Vegetarian Diet Re-recap
I wanted to start with some additional thoughts regarding the vegetarian diet experience that came to mind over the past couple days.
Looking back, I think the trial format is what made it more difficult. Having a finish line made the day to day tougher. The idea that I could do whatever I wanted afterward made the actual journey insignificant. It was just something to get thru, instead of an experience to take in.
From time to time, I’ve found myself tempted to pursue a diet with little to no meat again. There really are a ton of reasons to eat less meat. When you allow it to just become a part of a lifestyle, it becomes a lot easier. I’m really inspired by conversations with my brother who is eating a no meat diet, though I’m not sure the specifics. As much as I enjoy the format of this blog, I fear it has a big downside. If I decide how I feel about something too soon, I may start looking to the finish line. This has really been a long way of saying, when giving something a try, don’t pursue it with the end in mind.
Cold Showers
To my surprise, I actually enjoyed this trial. Even considering the fact that it started after moving from Texas back to Iowa. I still remember one day of this trial pretty well. It was the day of my alma mater’s home cross country meet and it was rainy, muddy, and pretty damn cold. After running, I got home and the idea of a nice hot shower crept its way into my mind. So, I decided to do what I did every time I had to get in the cold water. I turned it on, stepped in for a few seconds, and then turned it off. That initial blast of cold was all I usually needed to stick it thru.
Earlier this year, I tried to get thru another week of this. Unfortunately, it was the middle of winter here, and I only made it about three days. That attempt really made me consider the impact social accountability has on me. I can usually get something started on my own, but it usually only takes three or four days for me to burn out and move on to the next thing. This impacts many aspects of my life from my habits to my health to my work. The impact of external accountability is pretty big for me. Knowing what keeps you driven is important to developing good habits and making the best decisions for you.
Reading
My favorite read by far was the biography of Ben Franklin. Perhaps because I spent the most time with it, but I really loved how much I could apply from the book. There are a lot of things applicable today that Ben Franklin did.
He was a big reason why I started journaling again. I was also inspired by Franklin’s Junto, a group of philosophers and thinkers, to try and meet some people outside of my normal social groups. These were just a few of the lessons learned that stick with me today. From his thirteen virtues to his other wild inventions, he lived an interesting life that was an incredible read.
The other books I read haven’t left as big a mark on my life. The Haunting of Hill House wasn’t as thrilling as I was expecting. Good Clean Fun was an enjoyable read, but I actually forgot about it completely until I recently saw Nick Offerman on an old magazine cover.
This trial was fun, but the biggest lesson I learned was that I go thru phases of media. Leading into this trial, I was reading quite a bit and wanted to keep going. After a few weeks, I was ready to move on to something else, either video games or TV, but I still had the responsibility to read. I still go thru these cycles.
The past couple months, I had been reading quite a bit, but recently, I’ve really been enjoying the interactivity and storytelling of games. In a matter of days, weeks, or months, I will start investing a ton of time into another form of media.
Giving Up
This was another trial that came to be a lot easier than expected. I wanted to experiment with adding a new aspect each week.
The biggest takeaway I learned was how much easier it is to remove things from your life than it is to add them. This was especially due to the reading challenge I faced just before. It’s not that reading was difficult, but making time every day was the tough part. Not doing something simply consists of not doing it.
This aspect can be applied to many things in life. For example, I heard a quote somewhere that removal of negative aspects of life has a bigger impact on happiness than additional positive ones. It’s generally easier to remove than it is to add. From possessions to people, it’s a lot easier to get rid of the bad than it is to add the good.
See You Next Time
Each trial I’ve done has taught me a lot both specifically to aspects of the task at hand as well as life in general. Next time, I’ll dive into the podcast I worked on and practicing yoga. Don’t miss out!
Trying Out Before Buying In 