Welcome to June! And welcome Summer!

It always sneaks up so fast. One second you are writing down your New Year’s resolutions, then you blink, open your eyes, and it’s halfway through the year. Time does seem to fly.

This week is your friendly reminder that we are nearly 50% of the way through the year. Based on the statistics, 92% of us reading (**cough** - and writing) have fallen behind on a goal we set at the beginning of the year.

I will never reach a point where I feel I have repeated myself too much when I say - now’s the time to start. If you have done well with your goal, either up the stakes, or revisit your current habits and ensure you have structure in place to continue to succeed and not let off the gas. If you have fallen behind on your goals, think through this list:

• When did I fall off track with my goal? What happened, and how would I prevent that if I had a redo?

• Does the goal I set in January still motivate me to accomplish? Do I need a goal refresh?

• If I were to restart tomorrow, what would that look like?

From there, just take action. I may sound like a broken record as I continue to hammer this point home, but now is always the time to start again or to keep going. You can sit there and beat yourself up about losing track of your goal, and compound that problem into 12 months of failure. Or you can take action now, and work on ensuring the next 7 months (60% of the year) are filled with wins. Let’s get going.

Brain - 10 Questions of Reflection to Start Your Week

How many of you reading this have consumed content that recommended journaling for one reason or another? Most people land at the recommendation in search of something to improve their mental well-being, to get things out of their head, to reflect, to practice gratitude - etc.

At its core, the power of journaling is the act itself. It’s an intentional step you are taking to sit with and address your thoughts. It’s a practice to improve the way you talk and think to yourself. The cycle of reflection, to next steps, to action, and back to reflection closes a loop for us to ensure that we aren’t letting otherwise habitual negative thoughts subtly take control of our lives.

For some, myself included, the practice of journaling comes and goes with the time of life. I’d be the first to admit that I should be much more consistent with it. I also tend to recognize flaws in the structure I set for myself in journaling, which often leads to the fizzling out. I am resolving moving forward to have fewer standards for what the journal should look like, and more leaning into the art of just getting it done.

Most of you are probably not doing any journaling, which is normal. The reflection questions below are ones I encourage you to spend some time with just one day this week. Be honest with the answers, identify some actions you need to take, and set a time, whether it’s next week or next month, to revisit those and repeat the process. The hope is that these can be a simple segway into more consistent journaling / reflection.

• Physical - How well am I treating my body, and why (positive or negative)?

• Encouragement - Who is one person in my life I could reach out to today to encourage? What is one random act of kindness I could do for a stranger this week?

• Habit - What are the negative habits in my life that if I don’t take steps to change, will result in regret in the future?

• Future - What worries me most about the future? What steps can I take to mitigate the worry?

• Comfort - When did I last push the boundaries of my comfort zone? When will I next?

• Opinions - What is something in my life that I would take action on today if I wasn’t worried about other’s opinions?

• Friendship - Who are the people in my life I trust and value the most? When was the last time I saw each of them, and how can I proactively spend more time with them?

• Influence - Who am I spending the most time around? Are they positively influencing me, or negatively? Do I need to ease away from someone?

• Goals - What goals am I working towards now? What systems do I have in place to succeed against them? What goals could I set for myself that I would be proud of accomplishing in the next 3 months?

• Anxiety - What have been the recent causes of my most anxious moments? Am I taking action to mitigate the anxiety, or am I staying in my own head?

Body - A Breakfast Dieting Hack

Over the years I have come to be a part-time connoisseur of recipes that are a healthier alternative to their normal version. A majority of the challenge of dieting is simply finding meals you can continue to eat without getting bored - ones that you look forward to - and that also fall in line with your calorie goals.

You name a meal you like - I bet I have an alternate recipe for it. Below I have laid out the ingredients and steps for one of my favorite breakfast meals, Anabolic French Toast. This recipe is a great hack for getting a ton of protein to start your day, and it tastes amazing. Check, check.

Macros (3 Slices) | 420 cal | 40g protein | 41g carb | 10g fat

• 1 egg

• 3/4 cup egg whites

• 1/4 cup almond milk

• 1/3 teaspoon vanilla

• 15g (half a scoop) protein

• Cinnamon

• 1 - 2 Splenda packets (preference)

The easiest way to cook these is to put some zero-calorie spray on a pan and get it heated over medium heat. Mix all of the ingredients into a bowl, and once the pan is hot, soak 3 pieces of your bread (you can save calories with lower-calorie bread) in the mixture, and lay them on the pan.

Cook them on one side for a couple of minutes, and then flip them over. Go on feel for the first couple of times, but you are looking for the egg to appear it is cooked in the bread. Lather with sugar-free syrup, and enjoy!

If you want even more flavor - layer in some dark chocolate chips, blueberries, or PB2 powder. If this recipe is a hit, I am happy to share more as we go -

Book - What’s On My Reading List?

At any point in the year, I seem to have 7 - 10 books that I either already have, or have in my mind to order on what to read next. I have tried in the past to minimize this, as I think sometimes it limits my ability to stay focused on my current read, when I am already looking forward to one on my “to-read” list.

But saying that, there are just too many books to read, and that I want to read. I like being able to read along and discuss ideas with others, and I get the question about good reads often. Below are a few titles I am excited about on my upcoming reading list. I would love if you joined on one or two of these:

The Holy Grail of Investing by Tony Robbins - Financial stability is a never-ending pursuit, and one I always want to understand further. This latest release from Tony Robbins is a collection of insights from the world’s top investors on how they invest their money. The intrigue in its pitch is that the focus is non-normal avenues for investing (not just stocks and 401s)

The Demon of Unrest by Eric Larson - I wouldn’t consider myself a history buff, but I do find value and perspective in a well-written book on major historical events. Eric Larson wrote a book about Winston Churchill that I loved, so I am assuming this one on the Civil War is no different

Wellness by Nathan Hill - A novel based on a young couple’s struggle with real-life problems - facing their demons, unfulfilled career ambitions to childhood memories of their own dysfunctional families.

Age Later: Health Span, Life Span, and the New Science of Longevity” by Nir Barzilai - A book comprised of science-backed protocols and ideas that we can implement to live longer, healthier lives.

Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life” by Jordan Peterson - Jordan Peterson is a controversial figure to some, but personal biases and beliefs aside, he always provides hard-hitting ideas that work, period.