GoodFriday: On the great equalizer, self talk, & core exercises

Happy GoodFriday!

Here’s something I heard, thought, and did this week.

Something I Heard: Self Talk

I came across this story in a YouTube video from Ryan Holiday about suffering, and it stuck with me.

The early Stoic philosopher Cleanthes once overheard a man harshly berating himself—shouting things like, “You fool! You always mess things up! You’re worthless!”

Cleanthes calmly walked over and said, “Remember, you’re not speaking to a bad man.”

It’s a simple, powerful reminder: we should all speak to ourselves with more grace. Self criticism might feel like accountability, but too often, it becomes cruelty. And we wouldn’t talk to a friend the way we talk to ourselves in our lowest moments. We’re not bad people; we’re just people, trying our best. And that deserves compassion too.

Something I Thought: The Great Equalizer

One of the best things about the gym is that it’s completely egalitarian. Once you step inside, your job title doesn’t matter. Your bank account doesn’t matter. No one cares what car you drove here or what your social status is outside those walls.

In the gym, the only thing that matters is your effort and intent. You could be a CEO or a college student, a mechanic or a doctor, but once the bar is in your hands, it’s just you and the work.

Strength doesn’t care who you are.

Progress doesn’t show favoritism.

Everyone is in pursuit of the same thing: to get a little better. And there’s something deeply unifying about that. In a world full of hierarchies and curated appearances, the gym offers a rare kind of honesty. You earn what you lift. You show up, or you don’t. No shortcuts. No excuses.

It’s one of the few places left where merit still speaks louder than image.

Something I’m Doing: Core Strengthening Exercises

I’m no stranger to back pain. Over the course of my training career, I’ve dealt with everything from mild discomfort to injuries that were downright debilitating. But with the guidance of my good friend and Doctor of Physical Therapy, Shayan Safar, my back is now stronger and more resilient than ever.

Here are 5 core-strengthening exercises I do daily that have made the biggest difference in my back health.

Click HERE to view

Until next week!

-Cameron Harn