Dystopian Shopping

Thanks for joining me for another edition of the SerenityThroughSweat blog. There is a lot of craziness going on in the world today and obviously there are lots of different ways to approach it. Trying to find the silver lining, I have had a lot more time for acts of self betterment, parenting, reading, drawing, exercise, mobility work… The list goes on.

I recently finished Altered Carbon a 2002 book by Richard Morgan that was recently turned into a Netflix special. In a dystopian future where human consciousness is recorded and transferrable between bodies, death has less to do with your physical entity and more to do with your downloadable content. In the book I found a wonderfully telling passage that made me think about some of our current struggle with COVID-19.

The man character Takeshi Kovacs, is on his way to go shopping for some new clothes and weaponry for his job as a private investigator. He has a flashback to a life he lived over a hundred years ago in a different body (I know that sounds weird, but the point of the book is downloading human consciousness into different bodies) and a discussion about shopping. To paraphrase, he used to think shopping was a mundane activity of necessity. You need something, you go to a place to procure it and the transaction is complete. His memory of the conversation that changes his mind is then brought forth.

His friend from a former life explains that we have the technology to doorstep deliver everything we need, but shopping as a physical activity, has never been phased out of human culture. Despite having the technology to remove it altogether, society has subconsciously decided that shopping is a physical activity that satiates a human desire for accumulation and interaction. It is a part of our culture and wired into us like DNA.

A captain I flew with once proudly told me he refused to pay for a cup of coffee at a hotel when they told him it cost $5 for just a black coffee. I told him I agree that $5 for a cup of black coffee is expensive but I don’t mind paying for a story. Tell me about the farmer who grew the beans and where they were grown. Tell me about the buyer who traveled there and bought them and roasted them. Tell me about the barista who stocked them and the method used to brew them. If the answer is Folgers from the grocery store, then probably not a good value for $5. (Sorry to pick on Folgers, no hard feelings) But, if there is a story and multiple human interactions involved, now we are filling in some human needs, and I can appreciate where my money is going.

I think this is an insidious part of the challenge that we are currently facing. Even if you have some financial stability, and you have a few days worth of supplies in your home, there is still a longing for human interaction outside of the dwelling that no amount of Netflix or virtual museum tour will satiate. The act of shopping, strolling through a farmers market, perusing the produce aisle, or simply trying to decide on dinner, are all cultural behaviors that have been ripped away suddenly like an old band-aid.

As we struggle to embrace the changes to our everyday routines, technology like home delivery and curbside pickup are powerful tools. But it is also important to remember what we want to get back to, which is that most basic of human interactions. I hope that we can all maintain some modicum of serenity, until that time.

Thanks for joining me and stay sweaty my friends.

This week in social distancing has changed my normal workout pattern, but I was able to spend some more time on two wheels than I otherwise would have. One ride with El Duderino where we saw an alligator which he now needs to hear the story of every night before bed. And the other was some much needed time with Layla, my Tri bike.

Paradigm Shift

There is a lot of craziness in the world right now. There is great cause for anxiety and fear, but also great cause for optimism. Following Maslow’s hierarchy, I think we are all due for a reset and a paradigm shift.

If you aren’t familiar with Maslow’s hierarchy, it goes like this. There are different levels of human needs which must be met in a ascending order prior to moving on to the next step. The idea is, as humans we are motivated by these needs until they are fulfilled. The hierarchy goes: physiological, safety, love, esteem, and self actualization.

Prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, most readers of this blog where probably oscillating between levels 3-5. Not worrying about their job, where their next meal was coming from and having at least some form of social support structure either family or friends. The last two levels are tricky to obtain and maintain, and while Serenity through Sweat as an idea is a big part of it for me, they are largely “first world struggles”.

This pandemic will change a lot of that. We are just starting to see large scale closures in the U.S. The larger economic, social, and emotional/psychological impacts have yet to manifest. But, it is likely many of us will be focusing on primarily on levels 1-3 in the hierarchy for the next few months.

Like I started the post with, this can be a cause for anxiety and fear but also an incredible opportunity. This will be an opportunity to find our own strength, creativity, and innovation. An opportunity to solve problems we weren’t aware we had, and sure up holes in a system we were complacent with.

It’s also a time to shift our focus and realign our world view. My paradigm for this blog has been (as my bio states) as a father, a husband, a pilot, and a lifelong athlete. For the immediate future I’m not doing a whole lot of flying. A global pandemic and an immuno compromised pregnant wife and soon to be newborn don’t mix. I find peace in physical exertion and movement, (SerenityThroughSweat, duh) but anything with a group is out for the near future as well. That leaves half of my self described bio in some form of disrepair.

I’m fortunate enough to be in a place where I can still focus on my higher needs (3-5) at least for the time being. I’m nervous and excited to lean in to what that paradigm shift will be. More time focusing on being a better father and a husband, and filling the holes left from the other two large aspects of my life.

I hope that we are all able to see the silver lining in this global event. I hope that we can all shift our paradigms, to realign on that which is most important. And I hope we can each find our own little slice of Serenity.

Thanks for joining me, and stay sweaty my friends.

Today’s SerenityThroughSweat, chasing “stinky dirty” around the neighborhood in the jogging stroller for some morning miles.

Facilitate the Exchange

I attended the Florida Institute of Technology for the better part of a decade.  I graduated early with a BS in Aviation Management with Flight, and then continued part time eventually finishing my Masters in Airport Management and Development.  The primary purpose of my higher education was always to place myself in the cockpit, but because both degrees are management relayed, I took a lot of business courses.

I have never been terribly excited by business and especially by business classes, but I always appreciate an opportunity to learn. A large portion of that material has been filed away or lost due to disuse, but one thing my marketing professor said always stuck with me.

I don’t remember a whole lot about that class, and I dont even remember his name, but I remember him telling us that marketing is just facilitating the exchange of goods between the seller and the buyer. That phrase and that concept was something that I have used and referred to in multiple different contexts ever since then.

In the marketing sense, facilitating the exchange is about bring buyers of goods and sellers of good together, whether they were looking for each other initially or not. Outside of marketing I use it in many different ways but it is mostly about making things easier or convenient. If there are other people involved, remove the roadblocks to the desired outcome.

In a fitness context I use this idea to remove all my excuses to train. I plan out my week and hold myself accountable. If I need to wake up early, I’ll set my alarm, lay out my gear, and do any prep work I can the night before. With social distancing now in full effect I’ve removed myself from the BJJ gym, but running, cycling, kettlebells, sandbags, and the Monkii system are all tools at my disposal. If I’m in dad mode all day I’ll run with the stroller or do push-ups with El Duderino on my back. The point is I do what I can to facilitate my fitness

In a personal context, facilitating the exchange can not only help you achieve the outcome you want, but make it a win-win for everyone involved. When talking to your children or your partner instead of saying “do you need any help?” you can say “how can I help you?”. The subtle difference facilitates the main idea (you helping), and directs them down a pathway to make sure that help comes in a way that is needed. If you are asking for someone’s help, do the homework first. Understand your question and what it is you really need before asking someone else to solve your problem. Make it easier for them to provide their assistance

As we continue this period of uncertainty around Covid-19, remove the roadblocks to spending time with your loved ones in person if it is safe to do so, or digitally otherwise. Facilitate time for your well being, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Facilitate communication especially on difficult topics, health, finance, politics, with your spouse, neighbors, employers as needed. Facilitate the way to a better you, regardless of the chaos and craziness of the outside world

Thanks for joining me and stay sweaty my friends.

Today’s Serenity through Sweat, 5 miles in the mid day Florida sun.

Stockpiling

Welcome to 2020, where the American people have become hoarders of toilet paper. As a husband of a pregnant wife, there is plenty to be concerned about the current events, and as a long time resident of Florida, I’m no stranger to the histeria that leads to stockpiling supplies. That being said, there is one thing I’m always stockpiling, and it is a huge asset to have in your backup plan.

I’m talking about fitness, overall wellbeing, and of course serenity. Obviously any fitness and/or wellbeing pursuit is valuable in and of itself. It also caries its own sort of insurance against future uncertainty. Whatever happens, or doesn’t happen, you will be in a better place to deal with it from a place of fitness, general wellbeing, and serenity.

This is even more important when there is a known or forecast period of uncertainty ahead. Who knows where this virus will end up, public places especially ones where multiple people are sweating and touching communal surfaces might end up being shut down temporarily. Will you be any worse off if you “stockpile your fitness”.

As a father expecting a new child soon, I know my sleep and my free time will be limited. Extra training now will help carry me into that period of uncertainty and leave me better off to return to regular training after what will inevitably be a period of reduced fitness load (although caring for a newborn is a full time routine of its own).

Mental and emotional wellbeing should be treated the same way. Know you have a stressful project coming up at work, or some other challenging life event on the horizon? Just like trying to build momentum before climbing a hill on your bike, building a positive mental and emotional foundation can help carry you through times of uncertainty.

So stop stashing supplies and switch to stockpiling strength, stamina, swagger, sweat, and serenity. All alliteration aside, when a sinister storm suddenly sneaks up, you’ll be all set. Next to the rice, beans, toilet paper, and beer, don’t forget to leave room for all the serenity and sweat.

Thanks for joining me and stay sweaty my friends.

Today’s Serenity through Sweat, chasing “stinky dirty” the garbage truck on a stroller run to the playground with El Duderino. Some simple and sinister kettlebells during his nap, and some mobility work in the bottom of the squat position while he is potty training.

The Trinity Nature of Serenity Through Sweat

Thanks for joining me for another edition of the SerenityThroughSweat blog. Today I want to talk about what SerenityThroughSweat means to me or realistically all of the different things it means to me.

I grew up Roman Catholic and one of the main tenants and most difficult to fully comprehend is the nature of the Holy Trinity. Without getting into to much Dogma, Catholics believe in three essences with the same being of God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but all one God.

I feel very similarly about Serenity Through Sweat. To me the Trinity of Serenity Through Sweat is a momentary feeling, a journey, and a destination.

The momentary feeling can show itself in a lot of different forms. Some might call it a runners high. For others it might be the quiet solitude and mental clarity after a workout. It might be a PR or a technique you hit in a roll for the first time. The point is, it is fleeting feeling. Part of the beauty and the allure is that it is fleeting and it leaves you chasing more.

Which leads us to the journey. If you chase enough of those fleeting moments, you can eventually find an appreciation for journey. The habits and relationships formed while seeking the moments, become a source of pleasure, especially if you can already them in the present, and not just in retrospect. Finding joy in the journey also helps deepen the appreciation of the moments.

Finally, we have Serenity as a destination. This idea constantly eludes me and I find it a bit ethereal and hard to pin down a definition. The characteristics of the destination tend to shift and change with my mood as I think about it. Most of the time I think about a mental state of peace (hence Serenity through Sweat). I should clarify this doesn’t mean a state without struggle, but rather a state that embraces and appreciates, rather than laments the struggle. I think about a mental state of Zen whereby the path to the mental state of serenity is paved with our sweat, physically mentally and emotionally. I’m not sure if this is a mental state or destination that is actually achievable, or if it is more of a “shoot for the moon and you’ll land in the stars” type of destination.

All three parts are separate and have their own important place, but all three parts also build off of each other to make the whole idea greater.

Today’s Serenity Through Sweat was an 8 mile hike in the Bay’s Mountain recreation area. Last night I stayed up to watch the UFC card and ate at Buffalo wild wings while watching. As a result, I spent the better part of the hike doing some epic butt clenching to avoid what would have otherwise been an explosive situation.

I did have a really cool moment where I stumbled upon some friends. I say stumbled because I hiked with one headphone in and one ear open. This let me catch up on some JRE as well as be somewhat in tune with my surroundings. I had just finished listening to Adam Curry, and had just queued up Gary Clark Jr and Suzzane Santo who were jamming when I heard a very faint rustling.

There were seven of them in total and they weren’t the least but phased by me being there. I took a few moments to appreciate how lucky I am to have these cool experiences, especially while at work on a layover. Another moment of Serenity, another brick laid on the path.

Thanks for joining me and stay sweaty my friends.

Peaceful Vs. Harmless

Thanks for joining me here at the SerenityThroughSweat blog, this is the third of a three post series that all kind of ties together. The previous posts (Finding Calm in the Chaos, and Fostering Comfort) are available here, and set the stage for today’s post.

To summarize, finding calm in the chaos is a mental skill of being able to relax within ourselves when things start going crazy. The only way to do that is to actively put ourselves in uncomfortable situations and develop a level of comfort there. In today’s post we will talk about testing those theories so they can be managed and improved.

Most of us probably have a friend, family member, or co-worker, who we can describe as calm. But what does that mean, and how does it help us on our way to serenity? The following quote from Stefan Grant got me thinking about our calm and comfort discussion, “you cannot truly call yourself peaceful unless you are capable of great violence, if you aren’t capable of violence, you aren’t peaceful you’re harmless, important distinction”

As a martial artist and a lifelong grappler, this speaks volumes to me, and it is a paradigm that I believe most martial artists have, often times without realizing it. When practicing any technique that has the potential to harm a training partner or an opponent, a certain level of restraint and personal mastery is required. Those that lack this restraint are generally weeded out entirely or exist only on the fringes. This is the heart of the case for being peaceful instead of harmless. Skilled practitioners who are able to continue training without hurting their partners/opponents, are capable of violence, but are also capable of harnessing that violence into a peaceful practice.

I believe the same mindset applies to calm and comfort. If you haven’t fostered your comfort or calm from a place of discomfort, you aren’t comfortable, you are complacent. Only by fostering a sense of comfort through times of discomfort, whether naturally occurring or manufactured, can we truly be comfortable. Just like a man can only be brave when he is afraid, he can only be comfortable and calm when amidst chaos. This is the measure by which we can test ourselves.

I think it is a fair assumption to say that calm, comfortable, and peaceful are all desirable qualities. So in turn, managed and risk assessed, violence, chaos, and discomfort, should be embraced as learning tools and opportunities. I should point out this IS NOT me advocating for violence or chaos in a classical sense. But, it is possible to describe lifting weights in a controlled but violent manner. You can have a training roll or wrestling match that is chaotic. You can have large portions of workouts that are both physically and mentally uncomfortable. All of these can also describe family or professional situations. How many times could you have described your work day as chaotic? These words (violence, chaos, discomfort) are merely descriptors, and can take on different connotations based on contextual intentions.

The path to Serenity through Sweat is paved with uncomfortable, chaotic, and violent scenarios. And navigating that path requires us to find our calm, foster our comfort and maintain a peaceful practice. Luckily for us, the path is long and the opportunities are many.

Thanks for joining me and stay sweaty my friends.

Today’s Serenity through Sweat, 10 miles on the Buffalo Bayou trail and then some mobility work for the #14daymobility challenge.

Fostering Comfort

Thanks for joining me for the second of a three part post. The previous post (Finding Calm in the Chaos) talks about the mental space required to push through when we start feeling overwhelmed, this post will talk a little about how we can build that skill.

There is a line in the first chapter of the first book of game of thrones where Ned Stark lays down some serious wisdom to his young son Bran. Bran is about to watch his first execution “bran thought about it, ‘Can a man still be brave if he is afraid?’. ‘That is the only time he can be brave’ his father told him.”

The lesson here is something that transcends literature and the father son dynamic. The true accomplishment worthy of recognition, is the overcoming of the obstacle, being brave when you are afraid. Being brave absent of fear is uneducated bravado, but overcoming fear in spite of the knowledge and understanding of it, is worthy of praise. The same can be said for fostering comfort in uncomfortable situations. It is only an accomplishment to cultivate a sense of comfort in an otherwise uncomfortable situation.

One of the things that I appreciate having wrestled and grappled for the majority of my life is the plethora of opportunity to foster comfort in uncomfortable situations. Not that this is a skill that is easy to develop, but grappling, especially during formative years provides plenty of opportunity to develop the skill.

It is also a skill that largely defines the arena of triathlon. The argument can be made that a grappler can find success because of his/her ability to be more comfortable than the opponent, or because of technical advantage. In triathlon, most competitors are on the same technical playing field when it comes to running, cycling, and swimming, or at least close enough to not make a huge difference, especially in the long courses. So often times the difference comes down to who can be the most comfortable when pushing into that uncomfortable zone.

Being comfortable in uncomfortable positions can be bit of an ambiguous idea, so I’ll define what it means to me. The ability to maintain composure, deescalate breathing and heart rate, and think tactically while under some form of duress, are critical skills in both sport and life. This is also a skill that can only be improved within itself.

For example if you want to run faster you obviously have to run, but you might also stretch, lift, or do plyometrics.  The skill of running faster can be improved outside of running, by different forms of cross training. There is no cross training for being uncomfortable. Learning how to be comfortable, can only happen by repeatedly being exposed to uncomfortable situations.

Being comfortable in uncomfortable situations is a skill that builds on itself, meaning, the better you get at it, the more you can do it. The greater ability you have to remain calm under pressure, the longer you can stay under pressure and still perform. Similar to swimming, the better you are at it, the faster you can go with less effort. This is also a skill that can translate to your personal and professional life as well.

Maybe it is a group project at work with some interpersonal friction that is causing an uncomfortable situation. Or it could be a tricky parenting decision, but either way, maintaining composure and thinking tactically (finding comfort) is the key to navigating these uncomfortable situations.

Next time you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, try to dig in and embrace it. Maintain to your composure and appreciate the opportunity to grow the skill of fostering comfort. Once you’ve got that down you can start to manufacture your own discomfort to improve your adaptation response (similar to what we talked about in smooth seas). Being comfortable in uncomfortable situations can help us all on the journey towards Serenity.

Thanks for joining me and stay sweaty my friends.

Today’s Serenity through sweat, 30min peleton HIIT ride and some simple and sinister KBs, and then some mobilization work from The Ready State

Finding Calm in the Chaos

It’s 2:45 in the morning and I’ve just finished a much needed guys night with some great friends. It’s things like this that remind me to try to take stock of events as they are happening.

It is a skill that is easier said than done. Finding calm in the Chaos is a skill, and the ironic part is you have to put yourself in Chaos’s way continuously, in order to refine the skill.

I had done a number of triathlons before Ironman FL in 2013, but nothing prepared me for the swim start. I had done numerous open water swims both solo and within a race context, but nothing was the caliber of 1500 athletes scrambling over top of each other for position.

There were several moments within the first 10 minutes of the race where I thought about giving up. This was an event I had trained for specifically for 6 months and had signed up for more than a year in advance. A goal I had been training for, for years. And I saw it all, realistically coming to an end, minutes after it began.

I have described it to people by saying, “the first 10 minutes, I touched more people than water”. That goes a long way for describing a swim in the gulf of Mexico. But, after those first 10 excruciating minutes, I was able to settle in to the familiar calm of my training. I had put in enough training time to find calm in the chaos of both my mind and the outer world. At a certain point, they are much the same.

Obviously there are things within our control and those that are outside of our control. But often the greatest challenges we face are those mental barriers that we set for ourselves. Being able to find calm within the chaos in a gym setting, will help you better navigate the problems that may arise in the boardroom or cubicle.

Struggling mentally and physically, or, finding calm in the chaos, is a transferable skill, and something you can get better with, with practice. We can all cultivate in ourselves the the inner strength to persevere, if we can only reach for it in our most desperate hour.

After a very rocky IM swim start, I was able to not only beat my swim time goal, but beat my overall race goal. Finding calm in the chaos was the saving grace for my race and for my overall perspective. It is a hard earned skill that contributes to pay dividends.

Thank for joining me and stay sweaty my friends.

Today’s Serenity through sweat, some and sinister with the 24kg kettlebell after NoGi class at Orlando BJJ

Average Americans

One of the habits I’m building as part of Serenity through Sweat is continuing education. Reading materials that are intellectually stimulating, whether it is physical education, history, finance, trying to balance both pleasure reading as well as books of substance. With a contract negotiation ongoing at work, I figured it would be a good time to dive into economics, and I had heard about John Maynard Keynes and Keynsian economics, so I figured I would give it a try.

I’ll say first off, that I am not particularly mathematically inclined, and a large portion of Keynes’s formulas from The General Theory of Employment Interest and Money went right over my head. The book was a beautifully written compilation of intricate math formulas, new (at the time of publication) economic theories, and scathing critiques of his fellow economic theorists, all backed up with his aforementioned formulas.

Since the book was written in 1936, there is an eloquence in the prose that doesn’t exist anymore, but some of the critiques remind me of the sensational internet “burns” that we are accustomed to now, (albiet with much better facts and research)

I was also surprised how much I was able to take away from the book outside of purely economic information. Keynes, in order to form his economic theories, had to be a keen observer of human behavior. After all, the theories must be able to hold true not only in the vacuum of an academic text, but also in the messiness that is human civilization. And, despite the many changes our world has gone through since 1936 much of that observed human behavior and psychology still rings true.

Keynes writes of picking stocks “Even outside the world of finance, Americans are apt to be unduly interested in discovering what average opinion believes average opinion to be, and this national weakness finds its nemesis in the stock market”

This observation on picking stocks in the 30’s is extremely profetic decades later with the rise of social media. It is easy to be concerned with what we think works for everyone else, rather than what works and is best for ourselves. From fad diets, to trendy exercises, to fashion, how often are we true to ourselves, and how often are we more concerned with what the average American thinks? (As an aside this is a slippery slope that leads to Faking the Funk)

Regarding the long term investor Keynes writes, “For it is in the essence of his behavior that he should be eccentric, unconventional, and rash in the eyes of average opinion. If he is successful that will only confirm the belief in his rashness; and if in the short term he is unsuccessful, which is very likely, he will not receive much mercy. Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally.”

When it comes to Serenity through Sweat, we are long term investors in ourselves. It is easy to get caught up in what average opinion believes is the best path forward, but much more rewarding to blaze our own trail and succeed unconventionally.

Thanks for joining me, and stay sweaty my friends.

Today’s Serenity through Sweat, simple and sinister with the 24kg and a 5k while El Duderino was down for his nap with Mommy.

Faking the Funk

I picked up archery as a new hobby a few months ago and I’ve been consuming a lot of archery related information online. YouTube, podcasts, blogs, there is a ton of wonderful information available for free, what a time to be alive.

One of the podcasts I listen to frequently is the Bowjunky podcast by Greg Poole, and Greg frequently says something that makes me chuckle. Used in a variety of situations Greg will caution his listeners against “faking the funk”

All alliteration aside, faking the funk is a fantastic description of the majority of social media posts and fits in with the overall theme of the last few Serenity through Sweat posts. This week we have talked about measuring metrics and data, logging and posting those items for others to see, and now to bring it full circle, based on the content you put out, are you faking the funk?

This concept of faking the funk is something I’ve been aware of and have danced the line of since highschool. My nickname on the wrestling team in highschool was Woody, as a tribute to woody harrelson’s character in “white men can’t jump”. I would show up to tournaments in tye dye pajama pants and a ratty worn down hoody and look like a chump. This was a style all my own and I could back up my questionable fashion choices with my performance on the mat.

In college I continued the trend in my ultimate frisbee days playing on a team clad in Speedos. The message was always don’t take yourself too serious, but be able to back up your bravado. This tradition has continued to be passed down to the team through the alumni group and the message is consistent.

A lot of those same alumni from the speedo teams ventured into the triathlon community, another area rife with people taking themselves too serious and faking the funk. So we’ve come together to form the TriGoodBeer triathlon team and the BadAssRaceFans (BARF) cheering and morale section. This group is composed of some serious athletes with some incredible athletic achievements, but all of whom can have fun with themselves in the moment.

It’s easy to get wrapped around the axle tracking training metrics, logging workouts, and sharing to social media, especially if you have some sort of incentive to do so. It’s easy to start putting out a persona and eventually faking the funk.

That being said, you can’t fake a marathon. You have to put one foot in front of the other until all 26.2 are done. You can’t fake an archery scoring round, you shoot all your arrows and hold yourself accountable for where they land. When you show up to train, only you know whether you trained or whether you sat on the sidelines.

Wrapping up this three post series, measure what you want, and post what you want, but you can’t fake your way to serenity, and you can’t fake good old fashioned hard work and sweat. If you are true to yourself and don’t take yourself too serious, serenity is probably already one step closer.

Thanks for joining me and stay sweaty my friends.