This might be a shorter newsletter, as the point I want to make is pretty easy to explain, and pretty easy to understand.
I am pretty sure all of us can relate to it.
But as always…
It is not just about UNDERSTANDING something; it is about DOING something with that something you are now aware of.
So here it is.
A key to happiness.
A key to making it through a tough or shitty day.
A key to making it though a batch, or bunch, of shitty days.
Do you want to good news, or the bad news first?
I think most people generally go the bad news first, so here goes.
To my knowledge, there isn’t a PILL on the market that does this job effectively.
Bugger!
The good news is you can do this yourself.
And often, without costing you anything (financially).
However, there might be some cost in sweat and tears.
Double bugger!!
One of my favourite ways to do this is to undertake consciously contrived “challenges”.
And I find the most impactful challenges (i.e. long-term benefits), are the ones which are mostly mental.
Like the 3-day water-only fast that myself, and about 20 other adventurers did last week.
Total (mental) challenge.
By building our grit, resilience, determination and discipline muscles, it makes other challenges in our life – professional and personal – seem not that hard after all.
That is the payback.
And it keeps on giving.
The other day I was in conversation with friends, and we were talking about ‘world affairs’.
But the most interesting part of that conversation – for me – is how do we stay informed, without being consumed by a whole bunch of ‘bad news’?
And what do we mean being informed?
Is it informed for interest sake?
Is it informed, so we can make informed decisions in our own lives?
Is it informed so we can sound like we know what’s going on in the world to impress our friends?
And how informed do we need to be?
Lots of questions, and playing around in them can make your head spin.
So in this article I want to give you my thoughts and perspective on how to stay informed, to what level, and in a way that is beneficial for you and your lifestyle generation, plus in a way that you don’t lose your sanity, or sense of life being something precious.
Yep.
It is check-in time.
And what a great time of the year to be doing it.
When you make a course correction at the start of the year, it can mean you are in an entirely new place, space and version of yourself, by the end of the year.
High ROI!!
Apparently prior preparation and planning prevents piss-poor performance, so let’s see if we can take some relatively easy steps NOW, to create an even better experience over the course of this year.
The area we are going to target is “HABITS“.
And what better way to start off this inner reflection, than with a quote by James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits.
“New goals don’t deliver new results. New lifestyles do. And a lifestyle is a process, not an outcome. For this reason, all of your energy should go into building better HABITS, not chasing better results.”
He’s talking my lingo.
The importance of creating a ‘lifestyle’, and that lifestyle being created, and greatly influenced by, the HABITS we adopt in our lives.
Firstly, Happy New Year!!
And welcome to whatever day you are at of the 366 we are gifted with this year.
After looking to the PAST for the top things I learned in 2023 (my last post of 2023), I am now switching to looking into the FUTURE and setting my intention and attention on what I think will be serve me (and you) in the year ahead.
So let’s jump straight in and see what we can do to help us THRIVE even more this year!
I am a huge fan of learning and growing.
Never stop learning and you will never stop growing.
I spend several hours each day doing reading, research and listening to presentations about mostly health-related topics (physical and mental), but also mindset, Geo-political, environmental, financial, and anything else that might impact my life and the lives of my clients.
I am also VERY aware I don’t know everything.
So I approach learning with a very open-mind.
I also change my mind if I am presented with new and compelling information.
I love critical-thinking, establishing what is self-evident, and looking deeper into the WHY, and WHO benefits most when information is presented.
Given that, I thought it would be cool to round out my year of writing to you, with 10 of the top things I have learned over 2023 (or relearned more deeply). I will also let you know if they have caused lifestyle changes, and where to go if you want to go deeper on the subject.
(They are not in order of importance or impact)
I am writing this in December, as we come towards the end of the year.
Staring down the barrel of 2024.
December is definitely a time to reflect on the year coming to a close.
Plus is a time to curiously contemplate what your Goals for 2024 might be.
I was talking with a client the other day about the degree of global disruption there is currently; economically, politically and with numerous wars/major conflicts (something like 20 worldwide).
All of these things, shocking as they are, pull our attention, energy and emotions towards them.
In metaphysical terms, and even in quantum physics, it is clear that where attention goes, energy flows.
So one of our greatest challenges is where we put our attention.
What are we creating in our life, as a result of where we are placing our attention?
Are we creating the future we wish to experience?
WHEN YOU ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND “ACCEPTANCE”, HERE’S WHAT TO DO
I think we all realise that it is more spiritual, saintly or virtuous, to be able to ACCEPT that which is.
There is also a difference between knowing this ‘principle’ and actually trying to apply it to real life.
Especially when life can be pretty horrendous at times.
Or people can be so ‘bad’ at times.
We are forever hearing of terrible things (personally or collectively), and the idea of Acceptance (of these horrible things) is a pretty bitter pill to swallow.
Again, we might know that Acceptance is a higher path, but boy oh boy can it be friggin hard to get to at times!
And again there is a difference between telling ourselves we have accepted something in our lives, and ACTUALLY accepting it all the way down into our bones.
When we intellectually accept things (“Yes, I accept X”), often our emotions and behaviours just don’t get the ‘Memo’.
So…
What to do?
I believe one of my principle ‘reasons for being’ on the planet is to help others.
And the thing I think most helps others is them having more ENERGY.
If we have more energy, then we have more capacity to do awesome stuff.
And to create awesome stuff.
And to be awesome human beings.
So I am fascinated with, and seriously committed to figuring out: HOW CAN WE HAVE (EVEN) MORE ENERGY?
Plus how can we best use it once we have powered up.
Today I will focus on the generation of energy, and then in another article I will talk about the (best) utilization of our energy.
There are 2 principle ways to have the most energy, as I see it.
Let’s start with the first.
Extract from 18 Ways We Make Life Way Harder Than It Needs To Be by Carl Massy (WAY 16)
“Pride costs us more than hunger, thirst, and cold.”
Thomas Jefferson (US President and primary Author of US Declaration of Independence)
I think most of us were taught that ‘pride’ is a good thing. To feel proud for who and what we are. To take pride in what we do. To take pride in what we have achieved – be it over the course of our lives or over the last few weeks working on a new project at work, which we totally nailed!
So yes, pride can be a good thing. But like many things, there can be another side to it, when taken to extreme. It is like all great virtues. They are great when they are applied in a conscious self-aware way. Too much bravery and someone can become reckless. Too much loyalty and someone can be taken advantage of or stuck in something for longer than is healthy. Too much single-mindedness and someone can meander down the wrong path. Too much flexibility and someone can be all over the place.