more than fine.
are you more than fine?
i have several outlets to keep me sane.
writing this blog is one.
songwriting.
working out.
sports.
tv shows.
and many many mannnny more.
but there is one ritual i haven’t done in a while which usually clears out all the cobwebs of life and presses my “reset button”.
this week i decided to get up and go to the beach.
on my way there, the weather was so nice, i rolled down all my windows and sunroof to breathe it in.
i cranked up some Switchfoot and drove as fast as i could towards the sea.
and then i was hit with a flash of memories.
i used to live on the west coast of Florida.
the beaches there are superior to Miami (no arguments) they just are.
and no matter what i was going through, i had an almost weekly ritual.
drive towards the sea,
windows down,
Switchfoot blaring,
sun-in & tanning oil ready,
relaxation with extra vitamin D.
i suddenly remembered all the times in my life i “reset” myself using this method.
it was as if i had forgotten.
as if i’ve tried to catch my breath all this time and all i had to do was exhale.
idk if you’ve listened to any Switchfoot albums (i said albums), you should.
they’ve gotten me through some of the best and worst times in my life.
Switchfoot will never let me down…end side note.
have you ever been asked:
“how are you doing?”
and answered:
“fine.”
?
the funny thing about the word fine is in every material use of the word, fine is actually a good thing. (i.e. fine wines, fine ballpoint pens, etc)
but when we use it to describe our current state of being, we mean nothing of the sort.
fine…as in, kind of okay.
fine…as in, leave me alone, i don’t want to tell you how i really feel.
fine…as in, i’m convinced it won’t get better than this.
this word has plagued my vocabulary over the last year and i’m about done with it.
i no longer want it to be a part of my descriptions of myself.
i’m either hella ecstatic or down with a frown.
who wants to be just “fine” anyways?
as i was driving,
car in sport mode.
windows down.
no a/c.
listening to Switchfoot’s The Beautiful Letdown album.
the song “More Than Fine” came on. (threw me wayyy back)
an oldie but a goodie making it feel relevant and nostalgic all at the same time.
the chorus goes like this:
more than fine
more than bent on getting by
more than fine
more than just okay
it got me thinking,
how many of us are just living
day to day, moment to moment
with the excuse of just trying to be okay?
how many of us are just trying to get by?
how many of us have come to believe that life isn’t going to be better today than yesterday?
hey, i’m an optimist, and if i can find myself in the struggle of “fine” then you can too.
how do you exhale?
once i’ve found myself in the controversial state of being “fine”
i’m in need of a good ole’ hard reset.
some call this, centering yourself.
others would say, focusing your chi.
still others would say, cleansing your aura.
to me, it’s about clearing your head and your heart so your spirit can realign itself.
for me, this looks like car in sport mode, sun in my face, wind in my hair and my favorite songs from my teenage years.
for you, you might just need to take a walk.
or to write a poem.
or to watch a movie.
or to take a nap.
or to get rid of the kids for an hour.
or to take a vacation.
or to read a book.
or to just simply remain still.
whatever you do to “center yourself” do it often.
some soul food is good for the soul
and in turn will affect your body and your mind.
as yourself… are you fine? or more than fine?
are you striving for excellence or to just get by?
if you’re lacking the energy and strength to stop and want more out of this life for yourself, then take 5 mins right now and zoom all the way out. take a step back for just a second and allow yourself to see all the moving parts.
in other words, stop focusing so much on yourself and lets focus on the bigger picture for once.
progress over perfection.
more than fine.
more than just okay.
-gb
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