Ticking all the boxes

Posts

Social Media - Adding Value.

All humans are consumers.‌ But some humans add value to others. They contribute. Consider this. Why are you on social media? What do you gain?‌ Do you browse posts and like those that pop out at you, or make you envious? Do you peruse the highlight reels of your closest 850 friends simply to pass the time?‌ Do you utilize it as a distraction or to get a quick fix of dopamine? A‌ friend of mine recently took a sabbatical from Instagram and Facebook. She confided that it was so much more difficult than she had imagined it to be. Social media is not inherently harmful. Just as a screwdriver is not inherently a murder weapon. But it has the potential to be. There is certainly a benefit to it. Keeping up with friends, connecting with people you haven't spoken to in ages. Drawing inspiration for an upcoming holiday or finding a new fitness routine. You gain value from other people's niche knowledge. But what about your own ex

Male Friendships

Male Friendships. 5 Things i've learned about Brolationships. At the age of 28, I left everyone I had ever known and immigrated to Australia from South Africa. Every friendship, relationship and acquaintance was now 7000 miles due west. I didn't know a single person on this continent, nor had I ever visited. I faced a challenge of trying to open up and make brand new friends. It's been one hell of a year, and I've made some amazing mates whilst over here. These are the tips that I found most useful on my own journey. Meaningful male friendship can make a huge impact on the quality of your overall happiness and social wellbeing, It has become increasingly difficult in our ‘connected’ world dominated by social media to make authentic new friendships. Here are 5 tips to make new mates, or strengthen your existing relationships. #1 - Understand the 4 Factors of friendship. There are 4 primary factors of any relationship. Proximity Frequency Durati

Consistency vs Intensity - Why both are important.

Great leaders develop their minds. Humans are fascinating. Our capacity to develop our bodies and our minds is virtually limitless. If we choose to. Think of the most iconic leaders in history. The amount of personal development that they invested was reflected in their incredible capacity to rally nations, diffuse conflict and resolve unthinkable issues whilst uniting entire countries. Now think about the most influential athletes of our century. They are admired because of their incredible specialization, the dedication and grit in their ascension to the very pinnacle of human physical achievement. As humans, we have an incredible capacity for growth and development. Both physically and mentally. There is a simple formula for this growth. Stimulus + recovery = Adaption. The greater the stimulus, and the more effective our recovery, the greater the adaption. This principle holds true for lifting weight, learning how to play a new instrument or developing proficiency in

Sharpening the Sword - 5 Ways to leverage nerves to maximize performance.

We've all experienced nerves, whether it was before a public speaking event, leading up to a performance on stage or getting ready to compete in a competition. The symptoms are very real, ranging from sweaty palms to full blown nausea. The science behind the physiological response is fascinating. In a condensed version, the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), which forms part of the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) is responsible for our "fight or flight" response to acute stress. The ANS is comprised of the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous system. The former will signal the adrenal glands to release the hormones adrenaline and cortisol when acute external stressors are sensed. This is a rapid process, and will increase the heart rate as well as the respiration rate, cause our blood vessels to dilate and alter the digestive process to rapidly access glucose reserves in order for us to out-run or fight that lion. Fortunately for us, there are few lions to comp

Introduction

Hello team! Welcome to the blog. I've opted to call it "Ticking all the boxes." Partly as a play on words with regards to the CrossFit Box aspect, and partly because it will be a collection of memoirs, musings and lessons learnt through life experiences whilst delving into the psychology of happiness, life and meaning. It will blend aviation, nutrition, exercise science, travel adventures and the pursuit of happiness. As well as amalgamations of past and present experiences, random writing and recipes. All of this exists because it adds value to me, and I hope someone else could resonate with some of the lessons that I've learned through my very limited time on this crazy adventure called life. Feel free to comment, discuss and leave messages. Feedback is always appreciated and constructive criticism is encouraged.