Hello friends!
Too many of us are on fucking ten all the time. We’re busy with our kids, busy with our careers, and busy with our latest Netflix obsession. Not to mention we need to find the time for family, friends, working out, alone time, and other hobbies. How does one manage such steep expectations? How does one squeeze in so many tasks? The truth is, most of us don’t. And while we live in a “hustle” culture of, “Just keep grinding! Don’t ever fucking stop you loser!” and while I’m a believer in hard work, I’m also a believer in slowing down and doing less. Specifically getting rid of the bullshit and focusing on what actually matters.
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A while ago I wrote an article on Surface Level Values discussing some of the less than ideal values I’ve held on to in the past. Much like shedding and altering poor values can lead to a more fulfilling and meaningful life, shedding and altering poor daily tasks can do the same.
Now, of course, some tasks need to be done no matter how badly we want to stop doing them. You can’t just not feed your children, you psycho. But perhaps there are four or five or ten things you’re doing on a near-daily basis that you should stop. Maybe stopping these tasks would reduce the amount of stress you feel. Maybe your schedule would open up for something else more important.
Some tasks will announce themselves to you:
Spending too much time on social media (a big one)
Drinking too much
Smoking cigarettes
Eating fast food
Hanging out with losers
Watching too much TV
Worrying
Overworking
Playing video games
Not spending time with your kids
These ten examples are obvious ones. But even still, plenty of us still do them. Think of how we could use our time if we didn’t spend an average of four hours on our phones every day. Think of the other meals we could learn how to cook if we stopped going through the McDonald’s drive-through every night. Imagine who we might meet if we stopped hanging out in the same shitty places with the same loser friends. Think of the gratitude we could focus on if we consciously made an effort to stop worrying.
Changing habits takes work. Altering patterns that have been perpetuating for years is easier said than done. It requires effort and radically honest introspection. But just imagine who we might become if we put in the effort necessary for change. Maybe, we’ll become exactly who we’re suppose to be.
See you next Monday,
Trevor
(Note: If you enjoy this newsletter, please consider sharing it with someone who would get a lot out of it. If this was shared with you, you can sign up here to receive it each Monday morning. It’s free, plus you get a handful of special "thank you's" when you sign up).