Less is More
The inspiration to write this piece came from a newsletter that I received from a creator that I follow very closely (here's the link for you to check out when you’re done reading this one.) In it, he discussed his recent experience with a month-long social media detox that he conducted and how, in our current world climate, we are so inundated with stimuli.
I have to say that I concur.
We live in a culture where “more” is overvalued, at least in my opinion. Excess is placed on such a high pedestal and I don’t think it’s possible to ever reach the top. This way of thinking poses a problem because it directly suggests that despite our best efforts, nothing will ever be enough. Sure, we may experience some highs occasionally, but what good is it to always strive for something and never attain it?
It’s a frightening thought.
Overconsumption is very real and it can wreak serious havoc on our mental health. When we program ourselves to engage in taking in mindless information during every spare second we have, our ability to be present and be fully human takes a toll. Our minds are swayed like brittle trees amidst a hurricane.
For some reason, wanting fewer material possessions in exchange for clarity and valuing happiness over more money will make you be seen as a lunatic. Ask yourself: is this an erroneous way of thinking?
There’s a parable that goes something like this:
“You need to study hard.”
“For what?”
“So that you can get into a good school.”
“For what?”
“So that you can get a well-paying job.”
“For what?”
“So that you will be able to relax.”
“What am I doing now?”
In the newsletter from earlier, Nathaniel states that breaks are the secret to long-term productivity and, by extension, results. Can you see the parallels between the parable and his conclusion?
The fact of the matter is that overconsumption tendencies must be done away for. I mean, there’s a reason that so many religions and philosophies make the argument for restraint and frugality. Exercising these characteristics allows us to deeply and truly realize that maybe we don’t need more- maybe we have enough.
Life shouldn’t be a race to a non-existent finish line. Instead, it should be a stroll in a park where you remember to take a moment to stop and observe the beauty of everything that you already have around you.
When you realize that you don’t need more, that less is actually more (while still being less), you open yourself up to the possibility of acceptance, contentment, and simplicity.
(If you are planning on purchasing an item from Amazon, please consider doing so through the affiliate links in my book list (found under the “Book List” tab on my website, www.alanrr.com). When you do so, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. It may just be a click for you but every little bit helps the project. :) )
Additional Resources
none :)
Social Media
5 Simple Things You Can Do to Make Your Days More Productive
The word “productivity”, in recent times, has taken on an almost mythical meaning. For most of us, we tend to attribute it to superhumans who operate on 18 hour days and live by the “daily grind”. If they fail to accomplish 20 tasks on their to-do list then they deem their day a failure. When you look at it like this, it can be easy to be intimidated and avoid productivity altogether.
The truth is that it need not be this way. I’d like to dispel this myth and share with you five incredibly easy ways to automatically boost your productivity (or output, if you prefer that word) levels without setting impossible expectations on you.
1. Wake up earlier.
There isn’t much to say, really. Waking up earlier means that you utilize more available time in the day to accomplish things. Rising even a couple of hours earlier each morning can legitimately boost your output levels multiple times over. Aside from literally allowing you to do more, multiple studies have shown that the psychological effects of early rising can positively impact your overall mental health. Check out this piece that I wrote if you want to learn more.
2. Do the most crucial tasks early in the day.
Classify your tasks in one of four areas: important and urgent (Q1), important but not urgent (Q2), urgent but not important (Q3), and neither urgent nor important (Q4).¹ This system is known as the Eisenhower Matrix. Tasks in Q1 are ones that you should take care of immediately, such as completing and submitting an assignment; tasks in Q2 should be scheduled for a later time, such as going to the store to return something; tasks in Q3 should be delegated if possible; and tasks in Q4 should not be done or, at the very least, not be a concern at all.
3. Engage in some form of physical activity.
Your body is what you spend the entirety of your life with, so it’s a no-brainer that you should take care of it. Even the simplest activities such as going on a daily walk or practicing yoga can really add up in the long term. Show yourself some love and walk around and stretch after reading this newsletter. Trust me, your 70 year-old self will thank you.
4. Read a book or listen to a podcast.
On the mental side of things, dedicate time each day to activate your brain! Listen to an educational podcast and learn something new, or read a fiction book and let your imagination run loose. If you’re not doing something every single day to fire off your neurons and keeping your brain alert, then you’ve gotta fix that ASAP. Like exercise, investing time each day to keep your mind alert will pay off in the long run.
5. Do something for someone else.
I’ve always believed that self-improvement doesn't exist in a vacuum. In other words, making yourself the best person you can be is worthless if you do not translate that to your environment. Trying to practice kindness? Go out and do it. The situation to do so is everpresent, you just have to recognize and act on it. At the same time, don’t just take my word for it- try to cultivate a genuine desire to help someone because you truly want to be of service and not because you feel that it is an obligation.
A Recent Challenge That I Set For Myself
I remember vividly that I used to adore reading when I was a kid. In school, my favorite past time was heading to the library and browsing the seemingly endless rows of fiction. Books were a gateway for me to escape to other worlds and bathe my youthful mind with imagination. I believe that books are the reason for my lifelong thirst for knowledge, learning, and growth, all of which directly influenced my character today.
After elementary school, I started to veer away from books. For most people, our teenage years are ones full of self-doubt and exploration. You struggle to identify who “you” really are and that can lead to repressing aspects of yourself to fit in with a more desirable crowd, even if you know deep within yourself that association with them is not conducive to your own development. In my case, it was a mix of not wanting to be that “lame” kid who spends all of his time in the corner of the cafeteria reading (even though I now realize that there nothing wrong with that at all- I’d probably befriend that same kid today) and getting mental fatigue from reading what was required of us in the classroom.
Strangely enough, this period can also the time when the greatest evolution can occur. Discovering who you truly are (or at least partially) is one of the most liberating life experiences that one can have. For me, this was realizing that I wanted to develop myself as richly as I could mentally, emotionally, and spiritually for the rest of my life.
After a few years’ hiatus, I began my return to reading. Nowadays, my shelves are still lined with abstract reading material, albeit more intellectual rather than imaginative. Instead of Percy Jackson, you’ll find Alan Watts. However, I developed an unhealthy habit of continually buying books even when I’ve got 20+ unread ones already waiting (truth be told, it is likely way above 20). Instead of practicing restraint, I find myself giving into immediate gratification when I see a title that piques my interest. Looking at my bookshelf and seeing rows of unopened books staring at me is honestly kind of intimidating, and perhaps it’s the reason why I’ve been so put off from reading them (paradoxical, I know).
I am really trying to put in an effort of eliminating this custom of mine, so I’ve set a goal for myself of finishing five books by the end of the year. It may not sound like much, but it is a reasonable aim that I feel aligns with my own reading habits. The secondary goal to help me accomplish the main one is to read for at least 20-30 minutes daily. Again, it is important to start small and not overwhelm yourself with massive expectations when making personal resolutions.
Last month, I created a document that I use to keep track of books that I’ve completed. So far, the count is three (The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, The Gospel According to Zen by Robert Sohl and Audrey Carr, and the Tao Te Ching, if you’re interested). At the moment, I am hopping between three different books. I’m not sure if this is the most effective way to read, but it helps me to alleviate the monotony that can accompany reading a single title.
With 53 days left in the year as of publishing this, I’ve definitely got my work cut out for me. If you’re like me and are trying to get back into a consistent reading habit, or even just someone who is already an avid reader, I would encourage you to also set a goal for yourself to read X books in Y time. You’ll nourish your mind and engage your inner creative and imaginative processes.
Additional Resources
My book list has a few titles that I particularly recommend*. The list is ever-growing, so check back once in a while!
Loyal Books is a website where you can listen to a multitude of audiobooks free of charge.
A video by John Fish, a creator on reading, productivity, and growth. Here, he talks about how reading on a weekly basis is life-changing.
*These are Amazon affiliate links, which means that I receive a small commission from your purchase at no extra cost to you. Please consider using these links if you are buying anything at all from Amazon!
Social Media
What This Pandemic Has Taught Me
Almost nine months after being declared a global health emergency, the coronavirus still shows no signs of slowing down. Amidst such baffling and uncertain times, it is easy to feel hopeless. However, if there is anything that I am sure of, it’s that our mental attitudes directly dictate how we feel and act.
Almost nine months after being declared a global health emergency, the coronavirus still shows no signs of slowing down. A microscopic molecule single-handedly put the world that we knew on hold and created a new- almost dystopian- reality, where the population must wear a mask covering, physical interaction is strongly discouraged, and paranoia runs rampant. Over 1 million people have died as a result and a vaccine is beyond sight. The truth is that much of the disease still eludes us.
Amidst such baffling and uncertain times, it is easy to feel hopeless. However, if there is anything that I am sure of, it’s that our mental attitudes directly dictate how we feel and act.
I’ve always considered myself a “glass half full” type of guy, so I reflected on how this pandemic can be used in my favor for my own growth. It’s easy to find the negative aspects of anything and everything (as can be evidenced from the opening paragraph) but not enough people choose to look at the silver linings. After reading this, I strongly encourage you to reflect for yourself on how you can emerge as an improved person either during or after these times. You can apply this same line of thinking to any adverse situations that you may face, and you will become all the more better for it.
Photo by Levent Simsek of Pexels
Patience is something that must be cultivated for a more peaceful life.
When all of my favorite hangout spots were shut down for months, I felt what I can only describe as a “doomful” feeling; what will it be like to not go to my favorite place to eat, or not go to the bookstore and peruse the literature there? I had to face the reality that the waiting game had to be played, so I figured it made more sense for my own mental wellbeing to make friends with patience instead of living miserably with it. By simply being ok with waiting, it made dealing with staying put much easier, and it even extended to how I interact with others.
Things that we don’t want to happen will happen anyway, and they won’t ask for your permission.
Most of us have an idyllic hope that the world will always go in our favor if we just do everything right. If we work hard then we’ll get that promotion that we’ve striving towards, or if we play our cards correctly then the person that we’ve been crushing on will finally notice us and maybe even reciprocate the feeling. The truth is, while it is perfectly admirable to always put your best effort forward and act on your best behavior, things don’t always go our way. A co-worker might be seen as the better fit for the job, or you’re just not the ideal partner for that person despite how hard you try. We’ve all experienced something like this and it subsides relatively quickly. On a large scale, however, this enduring pandemic has shown that things will just naturally take their course, even if it does not align with your vision at all.
Everything is interconnected.
Who would’ve thought that a disease from a small marketplace in China would have the potential to affect so much? Globally, jobs have been lost, families have changed, economies have tanked, and societies find themselves divided and distanced. In a world of nearly 8 billion people, it is easy to feel like none of your actions will ever be significantly impactful. But remember: this entire pandemic stemmed from just a handful of people. Now more than ever, the ramifications are our actions are evident. Our very health lies at the mercy of our community and vice versa. If this microscopic virus serves as a reminder of the responsibility that we possess in our interactions with others, why not translate that to intangible transmissions, such as compassion?
Life must be appreciated while it lasts.
In hindsight, it’s easy to see how much of our lives we took for granted pre-pandemic: we could gather with family and friends whenever we wanted, we could go to concerts or sporting events, and we could generally live without paranoia in the back of our minds. Even though society is slowly starting to open back up, there is still a long way to go before it feels remotely normal. Many people are still unable to see their loved ones, especially those at risk. Seeing the world was put on hold for many, as their travel plans had to get canceled. The takeaway here is that it is imperative to treasure the enjoyable moments in life always, for it is susceptible to disappear in an instant.
Change can arise from adverse challenges.
The quarantine period of the pandemic resulted in profound changes for many: some people left abusive relationships, others took up new hobbies that they had never foreseen, and some even took the risk to open new businesses. Personally, I decided to start this newsletter as a means to grow my own Self while sharing the process with others.
In Buddhism, the lotus flower possesses special significance due to its unique nature of blooming from the mud. Many cultures revere it since it mirrors the human condition in that difficult circumstances (the mud) tend to give way to immense growth (the lotus).
Additional Resources
Episodes 40 and 45 of the Everyday Buddhism podcast deals with how to approach the current state of the world and the ongoing pandemic with a sense of clarity. (This podcast has been one of my go-to’s this year.)
The Buddhist Take on COVID-19 by Buddhist Solutions for Life’s Problems is another episode that I recommend, and the one that inspired me to write this publication.
A guide by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America on how to take care of stress, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts during these scary and uncertain times.
Social Media
Don't Take Life Too Seriously
It feels like in the world that we live in today, everyone is running some kind of race, oftentimes being completely unaware of it. They are stuck in a perpetual cycle of living to work instead of working to live; they spend years climbing the corporate ladder, spending decades of their life working only to end up in a position that did not turn out to be as fulfilling as they had hoped; or they spend their entire lives being frugal with their spending, hesitating to ever treat themselves to a rewarding experience, despite that being the very purpose of money.
Like all things, these things are not bad in and of themselves- I’ve always emphasized the importance of moderation and the falsehood of dualistic labels. The pursuit of pure material success, however you choose to imagine it, is an understandable one, just one that I do not think is built to endure. Eventually, there comes a point where we must ask ourselves, “is this it?” Despite our genuine effort to attain something we thought we wanted, the end result inevitably comes up short of our idea of lasting contentment.
In Buddhist traditions, the fleetingness of life is a major tenet. It is recognized that emotions, both “good” and “bad”, will invariably subside. For this reason, non-attachment to ideas, possibilities, and concepts is paramount, for these will undoubtedly fail to last very long or even occur at all. By not associating our very beings with a mental notion, we come to realize that we are not, in fact, synonymous with our desires and that our identities exist independently.
Following this train of thought, there is good news: it is still possible to set goals and strive for accomplishing them in a pragmatic and healthy way. The solution is quite straightforward; we simply must embrace every result that comes our way with full acceptance, taking great care to not let external circumstances disturb our peace of mind.
Of course, we must obviously aim for accomplishing our goals with utmost focus, determination, and effort. The only thing that must change is our attitude when things do not seem to go our way. Frustration, anger, annoyance, and exasperation are all normal emotions to experience, and it is perfectly acceptable if they arise- however, we must be careful to not let them overtake us. In other words, it all must come back to feeling, detaching, observing, and moving on.
A quick litmus test that you can perform at any time to determine if your mind is racing is to notice your present (or recurring) attitudes. Do you find yourself getting upset in traffic regularly? Are you regularly stressed out about the future, often over trivial matters? If this sounds like you, all you need to do is just try your best to notice when these attitudes arise and remember, “it’s ok.” That’s it. This simple phrase anchors us back to a state of presence and serves as a reminder that as long as we are in this moment, everything is alright.
When an apparent obstacle (such as an emotion) appears on our path, we must treat it as a mere hurdle and not as a total obstruction. It’s about the journey, not the destination.
We must remember that life is a game that is meant to be played. It should not be full of fret, anxiety, stress, or anything else of the sort. The power of a simple smile can go a long way in reminding you that life should be lived with bliss.
Life is a joke :)
Additional Resources
A speech by Alan Watts on this exact subject. He’s one of my biggest influences and I highly recommend any of his works.
This article goes in-depth about how to prevent and deal with worrying about the future.
Social Media
An Approachable Guide to Meditation
So by now you’ve eliminated your misconceptions about meditation and learned what exactly meditation is for. Now you are ready to begin the practice and (hopefully) make it a part of your regular routine. Before I share the steps you would adopt for a meditation practice, one thing must first be stated and understood:
Why do you want to incorporate meditation into your life?
Really ponder this question, for it will directly dictate the consistency, quality, quantity, and attitude of your mental state while meditating. Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Wherever You Go, There You Are (whose link to purchase I will include in the “Additional Resources” field at end of this newsletter), says that intention is key towards establishing an impactful meditation practice. It is not enough, he says, to merely meditate because I am telling you to, or because the Internet is romanticizing it. No, it is something personal that you need to decide for yourself.
What are you hoping to reap from becoming more aware? Is it compassion? Calmness? Coming to terms with inner turmoil? Or do you simply just want to exist in the world with more clarity and peace? Whatever it may be, go ahead and truly reflect on why meditation might help you. Please do not just take my word for it.
On to the guide.
Establish which type of meditation you would like to engage in.
Meditation can go far beyond sitting straight and chanting “om”. In fact, there are countless varieties of meditation. Some common ones include being mindful of the breath (for awareness), deeply focusing on an object of your choosing (for observing the impermanent essence of all things), and becoming aware of the present thoughts and emotions (for a richer understanding of why you feel the way you feel).
Find an environment that works for you.
This can be on a cushion in your room, in the forest, on the shores of a beach- anywhere, really. I find that a quiet surrounding is more conducive towards a “deeper” meditation session, but the truth is that it can be done even in the midst of a busy construction site.
Make yourself comfortable.
Ideally, you want to keep your spine erect (but not stiff) to keep you aware at all times. Most of us are used to slouching a least a little, so by putting in some mindful effort to regulate our posture it can help us bring back our awareness to the present moment. If you are unable to sit cross-legged like me, that’s perfectly fine; you can always choose to stick your legs out in front of you.
You also want to avoid lying down, for it is very easy to fall asleep this way. A meditation practice should not be overly rigid but not too relaxed, either. Remember that the objective is to bring the attention back to the present, to be aware.
Engage, with deep intention, in the style that you chose.
In step 1, you established which type of meditation you wished to engage in. I cannot give step-by-step instructions on every style out there, but the same principle applies to them all: intention. If you are engaging in metta meditation, cultivate a deep sense of love and kindness toward all beings that exist. If it is an awareness meditation, really feel every sensation that arises, both bodily and mental ones. The key is intention. Go into the mindstate with a commitment to remain as aware as you possibly can.
Another crucial point to remember is to approach arising thoughts from the perspective of an outsider. If you treat your thoughts like you would cars driving by, it creates a distinction between you and them. This, in turn, serves to remind you that you are not your thoughts, judgments, opinions, nor any other false mental precepts. Keeping this in mind will help you avoid beating yourself up when intrusive thoughts take hold.
Be prepared to accept that not every session will go as you desire.
Some days your attention will be so turbulent that you will begin to doubt yourself and wonder if you are doing something wrong. Other days you will experience a deep sense of peace and calmness. Yet other times the voice will be so incessant that you will feel like quitting and dropping the practice altogether.
As I’ve said before, meditation, as a practice, mirrors life; it is a constant cycle of ups and downs. It will not always go how you want it to, and that is perfectly fine; you need only to accept the present situation and move on. If you get familiar with this on your own time then it will make navigating life much less challenging.
Photo by Alex Conchillos on Pexels
The practice of meditation should not be a daunting one. The act of being present should be the easiest thing you ever do. It is simply tethering yourself back to now.
Remember, there is no such thing as failing in mediation; all there is is being aware and remembering to be aware.
Additional Resources
A guide to 23 types of meditation. Perfect if there is a particular area of yourself that you want to work on. A PDF is even available!
A really great article that goes over a little bit of everything you would want to know about meditation. MP3 files of guided meditations are included.
How to Meditate, by Pema Chödrön is an excellent book for meditators of all experience levels. Pema is so great at making a topic understandable and relevant.
Wherever You Go, There You Are, by Jon Kabat-Zinn has made its way to the “Additional Resources” section of the newsletter three times now. If that isn’t enough to convince you to read the book, I don’t know what is.
Social Media
The Aim of Meditation
As humans, we cling to the notion of immediate gratification. For something to be seen as worthwhile in our eyes, it must provide us with some kind of benefit virtually instantly. If not, then we are deterred and the idea that it really never was worth it is reinforced. This is not inherently a negative thing; immediate gratification is a remnant of our reptile minds, and it’s what aided our ancestors in their survival. However, the days of hunting predators and travelling in packs is over and the time has come to be still, make peace with our minds, and cultivate a deeper understanding of ourselves and of the world.
The beautiful thing about meditation is that it can be done by anyone at anywhere at anytime. This is due to the very nature of meditation itself; it is not an activity that one performs, per se, but rather it is awareness itself. That’s all it is. Just pure awareness. Meditation does not even have to be done in a formal setting; it can be “done” alongside literally every other regular activity. The beauty of meditation lies in its widespreadness; it is available for all, and its boundless application can only let us live and coexist richer.
Depending on who you ask, meditation serves a different purpose:
For the yogi, meditation is a gateway into reaching communion with the divine. Once they reach the deepest depth of their soul, they find it is indistinguishable from that of reality’s.
For the Buddhist, meditation allows for a genuine cultivation of compassion towards oneself and everyone else.
For the psychiatrist, meditation might be a useful tool to aid a patient in taming hyperactive conditions.
For the secularist, meditation is a process in which they can learn to better observe and control arising feelings, emotions, and thoughts.
Of course, the motive for meditation can be a combination of all of the above, or for any other reason that I have not stated. Meditation is malleable, something that is different for each one of us. In a way, it sort of mirrors life: sometimes messy, sometimes blissful, sometimes confusing, and sometimes crystal clear.
So, we now know that the reason for engaging in meditation to unravel a deeper awareness of oneself (which, in itself, leads to a deeper awareness of the world). But the question remains: why is awareness so significant? I mean, you’re aware that you are reading these words right now, no? So perhaps it seems like you are not really lacking awareness at all. To answer this question, I’d like to pose another one: how much of your day is spent in a fog? Ask yourself if you can remember the sensations, thoughts, and happenings that occurred on your commute to work today. Or did you go into autopilot and later realized that you didn’t even recall consciously driving?
The point is that much of our life is spent in a state of “half-in, half-out”-ness. We are alive, yes, but are we really? Do we really live our lives in control or do we live at the mercy of our incessant thoughts?
Take this quote by Sam Harris, philosopher, neuroscientist, and meditation teacher:
“Until you have some capacity to be mindful, you have no choice but to be lost in every next thought that arises.”
He goes on to say that this applies to emotions, as well. Without awareness, you can fall victim to mindless anger, fear, anxiety, sorrow, and desire. Instead of being in control of them like you should be, they take you hostage. Obviously, this kind of behavior can lead to destructive reactions and can damage our relationships. Over time, we risk being so engulfed by negativity that we just resort to existing miserably.
Besides immediate personal consequences, meditation can also help you realize the very real connection that you have with the world around you. Practitioners of meditation have often spoken of a loss of the ego and a deep sense of unity with everyone and everything else. No longer is there an “out there”, only a complete wholeness of all that is.
I am of the firm conviction that if each one of us would employ the practice of meditation into our lives, we would immediately experience a newfound environment of peace, compassion, and clarity.
Meditation Is Not What You Think It Is
When you think of the word “meditation”, what comes to mind?
Whether you picture a person sitting cross-legged with their eyes closed forming circles with their fingers or a skinny old Eastern man with a flowing white beard chanting “om”, I am almost certain that everything you believe about meditation is false, or at least partially.
For part I in the meditation series, I’d like to clarify some common misconceptions about meditation. This way, it should make understanding and applying the parts to come much easier.
Misconception #1: meditation is only for spiritual (not religious) people.
While the Western concept of meditation has certain esoteric connotations, it is erroneous to think that the practice is solely reserved for the New Ageist or Dharmic follower. The beauty of meditation is that it may be implemented by either the holiest or the most secular of us. At its core, meditation is simply acceptance; it is accepting the present moment just as it is without any judgment or desire for it to be other than what it is. With right examination, we can find that this worldview is perfectly compatible with Abrahamic belief. By engaging in a genuinely mindful moment to wholly accept the present moment and the reality that accompanies it, it is as much an act of devotion towards one’s deity as it is an act of meditation.
Misconception #2: my mind is too active, so I am unable to meditate.
Everyone who’s ever meditated for even five seconds has had this thought run through their mind. It’s easy to compare our step one to someone else’s step 10,000, and for that reason we get discouraged and abandon the practice. As humans, we are experts at thinking that if we’re not natural prodigies at something then it’s just not for us. We believe that if we cannot quiet our thoughts at the first attempt then either we are to blame or the practice is. The reality is that meditation, like anything else worthwhile in life, requires consistency and intention for the fruits to sprout. And for the record, meditation is not about shutting down your thoughts (but that’s a topic for another part).
Misconception #3: I don’t have the luxury to sit down for 30 minutes every day and do nothing; I’m far too busy.
So sit down for 15 minutes, or 5, or 3, or even just for 10 seconds. The quantity of time meditating does not matter so much as the actual act of meditating itself. It is the practice (and consistency) that truly make the difference. Incorporating some time on a regular basis to be fully present in the world is not only an act of self-care, but also of selflessness, as your inner peace will surely make a real impact to those around you.
Misconception #4: meditation is simply for relaxation. Other than that, it serves no real purpose.
Relaxation is not the end goal of meditation, but rather a side-effect. Meditation is not meant to put us physically at ease, it is meant to put us mentally at ease. By contemplating intentionally, we can find that our mental struggles can be recognized, observed, understood, and overcome. Implementing the practice of meditation into your regular routine can quite literally change your entire outlook on life. There exist few other things that can make such a drastic impact on the way you live.
Misconception #5: with enough practice, meditation will make me “awake”.
Even the desire to enlightened is egoic. It is imperative to note that meditation itself will not flip an enlightenment switch; rather, it acts as a guide towards navigating your thoughts and getting to the root of them. The realizations that spring forth, then, are the true catalysts for change. The meditation simply held your hand.
There is an old Buddhist proverb that goes something like this:
Student: Master, if I meditate for 1 hour a day, how long until I gain enlightenment?
Master: Hmmm, 10 years.
Student: What if I meditate for 8 hours a day?
Master: Then it will take you 20 years.
The Key to Taking Control of Your Day
Try and guess how many times, on average, you hit the snooze button on your alarm every morning. Got it? Now multiply that by the number of mornings you’ve been doing that. More than likely it’s been an ongoing habit for years now. By getting in an extra 10 minutes of sleep (which, if we’re being honest, does next to nothing for us) twice a week for 10 years, the result is 173 hours (or just over a week) of lost time. The number just keeps going up depending on the length and frequency of your precious Z’s.
If the solution seems obvious, that’s because it is: rise earlier (if you’re rolling your eyes now, just hear me out.) Oftentimes, the most effective solutions are the simplest ones. Now, I won’t go on a long tirade about how waking up at 5 AM is the most optimal time for peak human performance, nor will I promise you that your productivity levels will instantly increase by 500% if you do so (trust me, I’ve tried it.) Everyone’s biological clock is different, so listening to your body is the best manner to go about this. For a general suggestion, however, I recommend rising no later than 8 AM. Any later than this and the hustle-and-bustle of the world begins to take shape.
Photo by Alexander Possingham on Unsplash
Tip #1: I have found that the easiest way to get accustomed to rising earlier is to do it gradually. Wake up five minutes earlier each day and by the end of the first week, you’ll have added over half an hour of useable time to your day. This method has proven to be invaluable to my morning routine. Again, baby steps.
Tip #2: Avoid checking your phone as soon as you wake up. Before your brain is even fully adjusted to the sensations of waking up, you’re already bombarding it with sensory and digital information. What might begin as checking group chats turns into checking e-mail, then Instagram, then Facebook, then Reddit, then watching YouTube videos. Before you know it, you’ve already spent an hour still laying in bed having done nothing productive. In my experience, the best way to combat this is by placing your phone across the room before you go to sleep. In doing so, you’re forced to take action and get yourself up.
Tip #3: Set goals for yourself. When you have something to wake up to then it makes doing so so much easier. Maybe you want to get a workout in at the gym before it gets crowded, or go on an early morning walk, or just have a hot beverage and sit in the calm presence of nature. Whatever it may be, it helps to have a motivator. Eventually, you might even be waking up early just for the sake of it.
Tip #4: Finally, this one should be the most obvious: go to sleep earlier. Waking up at 5, 6, or 7 AM won’t be very beneficial if you’ve only slept 4 hours to get there. To wake up early, you need to sleep early. The CDC recommendation for adults is at least seven hours each night¹, so do with that information what you will.
There’s a quote by Richard Whately that I love:
“Lose an hour in the morning and you’ll spend the rest of the day looking for it.”
I’ve always said that life is precious, so it’s a worthwhile endeavor to live it as richly as possible. For reasons I cannot fathom, the idea of the negligence of rest is so romanticized in our culture today. Such an idea is dangerous, for it encourages a life of deliberate inaction and passivity. While these are not negative routes in themselves (as Taoism says), settling for less and not enjoying the fullness of existence is a miserable way to live. The act of rising earlier is the personification of excitement, joy, and anticipation towards a new beginning.
A Treatise on Mindfulness
Stop. Do you hear those cars driving by, or that air conditioning unit running? How does the seat that you’re sitting on feel? Is there any discomfort present? Look at the trees swaying in the wind. Observe anyone walking by. Take a deep breath and really feel it. Perform this a few times. Bring your attention back to the present moment.
Congratulations. You just engaged in a moment of mindfulness.
Far too often we live our lives in a state of passiveness, always attempting to avoid the present moment. We get caught up in the past and perpetually wonder about the '“what ifs” and “could/should haves”. We believe that the reason for unsatisfactoriness that we experience now is a result of the past failing to meet our expectations. In other words, the human ego tends to shift responsibility away from itself and instead on external circumstances to reconcile the negative sensations that it perceives.
Likewise, the same phenomenon occurs in consideration of the future. The ego hopes for a better “yet-to-be” yet for most individuals, these hopes never come to fruition. Our fantasy of eventually being satisfied once X event has occurred will never yield any significant results. Whether we realize it or not, we are committing the exact mistake that our future selves will chide us for. So if it’s not being faulted by the past or looking towards a future that will never come, then what? The answer is simple and can be found here and now: the present.
If you observe reality with a keen eye, you will come to realize that the present is all there is. Everything that happened in the past was once the present, and the future will eventually come to be the present. With this in mind, our conception of a chronological timeline turns into a constantly moving dot in time. When we realize that the present moment is all that ever exists, we suddenly become more empowered in our actions. There is no need to regret the past; it is gone like a speck in the wind. Waiting for the future is counterproductive; our future is crafted now.
By implementing the simple act of mindfulness now, your outlook on life will improve immensely. Feelings such as anxiety and dread can subside and make room for bliss and contentment. I’ve found that incorporating some of the following routines into my life has greatly aided me. Try them yourself and take note of the changes you experience afterward.
Mindful meditation- there is simply no better practice to cultivate a more peaceful awareness. Taking precious time to be, to feel- however it may be- can be so incredibly impactful.
Going on a walk- similarly, stepping outdoors and observing the natural order of the world can yield calming results. Nature is, perhaps, the greatest teacher of them all.
Reading- books are a microcosm of life. Word by word, moment by moment, until the end is reached.
Performing an artistic activity- engaging in creativity is an excellent way to direct one’s attention to the now. All external noise is blocked and it’s you simply doing.
To conclude this newsletter, I’d like to provide a quote from Blaise Pascal, the 17th French theologian:
“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”
Your thoughts are not the enemy. The outside world is not the enemy. The untrained mind and all of the false precepts that it falls for is the true adversary of a more intentional life. It must be said, then, that the mind should be treated as a cooperative aspect of ourselves and not as an annoying roommate.
Sitting with your thoughts, with yourself- with presence itself- is the gateway to a satisfactory life. The best part? It’s all available right now, in this moment- for that’s all that there is.
Additional Resources
Wherever You Go, There You Are- a book by Jon Kabat-Zinn, a world-renowned mindfulness teacher. Highly worth a read and I strongly recommend it.
A seminar also by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Make some time to watch it and I’m sure you will not be disappointed.
An excellent article on what mindfulness is, why you should implement it, and additional exercises. Succinct but impactful.
A 10-minute guided meditation, because why not. These never fail to get me in a right state of mind and body.
Social Media
Living in the Age of Addiction: How "information overload" impacts your brain
Nowadays, it seems like information is coming at us from all sides at a rate far faster than we can seem to process. If it isn’t the day-to-day “us vs. them” politics, it’s the endless stream of photos, tweets, and posts on social media; the advertisements bombarding the radio, entertainment channels, and billboards; or the mindless memes sent to us. Point being, we are sponges that restlessly absorb limitless quantities of data.
With this being said, it is imperative to note that information overload is not a new phenomenon faced by modern humans; in fact, it has been around for as long as books were first able to be mass-produced thanks to the Gutenberg press circa 1440.¹ This point in history really marked the start of wide-spread knowledge and literary globalization as a whole. As digitization became more prevalent in the last few decades, the rate at which information could be reproduced and distributed skyrocketed as a result. So, then, with near-limitless amounts of knowledge available to us in the palm of our hands, why is too much information detrimental to our mental health?
My personal hypothesis is that technology addiction is a very real issue that most of us have a difficult time coming to terms with. Just think: what is the first thing that you do after waking up in the morning? Chances are that you go straight to your phone and spend some time browsing social media before getting out of bed to start the day. If it sounds like I am being too critical here, forgive me; I’m guilty of this myself. And although I am making a real effort to break this (negative) habit, excuses are worthless.
It’s not just in the morning, either; try to recall all of the times during the day where you pull out your phone to avoid social interaction or to relieve basic boredom, even if it’s just for a couple of minutes. Interestingly, there is a term for this very sensation: nomophobia.² Just ask yourself, “what’s wrong with sitting down and simply doing nothing?” “Why is being actively engaged in the present moment so dreadful?”
The fact is, technology dictates our life patterns so much that we often forget how much our very sense of being is tied to it. It probably comes as no surprise that technology addiction can, in some instances, be as severe as gambling or substance dependencies.³ Furthermore, various studies corroborate the claim that a correlation exists between technology use and feelings of loneliness, depression, stress, low self-esteem, and reduced focus and memory recollection. Now, I’m not implying that watching a few YouTube videos a day means that you’re an anti-social hermit. Simply be truthful with yourself and contemplate if you are increasingly reliant on technology as a distraction or escape from the reality of your life. If so, then it may be worthwhile to change your habits.
Of course, I am well aware of the multitude of benefits that the presence of technology has. Like I mentioned earlier, past and present knowledge are available to us at the tap of a button, and there is really no better time to access information than now. To learn is beautiful, and the last thing that I would advocate for is the abolishment of anything that encourages it. My main concern is all of the excess noise that spills into our minds and distracts us from living intentionally. Disconnection, or at least reduced screen time, can be tremendously beneficial to our cerebral and emotional functions. Like anything else in life, moderation is key.
Additional Resources
A short TED Talk about one man’s personal experience with cognitive overload and the importance of quiet reflection.
This video by Nathaniel Drew (one of the best creators out there) provides a fresh perspective on this very topic.
A brief article on what information overload is and how it affects our brains.
Social Media
Works Cited
Hemp, P. (2009, September). Death by Information Overload. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2009/09/death-by-information-overload
Bhattacharya, S., Bashar, M. A., Srivastava, A., & Singh, A. (2019). NOMOPHOBIA: NO MObile PHone PhoBIA. Journal of family medicine and primary care, 8(4), 1297–1300. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_71_19
Hamissi, J., Babaie, M., Hosseini, M., & Babaie, F. (2013). The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Technology Addiction among University Students (No. 5). International Journal of Collaborative Research on Internal Medicine & Public Health. https://www.iomcworld.org/articles/the-relationship-between-emotional-intelligence-andtechnology-addiction-among-university-students.pdf