Life Will Never Let You Outrun Yourself

It had been quite some time since my last road trip here. A four hour drive west to visit some lifelong friends, a visit long delayed and long overdue.

On many a previous trip the younger me would often wonder what my life would look and feel like if I were to pack everything up and physically relocated to this area. A beautiful part of the world, a beautiful place to start anew.

The only problem?

I’d be taking me with me.

The same me I’d been trying to run away from.

My unending search for whatever I felt was missing in my life always lead me to search in places I would never actually find it. Especially since I wasn’t even sure what it was I was hoping to find. Running away from What Is can take many different forms, not just physically moving into a new ZIP code. Distractions in the form of alcohol, stimulants, avoidance, denial, big ideas, and even blame all seem Continue reading “Life Will Never Let You Outrun Yourself” →

The Art Of Overcoming The Discomfort Of Growth

I think it was Kaylee’s first day working the register. The long line certainly didn’t ease any of her nervousness as she cautiously entered each item into the POS terminal.

Everyone in line demonstrated an admirable level of patience as she worked under the guidance of the store manager standing by her side. Even I demonstrated my own admirable level of patience as I awaited Kaylee to ring up the two large iced teas I held in my hands. Patience in these types of situations wasn’t something I was known for. Age brings with it a new level of awareness and maturity and I was able to give Kaylee the space she deserved to be new at something.

Hey, at some point in our lives we’ve all been new at something, right?

But did we always give ourselves a safe space for us to be new at something? To allow ourselves to be imperfect in the process?

Sometimes New comes with the expectation that I will seamlessly grasp that something New rather quickly. That my learning curve will not be a curve at all. That I am somehow exempt from the process Continue reading “The Art Of Overcoming The Discomfort Of Growth” →

Indignity, Indifference, And The Contemplation Of Freedom

“Man’s greatness consists in his ability to do and the proper application of his powers to things needed to be done.” – Frederick Douglass

Honestly, it’s not something I give much thought to.

The contemplation of freedom.

Like breathing, I guess it’s one of those things I’ve always enjoyed which is probably an underlying reason as to why I simply take it for granted.

On a visit to the city of my birth I made an unscheduled stop to the recently-opened Abolition Row Park in New Bedford. It is a relatively small park with a very big story to tell. Abolition Row Park sits across from two important buildings, both of which have been designated as National Historic Landmarks. Both of these buildings played significant roles as stations in the Underground Railroad sheltering escaped Slaves in a city which was an abolitionist haven. It was here in 1838 that Frederick Douglass was able to secure his freedom.

I cannot do the story of Frederick Douglass justice, not in this short format. His was an extraordinary life, his voice as an orator, writer, publisher, and preacher a significant and powerful voice in the abolitionist movement globally.

One of the most striking elements to be found in Abolition Row Park is a statue of Douglass. It’s not a Continue reading “Indignity, Indifference, And The Contemplation Of Freedom” →

Sometimes Commitment Hurts

Meloxican.

15 milligrams once per day.

“That’s should help with the inflammation.”

I’d never taken Meloxicam before. But I’d never been in such pain. A perhaps-overly-ambitious 10k run through the streets of my hometown eventually lead to a doctor’s visit. The tightness on the inside of my right knee kept getting tighter, especially when I finally finished my run. Walking had become an unexpected casualty as I hobbled my way back to the car.

Ouch.

I’ve run this particular course several times, although it had been a little while since I’ve done so. I wasn’t as prepared as I had hope to be, but I did commit to running this run and I decided to honor that commitment.

Sometimes commitments hurt.

I’ve got a good relationship with commitments these days. Especially with the commitments I make to myself. Those were the types of commitments I had a hard time keeping. One of the most significant growth milestones I’ve achieved upon my meandering life’s journey was embracing those promises I would make to myself. I was no longer willing to let myself down. I deserved better from me for me.

Commitments are a vital component of growth. Without it there is no growth.

Sometimes commitments do hurt. Growth often comes with a price, and often that price is pain. With my run, the pain was decidedly physical. But growth can come with emotional pain as well. Some may not understand the process you’re willing to put yourself through in order to achieve a goal Continue reading “Sometimes Commitment Hurts” →

Unmute Yourself

8 billion people in this world, but you are the only one who can do this.

Creation is always intentional. It doesn’t dabble in random. All that has been created has a divine purpose within it, and that purpose was intended to be nurtured and fully expressed. That purpose is a voice, our own voice, and we are the only one who can bring it to the world.

If we chose to.

Sometimes we chose not to.

Sometimes we may feel our voice is unimportant, insignificant. We question our worth and even our worthiness of having been given anything of importance to offer the world, especially if others may have somehow planted any seeds of doubt within us which may have taken root. So we play small, and when we do we silence a voice only we are qualified to express.

Our own.

Your voice? It takes the form of the unique collection of talent, gifts, and abilities only you have been Continue reading “Unmute Yourself” →

Perhaps Life’s Most Significant Choice?

“Energies are contagious. Choose carefully. Your environment becomes you.”

It’s a Sunday tradition.

Meal prep.

I have a love/hate relationship with cooking. I love to cook, and I hate to clean up after I do. Especially when it takes longer to clean up than to actually eat.

A few years back I discovered meal prep. Each Sunday I’ll make a big batch of something and will pre-portion my creation into four matching containers. Lunch for the week is done. Sure, it’s the same lunch four days in a row, but the convenience outweighs any boredom from eating the same thing all week. It’s just one less thing to have to deal with each day.

The preferred protein is grilled chicken, usually marinated with olive oil, lemon juice, and an improvised combination of spices and herbs sort of just thrown in together. Like with any marinade, the longer the chicken soaks in its surroundings the more it becomes what it is soaking in.

It works for chicken.

It also works for humans.

The world around us acts as sort of a human marinade. What we are surrounded by will influence what we become. It will shape our views, opinions, actions, and possibilities. And the longer we soak in Continue reading “Perhaps Life’s Most Significant Choice?” →

Your Children Are Watching

It’s my greatest joy. Being their dad. It’s less common these days to have them all together in the same place, but Father’s Day and here we all are together.

Yes, my greatest joy.

But also my greatest responsibility.

As their Dad, I am their example. While I hope they listen to what I say, what I do is always more important than what I say. And I know they are watching.

They’re always watching.

How I choose to show up in my life will impact how they show up in their own. Will they see me taking responsibility for my life? Will they see how I honor the commitments I make to others and the commitments I make to myself, how I speak to others and how I speak to myself? How I handle failure and adversity, how I rise to overcome, how I live with intention, how I respect myself, how I am willing to Continue reading “Your Children Are Watching” →

A New Tradition Of Authentic Self Expression

Donuts.

I’m not a big fan of rumors, but when I hear one about donuts my ears do perk up just a little bit.

I’m at Alexa and Juan’s wedding. And there they are. Donuts. An entire table full of donuts. Some stacked high, others displayed on large platters. Donuts.

Having attended a fair amount of weddings over the years, I’ve never had donuts at the reception. Donuts took the place of the more traditional wedding cake. I do love cake, but donuts are as perfect as a dessert could ever be. As I munched on yet another donut I scored at the donut table, I started thinking about the traditions which make up what we’ve come to expect at ceremonies like weddings.

Weddings can often be pretty formulaic, almost an assembly line of sorts taking two committed people and merging them into a married couple. An assembly line built around a framework of traditions which are almost always expected to be upheld as part of that process even if those getting married perhaps didn’t honestly want to celebrate the most significant of their days in that manner.

Marriage is a sacred tradition. Not from a dogmatic standpoint. It’s far more significant than that. The voluntary union of two willing hearts committing themselves to each other for all their living days, no Continue reading “A New Tradition Of Authentic Self Expression” →

You Are A Superhero And Love Is Your Super Power

I’m not sure if I saw this coming. My daughter’s infatuation with super hero movies. It wasn’t something ever expressed when she was a child, but now you can be certain she has seen the most-recent Marvel release more that a few times. And she already knows when the next one will be released.

Super heroes have come a long way from the days of Superman and Batman from when I was a kid. I guess the world of super powers is a highly competitive one, with superheroes needing to step up their games in order to rule the box office.

We tend to think of super heroes as mythical beings gifted with unique talents, gifts, and abilities which can impact the world for good.

You don’t need to be mythical to impact the world.

Each of us is a superhero. Because each of us has the capacity to love.

Love is powerful. It heals, it saves, it protects, it creates, it soothes, it warms, it accepts, it restores, it Continue reading “You Are A Superhero And Love Is Your Super Power” →

Maybe The Answer Really Is Blowing In The Wind?

It would be such a convenient way of getting rid of my problems.

It’s Wednesday. Which means keep the windows closed. Hopefully that will keep most of the noise down.

Wednesday is the day when the landscaping crew shows up at the office complex. A team of hard-working men and women cut, trim, whack, rake, and edge, then comes my favorite part.

The leaf blowers.

They’re not just for blowing leaves.

Any pieces of grass which find their way onto the sidewalks or asphalt don’t stay there very long. The team of leaf blowers, with the machines strapped to their backs, make quick work of those rogue pieces of landscape debris.

Outside my window I have a bird’s eye view of the process. Essentially, the stuff which you don’t want to see is simply blown Continue reading “Maybe The Answer Really Is Blowing In The Wind?” →

Peter Mis LivingHalfFull.com

Lessons From A Life Unfolding