It’s tough to stay on track. You’re so overwhelmed with the constant flow of information that sometimes, you just break down from the fatigue of it all. What’s worse, is that no matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to get ahead, you’re stuck in a hopeless cycle of trailing behind the leader.
The feeling of hopelessness stemming from self-comparison has always been my greatest downfall. While it sometimes can be a strength that keeps me humble, it’s also a debilitating weakness in keeping me playing small. My self-comparison is only amplified further with the seemingly perfect lives of those shared on social media as compared to the profoundly flawed life I live.
The Reason for This Blog
The most magnificent reflections in my life come to me when I work out. There are all kinds of science behind why your mind opens up when you’re in beast mode. It’s the reason why many people become addicted to body movement in the first place -myself included.
Before each workout, I set an intention to learn something about my life and world. And then, I record it on this blog to encapsulate my thoughts and then share them with you.
What Was My Intention?
My intention for this workout is to reflect on my need to compare and put others on pedestals far higher than my own. Deep inside, I want to play a bigger role in my life, but I’m forcing myself to continually play small to those who I look up to.
How Did I Feel Before?
After yesterday’s workout of climbing 2 CN Towers worth of stairs, my legs felt a little sluggish making the flight of stairs to my office this morning. For the first time in over a week, my mental picture feels much better as I admired the beauty of the simple things once again. I can feel the alignment between my body and mind taking shape.
What Did I Do?
- Treadmill: 10 km run with intense inclines at a 5:05 km/min pace.
- Some biceps and triceps work.
- Ab set on the mats.
How Do I Feel After?
Wowsers! My body feels like a rubber chicken and my legs are worn out! I had a lot of pent up energy, and now that is gone. It was a fantastic workout! My mind and body are once again reunited, I can feel a good day coming tomorrow.
What Did I Learn?
As I did my workout in solitude, I realized that there is no pedestal for anyone, including myself. I am equal in greatness to anyone around me, there is nobody above me and certainly nobody beneath me. Your life is a zero-sum game, you come into the world with nothing, and you leave with nothing; therefore, in living, there is no need to compare yourself to anyone else. In the end, we will all be the same and there is hope to be gained in knowing that.