From Zero to Hero (Week 2)

One Month to Change Everything

Last week, I wrote this letter to introduce you to the challenges I was facing. For me, December was supposed to be the month of change.

I hadn’t planned to write an update this morning. My Sunday post was going to be about human genius. Alarm scheduled for 8:00 a.m. to write.

But I went to bed at 2 a.m. and… as you can imagine, my 8 a.m. wake-up try… on a Sunday morning… was a failure.

I did hear the alarm clock in my dream, but it decided to take shape in a beautiful song that fitted in perfectly with my oneiric adventure.

That annoying alarm turned into a harmonious melody. The human body is ingenious when it comes to rest.

So

• How did my week go?

• Have I broken any bad habits? 

• Have I picked up any good ones?

From Zero to Hero turned into from Zero to 0.5
I haven’t turned into Achilles yet, but I’ve got my feet moving in the right direction.

I’ve done 3 workouts (+1 to be done after this post is published.) So a total of 4. I wanted to do 7/7 so I could share it with you proudly, but I’ve been struggling for the past few days.

I kicked off the week strongly with three workouts three days in a row. My post on Sunday motivated me to do it. Write down somewhere what you want to do next week. It might give you the extra soul to do it.

I didn’t sleep enough on three days of the week. Thursday / Friday and Saturday. I need to work on this part next week. Past 10 pm, I feel my sleep is less restorative even though I’ve slept 8 hours. When I sleep past midnight, even if it’s 8 hours, I’m tired. Sleep is my biggest struggle. I’m a night owl. I need to break this identity to build a new one. 

I corrected my diet. I ate less. I’ve been cooking and enjoying it. It’s not perfect yet, but it’s improving.

I have a few other points that are important but that I didn’t share with you last week.

The complete cleansing of my environment. It’s underway. I realize that a perfect environment is vital. Cluttered desks and visual clutter are a mental burden. Room after room, I’m clearing out and reorganizing. The beauty of order soothes me. Inexplicable feeling, but this order seems to give me strength. I can only advise you to make your home perfect. Turn your home into a shelter. A place where you’re happy to live. Fragrant scents, organization that you enjoy, a visual that makes you happy. Your home must make your senses pleasant.

I was productive in my work. Again, far from perfect, but it’s been better. I realize that my non-productivity is often the result of interruptions on my phone. I lose my focus to play a mobile game or find a “good” youtube video. Interruptions that ruin concentration and flow. I now leave my phone in another room, it’s amazing how this little habit changes everything.

The writing part did suffer this week. I spent a week away from writing platforms. Apart from my daily post. I didn’t spend any extra time on this one. If you’ve left me a comment or an e-mail and I haven’t replied: I’m sorry. 

I receive 10–30 messages a day on average. I usually reply to everyone. But at the moment, I’m away from the Internet to focus on myself. If you have an important message, send it back. I will process all messages this week.

If I had to sum up this week, it would be the word pleasure. I’ve started to take pleasure again in the things I do daily, a pleasure that had disappeared in previous weeks. I’ve enjoyed writing and I think that’s been reflected in my recent pieces. A little more energy and optimism.

I told you in a previous post how the disappearance of pleasure in activities that are supposed to give you joy is a warning sign. Anhedonia is a symptom that should light up all the red lights. A symptom that screams “You’re on a dangerous path. Depression lurks. Things need to change.”

The sports sessions did me a world of good mentally. They’re essential for clearing the mind and helping your natural physiology to regulate itself. I still don’t feel like doing them before I start. I’m always proud to have done them afterward.

There’s also the feeling of pride when we’ve finished a day we’re glad to have lived. It’s opposed to the feeling of shame when we’ve finished a day in which we’ve succumbed to our demons. I noticed a big difference in my evening mood compared with previous weeks. When I went to bed, I was “satisfied” with myself.

That’s about it for this week. More adventures next week. I’m taking advantage of this post to reply to some comments.

Some of you told me I was too hard on myself. I think I’m far too soft. I’ve seen it, I’ve experienced it. Those who have high ambitions have high expectations of themselves. The higher your ambitions, the harder you have to be on yourself. Uncompromising with yourself, tolerant with others. 

I get a few comments asking me for life advice. I’m not a life coach. I don’t want to be. I have a hard enough time managing my own. If you need advice on writing, I’m competent. But personal life advice is out of my expertise. I’m passionate about writing and philosophy. I share concepts that I find interesting and that I apply myself in my real life.

When the post I publish is useful to you: use it. 
When it’s useless: forget it.

Especially since the written word is immobile in time and we evolve. Between a few months, my point of view can evolve on certain subjects. I only use what is useful to me. I can also be wrong. This newsletter is not a how to. But a How I’m trying.

I have writers I adore, who sometimes publish posts that don’t resonate with me. I close the page and wait for the next email.

To everyone who commented last week, I hope you were able to get on a better track. I read all your comments from last week carefully. We’re all suffering from something.

• Not enough sleep

• Too much social network

• Poor diet

• Not enough reading

• Need to get back in the gym

• Lack of discipline

• Too much news consumption

• Lack of focus

Globalization has globalized our problems. We all suffer more or less from the same ills, since we are attacked by the same dangers.

If you want to make a change in December, you can use this post as an accountability. Just post a little comment and let’s meet next Sunday.

Have a nice day.
See you next week.