Subscribe to my newsletter - the Step Up! You'll get an inside look into my thoughts, mental models, and ways of going about life - with the goal of helping you do the same. Take the first step and join me on this journey. Newsletter every Thursday at 4:30pm CST.
The Step Up - Vol 10: If This Isn't the Time of My Life, Then When Is?
Vol. 10: If This Isn't the Time of My Life, Then When Is?This made me pause. This was the ending screen at EDEN's concert, and it's been a motto around his recent album DARK. It relates to one of my biggest struggles: constantly focusing on what's next and often forgetting to appreciate the present. If this isn't the time of my life, then when is? It's so easy to get caught up in the pursuit:
I struggle with this. I'm always thinking about the future. The next event, leadership role, or development opportunity. I have to make a daily conscious effort to pause. It's easy to forget what you have: the life you're living. You're living the life you used to dream of. This is both a message to you and reminder to myself: pursue, but don't forget to appreciate. This morning I had one of the roughest runs yet. I've been abnormally exhausted the past few days, but I just forced myself to get time on my feet. The run hurt. It sucked. Not fun. But my performance and time today was still a lot better than it was 3 months ago. Your present worst days are better than your past best days. Let's do this grounding activity together (shoutout Katrena King for this one): Breath in - 1, 2, 3, 4 Breath out - 1, 2, 3, 4 Breath in - 1, 2, 3, 4 Breath out - 1, 2, 3, 4 Now feel where you're holding tension in your body. Your shoulders, your jaw, your neck. Release it. Feel your feet on the ground. Your back in your chair or the phone in your hand. Think about what you're thankful for today. The food you ate, the good music you listened to, the friends who made you smile. You're living the life you used to dream of. Your present worst days are better than your past best days. If this isn't the time of your life, then when is? See you next Thursday, Steppers. We will succeed, Grayson Song of the Week:
ROCKMAN's soundscape pairs nicely with this newsletter's emotional ending. Mk.gee quickly became of my favorite artists last year (his album Two Star & the Dream Police was my #1 album of 2024), and I even bought tickets to his Houston concert this year before not going (biggest music regret I have, but I'll catch him next tour). ROCKMAN followed that album and is just infectious. I could describe his sound as lo-fi, bedroom pop, but it's really just his own unique sound - he just sounds like Mk.gee. Whether a late night drive, walk around the park, or focus work session, Mk.gee stands on top. His music grounds me. |
Grayson Stepanek
Subscribe to my newsletter - the Step Up! You'll get an inside look into my thoughts, mental models, and ways of going about life - with the goal of helping you do the same. Take the first step and join me on this journey. Newsletter every Thursday at 4:30pm CST.
Vol. 19: The Price of Love Whiskers (table), Oliver (chair), & Buttons (rug) This week has been a sobering reminder about love and it's painful yet worthwhile price. This is not a pity piece, but it will be darker, longer, and more vulnerable than usual, and I hope you can find solace in it. My Mom texted me on Tuesday to stop by the house when I could. She had a feeling our cat Buttons wasn't going to live much longer. This wasn't the first time I got this text from her - the same happened...
Vol. 19: What is a True Leader? I'm blessed to hold various leadership positions where I have the opportunity to guide, empower, and inspire others. So obviously, I think a lot about leadership. It matters a lot to me. It matters a lot to the world. True leaders drive humanity forward. They make progress. They empower others to achieve unthinkable things. We owe the progress of humanity to great leaders throughout history who took it upon themselves to guide and empower others. But false...
Vol. 17: The One Thing You Can Always Control As we embark on our goals this year, I'd love to help focus our energy on things that drive us forward. Namely, things we can control, and not things we can't. In this chaotic world, there's a lot of things we can't control, both good and bad. Unexplained tragedies, unexpected opportunities, and everything in between. It's important that we recognize what is in our control and what isn't so that we can best allocate our time and energy to create...