Welcome To The Community

Together, we’ll dive deep and find the strength to never give up because Great Things Take Time.

Good morning, happy Monday, you are a plant. 

You might be thinking, “TF, Adrian?! Did you spend too much time in car world this week and get your wires crossed?”

Bear with me and read on.

If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe and join the Great Things Take Time Community to get content from me every Monday.

Here's what's in today's email

• February Challenge

• It’s Almost Time For Your Big Bloom

• Moments with Maurice

• What's Got Me Smilin'

 🌸February Challenge🌸 

We’re almost to the end! How has it been going? What have you noticed about yourself? Did I just type this for my own good? 😅 I admit, some of these days have felt like a stretch, but it was always harder getting started. Feel free to reply back to this email if you want to let me know what you’ve discovered during the challenge.

Read the full details of each day of the challenge here and head to the @greatthingswith_adrian  Instagram account for daily reminders.

It’s Almost Time For Your Big Bloom

Now, I’m going to be speaking in general terms of plants; please do not come for me if you know the one type of plant species that doesn’t apply. We can split hairs and play the devil’s advocate, or you can just humor me. You know, like when I say a workout will be scary tough, you do it anyway and realize how strong and capable you are. So just humor me.

A plant needs the outdoors or at least some daily sunlight. If it doesn’t see the sun, it will start to wither. I once heard a plant expert refer to plants that are lowlight plants don’t necessarily need less sun, they just die slower in less light. Oof…, I feel like I could go deeper on that one. 

A plant needs good soil. While plants can be resilient, and my friends who own homes can testify to the weeds and roots that will literally grow everywhere, if you want an overarchingly healthy plant, it needs some good soil. 

A plant also needs space to grow. When it’s reached its limit, growth will be restricted. Where you saw progression before, things will begin to stall.

A plant needs water. Occasionally, something with a little kick to put some pep in its step, but it all boils down to needing water. If you pour nothing but iced coffee with caramel on a plant, (yes, I did come for you) it’s going to be a dead but sticky plant. Nothing is more depressing than seeing a plant in dry and cracked with wilted leaves. 

Are you starting to see where I’m going…?

Plants also do well with entertainment. They love it if you talk to them or play Beyoncé. Sometimes, you have plants that try to strangle other plants and wrap around them tightly. To each their own, I guess.

But the thing I really want to highlight here is that when a plant has parts of it that are dying, you generally need to cut them off to save the plant. The things that no longer serve the plant and that once gave it life are actually leeching the life force from it.  

Let that sink in for a moment. 

When there are things that are draining your life force, you have to cut them loose. This can be people, opinions, workouts, pass times, YOUR PHONE(!), or that pile of junk taking up space in your house you SWEAR you’re going to use or go through at some point. 

I hear the same goes for when you want to grow your hair long; you have to trim the dead ends… I wouldn’t know, though.

There are things right now in your life that no longer serve you, that are holding you back, and maybe a little bit dangerous. (Think of a dead tree branch and a really bad wind storm).

You gotta prune it.

What just popped into your mind? I can practically guarantee that something did. We all have one thing we know that we need to fix or cut out of our lives. But why are we holding on to it?

Letting go can be scary. How do you know that you’ll be better off WITHOUT that thing? You’ve been perfectly fine with it. Why take a chance that the quality of things will drop? Where hair or plants are concerned, you lose volume for a bit, things might be a bit patchy, and there’s a bit of worry if things will ever look the way they did. 

To be honest, things will never be the same; they’ll probably be much better. 

There are people I’ve had to let go of, habits I’ve needed to say goodbye to (working out 7 days a week to max exertion, like what the hell was I trying to prove?), and pastimes I’ve needed to slash. I’m not going to lie; things felt weird at first, but I then found more energy for the things that I actually wanted. It’s amazing what you can get done in a day when your body isn’t screaming in pain from overuse!

To take it one step further, I let go of trying to be the fittest, strongest, and most athletic instructor out there. I think about it this way: if you’re selecting to take a class from me, do you want to deal with dead energy, lack of enthusiasm, or an instructor who might not be around for the long run due to their body falling apart? Or do you want someone to prime you to push your potential? Who can bring the energy to meet you where you need to be met? I know if I really wanted to, I could get to the point where I could lift a car and throw it through a window or something, but now I just prefer to drive said cars.

What I want to bring to the world doesn’t come from wrecking my body. I cut that desire to be the strongest in the room and felt myself grow.

Does that seem strange of me to admit? I’ll counter that by saying, does it seem strange to hold onto something holding me back from being the best version of myself?

There are four more Mondays until the start of spring. Well, now it’s three because you’re already part of the way through today. What are you going to cut back on in preparation for your big bloom?

Is this thing worth more to you than your happiness, success, or longevity? If not, then cut it loose.

It’s almost time for your big bloom. LFG 🌸 

Moments with Maurice

If you only pause to reflect on your life for one moment today, do it now.

It could have been worse.

As Kendrick said “Bing-bop-boom-boom-boom-bop-bam” and that’s exactly what my body did while rollerskating around Manhattan. After two close calls, I realized I needed to call it quits. Was it worth it to be ripping scabs in front of clients or putting my life in jeopardy, all because I enjoyed the feeling of speeding around the city?

You may have gotten lucky this time, but what if it had been worse? Would it still be worth it?

Because no matter what, there is always something to smile about.

These Bags Are Designer

You can be masculine and still put eye patches on and broadcast it out to the world.

Vroom Vrooms

This my friends is the control arm. Now why is this wrench-looking thing included in a section that makes me smile? Is it in good state, bad state? It’s so sexy you want to put it where the sun don’t shine? You may need a bit more context.

I’m excited about what’s to come. My next step is to get a stiffer brushing so I’ll get better feedback through the steering of my car. I will feel one with the road. I will become the car. This newsletter will just be a page of vroom vrooms. Kidding, but maybe not…?

I do My Own Stunts

I can’t tell you how long I’ve dreamed of having the tools I need in my own home. It really is a pinch-me moment getting to put it all together- is what I tell myself when I’m over getting confused by directions and putting things in the wrong places.

Food Highlights of the Week

Remember:

-Adrian