Minimalism

About six years ago I was 22 years old, a year out of college, and had a stable job. I was making enough money to cover my living expenses, make minimum student loan payments, and save a few extra dollars in the bank. Despite owing $90,000 in student loans, I still had this inner urge to consume and spend those few extra dollars I saved each paycheck. At first, I wanted to buy a jet ski. How cool would it be to spend the weekends exploring the outdoor waters? How much fun would it be to jump boat waves and dock my jet ski at waterfront restaurants? And, how nice would it be to always have something to do? Seriously, it sounds amazing. And so, I spent weeks researching jet skis. I spent so much time researching that I knew more about jet skis than most people selling them. But then I took a step back. I took a deep breath. And I visualized exactly what my life… Read More

Around four years ago I watched a documentary called Minimalism. Up until watching that documentary, I was your average American consumerist. I never thought about it that way but when you’re average, you tend to think everything is normal and this is how everyone behaves. But after watching this documentary, I learned about the practice of minimalism. It was the idea that having and consuming less, will actually make you healthier and happier. This idea seemed dumb to be honest. All advertisements we watch show people happier once they get a bigger house, newer car, or better iPhone. All people we talk to tend to love their in-style clothes, flashy jewelry and fun new toys. The idea of more is American and it’s what’s made us so wealthy and happy. But, after watching the documentary, it really made me question all of this… Read More

There are two studies that clearly depict the deficiencies of humans in regards to decision fatigue and willpower. The first study was performed on 1,100 parole decisions made by United States judges. In this study, they attempted to determine the most influential factor in determining whether prisoners were granted parole or not. What they found out was that the number one determining factor wasn’t the crime committed, the individual’s background, or the sentence in court. The number one determining factor was the time of day that their case was heard. About 70% of the prisoners were granted parole if their case was heard in the early morning. This is in stark contrast to only 10% of the prisoners being granted parole if their case was heard in the late afternoon. Why is it that prisoners were more likely to be granted parole in early morning rather than late afternoon even if their situations were near identical? Decision fatigue… Read More

With the holidays around the corner, I thought I’d come up with a list of my favorite gift ideas that’ll help make you happier and healthier. Each idea is intended to help optimize your fitness, nutrition, sleep, cognitive health, or financial independence. I also focused on products or services that’ll have lasting benefits and aren’t the typical use once, and throw in the closet gifts. I hope you find benefit in these ideas and I’m excited to know which one’s are your favorite! Let’s get to it… Read More

It’s the middle of the evening, about 6:30 PM, and I’m getting ready to make dinner. I have a healthy meal planned with ingredients I purchased at the farmer’s market over the weekend. As I begin to pull out a few ingredients, I hear a notification on my phone. Is it just my mom or dad checking in? Is there a work emergency I need to address? Or is someone performing attention mining on me… Read More

Just last week, I went to a local conference in Rochester. As I entered the building on the first day, I was greeted with a name tag and goody bag. The goody bag was a durable, reusable handbag filled with tons of free stuff. The kind of bag everyone is a little excited to open. Excited to see what free items they’re now a proud owner of. What was inside that free bag? Well, I asked my friend because I didn’t take one… Read More

Have you ever gotten back from vacation and felt exhausted? Like you need a vacation from your vacation. Have you ever gotten back from vacation and been in shock by your trip’s costs? Like you didn’t realize eating out for every meal and paying for every amenity wouldn’t add up. Have you ever gotten back from vacation and lost track of all your goals? Like your vacation ended your diet and workout plan that you were doing so well at.

Well, vacations don’t have to be like that. I just got back from my first vacation this year, and with some thoughtful planning and great support, I can say I vacationed right. I feel refreshed and excited to get back to work. I spent what I had budgeted so I have no stress and am ready to start saving for the next. I maintained my nutrition and fitness goals. And, I’m super happy with the experience.

In this post, I’ll detail the things I did that made my vacation successful.… Read More

It’s 7:30pm on a workday as I’m writing this post. I’ve already spent 3 hours and 28 minutes on my phone today. 35 minutes on brain games, 22 minutes messaging, 16 minutes on social media, 15 minutes on Clash Royale, the list goes on. And at the end of every day I sit back and think I wish I had more time… Read More