Category: 5 Share Friday

1. Quote I’ve been pondering this week “We all need something to do, someone to love, and something to hope for” – Aristotle

2. In a recent post I mentioned my last 2 years experimenting with not stretching. Now I’m slowly adding stretching back into my life and seeing what differences there may be. I fell out of a loft hatch a few months ago and gradually my muscles have been tightening more each week. I’ve been reviewing the studies cited here, where the evidence says 30 second stretches are optimal. There is also surprising evidence about the best way to sit. Have a read, I think you’ll be surprised too (I’ve changed the way I sit based on this article).

3. It’s still hot here in Denmark and my friends & family back in the UK are also enjoying an unusually hot sunny summer. When planning days out and wondering if it’s blue skies or clouds all day I’m using the Dark Sky weather app still, it really is amazing and still the No. 1 weather app for iPhone (it’s not free)

For those on Android have a look here for the top weather apps. The No. 1 spot is taken by 1weather

4. We’ve been here almost a month now (in Denmark), and as the bills start coming in and my first salary has been paid, it’s getting clearer this adventure is taking me away from my planned financial freedom goal. It really is incredibly expensive, to the point where I’m now nonplussed about it. Gas, electric and rent are literally 2x more than the UK average and it’s actually cheaper to buy most Danish products on Amazon.co.uk and get them shipped over to Denmark. Luckily I’m not motivated by money, though I am motivated by freedom and my freedom of choice. I’m still heading for financial freedom, it’s just going to happen later than planned.

What I’m reminded of is that life is all about experience. Stopping enjoyable experiences such as this move for myself and my family, in order to become financially free isn’t my goal. If I now no longer reach my financial goals due to my Danish move, then my kids will still have had a much greater experience of life than they would have back home. I’m cool (and grateful) with that.

5. I’m reflecting on my leadership skills at the moment. I’m in a position where not everyone understands the reason we’re here i.e the beliefs and vision of the company. There are teams where hires have been made based on skills and the need for a job to be completed (which isn’t always optimal). Simon Sinek says “The goal is not just to hire people who need a job; it’s to hire people who believe what you believe. I always say that if you hire people just because they can do a job, they’ll work for your money, but if they believe what you believe, they’ll work for you with blood, sweat, and tears.” 

Psychology today has a good post on leadership, it also includes Simon Sinek. The last paragraph (pasted below) is pertinent.

‘Sinek says that good leaders are ongoing students of leadership. Their generosity breeds generativity in others. My Illustrious and ever humble colleague likes to say, “Just keep doing good work, and it all works out.” ‘

I’m going to keep on doing good work..

I hope you have a fantastic weekend!

1. Quote I’m pondering this week  “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” – Mahatma Ghandi

2. On the subject of learning I revisited a TED talk on life long learning. This 18 minute talk is about the passion of life. It’s touching and inspirational (from stories about death camps to a funny moment at a dinner with a debate on whether the 2nd Harry Potter movie was better than the first). With insatiable curiosity we experience the true quiddity of life, a life of continuous learning, passion and experience, this TED talk reminds us of this nicely.

3. Most used app – Citymapper: Learning the quickest route to somewhere, most effective mode of transport or simply the nicest way of walking to a destination has been made simple for me with Citymapper. It covers most of the world, and as we don’t yet have a bike or car in Denmark this app has been a godsend!

4. Best read on the internet: You’ll be happier at work if your job meets these two psychological needs. A fascinating read where no matter what type of work you do it holds true. It’s also a great reminder in understanding what we need as humans, especially if you support others directly.

5. Choosing vegan – It’s been 18 months since our family choice to choose vegan most of the time. Prior to this we were flexitarians (sometimes vegetarian). We’re all feeling better for having plant based foods as our primary diet and for me it’s been a life changer (more energy, alertness and general wellbeing). The by product of eating less meat and no dairy is saving the planet…don’t believe me? This recent news article tells you why.

Hope you have a terrific weekend!

1. Quote I’ve been pondering this week“Everything changed the day she figured out there was exactly enough time for the important things in her life.” – Brian Andreas

2. I’ve been trying different music for focus again this week.  I’ve found listening to The Study Music Project  has had a hugely positive impact, not just for focus but for feeling uplifted too. Try it for yourself and feel the benefits.

3. Article I’ve been reading – A compelling and at times shocking true story of the Xbox underground hackers. I have some memories of the chase while I worked at Microsoft and so it was fantastic to read in detail. You don’t need to be into games or tech to enjoy reading this crime story. It’s a gripping long form read of around 15 minutes.

4. What’s had the biggest impact on my thinking – Ingrid Fetell Lee’s 13 minute TED talk on Joy. This incredible talk highlights what could happen if we made simple changes to our environment, thus naturally creating joy in our lives where ennui can find no place.

5. Leaving the UK – By the time you read this I’ll either be at the airport, up in the skies, or in Denmark with my family. Friday 1st June is our own personal kind of Brexodus, where myself, my wife and our 2 children leave the UK for an unknown period of time. With work came the option to leave and we weren’t going to pass that by, and we’re grateful for such an opportunity.

I hope you have a great weekend!