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.
Help me continue to grow my reader base by clicking the link below!
Mindset I’m Embracing:
One of my favorite authors, James Clear, shared a quote recently in his newsletter that really had an impact on me.
“Decide the type of person you want to be. Prove it to yourself with small wins.”
Sometimes deciding what to do and what not to do is incredibly difficult – especially when this decision is being made from a weak foundation.
However, when we have a good idea of the type of person we’re striving to be, the choice becomes much clearer.
Another way I think of it is what would the best version of myself do right now?
Not the irritated Zach.
Not the tired Zach.
Not the bored Zach.
But what would I do at my best?
Using this framework to make decisions will exponentiate whatever results you’re striving for.
Also, this transformation isn’t going to come easy.
We can’t haphazardly become a long-distance runner, effective public presenter, or great cook.
You stack the evidence that you are that type of person by doing the prerequisites necessary as often as required.
What I’m Doubling Down On:
I’ve talked about the importance of rest, recovery, and rejuvenation so much lately that many of you probably think all I do is sit around and binge Netflix.
While that’s not quite true, I had an experience last weekend that I thought was too important not to share as it illustrated what I recently discussed in my post about recovery.
I regularly exercise 6 (sometimes 7) times per week and candidly don’t do the best at taking rest days… even when they are overdue.
Nevertheless, I had to take a forced recovery last weekend with a certification class that consumed the entirety of my weekend.
When I say forced recovery, I quite literally had less than 8,000 steps between the two days.
But when Monday came around and that early morning workout was on the docket, I was ecstatic to get back out there, and my paces were the fastest they’ve been since peak half-marathon training.
All I’m trying to say is that a little time off goes a long way.
If you’re feeling run-down or just burnt out with your exercise plan overall, give yourself some grace first and foremost. Then, try to take a couple days off to allow your body to heal and reinvigorate your enthusiasm.
Sometimes 48 hours is all that’s needed to set you up for another 10 weeks of dedicated training.
Practice I’m Re-Visiting:
I’m writing this as a way to hold myself accountable more than anything.
I’ve discussed the benefits of non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) otherwise referred to as Yoga Nidra in the past.
In the simplest terms, it’s a body scan practice that is super effective at calming down the nervous system and offers many of the same benefits that deep sleep does.
My goal right now is to do this practice for 10 minutes or more on at least 5 days of the week.
It’s incredibly simple with the dozens of free YouTube guided videos out there – meaning I have no excuse.
If you’re in need of something to take the edge off, give it a try!
What else?
Those dark evenings (and mornings) are on the doorstep. While it’s ideal to get outside and get natural sunlight to set our circadian rhythm, sometimes that’s not feasible. When this becomes the case, an artificial source such as a Happy Lamp comes to great use. It could be a great gift for the holidays!
Do what the best version of yourself would do
If you enjoy this weekly bite of information, please share it with a coworker, friend, and/or family member!
DISCLAIMER
This is NOT Medical advice. Consult your medical professional before starting any supplement, diet regimen, or workout program.