"But no one ever said anything about endorphins, dopamine, or serotonin. Why aren’t we taught about this shit? Why do we have to become adults and have to learn about this stuff ourselves?"
I've often wondered this too, and I think its possibly because no one has been able to explain them in a super easy to understand way. Or not at least when we where at school.
But at least you know now, and can teach your son about them so he doesn't have to go thru the hard lessons like you did.
Bitty really hard to learn from others mistakes so I can avoid making them myself. Certainly want my son to learn from mine and other people to avoid making them himself.
And maybe because there’s no easy way to measure the benefit. Which means there’s no easy way to explain it? I guess you gotta just get people to trust you enough to try for themselves?
Yeah certainly no way to measure it in the short term. But look what you've done over the past few months since being sober. Had a kid, moved, started an air bnb, a blog, ran a marathon, new job, and all going well. Surely measuring all that against what you would of done if you where still feeling like shit is one way?
I think it’s that friction we talk about that stops people from trying to measure it. It’s too hard to do it accurately for some people. Easier to just not bother.
Funny you mention that. Was talking to my psych yesterday about recognising things you’ve achieved and allowing yourself to feel tired and over it. I struggle a lot with ever feeling like I’ve done enough. I need to practice telling myself that what I’ve done isn’t too bad. But yeah, you’re spot on. I think maybe we should set time aside to reflect on what we’ve done over recent times and learn to recognise our achievements. It’s hard for me, but that just means I have to practice it more.
But just because you can't measure something super accurately, does that mean you should't bother measuring it at all? Does it matter if your watch say 4.9kms or 5.1 after a parkrun? I dont think so because at least I'm out there having a crack, and margins of error can be factored in over time.
I struggle too to reflect on my achievements because my brain is always running to "what's next". But I always find taking the time to write things done by doing a monthly or yearly review helps me feel good
Yeah, I agree with you 100%. I just think maybe that’s why some other people don’t make the association, because we’re so obsessed with metrics and markers these days.
That’s a great idea. I should do that. Start of every month write down what I’ve achieved that month. Good thing to do to remind yourself that you’re actually going alright.
Yeah, I've been doing yearly review blogs, but gonna start doing a 15 minute monthly review and use a recurring calendar event to remind me to do it lol
Big realisation for me recently, being happy with 'largely accurate' when you start.
I've been annoyed about my lawn health recently and I want it to be perfect, and that can stop me doing anything because if it's not perfect, there's no point getting going... But the benefit of just going "right, I'll just start and see where I land" has been massive.
I think this creeping into other areas has been beneficial as well. I still try and do the best job I can, but in the planning process, near enough is good enough to start.
I probably wouldn’t have paid close attention either, but it would have been nice to have had that knowledge earlier in life. Could of save me a lot of pain
Until recently our whole curriculum was the same one from the 40’s where we needed factory workers for the industrial revolution. Was easier to leave it as than to change it because they left it so long that it needed an entire overhaul. I believe it’s starting to change but don’t know for sure.
I don’t think we need to teach kids the nuances of the science. But we knew at a young age exercise was good for our health. We knew that too much of certain foods was bad for our health. Kids have the ability to learn anything incrementally. More so than adults in many ways.
I think with the improvement of technology we could afford could afford to spend less time on the intricacies of things like math and more time on how to look after our health and the link between physical and mental health.
It doesn’t have to be about drain chemicals and calories initially. But you can teach young kids that exercise is good for your mood and work from there. I actually think it’s fucking vital. Especially with the direction the working world is heading and the statistics around stress etc.
Or that the more active you are, the less damage that unhealthy food will do. Or that if we have a big day ahead of us we should be eating more of this or that type of food the night before.
I think it’s important because the only other source of knowledge is advertising. I remember watching milo ads as a kid and thinking I should have a milo then take my tredly out and hit some sweet dirt jumps because the milo would help me. I had no other source of information!
There’s an argument that it’s a parents job to teach a child about emotions, which holds some merit. But my parents for example weren’t capable of teaching me because they didn’t know, nor would they have had time to learn for themselves and then teach it to me. The information probably wasn’t even available. I think at school they have to assume that kids don’t know anything about the topic to allow for the kids who genuinely don’t. There would still be lots of kids out there, especially in the public system, who’s parents don’t have the knowledge to be able to teach to their kids. It’s good they’re starting to though, by the sounds of things.
Sounds like you have a lot more energy, and everything in life is beginning to fall into place because of it. Imagine where you'll be in another 6 months.
The bit that resonated with me is that idea that when you've got your shit sorted, you stress less.
I think there's a couple things at play, having your shit sorted but also having the shit you want sorted, sorted. I remember when I was studying the Chartered Accountants, Treasurer for Easts, and working as an Accountant, I felt super busy and like I had my plate full and I was on top of it all... but I didn't want to be a finance professional lol So I was stressed.
Recently, I've made the decision to try and always have my plate not full (just in case the dim sim trolley comes around), but only fill my plate with things I enjoy. Truth is, similar to you, I'm the busiest I've ever been... but I'm also probably the most content and I feel like I can accept more responsibility if I need to.
It could come back to those brain chemicals, if you do what makes you feel good (sustainably), you have more energy to do more of what makes you feel good lol.
"but I didn't want to be a finance professional" Mate, you don't need a degree to do your own tax return.
"Recently, I've made the decision to try and always have my plate not full (just in case the dim sim trolley comes around), but only fill my plate with things I enjoy"- This kind of plays into the stuff about routine and energy. Kinda like how the more embedded we get in to our routine the more efficient we are at clearing the plate, hence more room on the plate for the dim sim trolley.
I think the trick here is to do our best to remain conscious of it. I know for me when I feel under the pump I go into fight or flight and feel like if I don't do all of the things at the same time and don't stop until they are done, I feel like I am going to be murdered or something stupid like that.
I think it's about catching yourself before getting wound up. Makes things way easier to process.
You’ve done it again, Sam. Another post that is SO readable because it’s SO real. Thank you. You are making a difference.
Thanks so much Amanda! Not just for this comment but your ongoing support! You’ve backed me from the early days and it means heaps to me! 👊🏽
The runners high.
"But no one ever said anything about endorphins, dopamine, or serotonin. Why aren’t we taught about this shit? Why do we have to become adults and have to learn about this stuff ourselves?"
I've often wondered this too, and I think its possibly because no one has been able to explain them in a super easy to understand way. Or not at least when we where at school.
But at least you know now, and can teach your son about them so he doesn't have to go thru the hard lessons like you did.
Bitty really hard to learn from others mistakes so I can avoid making them myself. Certainly want my son to learn from mine and other people to avoid making them himself.
And maybe because there’s no easy way to measure the benefit. Which means there’s no easy way to explain it? I guess you gotta just get people to trust you enough to try for themselves?
Yeah certainly no way to measure it in the short term. But look what you've done over the past few months since being sober. Had a kid, moved, started an air bnb, a blog, ran a marathon, new job, and all going well. Surely measuring all that against what you would of done if you where still feeling like shit is one way?
I think it’s that friction we talk about that stops people from trying to measure it. It’s too hard to do it accurately for some people. Easier to just not bother.
Funny you mention that. Was talking to my psych yesterday about recognising things you’ve achieved and allowing yourself to feel tired and over it. I struggle a lot with ever feeling like I’ve done enough. I need to practice telling myself that what I’ve done isn’t too bad. But yeah, you’re spot on. I think maybe we should set time aside to reflect on what we’ve done over recent times and learn to recognise our achievements. It’s hard for me, but that just means I have to practice it more.
But just because you can't measure something super accurately, does that mean you should't bother measuring it at all? Does it matter if your watch say 4.9kms or 5.1 after a parkrun? I dont think so because at least I'm out there having a crack, and margins of error can be factored in over time.
I struggle too to reflect on my achievements because my brain is always running to "what's next". But I always find taking the time to write things done by doing a monthly or yearly review helps me feel good
Yeah, I agree with you 100%. I just think maybe that’s why some other people don’t make the association, because we’re so obsessed with metrics and markers these days.
That’s a great idea. I should do that. Start of every month write down what I’ve achieved that month. Good thing to do to remind yourself that you’re actually going alright.
Yeah, I've been doing yearly review blogs, but gonna start doing a 15 minute monthly review and use a recurring calendar event to remind me to do it lol
Big realisation for me recently, being happy with 'largely accurate' when you start.
I've been annoyed about my lawn health recently and I want it to be perfect, and that can stop me doing anything because if it's not perfect, there's no point getting going... But the benefit of just going "right, I'll just start and see where I land" has been massive.
I think this creeping into other areas has been beneficial as well. I still try and do the best job I can, but in the planning process, near enough is good enough to start.
Near enough is usually good enough. Or in the words of Cheryl Sandberg "Done is better than perfect."
I wonder this too Ben, and also question whether I would have been mature enough to listen and learn about it back in school.
I probably wouldn’t have paid close attention either, but it would have been nice to have had that knowledge earlier in life. Could of save me a lot of pain
Until recently our whole curriculum was the same one from the 40’s where we needed factory workers for the industrial revolution. Was easier to leave it as than to change it because they left it so long that it needed an entire overhaul. I believe it’s starting to change but don’t know for sure.
I don’t think we need to teach kids the nuances of the science. But we knew at a young age exercise was good for our health. We knew that too much of certain foods was bad for our health. Kids have the ability to learn anything incrementally. More so than adults in many ways.
I think with the improvement of technology we could afford could afford to spend less time on the intricacies of things like math and more time on how to look after our health and the link between physical and mental health.
It doesn’t have to be about drain chemicals and calories initially. But you can teach young kids that exercise is good for your mood and work from there. I actually think it’s fucking vital. Especially with the direction the working world is heading and the statistics around stress etc.
We teach kids what types of foods are bad for our health, but we don’t teach them “how much” is bad or help them find balance
Or that the more active you are, the less damage that unhealthy food will do. Or that if we have a big day ahead of us we should be eating more of this or that type of food the night before.
I think it’s important because the only other source of knowledge is advertising. I remember watching milo ads as a kid and thinking I should have a milo then take my tredly out and hit some sweet dirt jumps because the milo would help me. I had no other source of information!
One of my 6 year old daughter’s told me other day that “our brain makes our emotions”. “Where did you learn that?” I asked. “School”
There’s an argument that it’s a parents job to teach a child about emotions, which holds some merit. But my parents for example weren’t capable of teaching me because they didn’t know, nor would they have had time to learn for themselves and then teach it to me. The information probably wasn’t even available. I think at school they have to assume that kids don’t know anything about the topic to allow for the kids who genuinely don’t. There would still be lots of kids out there, especially in the public system, who’s parents don’t have the knowledge to be able to teach to their kids. It’s good they’re starting to though, by the sounds of things.
Sounds like you have a lot more energy, and everything in life is beginning to fall into place because of it. Imagine where you'll be in another 6 months.
There's a lot in here I want to comment on:
The bit that resonated with me is that idea that when you've got your shit sorted, you stress less.
I think there's a couple things at play, having your shit sorted but also having the shit you want sorted, sorted. I remember when I was studying the Chartered Accountants, Treasurer for Easts, and working as an Accountant, I felt super busy and like I had my plate full and I was on top of it all... but I didn't want to be a finance professional lol So I was stressed.
Recently, I've made the decision to try and always have my plate not full (just in case the dim sim trolley comes around), but only fill my plate with things I enjoy. Truth is, similar to you, I'm the busiest I've ever been... but I'm also probably the most content and I feel like I can accept more responsibility if I need to.
It could come back to those brain chemicals, if you do what makes you feel good (sustainably), you have more energy to do more of what makes you feel good lol.
"but I didn't want to be a finance professional" Mate, you don't need a degree to do your own tax return.
"Recently, I've made the decision to try and always have my plate not full (just in case the dim sim trolley comes around), but only fill my plate with things I enjoy"- This kind of plays into the stuff about routine and energy. Kinda like how the more embedded we get in to our routine the more efficient we are at clearing the plate, hence more room on the plate for the dim sim trolley.
I think the trick here is to do our best to remain conscious of it. I know for me when I feel under the pump I go into fight or flight and feel like if I don't do all of the things at the same time and don't stop until they are done, I feel like I am going to be murdered or something stupid like that.
I think it's about catching yourself before getting wound up. Makes things way easier to process.
I won't show my accountant your opening comment there Sammo lol
They only know how to read receipts anyway