Tackling Elephants: Small Steps to increased healthspan and a happy life

As the old saying goes, “How do you eat an elephant? One spoonful at a time!” But, there is an additional twist to that. It’s much easier if the elephant is fresh.

The longer you leave that elephant sitting around, the worse it gets to eat. And ,eventually, you’re going to have to eat it.

In terms of your happiness, motivation and health span, there are five elephants in the room: your exercise, emotional state, nutrition, supplementation, and sleep. Small daily spoonfuls is the life changing consistency to feeling and doing better at everything.

There are two foundational principles you should follow:

1. Educate yourself on everything you read on the internet. I take 35% of my own advice, the rest I get from experts. If you’re eager to delve deeper into these five key areas for increasing healthspan, I recommend checking out the book?“Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity” by Bill Gifford and Peter Attia. ?It’s filled with valuable insights backed by research.
2. Embrace the Discomfort: Everything valuable in life comes with a slight level of discomfort at first. However, a small amount of daily attention to just five areas can be your secret sauce for overcoming massive future pains. You can either pay small today or pay big later on. The choice is yours!

As a side note the most common free images for discomfort are adverts for women and period pain.

Before you continue:

If you’re still failing to launch or If you’re having trouble mustering the courage, I’ve got your back. Check out my previous post for some motivation:

?“Excuse Me, but You Are Standing on Your Foot.”?

It’s a great read to kickstart your journey in my humble opinion.

These are my recommended daily Actions for a Healthier, Happier You:

These are the main things you should do consistently every day to be healthier, boost your daily output, and score high on your happiness scale all backed by research of people way smarter than me:

Exercise for instant happy juice and a better life:

• Dedicate 20 to 30 minutes each day to exercise. Mix up the intensity and choose various activities to keep things interesting. Focus on strength, cardio, resistance, and mobility. It may seem challenging at first, but the rewards are almost immediate. Remember, 20 minutes is replacing only 10 reels Instagram. You have the time!

Don’t procrastinate for less stress:

• When it comes to stress, procrastination is your worst enemy. It’s like walking around the house after stepping in dog poop — the resulting mess is worse than the initial problem and related feelings to it. Tackle problems head-on. Use a pomodoro timer to set aside 25 minutes of focused attention on tasks. You’ll be amazed at how manageable it becomes. Check out this pomodoro timer that I personally use:?https://flowapp.info/

Preparation eliminates thinking and increases awareness of food:

• Regardless of the diet you choose, preparation and tracking are essential. Start by developing positive eating patterns and stick to a structure. Initially, you should track your meals using apps like?MyFitnessPal . As you develop healthy habits and an understanding of portions, you can ease off the tracking and check in with yourself once a month. Remember, eating well is about changing your behavior, losing weight is a an outcome but not the objective.

Sleeping is a superpower:

Never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep. It all begins when you wake up!

Establishing a great morning and bedtime routine can have a profound impact on your overall well-being. Here are my power-up and power-down routines:

Power Up: ??????????

• Wake up before sunrise to sync your circadian rhythm.
• Drink a glass of water with ? teaspoon of pink salt and a shot of lime juice to regulate cortisol and sync your biorhythm.
• Take a morning walk in the sun to align with your circadian rhythm.
• Enjoy your first coffee 90 minutes after waking to let your body clear adenosine.
• Incorporate exercise to boost your metabolism.
• Take cold showers for their many benefits, including reducing inflammation and improving your immune system.

Power Down:??????????

• Avoid consuming caffeine after midday, as it takes around nine hours to clear out of your system.
• Spend time outside and witness the sunset to kickstart your melatonin production.
• Put away your phone two hours before bed to reduce exposure to red light.
• Avoid watching TV one hour before bed to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm.
• Take warm/hot showers before bed to lower your internal body temperature and aid sleep.
• Ensure your room is cool, as a cooler brain leads to better sleep.

Supplement for an added boost:

I’m not a doctor (much to my mom’s disappointment) so I highly recommend consulting with a medical professional and getting blood work done. It can provide valuable insights into any deficiencies you might have. However these are the most valuable supplements that are must-haves:

• Omega 3: Reduces inflammation and optimizes gut health.
• Vitamin D: Essential if you aren’t getting enough sunlight exposure.
• Magnesium: Take it before bed to enhance sleep quality and nerve conductivity. It’s a game-changer for restless leg syndrome.

Congratulations, my friend! You’ve just ingested some small daily spoonfuls that will jumpstart your life. You’re welcome! Remember, my advice is free, but the real payment comes from your effort.

So go out there, be happy, and be kind to others. You never know which inner child you’re talking to. If you’re hungry for more life-changing content, be sure to follow my podcast?Stevens Show . Together, we’ll build a blueprint for an authentic and happy life. Cheers!