This is a sort of “weekly summary” I do often that helps me think through my week, and remember what I’ve done. It helps me stay accountable to how I spend my time and it is a place where I can record important ideas or habits I’ve been trying to implement in my life.
Plus, I think there is a chance that reading this can benefit you and your life, and that’s why I want to share this with you.
To be clear, this is the perspective I am coming from: “Hey, I think there’s some truth to this, I’ve tried it and it worked for me. I have made it a part of my life and I feel better after doing it. Maybe, if you tried it, it could also make your life better. Here’s what it is… Since adopting this habit my life has improved significantly in the following ways…“
So, here we go.
Reading: I’ve spent a lot of time reading the book “Why Buddhism is True” where Robert Wright argues the point that mindfulness meditation is a wonderful and helpful habit to develop. I’ve been playing with meditation for a couple of years now but I’ve never made it a habit. Since starting to read this book I’ve now managed to fit in almost 10 meditation sessions in the last couple of weeks and I am finding real benefits in it. I highly recommend researching meditation and giving this book a go if you are interested in this sort of stuff.
Physical recovery: With the start of the year I’ve made it a goal of mine to pay more attention to physical recovery and keep my body fit. I go to the gym 3 times per week, do BJJ 3 times per week, and have a physically demanding job 30 hours per week. This takes a toll on my body and I have not paid a lot of attention to recovery. To make this better, I’ve been doing ice baths, using a deep tissue ball that I bought on Amazon but never really used it often, Epsom salts, holistic things like teas and eating a lot of whole foods. I am hoping these habits will help me recover faster and prevent injuries. On top of that, I am also interested in trying Yoga, or some sort of mobility routine, so that I can reduce stiffness in my body.
Daily Stoic Journal: This has been a game changer for me since I received it as a gift this Christmas. I’ve been doing it every day and it always forces me to think deeper and ground myself in reality. I often get distracted by the little things in life but when I sit down to write in this journal, I always feel grounded and more connected to myself. Here’s a link to it – Daily Stoic Journal by Ryan Holiday.
Living off-grid: I consumed a few videos from people living off-grid this week (this is the first one that I watched). I found myself super interested in this kind of living, particularly because of the contact with nature. I’m not keen on living off-grid but I’d love to buy a pre-fabricated house or a cabin and buy a piece of land somewhere in the countryside, ideally close to a lake and surrounded by tall trees. This could be a holiday house, and could literally be done for less than £30,000.
Money: I started investing a few years ago with Vanguard and it is something I have made a habit now. I was pleased to see that over the 12 months, from Jan 2023 to Dec 2023, my portfolio returned 12%. Investing regularly is something that changed my life, and I stand for the idea that we should all learn a little bit about it, and since school doesn’t do it for us, we must learn it by our own will.
Quotes: I’m looking for mantras/quotes to write on paper and stick it on the wall in front of my desk. “Work joyfully” is one of the ideas I’m considering adding to this project. I heard it from Sadhguru, who said “Everyone tells you to work hard, nobody tells you to work joyfully.” It made sense to me. It still does. I’ve noticed that when I find joy in whatever I am doing is when I do my best work. I am discipline-oriented and I think discipline and joy can work hand in hand to move us forward, and closer to our goals. Discipline is consistency. Joy is more subjective and it is a state of mind. You can find joy in most things, as long as you frame it correctly in your mind. When I feel anxious or stressed about doing something, I’ve been trying to think of ways I can do it with joy. Regardless of the activity I am doing – reading, journalling, ice bath, going for a run -thinking about joy has helped me reduce my stress levels and feel more, well, joyful.
These were the events and teachings I’ve been dedicated to these past 7 days. Maybe there’s something in there that can be useful to you. I hope some of these bullet points have sparked an interest, or a question in your mind, and my goal is that you chase one of these ideas, and do a little Google search. Then, the ideal scenario is that you end up resonating with the idea so much so that you incorporate it into your life, making it better, making you happier.
It all starts with an idea, going down the rabbit hole, and implementing the idea in your life.
All the best,
Martim
