The meaning we find in our lives gives us a sense of purpose, the courage to handle setbacks, and the resilience to try, try again. Finding this purpose, however, can sometimes be as tricky as locating that last clean coffee cup in your office’s kitchen. Still, there are ways to look out for what uplifts and inspires you in your career and downtime. And author, news anchor, and troubleshooter investigator for WAVE News, John Boel, is about to give us the inside scoop.
Discovering the meaning behind work and play is one of the areas in which John feels he’s doing well. “I do know how to find the rhythm and replenishment in life,” he says. This knowledge comes after discovering what activities work best to support his spirit so he can continue to thrive in a career he enjoys.
“I’ve always loved my job,” John begins, “the best part is the storytelling.” The reason John started in the business, and the highlight of his day, has everything to do with writing. He says he loves being able to take the materials of his craft (the interviews, videos, etc.), put it all together, and create that final shareable product. Journalism is all about telling the stories that move and awaken us, and it’s in this process John finds meaning in his work. But he also knows being constantly immersed in a fast-paced work environment can bring on the stress and the burnout. So, he’s found a way to flee reality in search of a broader perspective.
“You have to find out what your passion is. If you haven’t been able to find it in your work life, then you’ll need to find it outside of that.”
“Fishing and triathlon training have been it for me,” John reveals. While his triathlon training is shifting a bit now due to a back injury, John says for decades his routine has included competing in Ironman triathlons. These triathlons require participants to compete in a series of long-distance races that consist of swimming, biking, and running — in that order. John has competed in 13 Ironmans and says he’s always training for the next. “I would structure myself around doing a long three to five-hour bike ride on a weekend, and then find a fishing hole somewhere else,” he says. It’s in this structured downtime he finds balance — and himself.
John says when he’s on his bike riding down a country road, he’s able to lose focus on everything else. Those are the moments that allow him to detach from the stress of daily life. “This is really important these days,” he says. Fishing holds a similar allure and might even rank as his favorite time-off activity. For John, fishing connects him to the deeper rhythms of nature, and he says there’s something about night fishing that he prefers. “I’m waist-deep out in the middle of a dark river, and I can hear the coyotes howling and the owls calling to one another. It’s just awesome,” he says. He goes on to say that even the simplest of sounds like the wind blowing through the trees can be therapeutic.
It’s important to take time to schedule your own therapeutic activities so you can maintain that healthy work/play balance. John’s ritual for the last year and a half has been to finish work on Friday night and then immediately drive to his favorite fishing spot. “I fish until probably eight or nine in the morning and then sleep,” he explains. When his work schedule allows, and fishing season is at its peak, he may add more excursions because he understands the curative benefits these trips hold. “It’s been the structure of triathlon training for 15 plus years now, and then the fishing on the side that keeps me pretty busy,” John says.
All these meaningful passions are ready to go and in place to give John purpose during retirement, too — a phase of his life he hadn’t considered entering until recently. “I never thought about retirement in my whole life until just the last couple of years, and now I’m ready for it,” he says. Not only will John have his favorite pastimes to help ease him into this next stage, but he’ll also be able to spend more time with his family. “My priorities are all about family,” he begins, “and just being a better person.”
For those still searching out meaning in work and play, John says to look to your interests. “You have to find out what your passion is,” he says. He goes on to say that hopefully you’ll be able to identify your passions, like he did with writing, and then find a career that supports that. “If you haven’t been able to find it in your work life, then you’ll need to find it outside of that,” he encourages. Next, you must make time to engage in the restorative activities you love. Studies show taking intentional pauses in your day-to-day routine helps manage daily pressures, provide a sense of balance, and bolster your self-esteem.
Research tells us that people with a clear sense of purpose and their own “why” usually live longer and find greater satisfaction with who they are. So, when you find the “rhythm and replenishment” in your life, look out for the positive changes it creates. You might uncover what truly exhilarates and motivates you — as John has done for himself. “What matters is the sunrise, and your family, and sitting around a campfire telling stories. Those are the things that matter,” says John.
By Tonilyn Hornung | Photos by Erika Doll
P.S. We all need help.
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