The 10 Agreements - Strength
As a man, we are expected to be strong. That strength is supposed to be present at all times, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
But are these Strengths still required of us? Have we not evolved so that men are no longer needed to be strong?
Today's civilized world means that Strength is no longer the primary factor in who survives and who doesn't. Who obtains power, conceived or existing, and who serves.
But Strength, while not as critically important as it once was when we were out roaming the plains or forests millenia ago, is still a resource that men have managed to inherit. It is a tool that we can still utilize, and should.
I have included Strength as one of The 10 Agreements, because Strength is something men are naturally predisposed to have. And if it is good enough for nature, it's good enough for me.
When the Vikings started raiding the distant isles of Great Britain, they had a mastery of the ocean that was unmatched. Their ships were better designed to be fast and flexible, to withstand the waves of the North Sea, while also being light enough to allow for maneuverability in areas where passage might not be as easy. Sometimes, those boats were blocked by shallows, and had to be carried on foot.
Carrying the boat was something every man did. To do so, they had to be strong.
Sometimes, we Carry The Boat in our own lives. Maybe it is opening a jar for our wives. Throwing our kid around in the pool. Hitting a new PR in the gym.
And maybe, it is being the shoulder for someone to lean on when things are rough.
Strength means so many things to us. Physical strength provides us the ability to defend our loved ones, and make sure that they are provided for. Emotional strength, means that we can step up when others around us are unable to do so, with humility, and a sense of responsibility. Mental strength means we are able to remain calm and focus on a task or problem at hand. It means we are able to better question situations, and understand them completely without giving into emotional responses initiated by fear or lack of understanding.
I encourage us all to make the three most critical areas of strength, a part of our every day training. Test your body to its limits. Test your mind to challenge accepted assumptions. Test your emotional fortitude to make sure that you are there for others...but also, able to be there for yourself, when you need to be.
The general views of many is that we must take care of others in our life, first. But we cannot take care of them, unless we are strong enough to do battle in their name.
Be strong today, men. Skol!
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