What do you want to be known for? what is your purpose/legacy to leave?

Recently one of my discord groups came up with a good reflection journal: Create a list of things you want to be known for. Whether its goals you achieved, behavior towards others, legacy to leave, or however you decide to interpret this.

Sharing mine below will hopefully inspire all of you to live deeply into your values/purpose:

things I want to be known for:

-My sense of humor/light hearted grounded personality that uplifts others

-discipline to my commitments in tough times and easy times equally

-My spontaneity / flexibility despite the scheduled routine schedule I have

-Open minded learner and one to share testimony/knowledge that I come across

-Creating Quality interaction/experiences in person with the individuals I plan time with

-Deep spiritual/philosophical convos for reflection on life/connection with others. 

-Approachable to listen and recommend . Especially with implementations for fitness/health 

-Solid eye contact, good posture, and confident presentation of oneself

-genuine concern and care for others by asking lots of questions to connect/build rapport 

-My willingness to travel/adventure and try new things/create new experiences

-how seriously I take self work and value silence/solitude and how it helps me rediscover/reflect

My purpose:

Living Quality by remaining present. Through meaningful preparation and putting actions into play with discipline, all while staying true to commitments I truly value, all while inspiring others to value personal growth and appreciate true value behind motives, actions, decisions, and moments/experiences created. 

Quality of life: Flexibility within your schedule: Taking that extra 10 seconds or 30 minutes to make things right.

Let me bring to light a couple different perspectives that make all the difference:

That extra 10 seconds to brush your teeth to promote oral health. That extra 10 seconds to wipe down the counters in your kitchen so they aren’t 90% clean but 100%. That extra 10 seconds you take to vacuum the corners and hard to reach spots In the apartment. the extra 10 seconds it takes to stop what you’re doing and appreciate a long held kiss with you significant other. That extra 10 seconds you take to ask one more question to someone who really needs someone to hear them out. That extra 10 seconds it takes to breath and realize what is actually in front of us. That extra 10 seconds it takes to send a appreciation text to a loved one in the heat of a busy work day.

That extra 30 minutes it takes to make things right when some things need to be said/discussed to move past a frustrating conflict with someone. That extra 30 minutes it takes when urgent matters arise in our life and we need to put our attention toward them to make things right. Staying up just 30 minutes longer past our bed times to make matters right when personal things arise that need to be worked through. That extra 30 minutes it takes to take a long hot shower/bath with a candle to get the mind right.

All of these situations bring to light some fundamental concepts of quality of life. Attention to detail. Presence in the fast paced environment that our society promotes. Being able to stick to the plan of life but still being able to stay present/flexible through moments that sometimes aren’t expected. Quality attention toward who and what is actually in front of us.

Do you want to be sitting in bed at the end of the day feeling like you rushed through every activity or every interaction you had? Its good for us to to understand that people are not going to have peace of mind at all moments. We all experience racing thoughts at one point or another. How do we come back to presence and bring awareness to this present moment living so the responsibilities and stresses of life don’t put us in hyperdrive? Understanding that taking that extra 30 seconds to stare someone in the eyes, give them a smile, exchanging a few words and genuinely showing that we’re here and the physical presence of a human is one of the highest valued concepts we should have in our minds as humans.

In this tech age, interaction in person can naturally be devalued. We’re used to instant text messages. Instant pleasure from Amazon delivery, door dash, social media scrolling through pictures. This can naturally make us devalue the actual presence of someone right in front of you. Let’s wake up America. Someone right in front of you is worth 100 times more than someone sending a text. We have to realize physical presence and what you see with your eyes right now needs to trump technology.

Take that extra 30 seconds to show your loved one appreciation before you close your eyes and sleep. Take that extra 30 minutes to make things right when they aren’t feeling right. Take that extra 30 seconds to organize your bathroom sink so it doesn’t get messier and messier every single day. Take that extra 30 minutes to call your grandmother and ask her about her week. Take that extra 30 seconds to put your clothes in the dirty basket versus on the floor of your room. That extra 30 minutes to play a game with your family that brings you close and creates experience that you will never forget.

The list goes on.

Take that extra time and realize when things need your attention. These things are right in front of you. Breathe slow. stay present. That extra 30 seconds will change your life.

Don’t let life steal your inner peace: Focus on your WHY.

like Dianna Hobbs said from “Dont let it steal your peace” -Your daily cup of inspiration – Whether you are spiritual or not, take this with a grain of salt; “Satan wants you to focus on drama, issues and stressors. But refuse to do that. Instead, take the advice Paul offered in Philippians 4:8 NIV, which says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Your thoughts influence your reality that you perceive of life. This helps us further more realize than when we experience self doubt and find ourself in a spiral of negative thoughts, we realize over time that we can challenge those thoughts. They’re just thoughts. They aren’t reality. That simple mantra seems so easy, but I’ve been in situations where doom feels like a reality. It takes coming to the awareness and focusing really hard on the brighter side of the picture.

The advise you give your friends sometimes Is better Than the advise you give yourself.

WHY? We tend to be harsh on ourselves. You deserve to treat yourself as good or even better than you treat others.

I know it feels good to help people, to give, and sacrifice for our loved ones, but when are we making that same sacrifice to ourselves? We must foster self love to battle through these spirals of unhealthy thoughts. Let the love be stronger then temporary thoughts.

In my younger years, it was extremely easy to let life steal my inner peace. The external was so powerful when I was less developed into my own values and sense of reality. At this point in time, I notice how much easier it is to just LET THINGS GO. – a skill lots of people struggle with. key word: SKILL. Yes, it takes time to be easy going. it takes time to develop patience. it takes time to not stress the small things. it takes PRACTICE.

When we strongly live into our commitments and focus on them, we don’t let little things stress us out or get in the way. Our perception changes completely when little things try to take our inner peace because we have such a strong WHY behind our commitments. The WHY is so strong that tiny little day to day stressors seem so small compared to the long term commitment and disciplines put toward _______. We have so much more to live for than the day to day stressors that are out of our control. Laugh at them. Do not respond to them. stay calm. Watch how much better you feel when you decide to not give a response to things that try to get a response from you. They’re distracting. Fight the distractions.

Congratulations, if you practice this, you are coming closer to mental freedom and equanimity. You are CEO. You are in charge of how you respond to life. Don’t let life demand a response from you. Realize it. be aware of it.

Do not talk negatively about other people. This is a popular observation I have noticed stealing the inner peace of people around me. It most of the time does nothing productive. It just puts surrounding people in a bad mood and a even worse mood for the person doing the crap talking.

Don’t let life take your inner peace. This planet need’s CEO’s. You can all be one. In control of how you respond. We have a duty to serve this planet. Make a change. A positive one.

Focus on the plan

keep the purpose and why at your forefront

Stay on track

check the boxes

Don’t sweat the rest.

simple.

Life Happens: But How Fast Do you Get Back on THE PLAN? Check the boxes

We’re tested with lots of circumstance in our lives. Shit happens. We can let circumstance throw us around like tornado, or we can remind ourself what we’re working toward and WHAT IS IN OUR CONTROL. Immediately when unexpected things happen, our system sometimes goes into shock out of a natural defense mechanism. We have a strong urge to be safe. In a physical and also mental sense. Just the perception of “something unsafe” can throw us off.

Recently I had a strong flu slowly take me over and I was bedridden sick for about 5 days. I didn’t stick to my meditation schedule, I didn’t stick to my morning routine, I didn’t stick to my workouts, etc.. I had to let my body rest. I had to completely go “off plan.”

Here we are, 5 days later. It all felt like a dream. In and out of sleep for 5 days straight. Its what my body/mind needed. Monday morning: BOOM. Back to reality.

In these moments, I fight the thoughts of “man, the time I lost the past 5 days and the progress I lost the past 5 days.” But I also remind myself to fight that same thought with the challenging thought of “You know what is in your control. Get your meals in. Get your workout in. Get your meditation in. Get your water and sleep in. CHECK THE BOXES.

I used to not know what self talk really meant. Self talk for me is challenging my doubts. Challenging the most recent events as moments that don’t “define my next future decisions.” I find every-time I fight my doubts with thoughts of what I CAN CONTROL, It actually lowers my anxiety and I now feel safe. A feeling of ease flowing through my mind.

My controlled self necessities are: my meals (5ish), my water (1 gallon-ish), 10-20 minute meditation, fill out the workout log book, 7-8 hours of sleep. 5 main boxes.

when things get crazy and life gets in the way (which it will), I try to get back to these 5 main boxes. they’re my stability. They’re what I control in my own world around me. They make me feel safe.

We must all make a checklist of what our self necessities are and what we control that give us a sense of safety and controlled self growth. Things that we do for us.

As soon as life gets crazy, the faster you get back on the plan, the more resilient you get mentally. Self discipline is enhanced.

Eventually, nothing gets in the way.

I will do what I can. I’m back on plan. I’m back to checking my boxes.

You will realize through the journey, its not always how good you stick to the plan, but how fast you get back on the plan as soon as you get off the plan. This is discipline.

Be Someone who leaves Others with A Feeling: Leadership Intention For The Elite

How Often do we say when we’re listening to music, “that fires me up, that connects with me, that make me feel______, that calms me down, that helps me sleep, that sounds peaceful, that gets me in my feelings.”

Just like music, leadership follows along the same format. How are you making others feel? When they leave and think about you 1 week later, how did you make them feel? What did you leave with them?

Mind, Body, Spirit. People focus so hard on the first 2 categories. They take care of their minds with sleep, cold showers, optimal food, hydration… They take care of their bodies through exercise, skin care, stretching, etc….. But how are we ATTENDING TO OUR SOULS?

Though many different experiences and being on this planet for 28 years, I can honestly say that without satisfying the 3rd category (soul), we are left very empty and leave very little impact on the world. We can be great for ourselves, but how are we also great for others? How do we make them FEEL? What experiences do we create that are remembered forever?

A HUGE focus of mine has been to making it about OTHERS in conversation. I know who I am. I know me better than anyone knows me. So WHY would I make it about me? We must interact with the world and as leaders, focus on making it about OTHERS. Focus on making them FEEL something. Leaving others with a strong PRESENCE. One that is remembered far past the interaction in person. One that sits with them for months and years because of how attentive, present, and focused you were on how THEY are doing and how THEY feel.

It takes a long time to understand how much leadership is about OTHERS. Making them look good and feel good is a reflection of who you are and the environment you are creating to allow people to grow and be themselves. To unleash their talents. To make them feel comfortable and understand what it means to believe anything is possible. This is what leaders making other people feel like.

So just like music, leaders leave people with a feeling. You don’t forget that song you played after ____ when you were feeling ____ and now that song sits with you forever. it means something to you. it stimulated a feeling.

Real leaders stimulate feelings in others. This feeling empowers others to be themselves.

Be a question asker with people you care about. Be present. Take true interest. Be curious. Make it about THEM.

Watch how much more quality the conversations and connections with people get when you make it about them. Everyone wants to feel special.

Mental health: -Save your brain- Why 99% of my phone notifications are turned off

You’re sitting at work doing computer tasks. Continuously attending to every beep and vibrate that goes off on your cell phone. Back to the computer. back to the automatic check the phone habit: in the order of tik toc, instagram, snapchat, gmail, messages… then. back to doing computer tasks. The process repeats itself. allowing no time for mindfulness. no time for a deep breath. depleting all brain glucose from rapidly switching back and forth between tasks, heart rate elevated, short breaths and anxiety from the idea that we haven’t attended to every notification or seen every post. Programming your brain for low attention span. Programming your brain to operate with anxiety when you have a moment of “down time.”

Above is what something we have to be aware of in this technology age. There are LITERALLY 1,000’s of engineers working for tech companies and doing everything in their power to work with psychologists and psychoanalysis’s to learn how they can manipulate their platforms to make it a automatic response for you to check tik toc, instagram, and Facebook every time you go to sit on the toilet… every time you’re standing in line at the grocery store… every time you SIT IN YOUR CAR AT A RED LIGHT.

Sounds brainwashing doesn’t it?

Again, we must be aware or we fail victim to being TECH ZOMBIES. These are what EVERY TECH COMPANY WANTS YOU TO BE. They want to do all the thinking for you. they want to shorten consumer attention span so you’re more likely to click things you never would’ve previously. Slowly and slowly, daily and daily, programming your brain to not value anything that is longer than 5 seconds.

Again, don’t be a tech zombie.

Next time you go to grab your cell phone, ask yourself, “what is the purpose for grabbing my cell phone.” watch how much more productive you become when you actually stay present in your daily tasks and then take separate breaks to attend to the cell phone.

Multitasking can be very beneficial. Don’t get me wrong. I’m a big fan of multitasking. AT THE RIGHT TIME. key word: RIGHT TIME… its okay to do laundry, while cleaning the apartment, while baking chicken in the oven… We paired a few things together. obviously, as humans we need to multitask frequently to get everything we want to get done.

The question is: how often are you multitasking? Are you doing it so often that you’re burned out mentally and exhausted so much that you can’t simply enjoy a valuable part of the day?

Don’t get me wrong, we all need down time. But take a look at what down time for a TECH ZOMBIE looks like: pop on Netflix. scroll through social media 10 different times on the hour, do some work emails. attend to every text message. oh dont forget, eating dinner at the same time. all the way up until we’re ready to fall asleep.. but we can’t fall asleep because our eyes have been blasted with LED light for the past 2 hours, our mind’s our racing because we just scrolled through so much content that our brain is literally still processing the material. and we wonder why we’re exhausted and can’t get a good nights rest.

Again, multitasking can be healthy. Multitasking is necessary. It’s apart of my every day life. But what type of multitasking are you doing and what time of the day are you doing it at? I work with teenagers, so I get to observe some of the habits that teenagers have. I notice some pretty common trends related to hyperactivity and loss of focus. a strong urge to grab the cell phone literally every 2 minutes, and not being able to pay attention to something for more than 2 minutes at a time.

Again, don’t be a tech zombie. Quality moments become less quality depending on how much time is delegated toward multiple different tasks. When it comes to interaction with humans in person and experiences created in person, don’t let rapid task switching become the norm. don’t be the parent that allows cell phones at the dinner table. Don’t be the parents that watches Netflix while every kid next to you has a tablet in their hands and not a single word being said to each other until its a “goodnight.” What will be remembered about those moments?

Back to the notifications on the cell phone. watch how much more productive you become when your email, messages, and social media are silenced. Yes, I keep phone calls on because it should be agreed upon that a phone call takes priority over a message (in most cases). Don’t be that individual that expects your friends to text back in 2 minutes or it starts a huge fight and resentment built up.. last time I checked, a text message never has a expectation for length of time to reply? I know there are circumstances that are urgent, so yes we are going to have to reply quickly. But if someone really really needed your assistance, it would be agreed upon that they would make that clear over text, or they would simply call you… we’re all involved in our day to day lives. working.hobbies. family time. friend time. you name it. who is to say that a beep, vibrate or notification on a cell phone deserves precedence over your in the moment special real life time that you’re living?

In this tech age, we create the perception in our heads that “we’re missing out,” if we don’t check our cell phones. let me be brutally honest with some of you: If you don’t need your cell phone for a full time job or generating income, and your screen time is hours upon hours, what are you really doing with your time? what could you be doing with your time is the question?

We’re emotional creatures. we grab things when we’re bored. we grab things when we’re anxious. we grab things when we’re angry. we do this out of COMFORT. I can speak from perspective that when you RESIST grabbing something just for the sake of being comfortable, you are free. You are the CEO. You are in control of your future. We must learn to be in control of our response and grab things out of INTENTION AND PURPOSE.

Don’t believe me? Lots of people tell me they feel lots of presence and calm when they’re with me. sure im goofy, sure im a bit hyper. but I don’t lose my grounded self… This is only due to practicing presence. what is practicing presence? its being able to simply be with oneself and fighting the desire to grab something. to be able to sit in boredom and just simply breathe. To enjoy your own presence simply out of being thankful to be alive. to sit in ones thoughts and enjoy the ability to filter through them. I create plans and schedules and I simply execute them. as much as I can stay present and focused on the activity at hand, I notice the more quality the work and experience becomes.

Am I saying that we all have to practice being like a monk? no. I’m saying, once again, don’t let the technology age make you believe for one second that you’re missing out on anything. Because you could be missing out on: studying for a new certification to improve your career, staying more present for experiences with your lovers/family, staying more present for a friend when they just need someone to hear them, staying more present for working out, staying present for your animals at home that look forward to your attention each night when you get home, staying present for errands and activities that we deem “stressful” which actually become less stressful when we stay present with them.

This article could go lots longer than it already is. Try turning 99% of your notifications off and see what results come of it. At first, you’re going to feel funny. you’re going to catch yourself grabbing your phone automatically without you even realizing it. it will bring to light how much of an automatic response it is. Automatic responses are okay. BUT FOR WHAT PURPOSE?

Be aware. be far from average. understand why we do what we do.

Automatic Habitual Responses: Patterns we must be aware of

Think about the first thing you do once you open your eyes in the morning. Are you aware to why you do it, what the reason for it is, and if its beneficial to your mental/physical health?

These are just some of the questions I continuously ask myself every day. I’m became absolutely obsessed with habitual patterns and understand what they are actually doing for me. ARE THEY MAKING ME BETTER OR WORSE?

Ex: before I hop out of bed, I start by bringing a focus to breathing slowly, rotating my ankles in circles, and rotation my head side to side? Why? Im setting myself up for calm before I stand up while also making sure that my ankles are primed to handle load when I put my full bodyweight on to them when I stand up.

No cell phone exposure for the first hour of the day. I start by making breakfast, treating myself well, and setting my body and mind up for a good day. When I have a bit more time, I foam roll my body and meditate (usually mid day is my favorite time to meditate). Brushing my teeth afterward, followed by a cold shower.

Reason our habits are especially important in the morning is MOMENTUM. Before the day’s responsibilities kick in (work, kids, urgencies, etc), its important to make sure your glass is filled first. Mentally, the exposure and the way you start the day needs to be completely in control by you. Do no view “THE NEWS” (NEGATIVITY CENTRAL), be mindful of the words that come out of your mouth. Focus on gratitude and why today is going to be a great day despite the circumstances that the day brings. BE STRONGER THAN THE DAY. This is all possible when you have a PLAN and HABITS that make you IN CONTROL of your day. This way, the small “BS things” that happen today will not affect you as much, because you have so much more to live for. THE PLAN is stronger than the little stressors of the day. DONT SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF.

You have two decisions every day: Do you want to wake up last minute, heart rate pounding, anxiety racing, Flipping through social media while you’re brushing your teeth, panicking because you feel like everyone else is ahead of you, rushing to get out of the door, late to work and completely mentally exhausted before the day even begins? OR do you want to wake up early enough to look at the day, and tell the day “you’re mine, I’m the CEO of today,” Start it off with some productive self love and healthy habits that set you up for calm and focus. So you can actually walk out of the door, calmly, happy, and in a mindset so strong that THE DAY CAN”T MESS WITH YOU? The choice is yours. Be the average stressed out American, or be above average and conquer stress before it has a chance to attack you. WRITE YOUR PLAN DOWN. DON’T LET THE DAY WRITE THE PLAN FOR YOU. BUILD A FOUNDATION. A PLAN SO STRONG THAT NOTHING CAN PENETRATE YOUR DEFENSE.

I’ve noticed the best public speakers, lowest anxiety individuals, and people who have a strong overall sense of awareness and calm seem to all be really aware of the exposure to technology/cell phone…. It is truly unbelievable what technology can do to mental health… we absolutely have to fight the comfort / habitual response of grabbing a cell phone as soon as boredom, nervousness, or whatever the emotion happens to be kicks in…. When we battle those urges, we develop new cognitive behavior patterns and stronger mentality overall. Think of “what we grab” when ______ happens… instead, breathe through it and face reality. This is a tough dilemma for the technology generation we are in. I have to bring awareness to it every day.

How about the way you sit when you’re at your desk, driving, or at home on the couch? Is it beneficial to your spine health? How about a balance of sitting/standing and moving the body so you can optimize your join health? How about getting outside and taking in some sunlight in moderation on the skin and eye balls so that you can recharge your system and give the body the spark it needs for mental health? How about

Am I a little crazy for thinking this way? Or just absolutely love the idea of feeling my best, getting the most out of life, and living with strong intention and purpose?

I hope this article inspires others to think about how everything starts with a simple habit. Plan ahead. Use a calendar. Decide how you want tomorrow to be a better day. Whatever that means to you.

Curiosity – Exploration – Creativity

Think about your childhood. A clean slate. A new human. We learn by exposure. We learn by trying new things. We learn by observing and being put into new situations that create teach new lessons.

Take this same philosophy and transfer it to adulthood. We have to keep some of that “childlike curiosity” to continue and grow.

How do we do this in our adult years?

Bring awareness toward what we are creating. Consistent habits put into place by discipline that in turn produce a result. How are we staying open minded in our relationships, our jobs, and our hobbies?

Sometimes this may mean: traveling to a new city, going for a hike, meeting a new person for some coffee, asking questions to people who look up to, listening to podcasts with information related to areas of curiosity, trying new food at a new restaurant, picking up a pen and journaling, trying to play a new instrument, listening to new music or a live concert, finding more ways to laugh, and so much more.

It is going to feel uncomfortable. The “new” can bring some anxiety. it is out of your comfort zone and something that may bring a feeling of “unknown.” Challenge that feeling and tell yourself, “this is worth trying and there are lessons to be learned.” The least you will gain is some new perspective. Never take this for granted. Experiences and interactions with people help us develop skills that we don’t even realize we’re developing. Stay involved. Keep interactive. Transform the mind.

In my own life, when I try to make plans with people, sometimes I try to think “how can I create a new experience for everyone that is involved, or how can I put some of us in a place that has more unknown variables, how can I open our eyes to more of what life has to offer?”

These are some of the leadership qualities that I try to develop. I like to know everyone is gaining something from experiences that I create. I like to know that when people gather with me, they’re left with a good energy that helps them in their own lives.

How are you manifesting curiosity/exploration in your own lives?

Butting Heads: Values and Outliers

Time put into my relationship, my Bodybuilding/personal growth, my family, my work, and friends. As time has gone on, we start feeding into the categories based on what we see as a priority or of value to us. I recently reflected on the statement: what we value doesn’t necessary have to be where we place our physical presence. It can be what we takes us space in our mind, what we think about, or also what we want to manifest more of in our life. For example: one has to go to work 40 hours per work. While at work, that individual may do what it takes to complete their tasks, but their mind might be in a different place. They may be thinking about working out, family, hobbies, and several other things. These things can be of higher value than work but aren’t necessary being experienced in the present physical moment. Bodybuilding is a lifestyle for me. It requires preparation with meals, delegated time after work to get a workout in, more mindful decisions with getting to sleep at a decent hour, more mindful decisions on the road with what foods I decide to eat. It’s a lifestyle. Everything revolves around it. How do we not let something of such high value butt heads too much with other things that we value? Sometimes we can let people in on what we value. For example: My Girlfriend and I workout often and share that same experience. We both value working out as a part of our weekly schedule. Sharing this time together is very meaningful because we are able to dig into two different categories at once. We are both able to workout and experience that shared time value category. We realized awhile ago, we need to share meaningful time. We workout about 5 times per week, so sharing this time together is very significant. Creating something together. Growing together. Building something that takes effort daily. It’s something we can appreciate and do it week after week. We consider ourselves dedicated and all in when it comes to fitness. The tough part of being a high performer is realizing when we need to step away from the routine. A mental break. Recently we decided to spend a night and day away from all of the routine. Initially, that can bring on some anxiety since we are so programmed to eat, lift, prepare, complete tasks ,etc. However, looking at it from a perspective of mental/physical recovery may be a bit more appropriate. We need a break sometimes. We need 1 day to live without a thousand things on our mind. It’s been very routine for weeks and months now. 1 day won’t break the routines/habits that are being put to play. After stepping away from the regular routine, it only brought to light more gratitude for being so disciplined and routine. It still sits a little funny with me even at 2-3 days after. I naturally think, “that one day was one day of progress that could’ve been made.” But I also need to realize that the progress of a mental/physically break on that day gives more ROI for what is to come. The body and mind both need a break once in awhile. We constantly push, grow, push, grow. Where is the small amount of time to reflect and slow things down? Stillness. Silence. We need both of them more than people think. There was really no other point to this reflection other than bringing some awareness to breaks, balances, and moderations. where do we need to place more of our time? Do we need to pull from one category and put more elsewhere? That push and pull will constantly change. Just like life. Constantly changing. It’s not that we need a perfectly “balanced” life. It’s that we need to realize when certain categories hold more weight than others, or when certain categories need some weight taken from them. The beauty of life. Do what matters. Do what you love.

An Ideal Day Of Mind,Body,Spirit Recovery

Context: I picture this day to be a Sunday. Off of work. Off of the gym. This will be treated like there is a full day dedicated to mind, body, and spirit recovery. From sunrise to Sunset.

Today will be very light on food overall. breakfast and dinner are the only 2 meals of the day. overall, a great break for the gut/mind as we can focus efforts/energy on activities other than digestion.

8AM-ISH: Wake up: Foam roll for 10 minutes followed by 10 minutes of massage gun work.

20 minute mediation with eyes closed and wrapped up in blanket, followed by Gratitude Journal/reflection journaling.

Do some mobility work. (Youtube yoga + stretching)

5 minute cold shower.

Go for a 45 minute walk outside in the sun. no sunglasses. Clothing should allow as much skin showing as possible

About 11:30-12PM: Get some actual food down the chute, but making sure that meal comes after a 16 hour fast from dinner the night before.

Take a nap after this meal

After the nap, plan to go for a hike. 1.5-2 length. spend time on this hike to pause and take breaks of stillness and observing nature around you. doing some drawling. bring a coloring book. bring a journal.

overall paying almost zero attention to the phone the entire day is the goal.

About 4PM by this time

Come back home and sit by the water. Saying a prayer. One of gratitude along with one of asking for God’s help in our lives. Speaking openly about our challenges. Things I struggle with. Pain points. Our next goal will to be to write letters of gratitude to people that are close in our lives. Writing them on paper and planning to mail them physically to them on a different day. Plan this experience so that when I finish, I am experiencing watching the sunset for the full length as we sit by the water. Sit after sunset for a bit and talk openly about thoughts and anything lingering on the mental.

Should be about 6:30PM by this time. dinner time

After dinner activities are going to be a bit more loose and not necessarily having in depth purpose behind them. I can pick a comedy movie that will allow us to engage in laughter.

After this movie, it’s about 9PM. To activate serious relaxation, I will take a 20 minute bath/shower. Sit down in the shower. Let hot water pour down. Focus on deep breathing. Afterward, I will use the massage gun for 10ish minutes and do some long holding stretches afterward 

Should be close to 10PM by this time.

Another prayer session. open and out loud. focused on gratitude and thankfulness of having the opportunity to spend a day to self love/reflect and do some great things for ourselves.

10:30PM ISH: Bedtime