I recently saw and uploaded to The Tribe some powerful photos of Marines departing to Afghanistan and saying goodbye to their loved ones. Having been in that same spot myself, I can relate to the powerful feelings that you feel during those times. I remember leaving my 6-month old daughter and wife at the airport and thinking, have I done everything I can to prepare myself? Have I given myself the best chance possible to come back safely to the people and country that I love? Am I strong enough mentally and physically to return from war the same person that I left? War is the most extreme of human experiences, but everyday life can throw similar challenges at you when it comes to health and safety. After you leave for work or drop your children off at school, are you doing the things necessary to remaining healthy and strong in your life? Sometimes eating the right things, getting exercise, and managing stress seem like a nuisance or less important than other daily pursuits…but are they? Just like preparing for combat requires dedication and “hardening”, so does preparing for life.
Don’t wait until disease, obesity, or injury force you to be proactive about life and health. You impose your will to be healthy and present for your family upon life, don’t let it be the other way around because inertia can be a deadly weapon once you start heading in the wrong direction.