BLOG — TANNER MANGUM

ON HEALING

A deep-dive into this emotional (but necessary) reunion on top of Mt. Whitney provided me with the healing I didn’t know I needed, which I have found is the best healing there is.

Tanner MangumNovember 4, 2019

ON NATURE

Nature, to me, is the most powerful calming agent there is. Instead of living in my head, I can live outside — in the present — to contemplate its natural and majestic wonder and appreciate its pure and raw beauty. To recenter myself and remember what’s most important in life. To completely live in the moment. To have my heart and soul reinvigorated by the indescribable sights, smells, and sounds that we so often neglect.

Tanner MangumSeptember 4, 2019

ON DISAPPOINTMENT

Fast forward to now and it’s obviously clear that this past year did not go how I expected. Of course there are moments of frustration, anger, and resentment. Those feelings are meant to be felt. But hidden in those depths of disappointment has come the ultimate opportunity to learn and grow.

Tanner MangumAugust 3, 2019

ON SONDER

The “people watching” I’m talking about here is a much deeper, much more hopeful, almost spiritual type of observation — one that fills me with empathy, wonder, and a profound sense of connection to and appreciation for the seemingly endless sea of strangers around me.

Tanner MangumJune 7, 2019

ON OPPORTUNITY

When you look back on your life, 20, 30, or 40 years from now, how do you want to say you handled your once-in-a-lifetime opportunities?

Tanner MangumMay 1, 2019

ON IDENTITY

I’m unpacking these introspective self-reflections as a word of caution to myself. As life has gone on, I’ve had to learn that smartness or skill do not equal worth. While I firmly believe in the importance of seeking knowledge and acquiring talents, as in all things, the motives must be pure. Intellectual ability, or any skill for that matter, should be used for good — never to put yourself on a self-ordained pedestal.

Tanner MangumApril 15, 2019

ON JOY

Football itself is finite, but the platform it gave me — and more importantly what I do with that platform — will last forever. And as it turns out, maybe playing football can still be my life’s most important calling — just perhaps not for the reasons I had originally imagined.

Tanner MangumApril 12, 2019