Holiday Origins – Founding Documents to Explain Why We Celebrate

One summer I got invited to a 4th of July brunch. Among the logistical details, the invitation read: “Breakfast & a patriotic thought by David.”

“I’ve been waiting all year for this invite,” said one friend.

“Independence Day is always best celebrated with our Canadian-American friends!” said another.

David is Canadian.

Despite holding citizenship north of the border, David loves America.

His patriotic thought was, primarily, a recitation of the Declaration of Independence.

As David pointed out, if you omit the list of grievances against King George III, the document is rather short. Short enough that two people reading out loud and alternating paragraphs is a welcome break during a summer brunch party and not so long to lose anyone’s attention.

I loved it.

I loved that David took us back to the genesis of the 4th of July.

I loved connecting our pancakes, lawn chairs and stamped red-white-and-blue napkins with the American Forefathers, despotism and bold action.

David’s example inspired this assembly of founding documents to read each year with friends and family — a project which quickly expanded to include further background, details of traditional festivities and additional ideas for celebrating.

  1. New Year’s Eve / New Year’s Day
    • See below – 7th and 8th Days of Christmas.
  2. The Feast of Epiphany
    • Epiphany means manifestation or appearance. Celebrates the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child, and thus Jesus Christ’s physical manifestation to the Gentiles.
    • Also known as Three Kings’ Day, Theophany and the Feast of Lights
    • Falls on January 6, marking the completion of the 12 Days of Christmas (see below). May be bumped to the first Sunday after Jan 1.
    • While Day 8 is the day to complete the giving of gifts, additional gifts may be given this day as well. Gifts given this day should be tied directly to, or given in the same spirit of, the gifts of the 3 wise men to the baby Jesus.
    • The Epiphany Feast completes the season of Christmas by inviting us to discern the identity of the Christ Child, as revealed in three events:
      • to the wise men (Matt 2:1-19) through the Star of Bethlehem;
      • during his baptism (Matt 3:13-17) when a dove descended from heaven and God, the father, spoke; and
      • during the wedding at Cana when he turned water into wine (John 2:1-11).
    • Traditions:
      • Bake a Three Kings’ Cake – As the Magi (the three wise men) made a careful search for the Child King upon His birth, so we should acknowledge that an important component of our faith involves seeking and searching for the Lord in unlikely places. Prepare and eat a sweet Three Kings’ Cake with a toy baby hidden inside. In the symbolic search for the baby Jesus, the person who finds the baby Jesus in his or her piece of cake is awarded the honor of providing the next year’s cake and/or hosting the celebration.
      • Mark a door lintel with the Magi’s blessing – To reciprocate the blessings of a host, guests prepare and read a brief spiritual thought that includes the biblical account of the Magi’s visit to Jesus (Matt 2:1-19) and then make a series of marks with chalk on a door frame. The markings include letters, numbers, and crosses in a pattern like this: 20 † C † M † B † 24. The numbers correspond to the calendar year (e.g. 20-24 for the year 2024); the crosses stand for Christ; the letters have a two-fold significance:
        • C, M, and B are the initials for the traditional names of the Magi (Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar)
        • they also abbreviate the Latin blessing Christus mansionem benedicat, which means “May Christ bless this house”
      • Elaborate worship with lighted candles – We can also learn from the Magi how to be attentive to the light. Consider a candlelight procession starting with a series of small candles and advancing to larger ones. Finish with a central candle sufficient to light the scriptures for a vocal reading. This may be the Christ Candle from the Advent Wreath. You may also eat by candlelight or observe the stars in the heavens. In this way, pursuing light serves as a visual representation of our need to seek divine assistance and find God’s presence in our lives. The act of lighting candles focuses our attention and helps narrate the drama of God’s self-revelation in Jesus.
  3. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
  4. Candlemas Day
    • Feb 2 – 40 days after Christmas.
    • Commemorates Joseph and Mary presenting Jesus at the Temple (Luke 2:22-40)
      • Note the faith of Simeon and Anna, who each looked forward their whole lives and, in their twilight years, were finally blessed to witness Christ
    • Also known as Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ, the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary or the Feast of the Holy Encounter
    • This day also celebrates the Coming of Spring Light, paganized as Groundhog Day
    • An appropriate day to take down the Christmas Tree
  5. Valentine’s Day
    • Feb 14
  6. President’s Day
  7. St. Patrick’s Day
    • March 17
    • Honors St Patrick, a 5th century Christian missionary who “drove the snakes out of Ireland” while he served as a bishop there (source). The snakes represent pagan traditions and the druids of whom he was the first to successfully convert to Christianity (source).
    • Four- and three-leaf clovers. Today it is common to use the four-leaf clover year round as a symbol of good luck. The clover and green are prominent symbols of St Patrick’s Day. However, the 4-leaf and “luck” are pagan adulterations that rewind St Patrick’s success in converting the Irish to Christianity. Patrick used the three-leaf clover to teach people about The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost — operating in unity for the benefit of mankind (source).
    • Wearing green. “In the late 1700s, the Society of United Irishmen, an underground nationalist group that sought to emulate the American Revolution and overthrow English rule, used the color green as a symbol of their cause. To avoid being spotted by the English, a nationalist revolutionary might wear a subtle hint of green, such as a green feather in his cap […] As Irish immigrants arrived in the United States and other countries in the 1800s, they took the custom of wearing green with them,” evolving into a method of loudly proclaiming their presence in the community (source). Today, we might swap out four-leaf clovers for three and wear green as a symbol of our willingness to witness our faith in God.
  8. Passover
  9. Palm Sunday
  10. Easter
  11. Memorial Day
  12. Flag Day
  13. Juneteenth
  14. July 4th
  15. Pioneer Day
  16. Labor Day
  17. Constitution Day
  18. Rosh Hashanah
  19. Yom Kippur
  20. Columbus/Indigenous People’s Day
  21. Halloween + Dia de los Muertos
  22. Veterans Day (Armistice Day)
  23. Thanksgiving
  24. Advent
    • Many thanks to Evangeline Taylor for her research on Advent and Christmas Feasts that kicked this off
    • Begins 4 weeks before Christmas or on the last Sunday of November.
    • The Christmas tree is historically put up the week before Advent.
    • It is a time of expectant waiting and preparation for both the celebration of the birth of Christ and His return at the Second Coming.
    • Activities throughout: Advent calendars or wreaths, hanging garlands/greenery, fasting, adding decorations to the tree, daily devotionals and prayers, gift giving, visiting with friends and family
    • Readings + Listenings suggested to prep for Christmas:
    • Sunday Readings + Candles:
      • Candles may be placed in a wreath of evergreens, symbolizing eternal life: evergreens for the continuity of life thru the seasons, and the circle for God’s course being one eternal round.
      • M-Sa: readings on preparing for the Second Coming and the Final Judgment.
      • Sundays:
        • Week Preceding Advent – Feast of Christ the King. Set the context that the entire season focuses on Christ as our Prophet, Priest and King.
        • First – looking forward to the coming of Christ: Isaiah, Old Testament Patriarchs, Book of Mormon prophecies and other texts foreshadowing His coming. Light the Prophecy Candle.
        • Second – preparation for His arrival – e.g. the preaching of John the Baptist. Light the Bethlehem Candle.
        • Third – the joy associated with the coming of our Savior. Light the Angel Candle.
        • Fourth – the events involving Mary and Joseph that led directly to the birth of Jesus. Light the Shepherd Candle.
        • Fifth (week after Christmas) – Light the Christ Candle (may also be lit on Christmas Eve).
  25. Christmas Day
    • Annually on December 25
    • Merges pagan traditions of celebrating the birth of light (Winter Solstice, shortest day of the year) with the Birth of Light — the Savior of the World, Jesus Christ
    • Begins eight days of gift giving (Days 1-8, see below)
    • Read: Luke 2
  26. The 12 Days of Christmas (source)
    • Dec 25 – Day 1 – Christmas Day – (see above)
    • 26 – Day 2 – Feast of St Stephen – commemorates the apostle Stephen’s care of the poor. Leaving the comfort of your home to deliver food to the needy reminds us, ultimately, of Jesus’s compassion for the needy. In the famous Christmas carol, Good King Wenceslas shows compassion to a peasant on the feast of Stephen.
    • 27 – Day 3 – Feast of St John – celebrates Christ’s love for the apostle John, but also His deep love for all mankind. On this day, traditional toasts are made with Saint John’s love, a mulled wine from which the alcohol is boiled away.
    • 28 – Day 4 – Feast of the Holy Innocents (Childermas) – a somber day to reflect upon the first-born of Israel who were slain by Herod’s forces in an effort to kill Jesus. Read: Matt 2:13-23. Reflecting on this loss reminds us of Jesus’s later sacrifice of His own life to save us from our sins, His Resurrection and triumph over death, and the necessity for us to give “up” to God our first and very best.
    • 29 – Day 5 – Feast of St Thomas Becket – commemorates the death of the bishop of Canterbury who was martyred on this day in 1170. His fight to prevent the monarchy from usurping power over the church reminds us of the battle Jesus won to deliver his church from the tyranny of sin. This, then, is a day to celebrate freedom and the courage to stand up to tyranny.
    • 30 – Day 6 – Feast of St Egwin of Worcester – remembers the founder of Evesham Abbey, a sixth-century bishop who was a protector of widows and orphans. Egwin was jealous about morality and the sanctity of marriage. His feast day gives us the opportunity to reflect on the righteousness and purity of God. Reading and reflecting on the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:1–17) and Beatitudes (Matt 5:3-10) would make this day meaningful.
    • 31 – Day 7
      • Feast of St Sylvester/Silvester – honors the burial day of a fourth-century pope. Sylvester is said to have slain a dragon—this seems entirely appropriate for someone charged with the responsibility of ushering in a whole year. The practice of setting off fireworks on New Year’s Eve probably originated as an activity on the feast of Saint Sylvester, symbolizing the conquering of the dragon’s fire.
      • New Year’s Eve – an evening to express gratitude, giving thanks to all those who contributed to a good year. Sing Auld Lang Syne (Spotify) and toast friends and family. The title means for the sake of old times (source).
    • Jan 1 – Day 8
      • Note: 7 represents a full cycle (the 7 days of creation), and 8 represents wholeness as it is 7 plus 1, indicating completion of the cycle and arriving back at the beginning. So 8 is completion plus new beginnings.
      • Final day of giving gifts. The idea of 8 days of gift giving is to celebrate, for 8 solid days, the Gift of Christ and to express gratitude for His Grace. Just as Christ’s role in our lives is multidimensional, so too are we blessed by many types of relationships, or in many unique ways by an individual relationship. Each day, we can focus gifts on honoring various social and family roles, or on honoring the various facets of relationships with those closest to us. With eight days of gift giving complete, the remaining 4 days focus on their celebratory feasts.
      • Feast of the Circumcision of Christ – commemorates this event in Jesus’ life. Circumcising an infant on the eighth day after birth is an act of obedience symbolizing intentional separation, being set apart for God. Read: Luke 2:21.
      • New Year’s Day – The 8th Day of Christmas symbolizes completion of the new year and new beginnings. This day is a day to honoring Mother Mary and all mothers — those who bring new life.
    • Jan 2 – Day 9 – Feast of St Basil the Great – celebrate by baking a gold coin or coins or other prizes into a loaf of bread in honor of St Basil’s philanthropy. He originated this practice to distribute money to the poor of his church.
    • Jan 3 – Day 10 – Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus – memorializes the day Jesus formally received his name in the Jewish temple. Of course, His name was foretold in earlier revelations. Jesus means “God Saves.”
    • Jan 4 – Day 11 – Feast of St Simeon the Stylite (source) – St Simeon’s faith was influenced by hearing the Beatitudes when he was a young boy in the early 4th century. Upon coming of age he sought out the monastic life and devoted himself to extreme self-denial and prayer. He was so disciplined and extreme in his sacrifice that he was found unfit for community life and went to live as a hermit. When he went the whole of Lent without food or drink, it was considered to be miraculous. In preparation for the lavish celebration of Twelfth Night, and in connection with St Simeon’s asceticism, consider the 11th Day Feast an opportunity to eat sparingly.
    • Jan 5 – Day 12 – Twelfth Night or Epiphany Eve – a lighthearted occasion. In traditional English festivities, serve a cake with a bean baked in. Whomever finds the bean is ordered to declare that the normal order of things be “turned upside down” until midnight. The Christmas tree can come down on Twelfth Night and its branches burned in a bonfire (or save the tree until Candlemas Day, Feb 2). May exchange additional gifts.
    • Jan 6 – Day 13 – Epiphany – (see above)
By |2024-09-01T15:46:47-06:00May 27th, 2024|Faith, General Life|0 Comments
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How to Make Stuff Happen

Everyone’s got dreams: things that have never been done or that are bigger than what can be done alone. A few notes to make stuff happen:

[1] Be up to something.

Be up to this thing until you have momentum. Momentum is the flywheel of force that makes it easier as time goes on for you to continue contributing to this thing you are up to. Momentum consists of habit and ritual you’ve created which draw you back into taking actions for the same thing. Progress is an evidence of momentum. Being up to something means you have something at stake. You are living for something.

Make Stuff Happen - start by pounding the rock
How to Make Stuff Happen: start by pounding the rock for your own cathedral

[2] Test for traction.

Once you have momentum, share what you are up to with another human being. Traction is momentum that attracts. When people are really up to something, it’s attractive. People will ask questions, dive in, ask for more, make offers in the presence of what’s attractive. If they want more of it, you’ve got traction.

[3] Invite.

Invitations without a background of people getting what you are up to leaves them unable to answer for themselves … “what’s in it for them to be asking me?” People are suspicious. Aren’t you? Invitations made in advance of experiencing momentum, with an absence of attraction, fall flat. People have their own stuff they are up to. Why would they create lifeless busy work for themselves? After people witness you being up to something and experiencing the momentum of it, only then does an invitation to participate stand of shot of landing.

[4] Stay the course.

Regardless of response to invitations, keep going. Making things happen requires not being messed with by responses.

Make Stuff Happen - stay the course
Stay the course.

Other considerations to make stuff happen:

Why invite someone to do something you aren’t up to? If you won’t do it, if you aren’t doing it … why would they?

Often a prerequisite to [2] is Make a connection. Connect with another human being so they can paint a picture of what’s going on in their world; something to which you can relate. Give them a chance to say what they are up to. You may find they are up to nothing. Start with a no-stake, no-demand, no-request contact. When they experience that you are willing to look into their world, they then may be willing to hear you offer something from yours.

By |2021-12-27T13:27:49-07:00October 17th, 2021|Faith, General Life, Marketing|0 Comments
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Get a Grip on Your Time and Money (Podcast Bonuses)

Welcome friends and listeners of my time and money episodes on The Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur Podcast!

Brian is a good friend . . .

Time and Money - Podcast bonuses - Nat Harward and Brian Lofrumento

. . .  but enough of that.

Here are the FREE spreadsheets and tools I talked about.

Make copies and use them to help you create and adopt systems for getting a grip on your time and money.

▶ Ep 171: Time

▶ Ep 173: Money

JUMP TO:

[1] Tracking time

Use the Time Tracker for 3-6 months to establish your baseline for how much work you get done in a month.

After clicking the link to access (below) . . .

Log into Google Docs

Go to File >> Make a copy… (if you try to make a copy when not logged in, it won’t work)

Add your name to the file name

Choose the folder in your Google Drive for where to keep it

Check “Copy comments”

Press “OK”

==> Click Here to access the Time Tracker

Or find a time-tracking app that works for you.

I use Hours TogglTrack.

[2] Forecasting time

After using Time Tracker for 3-6 months to establish your baseline for how much work you get done in a month, have a go at the Time Forecaster.

Same as above, open the file and make yourself a copy

Go to File >> Make a copy…

Add your name to the file name

Choose the folder in your Google Drive for where to keep it

Check “Copy comments”

Press “OK”

Once you have your copy set up, click the down arrow on the “MONTHLY TEMPLATE” tab at the bottom, and select “Duplicate”

Then click the down arrow on the duplicate tab, and click “Rename…”

Change the name to something like “MAR 2018” or “APR18” or “18.05” … and then repeat the process until you have at least 6 months’ of tabs to work with.

==> Click Here to access the Time Forecaster

If you find a slick time forecasting app, tell me about it!

Just leave a comment below and include the name and/or a link.

[3] Tracking revenue

You want to know which people (clients) or items (products) are making you the most money! And … on what kind of schedule. Do this with the Revenue Tracker.

Same process as above to copy and make your own!

The Revenue Tracker complements the Money Tripper (below) with a little more detail on where exactly money is coming from. The Money Tripper is simply for tracking money once it lands. The Revenue Tracker will allow for better sorting and insights on revenue.

SIDEBAR: Yes. Eventually you want to upgrade from measuring just revenue to measuring profitability and margins so you can do the things that make you the most money, even after expenses. If you’re a service provider, straight revenue is a good start and then take that number and divide by hours tracked against it in your Time Tracker to see your real hourly rate by project/client/type of project.

==> Click Here to access the Revenue Tracker

Invoicing systems for getting paid faster (and easier) … hello Bonsai!

I’ve gotten checks in the mail (slow, paper isn’t super secure).

I’ve been paid by PayPal (30 cents + 2.9%).

I’ve been paid by credit card (30 cents + 2.9% or more).

And now my preference is bank transfers/ACH (just $5!).

I use Bonsai, a super awesome platform with several tools for freelancers:

  • proposals
  • contracts
  • invoicing
  • expense tracking
  • and more

Time and Money - get paid faster with Bonsai!

40,000 freelancers around the world use it. I recommend you check it out. Use this link to sign up and get a FREE month.

If your business is product-based or high-frequency in transactions, then you need an e-commerce solution. But if you’re billing monthly, bi-weekly or taking deposits and final project fees for high-ticket items and professional services, this is a great option.

[4] Managing cashflow

Use the Money Tripper to manage cashflow and stop spending money you don’t have or wondering whether you “really can” afford something.

Follow the same instructions above to make a copy for yourself of my Money TripperAfter.

Be sure to check “Copy comments” so you keep the instructions on how to use the sheet!

==> Click Here to access the Money Tripper

A more advanced tool is YNAB (You Need a Budget).

YNAB is designed primarily for personal budgeting, but you can have one budget for business and another for yourself. Just link your business accounts with your Business Budget and your personal accounts with your Personal Budget.

YNAB is built on the same principles the Money Tripper is built on:

  • spend only dollars you actually have and
  • every time you get a dollar, give it a job. Which, naturally is followed by
  • spend dollars only on the job you assigned them to.

Get a free month when you sign up for YNAB with my link.

PS If you haven’t done so already, open separate bank account(s) for your business.

It makes bookkeeping, taxes, and all that so much easier. You just don’t want to waste time muddling through personal expenses to find those that count as business expenses. I use Small Business Bank — no fees, no minimum balance requirements, they have an app for mobile check deposit and of course you get a debit card with your business checking account. To get started, that’s all you need.

Get a grip on your time and money!

Time is the ONE resource you can NEVER get back once you’ve spent it.

And you’ll succeed faster when the way you spend and invest money matches your priorities.

It’s easy for time and money to become “the tails that wag the dog.” But you’re the dog. You’re the boss. Be the boss. Take control.

I’ve shared these tools because they are the methods I followed to take control at a time of my life and business when I had it backwards … when I had lost all the freedom I wanted when I struck out on my own, and had become a prisoner to the business I had made for myself. But as I MADE IT, I could UNMAKE it. And REMAKE it. Which I did. And so have hundreds of entrepreneurs the world over.

So give yourself some grace in whatever has happened up to this point, and try these on (one at a time!) to start the process of remaking your business for the better.

Good luck!

Nat Harward

P.S. I’m here. Leave a comment below or send me a note and I’ll be touch.

By |2021-12-22T14:15:17-07:00February 23rd, 2018|Marketing|1 Comment
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Pound The Rock

Pound the rock.

It’s in the footer of my website.

It’s in my email signature.

It’s the first phrase of three I have littered all over the internet. (The second and third being “Do good” and “Have a great time.”)

It’s the motto Gregg Popovich uses at the San Antonio Spurs. Their fan club is named after it. In fact, I’ve been told, it’s the only quote/motto/words-of-inspiration that appear anywhere inside the Spurs’ facilities.

So what about it? Why pound the rock?

This:

When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before. — Jacob Riis

Pound The Rock - Jacob Riis

We love telling “overnight success” stories.

They aren’t true.

Every “overnight success” story is … just a good story.

A story designed to get us to believe “we too” can be as successful as the “overnight” success.

Well, we can.

But not overnight.

Because they didn’t get there overnight.

These stories, so it seems to me, often are told to sell “the overnight method.”

When we buy that method, we get burned. Expectations fall unfulfilled, and we don’t succeed overnight — because we need to pound the rock:

To pound out our weakness,

To pound in our dedication,

To pound out non-essentials,

To pound in our focus,

To pound out dead weight,

To pound in muscle memory.

The true backstory of every success (“overnight” or not) is years of trial and error . . .

. . . effort on effort, and upset and defeat followed by persistence and consistency … all of which finally yield a win.

I’ve long said the most important attribute for any marketing campaign is consistency. You can blog once a day or once a year. If you stick to your schedule, people will accomodate whatever pattern you establish … if you stick to it. What doesn’t work is rush then stop. Publish then quit. Launch then disappear, only to relaunch with flare and pizzaz in 6 months quickly followed by flame-out, just as before.

And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order (Mos 4:27).

This isn’t bad news.

Success isn’t in one-trick ponies or luck-of-the-draw rewards.

Success is in being adept at producing desirable results again and again, at will.

Success is in knowing “the wisdom and the order” of how things work, the present limits of your strength (your lactate threshold, for example).

Yes, part of success is arriving at the destination, a destination — of finishing or winning a race.

But grander elements of success are:

falling in love with getting there

knowing you can get there when you decide you want to

knowing what it takes to get there, how to command the elements and the circumstances to combine and align in getting you there

in other words, knowing how to get there again, on command … without assigning any piece of arrival to luck or chance

experiencing your personal capacity to do work every day, to conquer in the face of resistance, and to survive or even thrive in the face of calamity.

“Pound the rock” is a motto to succeed every day.

Between each sunrise and sunset, put.in.the.work.

99 of 100 blows of the hammer end with the rock uncracked.

In a darker moment, the uncracked rock may seem to laugh or scorn.

“What are you doing? Does your work even count? You’re not strong enough. You have the wrong tools. You can’t do this. You’re not making a difference at all. What a waste. Now this, what you’re doing, this is insanity!! You keep swinging, expecting me to crack. I’ll never crack. The outcome is the same. And always will be. Move on … move on to easier ground.”

It’s tricky.

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, seeing no results, and expecting a different outcome.

Yet that definition is insufficient.

There are some tasks that are … a pound-the-rock scenario. A scenario where it just does take 99 repeated blows of no-difference-at-all results, which, when followed by the 100th WHAM! everything changes.

It may seem just one blow counted. One blow must have been different from the others. But no … all 99 changed the structure, strength and integrity of the rock until on the 100th it cracked. All 99 up to that point took mental grit and steadfastness and belief that the work was worth it.

I’m not a “good” runner.

I’m not “gifted” or a “natural.”

I don’t have lean thighs.

My VO2 max, when I’m not fully trained, is super average.

My calves are huge, the extra weight doesn’t help.

My calves also don’t connect high on my leg, so their biomechanical leverage is . . . average.

My knees rotate out and my tibia & fibula bow in to compensate, so some force from every step gets wasted in non-vertical, non-forward vectors.

My early years of swimming made my ankles super flexible, and early years of gymnastics trained them to act like absorbers; but great runners have stiffer ankles, trained to act like springs.

Yet my half marathon times keep coming down:

1:42:09 (7:47/mi) — 2008

1:40:26 (7:40/mi) — 2014

1:28:27 (6:45/mi) — 2015

1:24:35 (6:27/mi) — 2017

Why is that?

Because I pound the rock.

There’s nothing special about me.

Sure, I’m learning better form. As I pound the rock.

Sure, I’m in overall better shape … because I pound the rock.

Sure, I’m more flexible and less prone to injury … because I pound the rock (and rollll out, thanks TriggerPoint!).

Sure, I have better run gear and better workout routines … because I pound the rock.

I just pound the rock.

And anyone can pound the rock.

This much about life seems so simple and clear: when you work hard under the direction of people who understand the mechanics of how things work, you get results.

That’s why I put “Pound the rock” everywhere.

To remind myself of, and to stand for, the ethic of putting in the work.

“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground” (Gen 3:19).

“Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal 6:7-8).

Mastery thru repetition.

Affinity through consistency.

Results from no work are empty gains.

Dreams with no work are naught but wishes.

Gains from shortcuts are, eternally speaking, hollow.

Unearned upsides can be wonderful blessings and grace from heaven, but if converted in my mind and heart to expectations or views that “I don’t have to work because good things simply come my way” or “I will succeed because I am deserving of success” … those attitudes diminish my soul and others’.

Which brings me to another reminder baked into those three words:

To touch base, to make contact with, The Rock … every day. That rock being the “lowercase” rock of revelation and the “uppercase” Rock of Revelation who is Jesus Christ.

To meekly remember I am able from the gift of choice.

To meekly remember I am forgiven and cleansed from His gift of mercy.

To meekly remember I am empowered beyond my natural strength by His gift of grace.

So . . . I pound the rock.

By |2022-05-22T21:13:56-06:00January 3rd, 2018|Faith, General Life, Marketing, Triathlon|1 Comment
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Why Isn’t My Heart Rate Monitor Working? Because It’s Dirty

Why isn’t my heart rate monitor working today?

May 2020 UPDATE: You can go thru the process of cleaning your heart rate monitor regularly . . . but seriously, just get a Polar H10. You’ll see in the comments below that I switched from saying, “A lot of people in my forums recommend it” to “I got one, and I recommend it.” I got mine Dec 2019 and it’s been just about flawless. The first battery ran out quicker than I expected . . . in March. The replacement is still going. No connection problems. No data drops. No data spikes. Will report again in December. Again, skip the frustration … just get the H10.

That’s a question I never want to ask myself yet I have several times this year. I have two Suunto watches — for tracking my triathlon training, mountain adventures, and navigating in the backwoods — the Spartan Ultra and the Spartan Sport Wrist HR.

Heart rate monitor cleaningThe Suunto Spartan Ultra.

My Heart Rate Monitor: Suunto Smart Sensor

The Suunto Spartan Ultra (SSU) doesn’t have HRM on the wrist, so I always wear a chest strap with it.

While the SSSWHR model has an optical heart rate monitor on the wrist, I wear a chest strap heart rate monitor all the time with that one too since chest straps are slightly more accurate … by all the time I mean except swimming, since pushing off the wall nearly always has enough force to slip the chest strap out of position and that’s mad annoying.

Multisport Heart Rate Monitor - Suunto Smart SensorThe Suunto Smart Sensor Multisport Heart Rate Monitor

Anyway, things were going swimmingly … two watches, one heart rate monitor strap synced to both, connected quickly and flawlessly every time … for 7 months until one day in July things between my SSU and my HRM went south.

Heart Rate Monitor Frustrations

At first how it went is I’d go to the “pre-start” screen where the watch is locking in connections just before starting an activity, and the screen would show a connection to the Suunto Smart Sensor HRM (which connects to the watch via Bluetooth), even indicating my present heart rate. But as soon as I started the activity, the watch showed my heart rate as “—-“, and when I later finished the activity synced the data to Movescount, there was no heart rate data. Annoying.

So I tried stuff like unpairing my watch and the heart rate monitor. And repairing. And the same thing would happen.

And then it got worse … my SSU just stopped finding my HRM at all whenever I tried to re-pair.

I replaced the battery, hard reset the watch, un-paired the HRM from every other device and on and on … all to no avail. But there’s a good ending to this story.

In case you’re wondering, yes, I was soaking my chest strap as well to ensure there was enough moisture to conduct electrical pulses from my skin and so the chest strap had something to read and data to relay through the device.

Almost the whole time through this, I could still get my SSSWHR to connect … almost.

For awhile, my heart rate monitor performance was unpredictable, and I couldn’t stand it.

I mean really couldn’t stand it.

I count on heart rate data in my workouts to track how much work I’m doing and how much at what intensities. Without the HR data, my data has gaps and I my aggregate numbers get off. Since I really want that data, and I couldn’t get it from my SSU, it became almost unusable for me for awhile even though it is an amazing watch and can do so many other things.

This was no good.

It’s supposed to be a great watch! It IS a great watch! I’m the U.S. Endurance Community Manager for Suunto!!! … but my watch, within year 1, isn’t working!!!

Not a good situation.

Trawling the Internet for a Heart Rate Monitor Solution

Through my various attempts to getting a connection to happen, I did clean my strap. But not really clean it.

In trawling the internet for what people do about their HRMs, I found a forum post where someone went into depth about cleaning it. I decided to go Type A and clean every single thing I could to see if that would work. Because if a deep clean didn’t work, then it truly was a product defect and I’d send it back for a replacement.

How I Cleaned My Heart Rate Monitor

Prep: disconnect, un-pair, “forget” or otherwise completely sever the connections between your HRM and your watch, phone, bike computer and any other device you’ve connected it to. Get a bowl, dish soap, rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol and cotton swabs / q-tips.

Step 1: Fill a bowl with warm water and some dish soap. Place the chest strap into the bowl. Let it sit overnight.

UPDATES:

[1] Liquid dish detergent and laundry detergent are best.

[2] By “warm” I mean less than 100F (<40C). So, like “the middle” of your hot and cold settings. Very lukewarm or maybe a tad on the “when I put my finger in to test it, it feels slightly chill.”

[3] Yes, a bowl and not the laundry even though that’s what’s in the user guide.

Why? According to my biochemist bro:

For dish and laundry detergent: they don’t have any moisturizing additives that leave non-conductive deposits behind. The whole point of washing is to get rid of the non-conducting oils.

For water temp: hotter water will do a better job cleaning, BUT above 40C it will damage the elastics & stretchy fabrics in the band. And that breakdown is no good. (Fwiw, 40C is the hottest recommended temp by Suunto in the user guide.)

The crud that builds up on the electrodes and makes them non-conductive (so you stop getting accurate readings consistently) is a mix of greasy skin materials. Sweat is bad for your HRM band and the electronics because sweat includes oils and salts. That combination loves to stick to smooth, rubbery surfaces like the electrode pads. Detergents are their enemy and will wash them away.

And my take on why soak overnight instead of tossing in the laundry machine per the user guide (English PDF, other languages): less wear and tear. I’d rather my band sit in a little bit of water than get tossed around with my jeans.

H/T to Dimitrios Kanellopoulos for starting a convo with me that lead to adding this info! He’s active in this Suunto users group on FB. Join us.

Step 2: While the chest strap soaks, open the HRM to replace the battery. And then clean the battery with a q-tip and rubbing alcohol, on both sides. When the alcohol has evaporated, put the battery in. Using the q-tip and rubbing alcohol, swab around the sealing edges of the case but don’t swab directly on the electronics board. If the battery connectors look dirty, carefully swab those. Swab the entire removable casing/shell/battery cover. Finally, reinstall the cover.

Somewhat risky step … not liable for anything that may or may not happen if you do this: if you are still having data consistency issues after all this, some people say to put the battery in upside down for about 20 seconds. Not recommended because reverse voltage can damage electronics, and while the sensor probably has some voltage regulating safety bits, it’s best not to stress them with a battery the wrong way.

Step 3: Clean the connector terminals on the sensor. Whatever brand of HRM you use, there are likely two metal posts on the sensor that “snap” into the chest strap. That’s what I’m talking about. Swab those super clean with a q-tip and rubbing alcohol as well.

NOTE: Rubbing alcohol will also damage the elastics. So be careful where you swab (same in Step 5).

Step 4: (Next morning) Remove chest strap from water and dish soap solution. Rinse out the soap.

Step 5: Again with a q-tip and rubbing alcohol, swab out the receivers on the chest strap where the posts on the sensor snap in. Really get in there to wipe them clean.

Step 6: Let all the alcohol evaporate, run the chest strap under water or apply electrode gel. Put the strap on. Snap your sensor in. Reconnect to your devices, one at a time.

Step 7: As a result of your cleaning efforts, enjoy a HRM that works!

I Cleaned It. That Worked. Heart Rate Monitor Restored.

So after all that my SSU found and successfully paired with my HRM and hasn’t skipped a beat since.

So . . .

Yeah . . .

(Chest strap) Heart rate monitors need clean electrical lines to sense the electrical pulses of our heart beats and clean lines to send all that info from the strap to the sensor. If those lines (in the strap) and connections (from strap to sensor) get too dirty (easy to happen when you train daily and jump in a lake now and then), then they need to get cleaned.

OK! Now I can stop ranting about my HRM not working … because I know it’s my job to clean it.

New ritual: HRM deep clean every 2 months.

Between Deep Cleans, Try This:

Put a small drop of dish soap on the soft side of a kitchen sponge, and then quickly swipe the contact pads. This will keep the contact pads cleaner so you can go longer between deep cleans.

[FOR REFERENCE: I hear people have success using the Polar H10 belt and Bluetooth enabled HRM transmitter, and they say it’s more robust than the Suunto Smart Sensor, requiring less maintenance.]

[UPDATE Sep 2018: I got a Suunto 9 in June when it launched and have sold the Sport WHR.]

[UPDATE Dec 2018: I also sold my Ultra. All-in with the 9.]

By |2021-12-28T14:13:25-07:00September 30th, 2017|Triathlon|78 Comments
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Best Morning Routines: How 5 Friends Start Their Days

Is the routine I posted with screenshots of my morning routine app the “Best Morning Routine”?

After my post on my AM/PM routines, bunches of people messaged me:

“I got that morning routine app! I’m doing this!!”

Enthused, I said to myself, “Self! Why not see what they come up with? Maybe their routines will be helpfully ingenious.”

I asked a few friends if they’d be willing to have theirs published in a follow-up post.

They said yes … and here we are.

Their routines don’t disappoint.

Thanks, friends!

(Scroll down to see the best morning routine each of the five have made so far.)

P.S. That post also got the attention of producers at an internet radio station. They invited me in for an interview, and you can now listen the episode online: Start Your Day Strong (12:31).

Back to the question … is my routine the best morning routine? Maybe it is for me, but it’s probably not the best morning routine for you.

The best morning routine is what helps you have your best day, by covering what matters most to you, and that is a set of things you love doing, and that you believe in because you’ve tweaked and tested it yourself.

And now I’m pleased to present …

Routines From Five Super Rad People

hailing from both coasts, the midwest and the mountain west:

Mollie, Nate, Madi, JP and Danny

⇓⇓

Mollie

AM: 46 min // PM: 24 min

New York City
Best Morning Routine - Mollie and Blake
Mollie with her mad genius man and business partner, Blake.
Best Morning Routine - Mollie AM

Pretty simple. Pretty fast.

body = fluids, nutrients and cleaning

mind = meditation

spirit = gratitude

space = bed

What part do I like best?!

She does all that in AIRPLANE mode. NO disruptions! Genius, Mollie. Genius.

Here’s Mollie:

This concept of a morning routine has been evolving for me and has especially shifted now that I’ve taken up 3 new habits:

  1. Vedic meditation
  2. tea (instead of coffee), and
  3. a gratitude list in the AM rather than the PM.

With the Morning Rituals app, I like that it’s dynamic and I was able to update my routine to account for these new habits. And at the exact same time, I’m intent on tweaking until I get to a routine that works effortlessly; one that I know cold that I can do on autopilot.

I’m clear that this level of attention (like the level that this app provides) is the thing that will get me there!

@ Mollie — I’m sure it will!

BONUS: Mollie also shared her evening routine … which ends with putting her phone in Airplane mode (no disruptions while sleeping!). Have a look:

Mollie PM

Thanks again, Mollie!

Mollie runs Lecture Loft, The Nonverbal Group and Beyond Tells out of a sweet loft in the heart of Chelsea in New York City. I’ve hosted consulting workshops and attended parties there. If you need a space for 1-50ish people … or you could use development in your nonverbal communication and poker game … have a look at what she and Blake do.

Nate

AM: 2 hrs 37 min // PM: none

Salt Lake City, Utah
Best Morning Routine - Nate
Nate has interviewed 100+ couples and love experts around the country.
Best Morning Routine - Nate 1
Best Morning Routine - Nate 2

@ Nate — you da man! But seriously tho, that’s a long poop session … good grief.

Here’s Nate:

As I’ve developed a morning routine, I’ve noticed how much more energy and clarity I have during my day.

  • I wake up every morning and the first thing I do (after going to the bathroom) is exercise. I’m the kind of guy who will make ANY excuse not to work out … so I’ve started sleeping in my workout clothes so I have a total of 0 excuses.
  • After going for a run or doing my morning yoga …
  • I eat some food …
  • Do some breathing …
  • And then I allow myself to write without any constraints in my journal. It’s basically a word-vomit session. I just write whatever I’m thinking and feeling at the moment.
  • Then I give commentary on my thoughts and feelings. There are no rules during this writing session. Nothing is bad, nothing is good … it’s just clearing the clutter.
  • Then I do some reading or make myself some lunch (depending on how I’m doing on time) …
  • And take some time to write something more thoughtful.

I’m not perfect with this routine.

It’s still in development.

And during the days that I follow it, I feel like I am living my life instead of letting my life live me.

Nate is the creator of The Loveumentary, a podcast about healthy, long-lasting and wildly loving relationships, and co-founder of Unbox Love, a monthly date-in-a-box service for couples. His TEDx talk: Fight naked! And other epic love strategies (8:19), brought the house down in September 2015. Nate regularly speaks and hosts seminars to help singles and couples learn and improve the skills that build great relationships. And P.S., if you use Workfront to manage projects, jump into the Workfront Customer Success Portal where Nate is your front-line man.

Madi

AM: no app or timer, she just does // PM: none

Salt Lake City, UT
Best Morning Routine - Madi
Madi took her church’s ladies’ bball team to the city championship.

Madi doesn’t use an app. She’s been doing her thang for years and has her routine down.

That’s especially why I asked Madi to share her routine — to show you can use an app but you don’t need one to have a great morning.

Here’s Madi:

I love morning time. I love that it is a refreshing new start every 24 hours.

I wake up between 6:30-7:00 am most mornings. I love how quiet, cleansed, and still my soul feels.

I used to look at social media to help me wake up but I did away with that because it was a waste of time and never added to my morning experience in a good way.

  • I always try to start my day with a prayer. I think about the things I’m grateful for and I think about the things I need to accomplish for the day.
  • Then I hop to my feet and make my bed. I love when things are clean and in place, so I then tidy the rest of my room.
  • I always listen to my scriptures or a talk. Those tend to set the mood for the day. They help me feel happy and hopeful.
  • I love food so I always eat a yummy breakfast. Usually, it’s an egg, toast, and berries or a yogurt, toast, and berries. Food is healing, nourishing, and tastes great.
  • If I’m lucky I get a work out in. I love playing basketball; all that running reduces stress, and I get to be with some of my favorite friends.

All of these things help me have a powerful start to my day.

I feel endowed with a power that is motivating, faithful and happy.  

BOOM.

I love how Madi loves her mornings … didn’t you feel it? She’s smiling. And content. And cheerful. And pleasant. And simple about all this. It’s lovely.

ALSO, I can see that Madi is super clear on why she does each thing she does.

I’m positive that clarity-in-why counts.

I aspire to do my mornings as gracefully as Madi does.

Until then … I’ll lean on the app and it’s OK if you do too.

@ Madi — you’re awesome!

Madi loves basketball and works at Intermountain Health Care. Every Monday, she plans a mean-good activity for everyone at her church to attend for personal and social enrichment.

JP

AM: 2 hrs 19 min // PM: the reverse

Las Vegas (but I’m counting him for the midwest … Cincinnati hometown homeboys what?!)
Best Morning Routine - JP
JP blogs about the LA Kings, travel and Meal Prep Sundays.

JP and I go way back to Sycamore High School, specifically the SHS Marching Band where he was drum major and I was the drumline captain. Good times.

For years, JP’s been inspired by Ben Franklin’s daily outline:

Best Morning Routine - Ben Franklin

Check it out … a full three hour block before starting work!

After my post, JP kicked it up a notch using the app to add a little formality and structure to his routine, a boon considering his travel + startup founder schedule introduces loads of variability into his life.

IMG_6190

I like that he has two reading blocks.

The WSJ gives him access info that stirs and nurtures his business brain.

The second reading block is open to nurture non-business aspects of his brain.

Here’s JP:

It’s been a challenge to maintain any sort of routine given my work starting an airline.

I definitely see the merits and the importance of maintaining any sort of order to help balance out the chaos of entrepreneurship. A good friend from high school, Nat Harward, introduced me to the Morning Routine app, a straightforward tool for timing and managing specific tasks.

My background: I always maintained some sort of informal routine having been inspired by Ben Franklin’s daily outline (see above). It makes sense to maximize production given the limited amount of daylight that was afforded during colonial era. Basically, my routine consisted of waking up, a few light chores, breakfast, fitness and business throughout the day.

While I prided myself in, at least, making a schedule, more often than not leisure crept into my day, which would significantly mitigate productivity.

When I initially deployed the app into my schedule, it was simply to keep track and manage my morning routine. Having been inspired by Nat to read, I built that in along with Yoga. I’m a huge proponent of Yoga since I’m not 18 anymore and my fitness needs have changed the older I get.

So far my routine consists of:

  • Up – Get out of bed, recognize that it’s a new day
  • WSJ – Read the latest articles
  • Read – Any non-business related reading. Currently book written by a local Vegas pastor
  • Make Bed – Still fine tuning this time depending on how stubborn my pup is
  • Yoga – It says 20 minutes but some of the yoga videos I watch on YouTube last up to 30 minutes. This one varies but at least I have it set in the schedule.
  • Active – This could mean walking the dog or going for a run, the time may vary but, again, it’s locked into the schedule.

My night routine is the reverse of this.

Think of it as falling back down into my bed.

The biggest takeaway, for me, is how vital it is to have any sort of routine or set schedule.

More often than not, I had video games or other leisure activities creep into my daily schedule mitigating my overall productivity. In the few stable days I’ve been able to incorporate a routine, I’ve been astronomically productive to the point where I thoroughly enjoyed my downtime in the afternoon leading to the start of my evening routine.

I have plenty of friends who are envious of my zen-like attitude, but it’s not without careful planning. Yoga and being active are definitely main staples of my routine, so at the very least those are non-negotiable.

@ JP — reversing the AM routine as the PM routine is brilliant … falling back down into bed. Great way to think about it! Thanks man, eager to follow the Airline 4.0 story.

JP loves playing ice hockey and rooting for the Bengals and the LA Kings. He faithfully preps a week’s worth of meals on Sundays … except when he’s traveling to build Airline 4.0. Follow his meals and startup progress on Insta.

Danny

AM: 2 hrs // PM: none

Los Angeles
Best Morning Routine - Danny
Long story … but Danny, his lovely wife and I flew a small plane over LA with a former Romanian street car racer as our pilot (that’s the long part of the story). Said he, “99% of airspace is unregulated, so when I got tired of them chasing me in the streets, I took to the air.” True story.

I can’t say enough about Mr. ‘DannyRas.’ I haven’t even read through his routine yet, which I’m about 30 seconds away from pasting into this blog, and I’m giddy to see what he wrote about it.

First up, Danny’s preface:

Ever since I started listening to The Tim Ferriss Show podcast [Nat here, also a fan! I’m not a regular listener but I listen when a title catches my eye … as this one did: The Man Who Studied 1,000 Deaths to Learn How to Live], I’ve been obsessed with morning routines. I’ve tried probably around 20-30 different iterations before finally settling on what I’ve been using of late [[Good on ya! SEE … experiment experiment experiment 🙂 ]]. It’s simple and not particularly flashy, but seeing as I’m really not a morning person at all, I tend to give myself a break.

Danny’s simple, good-enough-for-a-non-morning-person Morning Routine:

Best Morning Routine - Danny 1

Simple indeed.

Here’s Danny (buckle up!):

As a natural night owl, mornings and I have never gotten along.

Mornings don’t like me and I don’t like mornings. If mornings were an animal, they’d be those noisy crickets that sound like they’re right by your ear but you can’t seem to locate the source.

I am not a happy person in the mornings.

In fact, I can be downright angry. Those who know me understand that this is counter to my very nature and disposition at all other hours of the day. I’m a happy guy … after 10AM. Before 10AM, it’s best to stay away. My brain is pretty much useless for a good hour after waking up. Meanwhile, my body is all about retaining its inertia in it’s perfect cocoon. My mind, meanwhile, performs one and only one function at that hour: silence the snooze and justify hitting it just one more time. When it comes to snooze justifications, my brain is straight-up Einsteinian.This is a daily struggle.

As a result, I’ve built my morning routine around three simple concepts:

  1. Activating my body,
  2. Activating my brain and
  3. Feeding my soul.

That’s it.Activate Body: get out of bed, move my body, shower/shave/get dressed, eat breakfast. Activate Brain: listen to podcast or audiobook, eat breakfast, Feed Soul: listen to inspiring audio First thing I do is I physically pry myself away from my covers and into the other room where I, in my catatonic state, attempt to clothe myself in the workout clothes I laid out the night before. This occurs with varying degrees of success. I grab my phone and headphones and turn on some form of inspiring audio, typically a podcast (like Tim Ferriss), an audiobook (currently: The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield [[Nat here … I HIGHLY recommend this book.]) or an inspiring talk (e.g. anything from #ldsconf) and walk out the door. The passive audio consumption begins the brain activation and soul feeding processes.

During my “workout,” I don’t care if I run in record time or leisurely stroll around the neighborhood.

My only goal is to move my body. That’s it. No judgment, no personal records. If I move my body, I succeed. When I get back, I go through the usual shower/shave/get dressed process. Nothing fancy here. If I take a longer shower, it just means I have to get dressed quicker. This is all a continuation of my “activate body” process, but it also helps me take the rest of my morning activities a little more seriously. This is especially important on the days that I’m working from home. Breakfast is either lovingly prepared by my wife or rushingly thrown together by yours truly. The inputs vary with one exception and that is fresh squeezed OJ. One of the perks of living in pricey Orange County is the abundance of cheap, sweet oranges at the local farmers markets. We go through a lot of oranges …

Once my body is awakened, exercised, bathed, clothed and fed, I’m ready to sit down for my communion session.

This is where I come to really feed my soul. I sit down at my desk, say a prayer and make a concerted effort to commune with my Heavenly Father. I just want to talk to him, and try and listen to what He has to tell me. That’s why during my communion session, I tend to focus on reading scripture. That’s where I get a lot of answers. Of all the activities I participate in during my morning routine, I find that this one provides the best ROI for the rest of the day.

After feeding my soul, I review my To-Dos for the day and it’s game on.

Game on!

I’m glad Danny’s ended up being last in order here because I think he’s set up a great pattern that anyone wanting to make or tweak their personal best morning routine can follow.

What parts of myself need waking up or nurturing in the morning?

Danny IDed for himself: body, brain, soul.

When charting your best morning routine, perhaps that’s the best question to start with … it’s not “what ‘should’ I do in the morning?” or “what does everyone else do in the morning that seems trendy and therefore good to do?”

The key questions are something more like, “As I think about what’s most important in life and what I want to accomplish each day, what parts of myself then do I want to take care of? What aspects of myself further my goals, and of those, which need the most support to establish momentum in the morning?”

@ Danny — You’re a rockstar! Way to take your known weaknesses and craft your best morning routine to lovingly work yourself awake each day. Thanks, brah.

Danny is a marketer and responsible for the growth the trampoline park franchise Big Air. He’s also one of the founding contributors of Normons, a blog about how Mormons are actually super normal. He and his wife, Ashley, are working on a forthcoming podcast about shame, conquering it and healing oneself of the impact. I can’t wait. He’s die hard for the Angels, In-n-Out and Twitter. Catch him at @dannyras.

So…..

What do you think? Who’s got the best morning routine?

If you were inspired or got any new ideas on crafting your best morning routine, I’d love to hear about it.

Leave a comment below.

# # #

To the app developers of Morning Routine (formerly Morning Rituals) … the lovely people of Ubicolor:

I got feedback from people that would be better in your hands than mine. Here’s a punchlist of feature requests that came my way:

  • Two modes: morning routine mode and night routine mode
  • Night routine mode: have an alarm that goes off at a set time to support us in starting the routine on time
  • Option for more than 2 modes or routine “lists” … sometimes the Sa/Su routine is different from M-F

Got more feedback? Send it via the comment form at the bottom of Ubicolor’s Press Kit.

To download the app, do that here ($2, no affiliate status; iOS only).

By |2023-11-09T01:11:51-07:00April 28th, 2016|General Life|2 Comments
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Morning + Evening Routines (with screenshots)

Recently on Quora someone asked about AM/PM routines, and in my answer I shared screen shots from my morning routine app to show what I do. Thought I’d republish here with some improvements.

Do you have a morning/night routine? What are they?

I sure do.

At the advice of Noah Kagan I downloaded a morning routine app called Morning Rituals ($2 in the AppStore, no affiliate status).

AM Routine: Screenshots from my Morning Routine App

Here’s my exact routine for the time being. I make adjustments here and there.

I don’t follow it to a T every day. It’s a great guide.

Btw, Morning Rituals released an update this week and the new UI is way cleaner than what you see below. New UI screenshots in my follow-up post with friends’ routines.

Morning Routine App: Morning Rituals

Lights -> best way to speed up wake up

Weigh -> I weigh myself with a FitBit Aria scale which sends weight and body fat % to my FitBit account. I don’t worry about the day to day. I look at the trends.

Water -> we lose a lot of H2O while asleep, great thing to replace in the morning

Make Bed -> surely you’ve seen this:

#1 lesson of basic Navy SEAL Training: “If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day.” – Admiral William H. McRaven, University of Texas at Austin 2014 Commencement Address

Morning Routine App: Morning Rituals

breathe -> aka meditate aka sit still and listen without thinking

read -> a real paper book

Side bar: One of the common bits of “How to Be a Good Mormon” wisdom that, IMHO, gets tossed around rather cavalierly is “just read your scriptures for 15 minutes a day.” As a full-time missionary I relished in a full hour of personal study time each day and another full hour with my assigned companion. And that’s how every day went. I also had no idea what else I would do in the mornings to be productive, and it was the first time in life I wasn’t a full-time student. So for both those reasons, I loved having the study time as much as an approved diversion as it was independently fulfilling.

Outside of being a full-time missionary (and up until Jan 2016), I can’t say I made a habit of reading 15 minutes of anything on a daily basis. Perhaps through long sections of high school and college I did read 15 minutes or more every day — but that would have been assigned reading. Reading by assignment and reading by choice … two different experiences and outcomes.

Well, I’m now several weeks into reading just 10 minutes a day of what I want and simply because I want to. And … I’ve discovered … 10 minutes is plenty of time to cover a lot of meaningful ground. I think I discounted the advice to read 15 min daily because people said it like it was something everyone “should” do. But I never heard the advice by someone using first-person pronouns and present-tense verbs (see Clayton Christensen’s 2002 piece on this, just below “Constants and Variables”), and hence, I wasn’t believably touched or inspired by this suggestion.

Well, I am reading 10 minutes a day and it’s fantastic. It’s fantastic on the level of daily accomplishment, like making my bed; it’s fantastic on the level of seeing myself work through books when normally finishing a book had been a rarer occurrence; it’s fantastic on the level of starting my day by thinking about what I want to think about — typically something enriching — vs. staring with what my inbox wants me to think about.

Currently reading The Articles of Faith and other works.

10 ideas -> a la James Altucher and his Ultimate Guide for Becoming An Idea Machine

reddit -> I jump on to support people with questions on r/triathlon and r/running and learn from the other experienced people there

Morning Routine App: Morning Rituals

fig4 + lunge + pigeon -> stretches for my hips … I run a lot, this helps

crunch-push-plank -> core strength … I run a lot, this helps

workout -> 59 minutes is the max time allowable on the app right now … I do whatever my workout calendar calls for and either pause, exit, or advance this morning routine app to adjust accordingly

fuel -> post-workout: mix of carbs + protein is essential to solid recovery

Morning Routine App: Morning Rituals

goodies -> fish oil, safflower oil, vitamin D, digestive matrix; sometimes magnesium, glutamine and vitamin B12

shower + dress -> final stage to get ready for the day

stop -> is where the morning routine ends. I stop the timer, exit the app, and come back to that spot when it’s time for my night routine.

PM Routine: Screenshots from my Morning Routine App

Morning Routine App: Morning Rituals

stop -> I resume here at night time and use that minute to close up whatever I am doing

change -> a strong action and change of physical state to signal to my mind that the day’s work is done and I’m now headed for bed

“fish” “oil” + “night” “pill” -> a little healthy fat (fish oil, an omega-3) before bed is a good way for me to keep general inflammation down and support proper brain function. I take melatonin only if I’m feeling super alert and/or in a sub-optimal sleep environment.

Morning Routine App: Morning Rituals

brush -> duh

floss 1 tooth -> as Ramit Sethi says (on page 6), tell yourself to floss just one tooth and you’ll end up flossing them all

3 actions+attr -> I reflect on my day and write down 3 actions I am pleased I took that day and the attribute that I have that matches that action

read (part 2) -> while I listen to lots of books during the day, while driving, and so on, this time is reading a paper book. What I’m currently reading.

There are lots of options for your morning routine app and the routine you choose.

Good luck!

P.S. Find any of that helpful or inspiring? I’d like to know. Leave a comment or otherwise holler at me.

By |2021-01-15T15:37:23-07:00April 5th, 2016|General Life|2 Comments
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