#138 April 1st, 2024

What I've Learned from My 100-Year-Old Father — Athena Wellness

This is a pretty inspiring article about how the author’s dad has not only turned 100 recently but also could still pass for way younger than his age. It’s one of those “how did you do it, what’s the secret” articles. He reminds me of the people who live in blue zones around the world where there a lot of centurions as well. The author's father followed a diet of whole foods, and indulgences in moderation. He had passions that he continued to pursue and teach others about even into old age, such as music from his younger years that you rarely come across now. He stayed open and willing to learn despite everything changing around him, like learning how to do video calls during COVID. He had meaningful relationships with family and friends that he continued to pour into. There is a lot of advice in here than anyone could apply in order to have a longer and happier life.?

5 Signs You're Not Getting Enough Alone Time in Your Relationship

Our spouses, partners, and significant others can be some of the most important parts of our lives, but you still should have your own sense of identity and self outside of that core relationship. If you and your partner are fighting too often or getting bored with too much routine that could be a sign you need a little more space. It’s not a poor reflection on your relationship; it’s actually very normal and healthy. Your partner cannot be everything for you. In fact, that would be very unhealthy to expect that of them. You should still have family and friends who are regularly spending time with you, listening to you, offering advice and perspective where needed. You also should still be able to have carved out time for the hobbies and interests that excite you. Not every activity has to be shared. Overall it comes back to the idea of still being your own person and having an identity outside of your relationship. If you only get that from the relationship then what happens if you lose the relationship? You’d lose yourself too, and that of course is not a good thing. Don’t be afraid to bring this up as it’s possible your partner might be feeling the exact same way!?

7 Tips to Process Your Stress Faster - Dig to Fly

This author describes their response to an unexpected and quick turnaround on a new assignment hat they were given by their boss, which I’m sure is some thing we all can relate to feeling stress from at times. The author had to pause to take a step back from their initial stress to try to get out of their feelings and into their thinking brain. Rather than freaking out you need to come up with a plan to actually tackle whatever is causing your stress. Try to see if you can find some sort of opportunity for growth or learning from the stressful situation. When we have a lot of time pressure on us it can be harder to justify taking a break because we have so much we need to get done as soon as possible, but that is actually very counterproductive. Breaks become even more important in high stress situations to make sure you do not overwork yourself, burn out, or make silly mistakes. You can’t run nonstop when you’re at your peak, let alone when you’re stressed. If your stressful situation is lasting more than just one day you need to make sure you’re carving out time for a longer periods of disconnecting and self-care. Also make sure you are reflecting to notice specific triggers and patterns that bring up stress. There probably are similarities between the different situations that trigger you, and if you recognize them you will be more capable of avoiding them in the future. Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need to vent or seek advice on how to deal with your stress. Just make sure there isn’t too much complaining without any attempts to actually fix the situation.??

Are You a Coach or a Cheerleader?

Have you ever been in a conversation where you just want to vent but the other person wants to give advice and guidance on what you need to do to solve the problem? Frustrating, isn’t it? You want a cheerleader, but they’re trying to be a coach. It feels good to be a coach because we feel like we’re needed, we’re smart, we’re helping. But if the other person hasn’t actually asked for advice then we’re really just making the situation about ourselves, and that is selfish. We may be giving advice from a place of fear or insecurity within ourselves. Ask the other person what they need from the conversation. The other person is capable and strong; you do not have to be everything for them or fix them. Often just believing in people and empowering them is actually much more helpful than any advice you could give!?

If you need a coach or a mentor on the CPA exam I would love to help you and work together; please check out my website below:

Blake Carroll coaching

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CPA tip of the week: Ironically, one of the best productivity strategies for studying for the CPA exam is to step away from it. Yes, taking breaks is essential, not optional. It’s not slacking off; it’s recharging your mental batteries. Continuous studying without breaks leads to burnout and diminished returns on your efforts.

High-intensity studying should be followed by short recovery periods, leading to better performance. After a focused study session, take a short break. Stretch, go for a walk, grab a coffee, or just gaze out the window. The idea is to momentarily disengage from work to refresh your mind.

These breaks prevent mental fatigue and keep your creativity and problem-solving abilities sharp throughout the day. They’re like reset buttons that help maintain a consistent level of performance. Regular breaks help ensure that the time you spend working is truly productive.