#ColdShowerClub

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I still remember where I was when I read this article from CNN in 2006, where a centenarian cited cold showers for 100 seconds every morning as one of the factors that may have led to his long life. I was visiting my parents and had to mentally prepare myself by overcompensating and starting with a cold shower. It was the longest 100 seconds of my life.

Fast forward to now, 2018. I have been doing the 'cold shower countdown' for over a decade, and sometimes it is still just as mentally challenging as that first time! The trick is to NOT overthink it nor overcompensate by making the water too hot beforehand. 

Some days I hardly make it through a full count of ten under a barely cool rinse, and other days I lose track of time during an entire freezing cold shower. My goal everyday is to withstand it either colder, longer, or both, than the day before. And if I fail? I'll turn off the water, dry off, and strive to do better tomorrow.

Have you made the switch to the #coldshowerclub? Give it a try - just a count to 100 - and let me know what you think.

The Luck Logarithm | The Fate Formula | The Serendipity Solution

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"Ya know J," my friend said to me years ago after finding out he got accepted to medical school, "I'm finding that the harder I work, the luckier I get."

Ever since then I hear his voice in my head saying this exact phrase, often in times when I need motivation. You see, regardless of whichever name you want to apply it from the title of this blog, 'luck'  - in its colloquial use - has little to do with chance itself. So, then what does luck ACTUALLY entail? Simple. 

LUCK = PREPARATION x OPPORTUNITY

If you aren't prepared to seize the opportunity, then that moment which could have been your proverbial lucky break, is literally just another moment passing you by. How do you prepare for these moments? Work hard. Ask tough questions. Ask simple questions. Read. Write. Talk. Listen. Learn to accept and apply feedback. Be actionable. Keep your eyes up and open for and prepare yourself for any opportunities and chances which might come your way.

As I learned from my time in the Boy Scouts, 'Be Prepared'. Not just in order to be ready for moral actions, but the seemingly lucky moments of opportunity, too. 

A.D.I.D.A.S

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All Day I Do Air Squats

In his breakthrough best-seller, Four Hour Body, prolific author & experimenter Tim Ferriss begins with a travel anecdote about how he was caught by his friends doing 'air squats' in a bathroom stall to stay in shape while traveling overseas.

Since first reading this story, not only has my conscious concern and interest in health and well-being increased but so has the time that I spent sitting down commuting or in front of a computer. To combat the rise in sedentariness, and since I have not made the leap into a full-sized standing desk (I have a small standing corner desk but it's only big enough for a small laptop or keyboard), I got into the habit of doing air squats. All. Damn. Day.

(From Crossfit Video)

(From Crossfit Video)

Just put on the tea kettle? 5 air squats. Just washed my hands after using the restroom? Quickly! 5 more air squats before going back to wherever! Waiting for the bus? Why not squat? On a call? Stand up and squat! Just finished staring at my screen hunched over and working way too hard on a simple blog post? Jump/drag/stumble out of the chair and bust out a few quick air squats. Feels much better.

Basically, anytime I have a few moments waiting around or am about to physically move from one scenario to the next, I do a few quick air squats to pump my blood and use forceful breathing while doing so as a quick mental refresh. This sends positive signals to my brain and body and also helps me move on from one task to the next. I don't keep track anymore, but for an added bonus, see how quickly you can make it to 50 or 100 air squats in a day. 

Finished reading the article? Leave a comment, then get up and do a few quick air squats! You'd be surprised at how easy these are to incorporate in your day!