I’ve been enabled most of my life. My parents bought me things. My mom did my laundry. I worked for the family business. Friends befriended me because of my club. The result was an adult child who grew up with no tools.
The first thing I really earned was my Masters in Psychology. I went to every class, read every book, took every exam, got straight A’s for the first time in my life. There were no short cuts.
Two years ago, I found something else that forces me to earn. CrossFit. You earn every burpee, pull up, and squat. You earn the number you get on the board down to the second. You either do the work or you don’t. There’s no way around it. Finally, at 38, I’ve discovered the power if earning. The process of building worth/ value. It gives you a solid stance and humbles you at the same time. It crushes false beliefs and lights a fire in your belly. It gives you a feeling of completion. What’s my point?
I think most people think relationships are given. They come and go. We use chemistry as our compass. But the truth is relationships need to be earned. Just like college degrees and CrossFit WODs. There is no short cut. You must put work into it to reap benefits and see results. You want a healthy relationship? You want to be in love? You want to be happy? Earn it.
– Angry