Opposing forces, no wonder we are so tired.

I am learning to trade options, which means, among other things, building a LOT of patience. It also means paying attention while doing “nothing” other than reading charts and waiting for your A+ setup. Today I helped pass the time a little by listening to a book on Audible (I usually prefer a good old- bookcases that collect books and reading a book while trading, unfortunately, takes away from my learnings). It was the new Robin Sharma book The Wealth Money Can’t Buy. And yes, I see the irony of listening to that book while learning to make money trading…

This isn’t my first of his books and likely won’t be my last, although I also acknowledge that he’s so darn happy, and positive, and kind, that my Scottish DNA gets its knickers in a twist and at times, I have a hard time reading/listening to him. Today, though, he got through.

One of the ways to be healthy, he proposes, that money can’t buy is wellness, physical and mental. Yes and no, but I take his point. It encouraged me to put an alert in for my (losing) trade and get out for a walk in the woods. I am fortunate to live near a lake and have easy access to the forest, just a five-minute walk from my door. Despite having a dog, I don’t walk there much (yet), but today, I decided it was better than sitting. And I kept listening to his book while walking and watching a happy whippet run and sniff everything.

He writes how different processes can slow aging and even reverse it. He mentions scientific evidence but doesn’t dig deep. I’ve come across the claim before; there is some evidence and I was in a good mood so I didn’t get onto my usual soapbox that someone, yet again, may be over-generalizing the evidence (that Scottish DNA makes me a natural skeptic and I doubled down on that tendency in grad school). A different question popped into my head instead. Processes to slow down again? Or really, are they just the antithesis of everything we do to speed up aging? Processed foods (helps you get a meal on the table faster! which means YOU are not moving fast enough!), 24 hour media notifications (because you are missing out if you’re not seeing the information immediately!), and living on top of each other in cement buildings near transit hubs (because we all must work downtown, not take work out of the city!). Notice that I didn’t avoid a soapbox. It turns out I just picked a different one!

After some pondering and soapbox ranting in my head, I moved to a different thought. Generally speaking, so much of what we read or listen to from the media (all types) is marketing to sell an idea, product, theory, or story. Ways to sell include installing fear, making things dramatic, or using opposing forces (get busy! slow down! drink more with our pop-flavoured pre-made beverages! go sober curious! etc, all of which and more I am guilty of following more than once). I fell victim to the media training of seeing the opposing force rather than just listening. Slow processes down, or stop doing things that age, it’s just a different viewpoint. Both are tangible, and both are possible. Both are helpful views that can lead to wellness. I didn’t need to waste my energy fighting it. Which is exactly along the lines of what Robin was recommending… just took me some time to catch up.

Of all the items he listed, I would like to highlight one that he’s mentioned in a few books and many podcasts: reduce the ingestion of (opposing forces) media to untrain (retrain) your brain that is deflecting and defending (from as Robin notes, the no longer around sabre tooth tigers). Take a walk in the forest (or just take a walk!) and breathe. As he says, every step and every breath counts.

I haven’t finished his book yet, and since it’s made me think and write today, I would say it’s worth the read (or listen). I will continue tomorrow. After Agera gets his beauty rest.