A Book A Day - Weekly Digest 19

Be Your Future Self Now, by Benjamin Hardy, PhD

💡Key takeaway💡

Know yourself, design your future self, become your future self.

💎 Key ideas💎

All in the Narrative. The author's mother ended up in comes for weeks when he was 16 and drive the family to see a friend. After the ordeal, his mother chose to frame the accident as a pivot and dedicated her life to raising her three boys. She grew into a better version of herself. Past experiences can pose a major threat to your future self if viewed negatively. Events don't matter so much, it is the meaning you attach to it. Own your experiences rather than being owned by them, craft a narrative that powerfully serves your future self.

Entering the Arena. The possibility of failure kills lots of dreams. Playing it safe is failing by default as you might end regretting it by the end of your life. It takes immense courage to imagine the future self of your dreams and take steps. Think about three goals you would set for yourself if you could not fail. What massive action do you need to make it happen in the next 12 months? No action = no success.

Your Future Self is Someone Else. Who were you 10 years ago? (interests, values, circumstances). People see massive change when looking at the past, but nobody expects much of a shift in the future. But your future self will be different yet again. So take your current self more lightly, you will grow. Set aside time to consider who you want your future self to be (values, interests, circumstances, goals, achievements).

The Hand of God. There is no "right" belief system. The stance you take is shaping the world around you. You can see God as a potter and humans pottery, but that gives you little chance of understanding, becoming the potter. Or God as a parent, therefore a continuity and a growth path for you. If you believe you can evolve, you can craft a future guided by gratitude, trust.

Systemizing Success. Systemizing and scheduling are tools to unlock, fast growth. The point is to make the actions, behaviours of your future self as frictionless as possible (like automatic savings account payment). Treat future self actions as nonnegotiable appointments. Schedule every week with your future self in mind.

Done is Better than Perfect. Leonardo da Vinci said: "Art is never finished, only abandoned". Whatever your goals are, eventually you will have to finish them, even imperfect or incomplete. Waiting for perfection is forever waiting for your future self. Quit behaviours, actions that does not move you towards your future self.

#ABookADay #readingbooks #futureself

Successful Aging by Daniel Levitin

💡Key takeaway💡

Know yourself, design your future self, become your future self.

💎 Key ideas💎

When we picture growing old, we often have negative associations coming to mind. We do experience slowing cognitive function. And the amygdala gets progressively deactivated, giving us less fears, more emotional balance. We also have more understanding, forgiveness, tolerance, compassion. Practical intelligence and perceptual completion get better. Accept the limitations, enjoy the positives.

Loss of memory: it is not more prevalent for older people, when we're young, we attribute it to tiredness. In complex situations, older brains are better at zooming out, decision-making. New hobbies and skills will be harder to learn: not true, lots of famous artists stated late, or Harland Sanders with KFC at 62!

A lot of love and attention, particularly during childhood, reduces stress hormones, strengthen your immune system for life. We can't change how we were raised, but we can address the impact of childhood through therapy, and the neuroplasticity of our brains.

Our personality is built out of our neurochemistry, our environment and our opportunities. Personality traits have a big impact on predicted life span and health span. Lower childhood conscientiousness is correlated with obesity, physiological dysregulation. But it is possible to improve those traits. We can lay down new neural pathways.

COACH principle. Curiosity, Openness, Associations, Conscientiousness, Healthy practices. If you practice those, you are statistically likely to perform better in all life outcomes. It's cultivating a growth mindset instead of a fixed one.

One method that has been scientifically proven to extend longevity is caloric restriction. Eat fatty fish and B12 for neural health. 3 tablespoons of olive oil a day reduces oxidative stress on cells, regulate cholesterol. Increase consumption of cruciferous vegetables (kale, bok choy) protects against cancer. Eat when you're hungry, stop when full. Best guide for your diet is common sense.

Physical movement has the biggest impact on healthy longevity. By taking a walk, you're doing the single best thing for your mental and bodily health, as we are designed for this. Also wandering through new places, which helps with creativity and brain stimulation.

If you want to make the most of your life, sleep more! Our suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) degrades as we age. It gets harder to maintain a regular sleep cycle. With sleep deprivation, we have more fear, anxiety, stress. See sleep as restorative, nurturing. Avoid screens, sleep in a dark place, go to be and wake up at the same time every day.

#ABookADay #readingbooks #aginggracefully #longevity

Longpath by Ari Wallach

💡Key takeaway💡

Longpath is about building today a better future for tomorrow's humanity.

💎 Key ideas💎

We are in the middle of an intertidal (crucial period of monumental change). Globalization, climate change, technology speed brought us here, as well as a shift in cultural attitudes. It's a unique opportunity to rewrite the rules of civilization. Systems often shift from periods of immense chaos (now) to order, equilibrium. Past negative intertidal: fall of Roman Empire. Positive: scientific revolution. To move positively, we have to reject short-termism, embrace our capacity for empathy, cooperation, looking ahead. Accept our role in in the story of humanity.

Humans have an instinctual desire for immediate benefits to survive. It worked well when we had to survive but today it leads to eating unhealthy foods, businesses polluting the environment, properties to be built inf flood-prone regions. Social media has turbocharged the need for kids to be liked, hooking them to instant feedback. 1) Pay attention to the effect of short-term thinking on yourself, others. 2) Believe you can do better, we can change our mentality through neuroplasticity. 3) Cultivate the longpath mentality, feelings of gratitude, awe, empathy. We then connect better with others, our past and future.

To build a better world, we need to cultivate transgenerational empathy. It is recognizing the connections between humanity's past, present and future, and caring for how today's actions will reshape the world. The past has helped shape who we are today, including the ugly parts. We have to learn from it, like South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Self-compassion: we are imperfect, we can do better, we can own our mistakes. We need to consider generations to come (Ministry of the Future in Sweden), having an empty spot at the table for the next generation.

Our official future is flawed, we must embrace intentional, inclusive thinking to forge a better future. Art, literature, politics talk about the official future. But we can choose where we are headed. It is not about saying what we don't want. We have to envision the world we do want, our desired future. We can imagine a world where all people can flourish, success is more than material, the interests of future generations count. Like Hogewey village near Amsterdam. Fully dedicated to Alzheimers' patients, living there instead of nursing homes.

Longpath cooperation through four strategies. 1) A novel vision of the future to shake the status quo. 2) Simple conversations about how to make the world a better place. Speak and listen with empathy. 3) Facilitate a forum for exchanging ideas (like what Aruba did with 50,000 residents). 4) Ways of being: small, day-to-day actions like being polite, gracious, making eye contact, striking conversations with neighbors. Give people a sense that we're in this together.

#ABookADay #readingbooks #longpath #future #change

The XX Brain by Lisa Mosconi

💡Key takeaway💡

30 million women are predicted to die of Alzheimer's in the next 30 years. It's time for medicine to move towards true equal treatment.

💎 Key ideas💎

Medicine has been dominated by men and sees the human body as male. Women's bodies are different, like different symptoms for heart attack, 7x more likely to be misdiagnosed than men. Also different reaction to drugs. The only difference well understood: reproductive organs. Brain: women experience 2x depression, anxiety. 4x migraines, 3x autoimmune disease. 2 out 3 Alzheimer's patients are women, 1 in 5 chance after 45 to develop it (man: 1 in 10).

Estrogen helps with production of energy, keeps cells healthy, helps with memory, attention. It boosts the immune system, keeps your mood level through release of endorphins. Menopause reduces estrogen levels drastically, leading to depression, anxiety, bipolar, schizophrenic symptoms, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, 80% increase in risk of dementia.

Genes (1-2% of cases) and ethnicity (African American, Hispanic) can make people more susceptible to Alzheimer's. But 1/3 of cases could be prevented by improving health, lifestyle choices.

Look at your genetic makeup, environment, lifestyle to asses your risk of brain disease. Are you obese? Do you have a heart condition, diabetes? Traumatic brain injury is also a risk factor. Toxins from food, containers, skin products, smoking. Go for a health check.

Menopause Hormone Treatment helps replace falling hormone levels. A clinical study from 1993 to 2003 had identified significant risks to its use. But the study was flawed so lots of questions about MHT remain. Smaller studies have shown promise when using for limited periods and before 60.

Transfats are toxic for your body, unsaturated fats help your heart, brain. Sugary carbs (white bread, pasta, cakes) make energy regulation difficult for your body. Complex carbs (vegetable, quinoa) balance estrogen and sugar levels. Chickpeas, flaxseeds, apricots, are good for estrogen regulation. Eat prebiotics (banana, garlic, onions). Check B vitamins, Omega3 levels.

Women who exercise regularly have a very low chance of developing dementia later in life. 20 to 30s: aerobic workouts, 45 min x3 per week. Post-menopause: up the frequency, lower the intensity. High intensity workouts raise cortisol levels, instead, do yoga, pilates, gardening, cycling.

Women are over-worked, under-supported, chronic stress is the norm, leading to poor sleep, low mood, depression. Limit phone usage, email check. Practice meditation, mindfulness. Get some deep sleep, unwind 30 min before bed, darken the room, make it cool, take melatonin if necessary.

Intellectually engaged seniors in a study had a 54% lower risk of mental decline. Online games can help, reading, theater going, documentaries, board games. It needs to be a challenge. Learn something new for instance.

#ABookADay #readingbooks #womenhealth

The Art of Living by Epictetus

💡Key takeaway💡

Be the source of your life satisfaction. It all starts with being centered.

💎 Key ideas💎

Epictetus was born into slavery in 55 AD, and sent to Rome to study philosophy thanks to his sharp mind. He then started to teach but was exiled due to his growing popularity. He followed Stoicism, aiming to provide practical guidance for living a life of happiness, tranquility, satisfaction. His public lectures, debates, were transcribed and summarized into the Enchiridion. Later read as a basis for Marcus Aurelius Meditations.

We can’t control the world, but we can control ourselves. Accept the outer world: where/when born, actions of others, twists of fate, etc. And adjust our emotions accordingly. We desire the good and avoid the bad. But they will come, whether we want them or not. Focus on your inner world.

Always act in the world with a sense of purpose and duty. It can be from higher callings but they might feel like external validation. Or you can live in harmony with the world as it is. Elevate small tasks to their fullest potential. Don't chat with friends, engage in a compassionate, considerate conversation. Notice and take advantage of your life assets. The only standard to meet is your own.

Cultivate inner tranquility by living free of outside influence. Freedom is not the ability to do anything you want, and whenever. It is living in accordance with the world around you. Your feelings and actions are yours alone, own them and steer them towards ends that satisfy your desires. Your moods are unmoved by chance, actions are free from peer pressure. This is possible through discipline, will, self-mastery.

Who do you want to be? Define who you want to be, what you want to accomplish. Then create a plan to achieve your dreams, commit to it. Avoid immediate gratification in favor of patience, moderation. Steer clear of idle chatter. Shun popular entertainment. Reject casual sex. Craft a social circle that supports your principles, ambitions. Chose a role model.

It is your duty to adequately perform your given role in society. The world is structured into an endless chain of relationships. Everyone should play the roles they have to play, regardless of personal prejudices, inclinations, or if others fail in their roles. We have a duty to see people as full and complex individuals, not labelled. Due to this chain, acknowledge those who help you when you achieve something, it's our duty to share the rewards.

To find happiness, live each day in accordance with your ideals. Virtue for stoics, emerges over time as you align, your actions, beliefs and internal moral code. Each person must discover their own sense of virtue. Approach the world with humble wonder, you will see reality more clearly. Think deeply about what matters to you, outside of society's expectations. Refine and get closer to them as you go along, it's a process.

#ABookADay #readingbooks #philosphy #happiness