Forged in Fire

This post is a few days late.

I’ve gotten into a solid rhythm, for what has now been close to a year and a half where I post religiously on Friday of each week. I have grown to love this schedule, and the habitual lessons that it has afforded me. 

That said, this past weekend, my wife and I took our first extended trip together since starting our family. A long weekend away, which was great in every way, also presented a challenge. For the first time since beginning this platform, I would be away from my desk on a Friday – with that very intention in mind – to separate myself from my daily work(s), and to truly enjoy some downtime. 

As I wrestled with this time-crunch debacle, which is so minute in the grand scheme of life, while simultaneously immersing myself and learning the ropes of a brand new career endeavor, I made the executive decision to put everything on hold. 

“It’ll be there when you make it back home” I told myself.

Silly, sure, but true. Here it is, the blank white page, right where I left it.

I could’ve rushed to cram it in prior to taking off on our trip. But, I’m awfully glad I didn’t, for more reason than one.

But – for the sake of time – I want to share the primary takeaway that I gained from putting my work to the side, and bending my schedule just a bit.

Over the years, I have become increasingly habit-oriented. I’ve written about this ad nauseam. Developing and maintaining strong habits has lifted me from some pretty deep mental and physical pits. Even in moments when I begin to feel myself drifting from one of them (which of course occurs more often than I’m proud of,) I have worked myself back into them, with few exceptions. 

This surely is a net-positive thing, no questions asked.

Even still, with the many great things that this improved lifestyle has ushered into my life, moments such as these bring about this mental warfare and second-guessing rapport within my own head. The time away from my computer helped me to make sense of this all, and to (hopefully) put to bed some of these thoughts that occupy my mind when something – anything, doesn’t go to plan.

One word continues to rise to the surface throughout the past several days: Grace.

What exactly do I mean in bringing up this short, one syllable word? It’s simple, broadly and loosely used in the English language, isn’t it?

In this specific instance, I’ve decided that it serves as a stout reminder of the importance in allowing room to grow, to think, and to adjust. This room then opens up new ideas, concepts and outlooks on the life I’m steadily in pursuit of living. 

Habits, as I just previously touched on, are so important, but recognizing their residual effects (positive and negative alike) is of equal if not greater importance.

There is power in gaining control over the habits you’ve implemented in your life, rather than allowing them to take control over you. 

Because they will.

There is a fine line, I’ve come to understand. One that we must recognize and ride with intent. A line that is all-too-easily skewed and misunderstood – one that will lead us to failed habits or to unhealthy expectations (and a million places in between) if we so allow.

How, then, do we act accordingly? This is for you to answer, considering your life as it stands currently. 

To what extent do you fully understand the grasp that your habits have on you, be that grasp good or bad? Do you possess the freedom and allow yourself the grace necessary to reap the benefits of a healthy schedule filled with actionable habits? Or, do you fall prisoner to the stronghold that they have on you, reaching the point of mental clutter and uncertainty?

This has been a complicated ramble, but one that is meaningful at its core. I urge you to apply these words to your experiences, and work to better identify where you sit on this line between good and bad regarding the habits that make up who you are today.

Forge on.

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