Need more happiness?
Here’s a move guaranteed to bring you greater happiness.
I call it DAPS
This was the day my life would change for the better and it could change yours too.
It was a frosty January morning as I tossed back the warm covers. The winter winds blew cold outside. With Daylight Savings time in effect, it was still dark as I walked to the kitchen. I flipped on the lights, grabbed a warm cup of jasmine tea, and headed for what would now become my exercise room. This is where my different life would begin.
I was recently inspired by a newfound perspective on an old quote, Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity, “Doing the same things while expecting a different result.”
My different life would begin at the beginning, mornings. I’m paraphrasing Einstein, but the idea is, if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got. How can it be any different?
The only logical solution then, IS TO CHANGE WHAT WE DO.
Imagine that old tale of putting your hand on a hot stove for the first time and getting burned. You’re supposed to learn and not do that. Most of us do learn, and quickly.
Insanity is putting your hand on that hot stove time and time again, but expecting NOT to get burned!
How many times do we do the same damn things every day though, yet wonder why our lives never change? Never get better?
So this year, instead of getting a big breakfast, then binging on videos or reading a book, I decided to start my day with physical activity combined with mental stimulation.
I call it FE. Fitness & Education. (like PE in school, only FE works your body AND your brain)
FE exercises your body and brain at the same time.
There are only three rules:
- You can do any exercises you want. Just keep your body moving the whole time.
- You can put on any Youtube video, or other video, or audio, (book, podcast, etc) but it must be educational.
- Your session must last at least 20 minutes
The goal of this is, you should be slightly fitter, slightly smarter at the end of each session.
The effects of these mini sessions will compound over time. Imagine, if you only got 1% fitter, 1% smarter every day, in one year’s time you’d be 365% fitter and smarter!
That’s more than 3 times as smart and as fit as you were!
In just 20 minutes per day!
Most people’s mornings start like mine did. Wake. Eat. Start slowly with little energy.
Here’s what my morning experiment has given me after just 3 months:
- more energy throughout the day
- sleeping better at night
- lost 10 pounds of fat
- gained several inches of muscle
- better focus and concentration
- more confidence
- greater motivation
- learned to play piano
- create 1 educational article each day
- 5 new educational products created
- 1000 more views on Pinterest per month
- greater happiness
Changing my morning, starting at the beginning, has changed my entire life. This is the power one different thing can do. It creates a ripple effect.
Often people resist change, because they think it will take so much, or so much effort, to make a difference.
My experiment has proven, at least to me, that simple things CAN make a huge difference in the quality and happiness of our life.
I plan to make even more intentional changes as the year progresses. I’ll keep you posted.
For now, I’ll share with you the simple formula I will use to make those changes.
I call it DAPS.
Change always begins with a decision to change. DECISION puts the D in DAPS.
But decision without action is just a wish, a dream. ACTION puts the A in DAPS.
Change that sticks and grows also requires time. PERSISTENCE is the P in DAPS.
When you DECIDE, take ACTION, and PERSIST over time, you will achieve SUCCESS.
The beauty and the curse is, DAPS works for things good and bad.
- If you decide to actively practice lying and stealing, over time, you’ll be successful at being a bad person.
- If you decide to practice sitting around eating fatty foods and drinking booze, you’ll be unhealthy.
- If you decide to practice smoking two pack a day, you’ll be unhealthy.
- If you decide to study one subject for an hour each day, you’ll be an expert in 1 year.
- If you decide to exercise 20 minutes each day, you’ll be a healthier person.
- If you combine learning with exercise, you’ll be a fitter, healthier happier person!
- If you decide to practice the piano, guitar, violin, or anything for 20 minutes each day, you’ll be wonderful at it in a year.
DAPS is a simple formula. But changing our habits can be hard.
There are three phrases I like to use to inspire me on those tough days:
- No Matter What – once you decide, you have to honor yourself and do what you have decided. Self confidence has been described as “Keeping one’s promises to one’s self”
- Just Start – the hardest part is often just getting started. Once you start, you almost always want to continue. It’s that old physics law, that “an object in motion tends to stay in motion”.
- 5 Minutes – on those really tough days, when I’m sure I can’t, or I don’t have time, Just for 5 minutes is hard to say no too. It gets me started, just as in number 2, but I often find myself continuing for the full session. Even if not, at least I can can check the box that I did it, even if the duration was short. Ensuring that the habit of doing it stays intact.
I read somewhere that you can miss a day, two at most, but if you miss three days in a row, your mind and body become very resistant to going back. Jerry Seinfeld was famous for his “Never Break The Chain Calendar” where he would check off each day as he wrote a new joke. Must write new joke everyday, good or bad. Just write. Habit! Is it any wonder he’s one of the most successful, richest comedians EVER!
Contact me if you’d like a handy, “Don’t Break The Chain” Calendar for yourself. It really helps!
OK. That’s it from me for today.
How about you?
What ONE thing would you change in your life to be happier?
Is it something you would add?
Or subtract?
If you’re planning to subtract, it’s most helpful to add something in its place.
For me, I used to waste countless hours at the end of the day mindlessly scrolling internet sites.
I subtracted that. Added piano practice in its place. I learn. I grow. I enjoy. I’m happier.
The other thing that helps is keeping a written log of your change.
Any or all of these will help:
- Write your goal, look at it daily.
- Use the “Don’t Break The Chain Calendar
- Set an alarm to remind you it’s time
- Stick to one designated time each day
- Get an accountability partner to remind/push you
- Think of it as fun time. Growth time. Not punishment.
- Do it with a friend or partner
- Chart your results/changes
- Journal how it makes you feel
Alrighty now…”nuff reading.
Go forth and change thy ways to live happier ever after!
Decision Action Persistence Success – DAPS
“Bene Vivere!”
Bob Elderbob Schwarztrauber
P.S. I’m about to embark on a really big change next week. One of those “Bucketlist” things.
I’ll tell you all about the experience when I return.
