Lets take a walk.. Then we'll eat scones on Sunday
A poem about challenging yourself
I wrote this while living on the road after closing my first business.
I was in Sedona Arizona, I was in a ton of pain and very overweight, unhealthy and broken.
I started waking up before sunrise to hike because where I drove off the road and camped, I’d wake up to hot air balloons gliding just above me as the sun was coming up.
It was so gorgeous to hike in the middle of the red rock dessert and conquer challenges you never thought you could
I lost 30 pounds in two months finding a ton of inspiration in just moving forward to discover new things.
It became a literal metaphor of my current life, sometimes looking at impossible tasks /climbs and doubting weather I could do it. And then you do it…
I spent days trying to get to the top of a particular hike/ mountain called ‘Cathedral Rock’ and when I finally reached the top, albeit exhausted, a 77 year old man named Warner, pronounced “Varner”, in an old German accent rolled up without breaking a sweat and insisted he’d guid me up to the real ‘secret top’…
It was one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen..
Bright orange spires (rock columns) felt like I was in heaven, this is the view:
If I gave into fear, I’d never have seen this view…
Folks came from all over the world to see this and pray and connect to some connection in another part of the world, it was a magical experience.
After that day, I hiked everyday for 2 months until II thought got what I needed and kept driving (I should’ve never left)
I wrote this poem below one day when I was discouraged and I needed to smack myself into the realization that we can slowly change, no matter how painful it is.
When all I wanted to do was give up, I chose humor and leaning into the pain instead of letting it control me.
I hope this empowers you to take that walk, no matter how painful it is, it gets easier.
The “walk” can be a metaphor too,
Let fears become your super power —→
Just take a walk…
Just take a walk…
A walk in the park..
My brain typically races
Multitasking projects,
thoughts, decisions,
emotions filtering.
The slow monotonous stride
the painful landscape of same
Each foot, gently placed,
positioned for its eventual return
of yet another glide
I’d rather wrestle a tiger,
jump off a cliff into freezing cold depths
ride a bicycle into a hurricane
or even squat... bro
My addiction to constant
My craving for a challenge
I decided to take a walk today,
and it ended with a giant... park
Each climb I conquered
Painful feet, blistered,
cracked, and sharp shooting pains
I decided today,
I would make a change.
Embattled with failure, drive and hope,
my stride, deep breath and perspiration soaked
I took each down with a bound,
and hopped up hills with my tired, round abs?
I turned this little walk,
into a personal talk,
I made this talking into a game,
where I didn’t think it was so lame
Now, every time I’m faced
with the distaste
of a long drawn out walk,
I remember to change the pace,
and create the element of a race.
As much as I don’t like to jog,
I’d rather breathe in the smog,
Through forced breaths of heavy gasp,
at least I know this walk won’t last.
I don’t like to walk because I feel pain and just wanna stop.
but without doing, I wouldn’t be moving
and this life would seize to exist.
So, instead of saying another day,
as much as I’d rather just stay,
If we don’t start moving more,
there will be no more will to move.
Take my advice,
lean into what doesn’t feel right.
Because the only thing that matters it seems
Is making the uncomfortable your going thru
a master class of the best version of yourself, just being
-Matthew
(ps- scone manifesto coming this weekend :])
