From Healthy Habits to Productivity Hacks, How Can You Create the Life You Desire? - Your Champions Brew - Friday, August 18, 2023

So, what is your relationship with the snooze button?? Might it be time to call off that relationship?

Happy Friday, Brew Nation!

Grab your favorite coffee cup, sit back, relax, and get ready to sip on some enriching and thought-provoking content that will equip you to thrive in all areas of your life:

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·?????? Eat Healthy – Maintaining a healthy weight requires cultivating better habits, especially when it comes to managing daily calorie intake. Personally, I strive to maintain a balanced daily intake of around 2,000 calories to ensure my overall well-being. It's amazing how quickly an extra 10-20% of calories can sneak into our diets based on our habits. To help me stay on track with your calorie goals, I've discovered a few habits over the years that have made the journey more manageable and enjoyable.? Maybe they can help you, too:

1.??????? Healthier snacks:? Snacking can be a major pitfall, leading to quick excessive calorie intake. Rather than giving in to those tempting, high-calorie treats, choose nutrient-dense alternatives. Swap out those potato chips for satisfying options like pork rinds or a serving of almonds (and keep reading for a tip on what constitutes a proper serving! – a handful is not an official serving size!).

2.??????? Embrace Riced Cauliflower:? When seeking a substitute for starchy rice or pasta, consider riced cauliflower. Seasoned well, this low-calorie alternative offers a tasty and satisfying option that won't derail your calorie goals.

3.??????? Portion size: In this land of ‘generous’ portion sizes (have you ever looked at the calories for a ‘meal’ at Cheesecake Factory?!), training yourself to be mindful of the amounts you consume is crucial. Using a food scale is one of the simplest and most effective ways to achieve accurate portion control. Left to my own estimations, I often underestimate serving sizes. And, when it comes to restaurants, my wife and I have started sharing a meal.

4.??????? Harness the Power of Calorie Tracking Apps: As I often say, what you measure, you control and what you don’t measure, you accept. To take control of your calorie intake, consider using a reliable calorie tracking app like LoseIt or MyFitnessPal.? These apps not only help you track your calories but also keep tabs on my hydration levels and other nutritional habits.

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Look, I’m not flawless when it comes to following these tips. I still have a major weakness for chocolate. However, by incorporating these strategies into my regular routine, I can keep my cravings in check and indulge in a treat every now and then.

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·?????? Relax often – My name is John, and I am a recovering snooze button addict. and I used to be a snooze button addict. But guess what? Today marks 100 consecutive days without hitting that tempting snooze button. For me, it was all about reclaiming precious time in the morning, but little did I know, there's actual science behind the detrimental effects of snoozing.

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In this thought-provoking video, Mel Robbins sheds light on the scientific reasoning behind the snooze button's negative impact. Our sleep follows cycles lasting around 75 to 90 minutes, and waking up naturally or after sufficient sleep puts our brains in a state of readiness for the day. However, succumbing to the snooze button and dozing off for a mere 9 to 15 minutes throws our brains back into a sleep cycle, resulting in what experts call sleep inertia. This phenomenon impairs processing speed, focus, and strategic thinking.

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If I can break free from the snooze button's clutches for 100 days, so can you! Here are a couple of simple tricks that I have found useful to help avoid the allure each morning:

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1.??????? Keep your phone in a different room: By placing your phone away from your sleeping area, you'll be forced to physically get out of bed to turn off the alarm. Plus, you'll avoid any potential wrath from your partner, who gets to enjoy two more hours of blissful sleep!

2.??????? Make your bed immediately: As you rise, take a moment to make your bed. Pull up the covers, position those oversized pillows back where they belong—anything to eliminate the visual temptation of a cozy, warm bed luring you back in.

3.??????? Sip a cold glass of water: This simple trick stimulates your body to produce adrenaline, a hormone that naturally boosts alertness.

4.??????? Personalize your alarm: Coach Ben Newman recommends this clever technique. Is there someone or something that inspires you to strive for excellence? Rename your alarm after that person or thing, and let its presence inspire and kickstart your day on a positive note.

5.??????? Find a snooze-free partner: Challenges are always more enjoyable when you have someone to share them with. Find a friend or family member who will join you in the "no snooze" challenge, providing support and accountability along the way.

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Give the "no snooze" challenge a shot. Not only has it granted me an extra 10 to 30 minutes each day, but I haven't missed that snooze button one bit.

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·?????? Read More – Welcome to my latest John Maxwell Law series of posts, where I am reviewing one chapter each week from John Maxwell's book, "The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth". This book is a must-read for anyone on a personal growth journey, and I'm excited to share my insights and reflections on each chapter with you.? Here we go!

Law # 3 – The Law of Awareness

You Must See Value in Yourself to Add Value to Yourself

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Why do many people fail to grow and reach their potential? Maxwell concluded that one of the main reasons is low self-esteem.? If you don’t realize that you have genuine value and that you are worth investing in, then you will never put in the time and effort needed to grow to your potential.?

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In the chapter on the Law of Awareness, John Maxwell outlines ten ways to build your self-image.? Here are a few that caught my attention:

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1) Guard your self-talk

How do you talk to yourself?? Does your conversation go something like this?

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“Well, it’s about time.”

“I didn’t do as much as I should have.”

“That won’t make a difference.”

“It’s hopeless – I’ll never succeed.”

“Why even try? I know I will do it wrong.”

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Or does the conversation sound more like this:

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“It’s good that I did that.”

“I did a hard thing – good for me!”

“Every little bit helps.”

“I am that much closer to success.”

“I am making a difference.”

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If you find your conversation more like the first set of quotes than the second, then you may be guilty of having a negative mindset or suffering from limiting beliefs.? ?At times, I am guilty as charged.? For most of my adult life, I procrastinated on even the smallest of DIY tasks.? I would tell myself that it would be wrong when I was done, or it wouldn’t be good enough.? I would end up angry with myself and with others.? I wasn’t fun to be around.? Until I started to practice the Law of Awareness.

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Why do many people fail to grow and reach their potential? Maxwell concluded that one of the main reasons is low self-esteem.? If you don’t realize that you have genuine value and that you are worth investing in, then you will never put in the time and effort needed to grow to your potential.?

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It is difficult, if not impossible, to outperform self-image.? You need to learn to become your own encourager, your own cheerleader of sorts.? I am reminded of a scene in the movie Breakfast Club, which is one of my all-time favorites.? Anthony Michael Hall lovingly punches himself in the arm because he is proud of a paper that he wrote during Saturday detention.?

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2) Stop comparing yourself to others?

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What happens when you compare yourself to others? Usually, it’s one of two things:? either you perceive the other person to be far ahead of you and you feel discouraged, or you perceive yourself to be better than the other person, and you become proud.? The only person you need to compare yourself to is yourself.? Focus on the goal of becoming better today than you were yesterday.

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3) ??Embrace a positive vision for your life based on what you value.?

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For me, the vision is to inspire, encourage and equip leaders to grow so that they can grow other leaders.? If you have a positive vision for your life and you take action to fulfill that vision, then you will more readily recognize that your life matters.? If you tap into what you value and try to see what could be, it can inspire you to take positive action.

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Believe in your ability to make a difference in someone's life. By embracing self-awareness and building a positive self-image, you'll be well on your way to mastering the Law of Awareness.

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Quote of the Week: “The best of the best do ordinary things with extraordinary consistency, commitment, focus and passion.”– Jon Gordon

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What You Need to Do:

Call to Action:? So, are you ready to implement one or more of these positive habit changes today??

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It’s an honor to be your trusted “Friday Coffee Guy”.? Each week, I’m excited to provide yet another round of curated content that I’ve been reading, listening to, watching, or thinking over. The purpose of the Champions Brew is to inspire, equip and encourage you to become the uncommon leader you were designed to be. I am so grateful for your decision to invest a few moments with me! I hope you enjoyed this week’s edition of Champions Brew. If you did, I would appreciate it if you would share it with someone who might enjoy it as well and ask them to subscribe! I will make sure they automatically get this email every week.

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Until next time, Go and Grow Champions!

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P.S. - Are you a podcast fan?? Maybe the Uncommon Leader podcast is for you.? ??Are you interested in being a guest on the Uncommon Leader Podcast?? Do you have a story to tell?? Email me [email protected] and let’s have a chat and set something up!!