Rowan Spazzoli

This past week I started a new morning routine. The idea was to get up at 6, meditate and exercise before starting the day.

I managed to wake up at 6 or 6.30 every day of the week. And meditated almost all the days. The exercising was the most difficult thing and I only managed it once.

The routine evolved a bit. I now wake up, make coffee, shower and get ready. Then grab my blanket and sit with Jared and watch YouTube videos.

The routine really helped me get momentum at the start of the day and helped me feel like I was on top of things. The downside though was that I ended up being really tired and fading towards the afternoon.

Will give it another shot next week and see if I can keep up the meditating 🙂

Image was taken at the Emirates stadium in 2015 🙂

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Song of the day: HAIM – Valentine

There are some people who are close to us who often end up being deeply critical of us. And it’s difficult to get away from this.

An example of this is a friend who’s mom badgers her about her personal decisions. Constantly telling her that she hasn’t done enough, that she should get married and that she should think about having kids.

And this friend doesn’t want to get married. Or have kids.

But this doesn’t stop the mom. And it also has an adverse affect on my friend.

It can be hurtful coming from someone so close.

So one way to combat this is to reframe who the criticism is coming from. Ask yourself if you’d take advice from them if you weren’t related.

In the case of my friends mom, the mom is an out of touch, self cantered person from a tiny town who bases her worth on the perception of others. She failed at her chosen career and now runs a small business.

She’s not the right person to give my friend advice about her law career, her relationships or whether she should have kids.

And by thinking of it this way, we’re able to deflect some of the intensity of the criticism.

If you wouldn’t take their advice if they were a stranger, don’t worry about their advice just because they’re related.

Image was taken at Babylonstoren a few years back 🙂

Blog: 190/365

Song of the day: If I could change your mind – HAIM

One of the downsides to being an achiever is the constant need to please people around you. In a professional environment, you go through great lengths to make sure everyone in your team is happy. At home you try to appease your parents at every turn. And you’ll force yourself to go to social occasions, even if you are tired, just to make sure you don’t let someone down.

This does make you reliable and dependable. People know they can always count on you.

The problem is that this is at a massive cost to your own well being.

At every one of these events you are placing the needs of others above your own.

Constantly trying to please others.

At the detriment to yourself.

The obvious solution is to prioritize yourself. Turn people away when you need to. Protect your own interests first. But this is difficult for someone who is used to basing their personality on positive feedback from others.

It’s tough, but we need to protect ourselves by saying no.

Image was from one of my happiest varsity memories, a trip with Lauren, Jess and Caito to Babylonstoren

Blog: 185/365

Song of the day: Want you back – HAIM