not very good at it. But, if I hit a good shot, (out of 80 bad shots over 9 holes!), it makes me at least come want to come back for more! Adversity if part of life. It is your life. Make the most out of all of those “experiences of life”. Keep moving everybody!
I am currently reading a new book, titled “The Power to Change”, by Craig Groeschel. It has some very interesting points. In it he talks about how we all have goals. Whatever that goal is for each of us, we try. “You’ve really tried. That’s the problem. Trying doesn’t work. You’ve been trying for too long. Trying never achieves consistent results. We’ve seen it time and time again. The vicious cycle:
You try. You get tired of trying. You quit. You feel embarrassed. You regroup. You try. You get tired of trying.” And on and on it goes. “Trying doesn’t work. Training does.”
What is the difference? “To try is to attempt to do the right thing by exerting effort in the moment. To train is to commit to developing strategic habits that equip you to do the right thing in the moment.”
For me, this hits it right on when it came to me and running a marathon. I was not going to “try” and run a marathon, I was going to “train” to run a marathon. That “training” takes months of dedication, planning, building, outright working, to get ready for a marathon. This goes for everything in life, and all of our goals. You need to “train” for them, not “try”. They are never easy. They require work. It if was not a “goal”, it would not mean much to us. That discipline is going to come down from deep inside each of us. We are in control. That does not mean we cannot get help from others.
When it comes to running, our Watertown Area Run Club helps each other to achieve our running goals. Those running goals are also our personal goals, and life goals. It is not just about running. We join together in one activity to help fulfill whatever goal each of us may have. Friendship and support are at the top of the list.
Our group as a whole allows each of us to “train” to become better, not just at running. We “train” to become better people. We have each other’s backs. Several people always have some personal link to each of us over time.
Tom Beaudry has been one of my “training” partners for decades. There is a reason we are not called “trying” partners. We did not “try” together. We “trained” together. Each one of those “training” partners bring back memories.
Steve Hauck and I “trained” to be able for Steve to finish his first marathon. Then that brought us into the Disney world marathon scene. Oh, the memories that we and our families have had because of it! Running was the initial goal to get us on this track, but “training” is what kept it all together, and the true meaning behind all of it.
Jill Makepeace has been a part of the run club since its inception. Here we are having a squat contest before the Half Marathon then next day in Denver, and the picture of her is blurry because she is moving so fast! Who won? Depends on who you ask! If you ask me, I won. If you ask Jill, she won. But the reality of it all, we both won! We have been running together, for sure on the Sundays every week, for years. We are not out there “trying”, we are out there “training”.
Then, of course, is Sarah. We “train” in running, work, life in general! We are in a continuous training mode for whatever life throws at us. We don’t have to “try”. We “train”. That is the dedication we all have to have in life to be successful and achieve the goals we want. So that is the major point now. Everybody, “Quit trying!”. Get out there and start “Training”. If you want it, truly want it, then train for it. After all is said and done, by “training” for those things in life, they will have more significant meaning. I would rather be known for having “trained” for my life than just “try”! Keep moving everybody…”train” for it!
We had Spring last weekend, Summer in the middle of this week, and now we are back to Winter again! No question this Winter season has been a Long Road journey. Many times, I, We, have wondered whether or not this Winter weather is ever going to end. Then once it does start ending, then we have to worry about flooding coming because of the fast snow melt. You start to wonder when it is ever going to end. You wonder if you can hang on long enough to see improvement. If you do not wonder about this, I would wonder about you! Keep looking down the road. Some days it may be longer than others, but improvement will come if you keep looking forward. That goes for everything that comes in our life. One day things are going great, and then the next you wonder if it can really get any worse. Anxiety promotes fear, and fear of the unknown can just take over at times, and we need to learn how to “let it go”. There will be good days, and bad days. You can’t always have a good day. But you can always face a bad day with a good attitude. Easier said than done! I found a quote that I like looking back at. “Even though there are days I wish I could change some things that happened in the past, there’s a reason the rear-view mirror is so small, and the windshield is so big. Where you’re headed is much more important than what you’ve left behind.” Figure out what is takes to make you happy. Keep working on that…daily! It is not easy. You will have setbacks. Keep learning from those “mistakes” as well. Another quote I like: “The trick is that as long as you know who you are and what makes you happy it doesn’t matter how others see you!”
Keep striving! Keep pushing forward! Keep looking down that long road and know that everyone struggles at times. Stay positive in all of the negative out there! Keep moving everybody!
Happy Easter everyone! Great weekend to get family together and celebrate for all the right reasons of Easter! The weather now is cooperating as well, so everybody could get here without any problems. The girls went shopping on Saturday, and guys all went out to go eat and spend time together. Never a dull moment with little Connor as well!
This is also a great time to be a grandparent too!
Once again, we knew this was going to be fun, but no idea this much fun! We cherish every moment we get to spend with Connor. And, a new little sister will be coming for him in August. A Grand daughter! I can hardly wait!
The family just got to hang out later Saturday afternoon. It is fun just getting to watch Connor eat! It is always a laughing adventure watching him dive into the stuff he really likes to eat!
May your Easter be filled with many thanks, lots of love, and laughter. Spend time celebrating for the right reasons, and appreciate everything, and everybody, you have in your life. Keep moving everybody!
It is time to dispel some rumors–We are NOT retiring! I am not sure how the rumor got started that the two of us were retiring, but it is not even remotely true. I have been doing administrative work for many years now as well, and the time commitment is increasing with this. I have added an extra day in the week to do this but am still working full time seeing patients. I don’t know when we will retire but have no plans for some time yet.
My nurse Chris has been with me since day one starting at Brown Clinic. She was here already 18 years before I started! She could retire but has elected to keep working. Her agreement to keep working hinges on the fact that she will only work with me. Now that is dedication, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that–each and every day!!!
I absolutely love being a Grandpa and will still have time to be doing these activities as well.
Connor has been helping me from the beginning on getting caught up on paperwork over the weekends already!
We still keep working out. Afterall, how can you promote wellness and exercise to our patients if we are not doing it ourselves! We keep running, and always have races and events to be planning for.
You don’t find time to do these other things, you MAKE time for them! We have been doing this for decades. Nothing is changing now either!
We are working the same, and enjoying all those good things, and treats, every day, just like we have for almost 30 years already!
We are both Family Physicians. We take of our family, and your family! This is what we do. We are not having any plans on retiring any time soon. So, help us squash this rumor, and pass this on. Nothing has changed. We adjust to things as they come on, just like we have for the last 29 years. We keep moving, to help you keep moving! So, of course, as I always say, keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day of New Streak: #1463–just passed 4 years!!!!
