Today, one of my best friends went through one of the hardest days of his life.
In the thick of it, he got devastating news about his dog and was confronted with a choice…
He could either do a 17k surgery or put his dog down… the same choice I had to face with my Stella.
It was an emotional call to say the least, but as we talked about it on the phone the two things I offered him was (1) call and speak to the people we know who have been through it and listen to their advice and (2) take a walk.
The first piece felt obvious since we had a few friends in common who have lived this experience and there’s nobody better qualified to answer an impossible question than the people who have had to make it before.
The second piece of advice felt less obvious but worth mentioning because it’s what really helped me when I was going through it. Sometimes when we sit stagnantly in our sorrow, it turns into a toxic stew that clouds our judgement and poisons our physiology.
Moving our body is a highly underrated way to flush the highly potent emotions that come with sorrow and grief so as to keep our thinking moving and problem solving ideas fresh.
It’s a strategy that helps with the impossible decisions and everyday problems alike. And if you can get into the habit of walking more regularly… you just might find yourself working your way through your problems more regularly as well.