Why I Became a Writer ✍🏽

(Hint: To Change the World) 🔥

You read my newsletters every Sunday, but do you know why I write them?

Or why I became a writer?

What makes anyone a writer?

Is it something you learn in school, or a nature you are born with?

In this video, I start from the very beginning, outlining some of the moments that shaped me as a curious and ambitious young person into the powerful writer and media professional I am today.

I’m not usually so public about my story, but I realize it brings me closer to you, my audience, and can provide sincere value to those who want to follow a similar path.

You can find carefree, entertaining content like the video above on my channel, in addition to the monologue-style video about writing.

There’s something for everybody!

Subscribe to my YouTube channel for valuable long-form content, entertaining podcasts, and thought-provoking Shorts about various health, happiness, and community-based topics!

Don’t Fall Behind This Winter: Start Small ☝🏽

You may have heard of the ‘Winter Arc’ concept.

As things slow down and people retract to their own devices, wintertime presents challenges that catapult you into a months-long transformation.

Some of these challenges are self-induced.

For many, a Winter Arc’s challenges include a dedicated fitness routine, the tireless pursuit of a desired goal, or the restriction of bad habits and vices.

Either way, you are changed once the season concludes.

I’ve written about this before, but wintertime serves as a vital stretch of personal development and a test of discipline.

That’s why the Winter Arc craze makes sense – a culture of loose attitudes and flimsy discipline leaves little room for the friction that change requires.

For those with a cold-weather winter, experiencing friction and hardship is inevitable.

This is because cold weather and lack of sunlight have significant effects on the body and mind, along with limited socializing.

This can mold your character into a resilient beast – or it can cast your hero down a path of desperation, chaos, and escapism. (See: last week’s post on resilience in The Lion King.)

This is unfortunate for some – especially those who are unprepared.

But you read Down to Earth, how could you be unprepared?

You’re so in luck, because this week, I’m giving you a guide on staying afloat this winter, and making sure your Winter Arc results in a thriving, successful harvest come springtime.

#1 Clean Your Room 🧹

Alright, the just clean your room guys can seem annoying and dismissive.

But they have a point.

First of all, cleaning your room is just a metaphor.

Second, if you want your life in order, you can and should start by organizing your possessions and living space.

In the winter, you really have no excuses for a messy room – you’re home much more often!

Things aren’t always in order, and that’s okay. The key is to start somewhere and to start right now.

I’ll let you in on a little secret: I’m one of the just clean your room guys, and we often have a messy room.

#2 Get As Much Sunlight As Possible 🌥️

Look at the emoji in the title above. See the Sun just barely poking out?

That’s what winter sunlight resembles at best.

It’s often cloudy, gray, and obscured, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

With much less available sunlight overall, (just 8 daily hours in New York) you must make sure to take what little is given to you during a winter’s day.

Let me reiterate this point, because it’s very important.

When there’s less sunlight available, you want to extract as much of it as possible.

We chase more sun in the summer when there is already an abundance of it, which is great, but we need to do the same when there is less in the winter.

Sunlight is critical for mental and physical health – see below.

#3 Mind Your Diet 🍽️

More greens, more fruits, more high-quality meat and eggs, and more water.

All in moderation.

This is a very general rule of thumb, but sticking to it will yield powerful results for mental and physical health.

Your body will thank you for it.

#4 Move! 🕺🏾

You don’t need a dedicated fitness routine to stay above water.

Just move every day for at least 60 minutes.

Jog, jump, lift or cycle.

Walking is cool too, but push yourself. Elevate your heart rate for best results.

My favorite ways to stay active involve sports like basketball, football, and fight training.

If I’m not doing that for cardio, I’ll do short runs or Stairmaster sessions.

Just make it happen somehow, and you’ll be golden for the warmer months.

#5 Start Anywhere 📍

Winter can make the burden of life feel chaotic, considering all the challenging variables.

Chaos seems unmanageable, but it isn’t.

I have a solution for when things get out of hand, and no surprise, it’s very simple.

Start Anywhere.

Habits are a lot like a messy room.

It can seem overwhelming: dirty dishes, clothes all around, papers that need to be sorted through.

But does it all need to be done at once? Is that even possible?

It’s the same with your habits and behaviors.

You aren’t going to overhaul them all overnight, but you can start with one small change and expect momentum to carry you to the next.

A helpful way to start anywhere is to write down what you want to tackle.

I use to-do lists to plan for what I want and to hold myself accountable for something I said I would do.

My friend Chris has a method he uses for building healthy habits that aren’t easy to be consistent with. He explains it like this:

There is something I really don't enjoy doing.

But I know that I need to do it in order to be more well-rounded.

So I set a target for myself to do this activity X times per week.

Then, I increase the frequency by one each following week.

Lo and behold...this is now my 10th straight week doing this activity.

Just get started and the momentum will compound!

Just Get Started. Your Winter Arc is calling!