Weekly Roundup - Podcasts, Books and the Pursuit of Wellness
This is the first in a series of weekly roundups where I catalog the learnings from the week as well as the latest content that I have published.
This week on Remote with Rob and Dan we discussed Lifelong Learning. One focus area for me lately has been what I call active learning vs passive learning. Passive learning is the type of learning that we do on the fly, when it is needed or accidentally throughout the day. I am currently editing a new video and I need to know how a specific tool works in Final Cut Pro so I quickly google it, this is passive learning. Active learning on the other hand is sitting down with intention to focus on learning. This can be through an online course, reading a book or attending a seminar. Active learning is something that has always been a part of my week but lately I have ramped it up quite a bit.
Below are just a few books, podcasts, videos or online courses that I have sat down with this past week with focused intention.
Russell Brand
Mr. Brand is quite the prolific personality and someone who this week I could not seem to get enough of. I had seen his books in the book store from time to time and continually thought to myself, “I bet his perspective on this or that would be quite interesting.” I noticed he had an interview on the Rich Roll podcast which I could not pass up. The discussion was so interesting that I immediately subscribed to the Russell Brand Podcast Under the Skin as well as downloaded his latest book, Mentors on Audible.
The book reads almost as poetry at times and while it technically would be considered part of the self-help genre, I must say that it is it’s beautiful prose that kept me interested and entertained. Brand’s history with drug and alcohol addiction is no secret and as he finds himself through family and having kids, it is amazing to see him give back to the world through service.
While I do not agree with all aspects of his philosophical rantings, I rather enjoy them regardless. As a comedian, he can have an approachability that makes digesting his intense spirituality easy. Along these same lines, I found discourse between he and Ricky Gervais on Atheism on the Under the Skin podcast that I simply could not put down and I attribute a lot of the story-telling, observational rhetoric and interest through the sheer fact that these are two comedians with a lot to say.
Stoicism
It is quite en vogue to have read Ego is the Enemy or Stillness is the Key recently and with good reason. Ryan Holiday is an excellent author and an old soul that shines through in his work. His approach to taking centuries-old concepts and applying them to public figures in modern history makes his books relatable and those which cannot be put down.
I have been taking a passage from the Daily Stoic every day this year but this week has been a bit different as I have struggled with focus, frustration and a feeling of being overwhelmed. We all get angry at times and let our temper get the better of us and this is something that I am not interested in having in my life. Like Seneca, I have no interesting in merely curbing my anger but instead, eradicating it from my life altogether. This is why I have been reading various texts and why I nabbed a course from the Daily Stoic Website, Taming Your Temper. Not only does everyone get angry unnecessarily from time to time but I feel we should be more open about short-comings and communicate ways in which we improve over time.
Again, I found an episode of the Rich Roll Podcast which featured Ryan Holiday. Rich Roll’s podcast has become a staple lately as his guest list is extensive over his 6 year history and the conversations always give me something positive to take away.
Wellness
Between Notion, a few supplemental remedies, some new recipes and a simple way to cut down on headaches, I found a decent cocktail for the week that kept me moving forward at a positive pace.
The Headaches
Anyone who spends any decent amount of time typing at a desk can attest to the need to get up, move around and not stay in that position for more than an hour. This is one way in which I caution anyone reading Cal Newport’s Deep Work as it can be very easy to assume after reading that you should stay sedentary for hours on end in order to really accomplish great knowledge work.
After coding, editing video timelines or writing for hours on end, my eyes strain quite badly and cause headaches. In the last 9 months I have taken drastic steps to help my back from sitting for hours on end (hint: strengthen your core and move more often). My back still has its moments and I am working on improving that but at the same time I still get headaches quite often and it is no doubt from staring at a screen.
I finally broke down and bought a pair of blue light glasses off of Amazon and I must say after a week of use they have absolutely improved my headaches. Whether real or psychosomatic, I am not sure but either way, my headaches for the last 6 days have been gone.
I do have a screen in my lap…though I do find myself forgetting to take them off.
Massaged Kale Salad
Not to get into too much detail in this post but I have a whole food, plant-based lifestyle. I eat a lot of plants. One thing I have never been particularly fond of is kale salad, unless it is drenched in some kind of dressing, which usually just defeats the purpose. I ran across this recipe being made on YouTube and it was for a massaged Kale salad, which sounded somewhat ridiculous to me.
I can say with much fervor that this is the best and only kale salad I have ever truly enjoyed. The basic gist is to get some of your own dressing going with vinegar, mustard, maple syrup and olive oil and then massage that into the kale for a good 4-5 minutes. It breaks down the toughness and bitterness of the kale and is now one of my favorites. Pair that with sun-dried tomatoes, capers and macadamia nuts and I’m in.
Supplements
Alongside a healthy diet and exercise, supplements can really do a lot for you. I can say, from experience, that merely taking supplements are not a replacement for diet and exercise. This is why they are called supplements and not replacements. That being said, there are a few new ones I have been taking this week and I believe the concoction is working really well for me in terms of focus, energy and calmness. I just want to stress, this lineup works for me and might have no affect on your whatsoever. Vitamin B-12, GABA, Vitamin D and Ned CBD oil. Just a single bit of each in the morning and I find I can focus for long periods of time as well as stay energized throughout the day. I will say that I also drink a big cup of Athletic Greens in the middle of the day which I am sure does not hurt my energy levels and attitude.
I hope some of what has been shared here has been helpful in some way. If you enjoy this or would like to see more posts like this, please consider subscribing to my newsletter.
