Issue #68: The Struggle of Meditation
Good morning. It’s Thursday, November 17th. A couple birthdays in the Thrive25 family today - Happy Birthday Libbie and Lily!
“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world, but in being able to remake ourselves.”
From the Lab: The Struggle of Meditation
Take Action: Tips to Stick With It
Speed Read: Cancer Therapy with NO Side Effects
Thursday Night In: Butternut Squash Lettuce Wrap Tacos
Moment of Fun: The Most Insane Dominoes Topple Ever
The projected global meditation market in 2029. That’s 18.5% CAGR (invest here) from the current value of $5B. (Source)
From the Lab
So meditation will reduce our stress; it’ll make us healthier; it takes less time than working out. Why is it such a struggle?
Let’s be real for a minute - get away from the books and just talk about why it's so hard to stick with it.
1. Lack of Immediate Feedback - when you work out you know you did something good from the immediate boost of endorphins - or at least all the sweat.
You know you accomplished something. But with meditation, there is rarely (especially at the beginning) an epiphany or physical change. You might feel better rested or even somewhat energetic, but it takes some time to recognize how you’re living your day differently thanks to the practice.
2. No Judgment Zone - part of meditation is observing without judgment. When I’m in the moment and I feel the stress in my shoulders or hips, I can’t help but judge myself or want to fix it by relaxing. It’s just a massive mind shift to simply identify the tension and try to separate that feeling from my thoughts. This takes tons of practice and patience.
3. Chasing…Something - I’m guilty of the “I’ll be happy when…” Even launching Thrive25 I’m thinking of getting through the startup phase so we can hit future milestones.
Meditation teaches us that happiness is inside of us - we control our feelings, not the world. But how does this change our ambition? We still need to be driven, but our happiness doesn’t depend on it. I have yet to master this paradox.
4. Outbound Stress - when we're stressed it can be overwhelming. Well, the same thing can happen on the way out. Sometimes meditation can open up wounds or bring up negative thoughts (some people react negatively to meditation). But you need to be willing to go through the tunnel to get to the other side.
Nothing above happens overnight. The real reason we can’t stick with meditation - we don’t have the patience (isn’t that ironic - don’t you think?).
Take Action
Bonus Tip: Find a community to support you - if you need one that's why we're here! Check out this tip from Thrive25 reader Steve K:
“Stick with it. Do it every day for a month and I saw the benefits, as opposed to thinking about how to do it perfectly before starting. Second, not getting frustrated by all the thoughts that keep popping in my head. To overcome, I shifted my mindset to being grateful for the ideas and the ability to practice breathing.”
Thrive25 Partner Spotlight
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Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
Cell Therapy Kills Cancer?: A patient with recurring lymphoma opted for a trial of lab created T-cells to be infused into her body, rather than the standard chemotherapy. Given the patient's lack of side effects, doctors figured it wasn't effective. But the 90-day scan showed the patient was in total remission without side effects! (Read More - U of Colorado)
Yale and Harvard Break Free: Yale and Harvard Law Schools are breaking up with the U.S. News & World Report. Yale has held the #1 spot since 1990, but not anymore. (Learn more). If you’ve got 30 min, check out Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History pod on the bias of the ranking algorithm. (Pushkin)
Novak Djokovic Allowed to Return to Australia: Djokovic created controversy last year traveling to Australia in an attempt to play the Aussie Open without a Covid vaccination. His 3-year ban from Australia was overturned Tuesday as Australia no longer requires travelers from outside the country to be vaccinated. Meanwhile, Novak was busy demolishing Andrey Rublev at the series-ending Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, Italy. (WSJ)
Thursday Night In
Butternut Taco Wraps
Here's a shout-out to a little fall love (butternut squash), but steering clear of all the meat & potatoes coming our way next week. Enjoy these healthy tacos!
Moment of Fun
I made my wife watch this as soon as I saw it - are you kidding me??
What activity is better to get into a zen mode, and show control when you make a mistake? Check out this topple from the Dominerds, the first-ever Domino Masters champions.
And that's right - Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family), Danica McKellar (Winnie from Wonder Years) host, with Joe Buck on the play-by-play. Check out the full season on Hulu.
Thanks for joining us today!
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We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 3-5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.
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To health!
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25 Labs LLC does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.