A group of members from GEO travelled to Kenya and Tanzania where they built a “Ninja Warrior” playground for orphans.

GEO = GROW. EXPLORE. OVERCOME

Resilience:

“an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change”

“the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.”

“the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress.”

With the easing of isolation restrictions this past week, it has been awesome to be able to offer outdoor group training and get the gang back together again.  On Wednesday we had a great turnout, and the feedback from those who attended has been really positive.

Obviously, the park sessions are something new and shiny after being confined to our homes for the last couple of months, and I know many of you are chomping at the bit to get involved.

What I would ask is that regardless of the weather, if you have reserved a spot, you show up and give it your all.  I say this only because I have been watching the weather forecast all week and, as you likely already know, it is meant to rain tomorrow.  I am worried that there may be one or two people who do not show up.

Under normal circumstances, this is not a major issue because we have never operated on a “reservation’ system before.  However, due to the COVID-19 restrictions, we are only allowed to have 9 people attend each outdoor class, which means it is highly likely that someone will miss out.

Can I please ask that you treat less than optimal weather conditions as an opportunity to work on your physical and mental resilience.

This COVID-19 crisis has certainly tested our resilience.  It has thrown us into uncomfortable and stressful situations and forced us to deal with it.

One of the things we coaches admire and respect about you (the GEO members), is how day after day, week after week, you throw yourselves into an hour of suffering and discomfort at the gym to not only achieve greater fitness, but also mental resilience.  If you weren’t resilient, you would not come back.

The gym is, in a sense, a controlled environment.  You get to workout on a smooth, flat and dry surface.  Whilst we don’t have air conditioning or heating, the temperature inside the gym is pretty comfortable all year round.  There are toilets nearby.  A secure area to leave your belongings.  There’s a fridge to put your drinks and snacks in.  And you get to listen to some loud tunes while you push hard.

The park…..well, you are subject to the elements.  Along with the programming from the Coaches, Mother Nature dictates how uncomfortable you get.

We have no control over the weather, the temperature, the dryness of the ground, or the slipperiness of the surface.

What we can control is the programming we throw your way, and our commitment to show up, regardless of the conditions.

The Coaches have committed to running the park sessions rain, hail or shine.

If you do not want to get wet, wear a raincoat.  If you do not want to get cold, wear a jumper. If you do not want to do burpees on the wet grass, bring a towel or a tarp.

I guess what I am really saying is, embrace the discomfort.

Removing yourself from your comfort zone is good for the soul.  Just like you challenge yourself with your workouts in the gym, subjecting yourself to the elements and making yourself uncomfortable outdoors, creates resilience and forges an indomitable spirit.

So tomorrow, when you wake up and see that it is wet, and cold, and windy; get up, throw on your workout gear, and get yourself down to the park to put everything into the workout the way you would if you were in the gym.

Be resilient!  When you look out your window tomorrow and see it raining, say to yourself “Good!”

Ex-Navy Seal Jocko WIllink talks about the mindset of seeing challenges and misfortune as an opportunity to learn and grow. 

A group of UK celebrities are put through a compressed version of the UK’s SAS induction course.  This episode sees the particpants test their resilience.