In the Now

What is this?

It was about 3 years ago  I stumbled upon Derek Sivers’ blog where he talked about the importance of having what he calls a “now” page - a page on your website that showcases what you’re  focused on at a particular point in your life. It’s different from an about page because it’s focused on the now instead of past accomplishments. 

Starting in 2017 I took this newfound concept and started posting my very own “now” page. It started off as a blog where I’d post about what I was doing in that particular month - after all this was the sole purpose of a “now” page that Derek Sivers layed out. But then I quickly turned it into an experiment - where I’d write a long-form blog post about a certain topic, then (here’s the experimental part) after one month I would delete the article and create a brand new one for the next month. I’d like to think of it as a practice of impermanence, but others thought I was crazy. Bad for SEO...probably. Bad for my online presence...most likely. But it helped me become comfortable with posting long-form writing on the internet because I knew it would just be there for a month, then it would be taken down.

It’s now 2020 and my perspective on this “now” page has changed. First off I’m changing the title of this page to “In the Now” - a play on the phrase “in the know” and it also drives home the purpose of what this page is about: the current happenings of my life in the now. Secondly, Instead of deleting my blog posts every month, I’ll start saving them so readers can have access to them whenever. That two year long experiment of deleting blog posts was a failed attempt to get me to write without worrying about my content staying up for all to see. I’m now over that fear, thus I want to make sure my writings can be accessed by whoever and whenever for years to come.

Okay enough background.. Enjoy this month's in the now page!

April 2021

#26
April 2021: Kettle bells, walking meditation, and the Power of Now.
April 9, 2021 |  7:45am, Calistoga, CA.

What I'm up to this month

Healthy

All things health
  • I've been drinking about 8-12 cups of green tea and Pu'er tea. I've cut out coffee for the most part - still consuming it on occasion but not nearly as much as I used to.
  • I've been incorporating kettle bell swings into my routine. This usually looks like 100-150 Kettle bell swings 3-4 days a week. The weight I'm using is 40 lbs but looking to go higher in a few weeks.
  • I've been trying to workout outside more and more in order to get some sun. A typical day for me is usually consisting of me being cooped up inside on my laptop which leads to burnout pretty quickly... but working out in the sunshine for 45 minutes is usually the best antidote to a crappy day.
  • I've increased my protein intake to ~ 120-130 grams throughout the day + I've been consistent in getting 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up which  supposedly helps with optimizing protein intake.

Well(th)y

All things wealth and wellness
  • I've been increasing my meditation from 20 minutes a day to 30 minutes as an experiment. I've also been practicing Metta (or loving-kindness) meditation more and more. I've noticed by being away from people during this quarantine period, I've lost a sense of compassion and empathy - Metta has helped me regain this.
  • Walking meditation has become a new habit of mine. Early in the morning when I'm not as awake, this practice helps with feeling into my body as I step one foot in front of the other. It's an excellent grounding practice and a practice you can do pretty much wherever.
  • Currently freelancing with a few clients on some great projects.
  • Looking into starting a newsletter here soon. More on that later.
  • I've been really pushing Sanghos forward, I hope to launch a pop up experience by the summer months. Fingers crossed that Covid behaves.

Wise

All things intellectual
  • Currently re-reading the Power Of Now
  • Started the book Matchmakers: The New Economics of Multisided Platforms
  • Favorite journaling prompt: Write out your perfect day. This is a great priming exercise to do the night before, it consists of writing a half page of the things you are wanting to do the next day as if they already happened. If I write a detailed "perfect day" journal entry the night before, I typically complete about 80% of the things I set out to do the next day.
  • Started The Google UX Design Professional Certificate

Quote of the month

"One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest. "

- Maya Angelou