I’m a morning person
I don't stay up late to brag or show that I'm working late. It's not a flex or an insecurity I need to broadcast. I get up early to work on myself, to work out, write, go for a walk, and read. The only difference between working late and getting up early is that my endeavors don't benefit capitalism or my ego.
I get up early to find peace and to get work done, like many people who work late. But my work isn't for an employer; it isn't to make money. My work is on myself—self-love and self-care.
Why you should get up early and the reason is not what you might think
Fuck, early productivity risers.
To all those CEOs, influencers, and fitness well-being coaches. I do not want to get up early and immediately start working.
Every time I get on social media or every January, I get nothing but fitness, finance, and lifestyle gurus. People that are the new pyramid scheme, do what I do and get rich, which is teaching people how to sell courses about selling courses. I digress. My point is that I fucking hate that toxic get up early, grind, hustle culture. And here is why:
Discipline is simple, just doing less
Discipline is simple, just doing less. What does this mean? It means focusing on one task, creating a distraction-free environment, which isn't possible for many of us. Life distracts us, our partners, or our kids. So how does one set up a working environment that is distraction-free?
First, eliminate all the distractions you can control: your phone, apps open on your laptop, the TV. Think about timing. Is it better for you to work at 5 am in the morning when no one is up, so you can get the work done while the kids are still asleep? Or does it work better for you to
A case agents constantly productive; Why the opposite will make you more happy and fulfilled
Being constantly productive can be a paradox when it comes to a fulfilling life. Because the opposite of what you set out to accomplish becomes your anguish.
We remember more when we handwrite notes. We solve problems when we have time to walk away and contemplate them in our subconscious. We retain knowledge during our sleep cycle. Eating unprocessed slow cooked food is healthier for you. Walking is just as healthy as running. Self-reflection helps us process our emotions. Writing in a gratitude journal can bring us contentment and happiness. Spending physical time in the presence of family and friends can raise well-being.
What I'm getting at is that wasting time, being slow and unproductive, doing less can make us happier, more content, and have a more fulfilling life.
Tracking and allocating time
When it comes to tasks, having a to-do list or tracking your progress, everyone has different needs and ways to do so. My wife does daily lists and monthly tasks. For myself, I take my life day to day but have a strict timed routine. Other people journal and task out their daily tasks. But I can't stress this enough; we are all different, so what can you do to find what works best for us?
Absent of muse, and how to over come it
So I have nothing to say, nothing to write about.
And they say when you have nothing to say that you should read. And that is exactly what I've been doing with my time. I have been reading and reading. Non-stop, apart from the occasional game and movie. So now, what - should I just read and read until the end of time? Will inspiration ever strike again?
How to defeat procrastination
How to defeat procrastination? Stop worrying about the outcome, be present, just do the first step—open the word document, put on your shoes, pick up the pen, get in the car, or make that phone call. Whatever it may be, the power to defeat procrastination is to realise that the reason you aren't doing the thing is an emotional one. Remove the emotions and just do the first step; then you have half won because now you're in motion. Keep that motion and keep going onto the next step.
What is consciousness, beyond the self?
I know this is a stupid statement and thought experiment, I'm about to make, but it has made me pondering the elusive nature of consciousness, a philosophical conundrum surfaces: is consciousness exclusive to organic life - the state of being aware of and responsive to one's surroundings – prompts us to question whether the prerequisite of a subjective "self" is essential for consciousness.
Three essential reading tips for newcomers to philosophy: enhancing their reading, learning, and comprehension of philosophy
Learning philosophy is no easy feat.
These three tips will help you read better, learn, process, and implement the teachings from the greatest minds ever to walk this earth, philosophers. I have read books written by the earliest philosophers in history like Epictetus, Confucius, Lao Tzu, all the way through the ages to contemporary philosophers of our time like Slavoj Žižek and Alain De Botton. After reading philosophy over my lifetime, I have found these three tips the most essential in becoming a student of philosophy.
Learning the hard way from obedience to understanding
The chancellor of Germany, Otto von Bismarck (1871-1890), said, “Only a fool learns from his own mistakes; the wise man learns from the mistakes of others.”
This has made me think of all the times in my life that I have learned the hard way. By making my own mistakes and going through the emotions and pain to learn firsthand what I was already informed would happen. As a kid, teen, and young adult, our egos are forming. We think we know what is best, and we treat our older generations like they are stupid.
Where, in fact, they have already been there..
Introverts living in an extroverts world, and how to navigate it
We live in a time where you are surrounded by people, and are forced to work alongside new individuals. Some of us experience this daily, others per project. Even going on errands, you have to interact with people you have never met before. This forces a certain etiquette called small talk or, at times, having to speak up and fight for your ideas and voice to be heard.
The fallacy of success
Be careful when you measure success because then you're also measuring failure. I say a better way to approach it is to just do the thing. If you enjoy it, great, keep doing it. If you don't like it or don't benefit from it, then find a different method or approach. Worst-case scenario, do something else. The idea of being so serious, that we need to make, improve, be the best, is totally rubbish and robs us in terms of enjoyment. Being the best is just fulfilling your ego's desires, not your soul's. So what are we to do?
A journey to become a writer, from shutter to manuscript
Like most people, we all want to be something, do something great. Some want to become astronauts, actors, YouTubers, fashion designers, models, scientists, psychologists. Some of us want a legacy, to leave something behind, to speak out to the world and say, "I was here." Like a tree trunk etched with one's initials from a lover's knife. As for me, I wanted to become a photographer, and for the past 10 years, I've been just that. Now, I want to become a writer. So, what does one do when they want to become something? They get educated. So, I've watched tutorials, online videos, read books on the subject, and even watched movies. To learn as much as I can, like Neo being plugged in, but I've failed before I've even begun.
The era of open access education
Knowledge is power, but we have hit a wall regarding access to knowledge. It's accessible anywhere you have an internet connection, not to mention a public library card. The world and everything we know about it are almost free. In saying this, jobs that require gatekeeping knowledge will become a thing of the past. Where do we go from here when it comes to education then?
Why do we procrastinate, and how to overcome it? Five strategies to overcome the pillars of procrastination
Procrastination, a common challenge that hinders productivity, shows up in three areas: Fear, Energy Levels, and Reward. Let's look closely at these things, figuring out the reasons that make it hard for us to get things done. Fear, an old part of our brains from way back, now makes it tough to do tasks in our everyday lives. When we talk about Energy Levels, which really affect procrastination, we highlight how taking care of ourselves with enough rest and good food is very important
Remember the comfort zone is a nice place to be, but nothing ever grows there. Doubt, fear, procrastination, excuses, are all doing a great job in keeping us there.
The paradox of fear and creation
Why is it easier to research and study than it is to create, to make, and sometimes, I feel, to be? For the lucky few, creating comes naturally, you just do it, create, be, make, and do. For some of us, the creating is the hard part. But in truth, this is a lie, and I'll tell you why.
Comfort vs personal growth, unlocking your potential
Embracing comfort has its allure, offering peace and tranquillity, but I've come to realise that true growth lies beyond the boundaries of contentment.
It's easy to settle into the familiar, to find solace in complacency, but in doing so, I've noticed a lack of progress, a stagnation in my personal journey. Yes, I am whole and healed, free from the clutches of stress and anxiety. Financially, I may not be thriving, and I often find myself running out of budget by the end of the month.
However, being merely "okay" is not enough. It's a state of stagnancy, a plateau where nothing evolves or transforms. Comfort, in essence, isn't ruining my life, but it has made me complacent.
It's time to acknowledge that staying within the confines of what's comfortable is hindering personal growth. So, if you resonate with this sentiment, let us explore ways to break free from the shackles of complacency and embark on a journey of self-improvement.
Accepting cognitive dissonance
Individuals willing to confront the discomfort that cognitive dissonance introduces into one's life are a measure of one's character. This psychological phenomenon, involving the simultaneous existence of opposing ideas or reasons for a particular outcome, signifies an openness to different perspectives and the potential for intellectual growth.
Use all your best energy on yourself and give the leftovers to your employer
So you've just finished work. On the commute home, you want to do something for yourself, your future—be it writing, art, a side-hustle, or the gym, whatever it may be. However, when you get home, you're overwhelmed with how tired you are. Your employer and customers have just drained you of all your energy and soul. Additionally, you have to cook dinner, clean the house, and do the laundry. There just isn't enough time and energy to get out of this hole you're in. So how does one do the extraordinary and conjure up the muse to help you execute when inspiration strikes? But your batteries are flat, and the only energy you can muster is for recovery. What is someone to do?
It's in the quiet; that's when the work gets done
It's in the quiet; that's when the work gets done.
It's when you're quiet, alone, and have no distractions that you are truly yourself.
It's in the still moments that our minds become at ease.
That our thoughts start turning and speaking and making noise.
A lot of that noise is useless, distractions.
But after the noise has settled, the ideas and inspiration shine through.