It is my birthday today, turning 28, and I try to take the day to understand where my life is, how I got here, and where can I go. This isn’t a short process, it generally takes the day, usually two or three. The result is an overarching goal that I can apply to life.
I didn’t always start this way. Birthday parties used were about partying, getting as drunk as possible, then feeling a hangover praying I took the day after off. Then after I turned 25, I realized I was in a pretty bad way emotionally,physically, and spiritually. It wasn’t a life altering thing, it just was I woke up and realized I was in a pretty bad place, and things could get a lot worse from here if I didn’t straighten up.
When I turned 26, I was in the middle of a crushing depression, and the things around me all felt like pain. I found myself performing, sitting in a bar, getting drinks, but it all seemed empty.I decided that enough was enough. Goal for 26: Mental Health. I started to take my therapy sessions serious, and after 2 years of non work, it was hard to do so. However, the results started to happen. I found myself in a good place and my friends and family started to notice the changes as well.
After spending a year making that leap, I took 27 as a year to get baselines for everything else. The way I ate, how I worked, other habits etc. I investigated most of my ills, and tried to get better. I found a lot out about myself through coaching and other things that made me happier. I noticed that adding that in with the therapy had a compounding effect on my disposition to the world. I wasn’t a surly guy much anymore. I was happy most of the time, and it allowed me to see my depression for what it was.
This year I want to build on that, and I think I did some serious pre-work to figure that out. I have a weekend where I will get away, and discover some things. Hopefully it will all make sense and next year I will be writing about another journey on this day.
From the desk of Adam Thomas 