1-2-3 Sundays: A New Beginning

I want to start by saying a big thank you to those who signed up. I'm extremely grateful for your support.

If you know someone who may be interested in reading these then share it with them. I would massively appreciate it.  

I've been writing these blog posts for almost a year now and I've had so much fun. I've always aimed to use this as a creative outlet - formulating and pulling together different ideas I've read or heard about. I've connected with people from all over the world which I never expected to happen.

Don't worry the longer form posts will still be here, only less often.

In the early days, I was consistent. Now not so much. To keep me accountable, I'm putting out a weekly newsletter on a Sunday with the following:

1 Theme Prevelant This Week

2 Positive Outcomes

3 Things I've Learned

Let's get right into it.

1 Theme

Learning

I was on a training course this week at work. It was pretty full-on and technical. I felt mentally drained with the amount of information I've been receiving each day.

Learning never stops.

Whether that be about a particular subject or about yourself. We are constantly evolving our personalities and traits. If you look at the person you were 3-4 years ago there's a good chance you've changed. It could be small or drastic, positive or negative but you haven't stagnated in the same position.

Applying what we learn encourages this change to happen.

2 Positive Outcomes

Lighter mornings

I am grateful for these.

When I started running seriously back in December, at 6 am it was pitch black. I had my head torch on. One morning I forgot it and the streetlights on the hill I was going up went out. It was total darkness.

I noticed a difference this week, I'm setting out and it's light. This makes it so much easier.  

How many of ourselves were affected by SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)? Getting out in the morning felt like a chore. Our moods weren't great.

We're over halfway through March now.

Light mornings are here to stay so it's time to embrace them and get out (especially if there's sun).  

Run In The Sun

Leading on from the lighter mornings, I'm now running when its light.

On Thursday, I was lucky enough to see the sunrise while out.

It was a wholesome experience made sweeter by the fact it rained heavily for a lot of the day.

3 Things I've Learned

The End of History Illusion

I heard this on the ANeed2Read podcast in relation to change over the course of 10 years in our personality, behaviours and overall being.

It states:

"individuals of all ages believe that they have experienced significant personal growth and changes in tastes up to the present moment, but will not substantially grow or mature in the future."

Popularised by Daniel Gilbert, he thinks it comes from our inability to predict how we might change in the future. It could also be a sense of satisfaction with where we are now.

A study of over 19,000 people between the ages of 18 and 68 found underestimation of future changes, core values and preferences.

Walking For Socialising

Not something I've learned over the last week but the last 2 years.

I was reiterated this during the week when Aimee and I went out for a walk one evening and completely forgot about time.

What was meant to be a half-hour walk turned into an hour.

We were in the flow state for walking.

We were both pretty relaxed afterwards. Plus it was ideal for us to spent time together outside rather than sitting on the couch.

It also allowed us to have meaningful conversations - something we all could do with more of.

The moral of the story - walking and talking is fun. Do it more often.

Structured But Flexible

Planning out my week is a Sunday task. It gets everything in place for the week ahead. Workouts, what we're having for dinner and any plans go on the whiteboard we have in the kitchen.

It lets you visualise what's going on and see where you can make and alter plans.

It doesn't mean everything is set in stone and can't be changed.

If an unexpected event or plan comes up, we can be flexible and move things about.

This happened this week. My original workout plan had a rest day on Thursday. I decided to move this and take the rest day on Sunday instead based on social events.

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