Routines

We're all slaves to something. We may be a slave to our jobs, our hobbies, even to whatever addiction we might have (drugs, alcohol, TV, food, etc). For me I'm a slave to my routines. The routines I engage in allow me to accomplish far more than if I were just to fly by the seat of my pants. Some routines, when they turn into habits, can be great for productivity in the workplace and at home. The desire to simplify and decrease the amount of stuff in my life has allowed me more time to focus on what is important.

Routines can also create unwanted distress or angst. Sometimes our routines can become so over complicated or suffocating that they drain the joy out of life. Our entire focus can become exclusively about our routines and color the way we see the world. If something messes up our routine it is then deemed 'bad' regardless of the situation.

This has happened to me in the past to me especially when it comes to working out and eating healthy. You can begin to focus on specific aspects of life, of trying not to cross certain lines that you fail to enjoy opportunities when they pop up. While I attempt to eat in a pretty simple way, if a friend asks me over for dinner, no longer do I say no just because I know what they may be cooking isn't the best possible meal for me. It's more important that I enjoy the time I get to spend with them rather than worrying about the calories I may consume. 

I'm learning that I can simplify my routines so that flexibility is a positive rather than a hindrance to my goals. This brings a new level of joy that I had not yet experienced in the past. It seems like a good way to live.

The Fear of Preaching

Whenever someone asks me "So, do you enjoy speaking in public?", I always hesitate in answering. The quick answer is that I do enjoy the process of communicating what I'm passionate about to a large group of interested listeners (or captive listeners in some cases). But when it comes to preaching I have to add one caveat and it is that I'm absolutely terrified of preaching the word of God.

And I think that is the way it should be. The Bible is unlike any other text in existence in that it comes from Yahweh. What He says matters far more than what has been written in all other books combined through the history of the world. His Word saves (1 Corinthians 1:18), it changes people (2 Corinthians 5:17), and most importantly it speaks about His son Jesus. It gives us the reasons why we are what we are, why we deal with the issues we deal with, and how sin has infiltrated into every aspect of our lives. I cannot think of anything that gives a pastor or preacher more power or authority than this. But too often we whither away from difficult passages, or assume the audience won't understand some of the finer nuances of well-known stories, and in the end it does not give full glory to God. The entire Bible is the counsel of God and is sufficient for our needs. It is like having the key to the entire nuclear arsenal of the U.S. military...and if that wouldn't make your hands shake in awe and fear I'm not sure what would.

This Sunday, as I preach on the topic of forgiveness, I will pray that God gives me a steady voice, but an even steadier heart. May my love for Him overwhelm whatever fear I may have.

-Mike

Influence

I suppose, like most people, I believe my level of discipline is pretty solid. I do not easily fall for schemes, scams, or cons. When someone tosses a sales pitch at me I quickly tune out without interest. It takes quite a bit to gain my attention for anything other than what I'm passionate about. In fact I grow suspicious when someone tries to sell me anything at all.

Or at least that is what I thought until I cut out cable T.V.

It was then I realized how easily I was swayed by the commercials that flashed across the screen. The newest burger creation danced across my eyes? Suddenly I'm hungry even though I've eaten. An improved version of my phone just released? My 'old' phone now seems strangely obsolete and useless. A sale for a new/used car that looks far better than the one I own? I start thinking that maybe I should take out a loan.

These types of messages are sprinkled into every type of media in the world today. Whether it's the  TV, radio, magazines, blogs, etc. the underlying message is subtle: You're not as happy as you could be. You're not as important as you could be. You're missing out on something life altering. You are incomplete without this particular product.

And you know what? It's a lie.

The only thing these messages do is attempt to put you in a position to buy things you don't really need. Is there anything wrong with the items being touted? Of course not. Material things are neither good nor evil. But when modern marketing tactics are created, molded, and implemented to make you want to over consume...there is something wrong with that.

So what can you do?

1. If you still have cable or satellite TV you can mute the commercials and go do something else. Wash some dishes, do some push ups, fix a healthy snack, anything but watch the fluff that fills in the dead time before your show starts back up. This is something my dad did on a regular basis when we would watch TV and I never understood why...until I was older. Now he looks rather wise and discerning.

2. You can cut out regular cable/satellite TV completely. Because of faster internet speeds and services like Amazon Prime or Netflix, you can watch most of your favorite shows on these services without commercials. It's amazing how quickly your show goes by and you're not inundated by constant marketing messages. It actually gives you more time to do things you're passionate about!

3. Understand that at some point everything you own will either be replaced, given away, or thrown away. Take a look around your living space. See that couch? You may keep it for 20 years but at some point you'll replace it. Notice those magazines in the corner? Those will eventually be thrown away. The shirt you're wearing? You may give it away to Goodwill because it doesn't fit as well as it once did. Did I mention that when you die everything you own, no matter how much you may have loved certain possession, will either be given away or sold? When you think of your material possessions like this sometimes it seems down right silly to covet anything.

When you're not being influenced by outside forces you can be the one who influences others for good. Hopefully I can use my 'extra' time in this way. Seems far better than driving in a car I can't afford to buy a burger I'm not hungry for on my way to pick up a newer version of a phone that won't be any better than the one I have now. ;)

-Mike

Decreasing 'Screen' Time

Like many people I work in an office. My main tool is a computer which means I'm looking directly at a computer screen for roughly 9 hours a day. This was never really an issue until I got older. In my younger days I would work, come home and eat, and then jump online for the rest of the night without any ill effects. About 6 months ago I noticed that when I came home my eyes were so tired of looking at a screen that just glancing at a TV, my phone, or our laptop would make me feel physically ill.

I know full well we were not made for just staring at a screen for hours on end. Our eyes (and bodies) need movement, they need different environments, and most of all they need rest. So for the last 6 months I've made it a habit to slowly reduce the amount of screen time I have to endure.

1. At work I limit myself to 10 minute increments of staring at my screen. In most cases this means printing off what emails I need so I can look at paper copies. Since I have to scan in all interactions anyways it saves me a step and I can look at the paper rather than the screen. After 10 minutes I get up and stretch, look out the window at the trees, close my eyes for a moment, and then start to work again.

2. At lunch, instead of reading my Kindle or looking at my iPhone...I take a nap! I know, in our society napping is almost considered taboo as we want to constantly be productive. However I have an hour lunch so I can close my eyes for 20-30 minutes and allow them to rest. It's amazing how refreshed I feel even after a hectic morning. My eyes find it much easier to look at the computer screen for the next 4 hours if I do this.

3. By 9pm I turn almost all electronic devices off. While I may read my Kindle (it's not a Fire so doesn't have a backlight), or sometimes will watch a sporting event, I give myself an hour before bed without staring at a screen. It prepares my body for bed and allows my eyes almost 60 minutes of non-screen time. I may wash some dishes, get things ready for the following day, or I may just go to bed early.

None of these things are ground breaking, but like many things in life that bring long term value, they are small and sustainable.

-Mike

Small Things

Have you ever noticed that certain traits or characteristics may have names you've never heard off? If you're afraid of spiders you have what is called arachnophobia. If you're someone who tries to save every penny and loves to count it (think Scrooge) then you're a miser.

I recently found out that I'm what some might call a minimalist.

A minimalist, in it's most basic form, is someone who attempts to live with as few material possessions as possible in order to focus time and energy on things that have greater value. It means not getting caught up in the gnarled version of today's American dream: over-consumption. A minimalist is someone who is no longer encumbered by the desire to have the latest 'it' gadget, car, clothing, and so on.

In some cases it may mean changing the entire focus of your life. For some it means leaving a six figure career in order to help orphans. For some it means giving away numerous possessions that previously were a burden (financially, emotionally, physically).  In some cases it just means simplifying how you live your live. For me I've always had the tendency (or desire anyways) to purge myself of unwanted possessions. The fewer items I had surrounding me the better I felt. I never knew it had a name or that it was a movement of any sort. But the journey to simplify over the last few years has focused on 3 areas of life.

1. Material Possessions

When my wife and I moved from Indiana to South Carolina we had to downsize from a 3 bedroom house with a semi-furnished basement to a two bedroom apartment. In order to make this happen we had to sell, throw away, and donate about 50% of our possessions so that we didn't have to make monthly payments on a storage unit. I was surprised how easy this was (for me) and how freeing it felt to no longer have all this 'stuff', most of which we weren't using anyways. And since our move, roughly 2 years ago, I have steadily reduce the amount of material possessions I own. While I won't touch my wife's things (though I subtly suggest that certain things should go) I have managed to reduce the amount of clothing, movies, books, and games that normally would blanket our home. For Lent this year I made it a goal to sell, give away, or throw away one thing every day. So far it is has been an amazing experience to see things that once I never thought I could live without (such as cable TV, some of my Steelers gear) be removed from my life and yet I seem to be...happier. Who knew?

2. Eating

Maybe it's just the way that minimalism has come about, or perhaps the people who have brought it to the forefront, but it seems that numerous minimalists are vegetarian. This never was a possibility for me, and after reading recent studies that suggested that vegetarians have a higher chance for mental disorders and other health issues I was glad to avoid this type of change. However, I have been working to reduce the number of processed foods that I eat. Essentially my eating strategy is this: if it comes from an animal (meat), grows in the ground, or grows on a tree it is fair game. Anything else should be eaten sparingly if at all possible. Now I still love a good Coca Cola (with sugar and not corn syrup) but I have noticed that my body has responded in very positive ways. At some point I'll begin to add more grains into my diet and see what the right ratio is for me. What I have noticed is that grocery shopping is super easy, quick, and I have fewer boxes to recycle. I also now know exactly what is going into my body instead of looking over a food label and thinking "Uhhh, what exactly is that??". While I do have to shop a bit more to obtain fresh fruits, veggies, and meats, it has well been worth it so far.

3. Exercise

If you're like me then exercise is one of those things that we attempt to avoid if at all possible. Yet, because of the society/culture we live in (at least in the United States) a lack of exercise slowly saps the body of any real strength, endurance, or the ability to live in the way it was designed. I've exercised on and off for years with differing results, but just like with my eating I've started to simplify the way I exercise and why I exercise. Now I get up first thing in the morning and alternate each day with either resistance training or a cardio workout. The exercises I engage in are focused on the largest muscle groups, and I differ my cardio workouts as well. Thankfully I live in an apartment community that has a small gym...but I wonder if it is possible to get the same results in a way that doesn't involve any kind of equipment? No longer am I exercising just to lose weight but do so to feel healthy. I'm not looking to run a marathon, enter into a Mr. Universe contest, or even try to keep up with the CrossFit crowd. I'm simply looking to put small changes into effect now that I can keep up with even when I'm 80.

Each of the areas above effect numerous other areas of my life, and it's been interesting to watch how these ideas of simplifying have trickled down into my work, my hobbies, and my relationships. As things progress I'll post more updates and will share any new revelations that I come across.

-Mike