Weighing future Outcomes? Reasons to Do Things That Suck- Life Hacking

Last week, as I was cheating and biting into a impulse-buy brownie, I thought to myself. "Self, this tastes so good now, but it will feel bad in a couple of hours. It's going to cause my stomach to be upset, my blood sugar to crash, and I will
feel cranky and tired soon." Then I ate it. Then I started thinking about how, unless I am at peak condition. "Man you really love the fact that you lifted or ran after the fact, but the whole time you are exercising you are complaining in your head how much it sucks." So here's what I did.

Becoming Better - Build a Cathedral

As I enter the dark jungle that is personal blogging and reflection in order to catch happiness, I am making sure I am prepared. I am reading, reading, reading. Currently I am reading Personal Branding for Dummies, and the author retold a parable that motivated me:

Many years ago a trio of masons were checked upon by their master. When asked what he was doing the first mason replied, "I am laying bricks." The second mason was asked the same question and replied, "I am making sure all the bricks are square and plumb." The third mason was spreading concrete onto the bricks. When asked by the master what he was doing, the third replied, "I am building a cathedral."

This story shows how a simple frame shift in your point of view can improve your self-esteem and self-worth. All three masons were building a cathedral. Only the third realized the true meaning of his work.

It reminds me of an interview question I was asked when applying for my current job. When asked what I taught, I realized that the interviewer was looking for something deeper than the content. I should have answered "students". Even though I was teaching students I didn't have the confidence to realize that my work was building something great.

Everyone should stop and think about why they are doing what they are doing. Really stop and think. There is probably a great outcome to your work and you don't even realize it. Once you do, it will empower you.

However, if you cannot find any cathedrals being built, perhaps it's time for a change?

See you all tomorrow. Keeping on chasing happiness.

-P
Challenge - 17/30

 

Join the Fit Nation - Fitocracy

Here's another way I hold myself accountable for workouts: Fitocracy.

In case you aren't familiar with what fitocracy is it's one part WoW, one part Facebook, and one part fitness logger.

I've been a member since beta and it has gone through as many changes as Facebook. Most for the better.

The site has probably one of the most supportive communities you'll find anywhere. All you have to do is post your first workout and you will have dozens of strangers giving you "props" (fitocracy's version of the "like" button) and people friending you left and right. I've never had a negative interaction with a member.

It's interface is very user friendly. Everything is where you intuitively think it should be.

The best part, for me, is the role playing aspect of it. Every time you log a workout, you earn experience points. Earn enough and you level up. It has challenges in the forms of quests that will give you bonus xp for completing them. The challenges are my favorite part, even though it seems like they haven't added one in a while.

If you have played any of the next gen consoles or an mmorpg, they also have badges you can earn by completing certain milestones. (Give X props, do X number of pull ups, swim X miles).

It even has a cute robot mascot.

Best of all, the site is nearly completely free! Both the android and apple apps are also currently free, and if I am not mistaken there aren't many adds on their site.

There is a paid version, called Fitocracy Hero, which unlocks the ability to add additional customisation to your profile, and gives you the ability to challenge other users. It's currently completly optional.

 I think it's a fun, supportive way to engage your workouts. And it's addictive, but healthier than video games.

Hope to see you there. Keep on catching happiness.
-P
Challenge 16/30

If you do decide to join, let me know. If you already are a member you can look me up there: PJRILSTU.

Believe in Your Students - Even the Bad Ones

I am a teacher. Part of building a better me also involves exploring ways to be a better educator. This following video shows something very important to me. I think I do my best to follow all the advice in this Ted Talk, but I know I can be better at it. If you aren't an educator, but manage people or want people to do their best for you, the advice given works the same way; just substitute students with people or employees.

First, students won't learn from you if they don't like you.
Second, they won't like you if you show that you don't like them (verbally or non verbally).

If you want to improve motivation and inspire students, believe in them. Show them you believe in them. Even when they fail; Believe in them. Sometimes you will be the only person that believes in them. Even if you don't like them; Believe in them. Did I mention...? Believe in them.

If you believe in them, they will work for you, they will learn. They will believe in you.

-P
Creative Challenge: 15/30 -50% of the way there!!!! WOOT WOOT

Joss Whedon is My Master Now - Commencement Edition

Joss Whedon gave a commencement speech over the weekend. You can see it here.

It's one of the most motivating speeches I've heard, and basically covers the reasons that I started really working on this blog. To sum it up:

• You are going to die.
• You can't change the world. It changes you.
• You will never be satisfied.
• You can make it better by listening to the voice that screams for change and accept that it will never shut up.

I really started posting on this blog because after the birth of my daughter, I was forced to deal with my mortality. I realized that while I am successful, I want more. I want to be happier. I want to listen to that voice that's never satisfied. I want to change.As all the kids are saying; #YOLO.  Join me as I chase my happiness.

Strong stuff. True stuff. What do you think?

- P
Creativity Challenge 14/30

 

I failed... and how that's awesome.

Special post.

I failed. Big time. And it's awesome. Here's why. Today I tried to work through a body weight workout in a book that I have: You Are You Own Gym by Mark Lauren. It's the same workout that I tried about a year and a half ago. I remember being sore from it, but I completed it with no problem last time.

Tonight was different. I barely made it half way through the workout. My muscles are so weak. I am so out of shape. I am discouraged, but you know what? I didn't let myself down. I'm not scared. I tried it and I failed.

So instead of harping on myself for letting myself get this out of shape, I am encouraged to try again. I am going to let my muscles heal. I bet I am going to be experiencing some DOMS (delayed onset muscle sorness) tomorrow or thurs. Some ice and some stretching should help.

Tomorrow I will run then work out some other muscles from a workout in this book. It's going to suck. But thats okay. Next week when I try this same workout, I will be slightly better. Maybe I won't physically notice an improvement, but I sure feel a mental improvement already.

-P

How to turn your life around - Plan Your Summer Break

Summer of Awesome Sweetness:

I am a teacher, so I get my summers off just like my students. I like working on projects during the summer. Sometimes I work longer and harder during the summer than at times during the school year. Usually, I just spin my wheels and picking up knowledge for knowledges sake. I realize now that it helps to have a plan. So here are the plans.

Goal One: Sign up for more races!

If I don’t, I will not meet my goal to run 10 races by the end of the year. Right now I have 2/10.
Suggestions for races in the Midwest are more than welcome. In order to do this I need to make sure that I keep up with training and working out. I am going to continue running four days a week, and add on resistance training tonight.
 
Goal Two: Challenge of Organization
Once I complete my Blogging challenge in two weeks, I will begin this challenge. What will I be doing? Going through all my hard drives and organizing the files. Organize and coordinate clothes, DVDs, CDs, books. Clean out the closets. Load up bags and bags to be taken to good will and the recycling center. Turn the garage and laundry rooms into studios.
 
Continue to Create:
This summer I am going to finish uploading my website. I am will post interesting blog posts and personal updates on my quest to be a better person. I am going to upload my science themed webcomic to the website, and help students worldwide through it. I am going to finish additional episodes of my webseries “Science Scenes” for students, teachers and educators everywhere.
 
Get in the Water: I need to scuba dive over the summer. It is on my 2013 bucket list.

Search out the next big things: In 2005, I wrote a thesis, In 2006 I started my first real career as a scientist. In 2007, I ran a marathon. In 2008, I went to Italy. In 2009, I went back to school and changed careers. In 2010 … well that was a year of change and preparation so it can be excused. In 2011, I got married and bought a house. In 2012, we had a baby. I want adventures. I want new things. Ramping this blog up is something, but I want more. I have some things in the works. Once school ends I will post more.

See you all tomorrow. Keep up the good work.

-P

Creative Challenge 13/30

Nerd Fitness: 6 week challenge

So, as I have posted before, I am a huge fan of what the Steve and friends have going on over at Nerdfitness.

Every six weeks they have a 6-week challenge. I have been meaning to join one for months, but just never got around to it. (You know what they say about good intentions.)

I'm going to crush this challenge!

Here are my goals:
Fitness:
1. Run 4 times a week - I am training for various mud run races this summer and love my long runs. I have just gotten back into it, and have made an arrangments with my wife to have days set aside for running.
2. Do a body weight work out at least 2 times a week - I have a workout planned, I just haven't started.

Diet:
1. No more than 20oz. of soda daily. (I am currently downing 1-2 liters a day!) Cutting down to 20 oz. will be a challenge, but I have done it in the past. Going cold turkey doesn't work for me. I need to cut back for a couple weeks. If I can do this for a couple of weeks, I will cut back even more; eventually weaning myself down to 0 oz.
2. No more junk food detours on the way to and from work.

Level Up my life:
1. Continue blogging on my blogspot account. http://catchityourself.blogspot.com/
(At least 3 times a week). I am currently running a 30 day challenge to blog once a day and am on day 12/30
2. Set up my science education website - I just registered the domain less than a week ago and am waiting for the domain to be transfered to my hosting company.

That's it for now.

Thanks for coming by!

-P Challenge 12/30

The "One Touch Rule" - Lifehacking

Happy Sunday. Back to the grind tomorrow.

I have been trying something lately, and it seems to be working. It is a habit in line with the "Do it Now" mantra.

It's called "The One Touch Rule". This rule applies to those tasks that are undertaken countless times during the week: email, snail mail, dishes, laundry, blog posts, etc. I can't take credit for coming up with this idea. I have read it in many self help books, I'm not sure who gets the props

If you don't know "The One Touch Rule", it goes like this.

1.  Before beginning a task: Decide if you have the time to complete the task properly.
2. If you have the time: Complete the task 100%.
3. If you do not have the time: Do not start the task until you have the time.

Completing tasks 100% might seem like  more time, but in reality you are saving time in the long run.

Example: You finish eating dinner. You scrape off your dish and put it in the sink. You leave the dish in the sink. You do something else. You return to the sink. You take the dish back out rinse it, and put it in the dishwasher.

Those are a lot of actions. Each time you change actions your brain wastes time deciding what to do next. In addition, leaving tasks unfinished puts stress on your mind and body. If you are anything like me, you run the risk of forgetting about the dish, and having to rinse the dish more thoroughly the second time around.

Instead, by following "The One Touch Rule" you scrape your dish, rinse it off, and place it in the dishwasher. You will not have the stress of an unfinished task, your brain will not waste as much time switching between tasks, and you've saved yourself a trip to and from the kitchen sink.

This might only save you a few seconds to a few minutes and you might be tempted to say, 'I'll get around to it later. It's not saving me that much time'. Remember though, you are following "The One Touch Rule" numerous times during the day. Added up, you can save yourself tens of minutes and mental stress you may not have known you had.

As an added bonus, each time you complete a task 100% your brain releases hormones that produce a pleasant effect; building your self esteem and motivation, and diminishing that nasty "I'm scared" excuse.

Keep up the awesome work. I'll see you tomorrow.

-P
Creativity Challenge: 11/30

2013 Goal Reached - and Sunday Rewards.

Great news on the awesome front! Back in February, I listed some of my goals for 2013. One of my goals was to raise $1000 for a charity. The charity I chose was St. Jude's Children's research hospital. This hospital holds a special place in my family because a cousin credits this organization with saving her life.

She was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor when she was a child. Because of St. Jude, her family was able to afford cutting edge treatments and travel expenses. This charity made a difference. Through their treatments, my cousin beat a 6 months-to-live diagnosis and has been in remission for nearly two decades!

With the help of my family and friends I have been able to raise $1220 for charity! I can scratch this off my 2013 list, but I'm not done yet. The race is not for another two weeks, so I still have time to destroy this goal even more!


Also, I have slipped in keeping score for my motivation game, but I did record enough experience points to be able to draw a card today. My win? A motivational quote. I almost have enough for another card next week. Only drawing once gives me more motivation to record my xp this week.

"You know the rule ... if you are falling - dive" - Joseph Campbell
 

Keep up the good work. See you again tomorrow.

-P
Creativity Challenge 10/30 (33%)