Personal Lessons and Experiences From The Past Week
Today's theme is inclusive of health, wealth, and mindset. Although I will divide them into individual sections, there is a common thread running through each concept. It recently struck me how many of us rely on one thing to look after our health, wealth, and mindset, and this is what I want to discuss in today's newsletter.
Health
When it comes to health, it's important to take a well-rounded approach. For example, cycling can be a great form of activity to keep you physically fit, but it's important to also incorporate other activities like strength training and mobility exercises. By doing so, you can improve your performance in cycling or other sports you may be interested in.
However, many people tend to rely solely on one aspect of their fitness routine, and if that aspect is removed, they struggle to find something else to do. For example, if someone has a knee or ankle injury and can't do their usual form of exercise, they may give up on physical activity altogether while they heal. But there are many low-impact activities that can still be done, such as swimming or light walking.
It's easy to fall into the trap of putting all your eggs in one basket, whether it's with exercise or diet. But it's important to try new things and be open to different approaches. For example, you can follow a keto diet one day and a vegan diet the next, or incorporate fasting into your routine. By taking a holistic approach to your health, you'll be better equipped to handle situations where you can't do your usual routine.
Overall, the key takeaway is to focus on multiple factors to keep yourself healthy, fit, and manage your weight. Incorporate a variety of activities and be open to different approaches to diet and exercise. By doing so, you'll be better equipped to handle whatever life throws your way.
Wealth
When it comes to wealth, as I mentioned, this week's theme is relevant to all topics because most of us depend on one source of income, which is our job, to support ourselves. During the pandemic, many people struggled when their job was taken away because they didn't have enough savings. Typically, people live pay check to pay check and rely on their job to cover their expenses. If this isn't a warning sign to diversify your income, then what is? It's essential to have multiple streams of income to support yourself and those around you, just as you need multiple ways to stay fit for your health.
To make your money work for you, try investing or finding a side hustle that generates extra income. Relying on one job to maintain your lifestyle is risky. If that job is taken away, having savings to support you for two or three months is ideal, but having multiple income streams is even better. Diversifying income can mean investing in property to rent out, buying stocks and shares, or finding side hustles to increase your earnings.
If you own a house and don't rent it out, it's not an asset; it's a liability. Remortgaging your property to buy an investment property is a smart way to use your equity to support your lifestyle. Diversifying your income sources can relieve the pressure of having just one source of income.
Investing in stocks and shares that pay dividends is another option to generate income. Side hustles can also provide extra money that can be invested in property or stocks and shares. Billionaires and millionaires often have five to seven income streams. The more income streams you have, the healthier your finances will be. Therefore, diversifying income is crucial for financial success.
Mindset
When it comes to mindset, I believe many people focus on a single thing to manage their mental health, and for most, that thing is exercise. While exercise is undoubtedly excellent for your mental wellbeing, there's a problem that arises if you rely solely on it. What happens if, for some reason, you can't exercise anymore? Maybe you're too busy with work, or you get injured and can't do as much. You may become frustrated and feel off-balance since you're not as active as you once were, and your dependency on exercise to manage your mental wellbeing may also limit you in the future.
As I mentioned earlier, if any one of the sources we discussed today for health, wealth, and mindset is removed, what will you do? Therefore, it's crucial to focus on multiple streams of managing your mental wellbeing. My advice is to try different tools and methods such as meditation, cold therapy, journaling, talking in therapy support groups, and many other options alongside physical activity.
It's also essential to remove exposure to stressful situations that could trigger a mental health issue. For example, if you're easily triggered by social media or the news, try to avoid them as much as possible. Having multiple layers is essential since they create multiple barriers that will protect your mental health in the future.
Think of it like a block of cheese. Cheese with holes in it has one slice that you can see through, but as a block of cheese, you can't see through it. That means you have a bigger barrier and a more well-rounded approach and support system for your mental wellbeing.
This principle applies to health and wealth too. If you focus only on exercise to keep yourself healthy, it may be a challenge because you also need good nutrition, sleep, and mental wellbeing. Therefore, focusing on multiple factors that provide a well-rounded support system for your health, mental wellbeing, and finances is essential.
Don't rely on a single source to support you in any of the areas we discussed. Instead, try to micro-dose different methods on a daily basis. The more well-rounded your approach is, the more supported you will feel, and the more comfortable you will be with yourself. You'll have other tools to lean on if one or the other isn't performing at its best for any reason.
Lyric/ Quote I'm pondering
"The more you have in small doses, micro-dose it on a daily basis. The more well-rounded and supported I feel you'll be, and I feel you also feel that you are supported yourself." - Neil Damerell
