Social media type posts should sporadically be mundane or uninspiring. One out of five sounds about right. Commenting on our routines and even weaknesses would allow others to know something closer to the truth about us and perhaps connect in a deeper sense. I don’t care what you post, everything is not amazing.
“This is how it really is around here.”
Would this possibly allow genuine growth on a small and large scale? Would it take us beyond the critic who says “Social media is a charade and makes us feel miserable?”
Today, soccer rain-outs and a cancelled church activity placed a chunk of unscheduled time on my hands. That felt great for a while. After sleeping in, I offered to make the kids eggs and pancakes. I was glad they wanted Honey Nut Cheerios and leftover pizza. I don’t exactly enjoy cooking and we had things to do.
Amy works most Saturdays because it’s good for her and necessary toward our still looming student loans. I gave the kids some work tasks while I completed small repairs and cleaned windows. With children, of course, there’s usually another side to getting things done. Asking them to work without providing specific guidance and attention usually results in frustration and tears. Of course they drug their feet, pestered, and generally whined. I snapped on one of them and had to apologize.
In all, the morning was restful and productive but wholly unremarkable. I will soon proceed to the basement to complete a mundane weight training session. This will include some difficult but doable squat, push and pull exercises that are not Instagram worthy. Well, I tend to think that every training session around here that involves free weights under the trees is Instagram worthy, but that’s probably just me, and why I don’t have Instagram.
Here’s something that is easy to miss about training and life in general. I’ve missed it plenty. It’s a message that does not elicit discontentment and sale products.
Life is a gift, but it’s mostly not all that exciting. Likewise in physical training, too often drawing from the well of epic, high intensity, “Give 110%” mentality leaves you burned out or injured. At best, training stagnates sooner than later because the body’s ability to recover and grow is outpaced by our eagerness to MAKE it happen.
Training is not all dead lift PRs and backflips. Frequent epic workouts are not only unnecessary but also deleterious to sustainable long-term progress. Depending on your biological age and training history, you may be able to go like mad three or four days per week for a time. But don’t say that I didn’t warn ya.
From what I understand, simply reflecting on our choices/consequences and forming the right habits are far more helpful than a flurry of intensity or anything that requires herculean discipline. Instead of asking about specific exercises, diets, programs Two Weeks to a Tighter -This- and Sixty Days to Shredded -That-, we should be thinking about specific realistic goals that we can commit to over the long haul.
Some insight from the Amazing Mundane:
- It is best to put in hard but reasonable effort, not frequently pushing your limits.
- Consistency is key, far above the high tech, trendy, and fashionable.
- Systematic progression (*not always linear) is the magic that keeps you from daily straining and suffering
And for the sake of honesty and genuine growth, let us share some of our small victories, ordinary events, and failures. May we find the patience and strength to truly value the rather mundane process and do well with the unremarkable grind that over time, usually delivers us to the foot of something amazing. 
It truly is worth it, and too important to miss out on. And finally…
- When that day comes, THEN POUR IT ON.
And certainly…let us hear about that as well.
Bonny Lane Club 