The Bobby Rock Newsletter #23 (9-1-2021) - The Game of Life
The Bobby Rock Newsletter #23 (9-1-2021) - The Game of Life
|
Hey Everyone -
Okay friends, we continue this week with more about time and our optimal management and experience of it. Not sure why this has been on my mind so much lately… perhaps because I sometimes feel like I’m running out of it? Still… life is good out this way. Headed back to the Nugget in Vegas for a show with Lita Ford this weekend. Lotsa old school history in that venue. Here’s a backstage pic from last time:  Hope you all are well. Thanks, as always, for joining me here... In this issue:
_______________ The Game of Life: How to Avoid those “Throwaway Days” We’ve all been there. You wake up in the morning with a full 16 to 20 hours ahead. You have big ideas about what all you want to accomplish and how productive the day will be. It is time to Crush it, GSD (Get Shit Done), Slay, Grind, Kick it, Rock this bitch... or however you may wish to characterize a super productive day. But then, right out of the gate, there are some unexpected distractions… which lead to an early derailment on how you wanted to start the day. And then that seems to segue into other detours in your original game plan. Maybe some of these detours are legit, life-happens kinds of things, and maybe they are not. Point is, it’s approaching mid-afternoon and nothing has gone according to plan. So, you say “fuck it,” consider the day somewhat of a lost cause, default into whatever meaningless and/or distraction-based activities might be available to get you through the rest of the day, and look forward to having another shot at it tomorrow. I like to call these "throwaway days." But who says the entire 16 to 20 hours of your day has to be mega productive, let alone unfold exactly as you deem ideal? It’s great when this can happen, but life will often have other plans for us. And when such is the case, it behooves us to consider a different approach so we don’t voluntarily flush the second half of the day down the toilet, just because the first half went awry. Which leads us to a helpful reframing of the traditional “workday“ paradigm: In her book, Better Than Before, author Gretchen Rubin suggests viewing each day as having four different quarters: morning, midday, afternoon, evening. (Personal variation: for musicians and other creatives, it might be midday, afternoon, evening, late-night.)  "If you blow one quarter,” Rubin says, "you get back on track for the next quarter. Fail small, not big." I like to think of these four quarters like a football or basketball game. This keeps things a bit more playful, but there’s also the competitive element (since we are competing against ourselves, and also the clock). Will you rack up a bunch of points in the first two or three quarters and coast in for the victory? Will you come alive in the last quarter or two for the “come-from-behind” win towards the end? Or, will you annihilate the “competition" and dominate in all four quarters? The choice is yours… even the come-from-behind win if there’s a rocky start to the day. Another way I like to look at the four-quarters concept is this: consider which quarters seem most ideal for your most important activities each day, according to your personal daily bio-rhythms. When do you consistently feel the best working out, or doing creative work, or engaging in more “sharper thinking” pursuits? From there, try to schedule things accordingly. For me, it’s all about the second and fourth quarters for general productivity (practice, training, writing), while the third quarter is perfect for playing shows. As for the first quarter, well... I'm usually a slow starter! But the fourth quarter, in particular, is often where the magic happens. Which leads us into... _______________ A Word From Rumi Here’s a bit of wisdom from one of my favorite writers...13th-century poet/mystic, Rumi:  "The Breeze at Dawn" The breezes at dawn have secrets to tell you Don't go back to sleep!
You must ask for what you really want.
Don't go back to sleep!
People are going back and forth
across the doorsill where the two worlds touch,
The door is round and open
Don't go back to sleep!”
― Rumi I’m pretty sure Rumi was writing in a more classic poetic sense here and not literally about returning to slumber. He was probably referring to “going back to sleep” as a metaphor on returning to the “unawakened” state of being in which most of us reside and was, instead, encouraging efforts toward a more Illuminated sense of awareness. And yet, my own twist on this has always been as a mantra to stay up, to come alive in the "fourth quarter" of the day and go out with a proverbial bang: To make it to sunrise, a little fried to be sure, but with a sense of uncommon gratification—as if the rest of the world was asleep, but you were still up slaying those dragons. This, to me, is the poetry of action: the exquisite beauty in the hands-on engagement of struggle. You’re burnt. You’re feeling both mental and physical fatigue. But the dopamine drip continues to gift you new life, while a surge of… something… kicks in (inspiration... adrenalin, maybe?), and you roll down the hill to the finish line. This gives you a sense that, once again, in yet another hallowed sequence of hours, you found a second wind and managed to vice-grip every last drop of juice from the day, And then, as your head sinks into the pillow, there is peace… resolution… surrender…. and "going back to sleep" never felt so good. _______________ Water Works: A Quick Crash Course in Superior Hydration Ample water intake is one of the fundamental prerequisites to impeccable health. Water transports nutrients to your bloodstream and cells, flushes toxins from your body, protects and cushions vital organs and joints, helps to regulate your cooling system and also prevent urinary tract infections. It also moistens the lungs to assist with the “ins-and-outs” of oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange and remains a critical component to so many other basic bodily functions.  And yet, nearly 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. This can lead to nutrition, chemical, and pH imbalances in the body, which can cause a myriad of problems, including headaches, constipation, joint pain, lower backache, dry skin, and even short-term “fuzzy” memory. For real, I’ve seen almost “miraculous” things happen through the years when the starting point of my advice to someone struggling with some ailment was simply, “drink more water.” Here are a few parameters to consider: How much? Everyone’s hydration needs are different, of course, based on total bodyweight, how much you perspire, etc. But as a general recommendation, I would say at least a half-gallon per day, spread out over the course of the day. Me? One gallon per day, minimum, but notably more on the road, where I tend to sweat my ass off with all of the training, shows, dehydrating effects of flying, etc. The Method: I would recommend working from a gallon jug of water at first, just so you can assess what your “sweet spot” is for daily consumption. I realize that sipping from a big-ass jug at home isn’t for everyone, and you’ll need a smaller container (like a bottle, thermos, etc.) for when you’re away from home during the day. So in either case, I would start each day with a full gallon on hand, then pour your water into other containers as needed. (Obviously, the sooner you can graduate to any non-plastic sources, the better.) Clear Urine is Key: Your goal is to keep your urine clear throughout the day. Slightly opaque is ok, but yellow is a “clear” sign to up your quantity (unless you’re taking vitamins or meds known to turn your piss yellow). Bottom line? If a newspaper were sitting at the bottom of your toilet, you should be able to read the headline after taking a leak. (Bizarre criteria, I know, but now you will never forget it!) "Sip Away Throughout the Day”: This is your new mantra. The goal is to never allow significant thirst to kick in. You want to stay one step ahead of ever feeling thirsty (although, on occasion, you will). At the same time, never force yourself to drink too much water at one time. Slow and steady is the name of the game. Other Drinks: What about coffee, tea, or other water-heavy beverages? These do not count toward your water quota, although squeezing a little lemon juice into your supply, or letting your water soak in various fruits (like berries or orange slices) is fine. Frequent Trips to the Head: Yes, you will probably be annoyed at how often you are visiting the head at first. This will normalize soon enough, so hang in there. It will be worth it.
|
