Stick A Pin In That…

In the course of my training, I’ve been exposed to a number of different things that may relate to the martial arts but aren’t always directly connected. Traditional forms of medicine being one of them. For those who may not be “in the know” or are unclear, traditional medicine refers to the practice of diagnosing, preventing and healing ailments before the time of modern medicine, which is where we are now. Despite its arcane and older origins, many people aren’t familiar with the various aspects of traditional medicine and many doubt its effectiveness or worth.

At the risk of sounding opinionated (because I never do THAT), traditional Chinese medicine has been around for over 2,000 years, with modern medicine as we know it only existing for the past few hundred years. Even though older doesn’t always mean better, it stands to reason that having had this form of medicine around for this long has got to mean that there’s some inherent value to it. Of course, I think bloodletting is the stupidest thing in the world but it’s been around forever and is still used in some parts of the world, today. So, there’s that, I guess. But I digress…

I recently helped an old friend of mine with some writing he was doing for some schooling and it reminded me of some of the materials I’ll talk about today. An Acupuncturist from back home in New Brunswick, he’s made a successful life of maintaining a traditional medicine practice and helping to heal others. I’m thinking I may have written about this before, but at this point I think y’all should expect that some of my material will start to repeat itself. M y mind isn’t a bottomless pit, after all. Here are the three forms of traditional medicine I’ve been exposed to the most, in recent decades:

Acupuncture

I think just about everyone is familiar with acupuncture in some way, shape or form, even if they’ve never experienced it. Rather than try and define it myself, I’m leaning on an article posted by the Mayo Clinic, which states, “Acupuncture involves the insertion of very thin needles through your skin at strategic points on your body. a key component of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is most commonly used to treat pain. Increasingly, it is being used for overall wellness, including stress management.”

Although traditional practitioners of acupuncture believe that the insertion of needles helps to rebalance one’s flow of energy, western medicine tends to attribute the effects to the stimulation of nerve endings and muscles, which boosts your body’s natural painkillers. No matter what the thought process, acupuncture is no different than any other form of medicine. It works for some but not for others. One of the biggest problems with traditional medicine is that it often takes several treatments to see any measurable results and in today’s society of immediate gratification, most people prefer popping a pill that takes immediate effect.

The jury is out on how effective modern-day acupuncture may be. I know that I experienced it, back in 2007. I was travelling from northern New Brunswick to Ottawa and decided to stop in at my friend’s place for the night, the same friend mentioned in the third paragraph. He had just started his acupuncture studies and asked if he could practice some insertions on me. I agreed and he had me lie down on a mat and proceeded to insert a couple of needles near and in the elbow joint of my arm. He manipulated the needles a couple of times and it was slightly uncomfortable but not painful.

When he was done, I asked him what the needles were supposed to do, to which he replied that he had “stimulated my digestion.” Assuming nothing worse, I got back on the road for the short, 2-hour drive to Ottawa. Within an hour, my stomach made a gurgling sound the likes of which I had never heard before. I was suddenly struck by bad stomach cramps and before I knew it, I was struggling to find a public washroom as I felt the onslaught of an expulsion I would be powerless to stop, coming my way. I purged my gut for what seemed like forever. “Stimulated my digestion,” indeed. Asshole. He could have warned me. The point is, that shit works.

Acupressure

Acupressure is a form of traditional Chinese medicine that’s based on acupuncture but uses applied pressure from the hands and fingers as opposed to needles. it functions on the basis of increased blood flow, better circulation and shares the concepts of increased energy flow with acupuncture. This is the form of traditional medicine that my Sensei practices and it should be noted that acupressure is almost ALWAYS combined with some other form of naturopathic or traditional medicine, such as herbology, reflexology, massage or acupuncture.

The jury is out on acupressure, with various studies advocating its effectiveness in helping to alleviate certain pains and ailments in the body and even more studies arguing that there’s a significant amount of bias involved and that there really isn’t any viable evidence that acupressure is effective. In my opinion, massages do a great deal to alleviate pain. So does a chiropractor. And through my study of the martial arts, I’m aware of the existence and use of pressure points in certain aspects of combat arts. When you combine all of those factors together, you more or less get acupressure.

Chinese Herbs

This is always a sticky one for people, because most of the population fall under one of two categories: those who think herbs work and those who don’t. The ones who don’t are usually bound by the western logic that modern medicine alternatives are faster, safer and more effective than their-herb-based counterparts. The ones who solely adhere to herbs believe that modern medications are al chemical-based and do more harm than good. The reality is that there’s some truth to both. Modern medications are a combination of things that are found in nature anyway.

Chemicals are nothing more than the combining of naturally-occurring substances through artificial means. The difference between using these artificial compounds or herbs simply involves speed or immediate effectiveness. Once again, this is where that mindset of immediate gratification or results comes in. Some herbs can be very effective at helping certain ailments but they can take a lot longer than their modern counterparts. A really good example are the various teas that are sold just about anywhere that can help with digestion, headaches, stomach aches, menstrual pains and vast array of other conditions. I’ve used tea in a lot of instances, minus menstrual pains, of course. They work, but one could easily argue that it doesn’t kick in or show a measurable or noticeable effect like taking an artificial counterpart.

The important thing is to be wary of starting anything new or different without consulting your doctor or medical practitioner AND ensuring that you do your research before trying any new form of treatment. You want to be certain that you’re dealing with someone trained and certified to practice the form of traditional medicine they profess to be knowledgeable on. Although I can’t speak for other countries, any and all of the different forms of traditional medicine I listed above requires years of study to become proficient. Don’t be afraid to ask to see their certification; if they’re on the level, they should have no issues letting you see it.

And don’t be disappointed if you try something and it doesn’t work. Out of ten people with a headache, maybe only half will be able to treat it with a pill. For the others, a pill won’t work. It’s the same for traditional medicine. It’ll work for some and not for others. So even if your best friend claims that acupuncture changed their life and got rid of all their aches and pains, be aware that it may not work quite as well for you. Food for thought… ☯️

How’s The Weather Down There?

Friendships are a strange part of life. They have the potential to be both a positive and/or negative influence on one’s life, depending on their outlook and how they behave around you. No matter how one chooses to deal with the aspect of friendship, everyone needs them. And everyone should have them. Humans are inherently social creatures and one could even say that we’re pack animals, hence the fact we usually gather in large groups and communities, such as towns and cities.

During my youth, my father always used to tell me, “Beware of fair-weather friends.” I never knew where he got the quote and I can’t be bothered to research it now. But I know he always said it in the context of being wary of others, especially as it related to friendships. So what does this expression mean, exactly? The term fair-weather friend refers to someone who is there for you when times are good but will usually conveniently disappear when times are tough. This type of person can also be referred to as a good-weather friend.

There are plenty of these terms, such as an all-weather friend, which refers to a friend who will stick by you, no matter what the circumstances. These types of friends are rare and should you have one, you should hold onto them with your best effort. Last but not least, are foul-weather friends. These are the ones who only seek you out when they have a problem or have need of you. Although I’ve been blessed with the benefit of some pretty awesome all-weather friends, I’ve recently come to understand that some of my oldest acquaintances are foul-weather friends. Not a realization I take lightly.

It’s a bit like the concept of giving someone an inch to have the other person take the whole yard stick. One good example I can provide is a friend who moved three times in a two-year period. Obviously I stepped up to lend a hand when I was asked to help. On the second occasion, I had my reservations, but it wasn’t any of my business and the friend simply needed my help. So once again, I gave my time and effort to help move my friend from one residence to another. But when that third time came around, I made a point of indicating that I had to work and couldn’t afford to take another day off to help once again. It took a long time before that friend spoke to me again.

Another friend only makes a point of coming to see me or contacting me specifically when they need something. This can be disheartening, especially if you’re the type of person who does like to help. Making a point of bringing this up can be difficult, especially when you’ve been friends with such individuals for so long that souring the friendship can be harmful. The worst part is when these individuals don’t realize what they do. And even though it would be incumbent on me to recognize these toxic situations and step away from these relationships, it’s tough when you’ve been friends with such people for years and even decades.

Part of it is my fault. Perhaps I simply need to learnt o be a bit firmer and say no. But it would definitely be nice if some of these long-standing acquaintances didn’t just come to me when they needed something from me. And that’s the lesson; be certain that YOU are the one who dictates and decides where the line is. Helping others is a wonderful thing. Being taken advantage of by others is not. It isn’t until you learnt o see the difference that you’ll know what the weather’s like, and who may be worth weathering the storm with. Food for thought… ☯️

Trust Your Gut…

Most of us don’t bother to take the time to contemplate everything that happens inside our bodies. We know we have a heartbeat and that it’s responsible for moving blood around the body and to our brains. We know that we have lungs and that they’re responsible for our ability to breathe air and get oxygen into our body. Our stomachs digest our food and our posteriors expel the waste from the leftovers. But outside of the basic functions of these systems, we rarely stop to consider the importance of certain systems in relation to our overall health.

In recent years, a good example has been how good oral health has been linked to cardiac health. One would never assume that brushing one’s teeth regularly would be associated with good heart health, but there it is. Most of the time, when we consume something, we do so because we’re hungry and we count on our calorie consumption to provide us with the energy and nutrition we need to get through the day. But there’s a lot going on in the ol’ gut that we rarely consider. And there’s plenty we can do to help move things along that improve one’s overall health.

According to an article posted by HealthLine.com, “The human gut is more complex than previously thought and has a huge impact on whole body health.” When you stop to think about it, everything you eat contributes to your overall health, which is what the article goes on to say, “A healthy gut contributes to a strong immune system, heart health, brain health, improved mood, healthy sleep, and effective digestion […]” Some of that seems to address the aspects I was referring to in my opening paragraphs.

Some of the best things you can do to improve your gut health is to monitor and control what you’re loading into it. A well-known food for good gut health is yogurt. But some of the ones that people may not consider include fermented foods, such as kimchi and miso. I single those out because I’ve eaten my fair share and I enjoy them. But a healthy dose of probiotics will help with overall gut health and you can even find probiotic supplements, these days.

Another good type of food to consume are ones that are high in fiber. You’re likely thinking that’s a no-brainer, and you’d be right. High-fiber foods listed by that HealthLine article include legumes, beans, peas, oats, bananas, berries, asparagus and leeks. If you ask me, leeks are fucking disgusting, but I’m game for the rest of that list. In fact, I’ve included all of that list (except peas and beans) into shakes I’ve been making with my mini blender.

Outside of what you eat, there are a number of things that can help promote proper gut health. These include keeping your stress levels low (not easy, in today’s climate), getting enough sleep and exercising regularly. Staying properly hydrated, AND with the right fluids will also go along way to promoting good gut health. When I refer to the right fluids, I mean staying away from alcoholic and caffeinated drinks as these can actually dehydrate you and caffeinated drinks are a diuretic. Changing your diet to accommodate these things can be achieved by consulting a dietitian or your medical practitioner. As usual, you shouldn’t try to completely alter your diet and lifestyle without consulting your medical practitioner.

Trust your gut; it takes better care of you and the overall functioning of your body than you know. The last suggestion I’ll make before stepping off my gut-soaked soapbox is to recommend not eating before bedtime. Even your gut needs to rest at night and if you spend half the night digesting those wings you thought were a good idea at midnight, it can lead to heartburn, indigestion, stomach pains and lack of proper sleep. One’s body can be compared to a house of cards; one wrong move can bring the whole system down. ☯️

Starting With A Burn

Yesterday was the first day of 2022, and how did I start the New Year? With a workout, of course. New Year’s resolutions are spotty at best, usually leading to people lacking, lagging or altogether give up by the month of March or April. This is through no fault of their own, usually. It’s simply human nature. As living creatures, we generally tend to favour the path of least resistance and when we impose conditions on ourselves that take away habits we enjoy, foods we like to eat or vices we want to give up, our body has this tendency of fighting us.

That’s why this year, I’ve chosen to simply work on improving upon myself in a generalized manner as opposed to making a resolution that aims at specific habits or things. So yesterday, I kicked things off with a military workout I found a few years ago. It can be a brutal circuit, using only one’s own bodyweight. The workout is typically supposed to take about half an hour, but doing it correctly with a healthy speed usually takes between 20 to 25 minutes. It’s an extremely handy workout and can be done anywhere. I’ve done it in my office, bedroom, hotel rooms, anywhere. I thought I would take the time to share the circuit. Here we go:

15 Squats – 10 Close-grip Push-Ups – 10 Lunges – 15 Push-ups
14 Squats – 9 Close-grip Push-Ups – 9 Lunges – 14 Push-ups
13 Squats – 8 Close-grip Push-Ups – 8 Lunges – 13 Push-ups
12 Squats – 7 Close-grip Push-Ups – 7 Lunges – 12 Push-ups
11 Squats – 6 Close-grip Push-Ups – 6 Lunges – 11 Push-ups
10 Squats – 5 Close-grip Push-Ups – 5 Lunges – 10 Push-ups
9 Squats – 4 Close-grip Push-Ups – 4 Lunges – 9 Push-ups
8 Squats – 3 Close-grip Push-Ups – 3 Lunges – 8 Push-ups
7 Squats – 2 Close-grip Push-Ups – 2 Lunges – 7 Push-ups
6 Squats – 1 Close-grip Push-Ups – 1 Lunges – 6 Push-ups
5 Squats – 5 Push-ups
4 Squats – 4 Push-ups
3 Squats – 3 Push-ups
2 Squats – 2 Push-ups
1 Squat – 1 Push-up

Now, did I REALLY have to write out every line of repetitions? Not particularly, but on previous occasions, I’ve found that people don’t clearly understand the process as I explain it. Plus, writing it out this way makes it easier in the event anyone chooses to print it out. I found this workout a few years ago and I believe it was in an old edition of Men’s Health. The circuit is one half of a total workout that the military uses when confined in small spaces, such as on a submarine.

I hammered this circuit out prior to the lunch hour and needless to say, my legs are feeling it just a little bit, today. Not a bad way to start the year. Maybe today I’ll go run some cardio and fight off some of this extreme cold we’ve been having. But for those of you who are looking for a new, easy challenge, this circuit may be the one for you. It’s nice to try out some new things and see what results you can get. When it comes to fitness, variety can be the spice of life. ☯️

2022 May Get To You, Too…

Well, here we are! It’s 2022, a year that would have sounded like science fiction lore if brought up during my childhood. By the LIGHT, am I ever old… It’s been a hell of a year, with a number fo life-changing things that have taken place. Let’s take a tally, shall we? 2021 saw me retire from the Force and accept a new job that has made life better in scores. My oldest son turned 7, my youngest son turned 2 and my wife and I celebrated 7 years of wonderful marriage. Our basement got renovated, making it liveable once again and doubling our living space. We have effectively cleared most of our disposable debt and have built on the prospect of preparing for retirement, which is not as far as away as one might think.

As with all things in life, for every positive there is a negative. And 2021 certainly had no shortage of those. At some point during the height of the pandemic, my father was rushed to the hospital by ambulance for what appeared to be some sort of respiratory issue. given the lockdowns and restrictions in place at the time, not only was I unable to fly back to New Brunswick to support my family but my mother was even restricted from entering the hospital to see him, in the event that he had contracted COVID-19. Doctors didn’t expect him to survive the night and my mother could do nothing more than say goodbye over the telephone and I was stuck, 3,400 kilometres away. That definitely hammered the pandemic home, for me. Luckily, my father survived and they determined that it was only pneumonia.

I never imagined I would ever think “just a pneumonia,” but here we are. The point is, the last year has seen some good, some bad and some ugly. Such is life. And today is the day when most people are starting to establish resolutions for themselves with the hopes of accomplishing them throughout 2022. That’s great and all, and I admit to being on that bandwagon on more occasions than I can recall. Also as usual, we have the typical denomination of the population who enjoy using the slogan “this year’s gonna be my year.” Entertaining. Slightly naive, albeit it a little positive. But I think that this year, I’m going to try to do things a little different. And I’ll challenge all who are reading this, to do the same.

I won’t be trying to make any New Year’s resolutions, this year. Instead, I’m going to focus my efforts on simply being a better person and improving upon myself a little at a time, day after day. this will mean ensuring a healthier lifestyle, eating and sleeping better and getting back into a fitness routine that actually, well… a routine! I’m going to return to the martial arts, having found a karate school that is closely related to my original style. My goal will be to slim down, regain some lost skill and reflexes and hopefully get my children interested in the martial arts, as well. As I’ve written in some previous posts, my youngest son has shown some affinity to striking and using a punching bag. Maybe I can build on that.

Instead of trying to make 2022 “my year,” I’m going to work towards making every day “my day,” focusing on being present in the here and now. Not only is this far easier than claiming the entire year, it makes it all the easier to recover in the event that something goes wrong or poorly. After all, the loss of a single day is better than the loss of an entire year, wouldn’t you agree? And since we can agree that life doesn’t care about one’s plan and that the positive can’t exist without the negative, it’s far better to be prepared for some of that negative than to expect to expel it from one’s life completely.

I would challenge all of my readers to try and do the same. If there’s one thing that the past two years have taught us, it’s that it may be nice to make a resolution to lose weight, travel more, read X-number of books, learn a new skill or whatever else you may have in mind. But it’s even better (and easier) to make your overall life better in all areas, and work towards improving yourself FOR yourself, in all aspects. You’ll be happier and better for it. Happy New Year. Glad I started it with some food for thought… ☯️

On The Eve…

Here it is: the last day of 2021! I’ll save you the pain of reading something long and elaborate. I’ll save that for tomorrow, haha. Enjoy the transition into the New Year, revel in your accomplishments and look forward to the year to come. ☯

Perceptions…

I’ve seen this on the odd occasion, as I navigate the murky waters of what we know as the internet. Despite the fact that I’m not that familiar with Thich Nhat Hanh (I haven’t actually read any of his stuff besides what I’ve found incidentally), I love this quote. I know that there are sources that denounce it and tend to belittle the message he’s trying to relay. But I think there’s some depth to what he’s expressing. For years, I’ve made a point of telling people that studying the Buddha Dharma is a practice. It’s a way of life more than an organized religion. Just wanted to share this as some food for thought… ☯

Oh, Silent Gym…

The holidays can be a fantastic time to kick back and enjoy some family, festivities and most of all… food. The problem with this is that during the holidays, we have a tendency to overeat and work out less. I know that for myself, it’s been a rough couple of weeks. The week prior to Christmas involved my eye injections and finishing out my work week prior to going on holidays. And this week involves my actual holidays, which has included a number of delicious meals and deserts baked by my lovely wife.

During these two weeks, focusing on one’s fitness can be difficult. After all, with gatherings, gift opening, staying up late, sleeping in and dealing with the kids, finding an hour here and there to work out becomes more difficult than usual. And that’s taking into consideration that finding time for one’s fitness is already a challenge during the regular daily grind. Oh, I’ve managed a few 30 or 40-minute weight workouts from home. But it’s been a while since I managed a solid sweat.

A couple of days of wicked snowfall meant that I found myself shovelling and blowing snow in -30 degree weather. It was freezing out and made for some exertion. My blood sugars seem to bottom out when I spend any period of time outdoors in the freezing cold. But that didn’t seem to happen, this time. But it’s been a slow couple of weeks and I have to admit that I’m starting to feel it. Despite being back on CGM and SmartGuard with better blood sugar levels, my overall physique has suffered and my body is voicing its displeasure at my laziness.

No one likes to get up early while on vacation. This limits the amount of time in the day, especially if you’re lucky enough to have kids who let you sleep. Mine fall under the medium category, where some mornings they’re up at the butt crack of dawn and others, they let us sleep almost until 10 a.m. Since we don’t bother with alarms during the holidays, the kids basically dictate when we wake up. This means that the golden hour when everyone is still asleep, when I could be hammering out a quick body-weight workout or doing some katas.

I definitely find myself needing to get back on the fitness train. If only for the fact that I know my circulation is lessened and my knees and legs are killing me. Gotta love this whole Diabetes thing! And that’s the other issue; enjoying all the perks and fun parts of the holidays can play hell with one’s blood sugars. While indulging in all of those baked goods and luscious meals, don’t forget to monitor your blood sugars often and adjust for the added carbohydrates.

As I’ve often written before, there’s no problem with taking a little break from fitness. But if you’re reaching a point where your overall fitness seems to be lagging and your body is telling you that you’ve been sitting idle for too long, get back into it! Your health, blood sugars and overall wellbeing depends on it. Find an hour here and there, even just half an hour, where you do something, anything. Take a walk, go for a run, hammer out some quick dumbbell reps… Anything is always something more than nothing, right? ☯

Oodles Of Appreciation…

The holidays can be a really fun time of year. Enjoying a spread of food you may not usually make, including baked goods, seeing family and friends and potentially travelling a bit (for those who are brave enough to try it, at the moment). Depending on your familial and faith-based background, your celebration may differ in some ways but I think we can all agree that the average person has a tendency to enjoy the holidays, even if for no other reason than getting some time off and being at home.

The “hows” and “whys” for that enjoyment have changed over the decades. I remember making my way through the Christmas break as a child… My mother would bake a mass amount of food, including sweets and meal-based foods. We almost ALWAYS hosted Christmas at our home, despite growing up in a reasonably small apartment. Between my illnesses and my brothers and my father working shift work, my mother was left with all of the preparations as well as worrying whether or not one of us would need a hospital trip over the break.

The big thing is that I didn’t have a care in the world, back then. I indulged in as much food as my body could hold (despite the fact carb-counting wasn’t a thing for me and my Diabetic system was terribly balanced), I watched Christmas movies, including National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Die Hard. Yes, Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Yes, it is… YES, IT IS!!! Ahem, I’m getting off track here. My point is that my biggest concern was staying up late enough on Christmas Eve to make it in Christmas and/or get through midnight mass (my mother is Catholic and attendance was a must).

Enjoying the holidays through adulthood becomes a very different kind of creature. Besides worrying about the state of one’s household, including bills, job retention and the state of the world, it’s a pretty fair assumption to say that many if not most can’t enjoy the benefits of having no cares as they make their way through the holidays; a fact aggravated by the aspect that once you reach adulthood, you’re the one paying for all of those lovely gifts under the tree. It makes quite a difference. It also becomes a matter fo the household turning into a disaster area as it gets bogged down with stray wrapping paper, cardboard and packaging that swarms our bins a week earlier than pick-up and kids who refuse to eat because they’re too excited to play with the new swag they’ve acquired.

Don’t even get me started on the FACT that it creates an added amount of stuff in the household. I’ve always been something of a minimalist, and increasing the amount of junk we have in the household does not for a pleasant holiday, make. But there’s no denying that the look of sheer happiness on my sons’ faces as they opened up their gifts was heartwarming. My oldest son left out a “bowl of cookies and milk” for Santa, a benefit I never had since my belief in the red, fat man never took hold as a child.

I have a deep and distinct gratitude for everything my parents did for us throughout the holidays. Now that I have the adult’s perspective, I can certainly appreciate the time, money and effort that goes into the holidays. And we don’t even host our entire family the way my parents did. Life was a bit different back then, since most households included one stay-at-home parent, but I can’t imagine that made it THAT much easier, especially considering the handful I was as a child. I’m grateful to my parents for everything they did for us back then, and it allows me a bit of perspective as my children grow up. Take time to thank your folks for the things you DID have during the holidays. I know, I will. Food for thought… ☯️

You Gotta Want It…

It’s a bit ironic that I’m writing this post on a Monday, since I took this week off. While most people tend to focus taking time off during the week of Christmas, my wife and I took this week off, keeping us at home during the week leading up to New Year’s. The reason I say it’s ironic, is because this post was prompted by a conversation I had at work. I was chatting with one of my employees about the fact that everyone is good at SOMETHING, but that the path they walk will ultimately be different. Even if two people train to master the martial arts, the environment, conditions and motivation behind doing so will differ.

This is important because in life, there will be things you will be good at and some things that you’ll basically suck at. And the latter part is okay. No one is meant to be absolutely fantastic at everything and the ones who say they are, are not only lying to themselves, they’re lying to everyone to whom they say it. I’m not saying that there won’t be some people who won’t have a natural tendency to be good at things in general. I’m referring mostly to achieving some mastery over a particular thing. For example, most people don’t know that I tried a variety of martial arts styles before I landed on karate.

Some of those styles were very good, in their own way. But if I based my decision to pursue the martial arts based on the results of those attempts, I never would have gotten to where I am now. I still remember my first visit to a Tae Kwon Do class and realizing that I had neither the skill, ability or motivation to go spinning through the air like a top to land a kick. Even at the young age I was, I couldn’t understand why they didn’t just kick in a more straightforward manner instead of trying for all the high-flying fanciness… but I digress…

One can’t be good at everything. And that’s okay but it’s something you have to make your peace with. You have to be okay with it. Because the time you spend pining over what you may have realized you’re not good at, could be time used to pursue and achieve things that you ARE good at. That would be a terrible waste and even the things that you may be good at, need to be pursued and strived for. None of it will ever happen on its own. So push hard and be okay with your failures; they’re al part of the journey. Food for thought… ☯️