Butting Heads: Values and Outliers

Time put into my relationship, my Bodybuilding/personal growth, my family, my work, and friends. As time has gone on, we start feeding into the categories based on what we see as a priority or of value to us. I recently reflected on the statement: what we value doesn’t necessary have to be where we place our physical presence. It can be what we takes us space in our mind, what we think about, or also what we want to manifest more of in our life. For example: one has to go to work 40 hours per work. While at work, that individual may do what it takes to complete their tasks, but their mind might be in a different place. They may be thinking about working out, family, hobbies, and several other things. These things can be of higher value than work but aren’t necessary being experienced in the present physical moment. Bodybuilding is a lifestyle for me. It requires preparation with meals, delegated time after work to get a workout in, more mindful decisions with getting to sleep at a decent hour, more mindful decisions on the road with what foods I decide to eat. It’s a lifestyle. Everything revolves around it. How do we not let something of such high value butt heads too much with other things that we value? Sometimes we can let people in on what we value. For example: My Girlfriend and I workout often and share that same experience. We both value working out as a part of our weekly schedule. Sharing this time together is very meaningful because we are able to dig into two different categories at once. We are both able to workout and experience that shared time value category. We realized awhile ago, we need to share meaningful time. We workout about 5 times per week, so sharing this time together is very significant. Creating something together. Growing together. Building something that takes effort daily. It’s something we can appreciate and do it week after week. We consider ourselves dedicated and all in when it comes to fitness. The tough part of being a high performer is realizing when we need to step away from the routine. A mental break. Recently we decided to spend a night and day away from all of the routine. Initially, that can bring on some anxiety since we are so programmed to eat, lift, prepare, complete tasks ,etc. However, looking at it from a perspective of mental/physical recovery may be a bit more appropriate. We need a break sometimes. We need 1 day to live without a thousand things on our mind. It’s been very routine for weeks and months now. 1 day won’t break the routines/habits that are being put to play. After stepping away from the regular routine, it only brought to light more gratitude for being so disciplined and routine. It still sits a little funny with me even at 2-3 days after. I naturally think, “that one day was one day of progress that could’ve been made.” But I also need to realize that the progress of a mental/physically break on that day gives more ROI for what is to come. The body and mind both need a break once in awhile. We constantly push, grow, push, grow. Where is the small amount of time to reflect and slow things down? Stillness. Silence. We need both of them more than people think. There was really no other point to this reflection other than bringing some awareness to breaks, balances, and moderations. where do we need to place more of our time? Do we need to pull from one category and put more elsewhere? That push and pull will constantly change. Just like life. Constantly changing. It’s not that we need a perfectly “balanced” life. It’s that we need to realize when certain categories hold more weight than others, or when certain categories need some weight taken from them. The beauty of life. Do what matters. Do what you love.