ne(youth)ral

Getting off the X.

Have been following various Podcasts in the recent months, starting off with Commentaries, which developed into Fitness ones and lately, Self Motivation to get the day started. They became good conversation starters to fill up some of spaces when meeting people but what it really opened up was this “quiet” time while driving.

I didn’t realise it, but with the daily commutes and the arrangements of sending and fetching my wife and kids, I do spend quite a fair bit of time on the road. (Not the best of topics on a carbon neutral page but we will address this in another post.) So much that I could actually complete an entire audiobook in a week. Hurrah to meeting my Read goals for the year!

So here is the first book on the 2024 list, a book by a retired Navy SEAL who ultimately become common reference points when you get around Fitness and Self Motivation podcasts, Overcome: Crush Adversity.

Key learning point here was about Getting off the X or also referred to as the zone of a life ambush. By 40, I have had my fair share of life ambushes, and although it is no where near the PTSD experience by Veterans, the sleeplessness, anxiety and constant harangue of inner thoughts was not leading me anywhere. I was still stuck on the X.

My short experience in the Army taught me the importance of IA drills and conditioning the body to Immediate Action and react instinctively at the sound of a gunshot. I realise that today instead of reacting to a life ambush, I tend to sit and wallow in the X. The longer I stayed on the X, the harder it was to get out of it.

R.E.A.C.T and keep moving forward.

I think one key element that helped me through life ambushes was the presence of someone who was close enough to advise yet far enough to be separated from the elements affecting me. Colleagues or family members could be affected by this life ambush too, so for me having a counsellor / mentor really helped to put things in perspective when I have chosen a direction to move.

After 6 hours of audio time cleared in traffic within a week and here I am closer to hitting my conservative target of 12 books in a year. Best part of it was that it is free (with the Libby app which you could link your regional membership to a library) and does not take up shelf space at home. Sure I do not get the satisfaction of having something between my thumbs, but as a parent to three kids, the “quiet” time while driving could be better spent getting new knowledge in.

On a side note, I am still figuring out the layout and how to edit the page. Will try to hit either a post or improving the layout once every week. Managed to get the “About” page done up to put a face behind the posts and will continue work towards Getting Off the X.