When I was a young boy, the word toughness always meant something physical. If I fell off of my bike, my friends would think I was tough if I got up without crying and didn’t make a big deal about it.
When I was a runner and triathlete, it was tough to be able to push myself to the edge of my body’s capacity and overcome the negative self talk that was inevitable when I reached my edge.
Over the past several years, toughness transitioned into an inner exploration of facing my deep subconscious fears head on with a warrior’s mentality of exposing my fears and working through them as they arose with courage.
I believe this inner journey has actually been the most impressive accomplishment in my life. The irony is that nobody else, aside from a select couple of close loved ones, will ever know that I am a spiritual warrior that has been slaying dragons and inner demons day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year for the past eight years without much rest or recovery.
There is little external validation fueling this accomplishment. This process has chiseled me into a more vulnerable, authentic, compassionate and focused version of myself, and I am very proud of this accomplishment.
My next iteration of toughness moves from the inner world to the outer world by sharing what I’ve learned with a wider audience and facing my deepest fear of public speaking and performing. Thank you for witnessing me as I slay another dragon and expose myself vulnerably to you and anyone else that crosses my path.
Nick
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