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Category: Living Well

All That Remains

Published on December 23, 2022

Gratitude notes from the Buffalo Blizzard:

  • No power… has been a great chance to catch up on reading
  • Whiteout conditions for 12+ hours (so far)… has made me really appreciate this roof
  • A 50º F House… has made coats, blankets, and hot drinks an absolute luxury

Losing things is an excellent reminder that everything we have is temporary. One day, we’re going to lose it all. This isn’t meant to be a gloomy thought. Just a reminder to be truly thankful for all that we have while it’s still here… And for all that remains when we do, in fact, lose some of what we gained along the way.

P.s. Thinking hits different next to candlelight than it does in LEDs… thankful for those deep, reflective-type thoughts coming in hot from candlelight tonight.

Matching Words To Actions (and Actions To Words)

Published on December 21, 2022

What letter grade would you give yourself for actually doing the things you say you’re going to do? A-? B? …F?

If you are failing in follow through—in matching your actions to your words—everything in your life will be affected.

Fix this by making smaller promises/ announcements/ goals and remembering not to agree to things you don’t seriously think you’ll be able to do.

Refocus your efforts from trying to capture HUGE word-to-action matchings and start accumulating mountains of small matchings instead. For example, instead of telling yourself that you’re going to lose 30 pounds in 30 days!—tell yourself that you’re going to show up to the gym for 15 of the next 30 days.

The house of trust is built one brick at a time.

The wrecking ball of mistrust slams against those bricks every time you don’t follow through on your word.

Build patiently. Commit consciously. Do everything you can to NOT slam that wrecking ball into your walls. It’s much harder to build than it is to destroy. And until we build a house of trust with ourselves, we won’t have a roof we can house our best lives in.

Life Changing Results

Published on December 20, 2022

Exercising regularly is one of the hardest things in the world for some people.

Which is why it’s SO important to not make it any harder than it needs to be.

I will be the first to admit that I take an easy route that ends with me under the bar each day:

  • I have an at-home gym
  • I have my clothes ready the night before
  • I take a long, hot shower
  • I drink a big glass of water with creatine
  • I foam roll for 15 minutes
  • I write my workout down for 5 minutes
  • I do workout specific stretches for 5 minutes
  • I play loud, vibed up music

…And THEN I’ll get my workout started.

Even after 20 years of working out religiously, the workouts themselves haven’t gotten any easier—I’ve just gotten better at showing up and tricking myself into doing the work.

I learned long ago that wake-up -> bar isn’t the path that works for me. The resistance (misery) eventually becomes too much and leads me to stray from the path. I’m the type that needs to ease myself in. This is what keeps me on the path.

Hard, misery-inducing workouts coupled with misery-inducing steps leading up to the workouts are glorified in today’s world and it’s no wonder regular exercise is so damn hard for so many.

Don’t feel pressured to go this route.

While it’s undoubtedly true that massive action will lead to massive results… it’s the consistent action that’ll lead to the life-changing results.

The Actual Goal

Published on December 17, 2022

What I’m ACTUALLY trying to get people to realize when I teach/ train/ coach:

The reward of doing 1 hour of hard work >>>>> 1000 moments of media-based dopamine hits.

Reclaiming Wasted Energy

Published on December 14, 2022

So much energy is wasted every day in limbo.

In that in between space where our temptations and disciplines clash.

In that place where we’re making up our minds; arguing against ourselves; stagnating.

It’s in this state where our energy drains its fastest. And the longer we stay there, the more likely temptation is to win against discipline.

The key to reclaiming our energy is redirecting our energy.

  • Trying to resist temptation? Don’t stare. Don’t engage. Don’t even look if you can help it. Quickly redirect your energy and walk away; open a book; play a podcast.; call a friend or family member; play with your dog—anything that gets you out and away.
  • Trying to improve your state of mind in a toxic environment? Even the best of us can’t override the effects of toxic environments. Trying to do so is futile. You’re better off redirecting your energy out and away from that environment and into a new, healthier, healing one. This goes for work environments, hang out environments, and even family environments.
  • Trying to move on from pain of the past? Actively investigating our past to heal is one thing… lingering aimlessly in the pain is another. Redirect your energy towards your future and away from your past. Hang out with new people. Take on a new project. Build an aligned side hustle business. Building something new is one of the best ways to move on from something old.

If each of us could reclaim even 1% of that energy—that human potential—that’s wasted in limbo and redirect it towards something constructive… I reckon we could build ourselves an entire additional calendar day in our year.

Greater Good

Published on December 13, 2022
  • Trolling
  • Blaming
  • Criticizing
  • Demeaning
  • Condemning

Will never come close to the overall positive impact that…

  • Accepting responsibility
  • Glorifying goodness
  • Spreading kindness
  • Role modeling
  • Forgiving

…Will have.

We sometimes do the former (consciously and unconsciously) thinking that it’s for a greater good… but, the real greater good comes from doing the latter.

P.s. Want to really change your world? Become a modern day alchemist.

Undoing Our Way To Happiness

Published on December 10, 2022

Happiness is less about doing and more about undoing.

  • You can play your favorite playlist… but, “undoing” self-consciousness will help more.
  • You can immerse yourself in nature… but, “undoing” co-dependency issues will help more.
  • You can have a spa day… but, “undoing” self-sabotaging thoughts will help more.

How to undo? By doing inner work.

The happiness is there. You just have to “uninvite” the unwelcomed company that’s causing chaos in your mind.