Write Spontaneously

Writing every day is a challenge. There’s the whole finding-an-idea part, and the finding-the-time part, and the finding-the-motivation part.

Depending on my schedule, I tend to write around the same time each day. Sometimes I’ll get into the habit of writing at night, which I enjoy. Nighttime tends to make me more emotional and contemplative. When I was doing yoga every day, I did all of my writing during the day, which seemed to result in more straightforward prose and a practical voice.

Both are good. Writing at the same time every day is a powerful habit because your brain can subconsciously prepare for writing mode as the hour approaches. Or it may not.

But lately I’ve been flirting with the idea of being more spontaneous with my writing.

Writing at a regular time is good, but sometimes I feel inspired when it’s not writing time, and sometimes I don’t feel inspired when it is. As most writers will tell you, inspiration tends to strike when your pen or laptop are inaccessible — in the shower, driving, mowing the lawn, etc.

But I do have an iPhone. And it’s always in my pocket.

If I have the opportunity, why shouldn’t I write when the mood strikes, instead of capturing the idea and saying, “Oh, that’s good. I should write about that… later…”? Often when I go back and look at the idea I wrote down, I’m not as psyched about it. I may still think it’s a good idea, but the motivation to write about it has passed.

I’ve written long articles on my iPhone before — just my two thumbs and me. So it is possible. It’s just a matter of having the discipline to stop what I’m doing, open a new document, and start typing. I might be sitting in my car in a parking lot, or in the office at work, or waiting for something or someone. But a lot can be written in five minutes with real concentration.

Ubiquitous capture is something I think about often. Why not ubiquitous writing? Byword syncs right to Dropbox, where I keep all of my work. The system is in place.

One reason I haven’t done much spontaneous writing is that I convince myself I don’t have much to say beyond the idea itself. But as is often the case, once I start typing, much more than I anticipated tends to come out.

Instead of holding back ideas when they come to me — when I’m most excited about them — I’m going to try to let them become manifest as quickly as possible, regardless of the time of day. In theory, this should allow me to more genuinely capture the enthusiasm for the idea, rather than trying to recreate it when it’s “official writing time”.

We’ll see how it goes.

I hope you have a truly memorable weekend.

Love,
Andrew

Thanks for reading! Want more? Grab the free QLE Manifesto. Perhaps follow me on Twitter. Need something? Email me.

A Creative Catalyst

Sometimes my brain feels stuck. I have a hard time coming up with new ideas, and I feel a general sense of stagnation. Dissatisfaction. Boredom.

I found myself in such a mood yesterday while I was in my room. I just felt so… bleh. I even did a bunch of push-ups and sit-ups, but nothing would shake the malaise.

It wasn’t until I left my room to go grocery shopping that I snapped out of it. I got in my car, put on Clockwork Angels at the appropriate volume, and started driving. Within minutes, I had an idea about something I wanted to write about. I jotted it down with Pop. A little while later, I thought of something else. And then something else. Before I had even arrived at the grocery store, I had a small handful of new ideas.

And I thought to myself, “Isn’t that funny?” All I had to do was start driving.

A creative block can have many solutions. Sometimes it pays to just sit in silence and think — to enter an oasis of quiet — until the ideas deep within us bubble to the surface. This sort of inspiration is internal.

But sometimes we need to look outside ourselves. In my case, sitting in my room wasn’t cutting it. It wasn’t until I got outside, in motion, that I was reminded of everything that existed outside my little room — including some things I could write about. The music, the sky, traffic, other people… observing all of these things — none of which were in my room — jumpstarted my brain and caused it to think differently. Suddenly, I wasn’t grasping for ideas in space. The ideas presented themselves to me, and I was fortunate enough to receive them.

I suppose this is a roundabout way of saying that inspiration doesn’t always have to be summoned from within. We can perhaps find it just outside the door. But then again, inspiration isn’t just over there, waiting for us to go get it. Rather, whatever’s over there may have the potential to stir something within us, something that leads to the next idea.

Instead of trying to squeeze water from a rock, consider the possibility that it may take something outside yourself to rekindle your creativity. You may be in need of a catalyst.

When stuck, take a ride.

Thanks for reading! Want more? Grab the free QLE Manifesto. Perhaps follow me on Twitter. Need something? Email me.

Favorite Apps: Quotebook

Capture is an important part of my workflow. I use Instapaper for saving articles I want to read later, and Yojimbo for bookmarks and archiving.

But what about saving quotes for future reference?

Hello, Quotebook.

Quotebook is a notebook for capturing and organizing the quotes that matter for you.

Like many of my favorite apps, Quotebook does one thing, and it does it very well. When you add a quote, you can include its author and source, as well as rate or tag it. You can view all of your quotes chronologically, or by author, source, or tag. You can also full text search your entire collection with ease.

The iPhone app is great for quickly capturing quotes, but with the release of Quotebook 2.0 a couple of weeks ago, the app is now universal and sports a wonderful iPad interface.

The iPad version’s textures and typography are beautiful, and it’s specifically designed to display quotes in all their splendor. Of course, the iPhone and iPad versions sync via iCloud, so you’ll always have all of your quotes with you at all times.

You can easily share quotes right from the app via email, iMessage, Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr. Quotebook also features auto-detection, so if you have a quote copied to your clipboard, it’ll automatically ask if you want to import it into your database.

I’ve been using Quotebook since it was released (via Patrick Rhone), and I currently have 332 quotes in my database. I even used it to look up inspiration for yesterday’s post. Its reliable, useful, and super pretty.

If you like quotes — and who doesn’t? — you need Quotebook.

Get it for $2.99 on the App Store.

Thanks for reading! Want more? Grab the free QLE Manifesto. Perhaps follow me on Twitter. Need something? Email me.

On the Notion That Your Phone Sucks

In all matters of opinion, our adversaries are insane.
Oscar Wilde

Yesterday, Apple announced an onslaught of new laptops, software updates, and general awesomeness at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference.

Like all WWDC keynotes in recent years, it was a great day to be an Apple fan. When the company releases new products, its not only a chance to drool with excitement and start contemplating selling your organs. It’s also a reminder of why we in the Apple community stand so firmly behind the company.

Apple perpetuates what we believe in: simplicity, elegance, and sophistication.

But it’s not for everybody. Nothing is.

Try as I might, I couldn’t help but encounter the usual Internet skepticism and criticism about Apple’s announcements — people who scoffed and rolled their eyes while promoting their own obviously superior brands and devices.

There was a time when I would have taken their criticism personally. Apple is doing what I believe in, and therefore, when you insult Apple, and you insult me. We could have a lengthy discussion about how and why a company engenders such emotional attachment, but that’s not the point of this post.

The point is that I’ve learned not to waste my energy trying to disprove someone’s opinion.

As long as they believe blue is red, you can’t have a rational conversation about the color of the sky.
Patrick Rhone

If you believe your phone is better than mine, that’s OK.

If I believe my computer is better than yours, that’s OK.

But trying to convince the other person that their opinion is wrong is futile.

And why bother?

What do you have to gain from telling me that my phone is stupid? What do I have to gain from letting you know your computer sucks?

Nothing.

When we feel strongly about a thing or idea, we attach ourselves to it. It becomes a part of our identity. To have someone bash your thing is to have them bash you as a person.

But it’s not worth preserving that attachment. Someone will always disagree with you, and so the more attached you are to your idea, the more likely you are to have your inner peace disturbed by a willful dissenter.

Instead, be content to let the other person think whatever it is they think. Chances are their way of thinking makes them happy. Why rob them of that happiness?

Let go.

It’s pointless to defend a personal preference. It’s like trying to make an intelligent case for your favorite color.
Merlin Mann

If you don’t like my phone, don’t buy it. I won’t buy your computer.

And we’ll all be OK. Trust me.

Thanks for reading! Want more? Grab the free QLE Manifesto. Perhaps follow me on Twitter. Need something? Email me.

Crush On Radio #6: "Noodly Hippie"

Our groundbreaking sixth episode:

Our first “all picks” episode! Well, sort of… We share our favorite live albums, and some of your favorite live albums. Also there’s talk about Jonathan Coulton and John Roderick who contributed to the show without realizing, Industrial shows and “laptop syndrome,” getting into DEVO by being thrown in the deep end, recording fidelity, Jaco Pastorius, John Entwistle, Keith Fuckin’ Moon, our favorite concert experiences, and much much more.

While Crush On Radio is still in its infancy, ratings and reviews on iTunes are ultra important. They increase the show’s exposure, which leads to more listeners, which is good for everybody. Plus, rating us on iTunes has been scientifically proven to raise sperm counts and increase fertility.

Listen, rate, and/or leave a review on iTunes.
Listen on our website.

The QLE VIP List & 25 Things: The QLE Manifesto

Today I’m pleased to announce the QLE VIP Mailing List and the debut of 25 Things: The Quarter-Life Enlightenment Manifesto.

Awesome! Wait, what?

A few months ago, I wrote a post detailing 25 things I’ve learned in 25 years. These 25 Things are the ideas, mantras, words of wisdom, etc., that I believe in the most. I repeat them to myself on a regular basis, and I’ve found them to be the most valuable in my pursuit of inner peace.

In short, these 25 Things form the foundation of what QLE stands for.

As such, I decided to polish them up and compile them into a handsome, travel-sized ebook in .pdf format.

That sounds nice, but how do I get it? Is it expensive?

25 Things is totally free, and you can get it by becoming a QLE VIP.

What’s a QLE VIP?

The QLE VIP Mailing List is a special newsletter for hardcore QLE fans only. It’s not the same as subscribing to the blog via email. It’s a separate list, and it’s a very important one.

QLE VIPs will be the first to know about new ebooks, products, services, and other happenings. You’ll get access to exclusive QLE VIP content. You’ll enjoy discounted rates for all of the above, and you’ll also get top secret other benefits that I cannot utter here.

Joining the list is totally free.

Rest assured that I won’t spam you, sell your email address, or deliver an onslaught of garbage to your inbox.

I promise to email you only when it’s both very important and very exciting.

If you enjoy your time here, and you want more, joining the QLE VIP List is the best way to do it.

Sounds like a bribe.

Kind of. But:

25 Things is my gift to you for becoming a QLE VIP. It’s my way of saying thank you for reading and supporting the site as it enters its second year next month.

I’ve been writing this website for almost a year, and it’s become a true labor of love. I wasn’t sure I could do it at first. I thought I’d start it and then lose interest. I thought it’d be a waste of time. But I didn’t. It’s not.

QLE is my Internet home. It’s my way of documenting my pursuit of inner peace and helping others achieve it for themselves. I love it very much, and it’s time to take it to the next level. The VIP List is just the start.

Please note that you are under no obligation to join the list. It’s merely an option — a bonus of sorts — for those who want to go further in their support of the site and/or deeper in their pursuit of inner peace.

QLE is and will always be a free online publication. You’re welcome to read the blog as much or as little as you like. You’re welcome to leave now and never come back. I won’t mind. Seriously.

For those of you who’ve enjoyed yourself, you’re welcome to stay, and I’m so very thankful for you.

And, if you want the VIP treatment, come on in. I think you’ll like it.

All you need to sign up is an email address, and you’ll receive a link to download 25 Things: The Quarter-Life Enlightenment Manifesto in your welcome email.

We’ll return to our regularly scheduled program tomorrow, but if you’d like to start your week off like a rockstar…

Join the QLE VIP Mailing List.

Let’s do this.

Wonderful. Thank you. Really. You’re awesome. Gorgeous. Brilliant. Exceptional.

Welcome. And thanks.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed or benefitted from this article, please consider sharing it with the button below. Perhaps follow me on Twitter. Need something? Email me.

Enough #141: "Primal"

This week, I had the privilege of guesting on Patrick Rhone and Myke Hurley’s prestigious audio program, Enough. We talk about the Paleo/Primal lifestyle, barefoot running, and more.

I had a great time recording with Patrick and Myke. They’re both Internet heroes of mine, so being asked to come on the show was a great honor.

It was a really fun conversation, and it’s only about 40 minutes long (unlike certain other podcasts), so I hope you’ll give it a listen.

My sincerest thanks to Patrick and Myke for having me.

Click here to listen to the show!

Stranger in a Strange Bed

Michael Schechter on The Make Mindset:

I want to do more, I want to make more and the best way to ensure that that happens is to continue this shift in my mindset from take to make. I’ve been pushing myself to put down the remote, to ignore my RSS feeds, to avoid my browser and to try and make something out of nothing. I’ve needed to push myself to make better choices and attempt more ambitious endeavors.

This is exactly the mindset I’m trying to adopt now that I’ve moved out of my parents’ house.

I haven’t been sleeping well since I moved out. The bed is loud. The birds freak out in the morning. The sun wakes me up very early.

But it’s good.

The thing about sleeping in a strange bed with a strange pillow in a strange room is that it gets me up in the morning.

My bed at my parents’ house is insanely comfortable. It’s queen-sized. The pillows are fluffy. The sheets are soft. The room is dark and silent. I can sleep for days there, in safety.

But it was too comfortable. It’s very difficult to get out of a really comfortable bed. Just five more minutes, you say. And before you know it, it’s lunchtime, and you haven’t made anything. And that’s depressing, so you retreat back to the comfort and safety of your bed.

A strange bed is easy to get out of. The mattress groans and creaks. It’s sway-backed on one side. The sheets are rough. Your feet hang off the end. This isn’t a long, deep, peaceful sleep, but merely a series of short naps, interspersed with strange noises and uneasy dreams.

And so getting up in the morning is easier. There’s no temptation to stay in a strange bed. And that initial motivation can propel your entire day forward.

A strange bed is a reminder that you are not where you want to be. Not yet.

Michael:

I’m not quite who I want to be, but the more I align what I want with what I create, the more things begin to move in the right direction.

Maybe take off that extra pillow tonight.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed or benefitted from this article, please consider sharing it with the button below. Perhaps follow me on Twitter. Need something? Email me.

Required Listening III

Today’s post is my third Required Listening piece over at First Today, Then Tomorrow.

If would mean the world to me if you clicked over and checked it out.

As always, my thanks to Randy for having me and Penny for making sure I sound smart.

Crush On Radio #5: "Full Price or from the Dollar Bin?"

This week, we inflict upon you… Crush On Radio Episode 5!

In this Siracusa-length episode, the Crush On Radio crew talk about special editions, remastered albums, bonus tracks, and all the things that drive the completionist in us up the wall. We also chat about recent and upcoming shows we’re attending, Victor Wooten, bands injecting politics into shows, bands you respect but aren’t really into, stereo versus mono versions of The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and The Beach Boys albums, how silly concept albums are on paper (or in the case of Rick Wakeman, in actuality), and how much you really need to listen to Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. Because you do.

Picks this week are: The Flaming Lips, Mike Watt, and Mr. Unloved.

They say girth is more important than length.

Fortunately, we have both.

Listen and/or leave a review on iTunes.
Listen on our website.

On Crush On Radio | Sanspoint

My Crush On Radio cohost, Richard J. Anderson, tells the story of how our little music podcast came to be:

It’s been great to learn the technical side of things, great to learn about new bands and artists, but just sitting with a glass of water, and chatting with good friends about the things we’re madly passionate about has been the best part. It’s proof that Obsession x Topic x Voice is a great way to make cool stuff. If you like the idea of hearing three complete music nerds talk about their obsessions for over an hour, this show is for you. If you like to hear about cool music you might not know about, the first half of each show is for you. In either case, I hope you’ll tune in.

Me too. I love this thing we’ve made.

Movin' Out

My internet colleague and cohost, Richard J. Anderson, on The Big Move:

Once again, I don’t know what I want, but I know what I don’t want. I certainly don’t want ten times more of what I have now. For God’s sake, I am ready, at least, to be scared shitless and stop doing what I am expected to do, and go do something new and different.

I moved out of my dad’s house this weekend.

I’ve been writing this website for eleven months, and I’ve always neglected mentioning that I lived at home, primarily out of shame. Not that I don’t love my parents — of course I do — but no twenty-five-year-old wants to admit he lives in his parents’ basement, no matter how nice a basement it is. (And mine was really nice.)

I graduated from college in 2009 and then immediately went to grad school. Because I was still a student and living on a paltry graduate intern salary, I moved back home. The initial plan was that I’d move out six months after graduation, but because my thesis is taking for-freaking-ever, those lines got blurred. Eventually, my dad and I agreed that June 1 would be the deadline.

It was a benevolent and mutually agreed upon deadline. My parents wanted me to leave the nest and spread my wings, and I wanted to not live in my parents’ basement anymore. So it’s a good thing. Kind of scary. But a good thing.

Living at home is a double-edged sword. It’s very comfortable; food, shelter, love… Everything is provided for you. But because of this comfort, complacency inevitably follows. There’s no sense of urgency when you live at home. Sure, you know you need to move out and do something with your life, but there’s no one threatening to break down your door if you don’t. You’re safe. Protected.

And why shouldn’t you be? That’s what home is. But while home is a wonderful thing, it’s not the best environment for getting to where you want to be.

Sometimes the fire under one’s ass is best lit by fear.

While I was living in my parents’ basement, I found it very hard to be productive. I got my blog posts written, but did little else in the way of creating. I certainly couldn’t work on my thesis. I was home. I was comfy. Too comfy. There’s my couch, and my computer, and my books, and my television, and my basses. I can’t do work right now. No way. I’ll do work later.

I was trapped in this vicious cycle of comfortable complacency, and it depressed the shit out of me.

And so begins Phase One of starting my life as independent.

I’m staying with a good friend for the summer. The bed is loud. The birds are loud. The sun is bright in the morning. It’s not my house.

But it’s a start.

It’s a start because, now that I’m out of the house — scared, vulnerable, uncomfortable — there’s a sense of urgency. This is the real deal.

I’m out from under my parents’ roof. I’m exposed to the elements. It’s up to me to decide what I’m going to do today to get to where I want to be.

It’s survive or die.

And I’m not going to die.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed or benefitted from this article, please consider sharing it with the button below. Perhaps follow me on Twitter. Need something? Email me.

Favorite Apps: Recollect

I love music, and I love Twitter, so naturally I love to share music on Twitter.

The thing is, you can’t just tweet a lyric, because people won’t know what song it’s from, and they won’t get to hear it in the context of the song, which is often what makes a lyric great. For me, as per Crush On Radio episode 4, it’s often not the lyrics themselves, but how they are sung. People need to hear your music if there’s any hope of them liking it.

With that in mind, the most effective way to share music on Twitter is using a song preview.

I’ve tried a few different apps for tweeting song previews, including Soundtracking and Path. Both apps do music fairly well.

But I’ve found a new favorite.

Recollect bills itself as “the best way to recommend and discover new music on Twitter”, and I’m inclined to agree.

Unlike Soundtracking, Recollect is beautiful, and unlike Path, it’s specifically designed for tweeting music. It does one thing well. In short, “choose a song, write a brief recommendation, and tweet it.”

Recollect has a news feed where you can view everyone’s recommendations, featured users, your friends, or trends in list or shelf views. These feeds make it very easy to discover new music, and you can “collect” (similar to a Facebook Like) any song to bookmark it for later. Recollect also lets you flip through any user’s recommendations in a record bin style view, which is well done. You can also retweet and reply to people’s tweets, or buy the song in iTunes. Your own profile shows your recommendations, collected songs, and your friends and followers.

At any time, you can compose a new recommendation. There are three options for doing so: search for any song by artist and title, use the song currently playing on your device, or choose a song from your device’s library.

I usually tweet the song I’m currently listening to. If you don’t have album art for the song, Recollect will offer several options and let you pick the best one. Finally, you can include a message, or just use the buttons to automatically input the artist, album, and song. Tap Send, and you’re done.

Besides its speed and ease of use, what makes Recollect so great is the web page it uses to present your recommendations to others. It displays high quality album art, all of the songs information, your message, plus the preview and “Buy on iTunes” buttons. It looks wonderful in mobile view, as well as on the web. I haven’t found an easier or more attractive way to share music on Twitter.

Overall, Recollect might be my favorite app in a long time. It’s beautifully designed, fast, easy to use, and does one thing well. I wish there was a desktop version so I could easily tweet music from my Mac, but that might be on its way.

Recollect is free on the App Store, so there’s really no reason not to check it out. Go get it.

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Year of the Habit: June

It’s June 1, and that means a new habit.

But first, the year in review:

• January: Started flossing every day.
• February: Stopped biting my nails.
• March: Attempted to read every day. Unsuccessful. Currently reading The $100 Startup.
• April: Health nut month. Was Primal 80% of the days in April.
• May: Tracked all of my expenses via Saver.

I actually don’t have much to say about May’s habit. I was successful. My most expensive area was Auto, which comprised about a third of my spending. I only filled up with gas twice though, which pleases me. The Payments category took up another third of my spending, mainly due to student loans, which I’ve now consolidated. Food came in next at 10%. I ate out four times last month, not all of which were necessary, but not bad overall.

I’m pleased to report my number of unnecessary expenses was fairly low. I did buy a couple of t-shirts, which are my guilty pleasure. I spent a bit of money on Mother’s Day, and a little on personal items. I spent $23.90 on ten apps in iTunes, which I suppose is a lot. Overall, I’m pretty pleased with my spending habits, and I’m going to continue tracking expenses in the coming months.

Bonus Habits

These are additional habits I’ve picked up along the way this year.

• Writing every day.
• Taking cold showers.
• Working out regularly, including doing yoga every day in April. This is an area where I’ve fallen off the wagon. Since the 30-Day Challenge ended, I’ve been reduced to going to yoga once or twice a week, which I’m not happy about. Subsequently, I’ve also lost most of my early rising habit. I’m not sleeping as late as I used to, but I’m nowhere near waking up at 6:30 AM every day as I did in April. I’ve let my thesis flounder as well. This is obviously due to a lack of self-discipline on my part, and I’m working on it.

Which brings us to June.

I’m unhappy about losing my early riser habit and the resulting drop in productivity. With that in mind, in June I’m going to try something I’m calling “No Wasted Days”.

What’s that mean?

I’m going to try to get something done every day in June. I’m going to try to make every day worthwhile. Whether that’s working on my thesis, or QLE, or exercising, or learning new music, I want to put my time to good use on a daily basis.

At the end of each day, I want to be able to able to say, “Today I did something that will help me get to where I want to be.”

Even though this habit seems vague, it’s something I feel I need to focus on right now. I’m about to undergo a major lifestyle change, which I’ll discuss in more detail next week, and it’s going to require that I bring my A-game. Shit’s about to get real, as they say.

Thank you so much for reading, have an exceptional weekend, and I’ll see you guys Monday.

Love,
Andrew

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed or benefitted from this article, please consider sharing it with the button below. Perhaps follow me on Twitter. Need something? Email me.

Crush On Radio #4: "Fan of the Dan"

Our extraordinary fourth episode:

This week, sleep-deprived blabber about the things that make us like music, as we swing dangerously into the territory of the pretentious. Also, we talk about the concerts Andrew and Rich saw on Friday night, great lyricists, the meaning of groove, technically skilled playing versus emotionally charged playing, vis-à-vis Metal guitarists, and say, Frank Zappa… or even The Shaggs.

Picks this week are Vanilla, Robbie Fulks, and Steely Dan.

Special thanks to Matt for doing the heavy lifting this week.

If you love the show as much as we do, please leave us a review on iTunes. It’s a huge help. Also, note that you don’t have to leave a written review; you can just click five stars! People who do leave written reviews, however, are statistically more likely to have genius offspring.

Listen and/or leave a review on iTunes.
Listen on our website.

A Good Writer

A good writer is an effective communicator. He must be able to take abstract ideas and transform them into words that can be understood and appreciated by his audience. He must have mastery over the rules of writing and know when to break them.

A good writer is a relentless observer. He must be mindful of himself and his surroundings so that he may see what others do not. He must look outward, as well as inward, to realize what needs to be written.

A good writer is a courageous thinker. He must be willing to look within himself and his world to discover hidden ideas. He must be curious and brave enough to confront ideas that may challenge himself and his audience, and he must be able to present these ideas with confidence and depth of thought.

A good writer writes, even when it’s hard.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed or benefitted from this article, please consider sharing it with the button below. Perhaps follow me on Twitter. Need something? Email me.

Breathe to Be Free

Sometimes, my mind is a terrible place to be.

Yesterday, I spent most of my brain power thinking about one thing. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. For hours. Even while I was doing other things, it kept creeping back in. I was trapped in my own head by my own thoughts.

I didn’t want to be thinking about it because thinking wasn’t going to do me any good. I was thinking about something out of my control, which is fruitless, and which I’m usually pretty good at not doing. Usually.

But, as is the way of things, the harder I tried not to think about it, the more the thoughts took root in my brain.

Don’t think of pink elephants.

See?

It wasn’t until I went to yoga that I was able to free myself from this thought process. Allow me to explain.

Yoga is all about breath. In some ways, the breath is the most difficult part. Sure, the poses are hard, but trying to keep your mind focused on the moment — rather than on the thousands of worries waiting for you outside the studio — is another challenge altogether. While sweat is pouring down your face, and your muscles are burning gloriously, and your mind is darting from one thing to the next, maintaining that inhale… exhale… is really freaking hard.

But that’s the point.

Yoga teaches us how to be calm when we’re uncomfortable. It’s an invaluable skill, particularly when not doing yoga.

And so it was only when I started to focus on the breath that I was able to break free from my mental captors.

If you’re focusing on the breath, you’re in the moment. The breath is what’s happening right now. If you focus on the inhale… and exhale… you’re not worrying about what happened today, yesterday, what’s going to happen tomorrow or when you leave the studio, even if it’s just for a moment.

And that’s comforting. Because if you really focus on the breath — the way the air feels as it gets pulled in through your nose and fills up your lungs, and the way it feels as it leaves the body, taking with it everything you don’t need — you are reminded you’re alive. And that’s a very good thing.

My thoughts come back, of course. But rather than fight them, I merely observe them. I don’t try to force them out. I watch and let them pass by while I breathe.

Sometimes it takes a lot of breathing.

When the mind is loud and crowded, it can be a terrible place to be. But if we learn to quiet it, and empty from it all unnecessary thoughts, our sense of calm can be reclaimed.

Inhale… and exhale.

And practice.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed or benefitted from this article, please consider sharing it with the button below. Perhaps follow me on Twitter. Need something? Email me.

Get It Checked Out. You'll Feel Better.

When I was little, I was a bit of a hypochondriac. This was in part due to the fact that my parents allowed me to buy a book called The World’s Deadliest Animals, or something to that effect.

This book featured not only illustrations of some of the scariest animals on Earth, but also detailed explanations of the symptoms one would experience during a fatal encounter.

I was particularly terrified of the funnel-web spider, whose bite first causes aches and pains, and you start to sweat. Then, according to my research, you turn blue and froth at the mouth before dying a mere two hours later.

This information was, of course, very damaging to my childhood psyche, as I assumed any ache or pain was the beginning of the end.

Fortunately, I’ve managed to outgrow my propensity for self-diagnosis, although it does manage to creep up from time to time.

Most recently, I had a dime-sized bump under my left arm that had suddenly become irritated and sore after weeks without complaint.

It took me a week to call my doctor and have him take a look at it, but the effect it had on me during that time was severely debilitating. With each day it didn’t go away on its own, my imagination would cause me to grow more and more paranoid. Sometimes I’d be able to convince myself it wasn’t a big deal, but the voice in the back of my head would always come back sooner or later, asking what if it is a big deal?! My mood eventually became completely depressed. The worry was always there, like a splinter in my mind. Any time I found myself in a good mood, it would sneak up and dash it from me.

A week later, my doctor told me it was an infected hair follicle and could likely be treated with antibiotics. All that worrying for nothing.

The point is, sometimes our imaginations get the best of us, which disrupts our inner peace. Sometimes, it’s best to trust an expert, rather than allow your mind to conjure up any number of worst case scenarios.

If there’s an easy solution to your worry, don’t put it off. Make the call. Then, it’ll be over, and you’ll have peace of mind.

Life is too short to live in fear.

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It's Summertime

Life feels easier in the summertime.

It’s more fun to get out of bed when the sun is shining and the air is warm.

Driving to work doesn’t feel as dreadful on a beautiful day.

We can step outside without having to worry about protecting ourselves from cold temperatures and inclement weather.

No matter what’s going on in my head or in my life, it all seems so inconsequential under an infinite blue sky.

When it’s summertime, the whole world just seems more friendly.

It’s hard to stay mad when there’s so much beauty in the world.
American Beauty

Truer words have not been spoken.

I hope this Memorial Day weekend finds you filled with inner peace.

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Crush On Radio #3: "In and Out of My Wheelhouse"

Have you listened to Episode Three of Crush On Radio yet?

We get up early in the morning to talk about falling in and out of love with bands, with personal stories of our infatuations and de-infatuations with The Dave Matthews Band, Sparks, Pink Floyd, and Moxy Früvous, listening to something you don’t like until you do like it, guitar and drum two-pieces, getting into Industrial Music and our first weekly pick that bombed (only slightly, though.) Picks this week are Umphrey’s McGee, Foetus, and Japandroids.

New episode will be up shortly, so be sure to get this one under your belt.

Listen and/or leave a rating on iTunes.
Listen on our website.