Hello and welcome to 4-Minute Friday where I share, in four minutes or less, the latest things I’m doing to enhance my health, save money, and make day-to-day life easier and more enjoyable.
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Insight I’m Exploring:
The verbs lead to the adjective.
I’m no literature savant but I believe I got that one right.
It’s human nature to desire to be labeled with certain adjectives – some call these core values.
Funny, charismatic, confident, hard-working… the list goes on (& on).
These core values are the result of both our nature, the genetics we were gifted from our parents, as well as through nurturing – the experiences and happenings of our life.
I’d argue the latter is more powerful.
And the nurture aspect is where we can exert control by creating new experiences and habits. So, let’s focus there.
Back to what we were talking about.
While all of us want to embody certain core values, we don’t achieve them by waking up one day and saying, “I want to be courageous, independent, fill in the blank”.
Instead, we do so by acting.
Let’s use the adjective charismatic as a frame of reference.
Or as all the young, cool folk are calling it nowadays, “Rizz”.
To become a charismatic person, you must do the things that personify charisma.
What does this look like in daily life?
Sparking up a conversation with the barista, cracking a joke in a full elevator, confidently telling a group of co-workers a story during lunch.
Those are silly examples, but I think you get the point.
There are prerequisites required to achieve a core value.
It takes time… and it’s a never-ending process.
Want to be defined as disciplined?
Set your alarm at 6am and go for a run every morning.
Desire to be optimistic?
Journal 10 minutes each evening on what you are grateful for.
How about loving?
Call a family member a few times weekly to touch base.
Now repeat infinitely.
Experience I’m Investing In:
Getting work done at coffee shops.
I’m not the person to be fooled into spending $6.50 for a cold brew coffee that I could’ve made for 50 cents at home but hear me out.
Especially for people who often work from home (particularly those who do creative work), a change of scenery can be a productivity boost.
On my extended break from school, I’ve been spending a good deal of time getting work done at coffee shops.
I’ve found I can reach a different gear in this environment.
Not only are you in a new setting, but you are surrounded by other people who are also doing deep work.
And, although you may not know a soul, you feel a sense of unspoken community.
This isn’t something I’ll do every day, but I’ll give it consideration on days where I feel stuck in my writing and need to switch things up.
Heck, maybe there’s just more caffeine in the drinks but I’m sold regardless.
Austin Chronicles:
I’m back in the Midwest after a long weekend getaway to Austin, Texas.
While it was 105 degrees on most days, it was still a terrific time and I want to share a couple things I gleaned from the trip.
First, the barbecue in Austin is unreal. I haven’t been to Memphis or Kansas City, but I can’t imagine they are on the same level.
Of course while saying that, I must interject with my two cents on health.
Trying new food on trips (and eating a lot) is fun.
True.
Getting in steps by walking as opposed to driving or taking other transportation is a terrific way to negate the extra calories consumed.
Also, true.
It was neat to see how active the city of Austin is. No matter what time of day or how hot it was, the running trails and hiking paths were lively.
On a similar wavelength, I realized that trips taken in your 20’s (and beyond) don’t have to be centered around nightlife and/or alcohol consumption.
Although it’s mainstream, this trip was the opposite and I found it more fulfilling.
Getting up early to run and take in new areas of the city
Checking out local gyms
Eating good food
Going to local hangout spots to explore
It goes back to core values – take actions that lead to the adjectives you wish to embrace.
What else?
It’s been a scorcher out there this week! Make sure you’re consuming half your bodyweight in fluid ounces of liquid. An easy way to do this is to carry a ~30fl oz. water jug with you all the time and tally how many you finish!
I’ll be releasing a post next week about a certain Fall weather food that has incredible health benefits… you won’t want to miss it!
Define yourself with actions, not words.
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DISCLAIMER
This is NOT Medical advice. Consult your medical professional before starting any supplement, diet regimen, or workout program.