If you’re like most people – chances are one of the first things you do each morning upon waking up is check your phone. You’re looking for missed calls, texts, social media notifications, etc… You instantly connect to the problems of the world that don’t really effect you until you know about them and allow yourself to get wrapped up in them.
Recently I stopped doing this because I was sick of the trend of giving my waking attention to things that didn’t matter until I gave them attention. I wanted to breathe, to relax, to experience life around me. To enjoy the moment, and to think on my own for a bit.
Doing so has changed my life. I’ve never felt more disconnected from social media. The addiction is strong in everyone who uses it regularly. It’s designed to be that way. It’s not your fault, but you can break the addiction.
First thing you will do from now on when you wake up in the morning – actively resist the urge to pick up your phone. If you use an alarm, turn it off, but then turn off the screen, and put it down.
Go outside, preferably as nude as your surrounding will allow for. I go outside in sweatpants, but with no shirt on. No phone or electronics on me, just me, my pants and the morning sun. Keep in mind, this is much easier in the summer than it is in the dead of winter. lol Though there may be bigger benefits to the cold plunge of doing so in the dead of winter too…
Don’t consume caffeine. Yet.
We’ll get to that part. Chill, and continue reading.
Anyways, once you’re outside, you don’t have to do anything except for wake up. Casual, gradual, and slow. Embrace your surroundings. Look around. Look at your hand, and the ground, look off into the horizon. Look at the clouds, look at everything at short, medium, and long range distances.
This is an eye exercise, but it also helps you to wake up using your body’s natural chemicals and endorphins. Just a few minutes of this, first thing every day will change your life. Your focus belongs to you, your mind belongs to you, your thoughts belong to you. There are no crises to worry about. There is only total presence, awareness, and a general sense of comfort and belonging that lacks in most people’s lives.
Do a couple of stretches, a full yoga routine if you’re tight or wanting to be an over-achiever. The old you get, the more important stretching, yoga, breathing, calisthenics etc become. So build the habit now before you’re old and it’s ‘too hard’. Don’t be a bitch.
Next up, go take a cold shower. Yes, cold. No not for platitude or social media bragging reasons like most people do it for. Take the cold shower, because again you’re releasing endorphins, you’re increasing your pain tolerance, you’re waking yourself up – your body will thank you. It sucks at first, ngl, but you get used to it over time. If you suck at embracing the cold, that’s fine, just start as cold as you can get – and make it a little colder each and every day. Eventually, you’ll be in as cold as it gets, and you will feel better for the entire day. It helps with heat regulation, with metabolism, with mood and energy.
This really is a difference maker.
Once you’re out of the shower, get dressed. If you want to be extra, pick some clothes that make you ‘feel’ the role you want to be in. Extra-extra? Make your bed for a little ritual, and to build your discipline. Full disclosure, I rarely make my bed because my wife is often still sleeping in it at this point, and she’d be pissed if I folder her and the dogs into the mattress. lol
Don’t consume caffeine for the first 90 minutes of your day. There is actual scientific evidence that this prevents mid-day crashes, and will make it so the caffeine you consume (and I consume a LOT) actually matters fully, and is utilized with total efficiency.
What you CAN drink, while you’re waiting in this dark and gloomy hour and half, commonly referred to as the longest part of your day by most energy deprived individuals – is ionized alkaline water. You don’t need fancy Kangen filters, you can buy it cheap at most water places (where you get water for office coolers / water stations). Add in some fresh squeezed organic lemon, some Apple Cider Vinegar (with Mother), raw local honey, some cayenne & cinammon. This combo jacks your metabolism, your natural energy levels, and a bunch of general health measures. All backed by science, you can look it up or take my word for it, but I’ve done the research, and done this for a long time. There is a major difference on multiple health & feel-good factors.
I typically take a supplement stack at this point as well, which for me personally includes:
B vitamin complex (energy levels, brain function, and cell metabolism)
Vitamin D with K2 (immune function, anti-covid magic, energy & mood)
NMN & Resveratrol (anti-aging, anti-oxidant, heart health, cellular health)
PQQ (mitochondrial health, raises blood flow to the cerebral cortex,
Animal Organ Supplements (minerals & antioxidants)
Inositol & Berberine (control blood sugar, insulin resistance, and metabolic health)
Curcumin w/ Bioprene (anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogen)
Ashwaganda (stress / cortisol regulator – make you happy & less sketchy)
Electrolyte / Mineral Compound (to stay hydrated, and make sure the water I drink is worth it)
Cod Liver Oil / Omega 3’s & 6’s / DHA (anti inflammatory, vitamin A, metabolic help, mood, eyes, brain, heart, hair, bone, reproductive health, & more)
Black Seed Oil (anti-cancer, lungs, cholesterol, metabolism, fertility, healthy skin, anti-allergin)
It may sound like a lot, and some days it’s tough – but I feel SO much better when I stick to this regimen than if I miss days, so I stick with it. Highly suggest this as your base stack, then depending on personal issues, take care of yourself, do the research, and add in what you need.
Supplement quality matters a lot. Look for organic, look for specialized manufacturers in your home country with high regulation standards, etc. Best place to start is high reviews in Amazon, look up competitors & assess accordingly. Then test until you find ones that are best for you.
By this point, you should have hit the 90 minute marker, so you can load up on caffeine. I take caffeine pills, as well as a sugar free red bull and sugar free rockstar. I don’t drink coffee cause I just don’t like the taste. Yes, I know energy drinks aren’t great for you – but we all have vices, these are one of my many. I regularly phase them out, and then fast from them for several months at a time, and if you take them, I suggest doing the same (or just don’t use them. lol). I also suggest, if you’re going to take caffeine, grab the supplement L-Theonine. It regulates the ‘edgy’ sketchy effect that caffeine gives, helps smooth out the energy and deliver it in a much more balanced and usable way. I wouldn’t take caffeine without L-Theonine anymore. It is SO superior. Look it up, try it. Be amazed. Nobody likes a crackhead.
Speaking of crackhead, hopefully you’re still resisting the urge to pick up your phone and throw your day away… I like to pick up a book, read at least a few pages until I get inspired or if I have a reading goal like “read xx pages” and go until you’re satisfied.
Now you’re ready for your day. You’re ready for all the bullshit that social media is about to throw at you.
Chances are, once you’ve done this ritual / routine for a little while you’re going to start seeing through all of the validation signalling that makes up social media. “Please notice me!”, oh you’ll notice alright – but it’s hard not to notice how obvious it all is when you’ve lessened the grip social media has on you.
What’s interesting – is with this simple routine, you’re off to being healthier, happier, and more intentionally focused than 90% of people (totally a real, non made-up number) in the western world. What are you going to do with your new advantage? Hopefully you use it to change the world. At the very least, to change your world. For the better. Cheers!
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