The Journal #5
Pudding. Iceberg. Organise. Birds.
01. FOOD - Joe Gaunt
There’s a new Sheriff in town!
Whist I don't consider myself an expert, there are a few things I have an informed opinion on (mainly through experience!).
Hot sauces, wine, coffee, cheese, and…the protein pudding.
Quick, tasty and decent protein levels per calorie, I am loving the new Arla range.
20g of protein, 154 calories and they taste like a treat.
Enjoy. You can thank me later!
P.S. You'll struggle to beat tabasco as the Swiss army knife of spicy sauces.
02. NUTRITION - Jonny Grayshon
Sink or Swim.
As the Titanic started to sink, would you have arranged the deck chairs into nice neat rows?
Of course not!
Tidying the chairs up isn’t going to stop the ship sinking!
We all know this.
Yet, when it comes to our nutrition, this is how we often view it.
That teaspoon of mayo isn’t what you need to worry about Dave (sorry if your name actually is Dave, Dave)!!!
It’s the kebab and 10 pints you keep smashing every Friday night!
Focus on nailing the important stuff regularly and don’t sweat the small stuff and occasional treats.
Being 80% on it with food…100% of the time is all you need to do.
And you’ll be able to fit into a deck chair for life.
Keep an eye out for those ice creams bergs!
03. MINDSET - Mike Bates
The Thought Organiser.
I’ve been considering starting to journal for many years.
It sounded like a good idea and many successful men I know, and many others throughout history, have used journalling as a daily practice.
Marcus Aurelius, Charles Darwin, Richard Branson, Warren Buffett, Josh Waitzkin, Ludwig van Beethoven to name but a few.
I made a choice at the start of 2024 that I was to journal everyday in January.
I did this to try and build a habit.
I missed one day (and that’s ok).
I’ve since continued the practice every day throughout February and into March.
Writing my journal is now a daily habit and I really enjoy it (I still miss the odd day. It’s still ok).
Here’s what I’ve learned so far:
- It doesn’t need to take long.
- It is a powerful way to organise ones thoughts.
- Writing thoughts down makes them real and I notice and understand them more.
- Including daily gratitude helps me to value the things that matter most.
- The act of self-reflection helps me to quickly make up for my many shortcomings.
- Setting daily intentions helps me to prioritise and focus on the tasks that really matter.
The benefit far outweighs the effort.
Here’s my template for you to steal (there are countless others):
Each day I sit somewhere alone and ask myself the following 3 questions.
1 - What did I do well yesterday?
2 - What could I have done better?
3 - What am I most grateful for?
I write my answer for each in my journal.
I then state and write down 3 clear intentions I intend to complete that day.
The next day I tick those intentions off my list and carry over any that were not done.
I complete my journal in under 5 minutes and try to do it before beginning work.
In these times when hustle and busy are the traits rewarded most in society it is even more important than ever to slow down, take time out to think and to look inward with a keen eye.
Here are my top 3 tips for starting your journalling journey:
- Make it easy. Keep your journal and pen on your desk or somewhere you can see it.
- Keep the same structure every day - time of day, questions, duration.
- Don’t worry if you miss a day - just don’t miss twice!
The best at journalling were the Stoics.
This stuff isn’t anything new, it’s been around forever, we’ve just forgotten how important it is.
If like me you’ve been on the fence about journalling then I’d strongly encourage you to give it a try.
Watch our The Hundred 2023 Saturday night headline keynote by Adisa Banjoko as a great place to start.
‘How sweet is the sleep which follows this self-examination’
Seneca
04. QUOTE
“I can't see a way through," said the boy.
"Can you see your next step?"
“Yes"
“Just take that," said the horse”
The Boy, the mole, the fox and the horse.
Charlie Mackesy
05. TIP
Put out, clean and top up your bird feeder now that the weather is improving and there is more daylight (if you haven’t got one go out and buy one).
Encouraging nature into your space is a wonderful way to bring calm into a chaotic world and to contribute to our environment.
Birds are hungry having starved through a long winter. Feeding them now gives them a chance.
Ensure you place your feeder in a spot where birds can feel safe, this is usually out in the open. Avoid hedges as cats will lurk.
Check the size of the feeding hole (if not using a bird table) as different birds require different sized feeding holes and you want the animals in your garden that you want to see - magpies, crows and greedy squirrels aren’t welcome in ours.
Pull up a chair. Sit quietly and marvel at nature.
The Journal by NXT45
