mission oriented – Serenity Through Sweat

Idle Hands

Thanks for joining me for another edition of the SerenityThroughSweat blog. We all know the saying “idle hands are the devil’s playthings” and I think that takes on a new meaning under the lense of what we are dealing with now as a nation.

I’ve always been someone who struggles to find calm in stillness. My serenity, as it were, has always come through sweat. Whether it is physical exercise, a complex problem that needs to be worked out, or just projects around the house, my mood is always improved when I am in motion and feel like I have accomplished something that day.

For the last three months prior to my return to work, I was very fortunate to spend quality time home with my wife and two sons. That said, I think every parent can empathize with the feeling of being busy all day with basic family needs, but not “getting anything done”. I think this is especially true for people who tend to be very task/mission oriented. (Read pilots)

So, on my last overnight visiting my Father on his farm in PA, I was delighted to feel like I could do a normal days work, and complete some of those tasks in order to satiate that mission oriented personal drive.

Humans are designed to move, designed to solve problems, and build and create. When we these don’t occur naturally as part of our existence, we artificially manufacturer them. How many problems has stay-at-home created over the past few months that are really just manufactured problems of circumstance, rather than true issues.

I should be clear this is not a post about political protest. Protest in general is a noble and important mission and as a mission oriented person, that is a path I respect. I’m referring to the astounding numbers of people who went from moving from task to task with some general purpose (normally providing for themselves and/or their family and contributing to society) to being forced to stay at home, idle.

It may take a while before we start seeing the full effects of all those idle hands, but that will be a significant factor as we continue to analyze the effects of both Covid-19, as well as the unintended consequences of the combative measures taken against it.

Thanks for joining me, stay safe and stay sweaty my friends.

This week’s SerenityThroughSweat, working on the farm with my dad, finding fitness in hotel rooms with gyms closed, and some sweaty miles over the causeway in midday Sarasota.

Happy Mother’s Day

Thanks for joining me for another edition of the SerenityThroughSweat blog. Being a father of two sons I spend a lot of time discussing fatherhood, masculinity, and lessons I want to pass on to my boys. With Mother’s Day today, I want to spend some time appreciating the women who shape our lives.

Pilot’s tend to be very mission/task oriented. You wouldn’t want your pilot to say “well folks our flight from NY to LA didn’t go exactly as planned, but we got you to Reno and that’s close enough”. The mission is NY to LA and the expectation is that the professionals up front will deal with whatever complications come up in order to complete the mission safely. That mindset is something I picked up from my mother at a young age.

I remember going to my mom’s office after school and stuffing benefits enrollment package envelopes so that they could go out on time. As a young kid, stuffing envelopes wasn’t the most fun task, and I’m sure I complained just as much as I helped. But, the lesson that you adapt to your situation and complete the mission was clearly there, and looking back, it’s something I’m grateful for.

Finding creative ways to solve problems and take care of your family is about as badass a mom skill as there is.

When we first started dating, one of the many reasons I was initially attracted to my wife was her ability to take on challenges and adapt. Covid-19 has given me even more reason to appreciate the strength and grace of my wife especially in her role as a mother.

Giving birth at home in the middle of a global pandemic (with the midwife still enroute) she made the day seem like any other day with her calm demeanor and poise. She has found the mental bandwidth to work from home, care for our newborn, parent our toddler, and still keep me on my toes when I lose my way. She has navigated the mental headspace of this unusual situation with the strength and grace that only a mother can.

I’m so grateful to have such strong women in my life, and I hope that my sons grow to appreciate them as much as I do. They are tremendous leaders, teachers, and nurturers, and they help everyone the come in contact with get a little closer to Serenity.

Happy Mother’s Day, I love you both.

Thanks for joining me, stay safe and stay sweaty my friends.