Facing stress and overcoming it.

In one of my previous posts, I wrote about how stress has had a major impact in my life.

I really want to tell you about the lessons I’ve learned along the way (so far). I also want to help you understand how the right mindset can be very useful in overcoming such obstacles as stress.

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Let’s start at the very beginning.

At age 20, I began working out seriously​. Not just now and then, but four to five times a week with a healthy diet and a new friend who introduced me to Olympic weightlifting. I was shocked to experience the physical as well as mental benefits of working out on this level. Thus the foundation of my identity as an adult, had been created.

It’s hard to describe just how a lifestyle can change your mindset and your life in general. I quickly discovered, that all I learned in and out of the gym, I could adapt to everything else in life. Let me explain.

Getting to the gym is not always joy and happy times. Some days it’s pouring rain or snowing heavily and your bed is just sooo warm and comfy. Having set your mind to a specific goal, like reaching a new personal record in a given lift, determination and drive is what gets you on the bike to the gym, just wearing shorts and a sweatshirt in that pouring rain.

This determination and drive is what I adapted to everything in my life. 

Suddenly my grades went sky rocket, the relationship between me and my now wife became even more intimate, and my focus on most tasks was just spot on. 

But to every positive, there’s a negative. I learned that the hard way. As my life improved, I started demanding too much of myself. Eventually this resulted in a major crash. 

It was April 2016. I was working as a sales trainee at a company that sells kitchens. The following months, I had promised the costumers more than I could handle, and things just started collapsing in my head. My mood went down, my self esteem went down, and all seemed dark and grey from my point of view. 

That April morning, just as I kissed my (then)girlfriend goodbye and was about to head to work, everything crumbled and I just started crying. My (then)girlfriend looked at me shocked and afraid. Ofcourse she held me close and gave me comfort, because of that amazing woman she is. My wife is the ground pillar of my life, but I’ll save that story for another time.

The following months was a nightmare. My lust for food had disappeared and every morning when I woke up, I considered just staying in bed untill I could sleep again (though sleep was a rare phenomenon at that time). Everything was just so grey! 

I started seeing a therapist, and gradually feeling a little better. I learned that all this stress I had put on myself, was the result of having a father who struggled with alcoholism. No wonder I demanded such unrealistic things from myself. My whole life I had been forced to be an adult when my sister and I visited my father during the holidays. 

Having learned that, I can now look back and understand what caused all this havock in the first place. 

A lesson I would like to share with you, is that life will knock you down, there will be bumps along the way, but getting back up and facing your demons is crucial if you want to move on. Ofcause you can stay on your knees and crawl for the rest of your days. But then you are controlled by whatever knocked you down. If you get back up, the world is at your feet and you can start living the life that you deserve.

Alexander.

 

Cardio of the day!

Geez! I just wrote a post the length of a novel and guess what! You can’t upload a picture and the hit the back button to undo. It just jumps back to your main page, having erased your precious post of the face of the Earth!

PS. I’m writing on my phone currently, having crushed both mine and my wife’s laptop screens (don’t ask).

Well I’m just gonna have to give it another shot! (Looks nervously at the top left of the screen trying to be determined)

So, getting your workout and cardio done, while also being a committed father and husband can seem like mission impossible! For me being at my absolute best physically, emotionally and spiritually has long been a way of life, a code or mantra.

Lately I’ve been busy being a stay-at-home dad, while my wife is working (I’m studying to be a teacher, but more on that in another post!). I have to say, to the female readers, that I am sorry on behalf of all men. Staying at home is NO vacation! I’m so sorry for the stupid impression some men have on that subject.

Being a stay-at-home dad, takes a lot of effort. I mean A LOT. No really. My daughter is 1 year old, and that in itself is insane! Not only is it crazy how fast time has flown by, but it’s insane how she can be at four places at once! Or at least that’s what it feels like. The energy level is ever high, ever present. This is fantastic of course. I love spending quality time with her. But in the evening, when there is finally time to go to the gym, run or take the mountain bike for a spin, I feel drained and exhausted to say the least.

Being in my best shape possible and living as the best version of myself is important to me. But having failed to plan my physical, emotional and spiritual way of life in the past, I’ve learned a valuable lesson. Personal success is, for me, not defined by money, fitness or other material things.

Being successful is embracing each day as a blessing and being grateful that I woke up, to look my beautiful daughter and my wife in the eyes and seeing their smiles.

Therefore I don’t let having failed to go to the gym or doing some cardio drag me down. Still I thrive to be in the best shape possible by being determined and having the willpower to just squeeze that extra hour out of the day and remembering, that for each workout, I’m one step closer to becoming the best possible version of myself!

This must be it for now. My wife has to get up early, and my heart is lighter than when I started writing this post. I hope you enjoyed reading, and if my thoughts and lessons helps just one person out there I am ever grateful!

Have a fantastic day and remember to embrace life! Cheerio!

Cardio of the day! Original

I found it! Sorry about the earlier frustrations! Here is my original post!

So lately I’ve been busy going home with my 1 year old daughter. It’s great. But the self improvement has been on a hold for awhile now. Working out has been delayed, and it feels like time flies by so fast. 

Today though, I finally snapped out of it and stoped making the excuse that I’m too tired (my wife and I just bought a house) and what not. I got on my mountain bike and raced like there was no tomorrow! I live near the ocean, which made the trip even more beautiful and “mind clearing” for me. 

Being a father and a husband, is the greatest thing in life. No doubt about that. But taking the time to develop one self physically, emotionally and spiritually can be, in some cases (including mine), very tough. If not planned correctly, it can infact drain the energy out of you. 

That happened to me a while back. 

I was so caught up in my own thoughts, that I got stressed out. Thinking I didn’t live up to my own expectations of being in the greatest shape of my life, both physically, emotionally and spiritually. 

But now I take things slowly and might even have learned to embrace every day and be grateful for the tings in my life, and the fact of being alive! Well. That must be it for now. My wife has to get up early, and our daughter won’t sleep! 

Cheerio!

First blog post

This is it. I did it. I started a blog!

Now the reason I started this, is to give you information, advice and some tips on fitness, and being a husband and a father.

Let’s get to it!

I’ll just include my “About” me in this post too.

Im a simple man. Or at least thats what i thought. In the spring of 2016, i, like many others, broke down with stress. The fact that stress was not just an irritating state for me, but actually a potentially deadly disease/condition, changed me as a whole.

Before I get more into this part of my life, let me first give you some background information on the man called Alexander.

I’ll spare you the long story of my life, and begin with the moment I met my now wife.

It was a summerday in Denmark in august month, 2011. I worked as a waiter at an Italian restaurant. All the classic cliches was present. The flirty gazes, the phone number exchange, the date, the kiss under the stars, and of course the emediate love in the air.

A year later, we moved in to a flat near Copenhagen. I took my exams and she studied to be a nurse.

The following years I was introduced to the concept of training in a gym and not to mention the philosophies behind. That woke me up. Almost like I had been blind and now could see. I discovered a part of myself  that had been hidden. I was to say the least, ignited. The following years I got more and more into this philosophy and made working out regularly and building myself a part of my “mantra” I discovered that working out improved the quality of my life, and gave my benefits in the form of discipline among other.

My later discoveries on fitness, stress and becoming a family man will have to be a cliffhanger for now! Sorry about that!

Have an excellent day and remember to love!