The Easiest Way To Battle Stress: Better Than Meds

One goal is to share more practical ways I’m reducing my stress and trying to be a better dad.

With that in mind, one of the most frustratingly vague topics in the “self-care” category is meditation.

What is it? How does a normal dude do it?

I’ve been reading a lot about the benefits of breathing techniques to reduce stress (health guru Andrew Huberman talks about using breathing to reduce anxiety and stress on Tim Ferriss’s podcast here).

I discovered a technique I love and have been doing it for over a year.

And I will let you in on a little secret on how I fit it into my daily routine.

that technique…

Box Breathing

I know what you are picturing that time when you were a kid, and you made a robot costume out of old boxes and felt like you couldn’t breath.

Well, it’s not that.

It’s a breathing technique that science shows reduces cortisol, our bodies’ primary stress hormone.

A study by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder found that breathing exercises were as good as meds at cutting blood pressure.

It even showed promise as a non-drug treatment for mental illness.

Breathing exercises are a practical tool for coping with job (or parenting) burnout.

Breathing techniques are already in widespread clinical use in treating PTSD.

Here’s more science for your science freaks.

Otherwise, all you gotta know is that this shit works!

So, How Do I Do it?

First, let’s use a visual — a box.

A box has four sides, representing the four equal (4 seconds long) steps of the technique

Breath In

4 seconds of inhaling through your nose. Focus on filling the bottom of your belly with breath.

Hold

4 seconds of holding your breath.

Breath Out

4 seconds of exhaling forcefully from your mouth. Purse your lips, and make a wooshing sound as you exhale.

Hold

4 seconds of holding your breath out.

Start over

Now Here’s My Secret To Squeezing It In Everyday

After my workout…my gym buds call it doing the ‘Matt’.

I lay flat on the gym floor….

Close my eyes…

And try for about 10 to 20 boxes (only about 3 to 6 minutes).

Other Notes

For this technique, you can quietly count in your head.

If you prefer external help, you can use a guided mediation app like Insight Timer to count for you.

Think of the entire box breathing sequence like a Set in the gym.

However many sets you want to do is up to you.

As you get used to it, you can adjust the number of sets to your stress levels.

So if you are looking for ways to lower your stress and anxiety…give it a try.

Do it. See if it works.

You deserve it.

Dads, The Real Reason You Don’t Have A Hobby

I love to be outside; biking, hiking, fishing, foraging or hunting but these hobbies take time and commitment.

Extra time is like that mythical pot of gold at the end of the rainbow guarded by a tricky leprechaun…it don’t exist.

And Netflix is not a hobby...(Why do I always spend more time browsing for a show than actually watching???)

So what I found is trying not to overcomplicate it...hobbies don't have to be some complex or time-consuming.

Actually, it should be something that takes very little time so I can find a way to squeeze it in each day.

A hobby has a multitude of benefits…but before I lay out the benefits, lets first define what a hobby is.

A hobby is something that requires active participation (i.e. Shooting Hoops).

Something that is not a hobby is something that involves passive participation (i.e. binging Netflix).

I’m not bashing Netflix because I love a good binge-watch from time to time. We crushed Stranger Things this past winter (I still have Kate Bush singing “Be runnin' up that hill” stuck in my head)

A hobby is important because:

It puts us dads into a state of flow...which is like a massage for our brains (here’s the science to prove it).

You may ask:

If hobbies are so good for my brain and I have so little time how can I possibly find a hobby?

Return to your childhood...what did you love as a boy?

Loved to ride your bike as a kid?

Take 15 minutes a night to go on a solitary ride. Leave your phone at home. Push yourself to ride as fast as possible.

Loved to fill the margins of your notebooks with doodles?

Doodle! Throw on headphones with a favorite album, and let time melt away.

Loved exploring the woods as a boy?

Go explore again! As long as you are taking an active role in your life, you will feel the benefits.

Loved throwing a ball against a wall?

Go outside and throw a ball against the wall. Your neighbor might think you’ve gone mad but your brain will thank you.

Disclaimer:

I am not saying to avoid taking up a difficult, expertise-laden hobby.

This is dedicated to those who want a hobby, but end up watching TV every night.

Life isn’t all-or-nothing.

By making a small change towards active participation, you might find yourself invigorated enough to embark on a journey to learn how to make ships-in-a-bottle.

Secrets to Being an Epic Dad - Insights from a Year of Writing Daily

This week’s newsletter is a celebration and a reflection on a year of daily writing. Let's dive in!

First, I can’t believe how fast a year went. This is my 53rd newsletter since I started on July 1, 2022.

I'm incredibly grateful to all of you who have been part of this journey.

Throughout this past year, the practice of working on myself, writing every day and sharing content multiple times a week has taught me invaluable lessons.

It has made me a better dad, husband, son, friend, and colleague.

It's like embarking on a backyard landscaping project—sometimes ambiguous, seemingly never-ending, but once you take the first step, the results are astonishing and inspire you to do even more.

The effort I've invested in self-work has paid off in countless ways.

I feel healthier, more composed (well, most of the time), and deeply connected with myself and my loved ones.

I've also found that I communicate more clearly, which has strengthened my relationships.

All the self-work (including things like meditation and gratitude journaling), I found these three things are my favorite:

1\ I wake up early to indulge in an hour of quiet time for myself—reading, writing, or simply enjoying the tranquility.

2\ I stick to my five-day-a-week gym routine, which has had a tremendous impact on my overall well-being.

3\ Writing daily has become a release, allowing me to express my thoughts and work through the anxieties of life and fatherhood.

So after one year I figured I would set some intentions for the next year.

1\ I intend to maintain my consistency with quiet time, hitting the gym, and writing. These practices have become the pillars of my self-improvement journey, and I can't wait to see where they take me.

2\ I've realized that I've fallen into a pattern of consuming news or watching YouTube shorts more mornings before heading to the gym. To break this habit, I'm committing to reading more. It's time to fill my mornings with enriching books that ignite my imagination and broaden my perspectives.

3\ I've set my sights on that money. Well more specifically, financial sovereignty. I firmly believe that achieving true freedom of time for myself, my family, and the things I love—like fishing, foraging, hunting, and traveling—requires a greater focus on financial freedom.

Over the next year, I will embark on a journey to find, evaluate, and eventually purchase a profitable business. This endeavor feels particularly timely, given the wave of retiring business owners.

If you're interested in joining me on this adventure, let me know, and I'll provide updates every 4 to 6 weeks.

Thank you again for being part of my writing journey.

Your support and engagement have been invaluable, and I'm excited to continue sharing my experiences and insights with you all. Stay tuned for more and keep those dad jokes alive!

Cheers,

Matt

The Easiest Way For Dads To Relieve Stress

Dads, you might not be using this simple yet powerful stress reliever.

We all want to parent with less stress.

But, if you’re like me, you probably forget to do this one simple thing.

And by not doing, we’re allowing stress to creep into your parenting.

The great news is that there is a simple fix.

Laughter.

You’ve heard the saying “laughter is the best medicine.”

May 7 was World Laughter Day.

Studies show that it laughing is the best medicine and here’s why.

Laughing has been shown to trigger relaxation.

It increases powerful chemicals that improve brain health, reduce pain, relax muscles, and lower blood pressure.

Laughter has been shown to create better relationships (strengthen bonds).

Improving our overall emotional health.

And it allows us dads to connect more with our kids and parent with less stress.

But there is a Toby to laughter.

The Toby to parenting is being too serious.

I'm guilty of being too serious.

Imma be parenting “like this my job.”

I want my kids to turn out to be good people.

But I realized that being so intense ratchets the tension when things don't go my way.

A recent guys’ weekend reminded me of the importance of laughing and keeping things light.

I’ve noticed that laughing not only helps me better connect with my kids it also helps me better connect with my wife, my friends, and my colleagues.

I’ve been doing two simple things to help get some laughter back into my life.

First, honing my dad joke skills.

Nothing is better than a good ol’ dad joke that only I find funny and solicits an eye roll from my wife.

The second thing I found to lighten life with laughter is binging comedians.

A good friend of mine introduced me to Nate Bargatze (he has a Netflix special)

I’m also into Sundae Conversations.

And I really like Theo Von.

I started giving myself a break from parenting, business, and finance podcasts and instead started listening to more comedians.

And it has helped.

So with a little bit of laughter, I find more connection and less stress in parenting.

How do you keep it light with your kids?

Do you have any gut-busting recommendations?

We Hired An Expert

Being a dad sometimes feels like a circus.
 
And not the Cirque du Soleil kind.

Most days feel more like Jackie Moon wrestling Dewey the Killer Bear in Semi-Pro, entertaining but on the edge of chaos.   

Most days it feels like I’m shouting “Spumoni” but it doesn’t stop.  

Entertaining but always on the edge of chaos.   

On a recent hike, in the first half, we were having fun discovering treasures of the deep woods.

And then.

Our youngest started crying inconsolably.

While our 3-year-old wanted to be carried.

And our 4 yo pooped his pants. 

Diarrhea has a way of showing up at the most inopportune times. 

I stripped him down in the rainy, 40-degree weather.

Requiring me to put down our 3 yo which sent her into a meltdown.     

I then used his socks as TP (sorry future hikers, for desecrating the untainted trail).

Our nerves were shot; I would rather have been chased by a bear.

And then, instead of going out to dinner as planned, we headed straight home.

Where I had to look at the landscaping projects that have been staring me in the face for almost 2 years.

Our yard was a wreck when we bought the house. We spent the last 2 summers pulling shrubs and removing concrete.

We wanted to do some beautification to move our circus outside when the weather is nice and enjoy our yard.   

But we’ve had difficulty finding the time and energy amidst our routine.

So we decided to hire an expert. 

And we found a landscaping magician to help us beautify our yard so we could enjoy ourselves. 

And it was exactly what we needed.

Offloading projects, better suited for someone else, helps me enjoy the circus more.

And the reduced stress prevents it from devolving into chaos as often.

P.S. The pic is of our Space Cowboy and Cowgirl enjoying our new firepit. Apparently, Space Cowboys fly shirtless.

The Best Investment

The most underrated investment.  

Yourself. 

Here are 5 simple ways to invest in yourself.

And...

10x your returns which include…

better health, more time with loved ones and yep...

Money! 

This post by ‘Contrarian Thinker’ Codie Sanchez drives home the missed opportunity of not investing in yourself.  

I'm guilty of spending money where the ROI isn’t as big or is zero. 

"Investing in yourself is the best investment you will ever make. It will not only improve your life, it will improve the lives of all those around you." Robin S. Sharma

Investing in yourself will advance your career, help you achieve better health, and discover new income streams. 

It will also improve those around you, especially your family. 

Example:

I’ve been focusing on my health for 8 months now.  

I'm healthier, have more energy and am more present.

Now, my amazing wife got in on the action. 

She started a 4 day a week workout routine for the first time in her life and she has become an unprocessed foodie (healthy and tasty whole foods.)

She makes us the healthiest and tastiest meals all week long. 

And now our kids are getting the best version of mom and dad because we are healthier and more present!

The 5 easy ways I found to invest in myself and reap the magic of compounding returns: 

1/ Hire a coach.  

Someone that can help you succeed because they have been there and done that. 

Who can show you how to succeed.  

A good coach gives you the map and challenges you.

But doesn’t do it for you. 

This past year I found fitness coaches (shout out to my coaches Kyler and Aaron).    

One of my best investments in the last 5 years.   

I’m now harder to kill (lost 25lbs and cut my risk of dying by 67% according to a heart risk calculator).

You can also hire a coach to learn a new hobby or improve practical skills.  

The investment in a coach will level up your game. 

And the results are priceless. 

2/ Take a course or training. 

I’m a lifelong learner, but I was more willing to spend a couple grand on a vacation than on a course that could improve my skills or teach me something new. 

The challenge for me since leaving college was what kind of course should I take?

Here’s where to start, borrowed from Cody Sanchez, but applied to learning.  

The best place to start is by finding something you're curious about and have been interested in learning more about for at least a year.  

Find a skill people are willing to pay for. 

And something where there is a community you can plug into, whether that be locally, on reddit, discord, etc.

It doesn’t always have to be skills that pay the bills.  

It could be an obscure hobby or skill that just improves your life by being good for your brain. 

We must have something that requires active participation that can send our brains into flow.

Flow is like a sweet, sweet massage for the brain. 

And just maybe… 

When a new skill is stacked with your existing skills, it could also impact your earnings. 

Start with what you’re curious about and

make a splash.  

3/ Prioritize learning experiences

This kind of goes along with investing $2k in a training vs. a vacation. 

What if you could do both? 

Our last vacation I planned around a tech conference.  

I invested $1000 in the conference plus the travel to a new country so I could learn about emerging tech trends from experts. 

It was both a vacation and a learning experience.  

My son even joined me and the memories and learning were priceless. 

My lil’ man with AR/VR headsets at the WebSummitt in Lisbon, Portugal.  

4/ Get a certification

Jobs, roles and opportunities are changing so quickly.  

Four-year degrees can’t adapt quickly enough. 

The best way to adapt to the pace of change and prove it is…

To get a certification.

Last year I got two (blockchain and AWS cloud practitioner).

This year I’m gunning for one (robot-related). 

Certifications usually require a test that demonstrates mastery of a topic. 

In IT there are cloud certs (architect, data engineer, etc.), AI certs (prompt engineers) and security certs(CISSP).

And for non-technical, there are project management, HR, and marketing certs.

Even hands-on fields have valuable certs (rad tech, dental assistant, building inspector, aircraft tech, and a slew of green job certs). 

No matter what field you are in there is likely a cert for you.  

5/ Over-index on health.

We’ve all heard the stories of people working their whole life to retire and do what they want and…

then they die without getting to enjoy the fruits of their labor.  Sorry to be grim but it’s true.   

Investing in health now significantly reduces the risk of poor health later.  

My health has been the best investment for me and my family.

It has been a foundation of positive change. 

What ways have you found to invest in yourself?

I Wish These Existed

I wish these existed.

I would pay a small fortune. 

Being a dad can be tough. 

After a Spring Break vacation filled with carting, loading, wiping, and carrying three kids...

It got me thinking (ok fantasizing) about things that would make life as a dad…

just a wee bit easier.

Here are the 12 things I wish existed as a dad of 3 kids under 5.

1/ “Magnetic onesie”  

A baby onesie that clasps shut like a magnetic screen door.  

As soon as you pull those little baby legs and arms through the sleeves…

The magnet does the rest and snaps that baby shut.

2/ “Blowout-proof diaper” 

How many times has a baby blowout tipped your day into chaos (it always happens at the most inopportune time)?

We need diapers that are impervious to a blowout (catch all the poop no matter what) 

What a world it would be if things were blowout free.

3/ “The Slap Diaper” 

A diaper that works like one of those slap bracelets.  

As soon as that baby bottom lands near, it just snaps on.  

No more diaper wrestling. 

4/ “Toddler translator” 

I’m convinced toddlers are from another planet.  

And my inability to understand their language usually ends in toddler rage.  

What if a translator could tell us, dads, exactly what our little aliens want?

5/ “Slime-Resistant Shirt” 

I lost count of how many times I peeked in the mirror and I looked like Venkman from Ghostbusters. 

My shirt covered in snot or spit up.  

I need a shirt where the upper half is like Teflon, nothing sticks to it…

That would totally transform my daily appearance.  

6/ “Undo button”

Oh man, I’ve been saved so many times by Ctrl-Z (undo) on a computer.  

What if life with kids had an undo button? 

I would use it like Michael Scott overuses “that’s what she said”.

7/ “Pause Button”

You’re in the trenches changing a diaper and putting out a few fires.  

You just need 15 minutes to pull yourself together.  

It would be great if life had a 15-minute pause button where my kids would stop and I could pull myself together and soak it up…just 15 minutes. 

8/ “Buddy button” 

Sometimes I need a rip cord to stop the free fall and find a fellow war hero (a buddy) to share my stories of the trenches with.  

It would be great if there were an SOS app that could find another buddy that at that moment was also ready to get away.   

9/ “Sleep dust” 

Yes, there is melatonin (and whiskey) but they have negative long-term side effects when used as sleep aids.  

I would love some dust (a pan) I could slam (sprinkle) my 2-year-old with at bedtime so she would…

To steal a line from Adam Mansbach “Go the F⚪k to sleep”. 

10/ “Nighttime Nanny” 

I call my middle a werewolf.  

Every time there is a full moon (or a moon in any phase) she creeps into our room for the umpteenth time and needs to be walked back to bed.   

After these long nights, I wake up feeling like a drank a case of beer. 

It would be great if someone or something could walk my little werewolf back to bed, tuck her in so I could get some dreamy sleep.  

11/ “Remote Relocator”

If you’re like our family, we limit TV for our kids but they crave it like addicts.

So many times, we’ve hidden the remote like a squirrel, and couldn’t remember which hole in the yard it was in.  

All we need is a remote that is equipped with an “I’m here” function so we could find it when we needed it. 

12/ "Self-Cleaning Car" 

Our van looks like an Atlantic City beach; covered in sand, wrappers, and old discarded toys.  

It would be great to have a car that can automatically clean itself inside and out, 

so I don’t feel guilty about my wife's daily trip with the Jersey Shore. 

My takeaway:

If only these things existed, they would make dadding a little easier.  

And I would pay a small fortune.

Tinkerers, inventors, and entrepreneurs, let me know if you come up with any of these.  

Dads, what did I miss?

Dads with older kids, are there inventions I will need as my kids age?

This Discovery May Change My Unhealthy Habit Forever

I made a discovery.

And it just might change me forever.

Saturday mornings with young kids can be draining.

Especially after celebrating a successful week or putting a difficult week in the past.

A ritual I look forward to every week (good or bad) is enjoying a beer with friends.

I mean, “beer is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy,” right? (I think Big Ben (Franklin) said that).

But with the good comes the bad.

It turns out alcohol, when broken down by the body, turns into poison (acetaldehyde).

According to Stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, alcohol erodes memory, negatively changes the brain’s neural circuits, and increases anxiety.

I’m not going to demonize alcohol because… 

I like beer (said with the gusto of Justice Kavanaugh). 

But there is an underground trend away from alcohol and its negative effects.

Rockers like Steven Tyler and Ben Harper are walking away from it.  

Hard-partying chefs are seeking alternatives. 

There are, however, positives to drinking alcohol, or in my case, beer.

I love the social aspect of sharing stories with friends or colleagues.

The good thing is I found a surprising alternative.

And it will likely change my drinking game forever.  

The Discovery That Might Change Me Forever

I’ve been experimenting with non-Alcoholic beer (NA).

Or, as I've heard them called near beers.

They have the foamy head and delicious taste of a microbrew but without alcohol.

Near, to a beer, as it gets.

This is not that piss water Odouls.  

There are microbreweries dedicated to brewing high-quality NA beer.

The process is simple.

They brew a full-on craft beer and then de-alcohol it.  

Traditionally, de-alcoholising beer was to cook off or filter out (osmosis filtering) the alcohol, which removes the flavor.

These specialty NA breweries have designed new methods to de-alcohol the beer that preserve the flavor.  

Not only do they taste great, they are also low-calorie (if you’re watching that dad bod, like me).

I found that most were between 60 to 80 calories (half the calories of a regular craft beer). 

I’ve tried half a dozen or so varieties, and I found Athletic Brewing and Untitled Art as my favorites. 

Note: Forbes article about Athletic Brewing, the 26th fastest-growing company in America.  

My fridge is full and I’m considering going mostly or completely NA. 

Don’t just take my word for it... here is a review of Well + Good’s top 11 near beers. 

So back to our brains and the science.  There is hope for our brains. 

Professor Huberman’s research shows that after 2 to 6 months of not drinking, the brain returns to normal. 

My Takeaway: 

NA beer tastes great and is lo-cal.

I still get the social aspect of drinking but without the negative effects of alcohol. 

Most bars around me don’t carry tasty NA beer…yet.   

But I believe it won’t be long before this underground trend becomes mainstream because of the negative health effects of alcohol.

If you try one, let me know what you think and which is your favorite.

How a joke became a harmful ritual

Ben Franklin wrote about it.

It was said to be invented by a Kiwi. 

It was first tried by Canadians…eh. 

And it was popularized by Zee Germans (said with a lispy German accent).

Anyone with young kids knows what a disaster it is.

Daylight savings time (DST).

Last week an hour of sleep was stolen from us, and it felt like a 26-hour day...the longest day ever.  

Not to mention the clock confusion around current time vs. non-DST.   

Like many parents, we work hard with our kids to establish good sleeping habits and a consistent bedtime. 

And then twice a year, it gets totally messed up. 

Last week was no exception when we…sprung forward…damn!  

It got me thinking,

Who is the sick masochist that came up with this idea?

Why do we keep torturing ourselves?

And

What can be done to stop this madness?

The History of DST 

DST was first enacted as a wartime effort to save energy by adding one extra hour of sunlight to the workday (first happened in the US in 1918).

Ben Franklin joked, in 1784, that Parisians should shift their day to save candles.

Currently, like everything, there is a bill stuck in Congress to make DST permanent. 

The debate is to DST or not to DST. 

Scientists argue that DST is bad because it throws off our sleep.

Going back to 1918, the data set shows a significant increase in heart attacks and depression from DST.

The hour is small but can be drastic to our circadian rhythm.  

Those who argue pro-DST say it saves energy, reduces crime, and prevents traffic accidents.

Some have even argued that pushing the sunlight to the end of the day increases shopping.  

A group of wise poets once said: 

“Cash Rules Everything Around Me. C.R.E.A.M. get the money, dolla dolla bill, y'all,” Wu-Tang Clan. 

I’m team NO DST. 

It messed me up, and it has messed up our kids' sleeping.  

I’m determined to be the only man in Eastern Time Zone working a Central Time Zone schedule. 

My proposal:

Get rid of the antiquated law by making the decision that is best for people. 

Stop DST but don't forget...

CREAM get the money, dolla dolla bill ya’ll. 

This One Thing You Do Everyday Can Make Or Break Your Health & Mood

Dads, this is the easiest thing you can do for your health and mood.

And it's something you already do every day.

But you're probably not doing it enough. 

And because you’re not doing it enough, you might be experiencing brain fog, reduced physical performance, and a soured mood. 

There is one negative.  The byproduct of doing this creates heaps weighing more than 1,500 Blue Whales (per year).

It makes up 60% of us dads. 

And

only 3% of it is usable. 

You might know what it is by now.  

Drinking Water.  

Or not drinking it. 

Water is life. 

It makes up 60% of adult males’ bodies (you dad).

We consume over 22 B plastic water bottles yearly, weighing 300 M pounds (~1,500 blue whales).  

And only 3% of the water on Earth is usable (most is of the salty variety).   

Here is why water is vital (besides making up 60% of us): 

We can only go about 3 days without water before shriveling up like a prune and dying. 

2% less than normal hydration leads to inflammation, elevated blood pressure, reduced brain function (brain fog), and poorer physical performance. 

Water is as divisive as American politics. 

With the partisan camps of:

1. Tap water is fine.

2. No way, tap water is poison, I’m never drinking it!

I listened to Stanford professor Andrew Huberman’s 2 hr science-based podcast on water, hydration, and whether or not tap water is harmful.  

And here are the shocking facts that changed my view on water: 

1\ Go Edward Fortyhands (with water)

Proper hydration can improve mood, brain function, blood pressure, and physical performance.  

You should do Edward Fortyhands every day (drinking game where two 40 oz beers are duct taped to your hands, and you can't do anything until you drink it all).   

Drink at least 8 oz (a diner coffee mug) every hour for the first 10 hours of the day (80oz).  Every hour is a guide, the key is at least 80oz in the first 10 hours.  

You may choose to do it in a few chugs if you're doing it Edward Fortyhands-style.  

The first 10 hours are important because hydration and the body’s filtration follow a natural (circadian) rhythm that happens in the first half of the day.  

For additional hydration during exercise, Andrew provides a formula to calculate the additional water consumption. 

I’ll keep it simple…just drink even more water if you’re working out.  

2\ Tap water is bad

Published studies show that almost all tap water in the world has elevated levels of chemicals that disrupt the body's functions. 

So the tap water in your community likely contains contaminants.  

The contaminants include disinfectant byproducts (DBPs) and fluoride, which have been scientifically proven to impact the body’s functions, including fertility and the thyroid. 

3\ Know your tap water

Find the water quality in your community before you go buying a lifetime supply of Ice Mountain.  

A simple Google search “what is the water quality of [zip code]” should give you the needed stats.  

I also found this site https://www.ewg.org/ helpful. 

The key stats you're looking for are elevated levels of DBPs and fluoride. 

And if there is enough magnesium to indicate higher pH, which helps with absorption.

4\ Filtration is a no-brainer

Most fridges have filters, or many people have a Britta (carbon filter), these are fine but don't filter out fluoride. 

If your tap water quality has elevated fluoride levels (>.5 mg/L), you should probably get a water filter that removes fluoride.   

A relatively inexpensive fluoride filter like ClearlyFiltered filters out 98% of the fluoride.  

5\ Clean your faucet screen

If you can't afford filtration or feel comfortable drinking your tap water, you should still ensure the water gets into your glass as clean as possible. 

To do this, regularly clean your faucet screens of debris that can contaminate the water as it enters your glass. 

6\ Get basic (pH)

My mom and sister walk around like bodybuilders carrying alkaline water jugs (high pH). 

I thought they were crazy but it turns out high pH water gets absorbed more quickly into cells which improves hydration and reduces inflammation.  

There are a few ways you can do this.  

First, if you have hard water, high in minerals like calcium and magnesium (refer to your water quality research) congrats, your water is likely already high pH.  

Option 2, you can buy and lug around big jugs of alkaline water like my mom and sis. 

No thank you. 

Or option 3, you can get magnesium tablets to add to your water.

The tablets create a reaction and add extra hydrogen to your water, making it a higher pH.  

Honestly, pH seems the least important and is probably a step too far. 

To summarize:

Drinking enough water will improve your mood, brain, and physical performance and reduce blood pressure.

Go Edward Fortyhands every day (80oz in 10 hrs).

Almost all tap water contains harmful contaminants so simple filtration like a Britta or a fridge filter is a no-brainer.

Know your tap water quality by doing a quick Google search to find testing results and contaminant levels in the water you are drinking.

If you have high fluoride levels (>.5 mg/L) get an inexpensive specialty filter. 

Finally, if you want to really go full splash, try high-pH water to increase the rate of absorption, and hydration and reduce inflammation. 

Salud to your health. 

The One Unexpected KEY To Health and Longevity

Scientists found one unexpected and often neglected aspect of life that might be the key to health and longevity.

No, it's not eating like a rabbit (vegan diet).

Or being a supplement freak like Dr. Oz.

Or exercising with great gusto like Richard Simons.

Research shows that having a pack (a group of friends) may be as important to wellness as eating, exercising, and sleeping.

Aussie researchers did a study.

They sent friends into the outback with a large knife, a leather vest, and a crocodile hat…

Oops wrong study.

The scientists from the land down under did research over 10-years and found:

Older people who reported having ‘a lot of friends’ were 22 percent less likely to die during the study than those who had ‘few friends’.

That's great, but as I get older, making new friends and keeping the old ones gets more challenging.

My kids and their activities can be like Kryptonite to friendships…

Slowly weakening and eventually zapping my time and energy.

Sometimes I feel like Christopher Reeves (Superman) wearing the Kryptonite necklace in the pool scene.

Here are the 6 antidotes for finding the rejuvenating power of friends:

1/ Annual Guys Trip

Get it on the calendar.

The same time each year.

This way, your wife knows to avoid planning a honey-do list that weekend.

And by planning it around the same weekend every year, you and your buddies will get that Christmas morning-like anticipation.

Eventually, it will become a tradition and make getting coverage for the kids easier.

Nothing is better for a bromance than bonding over a solid weekend of shooting guns, fishing, and drinking beer (am I right?)

2/ Play text roulette

Scroll through your phone and shoot a couple of old buddies a text.

One of those texts might land and reignite an old flame (not romantically).

It might lead to catching a pint, having a coffee or even an invigorating hike.

It is a great way to reconnect in your new phase of life.

3/ Start a dad fraternity

Billy Baker, the author of “We Need to Hang Out,” felt he didn’t have a buddy he could call if his furnace went out in the middle of winter.

So to find that dude, he started a dad-ternity (a fraternity of fellow dads).

I know what you’re imagining;

That scene from Old School when Frank The Tank (Will Ferrell) bongs a few beers and ends up running through the diag naked.

Well, it wasn’t quite this kind of fraternity.

It was more of a weekly get-together with other neighborhood dads, creating deep connections, and so they could find their ICE dudes (In Case of Emergency).

4/ Invite a buddy to something you already have planned

I’ve got a buddy that is great at this.

I get random messages when:

He is headed out on the water to land some fish.

Or he’s jumping on his bike to make a quick mountain biking loop after work.

Even if I can’t join, I know I can count on him if I’m ever looking for a partner in crime.

5/ Get mushy

OK this sounds a little weird.

But hear me out.

If you had a great time with an old buddy or a new friend, shoot him a text and let them know you are grateful and you had a great time.

Be open about your feelings;

I’m about as good at this as I am about putting away my clothes (ask my wife).

I’m trying to be better, which will go a long way to strengthening my bro bond.

6/ Take a class

Think about it, where did you make your closest friends?

They are probably from school (elementary, high school, college).

As an adult, the challenge is finding buds that share the same things.

Taking a class on something you are interested in is a great way to find others with the same interests as you.

Do you like foraging? Take a mushroom identification class.

Or like whiskey? Do a tasting.

Find a class, learn something new, and maybe discover a new buddy with a shared interest.

BONUS:

You’ve probably heard the ol’ saying:

“You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

The friends we keep, even as adults, help us achieve and learn new things.

Takeaway:

So if you want to be healthier and live longer or make a change, surround yourself with friends.

Find your pack to run with (hopefully not in the nude across the diag).

Your health and longevity depend on it.

How A Busy Dad Cut His Risk Of Dying In Half

We almost all fall prey to this…

Failed New Year's resolutions.

Have you heard Of Quitter’s Day? 

By the second week of February every year,  80% of new year’s resolutions have failed. 

The day you’re most likely to give up? 

January 19 has become known as Quitter’s Day.  

I’m not into the New Year’s resolution hype.  

Dec 31 isn’t any different than Jan 1, except “Dry January” enters the vocabulary.

But many things start anew on Jan 1 (fiscal years, taxes, insurance deductibles, my wife’s lettuce for lunch rule, etc.).  

I don’t mind the idea of wiping the slate clean and restarting.  

It's refreshing…like closing all your browser tabs and starting over (ahhhhhhh).   

So instead of setting myself up for failure with a resolution,  I create a mantra. 

Not the sitting-on-the-floor-eyes-closed-crosslegged-lotus-pose kind. 

Here’s what I mean by mantra.  

A word or phrase that guides my direction and decisions. (definitely not from webster).  

In 2022 my mantra was ‘Health.’  I wanted to be a healthy dad that could keep up with my three fiercely independent kids.    

A mantra is how this busy dad put up (or put down) some serious stats:

Me on 1/1/22 

- 210 lbs

- 289 total cholesterol 

- 3.5% risk of heart attack (in the next 10 years)

Me on 12/23/22

- 192 lbs (⬇️18lbs)

- 168 total cholesterol (⬇️ 121)

- 1.5% risk of heart attack (⬇️57%)

There were three things I did to live my mantra and improve my health. I will use these same three things to live out my mantra in 2023 (Growth):

1/ Went Monk

What is went monk?

It is a focused challenge + a fast.  

The key to going monk is to focus on one thing for a short duration (go to the gym 3 days a week for 30 days) and fasting distractions or vices (no beer during the week).   

This short duration and intense focus make the goal attainable and easier to turn into a habit.   

2/ Hired a coach 

I know what you are thinking… you're picturing a football coach screaming in your ear as his spit whacks you in the face like a sprinkler. 

What I mean by coach is an expert.  Someone that has been-there-done-that.  That can give you tips, keep you focused and challenge you.  

I hired a fitness coach and spent more time with my doctor. 

Coaches are crucial to success as kids and are even more important for exhausted dads.  

3/ Took a class 

I sang like Alice Cooper when I graduated college (schooooool’s out foor-ever!).  

As I get older, I realize how little I know and how important learning is to continue to grow as an adult.  

To live out my mantra each year, I take one or two classes (online or in person).  

For 2022 I took a fitness class.  It taught me to push my body while not getting hurt. 

Conclusion

So, try these tips to put down some serious numbers or achieve something new this year. 

And maybe Quitter’s Day will eventually perhaps become known as Doers Day.  

Salud to a happier and better you!   

The Secret Billionaires Have, For Losing Their Dad Bods

If you are like me, you’ve worked hard to get that dad bod.  And it’s not exactly going anytime soon.

I’ve been working on mine for 5 years.  Sympathy eating with my pregnant wife and neglecting exercise like I did my childhood pet hermit crab. Sorry, Hermy.

Well, good news! There is a secret weapon billionaires are using to shred their dad bods. Going from soft to svelte with almost no effort.   

Billionaires (most notably Elon Musk), celebs, and influencers are shooting it up like Johnny Weeks (Bubbles' heroin buddy in The Wire).  

The secret...a drug called Wegovy.

What the hell is Wegovy?

I’m glad you asked.  

It is an FDA-approved diabetes drug that you inject weekly to control diabetes.

And now, apparently, to lose weight.  

The scientists call it a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist (aka semaglutide). Ya, I don’t know what the hell that means either.  But the Billionaire's secret sure intrigued me.  

And here’s the miracle…you get ripped without having to change your diet or exercise.  

How does it work? 

With the help of the Mayo Clinic, Google, and a few influencer docs, these are the 3 things Wegovy does to help the rich and famous get ripped:

1/ It kills appetite quicker than watching your kids sneeze on your food by messing with the brains receptors that control appetite (GLP-1).

2/ It slows digestion (food moving from stomach to intestines) to a crawl like gawkers checking out a fender bender during rush hour.  

3/ It wins Most Realistic Halloween Costume award by dressing up like insulin and tricking the body into thinking blood sugar levels are lower than they are.  Low blood sugar levels equal fat-burning zone.   

This sounds too good to be true.  

Why isn’t everyone on it?  

Well, everyone kinda is, or at least they’re trying to get their hands on it.  

Look at the Google search trend for Wegovy. It's bouncing off the ceiling like a champagne cork. 

It is so popular right now that a run on the drug is causing a shortage for people who need it for their diabetes (Ozempic).

So where can I get it?  

Hold up bucko. 

Let's talk about the downside; there are at least 3:

1/ Reports show that the fat loss is paired with an equal amount of muscle mass loss. I’m picturing a skeleton in a skin suit like Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club. 

2/ It can give you gut cramps. Reminding me of a stomach bug that had me hunched desperately on the toilet for 24 hours straight.

3/ And there is just not enough data to show if the recreational use is worth the long-term effects of tricking your pancreas and brain into losing a few pounds. 

IMPORTANT CONCLUSION: 

This is not an endorsement of Wegovy. 

Here at Dynasty Dad we share science-based tools for busy dads that help you be the best dad possible.  

And health and wellness are part of the best version of you.  So we feel the duty to share the science about this emerging trend.    

TBH you won’t find me shooting up Wegovy anytime soon. 

However, just because it is trendy, doesn’t mean we should write it off as a fad.  

Science has made major advancements in treating the body and disease. 

Finally, there is nothing that beats good ol’ fashion diet and exercise. 

How do you think Rocky defeated the Russians?

5 Things I’m Doing In 2023 To Crush Dadding

A new year is like a new pair of underwear.  It doesn’t feel right until you’ve worn them in, if you know what I’m saying. 

Here are 5 things I plan on making 2023 fit a little more comfortably as a dad:

1/ No Judgment January

No Judgment January is like dry January but with the alcohol (well, not exactly). 

I’m committing for the next 30 days. 

The commitment; is not to judge, blame or criticize my kids.  

By approaching each scream, cry, yell, or fighting (you know, 2x4 over the head like Hacksaw Jim Duggan) as Sherlock Holmes, with complete curiosity, and without emotion.  

So rather than immediately judging, blaming, or criticizing, I am looking to understand the feeling or emotion causing my child’s temporary lapse of judgment. 

The goal is to be a calmer dad by being calmer in the most stressful situations with my kiddos.  

So a 30-day commitment it is.  

I hope that after 30 days, I’m not going to go back to judging, blaming, and criticizing because a good habit was formed by going hard for a short period.  

Wish me luck.

2/ Learn something new 

I found an Airbnb experience (renting an activity vs. a house) where I can learn to become a fun-ghi.   There’s a lady locally that teaches mushroom foraging. 

I already forage mushrooms (morels and puff balls) but want to ‘expand’ my mind.  I’m just going for edible mushrooms, not psychedelic type…I don’t think.  

It doesn’t matter what, but I feel like I’m growing when I'm learning.  

3/ An expanded source of info.  

I’m a podcast/YouTube junkie.  

I get a dopamine hit from learning something new, but I listen to the same four or five.  

I need to expand my horizon, so I’m searching for a new podcast.  

Two I’m considering are:  

Founders (https://founders.simplecast.com/) is one.  

Have you seen a business biography? They’re 900-page bibles.  

Founders is a one to two-hour summary of biographies of the most successful entrepreneurs (think Steve Jobs) highlighting the keys to their success.  

I’m also considering How To Take Over The World (https://www.httotw.com/), a concise summary of some of the greatest conquerors of land, industry, and economy. 

Any other podcasts I should consider?

4/ No more play-by-play. 

Recently, I had one of those light bulb moments when my wife gives me the play-by-play of how one of our kids is ruining the day…it sets me off.   

So I decided not to focus on the play-by-play but on the feeling I was feeling and tagging my wife in if my emotions were running high. 

Again the goal is to be Yoda (calm and consistent guide) for my kids.  And I can achieve that only if I’m not fired up.  

5/ One-on-one time 

Make one-on-one time a priority with each of my kids every week.  

A trip to the grocery store, a puzzle together, or maybe a snowy walk. 

A little individual time for us to connect. 

What are you doing to make 2023 the best year yet?

Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail. Do This Instead For Success In 2023.

Why do 91% of new year’s resolutions fail?

They’re too big of a change with an indefinite timeline.

Here is the better way to achieve goals or make changes.

Go monk.

What does it mean to go monk, you might ask?

To go monk or monk mode is a Challenge + Fast.

The key to going monk is to focus on one thing (exercise, a project, or a habit) for a short duration (1 week to 3 months) while eliminating self-defeating distractions and vices (i.e. no social media, no binging Netflix, no sweets, etc.).

This short duration and intense focus make the goal both attainable and easier to turn into a habit.

Going monk might be the best way to make real, lasting change.

The Challenge:

Don’t wait until Jan 1, 2023. Start Now!

Pick one thing (me: returning to my daily meditation).

There are 19 days until Jan 1, do it every day for 19 days.

It will become a habit going into the dark days of the new year.

And it will build momentum toward other goals!

Now get ‘in’ there and go monk!

Just 5 Mins of This Can Boost Your Body’s Natural Drug

It’s no secret that we Americans spend a lot of time indoors…

Look at this eye-opening statistic from the EPA: 

“Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors.” 

This isn’t our fault. 

Some of us live way up north, where a leisurely lunchtime stroll is practically torture half of the year.

For the rest of us, we are busy!

That, combined with a national infrastructure built for cars means that here in the states, we must make a concerted effort to go walking. 

But, what are the benefits…

The Benefits

To start, a daily walk of any sort is an excellent way to keep the blood flowing. 

Second, let’s look at our homie Vitamin D: a daily walk outside gives us enough Vitamin D to help fight depression and even some forms of cancer.

Here is a quote from Lisa Nisbet, a professor of Psychology at Trent University: 

“Generally the research tells us that when people are exposed to the natural environment and natural features, they tend to have a reduced stress response. When you are out in nature you have lower blood pressure, better heart rate variability, better mood”

Finally, it boosts our body’s natural drug, Serotonin, which has heaps of benefits (make you feel good and sleep better).

How To Get Your Nature Boost ASAP

In all of the previous research, if you dig deep, you will notice that these studies are based on more prolonged periods of exposure to nature: One Hour, 30 Minutes, etc…

What if I told you 5 minutes was you all needed to get most of the benefits?

In a study by Jo Barton at the University of Essex, the vast majority of benefits received from time spent in nature happen in the first five minutes.

And this includes urban nature like parks also! 

So, what does this mean for you, busy dad?

If you want to receive the multitude of benefits of time spent in nature, but don’t know where to start, give yourself five minutes a day! 

Or, if you are already a nature lover, but don’t have time that day for a huge hike, know that popping outside for 5 minutes is way better than nothing…

Go look at a tree or something, man! 

This Can Be Your Secret Weapon

Does this thought sound familiar? 

I NEED to start reading.

Maybe you order a new WW2 history book on amazon. 

You get 50 pages in and feel totally engrossed.

You are learning everything you ever wanted to know about the allied invasion of Normandy.

But… you stop reading (and feel guilty about it).

Why? Why Do You Feel Guilty?

You feel guilty because you believe reading has a certain special power for learning that you are missing out on. 

Good news. We don’t believe that is true.  

Audiobooks: A New Form Of The Oldest Technology

Look, OBVIOUSLY it is awesome to sit down and read a book.

But, did you ever consider that it’s not the only way to do deep learning? 

Let’s take a step back. 

A big step back.

In the Phaedrus, Plato warns about the DANGERS of the new-fangled invention of reading, saying:

"For this invention will produce forgetfulness in the minds of those who learn to use it, because they will not practice their memory.”

For Plato, books were going to have a negative impact on the art of listening and oral communication. 

I quote Plato here to make only one simple point: the written word is not the ONLY way to learn important things. 

The printing press was the tech that allowed us non-elites to read books. 

But. 

Guess why your Grandpa didn’t listen to audiobooks?

He couldn’t! 

Simply put, Audiobooks are a new technology, and one we should utilize to be able to learn wherever we want!

How Audiobooks Can Make Reading Practical

I don’t need to tell you that dads are busy creatures.

With that, it’s often impossible to take an hour of each day to sit down, scotch in hand, and ponder a great tome. 

Here is where audiobooks come in.

What if you could read while doing the dishes?

While on a walk?

While on a run?

You can with audiobooks!

Now, you might be thinking:

But that’s not the best way to learn. You aren’t fully focused, etc…

Yup. That’s true.

But our goal with this newsletter is improvement, not perfection. 

and guess what?

If you are reading ZERO books per month, and audiobooks bring that number up to ONE per month?

That is a 100% perfect increase in your book readin’ numbers. 

And more, listening to an audiobook while doing mindless tasks is both fun, and sustainable.

And sustainable changes = changes that stick around to change YOU!

Your Homework

Find an audiobook of something that sounds super interesting to you.

Audiobook Ideas: The history of a topic you want to know more about. The Autobiography of a person you deeply admire. A parenting book you’ve heard great things about.

Download it onto your phone. Make it as easy as possible for yourself to press play.

Listen to it when you are doing something mindless. Fall asleep to it. 

Don’t make this hard! 

Make consuming this book fun and easy. This is not a task like the dishes, but another source of entertainment. 

Given time, your audiobook habit could be the source of passive knowledge acquisition. 

Keep it simple, stupid! Go listen! 

You might learn something. 

How Gratitude Changes Your Brain and Relationships

If you are not a busy person, congratulations!

For the rest of us stuck on planet Earth:

Life is a GRIND sometimes. And with that,

We lose track of what is REALLY important.

Our families.

A gratitude list is a way to realign and recenter our mindset.

So, What Is A Gratitude List?

Exactly what it sounds like…

Every day, you take 5-10 minutes to sit down and write out everything you are grateful for.

Nothing is too small. 

Rather, it can be an incredibly humbling experience to start small.

For example:

Write out: I am thankful to have a warm home.

And afterwards, try to remember why you were so mad at your wife for forgetting to wash your underwear. 

Not impossible to still be mad… Just a lot harder. 

A Long-term Shift in Mindset

*Galaxy Brain Mindset Not Included With Newsletter

With time, you will begin to be able to reframe difficulties in your life as blessings or opportunities. 

Example: 

“I hate losing weight, it’s so hard” 

can shift into:

“I am grateful I have the opportunity to take control of my health.”

Improved Prioritization

As you continue to write your lists, it will start to become abundantly clear what in your life is most important, and what you should spend your energy pursuing. 

Family Time

I can promise you this: unless you are an evil freak, a daily gratitude list will make you more patient with your family! They will notice it, even if you don’t tell them about your list.

How To Start One 

Don’t overthink this, 

This isn’t rocket science.

Write this from the heart!

If it is easier, write it in bullet points.

Give yourself 5 minutes. If you want to go longer, do it!

If you are having difficulties, push through for that five minutes!

Don’t worry about finding the perfect thing to be grateful for.

As you continue to expand your gratitude practice, the trends will appear automatically.

Remember: this is for yourself! Nobody else is going to read this.

This is a place to be vulnerable, and remind yourself what amazing things you have in your life.

P.S. Oh by the way if you are like me and your life lives on your phone (can’t find a pen and paper) here’s a quick start…I use gratitude journal app(again not an Ad, just a fan).

P.S.S Research shows there might be an even more effective gratitude practice (an action repeated, to create a habit) using the power of story (~1.5hr podcast).

How To Start Taking Time For Yourself (Even If You Feel Guilty About It)

The cycle: we are slammed with work, kept perpetually busy with our kids and trying our best to get adequate sleep. 

In all of this, we allow self-care to fall into the “I’ll take care of that later” category.

The problem: we feel burned out, irritated and generally stretched thin. 

We might act out at ourselves, at work, or worst, at our families. 

The dilemma: we do not have time for ourselves. 

What we tell ourselves: I am going to start taking some time for myself soon.

The science: in a meta-analysis of 111 studies, scientists found a strong correlation between mental well-being and work performance.

What this means: by neglecting your self-care, you are hurting your productivity, perpetuating the cycle of burnout. 

Change Your Perception Of Self-Care

DEFINITELY self-care

With media, we are shown one ideal of self-care: Green-juice in the morning, yoga, meditation, etc…

While all of this stuff can be good(here is our guide to meditation), 

This isn’t the only way!

Actually, there isn’t a single way. 

For this article, our definition of self-care is any activity that invigorates you, calms you, or leaves you feeling recharged.

Abandon All-Or-Nothing Thinking

Thought this summed it up nicely…

All-or-Nothing thinking is how we got here:

I don't have the energy to go for a run, so I won’t do anything physical. 

I can’t sit still for 20 minutes, so I won’t try to meditate at all. 

I don’t have time to read a book, so I’ll just doomscroll Facebook.

The Solution: Integration

If you find yourself thinking like this, check yo’self!

The biggest mistake with All-or-Nothing thinking is the way it sets up self-care as being distinct from your “normal” life.

In reality, the most sustainable way to change your life, and make a real change, is to slowly integrate self-care into your life.

If All-or-Nothing dad says “I don’t have time to read AND exercise, so I’ll just do nothing”.  

We say: “To start reading, I am going to start listening to audiobooks while I take a jog”. 

Another example: riding my bike invigorates me. Even though I don’t have time to go on a two-hour ride, I am going to make an effort to take a 15-minute ride each night. 

Your Homework

Thank you Shutterstock child

If the science confirms that there is a correlation between self-care and work performance, you are in fact harming your productivity by not making time.

If we defined self-care as anything that invigorates, calms, or leaves you feeling recharged, that leaves the field open for you to try it.

Our challenge: Each day this week, do one daily small & meaningful act of self-care.

There is no time constraint: 5 minutes each day is infinitely better than 0 minutes each day. 

You deserve it

So does your family. 

If you aren’t taking care of yourself, you aren’t fully able to take care of your family. 

Without self-care, you are not operating at your fullest potential. 

Meditation: Yes, You Can Do It With Your Whiskey Nightcap

Do you ever:

1. Forget what you were stressing about?

2. Waste more energy trying to remember what exactly was stressing you out?

What the Kids Call A “Full Send”

Work. Dad Life. Checking in on your buddy’s tailgate party via Facebook. We all are constantly bombarded with stuff.

Being Busy Is Normal…

But problems arise when our monkey brain cannot differentiate between a serious responsibility, and a GIF of a man attacking a table.

This is where mindfulness meditation comes in.

Think of your brain as your browser: Maybe you have 14 tabs open.

Or this many…

On one, you have CNBC pulled up…yikes.

One, your high-school girlfriend’s facebook page (dodged a bullet).

All of the tabs are like this, except one, which is your actual work.

With all of these mental distractions, it can feel impossible to focus on what is actually important.

At its most effective, Meditation is like closing out all your unnecessary mental-tabs.

This isn’t just a psychological process: Mindfulness practice has been shown to increase the density of Gray Matter in your brain, which is a factor responsible for cognitive performance.

Now, this doesn’t mean you have to shave your head and join a monastic order: This survey found that even five minutes of daily meditation can improve focus and reduce stress in individuals.

Thankfully, our digital overlords have made practicing mindfulness super easy.

I use Insight Timer (Not an Ad! Just a fan).

What this looks like for me: my workday is over, but I’m still rereading my emails for typos.

Thanks Google, I am now 200% more confused.

I open the App, and search: “Meditation for Work”.

I filter by time, and now Clarence’s soothing voice is guiding me through a five minute breathing exercise.

The five minutes is over. At its best, I feel totally relaxed and centered afterwards. At its worst, I feel only marginally better.

Never, and I repeat never, have I felt worse after a mediation .

Not Clarence(But this is how I imagine him).

Try A Five Minute Guided Meditation

Meditation is one of those weird paradoxes of productivity: By dedicating yourself to giving a little bit of time daily, you will gain a lot of time in the long-run.

What Dr. Dhillon Said

By re-aligning your thoughts with your goals, you can spend your energy only working on the stuff that is actually important to your life.

More time with kids. Less time remembering what you need to worry about.

Pairs With: Four-Minute Meditation For Self-Acceptance

P.S.

Yes, you can do it with your whiskey nightcap. Just try to save your sips for before and after the meditation(Clarence will smell it on you).