Fit for Life: My Chaotic Week
Matt Espeut, GoLocal Contributor
Fit for Life: My Chaotic Week
It all started on Sunday.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
After a great workout, I was home getting my stuff out of the car when my dad stopped by. He informed me that Granny (my 100-year-old grandmother) wasn't doing well.
Now, understand that I have visited my grandparents every Sunday since I was old enough to drive. Missing this tradition was very infrequent, and if I did miss Sunday, I would visit another day. (I'm going on 56 now, so that's a lot of Sundays)
After my grandfather died, I continued the routine, visiting my grandmother at home and then in various levels of assisted living, so Sunday before last week was the last time I saw her, and she looked fine. Her color was good, she was as feisty and coherent as usual.
This past Sunday was different, though.
Even at 100, she wasn't bedridden. She would get up, get dressed (with help), sit in her wheelchair, and putter around her room all day. However, when I arrived, she was still in bed, a little delirious, and telling me to take care of my father and have a good life.
She went from looking vibrant and coherent to an old woman about to die in 1 week's time. I thought that was the last time I would ever see her again. However, I went to see her several times on Monday, and she was alive, but it was the same as Sunday. She looked weak, tired, and ready to go. I decided to visit her as often as possible before it was too late.
On Tuesday, after my morning workout, I walked into the nursing home expecting to see more of what I experienced on Sunday and Monday. However, to my surprise, I walked in on her dressed and sitting in her chair. I was in disbelief. She got a second wind and decided that she wasn't ready to go yet. Wow, what a shift in emotions. I was relieved.
In addition to that emotional rollercoaster, the rest of my week looked like this: The Perform Better Summit was in town Friday and Saturday, and I will be sending my team. Therefore, I needed to run the gym on Friday and host a couple of makeup sessions on Sunday because we closed on Saturday. I also have friends coming in from all over the country, with one of them having a book signing event at my gym scheduled for Thursday night.
In addition, my family is visiting my grandmother (probably for the last time), and I will be presenting on a coaching call on Thursday afternoon. I also have a business going through some tactical changes and need to be present and on point with implementation and online training. In addition, another family member got surgery on Tuesday, which also pulled on my emotions and kept me worried.
To say the least, I had a very turbulent week. Some good, some bad, as I started the week with a very heavy heart, expecting my grandmother to pass away before Monday night. (That definitely had me in knots)
So, how do we show up and take on the daunting tasks of getting out of bed and showing up for others who rely on us when we are faced with stress and adversity?
We implement the 3 C's and carry on because, although people show concern, at the end of the day, nobody cares as much as you. Your excuses may be valid, but they don't exempt you from your responsibilities.
Cope with what you can't control. I had to cope with the fact that someone dear to me was going away forever, and another person was going in for surgery. I coped by visiting and being present every chance I could. I made time to see both people and spent much time walking down memory lane. I cried a bit, then told myself that we are on this earth temporarily and need to make the most of what's important to us.
I controlled what I could. I didn't miss a workout and kept my nutrition and wellness routine on point. I was diligent about staying hydrated and getting the required sleep. This is even more important during times like these, as you must be laser-focused and avoid burning out. I also tended to business, as we are going through a transitional time at Providence Fit Body Boot Camp by implementing new programs and team training.
Concentrate on what matters most. The biggest excuse in the world is time. I don't have the time for ……
Well, you do & I learned this over this past week that regardless of how busy you are, you can make the time to do what's important to you, even when the tasks aren't planned, and shit gets thrown your way.
Seeing my grandmother as much as I can is a priority, as well as helping my other family members recover from surgery, and I will do whatever it takes to not only show up for them but continue to do what's necessary for all other facets of life.
From a first-world perspective, I had a turbulent week, to say the least. But I had it easy when you look at the big picture from a third-world/war-torn perspective.
It doesn't matter the caliber of our issues, as we are all experiencing something different that affects us on different levels. What does matter is how we handle our stress and adversity.
We all have it in us to conquer what life throws at us. It's safe to say that it's predominately a mindset and how we carry ourselves through adversity and setbacks.
We have the power to make the best of any situation, as long as we put our minds to it. I kept telling myself, "Flip the switch and carry on so we can live to fight another day."
Committed to your success
Matt