Tom's Story

So, to begin today is my birthday and I feel the need to share my Misogi experience with you both.

For unknowingly you have both been a large part of this journey that I have been on these past six months.

To begin my birthday Misogi has been different than what I think most people would consider a misogi challenge to be. It wasn’t a physical task or any feet of outdoor craziness/adventure. (Though I would have preferred that!)

For me this year has been filled with injuries both new, bicep tendon rupture, and recurring, knee issues, as well as the continued mental fight I have daily with the gremlins in my head.

Mainly I’ve been struggling for years with undiagnosed PTS from 32+ years in the fire service. 

So, six months ago when I got the email about the Misogi birthday challenge, I decided that I needed to make the effort to start to get my head right.

 

Which led me to create my Misogi Challenge: 

 

How that has taken shape is I began to talk with someone weekly about the ‘gremlins’ and have begun to come to peace, or maybe just an understanding, with them. And along this path I have realized other items that are weighing on me to address as well.

These conversations have been difficult at times but the continued changing results are a much-needed positive gain for me.

 

The first thing I started to tackle was my sleep.

I slept 2-4 hours a night for the last 15ish years and while this is extremely unhealthy I adapted to and have been able to survive with that.

I began with developing my sleep habits: 

wake up time 5 AM, and get to bed with a window to provide me with 6-8 hours of sleep, no electronics within an hour of bed, cold shower before bed, and reduced room temp as well as black out the room.

Next was building a daily routine, Dan you always stress consistency above all else, and that’s what I’ve really been focusing on.

Get up, protein shake, go for a 2+ mile walk, cold shower, Mon-Fri off to work (light duty-training division), workout at some point before going home, read, work on a home project, family time, bed.

 

I haven’t been rucking much this year due to injuries, the bicep injury in March, which has actually been surprised blessing which I’ll speak of in a moment, but my knee has been very dicey this year, lots of pain and instability.

So, while I’m being treated for my arm I’ve now also started seeing my ortho for my knee. Surgery is a looming possibly, knee replacement, in the future, but for now we have been doing injections which seem to help. I’m now able to do longer walks and onthe weekends Saturday mornings I get up and I end up going to a local park where I walk trails with lots of hills, damn it’s great to be in the woods.

Then on Sundays, I push distance and am now hitting the 10+ mile mark.

By late June the focusing on consistency began to pay off.

Now along with the walks is daily PT both arm and knee and then I throw in body weight/360 workouts. Moving forward I am going to start using the wild gym app more consistently to do morning mobility, afternoon training and evening stretching

 

Sorry for the apologies for the length of this email. I just know it’s been quite some time since I checked in on the Facebook page but wanted to give you both a big heartfelt thank you.

 

As for my Birthday Misogi I am not sure if I have succeeded or not.

For what is the measure of what I am trying to accomplish.

IS there even a tangible measure for what I’m trying to accomplish.

Don’t know. Don’t think I care.

Because I can honestly say that I have made improvements in all aspects of my life over these past months. I am in a much better place within my head, my personal life and professionally.

Since the injury I have reevaluated just about every aspect of my life and for this first time in a very long time can say that I am seeing things in a different light.

A better light.

I am no longer stuck in a horribly redundant loop/rut that is was in.

I still face daily challenges, but now they appear differently to me. I have no common ground to work from. Everyone of these challenges is a new opportunity for me to work a problem in a different manner.

To grow through adversity and to become a better person. And they provide a daily reminder that I have changed and grown as a person.

 

So, again thank you to the both of you. The wisdom in the emails you send has helped me in so many ways. I am Grateful.

 

In outdoor wildness,

 

Tom