Mission is to Carry On

Had one of our regulars admit to me after yesterday’s rocking spin class that she suffers from Imposter Syndrome. She is extremely successful, talented, a business owner, a world traveler, tri-lingual and as personable a person you will ever want to meet. She and her husband just returned from three months in Palm Springs, a locale significantly warmer and drier than our Pacific Northwest moss museum. I never suspected this of her. Very ironic. 

Because the theme of our session was threefold:

1) Acceptance of the reality of your current state of physical fitness.

2) Forgiveness of past events that have contributed its less than optimal status.

3) Firm commitment to move forward with patience, focus, and peaceful balance. 

Steering the group towards visions of their ‘best selves’, we avoid the most common potholes, pratfalls and detours. From our experience and practice we had identified many hazards that await each of us once we embark on the sacred journey. Granting the fact that actual hazards will vary by individual circumstance, we offer support and encouragement to those negotiating the battlefield for the first time. Or the fifth. Or the fiftieth. Here are a few  

you might be familiar with.

Distraction. 

Arrogance.

Ignorance.

Sloth.

Depression.

Guilt.

Addiction.

Fear.

I have yet to meet the perfectly balanced person. Everyone has a cross to bear, an emotional scar or two and anxiety over something uncontrollable. When we offer solutions, opportunities and options that have the potential to combine the most powerful threesome known to us; the strength of the body, the immense power of the mind and the universal compassion of the soul, we offer it to everyone, regardless of their pedigree, hue, status, IQ or any combination of physical, emotional or religious status. Somewhere between darkness and enlightenment, we are all stumbling towards that thing we call happiness. It has long been my belief that our physicality represents the major percentage contributing to the success of that noble quest. It has been suggested that good health is 90% of happiness. Whomever said that (first) in my opinion was a pessimist. 

So here we are. Another day to improve upon yesterday and indeed our entire body of work. Those myriad decisions, choices, best guests, mistakes, losses, hurts, joys and victories. All of it, every bit. 

Every workout, ride, run, lap in the pool, trip to the beach, visit to the sick, kind word to neighbor, toss of tennis ball to chocolate lab, mention of praise to teammate, time spent with kids, meal prepared, book read, mantra voiced, lawn mowed, carburetor cleaned and corruption cited, are all the atoms that comprise us. Are we truly what we think? Are we really what we eat? Is this predestined? Do we actually have a choice?

We do. I chose to relentlessly move in the direction of my vision of my better self. That means work, effort, study, play, forgiveness and gratitude. It means sharing. It means random acts of kindness and going the extra kilometer. It means wearing the moccasins of those whose values vary from mine. 

It means moving gracefully and with awareness through the battlefield others have built in the greedy political attempt to control my consent. 

They are the imposters. Corrupt, implicit, immoral, shameful and criminal. 

Our mission is to carry on.