Wisdom:
The background on my phone is a quote from Marcus Aurelius. “If it is endurable, then endure it. Stop complaining.” Your coworkers and classmates do not want to be around someone who complains. You will also benefit. The more you focus on what you don’t like about your situation, the less you focus on what you are grateful for. An extension of this concept dawned on me today. Worrying is internal complaining. Ruminating about circumstances you cannot change is this same negative fixation that benefits no one.
Nutrition:
Intermittent fasting. A plentiful array of resources are scattered on the internet. I prefer at least 14 hours with nothing but coffee and some fat, up to about 24. An easy practice especially effective in the winter is to simply eat when the sun is out. This is quite human, you wouldn’t have taken pizza into the cave for a midnight snack. “But I’m on night shift.” So what. Don’t eat when it is dark outside.
Move:
Most people use the excuse of time or equipment to not exercise. The planche progression is a gymnastic routine with some similarities to yoga. This explanation by gymnastics coach Christopher Sommers is worth the read. Give yourself ONE MINUTE a day to work on these balanced leverage positions. The progression is slow but rewarding.
Music:
For those who find difficulty listening to music and studying, but need to eliminate background noise, look into Explosions in the Sky. Labeled as “post-rock,” this group has a wide catalog of instrumental music that has become my go to playlist for getting after it.
Rest:
The book The Sabbath by Heschel is absolutely full of profound truths related to time and space. He argues for the sanctity of the day of rest that allows us to tap into eternity. The rest day (from the gym, from classwork, from shiftwork, the day before a board exam) is not a means be able to work harder when you get back to the grind. The rest day is an end in itself, to be appreciated fully. Stop trying to conquer space, amass belongings, ace the test. Give yourself a minute break. “Time is everlasting; it is the world of space which is perishing.” Statues and buildings crumble, but time is invincible. “We share time, we own space.”
Quote:
“Through my ownership of space, I am a rival of all other beings; through my living in time, I am a contemporary of all other beings.”
– Abraham Joshua Heschel
