Ikigai/Plan de Vida
March 30, 2020 Birthday Gift
To live Mindfully
And forge Bonds,
To promote HEALTH
And explore Fitness,
To connect with
And support Nature,
To Impact others -
This is my Purpose!
To Live Mindfully (To be Present, Happy, and Healthy)
√ Daily mindful meditation for ½ - to 1 full hour first thing in the morning, a 10-minute tune-up mediation sometime during the day, and 10-minute body-scan meditation before going to bed
√ Practice mindfulness throughout the day by doing one thing at a time, being aware of when the mind has wandered, and then gently returning it to the task at hand
√Practice mindful eating, conversation, and work throughout each day
√ Encourage happiness by taking time to meditate on your blessings and observing good things that happen (Consider and express gratitude, look for the good, and savor all pleasing things that occur in your life throughout the day)
√ Encourage happiness by being mindful of others’ well-being (Practice love & kindness, focus on having mindful conversations, spontaneously serve others)
√ Practice minimalism (Simplify your life, declutter your home and workspace, and reduce your consumption of material goods!)
√ Limit consumption of news & social media (Limit your consumption of news & social media to ½ hour per day on workdays and 1 hour per day on weekends and holidays; moreover, only engage in these activities after fulfilling your purpose)
√ Limit personal screen time for entertainment to only two hours per day on weekends and holidays. (If family members request additional screen time and that activity strengthens bonds, more time is acceptable.)
√ Healthy nutrition – Follow Dr. Gregor’s Daily Dozen recommendations and find your calorie sweet spot (Track your whole-food, plant-based intake on the daily dozen app and your caloric intake, which should typically be about 2400 calories per day, on the fat secret app
√ Mindful movement – Make the practices of mindful yoga, bike rides and runs, upper body & core strength training cornerstones of your daily routine
√ Routine, Quality Sleep – Turn off electronics one hour before going to bed, retire early, downshift with a body scan meditation before trying to sleep, find time for 6-8 hours of sleep each night (Generally, lights out at 9 PM on weeknights and midnight on weekends)
To Forge Bonds
√ Always remember family first! (Be flexible and make time for them when they ask for help)
√ Ask your wife about her day (When she wants to talk, stop and listen!)
√ Text your children daily, call your parents weekly, build vacations around family
√ When in public, make mindful listening to others the object of your attention
√ Socialize – Spend quality time with children, extended family, and friends (Make socialization a priority at least once per week through family activities, attending church, and having others over for dinner or entertainment)
To Promote HEALTH
√ Be super healthy and lead by example! (Adhere to the daily dozen, lose more weight, look super good, exercise daily, and be super fit)
√ Don’t try to fit in with others through an unhealthy diet or lifestyle! (Be the best you can be but also be kind and not preachy (Remember that it’s okay and even a very good thing that you are different!)
√ Skillfully prepare and frequently share healthy meals with others
√ When presented with the opportunity, exercise with others (Walk, hike, bike, and snowshoe with your wife – Do bike races and rides with friends – Be active in any way possible with relatives)
Explore Fitness
√ Compete in three to four ultra-endurance cycling competitions and/or personally-planned events each year
√ Train for them five to six days each week (1 to 2-hour weeknight rides, ultra-endurance weekend rides, and all you can fit in during the summer and on holidays)
√ Practice mindful yoga five to six days each week to find the upper reaches of your flexibility, coordination, and balance
√ Find more time to develop your upper-body and core through strength training three to four times per week
To Connect with and Support Nature
√ Spend time in local natural landscapes (Aim for two or three outings each week)
√ Micro adventure in national forests and parks once or twice each month (bike bikepack, backpack, fly fish, and backcountry ski)
√ Grow a brilliant and useful garden
√ Live a more green, minimalist, whole-food, plant-based lifestyle (Recycle, Reduce, Reuse, Predominantly eat whole-food, plant-based!)
To Impact Others
√ Lead with a delightful and excellent example!
√ Do incredible things and announce them, yet be humble about what you do (Make weekly posts on Instagram and your blog page for accountability and to inspire others)
√ Obtain your mindfulness instructor certification this year and next, nutrition coaching certification in two years, and yoga Instructor certification after that (This year I completed a meditation instructor certification)
√ Teach mindfulness in school, hold mindfulness courses in the summer, prepare and share delicious & nutritious whole-food, plant-based meals with family, friends, and neighbors