WolfDreamer

W2D1

• read Meditations my Marcus Aurelius for 10 minutes and Arete by Brian Johnson for 10 minutes; also still listening to Do Hard Things
• learned about using mindfulness practices not to ignore or fight discomfort but to acknowledge it, identify it, and then navigate how to deal with it
• meditated for 14 minutes (two 7 minute sessions), while cultivating present moment awareness, using Traver Boehm's meditation course
• completed a kettlebell workout; 3 rounds of:
  • thrusters x 8 per arm
  • floor press x 10 per arm
  • rows x 10 per arm
  • snatch x 8 per arm
  • Turkish get-ups x 2 per side
• wrote in my journal for a little over 10 minutes based on some Stoicism inspired prompts generated by AI.

W1D7

• read Meditations my Marcus Aurelius for 10 minutes and Arete by Brian Johnson for 10 minutes; also still listening to Do Hard Things
• learned about some of the science behind "self talk," the conversations we have with ourselves in moments of stress or anxiety.
• meditated for 16 minutes (two 8 minute sessions), while cultivating a sense of joy, using Traver Boehm's meditation course
• Rest day again today, but I did play with my kids and take the dog for a walk
• wrote in my journal for a little over 10 minutes based on some Stoicism inspired prompts generated by AI.

17 hours ago, Jackdaw said:

Which translation are you reading? 

It is in a Harvard Classics volume, along with Plato's The Apology, Phaedo, and Crito, and The Golden Sayings of Epictetus. George Long is the translator.

17 hours ago, Jackdaw said:

It feels so profound to read thoughts of a man who lived so many years ago though

I agree!

W1D6

• read Meditations my Marcus Aurelius for 10 minutes and Arete by Brian Johnson for 10 minutes; also still listening to Do Hard Things
• learned about research conducted by the VIA Institute on Character on virtues and values and how they impact character. I also took the Values In Action Inventory quiz and learned that my top 5 character strengths are Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence, Love of Learning, Zest, Kindness, and Love.
• listened to an episode of Daily Stoic about Epictetus
• meditated for 12 minutes (two 6 minute sessions), while cultivating a sense of forgiveness, using Traver Boehm's meditation course
• Rest day today, but I did play with my kids and take the dog for a walk
• wrote in my journal for a little over 10 minutes based on some Stoicism inspired prompts generated by AI.

W1D5

• read Meditations my Marcus Aurelius for 10 minutes and Arete by Brian Johnson for 10 minutes; also still listening to Do Hard Things
• learned about research conducted by psychologists Martin Seligman and Steven Maier about what they called "learned helplessness" and how it can be impacted by choice or lack of choice
• meditated for 12 minutes (two 6 minute sessions), while cultivating a sense of compassion, using Traver Boehm's meditation course
• decided to double up today and use two kettlebells for the following workout with 90 seconds rest between each set and each exercise:
  • Double swings 3 x 10
  • Double clean & press 3 x 6
  • Double racked squats 3 x 5
  • Renegade rows 3 x 5
• wrote in my journal for a little over 10 minutes based on some Stoicism inspired prompts generated by AI.

Side note: This was my workout playlist for today.

4 hours ago, TrashcanCarla said:

Now, I allow myself a second to be disappointed and then move into "what's next" phase. Much better for my mental health.

That's excellent. I remember reading the book Tuesdays with Morrie and being affected by something Morrie said about feeling emotions fully, experiencing and identifying it, and then detaching from it in order to move forward.

On 12/29/2023 at 11:41 AM, KT_Boundary said:

I'm an Assistant Professor at a University

Wow! I don't think I knew that! What do you teach?

On 12/29/2023 at 11:41 AM, KT_Boundary said:

I'm conscious that I tend to set goals that are way too ambitious...

These are excellent goals. You're both pacing yourself while challenging yourself. Hope it's going well for you!

1 hour ago, Athaclena said:

but I know I made progress

This can really give you hope. When I started cleaning our attic last week, I was so overwhelmed that I almost bailed on the project altogether. But once I could see progress, it was like whooosh, I just worked and worked until it was completely done.

You've got this!

1 hour ago, Athaclena said:

A little is still more than zero.

There's a life lesson in that right there!

1 hour ago, Athaclena said:

We think the server room A/C is toast. Luckily side biz is doing well enough to replace it without me kicking in $$ since we're not remotely ready to re-do HVAC in the office and it would be mucho $$ and we'd have to redo stuff if we tried to do it now. So we're gonna spend a bet to get us through another 2 years before we re-do everything.....

Ugh. Sorry to hear about the A/C, but it sounds like you have a plan!

53 minutes ago, Mistr said:

If I think I might need a nap, I lie down in a comfy place and keep my eyes closed for 5 minutes. If I am still awake at 5 minutes, I get up. If not, it shows I needed the nap.  

That's... damn, that's a solid strategy. I would need to set an alarm, though, because if I really needed the nap, who knows how long I would sleep. 😆

21 minutes ago, TrashcanCarla said:

Our garage is not ready

No part of my house is equipment ready, which is why I have a kettlebell and some resistance bands for inside the house and a log and some cinder blocks for outside. But damn that trap bar looks niiiiice.

I love how you have grace for yourself whenever you feel you haven't met your own standards. Step by step is all part of it, even if that means taking one step back and two steps forward or three or four. I know you've got this. You know you've got this.

10 minutes ago, Jackdaw said:

because I was lazy

We all get that way sometimes. 😆

11 minutes ago, Jackdaw said:

I witnessed my previous team leader laughing at a person who doesn't have front teeth and making jokes about a fat person

Ugh. It's this kind of toxic work environment stuff that I don't tolerate.

12 minutes ago, Jackdaw said:

I became friendly with people in my new team with whom I couldn't hit it off at first.

Great! I'm glad to hear it. I'm proud of you for not letting the behavior of your previous team leader stop you from getting to know the people on your new team. You're doing really well! Keep growing!

34 minutes ago, Loveable_Bouncer said:

Gilmore Girls

I joke with people that "Gilmore Girls" and "Grey's Anatomy" are my guilty pleasure shows.

I am proud of you for choosing to reduce your screen time. I know what chasing that dopamine rush feels like, and it can be a challenge to put it down and find other ways to feel as "connected" without it. But you can do it. I know you can.

1 hour ago, Shello said:

I'm feeling anxiety about the decluttering.  It's a lot of pressure.  I purge better when I'm in the right headspace for it.  It's hard to force.

I feel this. That is the reason I put off cleaning our attic for so long, because I knew there would be a lot that needed thrown out; I also knew there were memories and feelings attached to a lot of what needed thrown out.

You can to this, but (as you said) don't force it.

As an English teacher, I fully favor your fervent use of alliteration.

Also, love your challenge.

45 minutes ago, TimovieMan said:

"5 minutes raised arms hold". Which is hard, and *very* tedious.

Yeah, it's surprising how simple and yet how difficult this is. There is another one where you raise your arms straight above your head and then clench your fists for two minutes. I thought it would be easy until it felt like my arms were on fire... on the inside!

22 minutes ago, DarK_RaideR said:

a delicious prawn pad thai

That SOUNDS delicious!

22 minutes ago, DarK_RaideR said:

Deal with the family while doing all of the above

I know this feeling! Trying to do all the things while also dealing with the family.

Solid work!

5 hours ago, Rhovaniel said:

Hey WolfDreamer. Hope things are okay.

WolfDreamer raises his glass and grins.

Much appreciated. All is well. My mind won't let go of some things that happened yesterday. What's done is done, and things have smoothed over. But I still feel the residual guilt of some things I said in a moment of anger. But I appreciate your concern. All is well.

4 hours ago, fitnessgurl said:

My arms would fall off...just sain'. Great job!

I thought mine might. 😆 Honestly, the swings weren't bad. It was the get-ups that almost got me. And my brain struggled to do them in reverse at the end.

W1D4

• read Meditations my Marcus Aurelius for 10 minutes and Arete by Brian Johnson for 10 minutes; also still listening to Do Hard Things
• learned about the Greek concept of eudaimonia and our inner daimon
• meditated for ten minutes (two 5 minute sessions) using Traver Boehm's meditation course
• no workout today because a) I wanted to recover from yesterday's intense Herculean workout and b) I didn't get much sleep, so I decided to take it easy today
• wrote in my journal for a little over 10 minutes based on some Stoicism inspired prompts generated by AI.

As promised:

Hercules' Kettlebell Workout

Warm-up
- Do some light mobility exercises for your joints and muscles, such as arm circles, hip rotations, ankle rolls, etc.
- Do 3 sets of 5 reps of goblet squats, halos, and bridges with the kettlebell. Rest as needed between sets.

Main workout
- The main workout consists of 5 rounds of swings and get-ups, inspired by the 12 labors of Hercules. Each round has a different theme and variation of the exercises. Rest as needed between rounds, but try to keep the intensity high.
- Round 1: The Nemean Lion. Do 10 one-arm swings per arm, followed by 1 Turkish get-up per arm. Use a powerful and explosive movement, like Hercules strangling the lion.
- Round 2: The Lernaean Hydra. Do 15 two-arm swings, followed by 2 rolling get-ups per arm. Use a fluid and smooth movement, like Hercules cutting off the heads of the hydra.
- Round 3: The Golden Hind. Do 20 alternating swings, followed by 3 half get-ups per arm. Use a fast and agile movement, like Hercules chasing the hind.
- Round 4: The Erymanthian Boar. Do 25 hand-to-hand swings, followed by 4 sit-up get-ups per arm. Use a strong and stable movement, like Hercules capturing the boar.
- Round 5: The Augean Stables. Do 30 swing cleans, followed by 5 reverse get-ups per arm. Use a clean and efficient movement, like Hercules diverting the rivers to clean the stables.

Cool-down
- Do some light stretching exercises for your muscles and tendons, such as hamstring stretches, shoulder stretches, wrist stretches, etc.
- Drink plenty of water and congratulate yourself for completing the workout.

W1D3:

• read Meditations my Marcus Aurelius for 10 minutes and Arete by Brian Johnson for 10 minutes; also still listening to Do Hard Things
• learned that the Stoics were very fond of the myth of Hercules, especially the story in which, as a young man, he was visited by two goddesses: one was Kakia (or Vice) and the other was Arete (or Virtue)
• meditated for ten minutes (two 5 minute sessions) using Traver Boehm's meditation course
• used AI to create a kettlebell workout that was inspired by Pavel Tsatsouline's Simple and Sinister program and also had a theme based on the myth of Hercules. I'll share the workout in a separate post; it was genuinely one of the most difficult but most incredible workouts I have had in a while, maybe ever.
• wrote in my journal for a little over 10 minutes based on some Stoicism inspired prompts generated by AI.

WolfDreamer closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, inhaling the warm and fragrant air of the tavern.

"Barkeep," he says, "something dark and strong, something that tastes like apologies and regrets. It's been one of those days."

10 hours ago, Heidi said:

#PhilosopherApproved!

10 hours ago, Heidi said:

Looking forwrd to cheering you on, hero.

10 hours ago, Heidi said:

FYI, Epictetus is probably my favorite of the Stoics.

He is great, and one of the top Stoic influences for Marcus Aurelius.

W1D2:

• read Meditations my Marcus Aurelius for 10 minutes and Arete by Brian Johnson for 10 minutes; I am also listening to Do Hard Things by Steve Magness

• learned some details about psychologists Abraham Maslow and Martin Seligman and how they were influenced by philosophers like Aristotle
• used Traver Boehm's meditation course to meditate for 10 minutes
• completed my strength benchmark with the following results:
  • swings -- 65
  • goblet squats -- 16
  • kettlebell push-ups -- 15
  • deadlifts -- 28
  • rows -- 37
  • snatches -- 15L 12R
  • overhead press -- 8L 8R

• wrote in my journal for a little over 10 minutes based on some prompts given by Traver in the Uncivilized Nation, as well as some Stoicism inspired prompts generated by AI.
• BONUS: Finished cleaning and organizing the attic. I no longer feel overwhelmed whenever I need to store something up there or when I need to find something that is stored up there.
• HEROIC BONUS: I called my father today. We haven't spoken in over a year. I tried calling him on Father's Day in 2022, but his wife answered and took a message, but he never called me back. We have a... wounded relationship that still has a lot of healing to do. I've realized that because his health declining due to diabetes, I should be reaching out and trying to reconnect. I got his voicemail and left a message, letting him know that I really did want to talk to him and to call me back, that I miss him. But the wounded part of me did not expect him to call me back. A few hours later, I received a voicemail from him, saying that my call had made his day and to call him back. I called, and we talked for 20 minutes, sharing updates of our lives, admitting that we did miss talking to each other. He gave me his cell phone number and agreed to take it one step at a time.

On 12/28/2023 at 4:24 PM, TheGreyJedi-Ranger said:

I’d really like to be able to keep up with her and I’d really like to just be in better physical health overall.

This was one of my top reasons for getting healthy, my kids. I stopped smoking cigarettes when my wife became pregnant with our first daughter, but I still lived an inactive lifestyle and my nutrition was sloppy. Once we adopted more children and I crept closer to 40, I knew I needed to be serious about my health, both so I could keep up with my kids and for longevity.

On 12/28/2023 at 4:24 PM, TheGreyJedi-Ranger said:

The intent is for this to help me build some solid habits for good health. 

Very good intention indeed.

On 12/28/2023 at 4:24 PM, TheGreyJedi-Ranger said:

It seemed like a solid number, has me sitting at less than a pound a week

That is both ambitious and doable! 

On 12/28/2023 at 4:24 PM, TheGreyJedi-Ranger said:

Wish me so much luck as I spend the next 75 days reinforcing my decision that I’m a person who takes care of their body!

I'm really proud of you. I know you can do this.

W1D1:

• read Meditations my Marcus Aurelius for 20 minutes
• learned that, in spite of his success as a Roman emperor and his reputation as a kind and merciful leader, near the end of his life Marcus Aurelius succumbed to the panic caused by the pandemic and authorized the cruel and unjust execution of a number of Christians, who were being blamed by the public for the growing plague
• no strength training today because...
• I ran a 5k race; my time wasn't great, but I'll accept it as a good beginning. I finished in 32:24.
• sat in quiet contemplation for 10 minutes before my race
• wrote in my journal for a little over 10 minutes based on some prompts given by Traver in the Uncivilized Nation, as well as some Stoicism inspired prompts generated by AI.

15 minutes ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Following 

I love this movie so much. The stoning scene continues to be near the top of the list of funniest things I have ever seen. The "Biggus Dickus" scene is great, as well.

On 12/31/2023 at 8:05 AM, Skywalker said:

Skywalker again slinks in to sit in the dark corner, hoping no one notices that she's been missing . . . again

WolfDreamer, who in the past spent plenty of time hiding in the corner, notices the lady sitting alone and lifts his drink in her direction.

"From one weary traveler's return to another, welcome back."