Wyo4News Switchbacks: A cheat code for your next upgrade

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By Ryan
Wyo4News feature writer

Okay, I know there is a strong possibility that I am getting grumpier. But, If I see or hear another younger, fitter, smarter, or richer influencer declare, “You just have to do it! You need some discipline! You’ll change when it hurts too much to stay the same!” Well, It’s possible I threw up a little bit writing that last bit.

“Cowboy Up” is fine for short-term “get through this” moments. But, it is not okay as a way of life. Seriously, how much can life throw at you? Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. It’s like complaining about the wind in Wyoming. It’s an invitation for more of it.

We all know we need to upgrade our lives. We know that we need to do better. BUT. We’re tired. We’ve been carrying so much over the last three years. And, before that? Well, it wasn’t like life was easy, and we were all on vacation before 2020.

The vast majority right now are living from escape to escape. And we know that isn’t going to work forever. Sooner or later, the reality sets in. What is the reality? Your reserves are spent. There isn’t much left in the tank. When you are empty, the only way forward is to replenish your resources. Unfortunately, escaping from reality does not do that. It is a reprieve, it feels pretty good at the moment, but it doesn’t refuel or restore anything. It only stops.

Submitted photo by Ryan

Stop Trying To Stop.

And this is the rub or the problem. We need rest. If we don’t catch a break, we are going to break. But stopping isn’t the answer. Renewal is the answer. Redirection is the answer. 

We’ve all tried to stop many times. For example, we’ve tried to stop eating things that are bad for us, but that didn’t work out. We’ve tried to stop bad habits that we know are harming us, but we keep falling right back into them. Let’s face it; we are lousy at stopping. I don’t even think we are made to stop. But we are designed to be in motion. And that is what we will do. So, how do we replenish when stopping isn’t working for us?

Redirect Your Life Into New Experiences. 

It is easier to push harmful behaviors from our lives than it is to stop them. It has been said that “Nature abhors a vacuum.” It is the same for us; nothing bugs us more than “Nothing.” The trick is to do and think about things that are helpful. And baby steps are important. For example, it is easier to start taking a short walk a couple of days a week than it is to begin a daily workout regimen with a trainer. It’s easier to introduce a healthy meal or snack a few times a week than it is to cut all carbs.

Often our mistake is to create a vacuum in our lives, then try to fill it. Here is an idea. Add one thing to your life this week that would benefit you. One thing. 

Start redirecting the “nothing” that you have been escaping into. Use it for something that fuels you. One little thing at a time is a good start. Choose something that encourages, challenges, or fuels you. The one little thing may turn into much more. That is how you start making your life good again.

Choose To Live Again!

It’s about choosing to live. Choosing to live is a conscious effort. We don’t just naturally live. We naturally survive. Survival is not living; it is existence. Too many of us will choose to exist until we die. Don’t be that way. Choose to Live until you die. Arrive at your gravestone having lived a life, not merely having survived until you died.

I know it’s a tad more work, but it’s also a lot more fun.

So Have Fun!

Ryan