My intention is to post a Thoughtful Thursday column each week and share some of the insights I have learned in the past week. Here are some of the things I’ve learned this week:
Mentally Stronger with Therapist Amy Morin – 7 Things to Spend Money On if You Want to Be a Happier Person
- Experiences (over material goods) – collect moments, not things.
- Invest money in relationships – pets, spouses, etc.
- Personal development and education – think about what you like to learn about and find ways to grow and learn – buy books, take a course or attend a conference, take a trip somewhere to learn more about a culture, etc.
- Anything related to health and wellness – gym membership, fitness equipment, therapy, quality food, etc.
- Anything related to self-care and relaxation – massage, meditation class, hobbies, hiring a house cleaner, etc.
- Acts of kindness and charity – spending money on other people makes us happier than spending money on ourselves. Gifts, charity donations, volunteering, etc.
- Things that help you spend quality time in nature – outdoor activities, taking a trip in nature, etc.
What didn’t make the list? Having a bigger house, a fancier car, a designer purse, etc.
Optimal Health Daily – 10 Ways to Measure Progress (That Aren’t Weight Loss) by Amanda Wheeler
This podcast stood out to me because SO many people work out solely to achieve a certain weight or physique and are often left disappointed and discouraged from continuing to exercise because they aren’t achieving the weight they desire. There are so many reasons to exercise aside from just weight loss, and there are many other ways to measure progress that aren’t weight loss.
- Weight lifted – Can you lift heavier this month than last month?
- Recovery – How do you feel between sets? Are you able to bring your heart rate down quickly and bounce back in?
- Reps for time – Can you do more work in the same amount of time or the same amount of work in less time?
- Resting heart rate – if your resting heart rate is lower, your heart is more efficient. If you’ve been training and your resting heart rate goes down, that’s progress.
- Aerobic window – the difference between your resting heart rate and your anaerobic threshold.
- Mobility/range of motion – if you notice you can get more range of motion, that’s progress.
- Energy – How do you feel during the day? Are you drinking caffeine to stay awake, or do you have a consistent pep in your step? If you no longer crash midday or reach for the extra dose of caffeine, that’s progress.
- Sleep – Are you now waking up feeling rested? That’s progress.
- Clothing – Is your clothing getting looser? Using clothing to measure progress is a great way to feel good about yourself without diminishing the feeling by the number on the scale.
- Confidence – How do you feel about yourself? Feeling more confident is a measure of progress that gets overlooked.
Optimal Relationships Daily – 12 Relationship Truths I Wish I Knew 12 Years Ago by Marc Chernoff
- You have to love yourself first. Fall in love with yourself and share that love with someone who appreciates you, rather than looking for love to compensate for a self-love deficit.
- You get what you put in. The true impact you make on people will depend on the time and attention you give to teaching those who know less, caring for those who have less, supporting those who are striving, and tolerating those who are different than you.
- What most people think of you doesn’t matter. No one is ever going to care about your life and the way you choose to live it more than you will.
- Friends and family won’t always support your goals, but you must pursue them anyway. Follow your intuition.
- Life doesn’t always change as fast as people do. Not everyone is who you once knew.
- Love requires three things: acceptance, honesty, and commitment.
- A big part of who you become is who you choose to surround yourself with.
- A soul mate is a person who brings out the best in you.
I really enjoyed this post from Seth’s Blog:
“Your audiobook
Here’s a useful habit that’s more than a hack…
The next time things are going well, when a project is about to launch, when a meeting has been successful, when the sun is shining… take your phone and go for a walk.
Hit record on an audio app and make a twenty-minute audiobook. Talk about what you know, what you see, what you hope for. Talk about the change you seek to make and how you’re going to get there.
And then save it.
Save it for when you need to hear from that person who recorded it.
It might become the best audiobook you own.”
Before Breakfast – Be flexible on the details
It’s okay to have requirements but be flexible on the details of how people can achieve them. The more flexible you can be on the details, the more loyalty you will probably engender. For a great many things, it is the outcome that matters.
When people can have some choice and autonomy about the details, they feel more in control of their lives. High expectations seem less burdensome, which makes it more likely that they will be met.
I look forward to reading, learning, and sharing more with you soon!
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