It’s been a long and exciting year. One of recovery, redemption, and regaining solid footing on my two feet underneath me (literally and figuratively). There’s a lot for me to be thankful for right now, and Thanksgiving is the perfect time to stop and reflect on those things. Continue reading
The Morning Routine
I’m in awe of people who get a lot done.
Folks like Tim Ferriss, Cal Newport, and Barack Obama. People whose schedules I know are crazy busy, but still they manage to pump out project after project, or take on seemingly herculean tasks — like running The United States of America (while somehow still managing to follow the ins and outs of the college basketball season? I have no idea has he does it!)
We all have the same amount of time in a day, yet some people seem capable of squeezing every last ounce of productivity out of their 24 hours. Which is why I’m intrigued by the concept of “the morning routine.” Continue reading
Knee Injury Case Update: One Year Later
A year ago today I published two blog posts that had a profound impact on my life.
In Part 1 I described the chronic knee condition I suffered that had me recovering on crutches for 7+ months, nearly half of which kept me in my apartment on glorified bed rest. I detailed the chronological list of events that led me to that state, and the specific cocktail of remedies that helped me get better.
Part 2 was all about my reflections, and how going through the injury-recovery process affected me. The chronic case of synovitis and patello-femoral pain I suffered was only one part of the journey. What started as a physical symptom ballooned into a mind/body condition that required some deep internal exploration to dig my way out.
Hitting the publish button on these posts was therapeutic. I needed to get my story out into the world for myself as much as to share them with other people. There was so much pent up rage, frustration, anger, joy, and triumph that I had to document it all in one place.
So much has happened since then. I’ve been amazed at the reaction these posts received from friends, family, and acquaintances. People who had no idea what I was going through reached out with offers of support and encouragement. Others resonated with the core messages, revealing their own stories of struggle and ultimate triumph.
And yet others have reached out asking me for help. These are folks who are still in the thick of it, still struggling through some mysterious, chronic ailment or injury, wondering if, when, and how they will recover. Continue reading
Why Write?
Why take on the challenge of writing 500 words every day for a month?
What do I hope to accomplish?
What’s my over-arching theme?
The truth is, I’m not really sure. When I started this challenge there was nothing specific I wanted to write about, or a project I had lined up to finish. The only tangible goals I hoped to accomplish were becoming a better writer, and writing more frequently.
There were two main factors driving these desires. Continue reading
Commitment
Is commitment really a choice we make?
I’m not sure it is.
The way I see it, we’re all committed to something. The main difference is the degree to which our commitment lies outside our personal comfort zone. The farther away from familiar territory we get, the more conscious we become of our commitments. By definition, we almost have to be consciously aware of these commitments. Doing anything outside of our comfort zone on a regular basis takes effort, and effort is something we can’t help but be mindful of. Continue reading
I meditated (almost) every day for a month straight. Here’s how you can too.
Last month I participated in a 30-day meditation challenge.
The idea was simple: Meditate 10 minutes every day for one month.
If the word “meditation” carries too much baggage for you, think of it this way – I was challenging myself to find 10 minutes every day to sit still and just be. This would involve finding the time and space to sit down, close my eyes, and turn off my mind. I could focus on my breath for guidance, but was supposed to let the seemingly constant noise of regular thoughts come and go, without dwelling on them.
When I saw my friend Steve post this challenge on his Facebook page, I knew I had to dive right in. I’ve been wanting to incorporate a regular meditation practice into my daily routine for a while now, since the benefits of skillful relaxation that meditation are hugely appealing. Less anxiety, better moods, feeling calmer in the face of stress and adversity. Who couldn’t use more of that?
Plus, if I couldn’t find 10 minutes every day to prioritize something as simple as being still and shutting up, then there were bigger issues I needed to address. Continue reading
Life Is Long
Photo credit: http://www.dealerelite.net/profiles/blogs/what-is-now
“life, if you know how to use it, is long”
– Seneca
Life truly is long.
It’s been just over a year since I took steps for a full week without crutches, after seven and a half months of incapacity. In some ways this seems like just yesterday, but in all the meaningful ways it feels like a lifetime ago. Continue reading
Don’t Go to the Gym
Photo credit: http://www.officialpsds.com/
In my prior life as a Type A-holic, I used to hit the gym 5-6 days a week without fail. That’s not something I’m proud of, just the truth. Working out was so ingrained into my routine, I sacrificed sleep (and sanity) to cram it in every day.
And not only that, but I never missed a workout. Really, I literally can’t remember ever voluntarily skipping a planned workout day during that time. If I committed to going to the gym, I was going to get some kind of workout in, even if I had to improvise when circumstances placed me away from a traditional gym environment.
I’ll admit, this might not sound like the worst habit to have developed. Just showing up to the gym consistently is more than half the battle for most people, and I get that. But looking back, I was probably taking things to an unhealthy extreme. Continue reading
Just Live (Or Why I Haven’t Written a Blog Post In a While)
I’ve been a little stressed out lately.
Nothing major, but definitely more than the normal amount. Of course there are the standard issues like balancing work responsibilities, socializing with friends, and completing homework for a class I’m taking.
But add to that a flair up in my right knee that served as my biggest recovery setback so far, as well as the internal stress that comes from a self-imposed debate I’m having about future projects (I really am my own worst enemy sometimes), and I recently felt the need to pull back a bit and shut out the noise.
For me that means turning inward and recoiling from the world. Continue reading
3 Tips For World Domination
Photo credit: Armosa Studios
“How do we live a remarkable life in a conventional world?”
This was the question posed to me and 3,000+ attendees at the World Domination Summit (WDS) last weekend in Portland, Oregon. The event brought together a wily group of entrepreneurs, bloggers, and big thinkers to mingle, listen to amazing speakers, and unpack what it takes to live a remarkable life. Continue reading