The most anti-fragile among us

When we hear talk of becoming anti-fragile it’s usually in the context of a 20 something trainer telling us to do plyometrics and push a sled. Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of using physical culture to help everyone become the best version of themselves, but the idea that abs and a pithy quote on Instagram build resilience is silly.

You know who’s built resilience?

That 30 year old medical resident who has been working ungodly hours on the front lines of a pandemic. Too new to be reaping the financial rewards of their work and still staring down the barrel of six figure student loans. But he gets up every morning regardless...

That 51 year old mom of three who wakes up before the kids so she can hop on her Peloton for an hour of peace and exercise before she goes to work in her home office while simultaneously home schooling and holding a house together...

The 42 year old woman in chronic pain who puts on a smile for friends, family and coworkers to make sure that they feel good. All while she suffers in silence...

Real people are incredibly resilient. My clients are some of the bravest and strongest people I’ve ever seen. But sometimes we can’t cover all the bases. We all have our Achilles heel. For many of us, it’s food.

The fix is rarely simple. That’s why I push for becoming robust in all parts of humanity. Body mind and spirit. If we can become wholly resilient we get stronger through trials and tribulations. It’s not about tough guy or gal posturing. It’s about accepting life on life’s terms. That is the true spirit of anti-fragility.