TGIM: Just For You

Welcome back to Thank God It’s Monday! I know it may be an unpopular opinion but I am thoroughly enjoying these last few summery days as we trickle into the fall. Everyone seems to be over the heat but we will miss the warmth of the sun on our faces when the snow and cold come barreling in before we know it. It’s easier to spend some time outside and get the Vitamin D we all could use more of.
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tl;dr There is no perfect diet, exercise routine, or way to live your life. So stop looking for it. To reach your goals, figure out what works for you. Use other methods for ideas: try them out, keep what works, and toss the rest. No coach or program will provide all of the answers you need, so you have to answer the hard questions for yourself.

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This week one of my favorite podcasts, Science Vs., started a new season and I was so excited for the first topic. I’ve recommended episodes from them in the past, but the general format is the team takes a popular topic and finds the studies to support or refute what people generally believe. The first episode this season is about social media and I was so excited to hear what the research says about it.

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I won’t spoil the episode in case you want to listen for yourself (and I’ll put the recommendation below), but one of my main takeaways is that you have to do what works best for you.

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I guess the first question should be how do you know what is working for you? And this goes for content consumption in general, movement, eating, going out, sleep, really anything. What works best for you is what makes you feel good when you’re done. It’s not just what makes you feel good while you’re engaging in Instagram scrolling or eating the dessert. But when you’re done with the activity, do you feel good after?

In terms of social media (and content consumption like watching the news or reading online forums), everyone has a different threshold for what works best for them. Some people need to do these things for work so it may be higher. Others may use these sources for learning or creation. But many use it as a distraction and don’t feel good after time flies by unintentionally. If you feel guilty afterward, that method is probably not working for you.

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You guys might know from me mentioning it a thousand times but I don’t use social media for consumption from Monday through Friday. I started this in PA school but continued after because I feel better when it’s simply not an option during the week. Instead of choosing whether or not to open the apps, it is simply not an option for those days. It takes away the willpower component and helps me stay focused during the week. This works for me but maybe not for you. Maybe you can consume media once all of your work and exercise are done for the day. Maybe you could make a rule that you can only consume media while moving (ie on a treadmill or stationary bike). Or maybe you can use apps that help restrict your access. There is no best method, but if you don’t feel good typically when you consume content, then it’s time to try a different method.

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This goes for other areas of your life such as eating and exercise. Crossfit, keto, intermittent fasting, running, and high protein are all different modalities for you to reach your goals. There is no single best option, but it’s the one that you can stick to over a long period of time. Whatever is the least painful and most sustainable is the one for you.

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It seems overly obvious but we all fixate, maybe subconsciously, on figuring out what the best plan is before acting in some area of our lives. That could be what investments to make before funding your retirement account. Or how you’re going to lose 40 lbs when all you need to worry about is how you can sustainably lose one at a time.

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It’s not about being perfect. Living the best life for you entails what works for your life at that time. As you go through different phases in your life, that answer may very well change. But find what works best for you and then take action. Continuing to wait for the perfect answer and the perfect time will only regress you. You’re wasting time instead of troubleshooting how to reach your goals and make the most out of your life.
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If you found some value in this, please share it with a friend you think would enjoy it! And let me know if you’d like to be added to get TGIM.

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This week, my podcast recommendation is from Science Vs. “Social Media: Is It Rotting Your Brain?”. I was really surprised by this one so definitely give them a listen!

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With that, in the nature of the five remembrances, I’ll copy them here again in case you haven’t looked at them since last week.
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1. I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old.
2. I am of the nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape having ill health.
3. I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death.
4. All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them.
5. My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.
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Until next time,

Shannon