#58: Maybe You’re Addicted to “New”

#Journal #Relationships #Nature #Commitment

Feb 16, 2024

👋 Welcome to this week's Pursuit. My name is Amir, and each week I go over 10 hours of content in pursuit of living a meaningful, fulfilling and balanced life. I'm grateful to share my findings with you and hope I can have a tiny impact on your life. Subscribe now if you haven't already!

Next week, I am embarking on an off-grid adventure in Namibia. I will be driving from Windhoek all the way back to Cape Town for a duration of two weeks. I am eagerly looking forward to disconnecting from my phone, unplugging from the internet, and immersing myself in the captivating world of sand dunes and canyons. You won’t be hearing from me for the next two weeks, but I assure you that I will return with breathtaking pictures. See you soon!

Map of the route for Cape & Dunes Southbound: Desert Camping & Safari Drives

This week’s discovery:

😨 Reliving Your Trauma Through Journaling
🕰️ Quality Time Matters
🍃 We See It Too Late - Alan Watts
🥲 Maybe You’re Addicted to “New”
🗒️ A Quote I'm Pondering On
🎵 Music I'm Listening To

😨 Reliving Your Trauma Through Journaling

Supported by more than 200 peer-reviewed studies, this specific journaling protocol has shown significant benefits such as improvements in immune function, anxiety reduction, better sleep patterns, and relief for autoimmune disorders and chronic pain. The practice involves writing about difficult or traumatic experiences for 15 to 30 minutes, either four times over consecutive days or once a week for four weeks. It doesn't matter if you're someone who expresses their emotions openly or keeps them to themselves; both types of individuals can benefit from this practice. The writing protocol suggests answering three questions: recalling the facts of the experience, reflecting on the emotions felt then and now, and exploring any connections or associations with other aspects or events. The positive effects of journaling can last for weeks or even months after completing the protocol.

A while ago, I tried using this journaling tactic for four consecutive weeks. Although I can't pinpoint the specific benefits, it was definitely a powerful experience to bring those buried dark memories back to life on paper. If you're curious about how to do it, I have included a step-by-step guide extracted from Huberman Lab's episode. You can check out the guide here.

🕰️ Quality Time Matters

Priorities matter. Your remaining face time with any person depends largely on where that person falls on your list of life priorities. Make sure this list is set by you—not by unconscious inertia. Quality time matters. If you’re in your last 10% of time with someone you love, keep that fact in the front of your mind when you’re with them and treat that time as what it actually is: precious. (read more)

🍃 We See It Too Late - Alan Watts

Our connection to nature reflects our own existence in the sense that we are not separate from it. We are not isolated individuals floating in a vacuum, but rather integrated and interconnected with the natural world. When we look at nature, we are not just observing something external to ourselves, but rather seeing a part of our own being. The trees, the wind, the earth - they are all interconnected with us. By recognizing our connection to nature, we come to understand that we are not just isolated beings with separate identities. Our true self extends beyond the boundaries of our physical body and includes everything around us. We are intimately linked to the rhythms and processes of nature. When we breathe, the wind blows, and the trees sway, it is all part of the same unfolding existence. Our blood circulates, our nerves tingle, and it is all happening of itself, without our conscious effort. Therefore, our connection to nature reflects the realization that the true essence of who we are goes beyond our individual ego or personality. We are not separate observers, but active participants in the vast web of life. Understanding this connection can bring a profound shift in our perspective, leading to a sense of belonging, harmony, and reverence for the natural world. (watch video).

🥲 Maybe You’re Addicted to “New”

Sometimes you desperately do need to change something. If you keep hammering at your failing business, you will drain your family’s finances and be left with nothing. If you don’t clean up your diet, you’re going to die a decade earlier than you need to. If you don’t get out of a bad relationship, you’ll never find a happy one. Maybe more often, perhaps much more often, though, you’re just getting bored and looking for something new and fun. You’re addicted to “new,” and your neophilia is impeding the progress or satisfaction you could have if you just pushed through the boring period and kept going. Most of us have no idea how much better we can feel, but if we’re constantly looking for ways to feel better, then we’ll end up running in circles.(read more).