Take a day off work every now and again—it’s good for you (and your work).
Never take a day off learning—growth should happen every day of your life.
I help busy people do inner work.
The full collection of explorations.
Take a day off work every now and again—it’s good for you (and your work).
Never take a day off learning—growth should happen every day of your life.
“Exercise should be a celebration of what your body can do. Not a punishment for what you ate.”
Dylan Thacker, Twitter
Most people try to “punish” themselves into being fit.
They “kill” themselves at the gym. Sign up for military-like bootcamps. Pay personal trainers to scream at them when they’re fatigued. There’s a whole lot of self-induced torture going on in the exercise world today.
And then those same people are surprised when they’re miserable and hate the idea of exercise. And it’s no wonder!
I’m here to tell you this doesn’t have to be your reality.
You don’t have to torture yourself into good health. In fact, this shouldn’t be your path towards good health—it’s an ugly path. As Dylan says above, it should be a celebration.
So, how do we celebrate exercise? By aligning ourselves with forms of movement that we enjoy doing (at least more so than others).
Because let’s not make exercise into something it’s not—it’s always going to involve work. It just doesn’t have to involve torturous work. Some ideas:
There’s a million ways to move. Experiment and find what works for you.
Don’t be like most people—celebrate your way to being fit instead.
This includes your greatest joys (embrace them).
And your greatest pains (keep attending to them).
Remember this as you gracefully move forward throughout your day and into your new year.
Everything you’re carrying… you’ve picked up.
Maybe put some of that down before the New Year, eh?
Achieving goals—moving forward—becomes a heck of a lot easier when you’re traveling light.
Inspired by a quote shared with me by a friend, I propose a toast.
The holidays aren’t an easy time for many, so as we undergo the next few days let us…
Mend a quarrel. Life is too short.
Seek out a forgotten friend. There’s no greater feeling than that of feeling seen and heard.
Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Somebody has to give first. Let it be you.
Write a letter or send a text to someone to let them know you’re thinking about them.
Give conversation some grace and reply with fun, light-hearted, compassionate answers.
Encourage youth and be a true model of the holiday spirit.
Follow through with what you say you’re going to do. Keep a promise. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed.
Forgo a grudge. There’s no better time than today to call a truce. And maybe not even for them, but for you.
Forgive an enemy. Fill your heart with love.
Apologize.
Seek first to understand. Listen fully before you reply.
Think first of someone else.
Be kind.
Be gentle.
Laugh a little more. Judge a little less.
Express your gratitude. Thinking gratitude only robs it if it’s true power.
Welcome a stranger. Include an outsider. Invite a loner.
Gladden the heart of a child. With things other than things.
Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. We’ll never get to experience it again the way we will today.
Speak your love and then speak it again.
Much love to each of you and may the true spirit of the holidays live fruitfully through you.
Cheers!
Here’s my biggest lesson from 2021.
#1: Shorter doesn’t mean less than
In 2020, I started writing daily.
Being the first time I was experimenting with the identity of “writer,” I felt an overbearing need to prove myself.
So, I tried to make up for a lack of experience with a length in writing—and my pieces were loooooong. Much longer than they needed to be and much longer than any audience would want to read daily.
In 2021, with my transition to Twitter, I learned how to be concise.
I learned how to take out fluff, be more direct, be more authentic, be more confident, and how to pack a punch with words.
I learned how shorter reduced the barriers for readers and actually opened more doors rather than closed them.
And it’s through this lesson that this very blog was birthed. With a cap of 280 words, punchy has become my focus.
#2: Inner Travel > Outer Travel
Without even realizing it, most people use outer travel as a means to force inner travel.
But, when you learn how to conduct inner travel on a regular basis, you are no longer limited to expensive flights, convenient timing, and dog-sitter availability.
Traveling, suddenly, becomes free, accessible, and easily timed.
Because ultimately, what we’re after isn’t big mountains, but an experience of awe; not deep oceans, but an experience of vastness; not sunny and seventy beaches, but relaxation; not exotic destinations, but rich experiences.
It’s feelings that we’re after—not places.
And with access to the internet, books, communities, and distraction-free spaces—we can learn how to bring forth those feelings on our own—no forcing required.