December 2024 Shorts

December 2024 was a month of expansion. Expansion of thought. Expansion of philosophy. Expansion of practice.

December 2nd, 2024

Set boundaries or accept the consequences of having none.

- The boundary between work and rest
- The boundary between self and others
- The boundary between private and public
- The boundary between freedom and chaos
- The boundary between screen time and real time

Where do you draw the line?

December 3rd, 2024

Responsibility cannot be outsourced.

When others solve your conflicts, the resolution often feels hollow.

Growth comes from owning your actions and circumstances.

December 4th, 2024

All values deserve a reckoning.

December 5th, 2024

We enter this world as works in progress, ready to be shaped.

Somewhere along the way, we forget we are unfinished.

Embrace the process—keep honing yourself.

Are you prepared for a world of uncertainty?

No matter what life you lead, if you do not train for uncertainty, you’ll continue just keeping your head above water.

Here are 3 ways training can prepare you for uncertainties:

1. Physical Strength Equals Preparedness: Physical strength means you can handle emergencies like moving heavy objects or helping others. You can position yourself as someone who is dependable and capable.

2. Mental Toughness from Hardship: Facing discomfort in training builds resilience for life’s unexpected challenges.

3. Skills Lead to Freedom: Knowing how to defend yourself or grow your own food is liberating in a world of reliance on external systems.

The world is filled with uncertainties. Freedom is what you do with what happens to you, as Jean Paul-Sartre might suggest.

December 6th, 2024

The ultimate struggle:

Remaining human.

Struggle.

Every new age calls for a fresh fire to awaken the hearts of humanity.

What fire must be lit in this age?

December 7th, 2024

In a world of automation and algorithms, the most rebellious thing one can do is:

Remain human.

We must train to maintain our humanity.
- Become physically strong.
- Become mentally resilient.
- Become a polymath.
- Become addicted to deep learning.
- Be curious.
- Create constantly.
- Hope endlessly.
- Feel wholeheartedly.
- Live authentically.

Only we can.

Flawlessness is not a human state of being.

December 8th, 2024

Agency is a muscle, the more you use it the stronger it gets.

December 9th, 2024

The machine hums you a cold lullaby.
Wake up now.
Call upon your darkest self.
You need a hero.

December 10th, 2024

To move is to medicate.

Physical
- movement releases endorphins
- movement reduces mental clutter
- movement activates the body's repair systems

Mental
- movement promotes neural dexterity
- movement allows for the development of personal philosophy
- movement creates greater sensory and inner awareness

Keep moving.

To have agency is to have the capacity to act independently.

Humanity has had to deal with various threats to agency since the dawn of civilization:
- Cultural conformity
- Dogmatic belief systems
- Rigid social structures
- Economic dependence

Today with the advancement of technology and information a new set of threats have appeared:
- Technological Overload: algorithms shape what we see, think, and buy.
- The Illusion of Choice: too many options can paralyze decision-making, making us outsource our power.
- Automation: we let advancements do things for us that we could do that would lead to greater meaning in our lives.

How do you plan to combat these threats?

December 11th, 2024

Normalize putting pen to paper instead of eyes to screen.

December 12, 2024

‪Your comfortable life is killing you from within.

1. Discomfort creates unease.
2. Unease creates suffering.
3. Suffering necessitates action.
—> Most people retreat here. <—
4. Action allows for reflection.
5. Reflection can provide clarity.
—> Growth happens here. <—
6. Clarity creates intention.
7. Acting on intention will create discomfort again.

Do not retreat.
Take control.
Find clarity through suffering.
Keep moving forward.

December 15th, 2024

Activity is a specialty.

It is uncomfortable.
It demands effort which requires resistance.
It is scarce and therefore valuable, not only as a skill, but as a social signal.

Those who are active in mind and body choose to shape life instead of being shaped by it.

Ask yourself:
Is it life-advancing?

If it isn't, then choose something that is!

December 16th, 2024

Aren't you tired?

- Of not being in control?
- Of not thinking for yourself?
- Of not having command over your body and mind?
- Of not being passionate about life?

Take back what's yours.

5 signs you're losing the fight to stay human:

1. You follow routines without questioning their purpose.
2. Your workouts feel mindless instead of empowering.
3. You lack creative outlets for your thoughts or emotions.
4. You avoid discomfort instead of embracing it.
5. You feel disconnected from your body and instincts.

How you win:
- Challenge yourself: Seek discomfort intentionally. It is the only way to grow.
- Reconnect with your body: Train to feel alive, not just to check a box. Move with purpose.
- Cultivate creativity: Write, draw, build, tinker, or simply explore your thoughts. Creativity helps us be in touch with our intuition.
- Question everything: Reflect on your routines, beliefs, and actions. Align them with who you want to become.
- Be hopeful: We hope. We craft potential futures in our heads to motivate ourselves to make them a reality.

Be valiant and fight with authentic action, creativity and courage!

December 17th, 2024

Do you have a moral code to live by?
Have you truly thought deeply about why you do the things you do?

If you don't have one, start by asking yourself one question:
What type of person am I trying to be and do my actions coincide with that type of person?

Then pull out a journal and write down your answers. Keep writing until you're tapped out.

Live by it. Reflect. Adapt. Repeat.

You automate for two reasons:
- you're inefficient
- you're unskilled

And, by doing so you sacrifice:
- your agency
- your chance to grow and express yourself
- your sense of control

Take part in your reality. Automate mindfully.

December 18th, 2024

Before you create any systems for yourself do this:

1. Ask: What blueprint do I live my whole life by?
2. Write: The blueprint to your life. The reason you make decisions. How you react to certain situations. Why you have certain positions.
3. Act: Live your blueprint through small actions.
4. Reflect: On each decision you make.

Your blueprint is the underlying structure to all of your systems. If you don't have one or aren't actively testing, your systems will fall apart.

Run your life

OR

Run from it.

December 19th, 2024

Automate only what you won't enjoy

AND

what won't end up controlling you.

Feeling numb?
I don't go a day without getting excited over discovering something new.

Here's what I do to get out of a rut:

- Read to expand what I think about.
- Think deeply on something I'm curious about.
- Experiment with newfound knowledge to create new experiences.
- Write about my experiences to generate new thoughts.

Life is way to precious to wast on distractions.
Choose discovery, depth and meaningful connections.

December 20th, 2024

to automate my mind
to make easy the act of thinking
to give up my humanity
I will not.

December 21st, 2024

The more you outsource your fitness, health, thinking
the less of your true self remains.

Take responsibility.

December 22nd, 2024

To take charge of your life you need to be able to communicate.

Here are 3 reasons why communication is a necessity for self reliance:

Building and Maintaining Relationships:
Self reliance isn't about isolation, it's about being able to count on yourself to find the right support for the right moments. You find support from nurtured relationships with other people. You can nurture relationships by communicating value, trust and understanding.

Expressing Needs and Ideas Clearly:
You have goals, wants, needs, dreams and boundaries. If you can't describe them, navigate the relationships that surround them, and act on them you will not have control over them.

Adapting and Problem-Solving:
The greatest sign of someone who is self reliant is someone who can think on their feet, adapt in the moment and muster the people and resources needed to solve the problems at hand. Those who have command over their speech, their ability to think critically and their ability to take action will find a way through.

December 23rd, 2024

Don't chase materials.
Chase meaning.

You won't amount to much if you don't sharpen the tool you use the most:

You.

To master yourself ask these questions in 5 specific areas of your life:

1. Mind
Am I skilled at observation?
Do I challenge my own values?
Can I reframe negative or limiting beliefs?
Do I bounce back from distractions quickly?
Can I manage my own feelings and the feelings of others?

2. Body
Am I energetic?
Do I enjoy being physical?
Do I eat according to my energy needs?
Am I constantly looking for ways to be active?
Do I have routines surrounding exercise and nutrition?
Can I have an increasing capacity to endure physical and mental pain?

3. Time
Am I acting in alignment with my values?
Can I work efficiently and produce quality results?
Am I focusing on things that matter to me and my family?
Can I set boundaries by saying no to things that are distracting or unnecessary?

4. Purpose
Do I have a set of values that I live my life by?
Am I constantly searching for meaning in my actions?
Can I change and adapt while adhering to my core principles?
Do I have daily methods of recognizing and understanding my actions?

5. Environment
Am I resourceful?
Do I have tools and assets I can use to maximize my abilities?
Do I surround myself with people who challenge and inspire me?
Do I create physical and digital environments to support my growth?

How many of those questions did you say "YES" to?
Reflect on each question you said "NO" to and figure out how to say "YES".

December 24th, 2024

You must risk going a little mad for your passions.

I do not trust someone who doesn't talk to themselves.

Autopilot doesn't look good on humans.

December 25th, 2024

You should fear growing too comfortable.

Fear routines that dull your blade.
Fear mindsets that stunt your growth.
Fear actions that erode your curiosity.

Keep questioning your "normal".

Everyone should write.
Not to remain sane,
but to explore the insane.

December 26th, 2024

One of the hardest things to do in life is preserve the child within us.

The child is creative and authentic.
The child sees the best in people.
The child lives in the moment.
The child is courageous.
The child is resilient.
The child is honest.
The child is curious.

We could all do with being a little more childish.

Do not take lightly the quiet encroachment of technology and external influences on your life.

One day, you might wake up to find yourself shaped by a mold that others designed for you.

Take charge before it’s too late.

December 27th, 2024

Weak minds accomplish nothing.

Here are 5 habits to build mental toughness:

Face Yourself -> Reflect before bed.
Seek Discomfort -> Do something uncomfortable daily.
Set the Tone -> Wake up early and accomplish something small.
Don't Give Up -> Stay consistent attending to your passions and efforts.
Reject Temptations -> Embrace health, fitness, and lifestyle management.

What do you think about this list?
Would you add anything?

Helplessness comes from a lack of perspective.

Here are 3 ways to gain perspective:

STEP BACK
You're overwhelmed.
You feel boxed in.
You can't see the path ahead.
Well you're in your own way. Take a step back and examine the situation. You're ability to observe, examine and intuitively assess what is happening will provide insight.

SEEK OTHER VIEWPOINTS
You can't find the solution because your current moral code or viewpoint doesn't allow for the solution to exist. Widen your understanding of other outlooks. Try searching for options you wouldn't normally look for.

REFRAME THE SITUATION
Reframing is a tremendous tool.
You can shift the narrative.
You can shift the focus from the problem to the solution.
You can find out an area where you have agency and take action through that path.

Reframing allows you to move forward by shaping the situation so it is more accessible to you.

December 28th, 2024

We’re overcomplicating fitness.

A majority of Americans are overweight and weak.

Yet, every month, there’s a new fitness trend, gadget, or "hack."

The truth? Basics work—if you commit to them.

Master these:

Eat mostly whole foods (aim for 80% of your meals).
Eat when you're hungry (not bored or dehydrated).
Train compound movements with intensity (push to failure).
Find a cardio activity you enjoy (or at least tolerate).
Stay consistent (for years).

Fitness doesn’t need innovation. It needs discipline and simplicity.

December 29th, 2024

Every action you take is temporary.

Wake up and choose actions that contain glimpses of the life you want to live.

December 30th, 2024

Nietzsche was a critic of hope, but not in the way you might expect.

Here are three types of hope he believed harmed humanity—and why hope, when reimagined, remains essential:

1. Hope the Toxin
Nietzsche saw "hope" in similar ways to the religious sentiment of suffering in wait of a future reward. He thought this type of hope was poisonous. It forced people into passive states. It robbed people of their power and sense of control.

He wanted people to take charge of their lives. He wanted people to take action, to seize each decision and to grow from them.

2. Hope the Delusion
Nietzsche saw "hope" as a form of delusion that allowed people to tether themselves to grandiose visions of the future and taught them to ignore the harsh realities of the present moment.

He wanted people to confront their suffering and use it as a stepping stone towards a stronger, more powerful sense of self.

3. Hope the Uncertain
Nietzsche did not want people to pin their efforts on an uncertain future. Instead, he came up with the idea of "eternal recurrence", which calls for an individual to view their life as if each moment was lived over and over again, for eternity.

Would you be happy living this moment over and over again? If you were to live this exact life over and over again, would you be happy doing so? This idea forces the individual to put more emphasis on the actions he/she takes.

As you can see, Nietzsche didn't hate "hope", he just did not like how it was used by society. Here's how we can reimagine the above 3 forms of hope to better align with Nietzsche's critiques:

1. Hope the Stimulant
Instead of a toxin that paralyzes people, hope can move people to create change in their lives. Hope can lighten up a dark sky and show many paths forward.

2. Hope the Beacon
Hope is a form of delusion, but humans fight. We fight for our beliefs. We fight for our families. We fight for a future we can be proud of. We dream. Hope can be a beacon, constantly calling out to us to fight!

3. Hope the Promise
Nietzsche wanted us to be certain in our actions. Eternal recurrence is a thought exercise that roots our mindset in our decisions. If we ground our hope in reality, use our intuition to analyze our dreams and goals and come up with potential futures that promote growth, hope can act as a promise of greatness so long as we take action!

What do you think about "hope"? How have you used it in your life?

December 31st, 2024

Your lack of control showcases an even larger lack of trust in yourself.

Trust yourself.

You're missing out on understanding these 5 lessons gained from an active lifestyle:

- You can’t fake effort.
- Pain often precedes growth.
- Rest is as important as work.
- Strength isn’t just physical—it’s mental.
- Progress is slow, but consistency wins.

You can read them.
You can think you understand them.
But, some lessons are only understood through experience.

A hopeful mind is a rebellious mind.
It refuses to accept the limits others place on it.

Be a rebel.