This blog post will be a little different than usual in that it won’t be discussing the investment markets. Most people will make some sort of New Year’s resolution in hopes of bettering themselves in some way. I do as well but I also like to work on improving myself throughout the entire year. So if you’re looking for some ideas to take you beyond just January, here are some books, ideas and experiments that I found helpful over the past year.
Books Worth Reading
- A Guide to the Good Life: the Ancient Art of Stoic Joy, by William Irvine – I didn’t know much about stoicism until reading this book but learned that there are a lot of common misconceptions regarding it. This book is full of simple but practical things you can do to improve your happiness and outlook on life.
- The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance, by Josh Waitzkin – Josh Waitzkin was the child chess prodigy that the book/movie Searching for Bobby Fischer is based on. This book is flat-out awesome and can be applied to just about anything you do.
New Things to Try
- Meditating – Yoga, mindfulness and meditation are certainly gaining in popularity in the US. They have many physical as well as mental health benefits (lower stress, more happiness, better able to handle situations, etc.). If you don’t know where to begin, I highly recommend downloading the Calm app. My wife, Lauren, and I both use it. It’s totally free and will guide you through some simple sessions to help you get started. You can also pay to unlock other meditation sessions if you really get into it. I will often do this before falling asleep and I’m usually out before the timed session finishes and sleep like a rock all night! Also great to do first thing in the morning to help you get your mind ready for the day.
- The Tim Ferriss Show Podcast – Tim Ferriss is the author of the 4 Hour Workweek and the 4 Hour Body. I get a ton of great stuff from him and his podcasts are very entertaining, interviewing everyone from big-name actors to successful entrepreneurs and some really cool people you’ve never even heard of.
Diet Related
- The Paleo diet cookbook, by Loren Cordain, Ph.D. – I’m currently transitioning to the Paleo diet. I realize this is a bit extreme for most people but there are some great health benefits if you can at least try to reduce gluten and other cereal-based grains from your diet. At a minimum, cut out gluten (wheat, barley, malt) for one month and see how you feel.
- A Spiralizer – Lauren and I just got one. These are pretty awesome if you’re trying to make your meals a little healthier (see Inspiralized) by eating more vegetables in place of grains (pasta, rice, etc.).
Happy New Year and good luck with your resolutions!
-Nick