A lot of us grew up hearing things like "toughen up," "stop crying," or "just get over it." And whether we realized it or not, those words shaped how we learned to deal with our emotions. Now some of us are raising kids of our own, trying to teach them things we're still figuring out ourselves. This Saturday at Coffee & Clarity, we're going to talk about raising emotionally intelligent kids. Not just teaching them how to talk about their feelings, but how we handle our own frustration, anger, disappointment, and stress. Because whether we like it or not, our kids are watching. Here's something I'd like you to think about before Saturday. When you were growing up, how did the adults around you handle emotions? And how much of that have you carried into your own parenting? Are there things you're consciously trying to do differently? You don't need to have the answers figured out. I sure don't. But I think there's a lot we can learn from each other. Saturday, 7 AM Pacific. Zoom link is in the community calendar. Hope to see you guys there.

October is a month of hard. Hard days, busy schedules, birthdays, fitness, work. I’ve certainly experienced this first hand. Many I’ve spoken with have as well. It’s the seasonal changes. Getting kicked a bit in the teeth, shit in by others, snapped at by loved ones happen. Doesn’t mean we have to take any of it. We talk a lot about tools to manage stress. The breath work, the journals, the malas, the gratitude. These are tools to help us prepare to absorb the hard days. Just like a good pair of running shoes. They don’t make you run faster, train harder, feel better… the reality is those new shoes will give your feet blisters too if you go too far.. too fast.. without properly breaking them in. However, if you walk in them before you run.. those shoes will absorb the efforts.. the impacts.. the distances you put yourself and feet through. Remember calm is not the absence of chaos. It’s learning, using, and practicing with the right tools for you to absorb the efforts and the impacts of the road each day. Now go create some miles and bring back some stories to tell.

Something I’ve really come to appreciate about our Saturday morning calls is how much I get out of just listening to the other guys. Someone shares something they’re going through, a lesson they’ve learned, or even a small change they’ve made in their life. And sometimes it gets me thinking about something in my own life that I hadn’t looked at that way before. I think a lot of us have spent years trying to figure everything out on our own. I know I have. And sometimes all it takes is a conversation with another guy to see things a little differently. That’s a big part of why I started Anchored & Ready. I don’t want this to be another group we join and forget about. I’d love for us to actually get to know each other, share what we’ve learned, and have somewhere to turn when life gets heavy. If you’ve been hanging back, I’d really encourage you to jump in. Share a book, a podcast, a habit that’s helped you, or something you’ve learned the hard way. Come grab a coffee with us on Saturday at 7 AM Pacific. You don’t even have to talk. Just come hang out and listen. The Zoom link is in the calendar. And if you’ve got a buddy who could use some good men around him, bring him in too. I know we’re all busy. I’m not expecting anyone to be in here every day. But this place only becomes a community if we actually get involved. So here’s something I’d love to hear from you guys. What’s one thing that’s helped you lately that you think another guy could benefit from? Doesn’t have to be anything profound. Just something real. Stay anchored. Keep going.

Starting in November, we're bringing back something we tried before here in Anchored & Ready. A book of the month, starting with The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. We gave this a shot before and it fizzled out. That's on me. I didn't set the standard, and I didn't follow through. If I'm going to ask you guys to commit to something, I'd better be willing to do the same. I genuinely believe reading is one of the most important habits we can develop. Not because finishing books makes you smarter than the next guy, but because slowing down, absorbing information, and challenging what you believe is something we don't do nearly enough of. We can spend hours scrolling through absolute bullshit on our phones, but somehow finding 15 or 20 minutes to read a book feels like too much work. And if your first thought is "I'm not really a reader," my response is pretty simple. Grow up and get the book. You're here because you want something different for yourself. Sometimes that means doing things you don't particularly enjoy or aren't very good at. If reading isn't realistic, grab the audiobook. Listen on your commute or whenever you can give it your attention. What matters is that you're actually taking something in and thinking about it. I also know plenty of you have probably read this book already. That's great. Bring your experience with you. What stuck? What didn't? Has your perspective changed since you first read it? We'll work through one agreement each week and use part of our Saturday Coffee & Clarity calls to discuss it. And I don't expect everyone to agree with the author. If something sounds like bullshit, say so. That's part of learning. I don't want this community to become another place where we just consume content and move on. I want us involved, challenging ourselves, learning from each other, and actually putting some of this into practice. Grab yourself a copy before November. Paperback, Kindle, audiobook, whatever works. I'll be doing the work right alongside you.

There’s probably a conversation you’ve had a hundred times in your head but haven’t had once in real life. Or a decision you’ve been sitting on because you know making it means something has to change. We’ve all been there. Sometimes we convince ourselves we’re waiting for the right time, when really we’re just avoiding the discomfort. This week, I’m challenging you guys to face one of those things. The Hard Conversation: Maybe it’s with your wife, a friend, someone at work, or even admitting to someone that you’re struggling. Say what needs to be said, with honesty and respect. The Hard Choice: That decision you’ve been putting off. You don’t need to have everything figured out, but you need to stop standing still. Take one meaningful step toward dealing with it. Here’s the challenge. Pick one and do something about it before the week is over. You don’t need to share the details, but drop “Conversation” or “Choice” below and make the commitment. Then come back and let us know how it went. You can’t always control the outcome, but you can control whether you keep avoiding it. Stay anchored. Keep going.