3 health lessons from becoming a dad in 2021 (these might help you even if you aren’t a dad)

Figured I’d do something a little different than a lot of the other year end posts I’ve seen. My world changed on September 8th. Here are a few things I’m learning.

1. Priorities are always shifting

Suddenly, I stopped caring quite as much about the pursuits I’ve always been all-in with. We all have multiple identities and roles and they’re always shifting in priority. “Dad” is new, and one the highest priorities for me. “Athlete” got pushed down the list a bit, and rightly so.

It’s ok for priorities to change. That doesn’t mean we have to completely abandon important things like caring about our health.

2. Training to have fun and feel good is massively underrated

I stopped caring as much about what I look like or how I perform. Those things are still important, but overall health, energy, and just enjoying working out are wayyyy higher on my list of priorities than they used to be.

You know what this shift improved? My quality of life. I don’t wake up stiff and sore. I don’t feel the need to lay in bed for hours on the weekend, even though I get less sleep than ever. I don’t worry about my future health. I don’t spend hours prepping and measuring every bit of food or worrying about how every little thing I don’t micromanage is going to “wreck” me. Guess what else? I’m still the strongest I’ve ever been and still in pretty good shape.

All wins in my book. I’m sure I’ll have more aggressive goals sometime in the future, but for now, this is amazing.

3. The best things in life have absolutely nothing to do with money

· Seeing my daughter Alice smile when I come home from work and when she wakes up.

· Seeing Alice grow and develop at breakneck speed (you were right when you told me the time goes fast)

· Having freedom to do what I want with my time.

· Helping my wife Leslie have the flexibility with her schedule to pursue things that she finds fulfilling.

· Empowering my clients, even if it was just one person, to become more than they are.

This is success. These matter to me. Living in line with what we value reduces mental stress and improves our health. Big wins.

Finally, if you found it difficult to be positive about 2021 (or 2020 for that matter), I’d encourage you to always look for the things you can be grateful for.

Life isn’t easy, and we shouldn’t just minimize the bad in order to try to convince ourselves that THIS IS FINE, EVERYTHING IS FINE. Bad things happen and we can’t ignore them or write them off.

At the same time, I’m a firm believer that we always have more to be grateful for than not, and in many ways we create our own mental reality. If you’re always looking for and talking about the bad, you’re going to find and experience it. The same is true for the good.

If you’re looking for a fitness trainer in the Mt Juliet/Hermitage/Nashville TN area, online fitness training, or just need some advice to get your fitness program started, contact me

3 health lessons from 2021.