The Digest: 12/1/2023
This week's most share-worthy resources from around the interwebz
Happy Friday!!!
Hope you’re having the loveliest week.
I had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my family.
My brother and sister were only here for a few days, but it was still enough time to hang out for a bit and catch up.
On Tuesday, I went up to Richmond, VA, for a quick day trip.
It was about a three-hour drive, and it absolutely flew by.
I’m not sure if that’s because it’s legitimately an easy drive (it’s been years since I’ve driven from Blacksburg to Richmond) or because my perception of time has changed since leaving the monastery (I’ve noticed this in other areas of life).
Regardless, it was a pretty good day.
Since then, I’ve been using my time to catch up on some tedious “to-do” list tasks.
I mentioned a few weeks ago that I had been working on what to do now that I’m not pursuing monastic life.
This week, there were a couple of big steps toward getting that sorted out, and I’m hoping to have concrete plans within the next month or so.
That said, I’ve been enjoying my time here in Blacksburg, and while I am looking forward to my circumstances stabilizing a bit (this has been somewhat of a period of limbo), I know I’ll look back on this time fondly.
One thing I’ve mentioned before that I’ve continued this entire time is revisiting old interests and exploring new ones.
I’ve gotten back into grabbing a few beers and socializing on the weekends, which has been such a positive addition to my life.
The quick workouts I’ve been doing before each meal have been progressing each week, and I am pleased with that effort so far.
I get the itch to switch things up every now and then, but “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
There are also two apps I’ve been enjoying very much.
One is called Duolingo, and I’m using it to learn Spanish.
I really enjoyed learning Spanish during my time in South America, and I wanted to continue when I returned to the States.
There are tons of options available for learning languages, but Duolingo seemed to be the most popular, so I chose it.
It’s a little bit more gamified than I’d prefer, but it’s getting the job done so far.
The other app is called Elevate, an app for brain games/training.
I was a bit skeptical to try out a brain game app at first since there’s scant evidence for their effectiveness.
However, I figure that even if it’s not effective for actually training one’s brain, I enjoy it, and that’s reason enough to use it.
That said, I have found myself speaking and writing more clearly since using it.
As a reader of my writing, you may or may not agree, but I have noticed my editing skills catching things I might have missed previously (except perhaps those pesky typos and missing or extra words I always find after publishing something).
I don’t want to elaborate too much on these apps, though, as I intend to write up a post about apps and other resources I’ve found adding value to my life.
Who even knows when that might happen?
There are so many things I want to write about, and it’s already tough to prioritize the ideas I’m considering.
So far, I’ve been prioritizing them by writing ideas related to what I’ve published recently.
That’s why all of my posts recently have been about habits and behavior change.
When writing about one topic, I get ideas for others, so I put them in an idea bank for future use.
Anyway, this introductory portion of The Digest is already way longer than I’d planned, so I’ll wrap it up.
Thanks for humoring me as I put all these thoughts down!
Here are this week’s most share-worthy resources from around the interwebz:
Seeing the good in bad habits by Rob Arthur
“When we take these steps, we don’t only make peace with the habit we’re letting go. We make peace with ourselves.”
#2067 - Dave Smith on The Joe Rogan Experience (podcast)
“Dave Smith is a stand-up comedian, libertarian political commentator, and podcaster. He's the host of the "Part of the Problem" podcast, as well as a co-host of the "Legion of Skanks” podcast.”
2215: Simple Hacks to Improve Any Marriage With Adam Lane Smith on Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth (podcast)
I didn’t see any kind of summary or description on the Mind Pump Podcast page, but this is a really freaking good episode how tips not only for marriages but any romantic relationship.
The Magic—and the Challenge—of Letting Go by Suzanne Falter
“Life is nothing but a continuous process of letting go.”
How to Stop Being a Workaholic by Leo Babauta
“When work takes over your life and causes problems — with your relationships, health, happiness — then it’s time to step back and figure out a better way.”
Mindfulness is the Opposite of Neediness by David Cain
“When I’m meditating consistently, I simply have fewer impulses to entertain and comfort myself, because ordinary moments feel more than good enough, most of the time.”
Who Feels Rich Really? by Nick Maggiulli
“Because you can always point to someone else who is doing better.”
Effort Alone Isn’t Enough by David Cain
“The actual efforts involved in our goals — as in the miles we run or the pushups we do — are often less like choices and more like reactions to who we feel like we are in relation to those efforts.”
The Holiday Season - Training and Nutrition by Ross Enamait
“It is entirely possible to enjoy the holidays and continue training without interruptions.”
Self-Righteous Singles and Smug Married Couples: Why People Think Their Own Lifestyle is the Best by Samantha Joel Ph.D.
“People tend to idealize their own relationship status not because they’re confident that it’s ideal, but because they’re trying to feel better about their own lives.”
My Buy Nothing Year: How I Bought NO Clothing for a Year & 5 Things I Learned by Kyle Kowalski
“What is your main motivation? What is your “why” for doing it? What do you need more than your wants?”
The Main Reason Changing Your Life is Tough by Leo Babauta
“There are lots of reasons, some of them external … but the main reason that it’s difficult to stick to these changes is actually internal.”
Frustrated with Internet Dating? Top 5 Ways to Find Your Life Partner Without a Computer by Melissa Josue
“The internet is a wonderful tool (I use it!) but…a tool is only as effective as HOW you use it.”
10 Unhelpful Habits to Leave Behind This Year by Joanna Cakala
“A great step to start nurturing your well-being is recognizing what’s not serving you anymore and coming up with strategies on how to break the cycle of doing it every time.”
How to Stop Being Negative: 8 Tips to Help by Julianna Poplin
“There’s a lot that you can do to shift your negative thoughts to more positive ones – you’ve just got to equip yourself with the right tools and put forth a bit of effort.”
That does it for this week!
Have a most excellent weekend.
I appreciate you :-)
Rob