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Letting Go of the Monkey Bars

09/25/2019 By Sarah Wyland

25 Sep
Letting Go of the Monkey Bars |  Sarah Wyland

I’ve never been especially adept at the monkey bars. As a kid, I just couldn’t quite get the hang of it. I didn’t have a lot of upper body strength, and I was overweight, not the best combo for crossing the monkey bars. I once celebrated crossing three whole bars before falling off, and proved much more adept at crossing the monkey rings. Rings swing, my friends. You can use your momentum to get yourself cross those. 

I’m relatively confident that I can cross the monkey bars these days. I haven’t tried in years, but my upper body strength has dramatically increased (hello, weightlifting) and I’m a lot leaner than I was back then. It stands to reason that monkey bars would no longer be an insurmountable obstacle, should I decide to find a playground and attempt to cross them. 

Despite my inability to successfully navigate the monkey bars back in the day, there was still a certain confidence in reaching for the next rung. It was right there, waiting for me to grab it. When releasing one hand, I knew there was something to grab onto. Even though I hit the ground more often than not, there was safety in knowing what I was reaching for when I let go. 

Another thing about me. I like direction. Plans. Blueprints. I’m an Enneagram 3, an “original Type A” as one description put it. I really like to know what’s next. I like to let go of the metaphorical monkey bar and know what I’m about to grab onto. 

But faith doesn’t work like that, does it? 

There’s that saying that goes “jump and the net will appear.” 

That’s the heart of faith – stepping forward into the known, hoping that the water beneath your feet becomes hardwood floor with each step. It’s letting go of the monkey bar, but not knowing what you’re going to grab onto next.  

I stumbled across a sermon by Pastor Steven Furtick recently called “Wind vs. Word (Trusting God’s Timing)” that rocked my world. He asked a big question: 

“How many things are we not doing because the devil told us not to?” 

He also said something so profound (to me) that I wrote it on a post-it note at my desk: 

“When your spirit makes a decision to do something, your mind will find reasons not to do it now.” 

Ain’t that the truth? 

He used the example of starting a diet. You decide this is it. You’re going to do it. You’re going on a diet. But then, you think “well, we’re approaching the holiday season. There’s Halloween coming up, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s… And all the events and parties around them… Now isn’t really a good time to go on a diet. It will be too hard to maintain it. I’ll wait until after the holidays.” 

Next thing you know, you’ve put off your diet for months. 

Or maybe you feel stirred to go on a trip. It might be a mission trip or a “for fun” trip, but you wake up one morning and you know in your soul you need to book a plane ticket. You fire up your laptop, pull up Skyscanner, plug in your dates and destination. You select a flight, check all the boxes. Then, it asks for your credit card. 

Wait a minute. 

You have to pay for this? 

Your mind catches up with your fingers. Your start to think about this. Putting a few hundred dollars (or perhaps more) on your Visa is risky. You’re trying to get out of debt, not go further into it. And it’s not just the plane ticket you have to pay for. There’s the hotel. Food. Transportation. Excursions. Souvenirs. The bottle of shampoo because you forgot yours… 

Nope, can’t do it. 

You close your laptop and walk away, feeling a little melancholy about the plane tickets gone unclaimed, but resigned that this is the rational thing to do, no matter how drawn you feel to this faraway land. 

What if, years later, you’re having dinner with your now fiance and you learn that they were in the same city at the same time that you planned to be there, doing the same things you had planned to do? You could have met years earlier. 

A bit fantastical? Maybe. But stranger things have happened, and you get the point. 

How often has your spirit told you to do something, but your mind found all the reasons not to? As Pastor Stephen says, if you’re looking for a reason not to sow or not to reap, you will find one. We like to sit around and “watch the wind” and wait for “good weather” instead of taking the risks stirring in our souls. 

But God didn’t call us to stay still. He said “be still” but he didn’t say “stay still.” We’re supposed to keep moving. We’re supposed to ignore the wind, no matter how hard it’s blowing, and step into the storm. 

We’re supposed to let go of the monkey bar without knowing what we’re grabbing on to and trust that there will be something to grab, that God will turn the water into hardwood just as our feet start to get damp. 

It’s really hard to let go of the monkey bar if there is no monkey bar to grab or platform to land on. It’s a lot easier to spend time hanging from a bar with two hands or watching the weather channel to decide if you need to stock up on bread and milk ahead of a snow storm that’s still five days out that may or may not hit your area rather than taking the risk of jumping to see what happens. 

I’m as guilty as they come of holding on. To relationships, situations, places.. I like plans and blueprints, remember? If I’m trying to hang on – trying to stay still – I know what’s going on. 

But you know what? 

Each and every time I’ve let go, it has worked out better than I could have imagined for myself. We try really hard to control every moment of every day. We make our lists, draw up our plans, plot all of our data points, share our overbooked calendars with anyone we think might be interested in seeing how busy we are. 

When we let go, when we trust in the unknown, magic is allowed to happen. While it’s not the best idea to let go of the wheel of an actual vehicle, easing up on the death grip you have on the wheel of life often allows the path to take an unexpected turn you never saw coming, but are ultimately grateful for. 

If we take the time to self-reflect, we’re probably all holding on to a monkey bar too tight in some area of our life, aware of that stirring in our soul that says “let go.” If you’re like me, you might even be holding on to the rung in more than one area of your life. 

What if you stopped “watching the wind” and let go, trusting things to unfold? 

Personally, I’ve got a lot of grip strength (again – weightlifting), but even I have recognized its time to let go and reach for the rung I can’t quite see yet. 

What about you? 

Are you going to keep holding on? 

Or are you going to let go and see what you grab ahold of next? 

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09/25/2019 |

posted in: Faith, Life |

About Sarah Wyland

Sarah Wyland is an ACE-certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, and a barre instructor. She enjoys strength training, encouraging women, and food. She's a coffee drinker, dog mama, and Tennessee Vol.

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sarahwyland

Sarah Wyland | Life Aligned
Know that saying "magic happens when you step outs Know that saying "magic happens when you step outside of your comfort zone"? It's true. Step out of it today. See what happens.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I just opened up a few more 1:1 coaching spots - a holistic approach to health, nutrition, fitness, and mindset. Step out of your comfort zone and DM me for more info. ❤️

📸: @yoimpeyton

#mindset #mindsetwork #mindsetcoach #livinglifealigned #lifealigned #deepwork #therapy #selflove #selfloveclub #manifestation #thougtsbecomethings #ontheblog #newontheblog #blogpost #therapysession #selfcare #blogger #healthandwellness #powerofshe #shapesquad #strongwomen #stronglikeme #california #californiadreaming #newportbeach
[SAVE THIS POST] MEAL PREP TIPS: 3 Ways to Meal Pr [SAVE THIS POST] MEAL PREP TIPS: 3 Ways to Meal Prep Without Losing Your Mind
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Clients ask for meal prep tips all the time. At the end of the day, it's about finding a system that works best for your lifestyle. In general though, there are three ways to meal prep without losing your mind:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
(swipe for more details!)
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
1) Pick 3 - Choose 3 meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and snacks for the week, prep them ahead of time, and have them in the fridge to grab and go throughout the week. This is a great option for those who don't mind eating the meals a few days in a row.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
2) Batch - Pick your proteins, veggies, and starches, take a few hours to prepare everything for the week, and mix and match meals throughout the week ahead. This is a good option for those who want both ease and variety. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
3) Prepare - If you like to cook, save time by prepping your ingredients ahead of time. Chop your veggies, marinate your meats, etc., maybe even pop a meal in the freezer. When you're ready to cook, everything is prepared and ready! This works well for those who enjoy being in the kitchen.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Meal prep doesn't have to be overwhelming. Play around in the kitchen, figure out a method that works for you. maybe even log a few "go to" recipes. There truly is no right or wrong way.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What's your best meal prep tip?
I'm about to blow your mind.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
 Where your energy goes, your reality follows.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I discovered this idea about a dozen years ago and it changed my life. Call it Law of Attraction or call it hustle, but the idea is the same: where you put your focus, your reality unfolds.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Think about it.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You decide it's time for a new job. It becomes a dominant thought. You daydream about the role you want while you churn away at your desk of your current job. You browse LinkedIn and Indeed for your dream job at every opportunity. You put time and effort into polishing your resume and cover letter. You. Want. A. New. Job.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
And then you get one. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You focused on it. You put your energy there. You took action. You made it your reality. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It can also go like this:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You’re having a crap day. You woke up late, didn’t have time to dry your hair, spilled coffee all over yourself in the car, hit traffic, was late for work, the deli got your lunch order wrong… You spend your day waiting for the next crap thing to happen.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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You’re focusing on the bad. You’re expecting it. And it keeps on coming. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Where your energy goes, your reality follows. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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You get what you think about. You get it because that's where your energy is focused.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I want you to try something today. Think of a car. Any car. A Mustang. A Jaguar. A Corvette. Just pick one. Give it a color. I’m going with a white Range Rover.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Now, spend a few minutes thinking about that car. Google photos of it. Visualize yourself driving it. Once you’ve done that, notice how many of these cars you see in the next few days.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Let me know how it goes.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Remember - where your focus goes, your reality goes. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I’m about to see a lot of white Range Rovers.
First Monday in Los Angeles. First day of spring s First Monday in Los Angeles. First day of spring semester. First day with a couple of new 1:1 coaching clients. I like this Monday.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What's good about your Monday?
  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
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sarahwyland

Sarah Wyland | Life Aligned
Know that saying "magic happens when you step outs Know that saying "magic happens when you step outside of your comfort zone"? It's true. Step out of it today. See what happens.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I just opened up a few more 1:1 coaching spots - a holistic approach to health, nutrition, fitness, and mindset. Step out of your comfort zone and DM me for more info. ❤️

📸: @yoimpeyton

#mindset #mindsetwork #mindsetcoach #livinglifealigned #lifealigned #deepwork #therapy #selflove #selfloveclub #manifestation #thougtsbecomethings #ontheblog #newontheblog #blogpost #therapysession #selfcare #blogger #healthandwellness #powerofshe #shapesquad #strongwomen #stronglikeme #california #californiadreaming #newportbeach
[SAVE THIS POST] MEAL PREP TIPS: 3 Ways to Meal Pr [SAVE THIS POST] MEAL PREP TIPS: 3 Ways to Meal Prep Without Losing Your Mind
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Clients ask for meal prep tips all the time. At the end of the day, it's about finding a system that works best for your lifestyle. In general though, there are three ways to meal prep without losing your mind:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
(swipe for more details!)
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
1) Pick 3 - Choose 3 meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and snacks for the week, prep them ahead of time, and have them in the fridge to grab and go throughout the week. This is a great option for those who don't mind eating the meals a few days in a row.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
2) Batch - Pick your proteins, veggies, and starches, take a few hours to prepare everything for the week, and mix and match meals throughout the week ahead. This is a good option for those who want both ease and variety. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
3) Prepare - If you like to cook, save time by prepping your ingredients ahead of time. Chop your veggies, marinate your meats, etc., maybe even pop a meal in the freezer. When you're ready to cook, everything is prepared and ready! This works well for those who enjoy being in the kitchen.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Meal prep doesn't have to be overwhelming. Play around in the kitchen, figure out a method that works for you. maybe even log a few "go to" recipes. There truly is no right or wrong way.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What's your best meal prep tip?
I'm about to blow your mind.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
 Where your energy goes, your reality follows.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I discovered this idea about a dozen years ago and it changed my life. Call it Law of Attraction or call it hustle, but the idea is the same: where you put your focus, your reality unfolds.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Think about it.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You decide it's time for a new job. It becomes a dominant thought. You daydream about the role you want while you churn away at your desk of your current job. You browse LinkedIn and Indeed for your dream job at every opportunity. You put time and effort into polishing your resume and cover letter. You. Want. A. New. Job.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
And then you get one. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You focused on it. You put your energy there. You took action. You made it your reality. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It can also go like this:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You’re having a crap day. You woke up late, didn’t have time to dry your hair, spilled coffee all over yourself in the car, hit traffic, was late for work, the deli got your lunch order wrong… You spend your day waiting for the next crap thing to happen.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You’re focusing on the bad. You’re expecting it. And it keeps on coming. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Where your energy goes, your reality follows. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You get what you think about. You get it because that's where your energy is focused.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I want you to try something today. Think of a car. Any car. A Mustang. A Jaguar. A Corvette. Just pick one. Give it a color. I’m going with a white Range Rover.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Now, spend a few minutes thinking about that car. Google photos of it. Visualize yourself driving it. Once you’ve done that, notice how many of these cars you see in the next few days.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Let me know how it goes.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Remember - where your focus goes, your reality goes. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I’m about to see a lot of white Range Rovers.
First Monday in Los Angeles. First day of spring s First Monday in Los Angeles. First day of spring semester. First day with a couple of new 1:1 coaching clients. I like this Monday.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What's good about your Monday?
I’ve been reflecting on this idea as I move into I’ve been reflecting on this idea as I move into my Los Angeles apartment. I’ve had every sort of feeling over the last 24 hours, from sheer excitement to sheer terror and worry about “how am I going to do this?!” But then I remember that I’ll never know unless I try.

What’s that thing you want to try but you keep talking yourself out of it?
Enjoying this cross-country road trip while also l Enjoying this cross-country road trip while also looking forward to developing a new routine, getting back into the gym, and eating all the vegetables. Knox just wants to get out of the car and play ball some more, maybe crash the beach.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What are you most excited about in 2021?
Consistency > Perfection.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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80%. That's all I ask of my clients. Complete 80% of the month's workouts, stick to macros 80% of the time, keep the right mindset 80% of the time. Most of the time, clients exceed my expectations, but 80% is doable. 80% is livable.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We tend to want to go from 0 to 100. We want to go from sedentary to Fittest on Earth. We want to go from fast food every day to gourmet chef in a week. It doesn't work like that. We burn out, get frustrated, and give up.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The tortoise had it right. Slow and steady wins the raise. Consistency reaches goals.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I'm taking on new 1:1 coaching clients. If you're looking for someone to program your workouts, calculate macros, and help you break through your mental roadblocks when it comes to reaching your goals, send me a DM or click the link in my bio. I'd love to chat.
My word for 2021: Settled.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ My word for 2021: Settled.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I let my 'Word of the Year' come to me through God/spirit/universe, whatever you want to call your higher power. Sometimes its whispered to me. Sometimes it comes to me through a note or even a TV commercial. This year, it came to me through one of @KaileyDickerson's Instagram posts. I'm borrowing her word for 2020, but this is the right word for me in 2021.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Settled.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Settled in Los Angeles, in a new apartment, a new community. Settled in my own skin, in who I am, in what I want. Settled in a world that likes to throw chaos at us hard and fast. I liken it to a hurricane – the eye is calm while winds and rain swirl and thrash around it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I shared more about my Word of the Year + my 2020 goals (not resolutions - see post from earlier this week) as well as my Word of the Year for 2021 (it was 'Yes') on the blog. Link in bio.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What's your word for 2021?
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