TC AM 005 - 250+ Guests and Staying Mentally Balanced
Discover more from Transforming Cities AM
TC AM 005 - 250+ Guests and Staying Mentally Balanced
Upcoming viewing opportunities and a look at our mental health
Good Morning 👋 – Chris here.
Welcome to the Transforming Cities A.M. Edition.
A simple Saturday read in under 5 minutes.
Transforming Cities Sponsorship
Have you considered getting in front of a focused audience of developers and multifamily marketers in the real estate industry?
Starting this spring, placement across the TC media platform is available. Coverage will include the TC podcast, TC Live events, and the TC:AM newsletter!
Reach out to tell me about your company and for more information on sponsorship opportunities across the network.
Transforming Cities Live Events
We're just 3 days away from our next live event! With over 250 RSVPs so far, I can't wait to dive in to this topic!
Transforming Cities Live welcomes Anna Mackay of Sister City and Jessy Ledesma of HomeWork Development to the show.
We'll dive into their co-led Shortstack development process: what it is, what it means for housing, and why it differs from anything else. This will be an enjoyable topic to cover!
Join us for a great conversation and Q&A from you on March 7 at 10AM MST.
Beyond this coming Tuesday, we already have another Live guest lined up for March. Stay tuned for details and an RSVP link!
Staying Mentally Balanced ⚖️
Last week I shared a "2023 Marketing Mindset" that seemed to land for many of you. I love hearing your feedback and insight, so keep it coming.
This week, I want to focus on another, arguably more critical, mindset: the personal one.
Before your life coach alarms go off, let me set the tone!
Somehow it's already March, so our well-intentioned new year minds have inevitably faced a challenge or two.
Are we sticking to what we said two months ago?
Are we letting ourselves down in a few areas?
Probably some of both. I know that's true for me.
But rather than focus on what's not going right, I want to focus on a few things that I've seen work for my mindset and what I've observed to be working for others.
So, no life coach stuff here. These 3 topics get tactical quickly!
1. Get clear about phone rules.
In the first many years of my career, I would immediately respond to emails at 9pm and wake up glaring at my phone. In practice, this meant I was stressed all the time.
You know that person: the one on their phone always, even in more intimate social situations. It's a bummer and makes it weird for everyone.
My phone rules look something like this:
AM: No extended screen time until work hours.
PM: No extended screen time after my son's bedtime.
I say "extended" because let's be honest with ourselves.
We get a text, look something up, play music, etc. But the idea is you don't get lost in your device.
When I stick to the rules, I notice a significant difference in how I feel the next day.
I sleep better, and I feel better. Do you?
2. Meditate, stretch, breathe, or read every day.
I attended my first and only yoga + business retreat ten years ago. The premise was all about young entrepreneurs and mindfulness. Think Yoga 101 and Entreprenuer 301 classes.
It was a fun experience that left a massive impression on me for one main reason: I haven't felt that good mentally since.
Each day we would have forced AM quiet time (literally no talking to one another), yoga classes, and a few business sessions.
I'm a realist, so I know I can't recreate the morning on a beach every day, but I still try to draw on what moved the needle for me then.
Daily, intentional breathing for a few minutes.
Mindful meditation, if even for a few minutes.
Yoga, stretching, or rolling out on a foam roller.
Intentional reading time (short, sweet, focused).
So far this year, my quiet time ends up being from 5-6:30am, before the sun comes up, and before my son wakes up!
Assuming my sleep is on track (see the previous point) this is a time to breathe, move, and be on the quiet grind.
If I rush through wakeup, breakfast, and into work, I see a noticeable downtick in my mental sharpness for the day.
This year, I'm reading The Daily Stoic for pinpoint thoughtfulness and reflection.
3. Move your body with intention.
In 2018, I tore my ACL in a basketball game and underwent reconstructive surgery. The weeks and months that followed were quite difficult for a few reasons.
Arguably the biggest hit to my mental mindset was my lack of movement. Beyond PT exercises, I had to lay, elevate, and "keep off it" for weeks after surgery.
When I could walk again, my leg was fully atrophied, and my mind struggled significantly. The correlation between movement and mental health was cemented in me forever.
I heard Jocko say something in a podcast recently that went something like this: "It's not motivation that gets us out of bed in the morning. That's discipline."
His point was that we're often not motivated as human beings. Lots of people talk about motivation.
"Getting motivated" is fleeting. Discipline is not.
When I move my body, especially early, I feel better. My mind is clearer. There is a noticable difference, even if I wasn't motivated at 5am.
But, I struggle with this one during winter. I have to be intentional; otherwise, it's too easy to let it slide.
Even if it's the simple 5-5-5 workout to force some life into your bones,
try to make it happen:
5 pushups
5 air squats
5 single leg lunges (ea)
Stick to something, and your mind will thank you.
Maybe not mid-set, but 1000% when you finish... and for the rest of the day.
That's all for this Saturday.
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My eyes are open for feedback, too. Let me know what content you enjoy and want more of. And, of course, what you find less valuable. See you next week!
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