Most of us go through this each year. The holidays' approach and a new beginning sits right there in front of us. Regardless of what you think of New Year's, it does have a way of causing us to seek a better version of ourselves. I know that resolutions are difficult, and generally are a failure as evidenced by the gyms being overcrowded for the first sixty days of the year before seeing a sharp decline in activity. Regardless, I always approach mid to late December with a hope for finding ways to improve upon myself in the New Year. As I get older, this hope grows stronger...simply out of need rather than desire. I need to take better care of myself. I need to remind myself what is important. I need to find the fountain of youth :)
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| Light up your day! |
If you are a follower, you know that I have started to focus on mindfulness. I can honestly attest to it being an effective way of mitigating stress and recapturing a sense of wonder at the present moment. And genuinely, I feel this with just a few months of regular practice. With that being a part of my daily routine, I went looking for something more. That is when I ran across, "Own the Day, Own Your Life" by Aubrey Marcus. I had heard about and read about Mr. Marcus, and his website Onnit, via my reading and following Tim Ferris. And based on what I read about his ideas for human optimization, I wanted to know more.
The book is an intriguing and quick read. It is written in a fun and forthcoming style that makes you feel like you are sitting and having coffee with Mr. Marcus as you read it. And, the ideas presented in the book are interesting and invigorating. I will say, that if you tried to incorporate all of the suggestions in the book on Day 1, you would likely fail miserably. This isn't because the ideas are difficult or complex. In fact, they are simple, but Mr. Marcus covers every area of life, to include: waking, working out, eating, sex, mindfulness, and sleep. The book is chock full of prescriptions to be at your best at all time. As with most of my efforts, I started with small bites but I wanted to share with you the two things I did on day 1 (actually day 2, because day 1 was me beginning my reading of the book). I have continued these each day since because I feel they, in fact, help my body be ready to attack the day.
Mr. Marcus provides great information as to waking up and getting your body primed for the day, including having lemon water upon waking. This mineral and water splash helps the body recover from a period of dehydration while sleeping and gets the body's mineral and pH balance righted before the day begins. Additionally, I tried a cold water shower because I had also read about this practice in reading about the Stoics. " Own the Day" calls for you to have your regular warm shower but once complete to turn the shower to the coldest setting and remain there for at least three minutes. This invigorates the body and also forces us to deal with, and overcome discomfort. The first few days, I did this in baby steps, easing the water a tad cooler and allowing my body to react....bit by bit until I ended with cold water. The results---I left the shower and started my days feeling wide away, invigorated, and ready to attack the day. I since have gotten to the point of going over to cold water in one bold move, and remaining there for three minutes. Painful? Maybe. Good pain? Definitely. The results have been spectacular.
This is just a peek at one piece of the very practical yet groundbreaking advice you will find in "Own the Day." If you seek to be a better version of yourself, I think this provides a blueprint. If you can incorporate a mere 20 to 30 per cent of the recommendations found in this book, I think you will leap foward in regards to your health and welllbeing. A great, fun, and intriguing read. Best wishes to you as you finish out 2018 and look forwrd to an exciting New Year!
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