5 AM Club: Trying Again
What's up, Hive! I hope you are all doing well. It's Easter Sunday now and that's just one reason to celebrate our numerous opportunities to try again and live out brand new and better lives.
This is another one of my Personal Development (PD) Digest where I'll be sharing some of the things I've been working on for my personal growth and improvement. My first PD Digest was over a month ago and so many things have happened since then.
At the start of March 2022, I started using a new task management App called Tick Tick, and one of its features that I really like is its Habit Tracker. Since last year, I've been wanting to develop a good morning routine and that included the habit of Waking at 5 AM.
Reading The 5 AM Club helped me jump-start my efforts of waking up early to do my ideal morning routine. But it hasn't been easy. I find that changes to my environment disturb some of the habits I've put in place. It's been two months since we returned to our house after the super typhoon hit us last year.
With my new environment to readjust and redesign my habits, I decided to take a slow restart in trying again to develop a habit of waking up at 5 AM. I thought a 7-day streak would be a good start. I was able to do it but unfortunately, I couldn't keep it going. This month, I'm challenging myself to achieve a 14-day streak.
For me, waking up early or at 5 AM is one of the things that make up my ideal day. When I start my day at 5 AM, I get the satisfaction of having so many things done already by morning and I still have so much time to do other things or to rest by afternoon or at night.
The most difficult part for me with waking up at 5 AM is stopping myself from relying on my feelings in deciding whether I should get up or go back to sleep. There are times when even though I've slept early the night before, I still go back to sleep after waking up at 5 AM because "I don't feel like getting up."
Again, today is Easter Sunday and with it is the hope of a brand new life and the chance to try again. So I will try again.
Moving Up: Reputation Score of 70 on Hive
I used to not care about reputation scores on Hive before. But ever since I became a curator for OCD, I've been more mindful of those numbers beside an author's name. I slowly understood what they meant and implied. It's one of my gauges when it comes to curation.
Recently, I just reached a Reputation Score of 70. That is something to be proud of since that signifies I've been in the blockchain for some time already, I've published quite a number of posts that gained decent upvotes because of their quality, and I've interacted with a handful of people for most of my time here.
According to the Hive FAQ Page, "The reputation score is one way Hive measures the amount of value you have brought to the community."
You can read this post to understand more about how the reputation score is calculated. The math is a bit technical and unclear but what's clear is that you increase your reputation by posting quality content and through engagement.
Climbing up the reputation ladder becomes more difficult as you get higher (because of the logarithmic system) but I will aim to hit a reputation of 71 or even 72 by the end of this year and that means being more consistent with my posts and engagement.
You Don't Do Yoga, You Practice Yoga
Years ago, I never would have thought that I'd be into yoga. Being a gym-goer, perhaps but a yogi, no. Ever since my first yoga class at a studio, I was drawn to the idea of unifying the breath, movement, and awareness. I couldn't quite explain the feeling of calmness I had days after doing a yoga class.
During the pandemic, I was able to finish a 28-day yoga program that was on YouTube. I witnessed how my body progressed throughout the program and I also started to see the benefits of meditation.
Yoga is such a deep practice and there is so much more to it than just the movement part. But one of the best feelings I've had in life is being drenched in sweat after a strong yoga class.
I'm now leveling up my yoga practice and that includes doing yoga every morning as part of my routine and joining a regular yoga class in a studio. I was so happy to know that a new yoga studio had opened near my workplace and the price of each class is not as expensive as the other studios.
As I'm progressing, I'm amazed by the things that my body could do. I'm currently learning to do my Crow Pose but recently, I've achieved greater flexibility and mobility than I thought I ever had. A deep Seated Forward Fold was impossible for me last year and now I could bring my forehead down to my knees already.
From my latest finished book: "The ability to speak is a shortcut to distinction."
The latest book that I read is How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. I was surprised to know that the book was published during the 1930s and its teachings are still applicable to this day.
The book was a quick read and the "principles" laid out in the book were very practical. I will cover more of my takeaways from the book in my future book review of it.
Near the end, I discovered my favorite quote from the book and that inspired me to pursue a skill-enhancing endeavor. The quote was, "The ability to speak is a shortcut to distinction." I couldn't agree more. I know how being a good communicator and negotiator opens a lot of doors of opportunities. And because of this, I have decided that I will be joining a local Toastmasters Club sooner than I had originally planned.
Learning to Rest and Do Nothing
I had a mini burnout episode last March after pushing myself too hard with working on my thesis. I encountered a major problem and it got me spiraling into an unhealthy period of inactivity. I've been too caught up with doing more and more that I didn't pay attention to my energy levels, physically and emotionally.
Working on weekends has become normal for me and I even take pride and satisfaction in the thought I always push myself and make myself busy all the time.
That mini burnout episode was a wake-up call for me to take it easy and find time to recharge. I want to do and achieve a lot of things but not at the expense of my sanity.
For this month, I was mindful in deliberately scheduling days to rest and do nothing. There is a slight withdrawal pain and I am still a bit guilty about spending a lot of my time doing "unproductive things" and just resting. But I know I must stop myself from pushing myself too hard if I want to be able to keep doing the things I want to do in life.
Some quotes to leave you by
I discovered the quote above from one of my Life Coaching Course lectures. The topic was Core Values and it resounded with me when I encountered it. When all our basic needs have been met, there's nothing else for us to do but be ourselves, our true selves capable of so many things in life and becoming the best version that we can become.
To end this post, I want to leave you with this stirring poem by Steve Maraboli.
Why Not You?
Today, many will awaken with a fresh sense of inspiration.
Why not you?
Today, many will open their eyes to the beauty that surrounds them.
Why not you?
Today, many will choose to leave the ghost of yesterday behind and seize the immeasurable power of today.
Why not you?
Today, many will break through the barriers of the past by looking at the blessings of the present.
Why not you?
Today, for many the burden of self doubt and insecurity will be lifted by the security and confidence of empowerment.
Why not you?
Today, many will rise above their believed limitations and make contact with their powerful innate strength.
Why not you?
Today, many will choose to live in such a manner that they will be a positive role model for their children.
Why not you?
Today, many will choose to free themselves from the personal imprisonment of their bad habits.
Why not you?
Today, many will choose to live free of conditions and rules governing their own happiness.
Why not you?
Today, many will find abundance in simplicity.
Why not you?
Today, many will be confronted by difficult moral choices and they will choose to do what is right instead of what is beneficial.
Why not you?
Today, many will decide to no longer sit back with a victim mentality, but to take charge of their lives and make positive changes.
Why not you?
Today, many will take the action necessary to make a difference.
Why not you?
Today, many will make the commitment to be a better mother, father, son, daughter, student, teacher, worker, boss, brother, sister, & so much more.
Why not you?
Today is a new day!
Many will seize this day.
Many will live it to the fullest.
Why not you?
