THE ROOT 9: 31.1

I did my classic “text to self” practice on Friday afternoon after I heard this quote recited on a podcast. It really stood out, initially maybe because I’m officially transitioning into a new role this week (yay!), but because I think it’s also an essential reminder for all of us, especially if we tend to lean into envy or self-improvement that crosses the line into overly self-critical comparison.

If we stop to think about it, comparison is inherently flawed because no two people are genetically (or internally) the same.

There's a subtle, but powerful, nuance with how we interpret how we admire others. We can either:

The first creates room for flexibility. We can reflect on what we admire in someone and figure out how to refine “me'“. The second, purely mimicking another person, leaves us with a rigid method that’s bound to fail. You’ll never be that person…nor should we discredit the parts of ourselves that make us unique and different from them.

This week, my intention is simple: just focus on being the best version of myself. Any improvement I seek is to be a better me, not to be like someone else.

My challenge for us all is to take a moment and think about if we are showing up like that daily. If not, how can we both give ourselves some internal love by acknowledging parts of ourselves that make us the best version while pushing us to lean more into them?

Intention for the Week: Focus on being a first-rate version of yourself. Acknowledge what makes you unique and remember that any effort toward improvement should be to become a better you, not a replica of someone else.

On Steep Descents

Dylan and I did a lot of steep hiking during our time in New Zealand. Between the rain, loose rock, and constant curves, the sharp ascents and descents demanded a lot of care and one distracted step could easily lead to a fall or twisted ankle.

On the parts that felt like endless zigzags, we’d mostly stop chatting and focus on making sure we were stepping sideways. Why? Because maximizing our contact with the ground gave us greater control on the way down.

These might not be tips you use today, or even this month, but hopefully, when the time is right and you find yourself facing a rugged, steep descent, this little reminder will pop up in the back of your mind and keep you safer.

If you are like me, you might be excited and tempted to run down a hill because the descent seems a bit "easier," but don’t be fooled. We saw a couple running down from Roy’s Peak, and I felt bad for their knees plus it seemed pretty dangerous. They were moving so quickly that one wrong step could have sent them tumbling. As someone who loves to push themselves, there is absolutely no shame in taking your time here. Your safety and knees will thank you. 🙂

We love metal music. But…we really love metal concerts. The energy is unreal.

We bought tickets to see Chevelle a while back and I was joking about whether I was more excited for our honeymoon or seeing them live.

All jokes and music genres aside, one of my favorite parts of any concert is that moment when you hear a song performed live that you either disliked or had no real attachment to, and it becomes one of your favorites solely because of the performance.

That’s exactly how I feel about "Self Destructor" by Chevelle. Full disclosure, Chevelle isn’t for everyone, but if you do like metal, give it a listen:

And for those of you who don’t do metal, here’s another song that was on repeat during our honeymoon.