Keep A Journal - Game On!

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Welcome to Game On, a weekly newsletter where I share my journey as a former collegiate athlete, e-commerce operator, husband, father, and man of faith.?

This Week’s Agenda:

• Inspiration: Journaling - Why I Continue to Write & Its Massive Benefits
• Word of God: Romans and James
• Mandatory Movement: Buddy Workout
• Lessons from: Podcasts and Influencers

Where’s My Head At - Inspiration

Today is a call to action for you...You need to start journaling. It has proven to be one of the most useful habits I've ever started, and I will do everything I can to stay consistent with it.?

It doesn't really matter what you write, just jot down whatever's on your mind and make it real. Pen to paper, write it down. What you are grateful for, what you are struggling with, what your goals are, what you are failing at, what's coming up that day, what moment just happened...any of these topics are a great start.?

But the magic for me isn't in the habit of writing...it's reading those days later on...

I started journaling on a very consistent basis in early 2020. It started with gratitude, goal setting, and accountability. Then the world turned upside down, and with uncertainty came more and more writing. Our family moved across the country, we bought a new house, lived on a golf course mortgage-free for nine months. I wrote every day for over a year and the habit stuck.?

Five years later, I try to find time on 90% of days to write something. Some days when I don't have much to write, I'll open an old book. "What was happening this day or this month in 2021? or 2022?" I turn through a few pages and I realize how far I've come, what I've learned, and sometimes what stuff still needs to change. I can think back to where I was those days or months, it gives me a sense of how much life has changed and how good things were at the time, even if the writing didn't feel like it.?

I now have six moleskin books full of memories. The books have become time capsules for whatever I was thinking about or dealing with over five years. I've written down lessons I learned the hard way and celebrated wins in the moments. One thing I continue to notice is that the days are long and the years are short...

It blows my mind to think about how much my kids have grown since I started writing. My oldest was 2, my youngest was a newborn. My wife and I have lived an entire second half of marriage since then (just celebrated 10 years!). Some of the days I read I can remember how long moments felt, how times felt hard, what was bothering me at the time. Then I flip a few pages ahead and those hard moments are gone. Time moves incredibly fast when we zoom out, but when we zoom in it can feel like time never moves at all.

I spent this morning looking back at the last six months of writing, and boy was June through September a whirlwind.?

I've written a few of these about my mental health struggles of late (here,?here,?here, and?here) but here's a quick update for anyone new. I started having some frustrating anxiety and intrusive thoughts back in May of this year (found the date it started thanks to my journal). As the birth of our third daughter approached and the heat of the summer picked up, it got worse.?

I leaned on my faith, my journal, my family, but there were some low moments even through bringing new life into the world. After our youngest was born, a combination of lack of sleep, hormonal changes (maybe?), and overall life shifts really smacked me in the face and I sought a counselor. My ego told me I could figure it out on my own, but God had other plans. Twelve weeks after starting with a Cognitive Behavioral Coach and I'm feeling much more stable and present.?

I wrote almost every day of those six months. Reading some days brings both reassurance and peace. Even in the darkest moments, my faith and family helped me through those hard times. I can see now the growth in those low moments and how (see below) God allowed for perseverance, testing of my faith, and he allowed for endurance.?

I also have the perspective now that it really wasn't as bad as I thought. I have tools I've learned to overcome those feelings, thoughts, mind loops, self-doubt, fear. The best part is its all there still. I can go back on any frustrating day and reflect on how far we've come. The daily writing has become a useful teacher, and that thought helps to keep the discipline in continuing to write.?

You will not regret grabbing one of these?bad boys?off Amazon - start writing today!

Feed the Spirit - Words From God

James 1:3-4 say, "The testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Romans 8:6 says, "For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace"

The first verse above has been a harsh but comforting reality over the last six months. We all go through tests, and God says it has purpose. It perfects our faith, who we are, what we are meant to become.?

The second is a reminder that when we set our mind on our own flesh, or own ability, we will certainly fail. When we bring Him into the mix and set our mind on His Holy Spirit, we find peace and life. The more I sought to figure out why I was stuggling based on worldly ideas, the worse I felt. Once I set my mind on prayer, on Him, on letting him do His work, all the struggle seemed to slowly fade away.?

Movement is Medicine

I found a new hack in the last few weeks -?buddy workouts are way better than solo workouts in a measurable way. I've been working out solo for the better part of six years - and lately, I've had a feeling of higher stress or tightness in my body & mind for the first few hours of the day. I'd checked my WHOOP, and I'd be in and out of the higher stress zones post-workout on most days -?it wasn't just in my head.?

When I worked at Under Armour, I worked out by myself once a month max. I was always doing classes, working out with my wife or friends, never just me and my thoughts. I never noticed any sort of stress post-workout, just a rush of endorphins and dopamine and the youth of a twenty-something. Maybe some of this is mid-30s...

I recently befriended a neighborhood dad with a stocked home gym, and we've been getting after workouts once a week (shout out? Adam Kunes ?aka?Dad Day). After a few workouts, I noticed a lighter feeling during the workday. Even after a grinding high-intensity workout, I felt way lighter. I checked WHOOP, and I was measurably less stressed through the whole day.?

Point is, working out with friends is way better than solo...so grab a buddy and give this one a shot.?

You Go I Go Style:

100 Burpees - 400m Run (together)

1000m Row - 400m Run (together)

50 Pull Ups - 400m Farmers Walk (DBs) (together)

100 Wall Ball - 400m Farmers Walk (DBs) (together)

100 Lunge Walks - 400m Run (together)

1000m Row

Who’s Taught Me This Week

Betting the Limit Podcast?-?100 Day Plan vs Five Year Plan?- my buddy Drew Shore had Sahil Bloom on his podcast this week. Sahil mentioned this idea of throwing away the "five year plan" idea and rather focus on the next 100 days. The habits you can stack, the small wins you can create, and who you can become by action in 100 days compared to how vague and uncertain some moment five years from now.?

Using this lesson to kick off 2025!?

Nick Bare?- "Lack of intentionality leads to repetition of what's easiest" - I love this quote from Nick. When we aren't intentional about our time or habits, we can very easily fall into bad habits, the path of least resistance. Resist that urge and plan accordingly!

If you’ve gotten this far, thanks for reading - I’d love to know what you thought or what resonated with you. Shoot me an email back!