Meh - the term for it is languishing, that neglected middle child of mental health that
is somewhere in between depression and on the other end, flourishing.
Everyone wants to be flourishing, no one wants to be depressed but when you're somewhere
in the middle, you might not even recognize it.
And it's dangerous because you're more likely to drift into that dangerous mental health
place from that Meh.
One way to deal with feeling may be to find "flow".
Flow is that elusive state of being occupied or consumed in a task, a challenge, something
that you sort of lose your sense of self and time and space and just flow.
The movie Soul had a good example of flow.
- "Well, this is the zone...
It's the space between the physical and spiritual".
- "Wait a minute, I was here, today, during my audition.
This must be where musicians come when they get into a flow".
But getting into that flow, the key is a small challenge, a small task, one that's of just
manageable difficulty - a challenge that you can take on that "stretches your skills and
strengthens your resolve".
And it works best before you open up your phone, before someone's making the bed every
morning...
For the author of the article that inspired this video, psychologist and professor at
Wharton, Adam Grant, he will play a word game before he gets started, that he says catapults
him into flow.
For me, I found that making something in the Vitamix, every day, every morning before I
start my work day is that thing of just manageable difficulty to launch me into the day - part
of my morning routine.
You know, sometimes you have to trick yourself into getting into a flow.
So, here are three Vitamix morning routines that I’ve used in my life, that have helped
me combat that languishing feeling.
The first is when I was on my own - when I was a bachelor living by myself.
I used my Vitamix as a reward.
I’d lay my clothes out in the morning, get dressed, go to the gym -
- "I just got back from a workout and I’m going to make a smoothie".
- And by the time I sit down at my desk, I just feels so good and ready to keep that
flow going.
Quick timeout to tell you that these morning routines that I’m suggesting, the - suggesting,
the most important is that you don't do them every single day, that you give yourself a
break - be it Saturday or Sunday or both because challenging yourself to do something every
day into perpetuity is the best recipe for failure.
Pick a day to take a break and sit by it.
- "Saturday, Donnie, is Shabbos - Jewish day of rest.
That means I don't work, I don't drive a car, I don't ride in the car, don't handle money,
I don't turn on the oven and I sure's head DON'T wanna blend!"
[Chuckles]
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Vitamix morning routine number two: Married.
At this point in my life, I got into green juice and since green juice can last a couple
days, we'd make green juice every other day!
So, green juice Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
On the days that we weren't making green juice, what do we blend?
Well, it depends.
Here's what worked for us; on Tuesday, we made queso.
So, we'd have something in the fridge to grab and throw chips or carrots or broccoli or
whatever to dip grab and go snacks.
On Thursday, we would make detox salad.
So then when Monday or Tuesday rolled around, we would have something to, well, detox after
the weekend.
The routine and the autopilot are so important, but giving yourself the space to also be creative
is huge too.
So, on one of those days, maybe instead of making something that you always make, make
something that you haven't made.
So, try a nut butter - peanut butter, almond butter - make yourself some cookie balls.
Get into something that you haven't made - make the cream for our creamy wild rice soup.
That's a blend and that gets you one step closer towards dinner for the night.
Make some muffins...
"Oh, we've never made Nutella anymore, let's try that".
- "Hey, it's been a while, why don't we clean our Vitamix container, like deep clean it.
Like get the baking soda, get the toothbrush, make our own hummus" - I don't know how I
forgot to say this.
Acai bowls, that's like one of those special things that we'll do on Tuesday, Thursday.
"Hey, should we make some dog treats for our dog?
Lucy seems like she's kind of languishing too", maybe we'll you know, fire up some liver
treats or simple dog biscuits.
Sort of the third Vitamix morning routine that we're living in right now with children
is - well, we blend a lot.
We've sort of carry over what we did when we were just newlyweds which is making green
juice Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we don't have school, so, everyone's here and we have a little bit
of extra time in the morning - we're not rushing to get out the door to get to school on time.
So, we'll make something fun.
So, we'll make ourselves - we'll make pancakes for the family or we'll do protein shakes...
We're actually doing protein shakes as a bribe to stay in bed till the "okay to wake" clock
turns on for a while.
Guys, it's so tempting to rush through making some of these things because you want to get
to work, but that's sort of the key is being 100% present in that moment, getting your
kids involved in the cookie balls you're making.
So much of this is about starting our day after we wake up on the right foot.
So, you know, no screens, getting a win.
And with kids in the house, this also works after a nap...
Why not make something together?
Grab that Vitamix container, you can have the ingredients ready to go on the counter
- this is a great time to make some queso.
Which by the way is the best way to get your kid to sit at dinner and relax and eat.
Dip, bite, dip, dip, bite.
Instead of sitting at the table for 10 minutes, they'll sit at the table for like 35 minutes,
just luxuriating, dipping queso.
Hey, nap time's over, you want to go downstairs and help make mama salad, detox salad?
Yeah, great!
That sounds like so much fun.
That's something that you can do and knock out in like six minutes, but with a kid, you
can also make it like a 25 minute activity.
So, you've killed a ton of time and then also you're doing something for the family.
So, they feel accomplished, you're all on the same team!
Thanks so much for watching.
We'll see in the next one.
Bye guys.