Vertebrae.  The essential elements in our lives that give us a backbone.  They’re what help us stand tall—to be strong in the face of adversity.  They define our posture, and how we approach the world.  They’re tested under pressure.  They relay information to and from our bodies. They’re center and central to everything. If you mess with them, things get off center, or worse things are severed and healthy function ceases.  The essential elements in our lives that give us a backbone.    And so it’s got me thinking lately… What are yours?    What are your vertebrae?    We’ve got 24 vertebrae from the base of our brains down to our tailbone… If you were to write down the immoveable essentials in your life, what would they be?    Some folks like distilling their lives down to one purpose, or 3 values, but I feel like that’s too intimidating, and it limits creativity, honestly. We get stuck on needing to have just ONE thing, and it freaks us out.    If you ask someone what their favorite movie (or food) is… you’ll probably be met with a deer in headlights. But if you ask, what are some of your favorite movies? What are some of your favorite foods? The “some of” relieves the pressure and allows people to verbally process.   So what are some of your vertebrae? You’ve got 24—that’s quite a bit. Don’t worry about running out.    What are some elements of your life that you couldn’t possibly life without? They can be people, or passions, or places, or priorities… Whatever gives you a backbone—whatever makes you who you are.   

• Self-improvement. Being kind to myself, but recognizing that I have a long way to go in every aspect of my life.
• Spirituality. Openness to the Mystery. Diving deep into ancient traditions and finding universal truths. Being brought up in the Christian tradition, and doing the difficult, necessary work of not being stuck in that, but also not bucking against it and missing all the beauty there.
• Physical health. Feeling healthy. Being active and able to move and sleep well and surprise myself with what I’m able to do physically. 
• Financial stability. Making good money doing what I love, and creating something as stable as I’m able to. This corona thing is shaking the foundation, and definitely affecting us financially, but it’s also reassuring that we’ve been building is sustainable.
• Generosity. This flows out of financial stability, and stability in general I suppose. Knowing where our next meal is coming from helps us relinquish our grip on resources and support incredible organizations that are serving vulnerable people, climates and causes. I really value “sharing.” Life is better when it’s shared. I share everything I can with everyone that’s interested. I’m a natural born Evangelist, with or without the Jesus. If I have good news to share, I’m going to share it. 
• Family; Elyse and the kids. My extended family. This could feel like a given, but it’s not. It needs to be explicit. It needs to be something constantly in front of me. And again, with this coronavirus, it is. We’re spending more time together as a family than ever, and it’s been incredible. 
• Efficiency. Productivity. I have a very short attention span for projects that drag on unnecessarily. I’ve always been able to see the shortest path between where we are and where we want to go. That’s been a blessing and a curse over the years, but mostly good. It’s how I’m wired, and it helps me be helpful. The sheer volume of people I interact with over the course of a day is ridiculous, but so, so, so rewarding. Not productivity for the sake of trophies or accolades, but to maximize how helpful I’m able to be.
• Friendship. Being physically and emotionally and spiritually available to people that have shown up in my life. I want to be a thoughtful, generous friend. Someone that reaches out unexpectedly and supports you in surprising ways. 
• Curiosity. This is something that I believe keeps people open to the world around them. It keeps them humble. It’s something that my grandmother, Marcia, instilled in me… an unquenchable curiosity for the world around her. And I think it’s really important. It pulls me into all sorts of worlds I wouldn’t otherwise find myself. 
• Being playful. A few times a day I’ll switch gears into a silly, goofy, playful guy. I’ll get creative with little pranks or tickle fights or being flirty with the world. That’s something I value. I don’t ever want to take life too seriously that I can’t be silly or make someone laugh. 
• Nature / Animals. I love creation. The wild. The animal kingdom. The diversity of life on earth. I will get sucked deep into EVERY type of “Planet Earth” documentaries, because the world is marvelous, and deserved to be marveled at. 

  I could go on, and I likely will, in my journal. That probably felt like a long list, but that was only 11 things. 11 essential things that make me who I am, and give me a backbone. If any one of these things is threatened, I’ll step up in its defense. They’re things that bring me life. They’re footnotes in every description of who I am.    And I’d encourage you to think about yours… What’re the rocks in your river? As life flows through you and around you and trying to sweep you up in its current—What’re the rocks in your river that are immovable?    Sometimes it's helpful to define these things. It brings clarity. It helps you prioritize things. It helps you recognize how you currently spend your time, and how you should be spending your time.    Something I want to be really intentional about in the coming weeks is bolstering this podcast into something really valuable. I’ve been working with a lot of inspiring people lately, and I’ve been so deeply impacted by their lives, and I want to create that for people in my sphere of influence.    I’m going to start having guests on this podcast. I’m going to invite some of the most influential people in my life to join me for a conversation here—to talk about their vertebrae, and the things that give them a backbone. More on that soon, but I wanted to share it so I’m held accountable to actually do it. I’ve put together a list of hopefuls, and I’m going to start reaching out to them.    But for now… That’s my thought for the day. What are your vertebrae? If you were to write down the immoveable essentials in your life, what would they be? And don’t be intimidated by it. Just jot a few notes down on a piece of paper and then throw it away. Or open a Notes app on your phone that no one will read and let you mind wander.    Sometimes articulating your vertebrae can help solidify them. To know what we stand for. At least at this point in our lives. And to be proud of the things that make us who we are.    That’s all. Hope it’s helpful.   Make it a good day.