I will start by drawing your attention to one of my favorite presentations on action. This is from 'The Art of Manliness' (Art of Manliness) and, while it is directed to men, I am certain this principle applies to all. This video is 8 minutes long, and please give it your attention.
Art of Maniliness, How to Feel Like a Man.
Take action.
Do that which becomes the person you desire to be, even if you don't 'feel like it'.
My first step:
I would like to be real outdoorsy. However, I lack a truly deep connection to nature which I see in a few friends and family. This summer, I addressed that. I saw my desire to be outdoorsy, and then realized there were obstacles preventing that deeper connection. I hesitate to camp in a tent in the backcountry, to swim in a backcountry lake, and to get caught in the rain while hiking. One of my favorite hiking destinations is Alaska Basin, just to the Southwest of the Tetons. This summer, I resolved to be that guy. While I didn't justify staying overnight, and the weather was great, I realized I needed to consider swimming in Mirror Lake. It's stunningly beautiful there, and the water was breathtakingly cold.
But I went in.
Twice.
Swam a grand total of 15 feet, maybe.
This experience opened my eyes. Not just because it was frigid, but because I had now done the thing which the guy I wanted to be does.
Not only do I now feel more at home in nature, but I just became, on a small degree, the guy that did the thing, that the guy I want to be, would do.
My floating life has begun to end, strangely enough with a swim.
It is only through a deliberate life, I might become the guy I want to be.
I always thought you were an outdoorsy kind of guy. Most of your facebook pics seem to of an outdoorsy nature. Didn't I hear that you went camping for part of your honeymoon?
ReplyDeleteDeliberate is a good word. It denotes method, thinking, and purpose; not actions for actions' sake.
I had the fortune to be able to take a lot of outdoor ed classes went I went back to school, i too wanted to become more the outdoors person I wanted to be. I felt uncomfortable with my safety and knowledge oh, so those classes helped me a lot oh, but I also found that it really does take just getting your stuff together and getting out the door and actually going out. It also helps to have someone to go with oh, they're only for safety but especially if they also know what they're doing.
ReplyDeleteI have fun. I will not always have someone to go with, but still need to get out there to get more experience, and just be happy :-)