I realize in order for me to succeed in achieving my goals, I must hone my skills and continually train these muscles to replicate a standard I wish to accomplish. I've started numerous entries, ranging from a blank template, a simple title, to a paragraph with no direction but just a group of words meshed together.
I never envisioned or even considered for a second at 28 I would be right here, right now. How could I? We are taught as a child to dream big to set goals and work towards them. Rarely do we see these goals, these plans, pan out as we wish them to be. We have many ideals we teach our youth and when they don't happen, we create excuses like "Life happens." to explain why we didn't get where we wanted. Or so that fate has taken you on a different path. We float between being dreamers and realist over and over and over again, millions of times throughout our lives. We often times set ourselves up for failure but maintain that extenuating circumstances caused us not to get wherever it is we aimed for.
Don't get me wrong, I will forever consider myself an optimist, hoping and wishing only for the best in every situation and in every person, but understanding that we don't always get what we want and there are just some bad people on this planet.
I have gotten to the age where I am surrounded by weddings, marriage anniversaries, long-term relationships, and the ever growing group of friends and families having children. As I am reflecting on the path that has led me to where I am now and where I am headed into the future, I can't help but look back on how I was raised, how others around have been raised and how the kids I coach are being raised. I often deflect an opinion over many topics that arise in conversation with elders, peers, and youth, I have realized I do possess strong opinions on how I would want to raise my children. Hopeful that when that time does arrive, my wife will share my opinions on raising our children.
This segways perfectly to what I was listening to this morning on the radio while driving back from teaching my morning class. R. Secrest was talking about a co-worker who decided to write a love letter to her future husband she has yet to meet, writing about her thoughts and feelings as a single woman, and what he would be like and how he would treat her, etc. R. Secrest voiced that why couldn't be alone for a while, why was there a huge desire to be with someone, the need to have someone with. I found myself a bit upset at his comment, as I internally explained, we, scratch that, I have this desire to share my thoughts, feelings, excitement, enthusiasm, motivations, and experiences with someone. Someone I can be intimate with, make happy(ier), and bring something new/exciting or refreshing to their life. Friends can temporarily fill that void, but could never fully replace it. There is something about it that is unexplainable and an anomaly.
At 28, I youthfully envisioned myself, married, with my first kid on the way, working as a physical therapist/sports medicine trainer for a university or sports team, living in a two story home with a beautiful backyard. I would have already established my career early after graduation and financially supported myself and my family, especially giving back to my parents for putting me in the right direction and raising a son, grateful for everything he has received and earned.
In reality, it appears I may have envisioned myself in that situation 5-10 years too early. My round about journey has lead me back to this path, minus the obvious. But I am still a grateful son, who appreciates the lessons and direction my parents have guided me. I work furiously to pay them back in anyway I can for what they have done for me, but I am focused now more than ever to get my ship right and be a that guy I envisioned decades ago.
It's time to get yummy. Mentally and physically, to get to where I want to be, the hybrid dreamer and realist.
I never envisioned or even considered for a second at 28 I would be right here, right now. How could I? We are taught as a child to dream big to set goals and work towards them. Rarely do we see these goals, these plans, pan out as we wish them to be. We have many ideals we teach our youth and when they don't happen, we create excuses like "Life happens." to explain why we didn't get where we wanted. Or so that fate has taken you on a different path. We float between being dreamers and realist over and over and over again, millions of times throughout our lives. We often times set ourselves up for failure but maintain that extenuating circumstances caused us not to get wherever it is we aimed for.
Don't get me wrong, I will forever consider myself an optimist, hoping and wishing only for the best in every situation and in every person, but understanding that we don't always get what we want and there are just some bad people on this planet.
I have gotten to the age where I am surrounded by weddings, marriage anniversaries, long-term relationships, and the ever growing group of friends and families having children. As I am reflecting on the path that has led me to where I am now and where I am headed into the future, I can't help but look back on how I was raised, how others around have been raised and how the kids I coach are being raised. I often deflect an opinion over many topics that arise in conversation with elders, peers, and youth, I have realized I do possess strong opinions on how I would want to raise my children. Hopeful that when that time does arrive, my wife will share my opinions on raising our children.
This segways perfectly to what I was listening to this morning on the radio while driving back from teaching my morning class. R. Secrest was talking about a co-worker who decided to write a love letter to her future husband she has yet to meet, writing about her thoughts and feelings as a single woman, and what he would be like and how he would treat her, etc. R. Secrest voiced that why couldn't be alone for a while, why was there a huge desire to be with someone, the need to have someone with. I found myself a bit upset at his comment, as I internally explained, we, scratch that, I have this desire to share my thoughts, feelings, excitement, enthusiasm, motivations, and experiences with someone. Someone I can be intimate with, make happy(ier), and bring something new/exciting or refreshing to their life. Friends can temporarily fill that void, but could never fully replace it. There is something about it that is unexplainable and an anomaly.
At 28, I youthfully envisioned myself, married, with my first kid on the way, working as a physical therapist/sports medicine trainer for a university or sports team, living in a two story home with a beautiful backyard. I would have already established my career early after graduation and financially supported myself and my family, especially giving back to my parents for putting me in the right direction and raising a son, grateful for everything he has received and earned.
In reality, it appears I may have envisioned myself in that situation 5-10 years too early. My round about journey has lead me back to this path, minus the obvious. But I am still a grateful son, who appreciates the lessons and direction my parents have guided me. I work furiously to pay them back in anyway I can for what they have done for me, but I am focused now more than ever to get my ship right and be a that guy I envisioned decades ago.
It's time to get yummy. Mentally and physically, to get to where I want to be, the hybrid dreamer and realist.
