The mental gymnastics of modern self-help truly baffle me.
Like, ok—take today for example:
After what feels like decades of sitting on the couch, I tighten the brace on my still-sprained ankle and head for the door with Ava. It’s a sunny-ish weekend in Vermont and I am certifiably stir-crazy. I miss running. While I’m telling myself that a dog walk in the woods is better than nothing, I desperately wish I could be on a multi-hour trail run. Instead, I’m tenderly placing my feet between rocks and roots. It’s crazy how quickly habitual things can become foreign.
Ava’s loving this.
I’m listening to a podcast so, in my mind, it sort of feels like letting my thoughts wander on a long run. Joe Hudson is talking to Rich Roll about cultivating wonder instead of curiosity. I want to like this guy. Everything he’s said so far has felt like it came from a place of good intent. I can actually hear Rich tussling with helpful real-time realizations, and he hardly ever does that. But I’m stepping across a small stream when Joe says that curiosity can create a closed-off rumination loop, and I actually guffaw. He’s making the case for wonder. Apparently, that’s a more open-ended approach that can inspire growth without trying to overcome a deficit. I guess one comes down to searching for a solution, and the other asks whether or not the problem needs solving.
Maybe I’m missing something, but it seems to me that curiosity is a necessary ingredient for wonder. That probably won’t sell as many books, though. Or services. I’m shaking my head, and I’m alone in the woods, so I’m not hiding my judgement.
Everybody has to have a differentiator...
Whatever.
Light’s dripping through the trees. Ava and I are winding our way along the trail and my ankle’s feeling surprisingly good despite the incline. I’m sweating, and I smile at the realization that even that feels nice.
Joe’s coming from a good place. I’m inclined to think he’s actually going about this whole “healthy mindset” thing far better than most. As I’m picking my way across a muddy rock bed, I can’t help feel slightly exasperated. Look, I’m as guilty as anyone, but seriously—why must we make things so complicated for ourselves? Why do we do that? And why do people craft so many convoluted explanations for the same damn thing?
So I put my earbuds in my pocket.
And then I enjoyed the walk without having to solve it.
I’m ok with being baffled by the mental gymnastics of modern self-help.
Our Daily MAP Year Prompt
301/365
Are you someone who tries to solve it, soothe it, or leave it?
onward.
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