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Matt Hogan's Blog Posts

Stretching The Mind

Published on January 5, 2023

We don’t move toward flexibility in life—we move toward tension, brittleness, and restriction.

The more time we invest in stretching and mobility work, the more we move in the opposite direction.

The same is true with our inner states.

The default is to move toward tension, stress, and chaos.

The more time we invest in meditating, writing, and reflecting—the more we move in the opposite direction.

The other reason I love this analogy is because the same steady discomfort you feel while doing deep stretching is the same kind of steady tension you might feel in your mind while doing deep inner work.

The goal shouldn’t be to force the stretch to the point of agony or injury. The goal should be to find a place of tension that’s uncomfortable, but bearable—one that is sustainable.

Because the real benefit of stretching and inner work comes not from quick, sporadic sessions… but from steady, extended ones.

You won’t find inner peace after a few inner works sessions just like you won’t achieve a full split after a few stretching sessions.

But, with patience and a firm resolve… you just might move in that direction. And any inner peace gained, just as any flexibility gained, is always a win. This is the path.

The Upcoming Present

Published on January 4, 2023

We don’t start acting like our highest self once we become them… at some distant and arbitrary point in the future.

We visualize, channel, and call upon the thoughts/ beliefs/ actions of our highest self NOW and slowly, slowly…

After having acted like them for long enough… embody and become them in a not-so-distant and deliberate point in the upcoming present.

Real—Not Reel

Published on January 3, 2023

Most people have ugly parts in their story.

Most people suppress those ugly parts and share beauty on reels instead.

The thing about beauty reels, however, is that they generally stop at the surface.

And what most people crave, now more than ever, is that which goes beyond the surface.

What most people yearn for is a closer look at what’s been suppressed… what’s behind the beauty… the very thing which you thought you had to hide…

What most people want to know more than anything else is that you, too, have ugly parts in your story… that they’re not alone… that you’re imperfect too…

They want to know what makes you REAL—not a reel.

P.s. I’m on a mission to help busy people do inner work—to help them live better lives. If these daily pieces have impacted you, you can support my ongoing work here. Thank you :) ☕️

Not Feeling Like Yourself?

Published on January 2, 2023

Try removing yourself from ALL current sources of outside influence (e.g. media, friends, parents) and write.

Write like hell.

Write everything that’s circling in your mind.

Then, re-read what you wrote and write whatever else comes to mind from those writings.

Then, just sit in the quiet for a while… pay attention to your wandering mind.

See if anything else comes up.

If it does, write all of whatever that is out, too.

Continue this process until the sediments of your mind have settled—maybe not completely… but, enough. Enough to have gained some clarity over the situation.

Then, look with fresh eyes at what was causing you to not feel like yourself.

And act accordingly.

Lesson: it’s hard to know what’s affecting you when you’re in the middle of the affecting environment. You need to remove yourself and purge your mind so that you can look back at the environment(s) you were in with fresh eyes.

P.s. I also published: Feeling Lost? Phil Stutz Says Don’t Try To Figure It Out. Here’s Why:

Undeniable Luck

Published on January 1, 2023

I can think back to several times in my life when I could’ve easily died.

  • Times when I was really sick
  • Times when I acted recklessly
  • Times when I’ve been in the path of others who were acting recklessly

And I think about all the proud things I’ve done since those days.

And I think about all of the beautiful interactions I’ve had with others since those days.

And I think about how much progress I’ve made on my path towards self-actualization since those days.

And all of this reminds me that luck is undeniably a part of my life’s equation.

Because I think of the countless others… people whom I knew personally… people who were younger than I… people who were stronger than I… people who acted less recklessly than I… people who were wholesome, good-hearted people… people who were met with just one thread of bad luck…

…And it was there that it all ended for them.

And I think about how this could’ve been me 10, 20, 30 years ago.

And I think about how much I would’ve missed if it had been.

And I think about how there’s no guarantee which way luck goes for any of us moving forward.

And it is with this in mind, that I do my damn best to make sure I don’t waste a single one of these gifts that are bundled up in moments that others would’ve given literally ANYTHING for.

…And I hope, with this in mind, you might do the same, too.

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

Heading Into 2023 With Shields UP

Published on December 31, 2022

Participating in this world without SHIELDS UP is risky business.

  • Misery is constantly looking for company
  • Haters are always looking for someone to hate
  • Energy vampires are never not hunting for energy to suck

…Not to mention all of the manipulative / narcissistic / weird types on the loose.

If you want to protect yourself, you need to engage in the world with SHIELDS UP.

You should consider: building better boundaries, raising your vibration, upgrading your self-image, avoiding certain types of people, criticism surgery, etc.

This way your energy, attention, and time are protected and saved for those who you most want to devote your life’s most precious resources to throughout each of your days.

Cheers to a great year ahead.

Nobody Clapping

Published on December 30, 2022

Nobody clapping for you is an excellent time to quietly get back to doing purposeful work.

Standing ovations are obviously the goal. But, never forget that with them comes a wave of distraction/ obligation/ requests that can easily prevent you from being able to do the purposeful work that got you on that stage in the first place.

And doing more purposeful work is always the ultimate win—even more so than the standing ovation(s).

P.s. I also published: 52 of the Most Impactful Lessons I Learned in 2022. I hope you’re making time to do some quality reflecting too—before we cross the threshold into 2023.