APP: Alert, Productive, Positive
In today's video I explore how I developed a morning routine that leaves me feeling alert, productive and in a positive state of mind, and how you can too. The keys are letting it evolve organically, abandoning those elements that make you less likely to enjoy and repeat the process, and making sure that every component serves your goals, even if one of your goals is to do nothing (e.g. meditate). If you use the information to develop your own effective routine, please come back and share the details in the comments! Maybe we can crowdsource this thing and make it even better!
Listen to the Podcast
Not a Morning Person
Since I started using this method I have not missed a day and I am by no means a hero of will power, especially in the mornings. I do it because I like to and because if I don't ... I don't get out of bed. In fact, my whole life I thought I was "bad at waking up" and doomed to "wake up tired." Doctors even prescribed me anti-depressants based primarily on this symptom.
Sugar Matters Too
While dramatically reducing my sugar intake (through the ketogenic diet) definitely made it easier for me to fall asleep, get good sleep, and wake up less groggy, it didn't put me in "attack-the-day mode." The routine I developed definitely does, but more importantly, I think my methodology could help anyone develop the right routine for themselves. If it doesn't, and you're still having trouble getting up in the mornings and feeling alert, I highly recommend the ketogenic diet.
Jordan B. Peterson
Oddly enough, my approach was heavily influenced by Professor of Psychology Jordan B. Peterson's "Maps of Meaning" lecture series available on YouTube, though in truth his lectures are so rivetting and mind-blowing, they are influencing nearly every aspect of my life. I couldn't recommend watching them more.
CONTROL
One of the things I discuss briefly in the video is how the exercises make me feel in control of my body. This is important because studies have demonstrated "just how essential a sense of control is for mind and body alike. Having a sense of control, for instance, has been consistently linked with physical health. People who feel in control of their lives report better health, fewer aches and pains, and faster recovery from illnesses than other people do. They also live longer. Indeed, having a sense of control is so important that if we don’t have it, we make it up."
Resources
Study on the effects of hyperventilation and breath-holding
5 Real Scientific Benefits of Cold Showers
My video on How/Why to take cold showers
An animated explanation of the Wim Hoff Method
Dr. David Burns' TEDx Talk: Feeling Good
Jon Kabat-Zinn's Lying Meditation
Already have a great routine? Share the deets in the comments!
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