Into the Unknown

In Chicago, the train system running into the city ends with a tunnel entering the station. As you enter, the tunnel brings a darkness ending in a dead-end stop. The trains come to a stop, unload passengers and exits the same way it came in. No light at the end of the tunnel (as they say). With everything that’s happened the last two weeks, regardless of political position or belief, this imagery becomes eerily clear to depict us entering the unknown. As the crowd of people shuffle to the train doors and make their way onto the pavement below and out of the train station; each person is seemingly entering the unknown. The amount of traffic, the rush to work, the race to get in line at Starbucks, or the struggle to hail a cab. Each person is exiting the train, not knowing what is waiting on the other side of those sliding doors. Naturally, we as young adults can easily feel this way in our daily lives. Our young adult years are full of uncertainty. The ebb and flow of life, seasons changing and new experiences coming and going, all seem to lead to unknowns. Good or bad, it’s natural and it happens. Now throw into the mix a pandemic, an Election year, an Olympic year with no games, virtual school, and division in our communities… the list goes on. And eventually the bad starts to outweigh the good. What naturally is a time of unknowns and new horizons now feels like that moment in the train, not knowing what’s on the other side.

            We’re left wondering… What now? Where to next? What other obstacle will life throw our way? How do we embrace the unknown? Well, much like the passengers exiting the train into the city, we can look at life the same way. These passengers don’t know what awaits, but they know it leads to something. A job, a baseball game, a trip to the beach, maybe simply back home to their apartment from a trip to the suburbs. The city can be full of opportunity, but there is unknown in the moments leading up to stepping out onto the pavement beneath the train. I believe we have the power to prepare for the unknown, a choice to make on how we respond to the opportunity, and the chance to react positively to whatever life throws at us. I believe talking about the unknown is valuable, given last week’s post regarding adversity, because the two are closely related. Sometimes the outcome of how we handle adversity can lead to unknowns, and as we talked about last week – adversity can be looked at as opportunity not opposition. As it states in James 1:2-4, we should “Consider it pure joy, whenever we face trials…” because the obstacles create perseverance and strength in us.

            So, hearing that – how do we prepare? It starts all the way back in week one of the blog with the base we built and the core we developed defines who we are. It gives us the power to position ourselves for what is good and what is right. Philippians 4:8 says, “…Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” How does this relate? This verse gives us guidance on how we should position ourselves and the direction we should guide our mind and our heart. By “thinking about such things” we are positioning ourselves for success because where our mind goes, our body tends to follow. Our brain and our heart are powerful muscles, and we must exercise and prepare them just as we would any other aspect of our body. By starting in week one of the blogs and working to this point, the development and growth has allowed form our brain and heart to be strengthened, shaped, and conditioned to guide us through the unknown.

            Once we understand that, we can look at the choice of how to respond. Take the election for example. It creates a variety of unknowns, regardless of political party and regardless of belief. The unknowns don’t need to scare us or deter us from growth and opportunity. I don’t know about you, but the leader of our country doesn’t lead my life or my heart. And I believe this is how we should respond to any opportunity or unknown situation. With the growth we’ve developed and the resources around us, we should be encouraged to head off into the unknown, on a search for greater opportunity, more success, stronger growth. It’s out there and it starts with a choice. The choice to respond hesitantly to be overcome by the unknown, which can be crippling and keep us stagnant. Or we can make the choice to attack the unknown and respond with the mindset that unknowns are an opportunity for growth.

Lastly, the above two ideas lead into the final opportunity. The chance to take a positive approach. I have a friend who was an accountant and had to endure a busy season, and for anyone who knows what this entails – it’s 60-70hr weeks of work, that despite the short period of time it lasts, seems to never end. I remember our first year out of school, discussing busy season with him (which he happened to be experiencing while planning his wedding); he was telling me how it’s all a part of it, to put in the time now, to set himself up for flexibility and success later. Even though it wasn’t enjoyable, he knew that once he made it through a few seasons like that, he would be set up for further opportunity later. He took the chance to look at a negative situation in a positive light and set himself up for positive growth. You see, when met with unknowns, our perspective, and the approach we attack the situation with directly impacts the result. As Newton’s Third Law states, “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Which reaction do you want to choose?

            So, I leave you with this encouraging note. No matter what life throws at you, no matter how dark the tunnel, or what’s on the other side of that train door, you have an opportunity. The opportunity to prepare in advance, to make the choice on how you’ll respond, and the chance to react positively. You can do it. Take the step, shine your own light in the darkness. Step into the unknown and attack the opportunity.

WORKOUT:

Maybe for you starting a new workout is unknown territory or maybe you’re used to lifting heavy weight all the time.  Take a chance and venture into new opportunity with the workout below!

Set a timer or use an interval clock (such as the WOD app). 40sec of work / 20sec of rest. 

Block 1:
1.     Jumping Jacks
2.     Shoulder Circles (fwd. 20sec / bkwd. 20sec)
3.     Plank Up-Downs

Block 2:
1.     Push-ups
2.     Squat Jumps
3.     Leg Drops (lay on your back with legs straight up in the air, lower one leg down to the floor and back up, switch legs) 

Block 3:
1.     Low Squat Walk (forward/backwards)
2.     Fwd. Hop Burpees
3.     Plank Hip Rotations

Block 4:
1.     Plank Walk-ups (inchworm)
2.     Cross Body Mountain Climbers
3.    L-Sit Hold (sit up straight on your tailbone with legs extended in front of you, lean back slightly and allow legs to come up from the floor. Raise arms above head and hold. Your body should look like an L)