HNS JOURNAL, Entry #3
THE JOURNAL
Hello, HNS Insiders!
I talk about a lot about the importance of “the process” and how we not only improve and grow through focusing on this process, but if approached with consistency, we also find great joy there as well. This concept is one I try to apply to all aspects of life, but I realized yesterday it was so clearly conveyed through an activity I have somewhat recently focused on and formerly viewed as a form of torture. It is an activity that I despised for much of my life and is something I always assumed I was “bad” at: running.
I have specific memories from middle school gym class in my stinky uniform of red shorts and a grey t-shirt being forced to “run the mile.” I hated it for so many reasons. It took twenty years for me to realize I was bad at running because I never did it consistently.
As many of you know, a pillar of my transformation to becoming a more positive and joyous person is cardiovascular exercise. I have found so much mental peace and clarity through sustained periods of work and sweat. When I started giving cardio a chance, however, I could barely run half of a mile without stopping. This is why I assumed I was bad at it. I gave in to “level one” of my human nature (learn more about this concept in The Guidebook) and took the path of least resistance for my entire life when it came to running.
Once my mindset started shifting away from obsessing over results and toward leaning into the process, my approach to running changed completely. I decided to push a little bit farther than my previous “long” run each week. After starting this journey one year ago at .5 miles, yesterday I ran 12 miles. Twelve miles doesn’t have any significant meaning, it’s not a benchmark length and there are people who warm up with that distance! But, since I have not thought much about the “result” of my distance running, it did not dawn on me until yesterday that the guy who thought a 5K was exclusively for insane people ran four times that distance.
I do not consider myself a runner. I only run once a week and my main motivation is that it has become a sacred time for me and my thoughts, and I love the sense of accomplishment that I feel when I finish. Lifting weights is still my favorite form of exercise, and I love my Peloton bike, but there is something uniquely gratifying about pounding out a long run. As a friend said to me recently, it is a cathartic experience.
Speaking of running, I had an enlightening and meaningful conversation last week with Jeremy Spicer, Owner of SASI - The Leadership People, former band director extraordinaire, and avid runner. We talked about building, maintaining, and growing a business as an entrepreneur, developing relationships, prioritizing wellness, and more. Jeremy embodies the Happy, Not Satisfied mindset and lives by the mantra “all you can control is how hard you work.” Watch our full conversation HERE.
Find out why so many people are saying their lives have changed after reading Happy, Not Satisfied: The Guidebook! Download your copy today to learn about about mindset, motivation, routines and goal setting and also gain access to a step by step approach to tracking macronutrients, as well as a database of exercises and specific examples of how to work out effectively!
HAPPY, NOT SATISFIED™: THE GUIDEBOOK
Happy, Not Satisfied™: The Guidebook
Learn how to overcome anxiety, manage stress and live a more fulfilling life through building routines, reframing goal setting, improving your physical wellbeing via exercise and nutrition, and finding the motivation to stay on track with the Happy, Not Satisfied mindset.
PLEASE NOTE: Your download link will expire after 24 hours.
$29.99
Classical Music Isn’t Boring
Finally, I am on a mission to make classical music feel more accessible and entertaining to people that do not have a background in the arts. Each week, I will share a clip of classical music that is relatable, engaging, and exciting in a series entitled, “Classical Music Isn’t Boring.” This week is the end of Symphony Number 7 by Dmitri Shostakovich. This particular recording by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is the best in existence, in my opinion. It will get your heart pumping! Watch the clip HERE.
Until next week,
-Dan