ZZZZ's Journal Vol. 1: Winter Workup

[ZZZZ]

Timeframe: December 12th, 2018 – March 1st, 2018 (essentially all winter, with slight variation)

Update commitment: I will update this journal at least twice a week, but on no two consecutive days. This is to hold myself accountable, while keeping internet addiction to a minimum, and making this about tangible progress instead of a way to garner attention, waste time, etc. This will also give me time to contemplate my thoughts, progress, and insights before uploading them.

General intention: Work towards long and short term goals while altering habits in order to maintain a healthier, more authentic, and fulfilling lifestyle. Evaluate the healthy and unhealthy factors in my life. 

Habits to maintain daily/weekly (updating this within the first 2 weeks to keep achievable yet stimulating goals. Minimums will only increase in the future.):

Health

• Maintain weightlifting routine--full body workout weekly (maintain or exceed last week's intensity, do not skip any muscle group)
• 15 minutes of stretching and/or bioenergetics daily
• Consume at least maintenance level calories daily
• Shop for healthy foods that will facilitate nutrition goals (when applicable)

Spiritual/Truth

• Meditate (20+ mins daily)
• 40 minutes of miscellaneous non-duality work daily (Additional meditation, self-inquiry, reading, etc. May overlap with self-development)

"Self"-development

• Watch at least one personal development video weekly
• Read at least one chapter of a book weekly (any topic, extracurricular)
• Study at least one lecture for exams ahead of time weekly (when applicable)

Temporary habits to obtain short-term goals:

• Watch practice management videos daily until completion of CE course

Habits to reduce and eliminate:

• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Smoking
• Porn (and similar)
• Eating processed/fried/sugary foods, or a generaly unbalanced diet
• Screen time (phone, video games, computer, TV)

Long term goals:

• Gain 10 pounds (mostly muscle, no water weight)
• Reduce clutter (embrace a minimalist lifestyle)
• Establish and maintain meaningful relationships, cut out unhealthy relationships
• Work towards career mastery 
• Raise GPA

Short term goals (updated with start and stop dates):

• Stop pulling on beard/touching face (stress induced habit)
  • Started: 12/12/18 -- Complete:
• Complete practice management course (related to career)
  • Started: 12/12/18 -- Complete: 
• Start and complete 12 session Jiujitsu program
• Trip (DMT?)

Insight of the week:

• 12/09 - 12/15: 

 

Edited December 11, 2018 by ZZZZ

[ZZZZ]

I don't really have a format picked for how I want to write my entries, so I'll just kind of give a brief update on how my last couple days have been going, and what I plan to do with my goals and this journal moving forward. 

This has been pretty tough for me right now for me, because I have been visiting back home with family, and the change in environment makes a lot of these objectives a bit more difficult to address. 

On track

• Had a great workout with my Dad the other day. I like going to the gym with him, because it reminds me of when we used to go together when I was a kid. Now I can actually surprise him with my strength at times, and learn from his vast fitness knowledge.
• Meditation has been pretty consistent. I've been sitting in half lotus again lately and it feels solid, but it's really tight getting out. I need to start incorporating stretching before hand. I've been falling asleep towards the end of most sessions. I need to work on that.
• I've been watching lots of personal development videos on my free time lately. Alan Watts makes so much more sense to me now. 
• I've been pulling at my beard and touching my face a lot less, especially today. It's still a habit, I am just hoping it's subsiding. Haven't done anything in particular to stop, just trying to stay mindful about it.

Off track

• Alcohol consumption has been WAY up since being home. Pretty much every day. I think I've got it handled for now. It's tough when family and friends want to bond over a drink. (silver lining: haven't smoked at all since I left)
• Need to incorporate a more formal stretching routine. Need to relearn bioenergetics positions to work those in too.
• Diet has been a mix of good and bad... But mostly bad. Lots of sugar (my Dad is an influence here) and lots of unhealthy and fried foods while eating out. Luckily no fast food. Silver lining: I've been eating the calories I need (I think... Maybe I'll start counting again soon).
• Need to get started on that CE course. Hopefully tomorrow

Moving forward

• Need to make sure I read something this week
• Delete old videos/pictures of ex's off my phone
• Clean up contacts list to keep relationships healthy
• Consider deleting Reddit (the only social media I have left) and the dating apps
• Get started on my CE course
• Figure out how I feel about the caffeine content in pre-workout and take a stance on that moving forward. Hasn't been excessive so far. 
• Watch bioenergetics videos/determine a stretching routine