I’ve never been a big fan of football. I used to watch the Super Bowl for the ads but frankly, mainstream TV advertising has gone downhill, and it just isn’t worth it anymore.
In the last several years, I’ve formed a habit of going for a hike while the big game is on. It’s great, because the trails are deserted while everyone else is inside, watching TV.
I did the same thing today, and I got lucky, because after a week of heavy rainfall from the “atmospheric river” over California, it was a gorgeous, spring-like day in the coastal bluffs. A perfect day to hike, meditate, read a book, journal, practice T’ai Chi… or, if you’re me, some combination of all of the above.
Now, if you like football or watch the Super Bowl for social reasons, you do you. I’m not here to spoil anyone else’s fun. God knows I have my own idiosyncratic habits that most people would find painfully boring or nerdy….
But if I could draw one insight from my experience today, it would be this:
Sometimes it pays to do the opposite of what everyone else is doing. When everyone else is watching the big game, go for a hike. When everyone in the stock market is selling, buy. When everyone is scrolling TikTok, learn to meditate.
New Journal I’m Using
The 5 Minute Journal is something Tim Ferriss has been recommending for years. As someone who used to spend 30+ minutes journaling every day, I was initially skeptical about a format that only took 5 minutes. But since I started using it in January, I’ve found it both enjoyable and helpful. The format is the same every day, and includes 3 things you’re grateful for, 3 “things that would make today great,” 1 affirmation, and, at the end of the day, 3 highlights and 1 thing you learned. If you’ve struggled to build a sustainable journaling habit in the past, I recommend checking this out. Note: Be sure to get the original one from Intelligent Change—this journal has been so successful that it’s spawned hordes of cheap imitations.
Sci-Fi Novels I Recommend
I just finished reading A Desolation Called Peace, the sequel to A Memory Called Empire, which was my favorite book I read last year. Both of these books by Arkady Martine won Hugo awards for best novel. Without giving away too much, the thing I found fascinating about them was the way they explore how new technologies (including things like brain implants and AI algorithms) could affect human consciousness, identity, and culture—especially different forms of multiplicity or shared consciousness. They also have some great political intrigue. Recommended for fans of Dune.
Quote of the Week
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
—Desmond Tutu
That’s all for this week. As always, I appreciate your feedback on Mindful Mondays. What was your favorite thing I shared this week? What would you like to learn more about? Let me know by replying to this email or leaving a comment on Substack.
Thanks for reading,
Chris Cordry, LMFT
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love it chris. I've done the same for many superbowls, haven't watched one in years, but yesterday, we decided as a family to enjoy the show. And I'm really glad we did. It was an incredibly exciting game. I agree that doing the opposite of everyone else can be really valuable. Sometimes I also find it valuable to do the opposite of yourself.
Totally agree. I love asking myself, "what would happen if I did the exact opposite of what everyone else is doing?" Also, shoutout to the five min journal!