June 16, 2020 - 277 - "Touch My Comfort Zone and I'll Cut You!"

I'm All About New Experiences

April 16, 2020 - 216 - "Be a Creator - Not a Reactor - A Book Report on "Creator" by Steve Chandler"

     Arr arr arr...just thought I'd encourage some healthy immunity with this silly hilarious joke.  

December 31, 2019 - 109 - "Book Report: "Superhuman by Habit" by Tynan"

New Decade/New Habits    

     I was texting with my brother yesterday.  He said he didn't ordinarily make New Year's Resolutions, but he wanted to lose some weight and feels it's necessary for his health, so he's going to make an exception this year.  

     I thought of a book I'd listened to on Audible called "Superhuman by Habit", by a guy named Tynan and recommended it to my brother. The book is all about getting to your goals in a consistent way by changing habits in tiny increments.

    According to Forbes magazine "less than 25% of people actually stay committed to their resolutions after just 30 days, and only 8 % accomplish them."  Their recommendation is not to set resolutions, but goals.

     Tynan, the writer of "Superhuman By Habit" goes one further and says to create really tiny goals; goals so small you can't help but hit them.  His theory is if you consistently implement your small good habits you get momentum going that can carry you toward more positive changes.

     He says to focus first on the the types of goals that make the biggest difference.  He suggests eating better or exercise goals because those have the biggest effect on all areas of your life.  You feel better, rest better, have better mental clarity, etc.  And those things will tend to lead to other things in your life improving.

Still Good

     Talking about the book led to downloading it to my phone again.  I've listened to almost the whole thing (it's a quick read...uh...listen) just while folding clothes and running a few errands.

     The book is read by the dorky, but loveable writer.  (Projection?)  At first it's a little tough hearing about this 'life-changing new system'...from a guy who sounds really, really, young, but he actually is onto something.  

November 14, 2019 - 62 - Book Report: "Living a Beautiful Life" by Alexandra Stoddard

"Living a Beautiful Life" by Alexandra Stoddard   

      This book by Alexandra Stoddard, more than any other, has influenced my approach to daily life.  Every move I make at home is inextricably tied to something I've gleaned from this wise and inspirational book.

     I found it in the strangest place.  It must have been around 1989.  I was working a corporate 9-5 job and made a rushed stop at the grocery store on my way home. 

     There was a funny wire basket at the end of an aisle filled with a jumble of random books.  

     "Living A Beautiful Life" caught my eye.  I was so drawn to the pretty image on the front, and then the simple, evocative drawings by Pat Stewart I found as I leafed through the book.  

    I literally couldn't set the thing back down.  I don't know how long I stood in the aisle leaning on my cart reading the book but I knew I had to have it and I knew it would change my life.

    I wonder about so many moments like this one.  These tiny decisions that become a crossroads where you veer off in another direction altogether.  

September 14, 2019 - 1 - "Our Daily Thread"

Willpower Doesn't Work

     I'm reading (aka listening to on Audible) "Willpower Doesn't Work" by Benjamin Hardy.  It's yet another attempt of mine to form a more perfect writing habit. I've been working on this goal for some time now; more or less since I could form letters of the alphabet.  

     The main point of Hardy's book is that accomplishing hard things in not about willpower.  It's about setting up environments that make the daily work of your goals nearly automatic.  I'm only a couple of chapters in, so clearly am no expert, but I'm sharing what I've learned so far to explain how it's helped and motivated me already.

   

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     Hardy says you first have to have a compelling reason why you want to achieve something.  He calls it your "Big 'Why'".  

So here are my reasons for wanting to write: