I got both the flu shot and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine a few hours ago. I don’t feel great, but that is the point of this post.
What I Thought Was Holding Me Back
My mental illness has wrecked my life. So has my trauma. Both have their own unique flavor of pain. I blamed these problems for why my life was a dumpster fire.
I once thought it was the symptoms of my illness that ruined my life. I thought if I could only be free of my depression, anxiety, and all the other horrible states I faced, I would be a different man. If I could only be free of it. That must be the problem.
And in one way, that would be correct. But the truth is, these states were only a symptom of the real reason I could not be successful in life. I realized today, while on my walk, that my failure to find success was not because of my symptoms, but because of my inability to be consistent.
The Lesson My Dad Taught Me
My dad is my biggest hero. He was an ear, nose, and throat surgeon for 35 years. Yes, he is brilliant. Yes, he is gifted. But that is not why he was a legend in his field. He was a legend because he was so consistent.
He wore the same set of clothes to work every day. He ate the same breakfast and lunch. He always told me when I was growing up, “Do it the same way, every time.”
Everyone knew my dad in town because he produced high-quality surgery every time, no matter what.
In my pain, I thought it wasn’t fair that I had to deal with an illness that most couldn’t imagine. I thought if I could just somehow rid myself of it, my problems would be solved. But the solution was there, right in front of me.
Putting Consistency Into Practice
I have begun to adopt my dad’s consistency. I am not where he was, not even close, but I am seeing results.
I started the ketogenic diet, which has been such a great gift to my mental health. I follow a routine every day (although some days are better than others). I have been posting on my blog twice a week.
To be clear, I am not saying that consistency is a replacement for medication, EMDR treatment, or any other therapy that can help treat a mental illness or disorder.
What I am saying is that to benefit from those medications, treatments, and therapies—and to find success in life—I had to be consistent. That has been the secret ingredient in my successful treatment of bipolar disorder and PTSD, and now in the beginnings of success in life.
One Shovel at a Time
My dad has even stated that consistency is the hardest part. So, I will not kick myself for learning this now. I would venture that some people go their entire lives without learning this truth.
I don’t know the answers to most of life’s problems, nor do I write here like I have it all figured out. But today on my walk, I discovered something so powerful, but so simple, I almost wrote it off.
If my superpower can be consistency, then I can move mountains. Even if it takes one shovel at a time.
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