Create Space, Gain Perspective: Key to Better Choices

Welcome to Effective Habits, a weekly newsletter where I share evidence-based strategies and tools to help you live a happy, healthy, and productive life.

Today at a Glance:

• 101 Additional Advices

• What if a Toe Spacer Were Enough to Boost Your Fitness?

• Escaping Solomon's Paradox

101 Additional Advices
Kevin Kelly

Lights, Camera, ...
This list of life advices is drawn from the wisdom and reflections of Kevin Kelly, a renowned technology writer and founding executive editor of Wired magazine. On his 68th birthday, Kelly began the tradition of sharing insightful advice with his children, compiling his thoughts into what would eventually become the book Excellent Advice for Living. Each year since, he has added to this collection, offering practical and thoughtful guidance on how to navigate life with purpose and curiosity. As he turns 73, Kelly once again shares new bits of wisdom, continuing his tradition of thoughtful introspection and generous sharing of life's lessons. The following are the ones that resonate with me the most (in no particular order).

Action!

1. Admitting that “I don’t know” at least once a day will make you a better person.

2. Forget trying to decide what your life’s destiny is. That’s too grand. Instead, just figure out what you should do in the next 2 years.

3. Try to define yourself by what you love and embrace, rather than what you hate and refuse.

4. Read a lot of history so you can understand how weird the past was; that way you will be comfortable with how weird the future will be.

5. When someone texts you they are running late, double the time they give you. If they say they’ll be there in 5, make that 10; if 10, it’ll be 20; if 20, count on 40.

6. Asking “what-if?” about your past is a waste of time; asking “what-if?” about your future is tremendously productive.

7. Where you live—what city, what country—has more impact on your well being than any other factor. Where you live is one of the few things in your life you can choose and change.

8. Most arguments are not really about the argument, so most arguments can’t be won by arguing.

9. For steady satisfaction, work on improving your worst days, rather than your best days.

10. Do not cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.

What if a Toe Spacer Were Enough to Boost Your Fitness?
Jen Murphy

Lights, Camera, ...
Toe spacers, traditionally linked to pedicures and bunions, are now becoming an affordable and trendy tool for enhancing foot health among both elite athletes and everyday fitness enthusiasts. These simple devices, costing as little as $10, help improve toe alignment, promoting better balance and stability, much like a strong core. High-profile figures, including NFL star George Kittle and tennis legend Novak Djokovic, credit them with boosting their performance. Toe flexibility has gained popularity, with athletes and fitness buffs alike flaunting their well-spaced toes as a new badge of health. However, experts caution that toe spacers should be used as part of a broader commitment to foot health, including wearing natural-shaped footwear and incorporating foot exercises. While they won't prevent deformities or entirely counteract the effects of tight shoes, toe spacers can relieve pain and contribute to better balance and stability.

Action!

1. Invest in natural-shaped shoes that allow toe movement and avoid tight, narrow shoes to prevent cramping and deformities.

2. Add foot strength and dexterity exercises to your routine. You should be able to move each toe individually.

3. Try toe spacers to improve foot health and balance. Begin by wearing toe spacers for 10 minutes daily and gradually increase duration (eventually using them during exercise).

Escaping Solomon's Paradox
Sahil Bloom

Lights, Camera, ...
Ever wonder why you're a sage with advice for others but fumble with your own? Enter Solomon's Paradox, named after King Solomon, famed for his wisdom yet notoriously poor at applying it to his own chaotic life. This paradox highlights our knack for offering rational guidance to others while struggling to do the same for ourselves, often blinded by our emotions. Understanding this can be liberating, reminding us that being human means occasionally needing a fresh perspective to navigate our own dilemmas with the wisdom we so readily dispense.

Action!

1. Create Space: When faced with a challenging situation, recognize the emotional pull and consciously create space before reacting.

   1. Pause to allow for a clearer, less emotional response.

   2. Reset your mindset by affirming your control over your reactions.

   3. Engage with the situation from a balanced perspective that transcends immediate emotions.

2. Zoom Out: Adopt the practice of zooming out when uncertainty arises. Living life zoomed in can magnify struggles and diminish growth. Just as viewing a map from 10,000 feet reveals the entire landscape, zooming out provides clarity and rejuvenates your perspective, reminding you of the bigger picture in any situation. Use Mental Time Travel techniques:

   1. Imagine yourself in the past and consider yourself in the present.

   2. Imagine yourself in the future and consider yourself in the present.

TOOL TIP

DF Tube: YouTube is directly incentivized to create as many views and ad clicks as possible. As a result we are inundated with tempting thumbnails and ads from every angle. While this is good for someone looking to kill time, it's not so good for those of us intending to focus on educational content, do research, or simply find some relaxing music to groove to. After using DF Tube for a few days, you realize the extent to which the pattern of click, watch, scan mindlessly for a new video, click, watch, and repeat, has been ingrained in us by YouTube's design. DF Tube breaks that cycle.

FUN FACT

The world’s oldest dog lived to 29.5 years old. While the median age a dog reaches tends to be about 10-15 years, one Australian cattle dog, ‘Bluey’, survived to the ripe old age of 29.5.

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We are not liable for any risks or issues that may arise from using this information.