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Wellness

1 - Nutrition​

Eat real food, not too much, with people.

  • Real Food: Eat "real food" — foods that are nutrient dense. Avoid "edible food-like substances" (e.g. highly processed snacks, sugary cereals, fast food) and highly processed industrial oils (e.g. corn, soybean, canola). Drink water often to stay hydrated. Eat meals with meat (protein/fat), veggies (micro-nutrients), and starch (carbs) to stay balanced.

  • Not too much: Eat until you're 80% full. Fast 9 pm - 9 am. Fast every once in a while.

  • With People: Meals are a point of connection throughout the day — allow them to function as a sanctuary for connection. You'll be less lonely if you eat lunch and dinner with people.

2 - Sleep​

Same hours, cool and dark.

  • Consistency: Same bedtime, same wake time, weekends included. The schedule matters more than the total.

  • Duration: 7-9 hours. Judge it by how you feel at 10 am, not by the tracker.

  • Room: Cool, dark, quiet. ~65 F. Blackout the windows, mask the noise.

  • Wind-down: Dim the lights an hour out. Set tomorrow's clothing before bed.

  • Power naps: <20 minutes, before 3 pm. Longer or later costs you the night.

  • Debt: You can't bank sleep ahead. You can only repay it, slowly.

3 - Light​

Bright mornings, dark evenings.

  • Morning sun: 10 minutes outside within an hour of waking. Through a window doesn't count.

  • Daylight: Work near a window. Indoor light is far dimmer than it feels.

  • Evening: Dim lights after sunset. Overheads off, lamps low.

  • Screens: Warm and dim after dark.

4 - Substances​

Know the dose and the timing.

  • Caffeine: None within 90 minutes of waking, none after 2 pm. It masks sleep pressure rather than clearing it.

  • Alcohol: Sedation is not sleep. It buys the first half of the night and bills you for the second.

  • Nicotine: A stimulant with a short half-life — it wakes you mid-night.

  • Supplements: Fill gaps you've measured. Test, don't guess.

5 - Housekeeping​

Everything in its place.

  • Organization: Everything should have a place. Use labels.

  • Cleaning: Clean up after yourself.

  • Donation: Use Goodwill to offload items that don't bring you joy.

6 - Spa​

Treat yourself.

  • Shower

  • Grooming

  • Temperature: Saunas and cold plunges.

  • Massage: Get massages.

  • Compress: Warm towels (damp cotton towel, 30 s microwave, test with back of hand) or cold towels (dunk in ice bath).

7 - Maintenance​

Service the machine on a schedule.

  • Dental: Cleaning twice a year. Floss nightly.

  • Bloodwork: Annual panel. Keep every result — the trend is the signal, not any single number.

  • Vision: Eye exam every two years.

  • Hearing: Earplugs at concerts and in the practice room. Hearing is the one that doesn't grow back.

  • Skin: Sunscreen daily. Full-body check yearly.

8 - Relaxation​

Meditate.

  • PRM: Progressive muscle relaxation with body scans.

  • 333: Look around and name three things you can see, identify three sounds you can hear, and move three parts of your body.

9 - Breathing​

Breathe well.

  • Nasal breathing: Breathe through the nose.

  • Breathwork: Breathwork is a powerful tool to regulate focus, energy, and emotional states.

    • Types: Each follows the pattern inhale - hold - exhale - hold.
      • Box Breathing (Focus): 4 - 4 - 4 - 4
      • Pursed Lip Breathing (Efficiency): 2 - 0 - 4 - 0
      • Pranayama Breathing (Calm): 4 - 7 - 8 - 0
      • Sigh Breathing (Release): 4 - 0 - 2 - 0
      • Alternate Nostril Breathing (Balance): Alternating nostrils
      • Coherent Breathing (Clarity): 4 - 0 - 6 - 0
      • Warrior Breath (Drive): Deep inhale, forceful exhale
      • Double Nasal (Energy): Two sharp nasal inhales, one exhale
    • Components
      • Focus: Directing attention to the breath.
      • Tempo: The rhythm and duration of each breath phase.
      • Placement: Where the breath is felt (e.g., chest, diaphragm).
      • Depth: The intensity or fullness of the breath.
      • Intention: The desired outcome (e.g., calm, energy, balance).
      • Texture: The quality of the breath (e.g., smooth, sharp).
      • Technique: Mouth technique (e.g., pursed lips like blowing through a straw to increase oxygen levels).
      • Movement: Sync breath patterns with movement.
      • Visualization: Incorporate visualization like the "Tummo flame" technique (flame in navel rising through central channel along the spine).

10 - Reflection​

Reflect.

  • Rubber Ducky Debugging: Speak your thoughts aloud as if explaining them to a rubber duck. Use a voice recorder to articulate and work through problems, creating distance by adopting a third-person perspective.

  • Journal: Process your experiences and problem-solve through writing. For uninterrupted flow, try a "closed-eye stream" by typing with your eyes closed. Confront the challenging voices in your head with courage and curiosity. Try using an audio journal.

11 - Games​

Party

  • Imposter
  • Code Names
  • Monopoly Deal
  • Spot It

Card

12 - Guidelines​

  • Set clothing in shower. Keep towel in bathroom.
  • Check text ~3 times a day.
  • Monochrome phone.
  • Spray before bathroom use.

13 - Misc​

  • Birdwatching

14 - Brain Workouts​

Keep the mind fit.

  • Attention: Hold one object — the breath — and return every time you drift.

    • Mindfulness

  • Retrieval: Memorize, then reproduce with the source put away.

    • Song lyrics

  • Reasoning: Work problems where you have the rules but not the path.

    • Algos

  • Learning: Take up something you're bad at and stay past the awkward stage.

    • A new instrument, a new language

15 - Spiritual Study​

Read a spiritual book.