Are You in control?

Growing up I was a punk. I was spoiled and sheltered from reality. Nothing was my fault. If something went wrong there was a reason why, or a person to blame. It was never something I could do better.

On the flip side, I have always been a relatively positive person. I thrive on good vibes and strive to make a person’s day better. And I’m energized by good conversation and interaction. Therefore, naturally I can’t stand negativity.

You can find negativity in most places. I overhear it daily, lingering in conversations and gossip sessions at work and in social settings. And you don’t have to go far to see it on social media. But I’ve begun to realize, it isn’t the negativity that truly bothers me anymore; it’s the lack of ownership. The blame mentality that brings me back to my former self. I can still see that old version of myself. It kills me. It was a crutch and a disability.

Take the current state of the world — the political landscape and current virus — for example. What is the theme? I see pain and sacrifice and tragedy — a time when we need compassion for others. But I also see blame. People playing the victim card. I see the cancellation of others opinions, the attack on others values and perspectives who differ from our own. We find ways to cherry pick information to support our opinions, no matter the context.

Is my ego — our egos — so big that my opinion has to be the correct one?

Why do we not lead with love? Or take the time to understand others? Or at the bare minimum, use common sense and reasoning?

Why do we sit back and ask, or demand, what the government and system can do for us? Why must someone else find a solution to our problems?

I could try to answer these questions for you, but I find it better for you to reason for yourself. Plus, there’s a multitude of variables contributing to this type of culture. The point is, it can’t go on. It must not. And it starts with me. It starts with you. It starts with taking extreme ownership over what we do.

Listen, I believe to my core that your life is your responsibility and yours alone. Period. Your happiness, your habits, and your choices are your responsibility. And the sooner we take ownership over this fact, I think, the quicker we will get to where we wish to go. They are not in control. We are.

Health Is Wealth

I find we don’t take control of our health because the desire isn’t deep enough. Our culture idolizes a six-pack — it seems to be the gold standard of health. It’s not. And the motivation to lose weight to “look good” is not enough. It isn’t sticky. It doesn’t last. We cannot relate health and weight loss too closely. Yes, it is unhealthy to be overweight, but your body fat is only one of the many components to a healthy lifestyle.

To make health sticky — or deep enough — it needs to be more than an image. For example, to me, my health is my freedom. It is everything. It shapes my life and my future.

Health really does affect everything — mindset, energy, chance of disease, and the rate at which we age. A healthy body will enable an enjoyable life with family and friends, and provides the ability to move effectively into old age. But if we mistreat this body, it will start to erode quickly. And with this mistreatment you become a shell of your former self, reminiscing on the “glory days.”

It is remarkable, how seemingly meaningless habits, daily thoughtless food and movement decisions, compound dramatically. They either build a strong, healthy person, or conversely contribute to the downfall of our system. The right foods nourish, energize, and sustain bodily health, while the wrong foods can lead to restriction and disease. This is why the modern thinking — we should only eat healthy when we become overweight or sick, and workout only when we lose muscle — is fundamentally flawed. Yet somehow is still present in many of our lives.

Here is the main problem with the diet world. Diets create a never ending cycle of restrict and binge — two sides of a coin. On one side (restriction, when you are on the diet) you can’t have the routines and foods you enjoy. On the other side (binge, when off the diet) you feel like shit. Or you gain weight. Who wants to live their life either restricted or unhealthy? To me, living healthy is about feeling confident, energized, and vibrant each day — it’s not about restriction.

Now, I say this even though I’ve lived the diet lifestyle in the past. Trust me, I’ve tried the restrictive diet plans. I’ve even had success with a few of them. The problem is, they aren’t sustainable long-term. We all want to enjoy daily life — this means our nutritional game plan needs to be enjoyable, and long-term it needs to be an adoptable lifestyle.

At the end of the day, there is no perfect diet. The Internet will tell you there is — as nutritionists and influencers wave their magic wand touting the newest diet trend — but in reality it all depends on the individual. And honestly, when it comes to losing weight, 99% of these diets work. The methodology behind each unique diet will vary, but caloric restriction is the key ingredient in all of them — leading to the weight loss. I’m not going to preach about eating less and moving more — health is so much more than calories in vs. calories out. But what’s the common denominator in most of the trendy diet plans — like Keto, Carnivore, Whole30, and Atkins? They all eliminate garbage. If you actually follow the plan, you aren’t eating refined carbohydrates, processed sugars, and junk foods. And you probably aren’t drinking alcohol either. Progress by elimination.

So, this begs the question; if we don’t follow a diet, what do we do? This blog will answer that question in time, but the core of the answer lies in the beginning.

It lies in extreme ownership.

It’s time to take control.

Lets go.

About The Author:

My goal is to shine a positive light on the world around me while pursuing the best version of myself possible. I wear many hats, I am a PGA professional, podcaster, writer, health enthusiast, athlete, and teacher.

My vision for this blog is to share my personal experiences and knowledge with no agenda, no judgment, and no BS — just positive energy.

Instagram: @austinharrington3

Podcast: AOG

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