Autumn update

Summer was spent working, hiking, and at the gym. I'm in good shape. It's nice to explore the pacific northwest with close friends. We went up Elfin lakes last weekend. I'm reading "The Inconveniant Indian" by Thomas King and "He, She, and It" by Marge Piercy. Finally bought some new shoes.

Perhaps the biggest change in my life has been an addition to my daily routine: affirmations. The idea came to me by way of the Tim Ferriss Podcast interview with Scott Adams, although I must have had previous exposure at some point. Come to think of it, I believe Peter Thiel had also mentioned affirmations as part of his morning routine. Either way, I found what Scott Adams was saying to be very interesting, and a few days later came across an old blank notebook.

I write every night before I start reading (15 minutes minimum, every night, unless I pass out first) and every morning, either before I get out of bed or after breakfast. I write simple things I wish to affirm. Many of them are things I have been working on for years; many of them seem to have arisen spontaneously from out of my current focus.

I don't think about it too much, and I won't edit. The affirmations that deserve to be written more than once are written as many times as feels appropriate.

If nothing else I find the whole process calming, orienting, and positive. Perhaps the best part is that the benefits seem to be there within only 6 minutes or so.

There's the obvious neurological component, which seems on par with typical CBT, but I also find myself interested in some possible intersubjectivity of projection and perception-shaping.

I'll keep it up and perhaps write a longer piece on my experience at some point in the future.