This morning I was out on the Trail enjoying (yet!) another stunningly beautiful Ojai morning.
I was thinking about our Mastery Series Module on How to Create Antifragile Confidence, Heroic Courage, and Response-ability.
The Theory side of that session will be stacked and we’ll have a range of Tools we can use to move from Theory to Practice to Mastery.
And…
I was playing around with how to operationalize Antifragility via a very concrete practice when I had a nice little mid-Trail epiphany.
It went something like this.
First, I brought to mind a current challenge we’re facing: mold.
(Note: Have I mentioned we’re NEVER (!!!) exonerated?)
Specifically, Alexandra just got a test back that shows she has REALLY high levels of mold in her body. Yowsers.
We’ve had mold in our kitchen a couple times over the last five years. The first time was really bad and played a leading role in a couple seizures Alexandra had so we take it pretty seriously. 😲
(Side note: Mold’s no joke. It’s a feisty little neurotoxin that can wreak havoc on our wellbeing. Dave Asprey’s documentary Moldy is worth a watch.)
So…
We had the last (much less significant) issue remediated a year ago and did a little detox and then didn’t think much about it again until Alexandra was seeing our new Functional MD. As he did the normal medical history intake, he did a little muscle test on a few things including mold.
For the record, I’m not completely sold on the efficacy of those. 🤓
But…
His quick little muscle test showed some potential issues so we ordered a mycotoxin test and…
HOLY YIKES.
Alexandra’s numbers are off the charts.
Which means my numbers are probably moldtastic as well along with Emerson’s and Eleanor’s. (And Zeus’ and Zeno’s?! Hah.)
So…
That’s (one of) the current challenge(s) here at the Johnson House.
Now…
How do we go Antifragile on it?
How we do throw this little challenge into the bonfire of our Optimizing and make it fuel for our growth without wasting a second (too late!) complaining about it?!
There are an infinite number of ways but…
Enter: v1 of The Heroic Antifragile Protocol.
It’s a 1-2-3 virtue thing.
Preceded by a 1-2 virtue thing.
First, we need WISDOM. We need to remind ourselves that THIS is what we train for and that there’s an awesome opportunity to go OMMS on it!
Then we need to practice some SELF-MASTERY and actually DO what we know we can do—actually stepping in between the stimulus and our old, habitual response and choosing the best response.
That’s our 1-2 punch out the gate.
Then, my Trailpiphany Optimus Self told me to run through the Top 3 Virtues: GRATITUDE + HOPE + ZEST.
Like this…
BE GRATEFUL. Stop complaining and being an entitled whiner. Appreciate what’s awesome.
“Yes. We have mold in our bodies and probably still some in our house. And… DUDE! I’m alive. Memento Mori. Could be MUCH (MUCH MUCH!!) worse. So, quit complaining and start celebrating the fact that THIS is your biggest challenge right now.”
“Oh, and, DUDE!!! We’ve got an opportunity to actually PRACTICE our philosophy. Thank you, Stoic-Optimizing gods!!!”
“And… We’ll be able to share some wisdom we gain with our community—which is the whole point of this whole thing called life anyway so…”
(Yes, that’s how I talk to myself. lol)
BE HOPEFUL. 1. See the better future (Goals) + 2. Know you can create it (Agency) + 3. Create a plan and be willing to take multiple routes to the target (Pathways)
1. “I’m excited to use this data as a catalyst to get EVEN more Optimized. I mean, if I’m operating at a pretty nice level WITH mold, then… Let’s see where we can take it as we get rid of the neurogunk! Life is good and it’s getting better.” (“And, quit thinking it’s EVER going to be perfect, will ya?!”)
2. “We’ve got this.”
3. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes for however long it takes so no big deal. Next step: Get a test and see what your levels are. Then get house checked. And, get super-clear on protocol and start HAMMERING IT.”
BE ZESTY via Disciplined Action TODAY.
“See step 3 above and do what needs to get done.”
There ya go.
That’s Today’s +11.
Got a challenge?
If you feel so inspired, run it through v1 of The Heroic Antifragile Protocol.
1-2 it then 1, 2, 3 it.
1. Wisdom: THIS is what we train for!
2. Self-Mastery: PRACTICE your philosophy.
1. Be Grateful: What’s AWESOME right now?
2. Be Hopeful: See how you’re going to get stronger. Know you can crush it. Get ready to…
3. Be Zesty: via disciplined ACTION.
OMMS!
Let’s do this.
TODAY.
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