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Category: Living Well

The Path To Comfortable

Published on March 20, 2023

The more comfortable you can get with entering into uncomfortable physical challenges… The more comfortable your body will become.

The more comfortable you can get with entering into uncomfortable feelings/emotions… The more comfortable your mental health will become.

The more comfortable you can get with entering into uncomfortable conversations… The more comfortable your relationships will become.

The more comfortable you can get with entering into uncomfortable solitude/stillness… The more comfortable your spirit will become.

And the same is true with how comfortable you can get with entering into uncomfortable (appropriate) situations in general… The more comfortable your life will become.

P.s. In case you missed it, you can read the best of what I posted to MoveMe Quotes last week, here.

Not Special

Published on March 7, 2023

It’s in recognizing that I am imperfect that the foundation of my practice is formed.

  • If I don’t choose exercise… I know I’ll choose gluttony.
  • If I don’t choose reading… I know I’ll default to screen time.
  • If I don’t choose writing… I know I’ll excuse my poor thinking.
  • If I don’t choose sleeping… I know I’ll lean on caffeine.
  • If I don’t choose courage… I know I’ll find clever ways to hide.

What fuels my daily practice isn’t some special force. It’s precisely the knowing that I’m not special—that I am no more immune to the temptations of the world than others—that fuels me.

I know for a fact that if I don’t make time for the things I listed above… I’ll undoubtedly choose what’s most appealing to my lazy/ ignorant/ unclear/ tired/ fearful self.

I know this because I’ve lived it. And because I’ve lived it and have felt deeply the long-term consequences of my many imperfect decisions… I am able to see more clearly in the now and iterate towards better.

Never perfect is the goal. Always improving is the path. Not as imperfect as before is the winning metric.

…And that’s the foundation that I know I can keep building on.

P.s. If you like that I choose writing… you can support my future work by grabbing me a coffee here. :)

Move To Recharge

Published on March 1, 2023

Inner work can be exhausting.

Like changing a car’s battery.

But, once it’s done… it provides a source of sustainable energy that far exceeds what an almost dead battery could ever provide. As it is when we introspectively explore and update/change a fundamental component of our inner workings—exhausting at first, life-giving later.

Which isn’t to say inner work is a one-and-done process.

Like a car’s battery, it still needs to be recharged—which happens, counterintuitively enough, via driving. This works the same for us when we move our bodies, minds, and spirits by exercising, writing, meditating, etc. Movement, as it turns out, is how we keep ourselves charged—not depleted—with energy.

To be clear, we still need to sleep—this isn’t the kind of energy we’re talking about. What we’re talking about is the energy you get to use inside of your days after sleep—your vitality.

And if you want to raise your vibration and engage with more enthusiasm, you’ll have to invest a solid chuck of energy upfront. There is no way around this. But, once you do, and you give yourself a full night of sleep for it take, you’ll rise with a higher baseline of energy that wasn’t accessible before… that you can use to move and recharge even more… that you can use to FULLY engage with life.

P.s. I asked: How much awake time do you spend each day unplugged? Hoping the answer(s) might get you to have a think…

Spontaneous Favors Easy

Published on February 27, 2023

Today I am reminded that if it’s not in my plan for the day…

And I leave the decision to be made in the moment based on “how I feel”…

I’m going to choose the easy route.

…Almost every time.

I’m way better at choosing the hard(er) route when it’s already locked into my day.

P.s. I am going to start uploading quotes from Inner Work by Robert A. Johnson to MoveMe Quotes (in case you’d like to get a copy and read along as I do).

Prioritizing Future You

Published on February 26, 2023

Those who prioritize their future self get ahead.

Because while this mostly makes the now harder, it makes the later easier. And there’s A LOT more later than there is now.

The trick, however, is to mindfully walk this balance between future you and current you’s needs.

Consistent misery isn’t a good present or long-term strategy. But, neither is consistent comfort. Too much comfort leads to a lot more later misery.

It’s about making the journey of life an uphill climb that’s as enjoyable as possible—so that you’re able to consistently step upwards towards a greater future self while also getting to enjoy the view of the climb along the way.

Future you will be proud and thankful of this current, reading-this-post-you if you do.

P.s. In case you missed it, you can read the best of what I posted to MoveMe Quotes last week, here.

Everyday Hiking

Published on February 24, 2023

When walking the path of nature, how many obstructions do you come across?

Fallen branches, protruding tree roots, oversized rocks, ditches, water ways…

And yet, when you’re on a hike—none of this surprises you. Obstructions are expected.

And so you carry on, weaving around, stepping over, ducking under—mindfully making your path forward without carrying any of the extra weight on your mind that might normally arise when an obstruction arises in your worldly path. And the experience is a joy.

Maybe this is a lesson we can learn from hiking.

Maybe we can expect obstructions in our day and look at them not as an irritation, but as an opportunity to overcome and explore. And maybe if we practiced mental hiking more often, we’d carry less weight on our minds and get further along on our paths.

Looking for a good read? Check out my library of books that I’ve uploaded quotes from. You might even find your next favorite read…? :)

Dress For The Weather

Published on February 21, 2023

If there’s anything Buffalo, New York teaches you it’s to dress for the weather—not to be weather dependent.

We’ll go from subzero, pneumonia-inducing, blizzard weather to sunny and 70 within the span of a day and STILL get all of our daily tasks done without missing much of a beat.

Those who wait for “sunny and 70” or allow their moods to follow the moods of the weather, outsource control of their power.

The power that allows them to dress for the weather, keep their internal temperature “sunny and 70” regardless of how cold and cloudy it is on the outside, and get on with it.

P.s. I’m on a mission to help busy people do inner work—so that they can live better lives. If these daily pieces have warmed you up in any way, you can warm my cup up here if you feel so inclined :) ☕️