See my work from the first two chapters

Checking in to your life is not always easy. It can be challenging especially at first. Which is what I am doing, the at first part. I am the beginner.

I used to be very proficient at being the checked in asshole. The one who always knows what is going on and can be HERE. Now I am always passing judgment on others and attaching my personal values on things and situations.

Being mindful is having a high level of consciousness.

Being able to be aware but not distracted.
Being able to assess a situation without getting flustered and letting your ego get in the way.
Being able to be, without your inner judge.

These are my inner thoughts on the subject. For me when I was a competitive weightlifter, I could lift when I needed. I was a pressure athlete. I could always do when I needed. I did not over think the movement but I also did not become sloppy. I was just doing. I read a sport psychology book once where a weightlifter called it the “white moment”. Some call it a state of flow. I called it right.

When this happened I felt as though I could do no wrong, and I would succeed no matter what. It was also incredibly short.

These moments lasted longer and longer but I was always chasing them without giving enough thought as to how they came to be and how to make them permanent. If I could have lived in this permanent state of flow then I would forever be on top of the world. I would have been by now. BUT.

My JUDGE got in the way. What my judge did:

attached personal feelings of how I should behave
attached emotions onto my actions
projected my emotions onto other people as though that is what they were thinking about me
decided for me whether or not what I was doing was “worth it”
decided to tell me I was not worth society, or the job or occupation I chose was good enough

What my judge still does:

tells me people are worth something or not based on personal appearance
tells me whether someone is a waste of time within the first few minutes
tells me who should live and die
tells me who is right(me) and others are wrong
and etc. etc.

As you can see not all of these things are negative but a lot are and there is more.

Checking in is being here without the judge. It is seeing where you are , the location and time of day who you are with, what is around and just noting it.

Like this… I am sitting at my desk typing this writ now. I am looking at the keys as I type. The computer screen is just bright enough to not strain my eyes. I am using an HP all in one computer and typing on wordpress platform. I have a small desk lamp illuminating my page. It is 11:45 PM.

How this has helped me in the last three days.

With my son I was more engaged. I made sure to put my phone in the other room. I played a game that he chose and played fair with him. I have been able to detach myself from arguments that would have left me angry for hours but only lasted minutes instead. I have been able to recognize that the way I do things is not the only way. i have also been able to be more productive when facing problems at work. I am the problem solver. I can only see this getting better.

I am learning when I need to reframe or to check in again. IF I am feeling overwhelmed or stressed. If I am getting angry at someone or worse something.When something is challenging my belief system I can look at more logically now.

Step 2

Use mindfulness to achieve your goals.

I now check into what I am about to do or what task I am going to preform. For instance, when I get to my work site I will look at what I need to do. Make a mental note of the location of the task and the tools I will need. Then I will take a mental note of how long I will need to achieve it in the perfect world. I will then set out on a course of action.

Like this, today I will be installing air conditioner units on balconies. I will need to wear my harness as the railings are not up and I will need to bring with me a torch, pipe cutters, pipe benders, water and rags, brazing rod, black tape, pipe insulation, flaring tool , swaging tool. I should be able to complete 5 of these in a day without any interruptions.

Now I am ready for the start of the day. But if an interruption comes along I can stop work. Even if it means that my daily goal will not be achieved. I will then reframe my situation. Check into the task again.

This is really helpful after coffee break or lunch time. Or that time when yo realize you are looking at your cell phone for a long time and have not been doing any work. This has been a great time management tool for me.

Mindfulness is also being more aware of who I am deep down and why I have made the life choices that I have made.

It is helping me recognize my emotions about things like money and family. I now feel emotions like fear and anxiety are future emotions. They are attaching an emotion to something that has never happened and also adding a probability to it. For instance I do not have a lot of fear that someone will break into my house with a gun in the night. I also think that the likelihood of that happening is low. I do have a fear that if I went to my boss to tell him I want to subcontract instead of being an employee, I would lose my job. This is prevent me from taking this action at this time.

What else have I learned about myself?

I have learned that I consistently have chosen sports and jobs that put me in a similar light.

I like to be in control. I chose and individual sport.

I like to win. I chose weightlifting because I excelled at it quickly and had talent.

I like to be the center of attention. In weightlifting it is just you on the platform. The whole room is eyes on you.

My job that I took for a long while. Bar tending.

Center of attention – Check
Winning, making easy and great money – Check
In control – Check
Good at it – Check

Now with my choice to be an entrepreneur.

Center of attention(I get all the glory and I get all of the responsibility) – Check
Making more money for the same work, not easy(winning) – Check
In control – Check
Good at it( I chose something that I am respected in) – Check

These things are not good or bad. They just are.

Bonus; in case Mike Cernovich himself reads this!!

Better ways to become more mindful.

Live without one of your senses for a day. Where a blindful or noise cancelling headphones. Note the different things you need to be aware of.
Live a day without electricity.
Go without meat for a week. Obviously this only works if you currently eat meat.
Really help someone who really needs it. ( I once went to a womans house for six months three times per week to help her lose weight. She was over 400 when we wtartd. Last time I saw her under 275.)
Go at least 24 hours without sleep.

I will attempt to add to this list and write about each experience as it develops.

I also decided to Note where I feel my emotions in my body.

Anxiety – Back of my skull/ clouds my mind

Nervous – Stomach through diaphragm

Joy – Throat

Anger – Fists and whole body faster breathing

Frustration – Shoulders and Traps

Excitement – Chest and legs

By the way you can do as I did and get the ebok from AMAZON here.

Gorilla mindset Ch. 3 Check In to Your Life