Skip to content

Category: Thinking Clearly

“Cell” Phones or Freedom Phones?

Published on November 18, 2022

I posed the following question on Twitter:

Do you think humans were more free BEFORE or AFTER cell phones?

The majority vote was BEFORE.

Which makes my take an unpopular opinion. Here we go:

I think when cell phones restrict freedom is when WE become addicted to THEM.

I don’t think there’s anything inherently freedom-restricting in having a cellphone.

In fact, if we’re disciplined and mindful, I think they’ve unlocked an incredible realm of freedom that was otherwise unavailable to us pre-cellphone.

Today, we’re able to do the same things we were before: nature retreats, family dinner, walk, hike, play outside, twiddle our thumbs, shoot the shit with neighbors, sit in silence… WITH the added option(s) of being able to connect with a friend who live in Malaysia or coach clients who live in Colorado or learn from the Dalai Lama who’s giving a live talk in Tibet.

The freedom is unprecedented.

But, generally speaking, so are the low levels of self-discipline (an observation not a fact).

No one says we must use cell phones; we choose to use them because of the opportunities they provide. Otherwise, why not just ditch the cellphone altogether and backpedal to a more “free” life you once knew before?

Maybe, if we start treating our (possible) addiction to them more seriously and draw more firm boundaries, have some planned media detoxes, and find ways to untangle their intertwined connection to our lives… maybe we’ll discover a type of freedom that far exceeds anything we might remember having before.

But, that’s just my take.

I digress.

P.s. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to reply on Twitter, LinkedIn, or via email. :)

Self-Fortification

Published on November 17, 2022

Worrying about tomorrow isn’t all that helpful.

Fortifying yourself today, is.

  • Reading might not solve any problems in your life right now…
  • Writing might not make your mind magically more clear today…
  • Meditating might not teach you how to have an overall more calm demeanor after one session…

But, each of those will be a helluva lot more helpful for tomorrow than worrying ever will be.

…And after doing them for weeks? …Months? …Years? …The benefit is undeniable.

So, the next time you find yourself in a moment of worry/ anxiety: try replacing the time you spend playing out worst-case scenarios with self-fortifying activities.

Channel the energy you normally would spend on self-depleting thoughts and funnel it into a self-fortifying task so you can meet your challenges tomorrow when they arrive—better than you are now.

…Better that than trying to meet your challenges in every single mind-numbing moment leading up to them, leaving you more drained and exhausted than there’s any reason for.

P.s. In case you missed it, I had a great conversation with Jeanne Torre and Emily Leahy about going from Burnout to Balanced in life. You can listen to the replay here.

Everything In A Moment [Poem]

Published on November 14, 2022 
A bird born
Taught to sit
From sitting birds before
Will sit

For what it sees
What it hears
What it believes
Is that birds sit

Until one day
The sitting bird
Sees the soaring bird
And everything in a moment
Shatters and rebuilds

For even a lifetime of sitting
Can't stand up
To the glorious expanse
Of wings no different

Seen soaring
Touching heaven above
A whole new life realized
In but a happenstance glance

Take the leap
Something beyond fear
Whispers courageously
Sitting isn't what wings
Were gifted for

P.s. Here are some of the other poems I sometimes happen to write.

Mental Matters

Published on November 13, 2022

You know what a great formula is for peace of mind?

…Minding your own business.

And I mean this with all due respect.

Mind your own mental matters until you’re in a solid position where you can start aiding in the mental matters of others, too.

But aiding in the mental matters of others before you have your own mental matters in order… is a little disordered—wouldn’t you say?

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

Free Time

Published on November 12, 2022

If the goal is more free time (freedom)…

Stop equating all of your free time to available time.

They are NOT the same thing.

Available time gets filled with tasks.

Free time gets filled with life.

Work Freedom

Published on November 11, 2022

Freedom isn’t only an experience reserved for when you’re done with work.

In fact, it can very well be an experience that you have WHILE you work.

And since we all need to engage in work in some way, shape, or form (out of obligation or for fulfillment)—finding work that aligns with your soul and allows you the freedom to be… is one of the ultimate forms of freedom there is.

P.s. I asked, “Besides sleep and coffee… what gives you energy for your day?” I hope the answers help you find ways to keep your energy high throughout your days :)

Don’t Fight Yourself

Published on November 7, 2022

Not every awake moment is created equal.

  • In some we’re more focused, in others we’re more playful.
  • In some we’re more creative, in others we’re more bland.
  • In some we’re more gritty, in others we’re more lax.

The trick, is aligning the ideal tasks with the matching naturally occurring state. Some examples:

  • Plan your workouts when you’re feeling gritty/focused. For me, this is usually first thing in the morning at around 7-9am.
  • Plan your deep work when you’re most focused/creative. For me, this is usually 1-3pm each day.
  • Plan social interaction/family time when you’re most playful. For me, this is 4-7pm each day.
  • Plan mindless, low barrier tasks when you’re most bland/lax like dog walking or reading a book. For me, this is at the end of the day 9pm – 11pm.

If I tried to do my social interaction in the morning and my workouts at night—there would be an extra layer of resistance in both.

Flipping them works significantly better for me—which means not only am I in a better state for both, but I’m much more likely to continue doing them because the resistance is significantly less.

The opposite might be true for you. Self-awareness is required and that’s not something I can give you.

The bottom line is this: don’t fight yourself. Align with your natural rhythms and reduce resistance in every way you can.

P.s. I asked: What’s one small thing you’ve done that has had a big impact on your mental health? I received a ton of great answers. I hope they inspire you to start doing something small for yourself.