Walking meditation is my most effective way of being in the moment. I'm an 83 Y/O Eye Surgeon who has practiced it for 40 years but I still find my mind wandering into a distracted state as I move along the trails I ruck daily. My most effective technique to reenter mindfulness is to imagine that my entire visual system is a GoPro, taking in the entirety of my visual fields in real time with "soft focus". This technique always refocuses my attention to the present, away from "monkey mind".
Great suggestion. "Monkey mind" is real! I also like that the meditation is more active. I'm sure a lot of people who read 2% would do better with that compared to sitting.
I have been receiving all my year in reviews the last few weeks and email after email tells me that I am in the top 1%. 😩 Everything I do, I do every day and every month I add something new to my healthy routine.
What I really need to know is how do I make 2% friends?
Heather, I have the same question! The things I do daily are just my habit and routine. I have a hard time sitting still, because I am just used to constant motion when not “at work”. I need some 1-2% friends as well!
Just joined 2% community. Am volunteering to help organize our community into a group willing to encourage and support 2 percenters since 98% of people have no clue what is going on.
Heather, awesome post. Just joined, and have been getting after my health transformation over the past year, and hope this content helps get to next level. Your friends question is a great one. The social, community and friends side of life is a key. Still working on that part as well. Will let you know what I find. Feeling like a 2nd level friend to many :) but with limited 1st level friends.
An excellent post! I agree this should be made public.
It’s all the small choices daily that add up. Too many people are trying to “major in the minors”, like taking AG1 to “be healthy” rather than eating real food, not UPF.
Eat real food, move your body more, get outside, none of these are so hard, they just require intention. Thanks for all you do!
On the days I am in the office I load up my backpack and walk across Manhattan. I could take the subway but I enjoy the walk. Especially in the cold. On WFH days I either start the day with a body weight workout or a ruck. And at some point I’ll either go for a 15 minute walk around the block or throw my ruck on.
I’ve suggested this to him to consider holding a retreat in Vegas where we can go on a rucking expedition that he normally does. I fly to Vegas regularly and would jump on the opportunity to pick his brain and see what his routine is like (and yes, I would pay to experience this as well).
What do I do to be a 2 percenter? I do some form of physical activity everyday. I walk, run, or ruck everyday. I cycle 2-3 times a week. I do a cardio exercise 1-2 times a week. I volunteer at a food pantry once a week. I read daily. I text my kids everyday.
Finding about “2%” last year totally transformed my view on actions (who’d have thought two characters could be so challenging?). I park in the furthest space from everything, I sit on the floor (maybe grab some mobility exercises) while I watch TV, and I grab a book or look for a detail in the landscape instead of my phone.
Thanks for a great year and I’m pumped for ‘24! Need to get me some merch now 😋
Today. I cut up a tree that fell, block it up for fire wood. Cut the rest , limbs etc , pile it up to burn. Took the blocks to the shop, using a splitter, turn them into firewood. Went back, started burning, what was left. I had a tractor with a front end loader to carry blocks, pile the rest to burn. About five hours all told spent. I am a farmer, have access to equipment. L ife is good!!!!!
Great post that I'll definitely re-read to sink in. I wear a ruck pack to walk the dogs every day and swim in the ocean every morning all year round. I cycle over drive whenever possible. Carry as often as possible eg hand luggage not trolley supermarket basket not trolley. Also gym workouts, hit classes and indoor bouldering with my kids. Connecting with other 2% ers sounds a great idea. Thanks for all you bring to this space Michael Easter.
Michael, YOUR work makes a huge difference! Time to nominate you for Surgeon General and see if we can "shift" the collective mindset. My "gut" (it's a healthy biome) feels that we may have lost the race to our corporatocracy of industrial health care, food, and medicine. I watch this with my family and how the 20 somethings are sedentary, overweight/obese, and phone addicted. I come from a large family and I am the only sibling that takes no medication or has any lifestyle morbidities. @61 I am healthier than I was @ 50. Yes, it takes effort but so does all of life....LIFE: Learn It From Experience
A common thread seems to be, where do I find other 2%ers?
Always read for 15-30 minutes before picking up my phone. Also, I have two kids under two, so we have frequent "dance parties" at home in the evenings. You can't imagine how many steps I rack up in those 30 minute laugh fests!
I’ve been doing many of these things for years (parking far away from the entrance, standing desk, talk instead of text whenever possible . . .). I’ve recently upped my hiking time, which had fallen off as my kids grew up and nature walks were no longer a part of our daily life. Funny how it was easier to get out when they were younger. I would have never thought that to be the case. Now, I hike daily with my husband (it’s a great time for us to connect before work) and meet friends for long hikes on the weekend. I met three friends for a New Year’s Day hike—2 hours on the trail at sunrise was a great way to kick off the new year and catch up with them.
Walking meditation is my most effective way of being in the moment. I'm an 83 Y/O Eye Surgeon who has practiced it for 40 years but I still find my mind wandering into a distracted state as I move along the trails I ruck daily. My most effective technique to reenter mindfulness is to imagine that my entire visual system is a GoPro, taking in the entirety of my visual fields in real time with "soft focus". This technique always refocuses my attention to the present, away from "monkey mind".
I hope this is helpful!
Great suggestion. "Monkey mind" is real! I also like that the meditation is more active. I'm sure a lot of people who read 2% would do better with that compared to sitting.
I have been receiving all my year in reviews the last few weeks and email after email tells me that I am in the top 1%. 😩 Everything I do, I do every day and every month I add something new to my healthy routine.
What I really need to know is how do I make 2% friends?
Heather, I have the same question! The things I do daily are just my habit and routine. I have a hard time sitting still, because I am just used to constant motion when not “at work”. I need some 1-2% friends as well!
Great question. Perhaps I should build a 2% online community (outside of the comments section!).
Absolutely, yes!
Yes!
Yes please
Just joined 2% community. Am volunteering to help organize our community into a group willing to encourage and support 2 percenters since 98% of people have no clue what is going on.
Heather, awesome post. Just joined, and have been getting after my health transformation over the past year, and hope this content helps get to next level. Your friends question is a great one. The social, community and friends side of life is a key. Still working on that part as well. Will let you know what I find. Feeling like a 2nd level friend to many :) but with limited 1st level friends.
An excellent post! I agree this should be made public.
It’s all the small choices daily that add up. Too many people are trying to “major in the minors”, like taking AG1 to “be healthy” rather than eating real food, not UPF.
Eat real food, move your body more, get outside, none of these are so hard, they just require intention. Thanks for all you do!
"Majoring in the minors" is a great way to put a lot of the easy fixes people get sucked into. :)
I look for ways to help other people carry, lift, climb, or move things. It tends to surprise people that a 68-year old (me) is eager to assist.
Great work!
On the days I am in the office I load up my backpack and walk across Manhattan. I could take the subway but I enjoy the walk. Especially in the cold. On WFH days I either start the day with a body weight workout or a ruck. And at some point I’ll either go for a 15 minute walk around the block or throw my ruck on.
Epic. Great work. I try to avoid the subway and walk instead when I'm in NYC.
Sounds like Michael needs to invite us all to Vegas for a weekend!
I’ve suggested this to him to consider holding a retreat in Vegas where we can go on a rucking expedition that he normally does. I fly to Vegas regularly and would jump on the opportunity to pick his brain and see what his routine is like (and yes, I would pay to experience this as well).
Yep. Me too. I’m considering upping my membership levels as well. I’m really all in.
Hang tight. We have something in the works for the spring. More information to come.
Also thinking of starting a separate online 2% community that's better for back and forths, convos, etc compared to the comments section.
Easter, this needs to be made public.
This is great! I pray that the 2% become the 98%
Lead on my man!
What do I do to be a 2 percenter? I do some form of physical activity everyday. I walk, run, or ruck everyday. I cycle 2-3 times a week. I do a cardio exercise 1-2 times a week. I volunteer at a food pantry once a week. I read daily. I text my kids everyday.
Nice work. Volunteering is huge. Thanks for doing the work!
Finding about “2%” last year totally transformed my view on actions (who’d have thought two characters could be so challenging?). I park in the furthest space from everything, I sit on the floor (maybe grab some mobility exercises) while I watch TV, and I grab a book or look for a detail in the landscape instead of my phone.
Thanks for a great year and I’m pumped for ‘24! Need to get me some merch now 😋
Nice work! Keep it up.
Today. I cut up a tree that fell, block it up for fire wood. Cut the rest , limbs etc , pile it up to burn. Took the blocks to the shop, using a splitter, turn them into firewood. Went back, started burning, what was left. I had a tractor with a front end loader to carry blocks, pile the rest to burn. About five hours all told spent. I am a farmer, have access to equipment. L ife is good!!!!!
That sounds like a tough and fantastic day. Thanks for sharing!
Great post that I'll definitely re-read to sink in. I wear a ruck pack to walk the dogs every day and swim in the ocean every morning all year round. I cycle over drive whenever possible. Carry as often as possible eg hand luggage not trolley supermarket basket not trolley. Also gym workouts, hit classes and indoor bouldering with my kids. Connecting with other 2% ers sounds a great idea. Thanks for all you bring to this space Michael Easter.
Awesome. I'm also a dedicated dog rucker. Looking into a way to get you all connected. Hang tight.
Michael, YOUR work makes a huge difference! Time to nominate you for Surgeon General and see if we can "shift" the collective mindset. My "gut" (it's a healthy biome) feels that we may have lost the race to our corporatocracy of industrial health care, food, and medicine. I watch this with my family and how the 20 somethings are sedentary, overweight/obese, and phone addicted. I come from a large family and I am the only sibling that takes no medication or has any lifestyle morbidities. @61 I am healthier than I was @ 50. Yes, it takes effort but so does all of life....LIFE: Learn It From Experience
A common thread seems to be, where do I find other 2%ers?
I'll say this: It is definitely easier to get chronic sickness today than it was in the past.
Thinking about starting an online 2% community that is easier to navigate compared to the comments. More to come ...
I'm lucky where I have a job that is pretty active but these little tidbits of ways to had extra activity are good.
So many great points in this post! Reminds me of all the things I still need to do to improve my life! 🤣
Always read for 15-30 minutes before picking up my phone. Also, I have two kids under two, so we have frequent "dance parties" at home in the evenings. You can't imagine how many steps I rack up in those 30 minute laugh fests!
This is awesome! Keep it up.
Great post! Helpful and inspirational.
I’ve been doing many of these things for years (parking far away from the entrance, standing desk, talk instead of text whenever possible . . .). I’ve recently upped my hiking time, which had fallen off as my kids grew up and nature walks were no longer a part of our daily life. Funny how it was easier to get out when they were younger. I would have never thought that to be the case. Now, I hike daily with my husband (it’s a great time for us to connect before work) and meet friends for long hikes on the weekend. I met three friends for a New Year’s Day hike—2 hours on the trail at sunrise was a great way to kick off the new year and catch up with them.
Thanks for all you do! Onward!
Hiking is criminally underrated. It has so many good things going for it. Keep up the good work.
Agreed! We are fortunate to have a fantastic trail system right out our back door.