Today is in the books.
Funny story, I thought I had work so that’s how I got my walk in this morning.
Whatever works :)

I can’t believe its been 20 days exercising. I ought to be proud of that.

What have I learned?

• Walking is boring
• It’s important to disconnect
• Any amount counts
• Focusing on a destination helps
• Focusing on a reason helps too
• Thoughts before, during, and after are different
• Writing helps anchor it in
• 30 day challenges rock!

Allow me to break this down a bit further...

Walking is boring

The truth is walking is boring. It feels lonely at times too. To help with this I would suggest listening to music or positive audio. For me, I think it depends on my mood. Both have the positive effect of focus and makes the time spent more enjoyable. Music puts a kick in your step, positive audio will help your brain by having ideas flowing that weren’t previously available to you. Another idea is to have someone to walk with you. The simple act of connecting with someone while exercising helps me feel less alone. But I am a bit of a spazz, so sometimes it backfires :)

It’s important to disconnect

This one may counteract listening to music or positive audio. I think doing that is okay. What I am talking about here is to not look at your phone while exercising. I mean, since I was walking it’s easier to fall into this trap because in todays day and age it has become so automatic in our culture. Just as I said that I looked at my phone...damnit! There are countless notifications and distractions on our smart phones. For me, these are definitely annoying af when I’m trying to be calm and enjoy the experience. If you can, leave the phone at home. Go old school, off-the-grid, and use older technology like a walkman or cassette player. If that feels too extreme then just put your phone in airplane mode, or leave it in your pocket or better yet, at home. Also, connecting in nature is one of the best connections to make ;)

Any amount counts

When I first started this challenge I would try to walk for 1 to 2 Pomodoros.

1 Pomodoro = 25 minutes

As the experiment went on I began to stop caring about that stop. I stopped being so rigid with it and stopped timing everything. Instead I just walked or ran. I think timing does help, but to me its more important to break in the habit. If you want to start, start small. Like really small, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes. The point is to just get going on it and make it less scary. I like this approach because it takes the pressure off. With that said, I think a total of 45 minutes a day is a good goal each day, but yeah, any amount is fine. I noticed by doing this I just started doing it without thinking so much. I would just be like, I feel anxious and decided to leave the house and go for a walk. Simple as that :)

Focusing on a destination helps

For me, having a destination definitely helps.

• Is there some part of the city I want to explore?
• Do I want to stay in my hood?
• Do I want or need something?
• Am I craving coffee or food?
• Do I have plans with someone where I can exercise to get there?

Focusing on a reason helps too

Reasons for getting out of the house to exercise helps too

• Coffee :) Just wanting coffee to get my ass out the door is enough
• Is there somewhere I can go to do some work?
• Is there someone I can see?
• Is there something going on in the city?
• Do I need to go grocery shopping? Yes :D

Thoughts before, during, and after are different

I mentioned this in my previous post (Day 19).

Here is the diagram I mentioned there:

Before: I don’t wanna→going back and forth in your mind→getting to the point of actually doing it

During: Glad to be out of the house→Sense of calm/fighting negative thoughts→momentum/natural state/enjoyment

After: A bit calmer→anxiety has gone down, ability to focus and concentrate →flow state

This is something I want to feel more of. I mean obviously, I have felt some of before and during, but after is where the magic is. I want to really feel the effects of exercise. But like they say, it’s a marathon not a sprint. This was the original intent of doing this challenge. This is what interests me the most out of everything. I want to see what positive effects I can accumulate through exercising. I still have some time left to experience this. And it’s not like I need to stop at Day 30, I most likely will keep it going honestly, and I’ll keep kicking it up a notch too.

Writing helps anchor it in

This might be my favorite part of the challenge so far actually. I like it because it gives me more reason to keep it up. Writing definitely helps anchor the challenge to make it more meaningful.

There a few positive things I see here:

• Writing helps me make sense of it
• I enjoy the process of it
• I enjoy the solitude of it
• It makes me proud to accomplish something
• Putting it out in the world is a growth experience
• It’s a challenge in and of itself
• I like expressing myself in this way
• Connecting with people online is a positive side benefit

30 day challenges rock!

This challenge has got me thinking of the next challenge I want to tackle.
So far, I am thinking of something to do with my voice and career.

What kind of challenge would I want to do with my voice?

For starters, they need to combine facing a fear and badassery. LOL!!!

Here are some ideas that pop into my head when I think of this:

• Make music (record it, perform it)
• Take a public speaking class
• Take an acting class
• Socialize more often than not (every day if possible)
  -In person
  -On phone
  -Skype
  -Meetups
• Make a documentary
• Listen to Talking to Win Paraliminal everyday
• Start a fun project involving others
• Interviewing people I find interesting
• Any combination of above

For my career, I am thinking of just going full force for a year to really start to figure this out.

For this I want to:

• Face fears
• Do things I fucking actually want to do
• Move in a direction I’m proud of
• Connect with like-minded people in the industries I would be interested in working in
  -Personal development
  -Bloggers
  -Filmmakers
  -Writers/Authors
  -Artists
  -Musicians
  -Weirdos
• Okay with active and passive incomes

Things I need to:

• Quit
• Find somewhere else to put my time in
  -I’m not opposed to working somewhere. In fact, this is an easier transition for me right now. The point is I want to enjoy the work I do.
• Connect with people who are already achieving something I want for myself
• Attend workshops, fairs, anything that helps me move forward

I am excited for what is to come next.

I would appreciate an upvote and/or follow. No pressure though.

Many more journeys to come. Life is going to get more interesting.

<3 gregg