CourtSchurmanGO.com 2024-11-21

How to Make Healthy Snack Choices

A question clients often ask me is: What constitutes a healthy snack? The answer varies widely. I’ve shared the concept of “nudging the notch” where we try to make “one step better” choices. I’ve also written about identifying your protein needs which can be a starting point in choosing snacks. Below, I share additional tips on how to make healthy snack choices.

There's nothing inherently "bad" about ANY food (except maybe Doritos...) unless it makes you ill or causes you to overeat. Even something as innocent as fruit can cause an increase in blood sugar, a problem for certain people. Knowing how your body responds to a given food is your first line of defense toward choosing a healthy snack. — There’s nothing inherently “bad” about ANY food (except maybe Doritos…) unless it makes you ill or causes you to overeat. Even something as innocent as fruit can cause an increase in blood sugar, a problem for certain people. Knowing how your body responds to a given food is your first line of defense toward choosing a healthy snack.

Identify Your Traffic Light List

The first step to identifying a healthy snack is knowing how foods affect you. In December of 2022, I shared a post about identifying your traffic light foods to help you choose foods that make you feel and perform your best.

To review, green-light foods are your unique “safe” foods that cause no gastrointestinal problems and do not make you overindulge. Yellow light foods are those you might have occasionally, in small amounts. Red-light items are those that you find impossible to eat in moderation or foods that make you sick or cause you problems.

Artistic creations like this cake are fun to look at, but I know eating even a bit of this would make me feel awful.

My current red-light list includes foods with gluten, sugar, MSG, artificial sweeteners, vegetable oils, corn, and soy. I won’t die from any of them but they will leave me congested or feeling sick to my stomach.

I’ve had issues in the past with fructose (fruit sugar) and tomatoes, but at the moment, they are okay. I also have a strong gag reflex around consuming liver. Eggplant is a big no-no; something about the texture. Everyone’s list is different. Think of it like a fingerprint. If you’d like to develop a personalized traffic light list, use this template from Precision Nutrition.

Avoid Processed, Manufactured Snacks

Once you have an idea of what your red-light and green-light foods are, consider those yellow-light, situationally-okay foods. Clients often struggle with moderation around sweet, salty, or savory treats. Such foods are manufactured to make people crave them. The result? More sales for the manufacturers. More pounds for us. What is a better solution?

One idea is to make sure you’re buying the smallest size possible for any yellow-light foods. If you supersize everything, you or someone you love is going to end up eating it. A pint of ice cream won’t do the same damage as a gallon. Single-serving Doritos pouches, the kind your kids might take in a school lunch, help you identify what a “single serving” looks like: seven chips, not seventy.

Homemade rice flour tortillas are a favorite treat of mine, either as a meal or a healthy snack with freshly made guacamole.

Another idea is to choose single-food snacks such as apple slices with peanut butter, carrot sticks with hummus, or even a can of tuna. Become a label reader. If there is any ingredient listed on the label that you can’t pronounce, put it back on the shelf. What does a partially hydrogenated vegetable oil look like, anyway? What does it to do you? If you don’t know, you might not want to eat it.

Third, whenever you make something at home, you have complete control over the ingredients. I can no longer eat most processed tortillas (corn and gluten are on my avoidance list), but I adore homemade rice flour tortillas made from avocado oil, organic rice flour, water, and sea salt (pictured above).

Protein-Rich Healthy Snack Ideas

A final consideration is to look for ways to add protein to your meals and snacks. A palm-sized serving of protein forms the basis for most meals, according to Precision Nutrition guidelines. My favorite solution is to make more of any dish containing protein (chicken wings, ground turkey, lasagna, shrimp kebabs, burgers, you name it) so that I have protein ready for multiple meals. Who says pulled pork can’t be a breakfast item?

How else might you include protein in more of your snacks? Below are some recipe possibilities you can adjust according to your unique preferences. Experiment to see what works best for you. And share in the comments below if you have a favorite not listed here.

The incredible, edible egg. So many wonderful ways to prepare them, from grab-and-go hard-boiled to creative scrambled eggs.

Super-quick Morning Ideas

If you’re pressed for time in the morning (and who isn’t?) you might want to experiment with one of the recipes below.

Greek Yogurt with Topping:

Plain Greek yogurt (rich in protein, low in sugar).
Add a handful of almonds or walnuts (healthy fats and protein).
Add a quarter cup of frozen or fresh berries (anti-oxidants).
Optional: a sprinkle of cinnamon for flavor.

Dip Sticks:

Cut up celery, bell pepper, or carrot sticks and slather with almond butter (protein and fiber)
Slice apples or pears to dip into your favorite nut butter.
The crunchy texture of either complements the creamy butter.
A great snack for kids: add raisins and call them “ants on a plank.”

Ants on a log are fun eats for kids. Add pear or apple slices and you have a delicious and satisfying snack.

Protein Shake with Greens:

A scoop of your preferred sugar-free protein powder.
Blend with unsweetened almond milk and a handful of spinach or kale.
Quick, nutritious, and can be prepared in minutes.

Edamame with Sea Salt:

Cooked edamame beans (plant-based protein).
Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt.
Can be served warm or cold.

Healthy Snack Lunch Ideas

For those people who traditionally gravitate toward sandwiches, or who stop by fast-food joints to pick up something when they’re ravenous, here are a few light alternatives to explore.

Turkey Roll-Ups:

Thinly sliced turkey breast (lean protein).
Wrap around cucumber sticks or bell pepper strips.
Secure with a toothpick for easy eating.

Cottage Cheese and Cherry Tomatoes:

A bowl of low-fat cottage cheese (high in protein).
Halved cherry tomatoes for a juicy crunch.
A dash of black pepper or herbs for extra flavor.

Boiled Eggs with Spinach:

Hard-boiled eggs, sliced in half (protein and healthy fats).
Serve on a bed of fresh spinach leaves (iron and vitamins).
Light seasoning with salt and pepper.

Heartier Fare

The ideas below might require a little more preparation, but they also involve more flavor. Experiment to see what works best for you.

Tuna Salad on Bell Pepper Slices:

Mix canned tuna (in water, not oil) with a little mustard and herbs.
Spoon onto thick slices of bell pepper.
Quick, crunchy, and full of protein.

Chicken and Avocado Lettuce Wraps:

Grilled chicken breast, sliced (lean protein).
Wrap in lettuce leaves with avocado slices (healthy fats).
Optional: a squeeze of lime for zest.

Smoked Salmon and Cucumber:

Slices of smoked salmon (omega-3 fatty acids and protein).
Lay on thick cucumber slices.
A touch of dill or lemon juice for flavor.

Whatever you choose, by putting a little more thought into your options, you can add flavor, variety, macronutrients, phytonutrients, and enjoyment to any snack or meal. If you have a favorite, please share in the comments so we can all make healthy snack choices.

How to Grow a Hiking Practice: Join Court on Squak Mountain

2023 ended for me with a hike on Margaret’s Way (Squak Mountain) with my good friend Pam, who was visiting from Arizona over the holidays. On January 2nd, Ajax and I ushered in 2024 with a solo hike to Central Peak from the south side of Squak. Both got me thinking about what I’d like in the coming year: to increase mindfulness, develop more connections with clients and blog readers, and get consistent with hiking year-round. A client shared an article called “Practice as a Way of Life.” My 2024 intention was born: Add richness to my hiking practice.

Ajax takes a snack break at Bullitt's Fireplace on Squak Mountain, a quarter mile from Central Peak. — Ajax takes a snack break at Bullitt’s Fireplace on Squak Mountain, a quarter mile from Central Peak.

What Do I Mean By “Hiking Practice”?

By “hiking practice” I mean being deliberate about it rather than just “doing” it willy-nilly. Last year I wrote about setting intentions for your hikes. But during the final months of 2023, I missed the mountains so much that I threw myself at Squak Mountain before putting much thought into what I wanted to accomplish.

By way of backstory, I’m more of a fair-weather hiker. Winter for many is “off-season” for hiking. Since COVID I’ve done more off-season hiking than at other times in my life. But when the daylight is short, or it’s cold, rainy, snowy, or, like this morning, extremely windy, I lack consistency. Add to the fact that I was short a hiking partner, and it was easy to skip this morning. Mastery requires consistency, practice, and discipline.

My friend Pam and I pause for a selfie on the Margaret's Way route. — My friend Pam and I pause for a selfie on the Margaret’s Way route. I’m helping her train for the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim in May. She helped spark the idea of social hiking support.

I faced a similar challenge last year when I created the Active Ajax Adventures project. My pup and I completed visits to 68 unique green spaces including 20 hikes, ten of them with my daughter. This year, I have several things I want to practice: Being more present on the trail. Exploring nature during all four seasons. And finding more like-minded people who feel the same way.

Perhaps I could use my blog not only to try to generate philosophical discussion and sharing of ideas, but also announcements for group hiking. Who knows, it might also lead to group coaching or networking. Right under my nose is a perfect tool for announcing intentions, and perhaps even generating a local hiking network. I open myself to new possibilities.

Turning an Obstacle Into an Opportunity

As I mentioned in last week’s post, my chosen word for 2024 is OVERCOME. By that, I mean turning obstacles into opportunities. And this presents a perfect way to model change.

My current perceived obstacle is a lack of hiking partners. You’d think that as a coach and current member of the Mountaineers, I would have tons of people to hike with.

May Valley Loop on Squak Mountain. The loop from the south side is 6.6 miles round trip and 2320' elevation gain. It took us 2.5 hours. — May Valley Loop on Squak Mountain. The loop from the south side is 6.6 miles round trip and 2320′ elevation gain. It took us 2.5 hours.

During COVID, my hiking network dwindled to three people. Other friends stopped hiking due to injury, moved away, lost interest, became too busy, or switched goals entirely. I even lost a semi-regular hiking partner to early-onset dementia. My most reliable partner right now is my canine companion, Ajax, who will turn nine in May. How can I find more?

Mindshift time. My current opportunity: reaching out to previous hiking friends and inviting people to join the fun. A bonus would be chatting with others about health and well-being, a topic near and dear to my heart.

Ajax loves our hiking practice. He is always ready and raring to go on Squak Mountain.

My idea may flop. It may succeed. But regardless of the outcome, Ajax and I will be getting out more consistently on Tuesdays, with the bonus of having others join us. If not, I will practice observation, mindfulness, and seeing what the mountain reveals. The only way I’ll fail is to not try.

Why Cultivate a Hiking Practice?

The benefits of hiking regularly are numerous. Beyond the obvious reasons (mental and physical health) hiking provides a great baseline for those who want to climb Rainier, backpack along the Pacific Crest Trail, or trek to Everest Base Camp. Maybe you simply love what it feels like to get outside and leave the city stresses behind.

Putting intentionality into your hiking makes it far more meaningful. Anything that means something to you is more likely to take root and become a consistent habit. So by making hiking a practice, you increase the likelihood of doing it regularly. Win!

A signpost indicates the trailhead for Margaret's Way on Squak Mountain. — A signpost indicates the trailhead for Margaret’s Way on Squak Mountain.

January Hikes on Squak Mountain

So, taking my advice to continue to cultivate a “growth mindset” and “hiking practice,” I’m starting in the mountains several months earlier than usual.

Rain or shine, my chosen destination for January hikes is Squak Mountain. The only deterrent is something that makes hiking unsafe for everyone — high winds like those we’re experiencing this morning in the Pacific Northwest.

If you want to join the fun, ping me ahead of time to learn which route we’re taking, what parking lot we’ll start from, and what time we’ll meet. Hikes will last anywhere from 2-4 hours depending on route, participants, and group pace.

Ajax and I enjoyed the May Valley Loop trail, Squak Mountain.

Frequently Asked Questions

I can imagine the questions rattling around in your brain so I will try to answer them here.

Why Tuesdays? To avoid weekend crowds.

Why early morning? So people can still get most of a day’s work done if they have traditional weekday jobs.

Why daybreak specifically? Going at dawn means we avoid most of the morning rush-hour traffic through downtown Seattle. (I hate traffic snarls). It also means we might hear some lovely birdsong on the trail as birds are active at dawn and dusk.

I'm not opposed to taking our time; it depends on who is in the group. The idea may flop, it may soar; all we can do is try. — I’m not opposed to taking our time; it depends on who is in the group. The idea may flop, it may soar; all we can do is try.

Why Squak? For right now, it is accessible (dusting of snow), it’s close enough to the city to significantly cut down on driving time, and it’s got a wide range of hiking opportunities.

What pace and distance? The target will be 6+ miles and 1500+ elevation gain. Our base pace will be roughly 2 miles per hour at about 1200 feet of gain per hour. If that’s easy for you, carry more weight. If that’s a stretch, come light with a jacket and a water bottle. And it’s okay to do part of the trip and turn around. You gotta start somewhere!

Any substitutions? Maybe. Since I missed today I’m looking for another weekday but it may be just me and Ajax since we have other things we have to work around in our schedule. Oops, there goes another tree branch.

A sitting bench at a viewpoint along the Margaret's Way trail. — A sitting bench at a viewpoint along the Margaret’s Way trail.

Develop Your Hiking Practice on Squak

If you are a current client, you might think of these hiking practice sessions as accountability trips, appointments that will keep you committed to your hiking goals. No membership is required anywhere. These are informal, free Coach Court outings, not sanctioned, organized Mountaineers outings.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest but are not currently engaged with me in Body Results or Thrive Clues coaching, this could be a great opportunity to connect with me at no charge and find out if we might form a collaborative partnership. I only ask that you come eager to walk and be interested in enjoying the outdoors. Win-win!

Polar Bear Plunge: A Metaphor for a New Year

On New Year’s Day, I celebrated the arrival of 2024 by taking the annual Polar Bear Plunge into Lake Washington. This time — my sixth — my husband AND my daughter joined me. I can’t think of a better metaphor for bringing in a new year than diving into the unknown murky depths and proving how resilient the human spirit is.

My sixth New Year's Day Polar Bear Plunge in Seattle's Lake Washington. The air temp was 49, lake water 43 F. — My sixth New Year’s Day Polar Bear Plunge in Seattle’s Lake Washington. The air temp on Jan. 1, 2024 was 49 F, lake temp 43 F.

A Growing Family Tradition

I spent my childhood in Shorewood, WI, a block off of Lake Michigan. We almost always had snow by Christmas. Sometimes the shore would be covered with windblown jumbled slabs of ice. In that much snow, well… let’s say there were faithful Plungers back in the 70s, but I wasn’t among them. Out of curiosity, I tuned in to Milwaukee’s Youtube plunge video to see what it looked like this year. No snow, clear sandy beach.

When I moved to the Pacific Northwest in the 90s I didn’t even think of the ancient tradition. Our earliest New Year tradition was to spend a day birding at Canada’s Reifel Bird Sanctuary (see last week’s post about the wood duck) or in the Skagit Valley. In 2015 and 2020, we welcomed the New Year from New Zealand. But starting in 2019, if we’ve been in town on the holiday, we take the plunge.

Take a DEEP breath... — Take a DEEP breath…

History of the Polar Bear Plunge

According to a Canadian source, “The polar bear swim started in Vancouver in 1920 by a group of swimmers who called themselves the Polar Bear Club.” Led by Peter Pantages, the group would take a swim. They would probably scoff at the masses of people who follow suit today, jumping in the cold water for less than a minute.

Another website indicated it started even earlier, in 1904, by the L Street Brownies in Dorchester Bay, Massachusetts. Some plunges draw as many as 12,000 participants. Others hold events as fundraisers. The one we do at Matthews Beach is simply for fun.

A beautiful morning at Matthews Beach, with no precipitation, and blue skies on the horizon. — A beautiful morning at Matthews Beach Jan. 1, 2024, with no precipitation, and blue skies on the horizon.

A Personal Challenge

This year, I did two things differently. I went in not only once, but twice, the first time in a wool cap and long-sleeved swim shirt, the second with no hat or shirt so I could go all the way under.

Next year, who knows? I might hold my breath underwater for twenty seconds. Or I might wade out until I can no longer reach the bottom with my feet.

My daughter and I mark the occasion with a silly hat, polar bear stuffy, and polar bear sculpture. — My daughter and I mark the 2024 occasion with a silly hat, polar bear stuffy, and polar bear sculpture.

Why Do the Polar Bear Plunge?

Explaining why I like to do the Polar Bear Plunge is a bit like telling someone why I love to hike. For many reasons. I plunge because it is playful and appeals to my inner child. It’s a bit of a crazy indulgence that allows me to test my resilience, get outside, and mark the change of the year in a unique way. Fortunately, we get to warm up by soaking in our hot tub.

We go well before the official noon kick-off time to avoid all of the crowds. Still, we enjoy marking a new year by doing something most people would call unusual. Fortunately, the six times I’ve done it have been relatively dry and clear days. My husband even asked ahead of time: If it rains, will we bail? To date, I haven’t had to answer that question.

C-C-C-COLD! The author taking the 2021 Plunge.

Choose Your Metaphor

I just can’t help it, I’m a writer. We think in metaphors. I also like keywords. For 2024 I have chosen as my keyword “Overcome”, with “Turn obstacles into opportunities” as my tagline.

Triple OOO.

Whether you prefer last week’s wood duck metaphor (for going with the flow, channeling your inner wood duck to embrace change) or this week’s polar bear plunge metaphor (for plunging into the unknown), find one that works for you.

The author after the 2023 Polar Bear Plunge.

Takeaways

Do something unusual this January. Set some intentions that gently move you out of your comfort zone. Last year, mine was doing 52 rambles with Ajax. This year, I released myself from the power of addictive tendencies.

Just today, I deleted a game app from my phone. I realized while journaling that I started playing it as a coping strategy for a health event I’ve gained closure around. The gaming behavior no longer serves a purpose. It only annoys, angers, and irritates me whenever I can’t move past a level. Who needs that? The world is angry enough without my contribution. We need more light, more joy, more empowerment. In its place? Consistent hiking on Tuesday mornings.

This year I swapped a phone game app for more time in the mountains with my best canine buddy. I will be hiking on Squak Tuesday mornings in January if you care to join the fun. Email me or leave a comment below for details.

Change is hard. But setting up a symbol that works for you can help. It helped me. I’m plunging into the unknown without my crutches, aware that it will be hard. But I also know I have wood ducks and polar bears to emulate. If they can do it, so can I. My track record is strong. I can do this. So can you.

The Wonderful Wood Duck: a Metaphor for Creative Flow

This week I’ve been listening to recordings of Tama Kieves’ “A Course In Miracles: Creating Flow in Your Life” from the summer of 2023. Flow reminds me of my favorite waterfowl, the wood duck. The Drake, pictured below, is one of the most unique and colorful ducks I’ve ever seen. I channel my inner wood duck when I need to “go with the flow” and let annoyances roll off of me like raindrops on feathers. They have become my metaphor for creative flow and resilience. As Leigh Hunt puts it: “Colors are the smiles of nature”. The male wood duck makes me smile every time I see one.

According to my Ebird.org records, most of my 28 sightings have either been at Juanita Bay Park or Reifel Bird Sanctuary just over the border in Canada. And a look at when I’ve seen these magnificent birds most often – in January – ties nicely with my 2024 intention to view obstacles as opportunities. We’re already planning a trip to visit these beautiful birds.

The elegant male wood duck is one of the most stunning waterfowl in North America.

Fun Facts about the Wood Duck

For this post, I turned to Cornell University to learn more fun facts about this favorite fowl. Not only are they lovely to look at, but they’re also unique and curious creatures.

Males boast a mix of green and blue, a chestnut-breasted chest, orange beak, red eye, and a black-and-white neck. WOW.
Wood ducks live in wooded swamps, where they nest in tree cavities or nest boxes near lakes
Nesting cavities might be up to a mile away from water; they don’t use woodpecker-made cavities
They have strong claws that help them grip bark and perch on branches
Wood ducks pair up in January and produce two broods a year
Females may lay 10-11 eggs, but nests might hold up to 29, the result of “egg dumping” from other females
Ducklings can jump from their tree nests over 50 feet high without getting injured
The oldest known wood duck lived over 22 years
As Ralph Waldo Emerson put it: “Nature always wears the colors of the spirit”. These fancy ducks top them all in North America. Only the Mandarin duck, native to East Asia, is more colorful.

Check out those powerful "claws" on the Drake's webbed feet! — Check out those powerful “claws” on the Drake’s webbed feet!

Embrace Change Gracefully, Like the Wood Duck

Wood ducks thrive in multiple environments throughout the U.S. As dabbling ducks, they feed in the water, but they nest in wooded areas where empty cavities are plentiful. They navigate storms elegantly and gracefully, weathering all kinds of challenges including growing debris in their native waters.

For those of us experiencing life changes (and who isn’t?), we may feel like ducks out of water sometimes. But by focusing on our strengths and capabilities — what comes naturally to us — rather than on perceived lacks or “should” messages, we increase our resilience like the wood duck. If we’re out of our element, how might we adapt? What could be good about the current situation if we rewrite our stories?

Getting Immersed in Flow

One way to increase our resilience is to spend more time in flow. By that, I mean getting immersed in a just-right activity. You may know the feeling: working on a craft, writing something you’re passionate about, helping animals, or doing some project like gardening where you lose track of time.

When wood ducks forage, they go after food with 100% focus. Likewise, when we are doing what comes most naturally to us, or what we’re meant to be doing, time loses its importance.

Birding, hiking, and grounding are such activities for me. I find I am much more creative with my writing when I regularly spend time in nature.

Female wood duck at Juanita Bay. Note the more drab colors and spectacular white eye ring. — Female wood duck navigating obstacles at Juanita Bay. Note the less spectacular colors and white eye ring.

For some, mindfulness, meditation, and yoga are calming activities that invite flow. But if they do nothing for you, think about those engaging and enjoyable activities that allow you to focus on living today, not in the past or future. And I am not referring to gaming, scrolling through cute kitty videos, or chilling with screens. Such activities don’t engage the mind like flow activities do. Where do you experience flow?

Connecting with Your Inner Wood Duck

Albert Einstein put it this way: “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better”. While I am not a genius, I know the therapeutic healing effect nature has on me. The wood duck and bodies of water are both soothing natural elements. If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you may recall past posts about forest bathing. walking meditation, bird watching, and grounding.

The elements that all these activities have in common are: 1. they are outside activities, 2. they do not involve technology or screens (unless you’re charting your birds); 3. all involve contemplation and mindfulness; 4. time slows down. Elements of flow. Painting landscapes, gardening, hiking, writing at a park or nature retreat, and golfing can all be flow practices.

A female wood duck peers down at us from atop a feeder at Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Canada.

Think about your relationship with nature. When do you most enjoy it? Where? With whom? In 2024, how might you spend more time connecting with nature?

Permission to Be Imperfect

Alice Walker is quoted as saying, “In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful”. If we lived in a world of perfection, it would be a pretty boring place.

What if we viewed our lives the same way — that at any given time, nothing may be perfect and yet everything can still be perfect in its imperfection? How might we feel about all the obstacles in our path? Can we turn obstacles into opportunities? Can we see problems as gifts that can make us stronger?

In one of her classes, Tama Kieves reminds us that large irregular boulders eventually get scoured by the mightiest waters. Can we grant ourselves grace for our imperfections? How might we recognize when we are in flow and permit ourselves time and patience to dip into it when we’re not?

I don’t have answers, merely more questions. I’ll close 2023 with a quote from John Muir: “Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of autumn”.

As we approach 2024 I hope wherever you draw inspiration, you can embrace some natural element that symbolizes resilience and flow for you.

Discipline Equals Freedom: How to Dive Deep Into Change

Recently my husband caught me off guard when he asked, “What does “discipline equals X” make you think of?” I replied with the very first thought that came to mind: “Ball and chain.” I never expected him to insert the word “Freedom” for X. Turns out Jocko Willink wrote a book called Discipline Equals Freedom. I haven’t read it yet. This post is based solely on the title, with some help from Chat GPT 4. But it raises a blog-worthy question: How do you view discipline? And what’s your relationship with it? Let’s take a closer look at what discipline equals.

Orange flowers we spotted on a recent "orange walk". I needed to shift my mindset from frenzied to relaxed. — Orange flowers we spotted on a recent “orange walk”. I needed to shift my mindset from frenzied to relaxed.

Wrapping My Head Around Discipline Equals Freedom

As soon as I finished talking with my husband, I did four things. First, I reserved the book from the library and added it to my growing “Want to read in 2024” pile.

Second, I took a long color walk with my dog around the neighborhood. My daughter suggested I look for the color orange, so I’ve included some of my shots from that walk.

One of 15 orange items we discovered on our orange "color walk" last week. — One of 15 orange items we discovered on our orange “color walk” last week.

Third, I looked up the definition of discipline: roughly, discipline means “doing what needs to be done, even if you don’t want to do it.” Hence my “ball and chain” quip.

Finally, I enlisted Chat GPT’s help to summarize the highlights of Willink’s book. I wanted to see how many of them I’m already doing consistently and what skillset I may still need to develop.

Discipline Equals Freedom: Chat GPT Summary

Here are Willink’s top six points with my reactions to each:

Discipline Is the Path to Freedom

Willink argues that discipline is the key to achieving freedom in all aspects of life. This means consistently following a set of principles and habits that lead to self-improvement and goal attainment.
My biggest fixed mindset issue around this is I used to think that “personal development” meant there was something inherently “broken” or “wrong” about me. Now I can see that if we stop trying to reach goals or improve something in our lives, we’re on our way to the grave. A growth mindset shift.

Wake Up Early

Willink believes that waking up before dawn is a foundational habit that sets the tone for a disciplined day. It’s about taking control of your schedule and maximizing productivity.
Check. For nearly four decades I’ve been a morning person, getting my most productive work — or workouts — in before anything else. If I don’t, I’ll be cranky the rest of the day.

For the past 25 years I've been an alpinist who relishes early morning outings so I can see sunrises such as this, over the Cascade Mountains. Photo taken from Mt. Rainier, July 2017, before 5 a.m. — For the past 25 years I’ve been an alpinist who relishes early morning outings so I can see sunrises such as this, over the Cascade Mountains. Photo taken from Mt. Rainier, July 2017, before 5 a.m.

Prioritize and Execute

Willink advises to prioritize the most important tasks and focus on executing them well. This approach helps in managing stress and being effective in both personal and professional life.
This is one area I could improve. It is also not new to me. Stephen Covey addresses something similar in his bestselling book, the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Physical Fitness

In Discipline Equals Freedom, Willink asserts that rigorous exercise not only strengthens the body but also builds mental toughness and discipline. He emphasizes consistency and pushing beyond comfort zones.
Check. Frequent physical activity has been one of my pillars of health and well-being since high school and provides emotional satisfaction, enhanced sleep, joint lubrication, weight management, personal challenge, and the ability to do all the things I want to do without pain or injury.

Hiking with Ajax on W. Tiger trails brings me immense joy as well as a new outlook on my struggles.

Detachment for Better Decision-Making

Willink recommends maintaining an emotional detachment when making decisions. This detachment allows for clearer thinking and better decision-making, especially in high-pressure situations.
Ooh boy. This reminds me of “Care less about an issue than your clients,” a behind-the-scenes tip Precision Nutrition coaches are taught when facing client resistance or emotionally charged topics. If we care more about a client’s successes or failures than they do, it’s a recipe for disaster for the highly sensitive coach.

Ownership of Mistakes

Willink emphasizes the importance of taking full responsibility for one’s actions and their outcomes, including mistakes. This mindset fosters growth, learning, and improvement.
This leads perfectly to where I’m headed in 2024. I want to cultivate a growth mindset in all areas, particularly around technology, communication, and spirituality, not just where I already have it in writing, training, and physical fitness.

Another treasured orange item on my recent "orange walk." It yielded 15 different items, rather a surprise in December. — Another treasured orange item on my recent “orange walk.” It yielded 15 different items, rather surprising in December.

Implementing for Change

So, what is the takeaway for you? You are here because you want something. And you want to get it with as little struggle or effort as possible. Maybe you’re looking for knowledge. Perhaps you want to change something. Or it could be that you’re following this blog to glean whatever nuggets you can. In Discipline Equals Freedom, Willink asserts that we need to delay instant gratification and be adults today so we gain freedom tomorrow.

Sometimes we need to do hard things, consistently, to get a payoff. If change were easy, we’d all be exactly where we want to be. We want the new job. The successful summit. A higher paycheck. Annual vacations. Stronger relationships. Fitter physique. A significant other.

My Rainier team from July, 2017. Discipline equals freedom. Consistent focus is the only way to attain your goals.

Discipline In My Life

Discipline requires ongoing effort. It took me nine years to publish my first book. I needed seven years to finally start my blog. And I put off shooting a one-minute video for my new health and wellness company. for nearly ten months. It doesn’t mean I was working steadily during all that time. Enter our friend, procrastination.

In each case, it would have been far less stressful if I’d just had the discipline to do the thing, rather than put it off indefinitely. But the payoff is this: by putting in the time, you get the results. The only way NOT to get them is to never even try or to quit when things get hard.

What are you putting off? What commitment would you like to make for 2024? Who can you share it with, in writing, so that you are more likely to follow through? Who can you tell, out loud, so that the world hears your intention — and so do you?