Why Stand Tall?

A while back, I was listening to a podcast featuring a Lakota man named Chase Iron Eyes. He was describing the idea of showing up in life, being the best version of yourself, standing tall. That phrase really stuck with me. To be able to Stand Tall, you have to be proud of yourself, your actions and know what you stand for. You must be confident, a leader, willing to be vulnerable and put yourself out there for what you believe in. This was something I knew I wanted, and more importantly, wanted to help other people unlock within themselves. Fast forward to today, I have created a business centered around this idea of Standing Tall. Helping people show up ass the version of themselves they deep down dream about becoming, but might have a few habits or negative internal dialogue preventing them from stepping into this new persona.

Chase Iron Eyes southdakotasearchlight.com

3 Pillars Of Stand Tall Protocol

There are 3 pillars make up the Stand Tall Protocol:

• Strength: 'Strength is the mother quality of all physical qualities' - Pavel Tsatsouline

  • Founder of StrongFirst, School of Strength, and largely responsible for bringing kettlebells to the western world, Pavel perfectly describes why strength is the first pillar

• Mental Fortitude: The power of the mind is not to be overlooked. It controls just about everything in our daily lives and without proper training, it can steer us in a direction we don't want to travel, willing or unwilling. As the saying goes, the mind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master.

• Spiritual Growth: Connecting to something higher than ourselves and adopting a beginner's mindset. This is when the real change happens - looking within, questioning our role in it all, asking the deep questions. Life is so much more than our physical reality - to be able to step into the best version of yourself, this will be something you must eventually look at in order to grow.

  
  
  
  

Strength

Strength is the first pillar because in many ways, it is the easiest to attain AND delivers some of the most powerful results. It's a domino habit, once you figure it out, the other two pillars will more naturally fall into place. It will make you feel capable, confident, proud of your hard work, and know deep down you are capable of anything you set your mind to.

Becoming stronger will change the way you walk through life, alter how people view you, and most importantly, how you view yourself. To be able to be of service, you must physically be capable. Otherwise, you will be relying on others to take care of you. Your body will thank you once you start down this path.

Mental Fortitude

Perhaps the most difficult of the 3 pillars. To move through this path, you must be willing to sit in discomfort. You will have to confront the habits that feel so good, but might not be serving you. You will be forced to look deep within, at old wounds, and heal yourself from within. This is not easy, but I promise profound changes lie on the other side.

This is the pillar that most people give up on because it's just too hard. I'd rather stay where I am than have to feel uncomfortable, even if that's what it'll take to achieve my dreams. Look to your role models for inspiration, whether real or fictitious characters from films. Who is living the life you want? Who demands that you become a better version of yourself? Spend more time surrounded by these types of people and less around those who keep you small and comfortable.

Spiritual Growth

A journey that never ends, this path often starts for many with a question. For me, it was, 'Is this life is really all about?'. Knowing there had to be more, a deeper level to the game I was missing, that simple question started my inward reflection and growth. Find teachers that resonate with you and soak up their message. If you feel you've learned all you can, try someone else. There are countless paths which all lead to the same destination, it is your job to pick one and start walking.

This pillar is a lifelong journey and I highly recommend you get on the ride now rather than later. It will completely rewire the way you look at the world and interact with those around you. We are much more than the bodies we occupy in this life and it is our duty (in my humble opinion) to tap into that deeper, creative force within each of us in order to align ourselves with the life we are meant to be living.