Four Thousand Weeks, One Way to Be Free, and Our Highest Love

1. Everyone Can Benefit from Training the Breath

“Every performer, from a weekend golf warrior to an elite tactical military athlete, can benefit from training these breathing muscles as carefully and consistently as you train any other muscles. Get to know these muscles and how they work. Your strength, endurance, and concentration will benefit immensely.”

— Dr. Nate Zinsser, The Confident Mind

Just a nice reminder that training the breath is beneficial to everyone. So make sure you’re getting to know your breathing muscles a little this week 🙏

2. Attention Just Is Life

“Attention, on the other hand, just is life: your experience of being alive consists of nothing other than the sum of everything to which you pay attention. At the end of your life, looking back, whatever compelled your attention from moment to moment is simply what your life will have been. So when you pay attention to something you don’t especially value, it’s not an exaggeration to say that you’re paying with your life.”

– Oliver Burkeman, Four Thousand Weeks

How’s that for a metaphorical bucket of ice water on our heads? lol. It’s one more reason to practice breathing and meditation, which train us to notice where our attention goes, and place it on things we truly value. Thus, they help us make the most of our ~4,000 weeks on this Earth.

3. Attention is Our Highest Form of Love

“Attention, both its receptive and concentrative forms, is not only a precious brain resource—it’s a currency, one of our most valuable currencies. The people in our lives notice what, where, and who we spend it on. Attention, in a lot of ways, is our highest form of love.”

– Amishi Jha, Ph.D., Peak Mind

To piggyback on the last Thought, here’s a reminder that attention is also our highest form of love. People notice where we put it, so let’s spend it wisely 😊

4. One Way to Be Free

“Laughter is a holy thing… When you can laugh at yourself, you are free.”

— Ted Loder

Our weekly reminder to laugh, especially at ourselves, as laughter is always the best breathing exercise.

“Rest is a form of wisdom.”

— Anne Morrow Lindbergh

In good breath,

Nick

P.S. a little treat for yourself

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