We returned from our honeymoon last week, tired and weary, yet excited. It was a great trip, and I highly recommend the Overland track as a must do hike. We had the weather window, so for five beautiful days we trekked south from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair, enjoying each others company, the changing scenery, icy mornings, and the starts at night.
The weather was so good in fact, that at Trav and Renee pace, we managed to do two doubles (skipping the suggested hut for the night and heading to the one after), and finished a day earlier than planned (we had planned to do the walk in six days rather than the recommended seven, and ended up doing it in five). We rented a car and had a scenic drive around Tasmania, stopping in at many a coffee shop and store.
It still feels surreal to feel the ring on my finder each day. I am a married man. My focus now that we are back is to make progress everyday towards being the best husband that I can be (and of course, hold space for the wonderful memories we created from the honeymoon). The particular focus is on incremental progress, the daily actions that I can take. This was on my mind as we hiked, sitting in the background, churning away as you look at the scenery and move over tree roots. Incremental progress. Poco a poco (my favourite Spanish phrase) – little by little.
What can I do each day to make progress in my married life, my business side-hustle life, my general life, and continue to improve my health and fitness journeys?
The immediate answer was to focus on the little steps each day. But what does this mean? For starters, just before we left, I made a word document which I printed out called Trav’s Food Philosophy. Taking the time to outline why I am eating the foods I do helped me to confirm that it aligns with my broader values. Eating well means I have a fit and healthy mind and body. That’s an important value of mine. The food philosophy document outlines the steps I take each and every day to make that happen – select from my list of protein sources, make sure it’s paired with vegetables, add olive oil and salt. For lunch, have some berries too. As a snack, 85% cocoa chocolate. And so on.
I need to do the same with everything else and give the time and attention to make sure that everything is aligned, especially with how I am spending my time. I’m currently reading the book Nudge (Final Edition), and it’s highlighted to me that by creating the food document, I have become a choice architect and have nudged myself in a health direction. By specifying the types of protein (or narrowing the choice), I have created a default of a healthy meal. Whilst I am still working my way through the book, the idea of setting up nudges each day to ensure I am aligning what I do has an appeal to it.
Back to the immediate focus and day to day actions, or nudges each day:
Ongoing (and certainly not exhaustive)
- Continue my morning routine – this sets me up to start the day strong and ensures that I am ticking a lot of the essential boxes early – stretch, gym, write (with a candle going, of course), prepare healthy meals for the day, relax
- Spend more time and commit to my daily check in – this is a new habit I’m trying to form – each morning I’ll outline my goal for the day, several priorities, and then at night look back over and write a summary – include where to improve
- Expand this check in so it includes a week and a month review – what is the goal of the month? What does that translate to for the week? What can I do today?
- Dinner check ins and discussions about our days
- Still dance and have music playing when we make dinner
- Look at how I spend my time each day – that it’s on the things that matter – family time
One-Off
- Go over a nutrition document with Renee that she received ✅
- Book accomodation for Jimmy Rees ✅
- Look at dryer options and narrow down to three, then one, to purchase [by end of next weekend]
- Thank you cards for notes for our wedding guests [end of June]
- Book Melbourne for July [end of June]
There is a lot to do, and it’s a journey that I’m excited to be on. The learning curve in some areas will be steep. I’m committed and ready.