Month: May 2019

Doing the Things- How to Get Going When You’ve Lost Motivation

I recently took a several month hiatus away from doing most of the healthy things I normally do.  Towards the end of Mrs. Burrito Bowl’s pregnancy I had a pretty good routine of getting to the gym, shaving occasionally, intermittent fasting five days per week, drinking apple cider vinegar for some reason, Wim Hof breathing and making sure to end my showers with a minute or two of cold exposure. After Baby Burrito Bowl came into the mix most of those healthy routines stopped. Here’s a picture of her for no reason other than she’s super cute. Continue reading “Doing the Things- How to Get Going When You’ve Lost Motivation”

How to Take a Mental Vacation- Because Damnit You’ve Earned One

Most of us would answer ‘yes’ to the question of whether or not we need a vacation. But, it’s hard to take a break from life’s responsibilities, so vacations are few and far between. How can we get the benefit of a vacation without ever leaving our neighborhood?

Do me a favor- Don’t rush through this article like you have somewhere else to be. Read it slowly and deliberately. Read it at conversation speed. For the next 5 minutes, you’re on vacation.

Continue reading “How to Take a Mental Vacation- Because Damnit You’ve Earned One”

The Fast Forward Life- Skipping Work and Getting Paid

What if you could fast forward the working portion of your day? Would you make that trade? – OR- Would you opt to physically live through the monotony of everyday existence, even the work parts?

Every day we trade our time for money.  Most of us would prefer the time we’re working to go a little bit faster.  What if you could fast forward the working portion of your day?  Wait. Wait. I know you’re probably thinking me starting off an article with “What if…” is a sure fire way to know the article is going to be about some hypothetical nonsense.  But, would you do it?  Would you fast forward work? Continue reading “The Fast Forward Life- Skipping Work and Getting Paid”

The Holiday Paradox- Why Time Speeds Up

Time seems to be speeding up and it has me squinting my eyes at the calendar with greater regularity. I’m usually not baffled that it’s already May, for instance, but I am baffled that it’s somehow the year 2019. We’re living in the future, and time just keeps gaining speed. Continue reading “The Holiday Paradox- Why Time Speeds Up”

Gratitude and a Lukewarm Shower

I recently found myself taking an unintentional lukewarm shower. My wife had just given our daughter a bath, and then took a shower herself. There was only enough hot water left to make my shower lukewarm. Continue reading “Gratitude and a Lukewarm Shower”

WD-40 and the Five Year Squeak

We’ve lived in the same apartment for over five years.  As long as we’ve been here, our bathroom door has squeaked badly when opening or closing it.  Now that we have a baby that squeak has gone from mildly annoying to a ‘must fix’ situation.

Recently my wife asked if I could please fix it once and for all.  I said we needed some WD-40 to spray on the hinges.  She looked in our closet and found a can.  I sprayed the hinges and just like that the squeak was gone.

We had lived with that squeak for the last five years and it was gone in less than 30-seconds.

So many of the problems we encounter in life persist simply because we don’t take action.

A 30-second phone call to cancel that subscription we never use, or talk to that old friend we’ve grown apart from to tell them we were thinking of them.  The few minutes it would take to transfer our investment accounts to somewhere with low fees, or the quick call to HR to finally contribute to our 401k.

In five purposeful minutes you can change your life.

The longer we live with a problem, the harder it becomes to take action.

How many squeaks do you put up with in your life that just need a little WD-40?

 

37 Fun Facts About Honey Bees

When we go on walks we often pass this sign that is somehow simultaneously happy and depressing. It says, “Fun Facts About Honey Bees,” but it’s always empty.

It’s happy because, yeah, honey bees are pretty fun. But, I wonder if the person who used to put out the fun facts just got too discouraged to keep it up.

I wouldn’t mind knowing a fact or two about honey bees when I’m out on a walk. The sign itself is bright and just kind of makes you feel good. I also like the randomness of it. A more motivated person should build a similar sign next to it that says, “Fun Facts About Llamas,” just to see if we can start a movement. Continue reading “37 Fun Facts About Honey Bees”