Every year, without fail, the seasons change. Summer, fall, after winter then comes spring. Spring ALWAYS follows winter. This pattern isn’t going to change.
There are certain things in life that one man cannot change. How much control do you have over the changing of the seasons? Absolutely none. You can’t change the seasons. You’re just a spectator merely watching as things happen around you.
You can either be The Enthused Participant, The Punching Bag or the ACTIVE-DAD. Either way, it’s going to happen.
“Better is not something you wish; It’s something you become.”
Jim Rohn
The Enthused Participant
This guy is excited about EVERY season that comes. The enthused participant is fond of change or just loves the beauty that change brings. He starts each season with the same level of excitement, but half way through, gets bored and is ready for the next. The enthused participant’s elation wears off right in time for the next trend; never truly getting anything substantive out of the experiences.
The Punching Bag
This guy is caught unaware and taken by surprise each and EVERY season, EVERY TIME. The Punching Bag takes whatever life dishes out to him, changing nothing about his approach. The Punching Bag doesn’t prepare for upcoming winters, despite their inevitability.
The punching bag doesn’t work as hard as he can during the good times – summer and spring—to get ready for the winter. This guy, the Punching Bag, has winters that seem to last longer than others. From this guy’s point of view, their winters are permanent.
The ACTIVE-DAD
This guy ready’s himself knowing that he cannot stop seasonal change. This guy is stoic, focuses on his own behaviors and prepares for the winter by doing what he needs to do during the summer and fall, so that when he gets through the winter, to SPRING!
Your Seasons
You may have your own associations for the seasons, but for the purpose of this, consider these:
Winter: a time of hardship, loss, depressed spirits, out in the cold with long periods of darkness and short periods of light. It’s a time of recession. Recession in time. Recession in motivation. Recession in access.
Spring: a time of renewal, opportunity and a time to get busy planting those seeds of habit, so you can thrive later. It’s a period to prepare.
Summer: a time of plentiful sun, hot weather and that all too familiar drive to get your body beach ready. Some fruits of your labors in spring start to manifest. It’s a period of excess time.
Fall: a time of harvest. Those seeds of habit you planted in the spring, that grew in the summer, it’s time for them to flourish in the fall. It’s a period of reaping what you sowed. What did you sow?
Reality Check
Your life isn’t going to just change itself. You will go through some difficult times in life. It isn’t going to change. You can change yourself and you can change how you handle the seasons, but the seasons will come; ready or not!
You are facing a physical winter right now, where your health isn’t were it should be. We are all facing a COVID-19 winter. I’ll emphasize ALL. We are ALL going through this winter.
You have your individual story. But we are all going through this winter and we are facing disappointments. What makes all the difference in the world is, what you do about it!!!
But spring is on its way. ACTIVE-DADs get stronger in the winters. ACTIVE-DADs get wiser in the winter. ACTIVE-DADs get better in the winter. So don’t spend your wintertime looking for summertime. ACTIVE-DADs use wintertime to continue to PRIORITZE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. If you’re not there yet, use this winter to prepare for the work to be done in the spring, so you can reap in the fall!
We’re here for inspiration, here to move the needle away from The Punching Bag, elevate you beyond The Enthused Participant; from Physical Activity Contemplator, to ACTIVE-DAD.
How will you change your life?