RAK ON 2.0

A Note to My Readers: Welcome to RAK ON 2.0

As RAK ON has grown to nearly 1,000 subscribers across platforms over the past year, I've been reflecting on how to make this space even more meaningful for you. That's why I'm excited to introduce RAK ON 2.0—an evolution of the newsletter designed to be more actionable while still staying true to the heart of RAK ON.

In this new format, you’ll find a refreshed approach that’s designed to make each edition more practical and impactful:

• Roots Reflection: I’ll start with a focused exploration of a key idea or challenge, setting the stage for deeper insight and connection.
• Awareness Action: Next, I’ll dive into specific steps to help you apply the reflection to your own life, turning insights into action.
• Kindness Opportunity: Finally, I’ll wrap up with simple, actionable ways to foster kindness and growth in your life.

My hope is that RAK ON will inspire you and provide you with the tools to make meaningful changes.

?? In Today’s Edition:

• ?? Roots Reflection: You Have to Standardize Before You Optimize
• ????♂? Awareness Action: Taking Stock of Where You Stand
• ?? Kindness Opportunity: Small Steps to Meaningful Progress

?? Roots Reflection: You Have to Standardize Before You Optimize

Throughout my health journey, where I’ve lost over 70 pounds and reversed chronic diseases, I've learned that progress doesn’t come from sudden transformations. Rather, it comes from showing up, even when you don’t feel like it, even when you’re far from perfect.

Whether you're trying to start a meditation practice, eat healthy, or move more, we've all been there—feeling the pressure to get everything just right from the start. It’s easy to get caught up in wanting everything to be perfect, but that’s the mindset that stops us from even starting.

One thing I’ve learned on my journey is that real progress doesn’t happen overnight. It comes from months and years of consistent effort.

I love how James Clear puts it in Atomic Habits: 'You have to standardize before you optimize.' This has become a mantra of mine. Before you can start seeing results, you’ve got to get consistent with showing up.

For me, that means sticking to my daily 30-minute meditation practice and setting aside an hour every Sunday to prep meals for the week, for example.

Standardizing behaviors might not be the most exciting part, but it’s where the magic begins. Once you’ve got that foundation, you can start to fine-tune and improve.

And I know it’s not always easy. There are days when I don’t feel like meditating or when meal prep feels like a chore. But I remind myself that showing up, especially on those tougher days, builds resilience and ultimately creates more ease in my life.

????♂? Awareness Action: Taking Stock of Where You Stand

Before we can make meaningful improvements, we first need to understand where we stand. This is where awareness comes into play. Awareness isn’t about judging yourself—it’s about gaining clarity on what’s working and what isn’t. It’s about taking an honest look at whether you’ve truly established a routine or if you’re still finding your way.

In the context of your health journey, this means asking yourself if the habits you’ve been working on have become a standard part of your life or if they’re still in the experimental phase.

Here are some questions to guide your reflection:

• What’s been working well for me? This is where you give yourself credit for the habits you’ve successfully integrated into your daily life. Whether it’s a consistent meditation practice, a regular exercise routine, or meal prepping every Sunday, recognize what you’ve achieved.
• Are there areas where I’m struggling to keep the momentum going? Identify any habits that haven’t yet become second nature. Are there barriers that make it hard to stay consistent? Understanding these challenges can help you decide whether it’s time to make adjustments or double down on your efforts.
• Have I established a routine that supports my goals, or am I still finding my way? Ask yourself if your actions have become a reliable part of your routine. If not, explore why. Are you trying to optimize too soon without having a solid foundation? Or is the behavior itself too onerous?

Reflecting on these questions will help you gain a clearer picture of your journey. If you’ve already standardized certain habits, you might be ready to explore ways to optimize them. But if you’re still struggling to build consistency, your focus might need to remain on solidifying that foundation first.

?? Kindness Opportunity: Small Steps to Meaningful Progress

As you work on standardizing your habits, here are five actionable steps to help you build a solid foundation with kindness:

1. Simplify Your Routine: If your routine feels overwhelming, look for ways to simplify it. Sometimes, less is more. Trimming down your habits to the essentials can lead to greater consistency and make it easier to stick to your goals.
2. Find Joy in the Process: Identify parts of your routine that you genuinely enjoy and focus on those. If something feels like a chore, consider how to make it more fun and enjoyable. The more you look forward to your habits, the more likely you are to maintain them.
3. Reflect on Your Progress Regularly: Set aside time once a week (I do this on Sunday morning) to reflect on your journey. What am I doing consistently? What am I not? This practice helps you stay mindful of your progress and offers insight into any adjustments you may be ready to make.
4. Adjust as Needed: If a routine hasn’t clicked yet, it might not be time to tweak it. Sometimes, persistence is what’s needed. But if you’re finding consistent resistance, it might be worth revisiting your approach. Is there a way to make it more aligned with what you enjoy?
5. Weekly Accountability Check: Consider incorporating a weekly check-in with a partner or coach to help you stay accountable. This will allow you to assess your progress and make any necessary adjustments. If you’re looking for weekly accountability in a supportive community of individuals on their health journeys, check out the RAK Your Life Tribes .

As you go through this week, remember that growth comes from showing up, learning, and adjusting as you go. There will be days when doing this feels easy and days when it feels like you’re just barely holding on.

I have to remind myself of this constantly. Whether it’s writing this newsletter, meal prepping, or my daily meditation, I’m learning that consistency is what builds real progress. Something is better than nothing.

So here’s to standardizing the things that matter most in our lives.

Live Well and RAK ON,

Dr. Rak ????