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

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Here's what's in today's email

• Is Your Check Engine Light On?

• Moments with Maurice

• Leaving Space To Grow

• What's Got Me Smilin'

• Couch Potato (Tips for Chaos)

• Damn! You Put Your Foot In This

TGIF (Thank God It’s Fall)

Labor Day feels like the unofficial end to Summer, and despite the Fall equinox not coming until September 22nd, I’m already committed to it being Fall. It may be a hot take, but I’m happy that Summer is over, cooler temps are coming, and (eventually) we won’t be sweating non stop when we go outside. Sure, Spring is the time for renewal and fresh starts, but I like Fall because it’s a reminder about shedding the stuff that doesn’t serve you. 

Fall can be a bit chaotic as the world loses its softness that comes from the greenery of plants and trees. Nature acts as a buffer between man-made objects, and when the plants start to die, the rats hidden in the tree wells and the trash littering the side of a highway become more apparent. Things feel more chaotic as piles of dead leaves and trash form, kids go back to school, new seasons of extracurriculars start, and there is more activity in the streets. 

It’s like people are getting things in before we all slow down for the winter and the holiday season, which is a good reminder to catch up on things you’ve been putting off while enjoying summer.

Muscling Through Christmas

In December 2019, I got my usual live Christmas tree. It was a dark time for me, and I needed a source of happiness. Because I wanted to hold on to the joy of the holiday season and was in a hard place, I left that tree hanging out in the corner of my apartment, slowly becoming a handful of half-dead branches and one misplaced open flame away from being a fire hazard.

I kept putting off throwing out that tree for months until it was the end of April, and I quit avoiding the task at hand. Part of the reason I had delayed tossing it was that I didn’t want to make a mess that others in my building would have to deal with. 

The top half of that tree was dead and gone and every time I moved it, needles would rain down creating a chaotic mess that kept me from dragging it into the trash room, So when it came time to get rid of it, I was like a character in your favorite true crime podcast. Using a tool of opportunity, I took a serrated knife to the branches before shoving them into a few black trash bags to drag them to the garbage room, avoiding any mess. 

Can you spot the tree from this post from April 2020?

Had I tossed the tree at the appropriate time, the whole process would not have been as arduous. While there was an emotional component to it, there were still actions I could have taken to get to the root of why I was holding on tight to what was practically a glorified walking stick.

Tomorrow Is Not Promised

Reliving this moment made me think about what else I have let fall to the wayside. We all have appointments we haven’t kept or people we keep meaning to link up with. A lot is taken for granted: relationships, health, fitness, work. In our youth, we feel untouchable, like WE won’t be the ones who will lose our athletic abilities, face layoffs at work, or lose a loved one. We don’t tell people how we feel about them, we don’t take the leap in our careers, and all too often, we skip doctor appointments and regular check-ups to keep our health on track. We forget that, like the Christmas tree, our bodies will eventually break down, and we won’t be in our prime like we used to be. 

Living your life as if you are untouchable is a reckless thing to do.

If you skip recovery or mobility work, movement gets harder as you age. Not working on learning new skills at work will hold you back when the company and everyone around is moving forward. Skipping appointments and keeping up with preventative measures are easier courses of action compared to invasive and intense treatments. Not calling a loved one because you feel like you can’t find the time is easier than the gutting feeling of a loss.

Tomorrow is never promised, and eventually, we will run out of tomorrows. Don’t put off things that keep you mentally, physically, and emotionally healthy. Don’t wait for your check engine light to come on, handle it before it becomes a problem.

Be That Person For Someone Else

It can be tough to carve out time to focus on things you haven’t kept up with. It’s even tougher when surrounded by a society that glorifies being busy, going straight into a tough workout without a warmup, or skipping scheduled maintenance. Working yourself to the bone seems to be a badge of honor, and it doesn’t help when we get lauded by our friends to “skip the boring stuff.”  

So, what's the best way to start to fix this with the people around you? Encourage and celebrate them when they put time into something for their health. 

A close friend of mine struggles to prioritize his physical and mental health, but when he takes care of himself, I remind him that that’s some real king shit right there. We all deserve to be treated like royal beings, and oftentimes, the person keeping you from that treatment is yourself. 

Last week, I talked about why we do things, either due to necessity, to reach goals, because we feel like we have to, or because it brings joy. But what happens when you push yourself too far, extending yourself beyond your limits (and not in a good way)? What happens if you don’t heed the warning signs and go full send? We’ve all experienced what it feels like to break down, to have to take huge actions to make up for the little ones we missed. 

My challenge for you this Fall is that as the chaos picks up and the piles of leaves start to form, stop for a second to think about what you can shed to prepare yourself for greater things. What maintenance do you need to put in so that tomorrow you don’t wake up wishing you should have? Don’t be like my Christmas “tree” come April. You deserve to be taken better care of than that.

Moments with Maurice

Each week, my Wednesday content will leave you with a reflection and prompt to share your reactions and thoughts, and the following Monday I’ll highlight some of the responses. Taking things inward is powerful, but sharing them reminds us we aren’t alone in our thinking and that we aren’t all that much different.

Last week, I talked about how my brother’s journey in his early adulthood taught me to get out of my own head and stop over-analyzing things, especially when it comes to perceived weaknesses. I watched my brother be unafraid to admit when he had been wrong, and stay determined to achieve his goals, never giving up because he knew he was playing to his strengths. Sometimes, it’s better to focus on how things feel, but writing them down can provide a logical perspective and help you wrap your mind around them

Upgrade your subscription status to get these prompts with Wednesday’s exclusive content, discuss with the Discord community or submit your thoughts.

We’ve already established that Great Things Take Time, but it can be challenging when those things involve other people and how they feel about you. Cultivating relationships doesn’t happen overnight, and because of my dad, I learned that a steady stream of love conquers all. Here’s a sneak preview of what I have to share with you:

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

• Joe’s Pizza, straight out of the oven and into my belly. I’ve enjoyed these slices all hours of the day, and I mean ALL HOURS.

  

• Watermelon Dog: Frankie has now learned the sound of us pulling out a certain bowl means we will be cutting watermelon and will appear instantly begging for a taste. May or may not have bribed him with some watermelon prior to us going for a drive.

• Hitachino Nest White: This beer is the perfect compliment to a hot Brooklyn day. Any guesses where I am while enjoying this?

• Driving my car: It may seem like such a basic and simple thing, but being able to drive my car this week has kept me sane. No matter what happens during the week, I know I can get in my car and drive. I’m grateful for the open road to allow me to reflect.

• The Most Stylish Kid I Know: My god daughter came to visit for her birthday weekend and for 24 hours I was surrounded by pinks and purples and endless giggles. She’s a sassy girl who knows what she wants, and I enjoyed running around with her for hours and living in her world. And YES! they make adult versions of her boots, you better believe I’m looking for my own pair.

When all you want is to sink into your couch and escape the world, I lean on these things to center me when I’m dealing with the chaos of life.

• Taking a moment to ground myself (5 minute meditation, guided or not. It’s only 5 minutes!!!)

• Reminding myself that I do have the control to change my circumstances (I make a list of what I can control if I really feel like I’m struggling).

• Finding all the small things of my day that I can appreciate… like my chorizo breakfast burrito or that a stranger told me to have a nice day.

• Picking a way to move my body for fun, even if it’s 30 seconds to run around like a silly person.

• Doing something that makes me happy. The key to this is having tiered things depending on time allotment. A lot of time? I’m going for a drive. A short amount of time? I’m getting outside for fresh air.

Food is a universal way of sharing and experiencing each other.

My grandma, my mom, and I have always been the same, it brings us joy to see people enjoying what we’ve made. Because of that, I want to give space for the community to share recipes that are so full of love, it makes people say "damn, you put your foot in this!" 

Each week, I’ll highlight a recipe from the community, sharing the story behind why this meal, dish or drink is special to them. What better way for us to get to know each other better and maybe even cook together?

Ingredients:  

• Flank or hanger steak

• Carne Asada, Korean bbq marinade or both!

• Red onions

• Sour cream

• Cilantro

• Garlic

• Lime

• Cotija cheese

• Avocado

• Jalapeños

Recipe for Pickled Red Onions:

1. Slice 1 red onion

2. Take 2 cups water, 2 cups vinegar, 1/3 sugar
   2tbsp salt, combine and boil for 1 minute. Let cool.

3. Pour over sliced red onion, sliced jalapeños, garlic and peppercorns.

Recipe for Crema:

1. Finely chop cilantro, mince garlic and combine.

2. Squeeze 1/2 lime.
   I never measure any of these ingredients. I just eye ball everything and it always tastes the same and AMAZING.

Recipe for Steak

1. We usually do 2lbs of flank, hanger or skirt steak, whatever is on sale honestly.

2. Marinate 1lb in Korean BBQ and the other in Carne Asada for at least 24 hours. Grill and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

3. Very important to use grilled corn tortillas for the tacos!!! Flour is a no.

Assemble

Top grilled steak with cotija cheese, pickled red onions, jalepeños, crema and avocado. ENJOY! 

Submit your recipes and story here

What To Expect From Me:

Monday’s newsletter will always be accessible to anyone that has subscribed to Great Things Take Time. I’ll highlight moments of my week, announcements, things that have brought me joy, and other things worth sharing. But to bring you even more great content we have the Great Things Collective, a paid subscription level for $9 a month that gets you the following:

• Access to a Subscribers’ Only Discord community to interact with myself and other like-minded friends. 

• Additional editions of the Great Things Take Time newsletter where I share stories from my life, lessons I’ve learned, guest authors, personal growth prompts and so much more!

• Exclusive access to in-person and virtual events. 

• The ability for YOU to share more in-depth with the Great Things Take Time community. 

• First in line to get all announcements, merch drops, and anything else fun I have planned to share with you. 

Thanks for being with me on this journey. I’m excited to see where this takes us, and what we’re going to achieve together. I know this is far from perfect, but together I hope we can grow it into exactly what it’s meant to be.

Remember:

-Adrian