The Hemingway Post: Road-tripping through life's lessons

Howdy,

It’s that time of the week again. Welcome to The Hemingway Post where you learn how to build a life you’re proud of. 

I know, I know, you’ve been waiting all week and are now jumping for joy, but I’m gonna have to ask you to sit down. Thanks. 

Today we’ll be diving into this video by wholesomesimon: a film about friendship | 10,000 miles

It follows a group of six friends road-tripping around the US to different national parks like Yellowstone, Crater Lake, and Zion. 

Here's what we’ll do:

• Break it down into three main lessons

• Meme of the week! (made by yours truly)

• Give some personal insight

• Everyones favorite: homework!

Let’s do it.

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The big 3

1. Embrace the unknown

When I was little, I was scared of the dark.

But when looking back I realize it was not the dark I was scared of, it was the unknown. It was what could live inside the dark (I escaped from the boogeyman many times). 

In the same way, we can dig deeper and find that it’s not even the unknown we are scared of. We are scared of being anxious. Scared. Worried. Surprised. Unprepared… you get the point. 

As Simon’s video beautifully illustrates, this is part of the unknown. Challenges will arise, uneasy feelings will surface, and the boogeyman will try to get you at some point.

But he argues that the rewards are worth it. The moments of doing karaoke, cliff jumping, and watching sunsets together far outweighed the problems they faced. 

So, if you’re scared of the dark, walk straight towards it. 

2. Make deep connections

I argue that road-tripping with friends for five weeks will build deeper connections than doing the norm for five months. 

To defend my point, here’s a quote that I just made up: “If you walk into the dark without a light, you’ll figure s**t out.” I know I know, I have a way with words.

On a more serious note, this quote has a deeper meaning: Facing problems, uncomfortable feelings and negative situations with friends is the primary driver of building strong bonds. 

Simon and his friends had lots of challenges arise during their trip, like getting stuck on a cliff, their car breaking down, and not having a place to sleep (your daily inconveniences).

But they dealt with them head-on, which strengthened their friendships. 

I don’t recommend actively looking for problems, but when they arise, grab a friend and solve it. 

3. Learn to live in the moment

Are you here right now, reading this sentence? 

Or maybe you’re thinking about what your plans are later today, how behind you are at work, or the time you told the waiter “you too” after they said, “enjoy your meal.”

Much of our time is consumed by thinking about the past or future when it should be used in the here and now. 

As a film about friendship illustrates, both traveling and spending time with friends are great ways to live in the moment. 

And no, I don’t mean traveling from your bed to the living room. Stop being lazy.

Get outside, spend time with friends, or go somewhere you usually wouldn’t. Even right now, wherever you may be reading this, sink into the moment and let it take you where it wishes. 

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Meme of the week

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Hemingway insight

As you know by now, The Hemingway Post focuses on actionable advice. 

Using my personal knowledge and experiences, I’ll teach you how to take what you learned and actually apply it… 

I’ve embraced the unknown in my life by doing spontaneous stuff. Once, my friend asked to get Jack-in-box at midnight while we were playing video games.

You best believe I said yes and got some curly fries (best fries in the game). 

Just by saying yes to something so simple and unplanned, I was able to make a memory with friends I won’t forget. 

To live in the moment, you need nothing and nobody. While I’ve found most of my moments of deep presence while in nature or doing something I love, I’ve also found them in unexpected places…

I’ve found presence by staring at a wall (big hobby of mine). Just by looking, and I mean really looking at things around you, you realize there is a lot more there than you thought. 

Beauty is everywhere, you just have to look.

And finally, my absolute favorite: making deep connections. 

A couple of friends and I started having deeper talks about topics like religion, philosophy, relationships, etc every other week or so. 

We were able to understand each other by discussing things that are traditionally considered uncomfortable. 

Uncomfortable though they are, they also open a door of opportunity… and I’m a big fan of opportunity.

Your first instinct is to shy away from the unease, but like the dark, walk straight at it and see your relationships grow.  

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Challenge of the week

It’s time for your homework! Woah there, don’t get too excited you might break something.

Before you skip this part you coach potato, understand that this will help you build a life you’re proud of, just so you know what you’re missing out on. 

This week, I challenge you to:

1. Do something spontaneous. Don’t plan, just do.

2. Look at something you see daily, but really look at it. Analyze it, admire it, and see its beauty.

3. Talk with a friend about a deeper topic you usually wouldn’t. Don’t be pushy, just be curious. 

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I hope you enjoyed reading this week’s post as much as I enjoyed writing it. 

Remember, all this is based on a film about friendship | 10,000 miles by wholesomesimon. Although paired with my own insight, this week’s writing wouldn’t be possible without Simon’s video.

I highly recommend you watch it end to end to fully understand the lessons, admire the visuals, and enjoy the storytelling.

Don’t have a good week… have a great one. Go out and build a life you’re proud of.

See you next Monday,

Trevor