Self first is not selfish

The “put your own oxygen mask on before assisting others” airplane instruction is a strong example of how we can best be of service to others.  The analogy applies to unrelated and non-urgent scenarios.

Sick, sleep-deprived moms won’t be their best selves.  “Selfless” people who donate all their money are promptly in a position where they can no longer help anyone.

Drowning people make lousy lifeguards.

Caring for your own well-being is a prerequisite for being useful to those around us.

Give bleakness the boot

While some of us have unlucky wiring that makes us predisposed to depression, no one on earth is immune to it.

A simple tactic can reliably help improve your mood and well-being. It doesn’t have to cost money.  It’s a practice that gets you out of your head and almost always immediately upgrades your mental condition.  Psychological and even physiological evidence supports this.  Are you ready for the “secret” (I can’t stand that word)?

Find someone less fortunate than you and help them.  Right now.

Maybe you’ll only move from a 2 to a 5 on the well-being scale.  But trending in the right direction is a strong start.

Simple vs. Easy

Some exercises (Turkish getup) are complex and require coordination.  Others (sprinting uphill) can inspire results, and while simple, are far from easy.

We tend to overlook habits and practices that can bring us disproportionate value, because they seem too “simple” to be valuable. Deliberately creating a mindfulness, anger management or compassion practice requires very little time and nothing complicated.  Simple, but not easy.

Don’t underestimate the significance of simple tools and habits, used consciously, properly, and with intent.