Taking Inventory of What Works and What Doesn’t

When I’m feeling off, I want to know why that is so I can fix it. What’s going on in my environment to cause it. I try to figure it out because in our every changing world that’s full of distractions, stress, controversy, and temptations, I like to know what’s going on with me. I think it’s the only way to stay sane and healthy.

So maybe I missed a workout. Or maybe I haven’t done the activity that I’ve been wanting to do. Like go skiing or hiking. Maybe I need to pick up the phone and call a friend or a loved one. Maybe I’m missing that connection that can only come from a familiar voice. It could be that I’ve been indulging too much in foods outside of my normal diet. Poor quality foods that contribute to poor sleep, poor workouts, and poor moods. And once I’ve done my assessment, and figured out what’s going on, I get to work on making changes. 

I try to act on what I believe to be the culprit. It doesn’t always take right away. Sometimes it takes a few days. Sometimes I’ll have a bunch of starts and stops.

Like with diet, which is easy to visualize. I might realize that I’ve been having too much dairy. I’m pretty lactose intolerant. The only dairy I can really tolerate Is Greek yogurt. Problem is I love cheese, milk, and rich yogurt with the buttermilk cream on top. So it’s very easy for me to throw caution to the wind and indulge, only to find myself not feeling great, and not realizing how I get there. Until I start assessing it.

Sugar is another good example. In my normal routine I don’t consume added sugar. But if I go on vacation I always allow myself to indulge in sweet treats. Problem is sugar cravings don’t stay abroad. They follow you home. It can take a week to 10 days to wean off sugar and kick those cravings. All the while not realizing why I feel so lousy. It takes that internal assessment to realize what’s going on.

Sleep is another good one. I read this quote, “if you don’t know what it is you need, it’s probably sleep.” So true. I think about that one all of the time when I’m going through my assessment. Nine out of ten times when nothing else is working, it’s sleep that I need.

It works in the opposite direction as well. When I’m feeling really good and full of energy I like to understand why so I can keep it going and replicate it in the future. Usually when I’m feeling good it’s because I’ve foubd a good cadence with my workouts. Not too intense to leave me drained, but intense enough to feel accomplished and see results. 

Lately the best days have been ones that start with writing. Whether that’s stream of conscious writing that clears my head, or jotting down more thought out ideas like this one. I find that how I start my day is the biggest indicator to how my day will go.

If I get time to myself to write or read or exercise, then my day generally goes pretty smoothly. My mood and energy levels stay pretty stable. Conversely, if I start my day by picking up my phone or opening my laptop, the rest of my day is a struggle. In the former I’m getting to engage with my mind or my body first. In the later I’m at the mercy of whatever pops up on the screen, and most of the time it’s not good. Most of the time it’s something that sets off my emotions and my adrenaline and dumps a bunch of cortisol into my veins.

I think that while this might sound like a lot of work to constantly be analyzing, it is the only way to live your best life in a chaotic world filled with temptation and distraction. There are so many inputs that are out of our control that we need to understand how they are all impacting us if we want to be our best. 

If you’re doing it right it becomes easier. If you do it often you start to recognize patterns (like the ones I mentioned above). The more often you notice them the quicker you’ll be at identifying them, and the better you’ll be at eliminating things (activities, foods, people) that no longer serve you. Which also makes more room for things that do. 

I realized a few years ago that alcohol no longer served me, so I gave it up. I realized a few years ago that triathlons no longer served me, so I stopped training for them. The void left by alcohol made room for psychedelic substances that have helped me physically, mentally, and emotionally break through many barriers. The time I was spending training for triathlons is now spent strength training (my first true love), and writing. Two activities that I have found a lot more rewarding.

The people I’ve cut out, the social media I’ve deleted, has allowed me to foster better relationships with the people closest to me.

I think that in today’s world there is just so much that we all need to consider each day. And if we’re not constantly doing honest assessments of where we are, then it’s very easy to end up down a path we don’t want to be down. The distractions and temptations are too much and too abundant. We need to be vigilant keepers of what’s making us feel better and what’s not. And we need to do more of the former and none of the latter.