A transformational year

March 13, 2020 will be one of those days I always remember. It was Friday the 13th and life in the U.S. changed that day. Suddenly everything seemed out of control. We were forced to confront new realities and quarantine as much as possible. In the third week of April I was inspired one day to focus on 6 areas of my life that are within my control. As I sought to organize my daily living around these 6 areas, my anxiety around what was happening in the world diminished significantly. After much contemplation, I came up with the acronym PEDELS to remind myself about the 6 things I should work on every day that are within my control. This acronym stands for: Pray, Eat (healthy), Drink (water), Exercise, Learn, Sleep. This acronym also reminds me of cycling (one of my favorite ways to exercise) and flower petals (another mnemonic device I created was a photo of a flower with six petals and the areas written in them). Focusing on these areas in my personal life has also made me more adaptable, flexible, and confident in my professional life. In a world where the pace of change only continues to accelerate, I have found what keeps me grounded.

Pray

This could include prayer, meditation, silent contemplation or other spiritual practices depending on your beliefs and traditions. I aim to pray the Holy Rosary at least 2x a day (ideally before breakfast and before dinner) and have listened to the entire Old & New Testaments (89 hours) this year. On Sunday we pray the Glorious Mysteries, on Monday the Joyful Mysteries, on Tuesday the Sorrowful Mysteries, on Wednesday the Glorious Mysteries, on Thursday the Luminous Mysteries, on Friday the Sorrowful Mysteries, and on Saturday the Joyful Mysteries. It takes about 15-20 minutes with a podcast I listen to and I have found that it helps relax me, clear my mind, inspires me with new ideas, and gives me confidence & motivates me to achieve my goals for the day.

References: Holy Bible, The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, The Life of Milarepa translation by Lobsang P. Lhalungpa, The Analects of Confucius, Breath by James Nestor, One Summer by David Baldacci, Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell

Confucius said: Isn’t it a pleasure when you can make practical use of the things you have studied? Isn’t it a pleasure to have an old friend visit from afar? Isn’t it the sure sign of a gentleman, that he does not take offense when others fail to recognize his ability.

Eat 

Eat healthy foods including a variety of whole-food, plant-based like GBOMBS - greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries, seeds. My go-to daily meals include salads (romaine lettuce, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, celery, hot peppers, beets, bell peppers, pumpkin seeds, and sesame sticks) brown rice & bean burritos with avocado, hot peppers & salsa served on flatbread, and homemade pizzas on pita bread with an onion/garlic/cashew/nutritional yeast sauce with salad, turkey pepperoni & cheese on top. The food processor (Cuisinart), high-powered blender (Vitamix), and the instant pot are essential kitchen tools I use almost daily. We plan our meals every week and post the menu on the fridge (breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner, dessert) so there is never a question of "what are we going to eat today?" The kids love the routine and they have input on the menu.

References: Eat to live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Salt sugar fat by Michael Moss, In defense of food by Michael Pollan

"Eat food, not too much, mostly plants." Michael Pollan

Drink

Drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated. Water is so important to keeping my mind alert. I usually carry a bottle with me all day and keep one on my nightstand at night.

References: A history of the world in six glasses by Tom Standage, Caffeine by Michael Pollan

"Illness and death are not the only consequences of the lack of access to water; it also hinders education and economic development. Widespread illness makes countries less productive, more dependent on outside aid, and less able to lift themselves out of poverty. According to the United Nations, one of the main reasons girls do not go to school in sub-Saharan Africa is that they have to spend so much time fetching water from distant wells and carrying it home." -Tom Standage

Exercise

"Give yourself about two hours of exercise each day as health must not be sacrificed to learning. A strong body makes the mind strong." -Thomas Jefferson.

This quote was written in large letters at the Aquatic & Fitness Center I worked at in college. It continues to inspire me.

"Give yourself the ultimate prize and do some daily exercise." -Dr. Robert O. Ruhling, Professor Emeritus of Physical Education at George Mason University.

As my father’s son, exercise has always played an integral role in my life from my early days of soccer at recess in elementary school to playing basketball, running track, and playing tennis in high school. Now my workouts mostly focus on running, cycling, walking, and calisthenics. It gives me motivation to accomplish goals in other areas of my life after getting a good 60+ minutes of endurance work in. So far this year I've run 790 miles and biked 4,200 miles and I'm in the best shape of my life. Fitness apps like Garmin & Strava have been instrumental for staying motivated with data & community. 

References: Born to run by Christopher McDougall, The island of sea women by Lisa See, Uncommon: Finding your path to significance by Tony Dungy, Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the best in the world by Tim Ferriss, Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins

Learn

Continue to expand your knowledge and light candles in the dark room of ignorance by reading or listening to books on history, literature, philosophy, and non-fiction to make your world a little brighter. In the last few years I’ve been amazed to discover how many more books I can consume through audio format since I can listen while doing something else. This year I’ve listened to over 65 books through Audible & Libby (library borrowing). These are my favorite books I listened to in 2020:

D-Day By Stephen Ambrose, Guns germs and steal by Jared Diamond, Man's search for meaning by Viktor Frankl, The monuments men by Robert Edsel, Slaughterhouse-5 by Kurt Vonnegut, New York by Edward Rutherford, We were eight years in power by Ta-Nahesi Coates, The devil in the white city by Erik Larson, The murmur of bees by Sophia Segovia, Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David Blight, Blackwater by Michael McDowell, Becoming by Michelle Obama, In the garden of beasts by Erik Larson, The story of philosophy by Will Durant, Rage by Bob Woodward, Stasiland: Stories from behind the Berlin Wall by Anna Funder, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, Watership Down by Richard Adams, The things we cannot say by Kelly Rimmer, Endurance by Alfred Lansing, A Promised Land by Barack Obama, Eli’s Promise by Ronald H. Balson, Caste by Isabel Wilkerson, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

“All moments, past, present and future, always have existed, always will exist.” -Kurt Vonnegut

Sleep

It is so important for our immune system, memory formation, and other internal body functions. Here are Dr. Walker’s 12 tips for “sleep hygiene:”

"Stick to a sleep schedule, Don’t exercise too late in the day, Avoid caffeine and nicotine, Avoid alcoholic drinks before bed, Avoid larger meals and beverages late at night, Avoid medicines that delay or disrupt your sleep (if possible), Don’t nap after 3 pm, Make sure to leave time to unwind before bed, Take a hot bath before bed, Gadget-free bedroom, Get the right sunlight exposure (at least 30 minutes a day), Don’t stay in bed if you can’t sleep (after more than 20 minutes, it’s recommended to get up and do something else until you feel sleepy)"

References: Why we sleep: Unlocking the power of sleep and dreams by Dr. Matthew Walker