Author: Craig Constantine

Reflection: Day 13

January 13, 2021 · All posts on Jan 13

WHAT AM I DOING WHILE ON “THE BENCH”? — If there is somewhere I want to be, begin walking. Identify something which I can do now, or very soon, which is interesting. Remember that efficacy is active, not passive.

You’re using the arrival of this email as your trigger. Do you recall that I mentioned on day one that I was introducing you to being reflective upon being prompted?

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Arrived in the middle? Visit the first post, Where to begin?
(The entire series is available to download as a PDF ebook.)

Reflection: Day 12

January 12, 2021 · All posts on Jan 12

IMPRESSIONS — “But if you have in reality given thought to nothing other than the proper use of impressions, then as soon as you get up in the morning ask yourself, “What do I lack in order to be free from passion? What, to enjoy tranquillity? What am I? Am I a mere worthless body? Am I property? Am I reputation? None of these. What, then? I am a rational creature.” What, then, is required of you? Go over your actions. “Where did I transgress: in relation to peace of mind? What did I do that was unfriendly, or unsociable, or inconsiderate? What have I failed to do that I ought to have done with regard to these matters?” ~ Epictetus, 4.6.34-5

Trigger. New habit.

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Arrived in the middle? Visit the first post, Where to begin?
(The entire series is available to download as a PDF ebook.)

Reflection: Day 11

January 11, 2021 · All posts on Jan 11

SILENCE — “Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

Everything you do is initiated by triggers. “X” happens to me, so then I do “Y.” Creating a new habit is difficult because we don’t realize we need to attach it to a trigger.

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Arrived in the middle? Visit the first post, Where to begin?
(The entire series is available to download as a PDF ebook.)

Reflection: Day 10

January 10, 2021 · All posts on Jan 10

AM I LIKELY TO “ACT” OR “REACT” TO A TASK? — Seek the reason for the task so that it may motivate me to proper action. Otherwise, determine how to eliminate or avoid the task entirely. Do or do not; there is no try.

2 minutes: Pause life. Read. Think. Resume life.

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Arrived in the middle? Visit the first post, Where to begin?
(The entire series is available to download as a PDF ebook.)

Reflection: Day 9

January 9, 2021 · All posts on Jan 9

LOOK INWARD — “Everybody is too busy with their own lives to give a damn about your book, painting, screenplay, etc., especially if you haven’t sold it yet. And the ones that aren’t [too busy], you don’t want in your life anyway.” ~ Jason Korman

Have you considered adding some physical ritual to your reflection? Perhaps taking three deep, slow breaths before the reading, or … If you decide to try something, don’t go crazy; just something very small and easy. Or not. That’s fine too.

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Arrived in the middle? Visit the first post, Where to begin?
(The entire series is available to download as a PDF ebook.)

Reflection: Day 8

January 8, 2021 · All posts on Jan 8

BE PROACTIVE — “While the word proactivity is now fairly common in management literature, it is a word you won’t find in most dictionaries. It means more than meerly taking initiative. It means that as human beings, we are responsible for our own lives. Our behavior is a function of our decisions, not our conditions. We can subordinate feelings to values. We have the initiative and the responsibility to make things happen.” ~ Stephen Covey

2 minutes: Pause life. Read. Think. Resume life.

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Arrived in the middle? Visit the first post, Where to begin?
(The entire series is available to download as a PDF ebook.)

Reflection: Day 6

January 6, 2021 · All posts on Jan 6

PERSPECTIVE — “In the meanwhile, while they are robbing and being robbed, while they disrupt each other’s repose and make one another miserable, life remains without profit, without pleasure, without moral improvement. No one keeps death in view, everyone focuses on remote hopes. Some even make posthumous provisions—massive sepulchures, dedications of public buildings, gladiatorial shows, and pretentious obsequies. But the funerals of such people should be conducted by torch and taper light, as though they had in fact died in childhood.” ~ Seneca, On the Shortness of Life

2 minutes: Pause life. Read. Think. Resume life.

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Arrived in the middle? Visit the first post, Where to begin?
(The entire series is available to download as a PDF ebook.)

Reflection: Day 5

January 5, 2021 · All posts on Jan 5

BECOME MINDFUL OF ATTACHMENTS THAT LEAD TO CLUTTER AND COMPLEXITY — “For example, if you are attached to sentimental items, you won’t be able to let go of clutter. If you are attached to living a certain way, you will not be able to let go of a lot of stuff. If you are attached to doing a lot of activities and messaging everyone, your life will be complex.” ~ Leo Babauta

Many of the prompts I’m sharing have been chosen from the generous gifts given me by others. When I’m explicitly quoting, they are attributed (as above.)

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Arrived in the middle? Visit the first post, Where to begin?
(The entire series is available to download as a PDF ebook.)

Reflection: Day 4

January 4, 2021 · All posts on Jan 4

AM I AN ENERGY-GIVER OR -TAKER? — Strive to lift others up; to leave them feeling better than before the encounter. While being mindful of my own energy level, seek ways to create a zest for life in others.

Remember: 2 minutes. Pause life. Read. Think. Resume life.

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Arrived in the middle? Visit the first post, Where to begin?
(The entire series is available to download as a PDF ebook.)

Reflection: How to practice

January 3, 2021 · All posts on Jan 3

For each of these prompts, grant yourself 2 minutes for self-reflection.

One-hundred-and-twenty seconds.

Pause life.

Read.

Think.

Resume life.

The prompts will be hit and miss; some will resonate with you and ring your thoughts as a beautiful bell. Some will fall flat leaving you to think I’m daft. Never you mind that.

Pause life.

Read.

Think.

Resume life.

Let’s guess that you have 37 seconds remaining of today’s 2 minutes. For today’s “Think”, please count slowly to 37.  …yes, stop reading now, and count to 37.

Resume life.

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Arrived in the middle? Visit the first post, Where to begin?
(The entire series is available to download as a PDF ebook.)

Reflection: Why self-focus?

January 2, 2021 · All posts on Jan 2

In this, our journey of small steps, reflection means self-reflection. That requires self-focus.

When you are self-focused—I’m talking about the small time you’re using right now to read this—you are the most important person in the universe.

You focus on you. I focus on me. They focus on themselves. Each of us self-reflects.

We know that other people are not resources for our consumption. It turns out that the best way to change the world… to be happy, to serve others, to be fulfilled… is to work on improving ourselves. Then we can each best do whatever it is we’re called to do.

Our experienced universe is not zero-sum. That means that it is possible for me to improve myself without causing other’s loss. In fact, my self-improvement improves the world. My relationships with others are a part of myself. Improving myself improves my relationships, which—since those relationships are also part of others—directly improves the people with whom I am interrelated.

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Arrived in the middle? Visit the first post, Where to begin?
(The entire series is available to download as a PDF ebook.)

Reflection: Where to begin?

January 1, 2021 · All posts on Jan 1

It took me many years to develop my personal habit and routines around reflection. On this blog, I’ve written a lot about the changes I’ve attempted in my journey of self-improvement, including a post in particular detailing what my morning reflection looks like. However, I’m not going into great detail of my habits and routines.

What are you thinking right now, after reading that paragraph?

(Sit with that question for a bit.)

What do you think about what I wrote?
Are you curious to know my story in more detail?
What do you think about being reflective?
Are you curious to know more about yourself?

Whatever you’re thinking, that’s perfect.

What you’re going to do—now through March 1st, is practice being reflective. You’ve done the easy part: You’ve decided to practice.

The first three posts—this one, January 2, and Sunday January 3—are going to explain how this works. In this post, I’m simply introducing you to being reflective upon being prompted.

That’s all for today.

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As a PDF — You can download Practicing Reflection as a single e-book.

Practicing-ReflectionDownload

Practicing reflection

December 31, 2020 · All posts on Dec 31

My intention is to show you how to develop the skill of personal, self-reflection. I am excited that you are joining me for a journey of small steps!

Today is the best time to share this with your friends. Those joining later can access everything they missed, but experiencing each morning’s post is a key part of showing you how to develop your ability to reflect.

As a single PDF…
If you are, (or were at the time,) subscribed, you’ll get each post daily. But you can also download Practicing Reflection as a single e-book.

Practicing-ReflectionDownload

What is this?
This is a sequence of posts which will appear on my blog early each morning through March 1, 2021. (At which point my blog will go back to its usual daily routine.)

There’s no catch. Everything is free.
There’s no sales pitch at the end either. This is simply my gift to you.

Simple.
Each day’s message has something to spark your reflection. You can simply read it. And you’re done.

Also now as a little digital book…
As part of the ever-expanding Movers Mindset project, these posts are also presented as a little web site titled, Practicing Reflection.

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A journey of small daily steps

December 30, 2020 · All posts on Dec 30

Starting on Saturday, January 2nd you and I will be going on a journey of small daily steps. Today’s post is a preamble for you, my cherished regular readers.

I’ve prepared 60, daily posts designed as a journey of reflection for your new year. The final one will appear on March 1st. Tomorrow (Dec 31st) and Friday (Jan 1) will be two preliminary posts that set the stage for the sequence through March 1st.

The tone of these coming posts will be familiar, so I think you will be delighted. My hope is simply that these posts help you find tranquility as we head into 2021.

As always, I’m just a Reply-button away. I’m always delighted by any thoughts, feedback or conversations these posts instigate.

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Some current projects

December 29, 2020 · All posts on Dec 29

A while back I reworked the front of my web site, https://constantine.name If you’ve not seen it recently, it used to be a list of recent blog posts, now it’s an overview of the various things I’m working on.

My work in the podcast space
I’ve updated my creator page on Podchaser. Podchaser is a web site that helps you follow shows or specific creators, hosts, guests, etc.. My latest appearance, (in a podcast as a guest,) is in Vivian Carrasco’s Within (U) podcast, in an episode titled, Cultivating Curiosity That Leads to Compassion.

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Walled gardens are always a trade-off

December 27, 2020 · All posts on Dec 27

To serve relevant ads and, in return, increase its CPM for advertisers, Spotify needs to know its users intimately. This means that Spotify needs its users to spend as much of their digital lives as possible in its walled garden. The quickest way for Spotify to enable this is to build a podcast streaming capability and stream all available podcasts through its music app.

~ Kay Singh from, How Spotify is Killing the Open Podcast Ecosystem

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In the end, Spotify has managed to create a large garden and they’ve enclosed a large portion of the revenue.

The beauty of the Internet—for as long as this remains true—is that it is open. Open technology, open connectivity, open space. That means no wall garden can ever completely contol the thing it encloses. And that’s not even what Spotify wants to do. They’re simply trying to run a business.

And anyone who wants to be an independent podcaster, that too simply goes on.

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Looking back

December 26, 2020 · All posts on Dec 26

I’ve started thinking about a touch phrase for 2021. (2020’s was the superbly helpful, “Get less done.”) As part of the thinking, I was browsing the old blog, and wondered when I last missed a daily post. That turns out to be November 18, 2019. It’s simply a random day with nothing posted.

For a few weeks leading up to that 18th, there’s a post on each day. But October of 2019 is Swiss cheese—actually, it’s more hole than cheese. But early to mid 2019 things look mostly solidly-posted. ÂŻ\_(ツ)_/ÂŻ I also know that in the very beginning of this blog I wasn’t even intending to post daily; In the beginning it was just a place for me to put things that I felt I needed some place to put. Unsurprisingly, character by character this blog was built like a drifting sand dune. In 2021 this blog will turn 10. Hello World was posted on August 13, 2011. If I continue, and I see no reason to stop, post number 3,000 should appear in late December 2021.

I bring this up because this time of year is traditionally a time for wrapping things up, and striking out anew, perhaps with a fresh start or a new commitment, into the new year. meh. That never works for me. But you know what has been working well—year-round, not just during this completely arbitrary calendar roll-over point—

LOOK BACK!

Look back at some of the things you’ve accomplished or experienced and think: “Well if that isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.” Seriously. I’m not going to end this post on a, “but if you don’t like what you see…”. No.

Take some time during the arbitrary end-of-the-year machinations to look back and think:

Well if that isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.

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