I know last post was a bit...melancholy. However, today will be much more cheerful and uplifting!!! (All the extra exclamation points must make it true!!!) Consider it the second part of a mini-series within the mini-series if you would.
Top Ten Zen
Andrew and Nick have compiled a list of Zen-like
philosophies comprised firstly of a quote, an interpretation of said quote, and
finally a story to drive their point home. This list can aid you in doing
anything from completing a 100-mile race to surviving cancer, or obtaining any
goal you set your mind to.
Here are the previous posts for those who missed them:
- The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
- Body follows mind
- The faster you hurry, the slower you go
- You are not bound by your past
- Life is only available in the here and now
- You are the author of every next moment
- Your worst enemy lies within
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| Self-acceptance, now with 100% more hair |
"Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them."
The Survivor’s Take: Once you learn to accept your limitations and flaws you can
begin to pick up the pieces after a great hardship. Positive self-talk can haul
you out of even the darkest pits.
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The Runner’s Take: Race your own race. Be happy with yourself, your own
abilities, your own strengths and your own weaknesses. Embrace your limits
and you will embody your best self.
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Survivor’s Tales: 2008 was not a good year for me. It took some
time for me to get out of the funk I was in following my release from the
hospital. In fact, it took several excruciating episodes in my life, one
after another, to finally admit I had a drug problem and start to go to rehab
(albeit with some initial resistance). I used daily positive self-talk to
tell myself what a great job I was doing and how strong I was for making it
through all that I had and continuing to stay sober. As my head began to clear,
I realized part of my original problem was a result of not wanting to come to
grips with what my new physical limitations were. It took a couple years
before the lesson sank in in its entirety. Once I started to accept my
limits, I could start to really enjoy life and rebuild all that I lost with
the cancer and the cure.
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Mountain Tales It was the very first climb of Ronda del Cims.
The trail was brutally steep and covered in tree roots. I was breathing heavy
and could feel my heart rate soaring out of control. A group of about ten
runners clicked against my heels directly behind me as I practically breathed
through the shirt of the runner in front of me. I didn’t respond well to this
many people crowding my personal bubble, especially when running that hard. I
sighed heavily as runner after runner broke past me, each of them breathing
hard and working their way up the mountain pass. I stood back for a moment
and looked down at an almost constant stream of athletes rising up the
switchbacks beneath me. “Race your own race,” I said to myself. “Be happy
with your own abilities Nick.” I broke into a walk and took control of my
breath and heart rate. Twenty miles later, I was alone and closing in on
fifth place.
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| When Nick gets anxious, he turns into a...Nick figure...sorry... |
Of course, just because we are sharing our own extreme
examples does not mean that these philosophies are all strictly for extreme
situations. We share these because they can be used by anyone in the proper
situations and we invite you, dear reader, to take these helpful tips into the
world to use as you see fit. Feel free to hoard them or share them with others.
It is both of our hope that these do some good somewhere, and so we wish you
luck in your journey of a thousand Zen-filled steps.
Andrew Bundy
Nick Hollon
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