The Need for Preparation

Going on trips around the country is pretty much my favorite thing to do. I’ve talked about it before in liking music festivals. I’ve mentioned my love for hiking. And I’ve even referenced how much I enjoy experiencing new cultures and foods. Basically, travel means a lot to me.

Basically, I’m hooked on new experiences where I encounter different people, different places, and different challenges. There’s no better or easier way to put it than that right there.

Heck, recently I’ve been trying to increase my mileage while running so that I can get in better shape for the hikes ahead of me. I want to be able to hike nonstop throughout the day in different conditions, different altitudes, and different terrains. There’s no better way to whip myself into shape than to keep trudging on with my runs and increasing my mileage. The general rule of thumb seems to go for every mile you can jog nonstop, you can hike upwards nonstop. So if I plan on going on some multi-day hikes that require anywhere from 5 to 10 miles a day, I’d like to be able to run at least 5 miles straight without stopping for that very reason.

Recently though, I’ve been far more aware of my own health and physical condition when it comes to this sort of stuff. When running, I’ve had pretty bad shin splints and even slightly rolled my ankle a few times. I can not afford to do that while on a hike while I’m out in the middle of nowhere. So, running is also doing well to strengthen my joints, ligaments, and leg and foot muscles.

The problem about hurting myself while doing this isn’t just limited to postponing future hikes, though. It’s also what could happen if I weren’t able to go to work. That’s where disability insurance comes into the picture. With a proper policy set up to negate any sort of loss in income, I’m able to coast freely along the trails with less worry about my overall financial situation.

Sure, it’s highly unlikely I will hurt myself to that extent, but in the off chance I did, I’m completely covered thanks to my disability insurance. It took me no time at all to find a policy that fit my situation, and now I have the peace of mind that I seek when I’m running along to the sound of soothing music. 

Untraditional Goals

Spring has finally arrived in the US. It’s taken its sweet time getting here, too. And while I’m still not a fan of the weather going from 72 to 25 and snowing in a matter of three days, I’m still thankful that mostly fair weather has arrived.

It’s this time of year that gets me to pondering life the most, though. While that frame of mind is usually reserved for Fall and Winter (the “dying” and “dead” seasons of the year), I tend to think more about my place in the world when it’s spring simply because it’s the season of rebirth and life.

It’s not a melancholy sort of thought that crosses my mind but rather a pensive one. I find myself contemplating if I’m on the right path for myself and what I want out of the life I have. Typically, the answer to that question is yes. I just want to keep me, myself, and I in check when the season of renewal rolls around. It’s almost as if it’s my version of the new year since I have so much ahead of me from spring onwards.

I find it pretty introspective to sit down and have these thoughts, though. Being able to pinpoint what it is I want out of this next year (and life in general) is quite healthy for me and those close to me. While I’m not much of a goal setter in the way of writing a check list down, I definitely do envision tasks or things to accomplish throughout the year. I find it to be more productive to handle these sorts of things in this manner simply because not meeting a goal on a checklist can be pretty deflating and demoralizing whereas telling myself I’ll accomplish a few things this year and striving to do that makes me feel better when I actually do tackle it and not as crappy when I don’t.

This year, I really only had a few goals in mind for myself. The first and most important absolutely will happen, and that’s becoming engaged. It’s time, and both my partner and I realize that. From there, I really was wanting to nail down a life insurance policy while I’m still young, healthy, and single. This is all because I realize that life insurance spikes when you have kids, aren’t in great health, and are no longer single.

Ultimately, it comes down to knowing yourself well enough to set the right goals, not grand goals. And just as well, if you’re not giving yourself reachable goals that make sense for who you are, you’re just going down the wrong path in the first place.