Listening to your body isn't just a cliche. It's a skill.

The better our ability to read our internal signals, the better our performance and decision making, as well as lower anxiety.

When there's a disconnection, the opposite occurs.

In running, the better you're able to sync internal signals of effort and fatigue, the better you are at pacing to maximize performance.

In stock traders, a better ability to read inner signals predicted profitability:

In everyday life, research suggests that a large difference between perceived and actual ability to listen to your body's inner signals predicts more anxiety

A dysfunction in this ability, called interoception, is linked to a slew of mental health issues:

The good news is it's trainable. If you're an endurance athlete, you know this. You've learned to distinguish what different sensations of pain and fatigue mean. What's normal, and what could mean injury or worse.

The same applies to our everyday life. Learn to listen.

fuck this guy for pulling this shit when I have a deadline honestly

Hi there, I work in ag!

I also do canvassing in rural areas, including knocking doors in Bladen county NC- home of the NC-09 election fraud.

You have no idea what you're on about.

I see a new-ish home on a private tract of land. Not a moldering old trailer on a rented plot in a park.

I see TWO big pickup trucks, one of which seems to have a motorcycle or ATV in the back.

I see a satellite dish and the dude's got his own dumpster.

I see a lot of coolers, a grill, yard tools, & racist flags in mint condition. That takes effort- those things fade fast.

This is the home of someone who spends a lot of time and $ on leisure! This right here is a country playboy.

"Radicalized by economic circumstances" ayfkm

If you stop & actually look at the stuff that's strewn around by the porch, it's not junk. It's in good condition.

It's strewn around and the window's broken because THIS HOME JUST GOT RAIDED BY THE FBI

NOT BECAUSE IT'S THE AVATAR OF YOUR WHITE-TRASH FANTASIES

Did you know that almost half the population of Bladen County works in the pork industry?

Most of them work in the Tar Heel plant, aka the largest slaughterhouse in the world. It's 20 minutes from our house.

So let's talk what RURAL POVERTY looks like. 'Cause this ain't it.

10 Lessons You (And I) Will Learn Too Late

(THREAD)

Don't become more productive. Do this instead.

//// A THREAD (you need to read) ////

Roughly speaking, there are two paradigms of science:

Reductionism and Holism.

Reductionism considers that breaking down any system into its constituent parts is the best way to understand it fully.

In this paradigm, all systems can be fully reasoned only with reference to their elementary parts. The whole is just the sum of the parts.

Holism understands something in reference to the ecosystem it belongs to and the relationships between its constituent parts. To a holist, the whole is more than just the sum of the parts.

While Reductionism doesn't care about the relationships between the interconnected parts within a system, Holism uses those as the core reference for its analysis.

Why does this matter?

Do the real thing.

Whatever your goal is, do the real thing.

Don't do fake things to prepare for the real thing, while fooling yourself that you're making progress in the real thing.

You're not.

I'll explain to you what I mean.

[THREAD] 👇

So I met her. An old writer.
She said to me, I have read some of your stories and I must say, you write so well. I gave her a smile with my hands held together in much appreciation.

I like the way you speak, your voice is pleasing. I said to her.

And she laughed. This is how happy I am when I read you Mr Akeju.

I told her I didn't know it would be much fun visiting her and having a chat.

Well, Many young people believe we old ones are boring, She said.

True. Very true!

You know, I wish I can still write like I used to one more time.

I kept listening.

I have this story, my life story I will love to share with you.

It will be a great privilege to hear you share your life story, I said.

She chuckled, and then gave a face in deep thought.

Many many years ago as an undergraduate student in the university of Lagos. I met a guy. He was in my faculty.
That evening, he walked up to me while I was with my friends. He was so gentle in his approach and in a good manner requested I give him a few minutes.

The overrated and underrated series of tweets in one place.

(Will update it with similar thoughts overtime)

.
.
.

[A THREAD]

Solving the problem is overrated.
Identifying the problem is underrated.

Finding peace is overrated.
Forming peace is underrated.

Examination is overrated.
Education is underrated.

Mind is overrated.
Moment is underrated.

Rare sappy personal thread. Four years ago today, I opened a restaurant, a dream I had had for years. Two years ago today, I closed that restaurant. I’ve just been accumulating thoughts since then, so here they are. 1/

My first thought is of my wife and sons. I regret the stress I put them through. I worked 70+ hours a week for about three years. My wife supported our family and my youngest was born just before the restaurant opened. I missed out on so many memories of his development. 2/

I got home between twelve and three o’clock any given night, and I think I can count on one hand the number of times I couldn’t answer the bell at six or six-thirty. I knew we had obligations, and we mostly met them, but meeting them took a toll on me. On my wife more than me. 3/

I never knew there was a “first year twenty.” I learned later that restaurateurs joke that you lose 20 lbs the first year opening your new place. I was lean when we started, so I wound up severely underweight. I am 6’3” and at the peak of it all I weighed just under 170 lbs. 4/

My motto in taking care of my employees was “the house always eats last.” It was a good metaphor, but I hardly ever ate. I drank. I knew the wakeup call was coming in a few hours, and I needed to decompress from the mania of the floor. 5/

On Losing Everything 

Have you ever gone through a complete life overhaul? 

Losing money, your job , house, health and love amongst other things can be daunting, overwhelming and stressful!!!

It always feels like nothing is going right, people turn their back on you & you count every cent passing through your wallet. Whenever you feel like you have lost everything, maybe you're right where you need to be in order to transform your life & to receive blessings due to U!

I have learnt a few lessons along the way🙏

1. Suffering and losses are temporary -Sometimes you have to let go of  everything to gain something worthwhile;

2.Material Possessions and Status are for short term pleasure - Remain Humble at all times!

3. Less is MORE, de-clutter your life and learn to live within your means and that includes getting rid of the toxic people in your life!

4. Count Your Blessings  - You are blessed beyond your imagination despite your challenges; adopt an attitude of gratitude!

5. Avoid the Self Pity hole, yes you are going through difficulties but throwing the towel must never be an option! In life there are seasons, you too will have your season of tribulations; trials & disappointments but surely there is a season of Happiness , Love & Wealth

Here's something you should know about yourself. When choosing between two options, your decision is heavily influenced by whether you are asking yourself: "which is better" or "which is worse." 1/9

In research by Shafir, scientists asked subjects which of these two vacation spots they'd PREFER: one with average weather, beaches, hotels, warm water and decent nightlife -- or one with great weather, beaches, and hotels, but cold water and no nightlife. Most chose the latter.

But when told to imagine they had reserved both and had to CANCEL one or the other: one with average weather, beaches, hotels, warm water and decent nightlife -- or one with great weather, beaches, and hotels, but cold water and no nightlife. Most chose the latter. 3/9

Same information, different choice, and the only difference was how the question was framed: which would you prefer or which would you cancel? 4/9

They also asked people to imagine deciding case for custody of a child. One parent had average income, health, work hours, rapport with the child, and a stable social life. The other had above average income, great rapport, but worked long hours and had an active social life. 5/9

I was speaking with my therapist today about a particular situation and she said, “People despise competence; mediocrity is non-threatening.”

THIS.

LET ME TELL YOU - I’ve been seeing her for two years and it’s been TRANSFORMATIVE. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. Unravelling toxic behaviours, more awareness about thought + behaviour patterns, clarity of thought, relationships repaired/repairing, validates + calls me out.

I, of course, know this statement rings more true when you’re a woman, especially a woman of colour: I am both and she was talking directly to me. LOL.

The amount of Black folks for whom this resonates, particularly Black women - I SEE YOU AND VALIDATE YOUR BRILLIANCE✨

JUSTICE FOR #BreonnaTaylor AND #JoyceEchaquan!

All relationship advice that focuses on “doing stuff for each other” is superficial and is unlikely to yield a lasting result. Satisfying each other’s material desire and playing into tropes seen on tv and movies just makes bad relationships feel bearable.

Only when the two people are joined on the basis of the spirit can true understanding of the other be achieved. Genuine compassion between lovers only happens when the fulfillment of material and mental expectations planted in us by the world become secondary to our devotion.

Worldly relationships are just that, worldly. They function only to temporarily relieve the general physical discomforts of existence.

A relationship based on the spirit is one that honours the flesh but is not of it.

When we are willing to put aside our demands of our husbands and wives to soothe attachments or urges, we can begin to build a union based on service and duty to one another. Wherein all needs are still met but the meeting of those needs are no longer the point of being together.

You do things for each other because you aren’t functioning as two separate people with separate needs. When spirits join taking care of one another is synonymous with taking care of oneself.

My happiness is not isolated from my husbands happiness and vice versa.

There is a mental model known as the map is not the territory.

Here’s how it works and why it’s one of the most useful concepts to understand for everyday life.

👇👇👇

Some learnings I've learnt living in these here pandemic times:

1. Everyone should have access to the internet during a pandemic. Oh, and funny hats.
2. These past ten years the dust bunnies under my sofa and bed have been pretty busy building thriving little towns and villages.

3. Screaming into the abyss is a real thing. My neighbour just doesn't get it.
4. If you want really nice weather all summer long, just declare a pandemic lockdown.
5. Amazon will pack two lightbulbs into a microwave-sized box. Can confirm.

6. Right wing politicians really don't like not being in front of people. Which is kind of weird, since they don't seem to like people.
7. Sometimes I find myself wondering if the person who invented the salad bar sneeze guard back in olden times truly knew what they were on to.

8. I started counting and measuring stuff I never counted before. Just because I'm bored and it takes my spit 26 seconds to hit the ground from the bridge near my place.
9. My shoes are exactly one foot long. Which is kind of a spooky coincidence, right?
10. Chipmunks are punks.

11. My old doggo Finn had it right all along. Sleep. Eat. Walk. Pee. Poop. Play. Watch ball bounce down the stairs. Repeat. I'm still not sold on all the butt sniffing though.
12. If you really set your mind to it, you can make a ham and cheese sandwich exactly 17 different ways.

#gratitude thread 1/12
“Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.” Voltaire
#grateful for classics @CIIS_SF

#gratitude thread 2/12
“When eating fruit, remember the one who planted the tree.” Vietnamese Proverb @BreneBrown
@grateful for cultures

#gratitude thread 3/12
“Got no checkbooks, got no banks, still I’d like to express my thanks. I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night.” Irving Berlin @PolarisInsight
#grateful for music

#gratitude thread 4/12
"For my part, I am almost contented just now, and very thankful. Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever.” Charlotte Bronte #grateful for literature @Drug_Researcher

#gratitude thread 5/12
“No duty is more urgent than giving thanks.” James Allen #grateful for "As a Man Thinketh" (legendary book) @Chacruna_net

a little book designer wwx au for the birthday

so he forgets his birthday every year because it's not like it's that big a deal, right,

and he knows wen ning will get bullied into getting a card and some rando candy to pass around the office for everyone to sign even though god knows no one in sales actually knows him by name so why are they even signing the CARD–– it's all kind of embarrassing, really

which! he's grateful for! he's very grateful, he sits through an off-chorus round of happy birthday every year. he nibbles at the teeth-aching sweet icing of the office cupcakes bought for him and pointedly does not think about feeling more and more divorced from his body

he's prepared for another round. it's not going to be special just because lan zhan asked him out a month ago! why would it? it'd be selfish to expect lan zhan's pampering to amp up for a silly birthday.

then the first email from editorial bounces back.

wei ying stares at an automated response he does not remember setting, face growing hotter with a weird fluttering, hesitant glee as he reads it:

Hello, I will be unavailable this afternoon and unable to answer emails. For emergencies, please contact Nie Huaisang. Thank you.

Your 20s are the most important years in your financial freedom journey

Avoid these mistakes

// THREAD //

“Allow Him to make more of you than you can make of yourself on your own. Treasure His involvement. Sometimes we consider changes in our plans as missteps on our journey. Think of them more as first steps to being 'on the Lord’s errand' (D&C 64:29)."
#RonaldARasband

It’s been a tough year. Relentless calamity, social instability, pandemic lockdowns, political chaos. Life events of the simplest nature & need have been cancelled. People we love or admire have buckled under the pressure, let us down, faded away. The isolation can be crippling.

The road, however straight, feels to be narrowing with every step. The demoralizing noise from the great & spacious building is mind-numbing. Dangerous detours are tempting. The haze of despair is thick & blinding. It’s so much. It is just so much.

Now is the time to look up from your dragging feet & survey the landscape. Reorient yourself with the path & the goal—the bright Tree of Life you’re approaching, & the gate wherein the Savior waits to welcome you. Assess your spiritual resources. Look for people to help & love.

It may seem like you’re being squeezed down a tight path not of your choosing, like your agency has dissolved, every option in life blocked or cancelled. But it only seems that way. Stay on the path. At the end of it, there are wonders that make your old goals seem laughable.

In 1746 in West Africa, a child is playing on the banks of a stream. He's trying to catch a moorhen. It sounds picturesque, but within seconds this little boy will be abducted. He will be shipped across the globe to North Wales. This is the story of John Ystumllyn.

#thread

He is taken far from his home, far from everything and everyone he knows. Eventually, he arrives in Ynyscynhaiarn, Gwynedd to work for the Wynne family. We don’t know what name his parents had given him, but the Wynnes named him ‘John Ystumllyn’ after their estate.

2/8

If you’ve been watching #AHouseThroughTime you'll have seen the story of Thomas, a black boy who was a 'servant' of a family in Bristol until he ran away in 1759. Boys like Thomas often appeared in portraits and still-life paintings in this period.

3/8

The paintings were displayed as status symbols to highlight a family’s wealth and connections to overseas trade. In 1754, John had his portrait painted. Presumably it hung in the Wynne’s home. A novelty in North Wales, he became known as Jack Du, or in English, Jack Black.

4/8

When John arrived at Ynyscynhaiarn, he was possibly as young as 8, and ‘had no language other than sounds similar to the howling of a dog’. We can only begin to imagine how lonely and terrifying it must have been in a completely unfamiliar place with no way to communicate.

5/8

🚨Hey YOU! No, not you who has your shit all together.. YOU RIGHT THERE! The ONE who feels like you can't make it one more day, one more hour, or maybe the thought of another minute is too much! YOU! I see you!

You won't believe me I know, how you're feeling right now, you're going to mentally give me the 🖕when I tell you there is HOPE! And I BEG YOU, before making that FINAL decision, read the ramblings of someone who KNOWS EXACTLY what hopeless feels like! 🚨

Alright, warning before you start to read. This will be a LONG Thread. (Pretty obvious already!)

I'm doing something that is VERY DIFFICULT for me. Being open and vulnerable. I am very open and honest about my past traumatic experiences,

but ALWAYS after I've gone through the trial, processed it, learned from it, and will share to help others that may be going through similar experiences.

Sexual abuse
Addiction
Depression (Massive Depressive Disorder at one point)

Suicide attempts/ or feelings of wanting to
Chronic Pain condition for 8 years, which lead me right back to my addiction demons who had patiently waited over 20 YEARS for me to play with them again!)

So many experiences I've survived and think of myself as a fucking warrior!