Since I started experimenting with a mindfulness meditation practice six months ago, my perspective changed. So today I’ll share how you can reap the benefits of meditation by being more mindful.

I’ll preface this by saying if you haven’t read my thoughts on meditation, here are the cliffs: I started with sitting in a dark room – observing my breath, clearing my thoughts, and noticing any sensations in my body.

Now six months in, the differences in my personal well being are a plenty.

But how?

Your perspective shifts after you teach yourself to become more attuned to your thoughts and sensations.

Basically, you take your learnings from meditating and extend it to all aspects of your life. Some people call this informal meditation.

Dedicating yourself to being in the present moment takes a ton of practice.

A certain diligence with catching yourself thinking is pretty tricky to get the hang of, but if you make the conscious effort, you’ll notice the benefits – it is an empowering feeling.

But, like everything else, it takes practice… no shortcuts here, friend.

What isn’t worth your thoughts?

I’m now realizing how absurd it is to dwell on the past. Something you have no control over is not worth your thoughts.

That mistake you made at work, or botched encounter with some girl or guy is history: move on.

Thinking about the future is a bit different, but the same premise applies. The future is exciting for some but anxiety provoking for others. My advice is to come to terms with what it is.

Instead of looking forward to things, focus your energy on what you can directly control, the present.

How can you be more mindful?

I started by learning to notice the present throughout every part of my day. Previously meaningless sensations I now  notice and embrace.

The light pressure in my shoulders from sitting at a desk, or the wind on my face when I’m biking to work.

Noticing tiny things help me stay in tune with my mind (and my sanity) through the day.

This is something I’ve never previously experienced, but it allows me to continually connect with my body.

You can even control pain

Noticing sensations extends to certain emotions as well. Start to pay attention when you are happy and when you are not so happy.

For example, when I’m angry, I’ll ask why I’m angry, then label the anger and figure out whether it is worth being angry about.

I’m confident you’ll find that it is never worth your emotional energy to stay distraught or angry.

Life is too short.

I’ll give you another example: pain. At about kilometer 37 of my marathon, things got extremely painful.

My solution? First I asked myself what the cause of the pain was. This one was pretty obvious. Next I reminded myself how pain is merely a sensation like any other.

Pain is not negative nor positive  – it was simply… there.

I also knew from previous long runs, so when it happened on the marathon I familiarized myself with it, controlled my thoughts associated with the pain, and kept going.

Are you ready?

Meditation and mindfulness is about enjoying life’s moments, moment after moment.

It is a state and a commitment to living the ‘good life.’

Tiny things like picking up on someone’s personality while talking or their motives for pitching an idea to you are fun to realize.

Not only that, mindfulness shows you how to shift your perspective to who you’re talking to.

Think about what emotions they’ll feel when you say certain things. Your words are powerful.

Don’t over think anything

Overthinking anything tends to lead to negative emotions. I used to over think and worry about everything: mistakes I made, regrets, what others think of me, etc… the list is endless. And it is comical to think about now.

The point is to drop the things you can’t control. Any easy way to jumpstart this is by dropping the past.

I used to get a ton of anxiety thinking about the past. Self confidence plummets which is no good for anyone!

By noticing sensations I’m constantly reminded that all of these feelings are nothing but thoughts… and luckily, you can control your thoughts!

You have the power to change your thoughts at any time. Start now.

Your turn:

Do you try to catch yourself thinking? What do you notice?

The post How to Apply Meditation to Your Life appeared first on ConnorMeaks.com ~ The Aspiring Renaissance Man.

Despite my inability to walk afterward, the feeling of crossing that line and finishing my first marathon is difficult to put into words.

It’s an adrenaline rush like no other. Everything slowed after crossing the line. Although I was a bit lightheaded and could barely walk, to finally enjoy that moment with the roaring crowd is thrilling.

Coasting on Emotions

After a day or so to reflect, I’m still blasted by a ton of emotions. Mainly I’m appreciative for having the ability to train and last through an entire 42 km’s.

My body held up and for that I am fortunate because I know there are a ton of people out there who would kill for the ability to run without discomfort.

There’s another rarely talked about feeling: gratitude.

I’m grateful for the amazing community of friends and family who supported me through the journey.

Also to my running buddy Chris. We embarked on this crazy idea 42 days before the 42 km onslaught, did every training run together, and crossed the finish line on Sunday together.

Whether a message, text, or tweet, these words of encouragement make a huge difference. I appreciate every single one of you.

Special shout out is in order for Andrew and Mike who rode their bikes alongside us for about 25 of the 42 kms. These guys are truly amazing human beings.

Beating a bongo drum and toting an ipod stereo, these two yelled and encouraged us the whole way, making jokes and entertaining other runners.

Off the bucket list?

People ask if this is a one-off accomplishment. My answer is probably not. While I realize this is quite a feat in and of itself, I want more.

I’m wired in such a way that I always crave the next thing. Call it ambition or stupidity, but the point is, I’ll never settle for where I’m at now.

Toughest part?

The downhills are brutal. My quads and hip flexors were completely shredded after a steep downhill at around 20 km –  this made for a painful later half.

But, the good thing about the Vancouver Marathon is the sheer volume of loud supporters through the second half of the course.

Winding through beaches along the rugged Vancouver coastline – locals cheer like crazy to everyone. It’s the first time i’ve ran to the sounds of complete strangers cheering me on.

This is a pretty awesome feeling.

Is there really a wall you hit?

Yes. Things got “interesting” at around 37 km mark. It’s like an ongoing one way argument between you and your body.

Your legs are literally screaming at you.

We ran past a handful of individuals who were on the pavement cramped up and keeled over in pain. Luckily there’s a ton of aid people all around the course.

I felt awful for these people. I can’t imagine going that far and having your ability to finish taken away from you.

The finish – High fives all around

Circling the Vancouver seawall still about 3 km out, we could hear roars coming from the finish line. This is where a glimmer of optimism hits you.

The final few turns up Georgia st., you can finally see the massive crowd screaming and sign holding.

I got a nice boost from the crowd and proceeded to high five one side of the cheering section for the last 200m or so.

This is a moment I’ll never forget: pure euphoria, nothing else.

The image of Chris and I finishing is one that’ll forever be pasted in the back of my mind. 

If you’re curious, we finished with a time of 3 hours 28 minutes. Not too shabby given the tight schedule me thinks!

The post How Does It Feel To Run Your First Marathon? appeared first on ConnorMeaks.com ~ The Aspiring Renaissance Man.

The saying that ‘the journey is the reward’ doesn’t hold for marathon training. But, that is not to say that the journey is not a fulfilling process. Let me explain as I’m two weeks to marathon completion.

Marathon training over the past month certainly is a journey. Reward? Not sure about that one yet.

The fulfilling part is pushing my personal limits, both physically and mentally. You’d be surprised what thoughts creep into your mind three hours into a run.

Things from questioning my sanity for subjecting myself to this, to how fortunate I am in having the ability to run outside with such beautiful surroundings enter my thoughts.

The ultimate reward is accomplishment. Finishing my first marathon on a 42 day condensed training plan certainly is a nice feather in my cap.

Anticipating the finish continually cross my mind. As I’ve come to understand, your first marathon is about completing the 42 km slog.

It may sound a tad arrogant, but I already know I’ll finish – I have no choice in the matter. My mind won’t let me not finish.

If it were up to me, race day would be tomorrow. I’d finish the run, and plan out the next physical adventure.

Do you have any suggestions? I have a few in mind, but please leave a comment with yours.

Sore and Bewildered?

My legs go through weird cycles of fatigue and soreness. Through training for this thing, I’ve changed my running style a bit to accommodate the monotonous grind of 3+ hours on pavement. Don’t you worry, I won’t run barefoot or in Vibrams anytime soon.

The other interesting thing happened after the last long run. We set out on a brisk Sunday morning. Things went swimmingly aside from one hiccup at the end. We miscalculated the route, and ‘finished’ 6km short of the target (damn you google maps).

You can imagine the feeling: basking in the glow of accomplishment, only to find you are not done yet.

Cue the kick to the midsection.

Nonetheless, we tacked on the 6km to meet our milage… much to the chagrin of the wobbly legs and meandering minds telling us the contrary.

Walking home post-run felt like a dream. My mind wandered in this semi-conscious daze – my head was literally in the clouds.

Before you play doctor and chime in, I do realize this was a combo of fatigue, glycogen depletion, and low blood sugar. Nonetheless, I embraced the state.

The biggest takeaway from my meditation is how mindful you become throughout the rest of your endeavours.

Everything was so vivid, things literally slowed to a crawl.

Now with under two weeks to race day, most of the hard work is over. I guess it’s time to enjoy the rest of the short journey.

Image cred: Wallpapers

The post Two Weeks to Marathon ~ Is the Journey the Reward? appeared first on ConnorMeaks.com ~ The Aspiring Renaissance Man.

Cooking a fluffy stack of pancakes after my Saturday morning run, I got to thinking about all of the ill-informed eaters out there. This is something I normally stay away from – what you eat is your choice. I couldn’t care less what you throw down your hatch.

What I do care about is when people push their dogma on others as gospel.

Now some of these folks base their eating choices around new diets. I’m all for trying new things and experimenting, especially with anything pertaining to your personal body.

What better way to figure out what works for you than self-experiments?

Between meditating and reading, I spend a lot of time thinking about peoples perceptions and points of view. What do I stand for? How does this differ from what you or someone may believe?

Personal diet philosophy is the perfect way to compare individual perception, beliefs, personality, and temperament. You’re passionate about what you eat whether it’s Big Macs or Kale.

Wired Differently

Worldview’s are stable beliefs you and I maintain and our wiring is such that we hold strong worldviews on certain things.

For people interested in diet and exercise, these two things are at the heart of their strongest worldviews.

The fun thing about worldviews is that when yours are challenged, you batten down the hatches and they get strengthened. You tend to shut out alternatives more than usual.

Let’s call it stubbornness.This is a shame, but reality.

I don’t believe in magic

I want you to approach the things you eat with a more open mind… Let me explain with an example – let’s pick on gluten.

The current gluten free fiasco is causing a mass exodus from products containing wheat, and a host of other tasty grains.

Gluten free eating is great! It serves a noble purpose for those who have legitimate gluten allergies or medical conditions like Celiac Disease.

If you fall into this category, please avoid gluten at all costs!

The crowd I’m talking to are the ‘thinkers.’ You know, the ones who either think they have a gluten intolerance, or think gluten free diets are healthier than the alternative.

This crowd swaps their rice for quinoa and counts the days to waste shrinkage… Still waiting?

Beware of the eating experts – confirmation seekers

For whatever reason, thinkers love sharing their latest spiel. You know who I’m talking about, the confirmation seekers.

These folks are also the self-appointed food expert among your friends. The funny thing I’m noticing is that there are more and more of these people coming out of the woodwork.

“So I read this blog… it must be true!”

The other issue with fad / new diets are the extroverts who talk your ear off about it. Yes paleo, raw, vegan, and gluten free folk, I’m pointing the finger at a few of you… the talkers.

Everyone tries diets because they’re not happy with the way they look. Some may sugar coat it to make themselves feel better, but I’m not buying it.

Don’t tell me you are suddenly swapping Lucky Charms for a spinach smoothie when April rolls around because you’re suddenly concerned about preventing heart disease.

Are your diet efforts sustainable?

Probably not.

Here’s an example why. Take a two minute scan through Twitter or Instagram. You’ll be inundated with someone’s latest gluten free, soy, vegan monstrosity of a meal.

I’m cherry picking examples, and this is purely anecdotal, but the funny trend I see with these people is that they’re not making sustainable progress.

They’ll talk until they’re green in the face about how a magical new diet has changed their life.

What I don’t see is any of these people sustaining these efforts. Do you?

It’s about your mindset and approach to what you may think is healthy eating more than anything else.

The thing with food intolerances (gluten included) is that your typical elimination diet doesn’t work unless you’re 99% compliant for an extended period.

What I see from the majority of these folks is being *insert food here* free when it’s convenient for them.

All of a sudden, Saturday night rolls around and you are downing gluten infused ales and slices of pizza like it’s your job.

Blame evolution?

While it’s great hearing about how well the diet is going and how much better your gut feels,  bigger things are at work here. Mainly our evolutionary ingrained cognitive biases and dare I say: the placebo effect.

Simply put: your expectations of something happening re-wires circuits in your brain unconsciously. Perceptions are altered, and your beliefs are fulfilled.

I want you to be sceptical of everything you read in health, fitness, wellness, and diet (including this post).

If you think I’m full of shit, call me out and leave a comment.

Health(ier).. what is it?

Healthier is a loaded term, and diet is something I hate to hear people talking about because stereotypical diets don’t work. They are not sustainable.

What is sustainable is changing your lifestyle. Next time you think of cutting carbs, commit to one small food choice change instead.

Here’s an easy one: pick one vegetable you like, and eat it with your lunch everyday until you are sick of it. Then switch to another vegetable.

Start small, nothing worth having happens overnight.

The post Why Your New Diet Won’t Work appeared first on ConnorMeaks.com ~ The Aspiring Renaissance Man.

Two and a half weeks into full on marathon training, one question keeps popping up: am I doing it right? Honestly, I have no idea. I knew nothing about marathon running or training until about three weeks ago.

Luckily, the age of the internets makes things easy and cheap to learn about. A few articles read, the marathon plan is in place.

While my knowledge is still limited, one thing’s for sure –  I’m inspired to give it my best shot.

You’ve probably gone through something similar, where, although you may second guess yourself at times, something just feels right. This is sort of what is going on with operation marathon.

What follows is essentially a brain dump of self-reflection regarding my marathon training.

My mindset be shiftin’

Since starting to meditate, my mindset is shifting quite a bit. I’m starting to enjoy things for what they are.

Let me explain. Previously I would dread running – I saw it as monotonous and boring. Meditating allowed me to shift perspective and truly enjoy and savour the moments I get to run.

The ability to run outside is a privilege; being healthy enough to pound the pavement regularly is something which I am fortunate for, and now now I enjoy every moment of it.

Speaking of enjoying things, talking about this far-fetched endeavour is a good conversation starter. To say I’ve received some interesting reactions from people would be an understatement.

From armchair commentary, repetitive advice, to forewarnings and wisdom, I welcome all the advice with open arms.

The supporters remind me how lucky I am to be in a position to try this, and the naysayers inspire me shatter their perceptions.

Willpower up the ying yang

One trend which keeps coming up concerns how much ‘harder’ a marathon is than a half marathon: “just worry about finishing,” they say. People keep telling me that I’ll hit a wall at some point on race day. This seems arbitrary to me.

Personally, when I have my mind set on something, I won’t stop until it’s done. This is one case where having an addictive personality is a gift and a curse.

The thought of committing to completing something, whatever it is, and not following through is ludicrous to me.

In the case of this marathon, not finishing simply won’t happen. My ‘will’ (not sure what else to call it) is too strong.

Ramping up and pounding pavement

Throughout the last two weeks, the training volume is getting significantly larger. Before this modest plan, I figure that I average 40 km per week.

Last week we clocked about 70 km and felt pretty good about it.

Our weeks look something like this: 8-15 km runs on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Rest days on Monday and Friday. Active recovery or light activity on Saturdays, and a long run on Sundays.

This past Sunday, we set out for our longest training run to date. The plan: bang out a causal 30 km mid-morning jaunt before all of Vancouver’s hot running spots got too crowded.

We overshot our route estimate (damn you google maps)… more on that below.

What to eat and drink while you’re running for 3 hours?

This is an interesting one, because I love to eat. Real food. Looking at power gels makes me cringe… do people actually slurp that crap

Nonetheless, we were stoked to test out fuel and hydration tactics, and also see how the legs react to the increased distance and volume.

With that in mind, shopping for groceries on Saturday, I figured I should grab something to fuel my run, so I headed to the nutrition section of the grocer.

Dilemma time: Do I spend $5 on fancy gels and sports candies or do I buy the childrens chocolate bar with the shiny label? You’ll be pleased to hear that I went for the later.

So while Chris fuelled on fancy Cliffbar candies, I elected for a chocolate bar stuffed into the quickly ripping pocket of my running shorts.

Surprisingly, it actually worked out pretty well. I chowed it down at the 20 km mark, and it was delicious!

How tired is too tired?

We overshot our Sunday stroll by a few km’s, and ended up running 33.5 km in just under three hours.

The legs definitely felt a wee bit fatigued after the run. The rest of my sunday consisted of me laying low, off my feet.

Fatigue really is not that bad, I was surprised. Maybe because I’m used to always being sore and barely being able to walk up stairs all the time from my Field Hockey training days.

Honestly, my legs haven’t felt this good in about five years. I could still feel a bit of fatigue in my legs on Tuesday’s run, but no soreness.

It’s also comforting knowing that we both had lots left in the proverbial tank and could have hit marathon distance on Sunday.

Confidence is high through week three. I’m not sure how this whole thing will play out… just going to enjoy the marathon experience.

The post Marathon Training: Am I Doing It Right? appeared first on ConnorMeaks.com ~ The Aspiring Renaissance Man.

If you’re not moving forward, then what are you doing?

This is something I continually ask myself. Whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually, I like to think that I’m continually moving forward – working towards something and creating progress. This is part of the reason I decided to run a marathon.

I’m confident you might get similar feelings – you know, that awkward itch where you know you’re ‘spinning your wheels’ on something, but you’re not sure how to change it.

You may not even know what that ‘thing’ is (I sure as hell don’t). It’s fine if you can’t pinpoint the specifics, try changing small things one at a time and see if the feeling goes away. Focus on things you can control.

The post Running A Marathon On 42 Days Notice ~ Challenge Yourself appeared first on ConnorMeaks.com ~ The Aspiring Renaissance Man.

My mission on the train from Vancouver to Portland, LA, then onto Austin for SXSW just about took everything out of me.

In hindsight, spending five days on a train leading into five days of madness in one of the craziest cities may have been a tad ambitious.

I won’t bore you with the minutia of my trip because I already wrote about it on the HootSuite Blog.

Instead, I’ll share some musings from one of the best trips of my life thus far.

*Side Note* If you haven’t already read about my trip, I encourage you to take a peek, there are some cool stories about burrito ladies, travel bloggers, and train conductors. The preview can be found here, followed by part 1 and part 2.

Your comfort zone is holding you hostage

No one cares about your typical work endeavour, goal, or event unless is has some oomph to it. Had my trip been your typical walk in the park, no one would care either.

Subtleties like the words you use to describe your project – how you pitch and brand it can inject some much needed zest and get you noticed.

You’ll notice that I used word like adventure, journey, and ‘epic quest’ to brand my trip. These are easy wins in making your project seem cool and unconventional.

I managed to get decent organic pickup on the articles because my trip was interesting and because it pushed me personally.

Social media is a complete time waster

Shocker right?

Your are probably like myself and get caught up on social media, building a following, obsessing over details out of your control.

What I’m here to tell you is this. Instead of worrying about the small things, step outside your comfort zone of the screen. Do something interesting with your life, then share it.

People who’ve built meaningful platforms online, and the large followings that go with it, all do interesting things.

What they don’t do is spend all day on Twitter. Twitter is endless, it’s not like your inbox where you can (potentially) get it to zero.

The trip made me realize what I want. What is important. Doing trips like these and sharing the stories with you makes me happy.

With that, my plan is to do more of just that; doing interesting things and writing about them. Wow…what a breakthrough!

Take home for you: find out what makes you happy. If this is interesting to you, chances are it is interesting to others. Find these people and share it with them.

Leave room for spontaneity in your life

I got to Portland two hours late realizing I was going to be late for an event I was hosting. Also, not having accommodation aside from a couple of couch offerings.

So I swiftly retrieved my luggage and b-lined it for the washroom in Portland’s train station. What better place to ‘freshen up’ before a night on the town?

Looking more dapper than usual, I rallied to a dive bar called Lucky Lab (amazing spot, they allow dogs), and met an amazing group of Portlanders.

They treated me like family.

The event went well, then next thing I know, I’m stuffed into a car with four other Portlanders, cruising to different breweries, food carts, and even the infamous Voodoo Donuts. What a night!

The reason I tell this story is because I struggle with spontaneity. Usually things need to be planned and calculated, but allowing myself to let go and embrace uncertainty allowed for one of the best nights of my trip.

Although I was kicking myself when 6:30 am came, realizing I had a deadline to publish my article on the trip, it was well worth it.

The thing that makes Portland amazing is the people, lucky for me, I’ll be back in July for World Domination Summit.

5Run in three states?

I couldn’t possibly do this epic trip without knocking off 5Runs in three different states could I?
Portland was a rainy, but right up my alley, being a Vancouver boy.

I met up with writer extraordinaire, Tyler Hurst for a tour of downtown Portland and along The Willamette River.

Next, I managed to execute the quickest of jaunts in West Hollywood before rushing out to a series of meetings. In the hot California sun, I managed to get one high five!

Last but not least, a sleep-deprived run through the massive University of Texas campus in Austin primed me for yet another long day and night during SXSW.

It pays to be cordial ~ Not all train conductors are jolly

5:30 wake ups on the train was well worth it

Apparently mounting GoPros on the back of the train is not kosher. Here’s what happened: My new train buddy Eric and I hopped out during a stop in Tucson to mount a GoPro on the back of the train.

Our mission: to capture the beauty of the horizon from outside the train. It would potentially capture some really cool and unique footage.

The conductor spotted us dismounting the GoPro at the next stop. He was less than pleased.

I was sure it was a simple misunderstanding, but he was sure it was not, and planned to kick me and Eric off the train.

I ended up in a meeting with the conductor where I explained the collaboration with Amtrak, how I was authorized to film, and the vision for the journey.

Not everyone shares your perspective. It definitely pays to be courteous and polite no matter the situation.

After a quick call to Amtrak to confirm I was not some random hooligan, things were smooth as butter, as they say.

Also, in case you’re worried, we indeed captured the footage and didn’t lose the GoPro either!

No one is invincible

Ten days of four hours of sleep will catch up to you.

Of course I fancy myself as indestructible. I never get sick because I think I do everything right – I eat well, exercise daily, get my eight hours of sleep a night… etc.

This is all fine and dandy when in your comfort zone. On the road, things change.

I was hit with a brutal dose of reality. Sleep on the train was a no go as rattling and creaky train noises kept me up. I was also getting up at 5:30am daily on the train to mount GoPros to capture the sunrise.

This is where my health demise started, but it was only the beginning.

Onto SXSW, where everything is non-stop for about 19 hours of the day. No one is there to feel sorry for you because it’s the absolute best place to be if you work in tech, film, or music.

The show must go on, so I ponied up and pushed through on caffeine, vitamins, and dodgy over the counter pharmacy meds.

All that said, the trip was amazingly productive. You can literally get a years worth of relationship building done in four days at SXSW if you play it right.

Although I was hit with the rude awakening upon my return that I have bronchitis and an ear infection, it was well worth it.

In fact, I would do this trip again tomorrow.

This trek probably doesn’t happen if not for some luck, timing, and elbow grease. I guess it pays to hustle…. or be crazy enough to spend five days on a train before SXSW.

The post Conventional Is Boring – Step Outside Your Comfort Zone appeared first on ConnorMeaks.com ~ The Aspiring Renaissance Man.

Lot's to ponder on this adventure

Three weeks ago I came up with this crazy idea with my boss to hustle my way to South by Southwest Interactive (SXSW) at no cost. Easy right? Sort of. Anyway, with our goal in mind, it was time to figure out how to get it done.

What follows is a personal story of how I ended up on a train to Portland this morning as the first leg of a mission to Texas. I’m confident that you can take some learnings from my experience for ways to pitch your big shiny ideas, get them noticed, and green-lit.

What’s this all about?

Today I start a 5 day journey from Vancouver to Austin, Texas. Sure my main goal was to find a way to get to SXSW, but as I look out the window, i’m realizing it’s about the journey, not the destination.  

SXSW is the go-to event for nerds and tech geeks looking to make waves in the industry. Major media brands like Twitter owe their fame in part to launching at SXSW. Every year, it’s a ners’ arms race to figure out which hot new startup will take over.

My employer, HootSuite, sent a team of 10 down last-year. And I knew this year would be similar. The handful who do get to go are the envy of the rest of the company because SXSW is a geek’s paradise.

Being the realest I am, I figured my name would not be on the list for 2013. The lucky chosen few tend to be more higher up established peeps.

That is where this crazy idea started. Could I hack my way to SXSW?

Enter the train & a primer on sending the treacherous cold email

My boss, DaveO, is your modern day Jack Kerouac – the train idea was his. I remember him saying a month ago: “reach out to Amtrak and let’s see if we can train you down to sxsw.”

With that, I got my creep on and tried to find find someone at Amtrak who might be interested in hearing what I had to say.

The basic plan was this: if you provide travel arrangements, I will tell the story of my journey by blogging, producing videos, and just about every other form of media out there.

Once I found someone, it was time to extend the olive branch with the ultimate email.

When you’re in this situation, you need to take the perspective of the person you’re targeting with your pitch. What emotions are they going to feel getting a random email?

and how can you use this information to choose the right words in order to get a reaction?

Once you figure this out, you can start crafting the copy for your email.

Make it about them

The email you send isn’t about you. It is about accommodating the random person reading the email. Make it as short, concise, and as easy to read as possible. Bulleted lists, bold words, and short, well written sentences are your friend.

Note: I probably take this a bit too far, as i’ve been told my emails on occasion are… a bit too the point (true story).

But for the sake of pitching, you really need to cut through the crap and get to the point. Especially if you’re pitching to someone who gets hundreds of emails daily.

What do I have to offer to help them  and why is this pitch worth reading?

I had two things going for me with which to start: a unique story and the offer of online exposure. My story is an uncharacteristic journey to SXSW by train. Because, who in their right mind would spend 70 odd hours on a train for what would be a 5 hour flight?

Not only that, there’s also a secondary story about showing the masses how awesome train travel can be.

In terms of online exposure, i’m lucky in that I have the HootSuite name and platform: including the blog and social media accounts. This went a long way into crafting my pitch.

I know decision makers usually want stats and numbers. So I played ‘ball’ and shared the type of buzz I’m confident I can get going around the campaign.

You never know, this thing could go viral. Eh?

Perceptions are important. Figure out what someone wants, that is your end-goal. Once you have this info, you can work to figure out how to craft your pitch and get what you want.

Opportunities are out there, make them your own

My little anecdote is nothing special, but I hope it shows you what you can pull off with an idea and a little elbow grease.

A month ago, I had no chance of going to SXSW. After a couple of emails, the next thing I know, i’m on conferences calls with people from Washington DC and New York pitching my vision for this thing.

I told them how I wanted to tell the story of the timelessness of train travel, how awesome and enjoyable the trip can be. Because after all, train travel definitely is not the sexy choice among younger North Americans.

#HootTrak is the name of this adventure

If you’re interested in following my journey, the first blog entry is posted on the HootSuite blog, I even came up with a fancy name: Snakes On a Plane? More Like Owls On a Train: Welcome to #HootTrak.

I will say that i’m friggin stoked for this adventure. Sitting on a train now about to pass through the border into Washington State, I have to pinch myself because I can’t beleive this is actually happening.

#5Run in three states

You read correctly. The other cool thing I just realized is that i’ll be able to high five runners in three different states over the next 10 days!

Three out of 50 ain’t bad, but I definitely plan to knock off all 50 states in due time.

Anyway, enough rambling. I’ll be posting 3-4 blog entries about the trip, so stay tuned for more.

Now, over to you.

Any advice you can give me for this epic journey? Any recommendations the checkout in Portland, LA, or Austin?

Also, if you are in any of these cities, I would to meet, chit-chat, and connect… Don’t be shy!

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So I started dabbling with daily meditation in November. First off, a few caveats: I am not converting to buddhism, and I don’t fancy myself some spiritual guru.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, I would love to share what meditation means to me, how I think it will help you, and how to get started.

It’s one of the most difficult things i’ve ever tried to learn because it takes a different type of discipline – total concentration, time, and lots of practice.

When I first started I literally had no idea what was going on. I would sit there, eyes closed and breathing… basically waiting for it to end.

But… before pulling the chute, I did some research. I reached out to Jonathan Fields after reading his book, Uncertainty, and he pointed me to a few really cool resources. I was also inspired by this really cool personal anecdote on meditation from JC Deen.

So here I was, confused guy looking to meditate his way to a stress free, hyper-productive life, but how did I actually start meditation?

The premise of meditation for me is focused awareness, living in the present moment, and being aware your body.

I’ll save you the spiritual cheesefest, whilst trying to explain a bit about each below.

Starting out I struggled like crazy

I started meditating in November for a few reasons. Long days and bad sleep, but also i’m also just curious about ways to promote well-being, increase productivity, etc.

Coming from a psychology background, stress and anxiety are two things I spend a lot of time thinking about. The spiritual aspect of mindfulness meditation always popped up in psychology research as viable alternatives to your standard drug therapy approach.

I also, have this issue where I can never turn my mind off and ‘let go.’ When I go to bed, my mind goes crazy and I can’t sleep because its racing so fast.

I feel like a lot of people share similar issues – daily meditation can help you because it’s helped me.

My early days of meditation went something like this: I’d set a timer on my phone, sit in a dark, quiet room and count my breaths. I did four minutes to start, then added 30 seconds every day.

For me starting out, after a few minutes I got bored / frustrated and thought how ridiculous this meditation crap is.

“Am I doing it wrong? Do I need to sit cross-legged with my perched up and humming like a those guys in the movies?”

You will hit this wall.

But it’s part of the journey. Anything worth having doesn’t come easy.

Breathing = your anchor

Start with and always return to your breathing. This is the one constant which you can control.

So you’re in a dark room, eyes closed in an upright position – not too comfortable, but if you can’t cross your legs, don’t sweat it.

The first thing I focus on slowing my breathing. Start with five seconds in, and five out.

Breathing this slow is hard at first but if you really focus, you can make quick progress. Focus in on your breathing until it becomes clockwork.

*Note: Before you cuss me out for steering you wrong, tough it out and try pushing through the initial boredom wall. The benefits are going to surprise you… I promise.

Pay attention to your body

Our bodies are in a constant state of change. Tightness here, aches there, etc. These are called visceral changes: some you recognize, others you may not.

When i’m sitting and feeling good about my breathing, i’ll start to focus in on any body sensations. Make yourself aware of any tightness, sore spots, or pressure points.

Does your neck feel tight or ass hurt from sitting and trying to meditate? Great! Being aware of these things was a huge breakthrough for me.

Once you recognize these sensations, consciously make yourself aware of what it is. Slap a label on it (ie chest soreness), then return to your breathing and move on to the next spot or thought.

I find the simple act of recognizing these sensations and consciously labelling them for what they are brings a deeper state of relaxation.

Live in the present because nothing else matters

Nothing else really matters when you’re meditating. The sooner you embrace being content in the present moment, in meditation or everyday life, the sooner you’ll start living a better life.

You are relaxing, processing, and thinking. This sounds pretty cheesy, but being ‘present’ allows your mind to wander onto what is important.

Embrace the randomness. Personally, I get some crazy ideas from meditation. From work, to writing, to shity business ventures, and everything in between.

Focusing on the present helps to put things in perspective.

You’ll quickly realize what is truly important to you, what matters, and what is worth your most precious resource: time.

Next step: Label your thoughts

I talked a bit about this above, but what the hell does it mean?

Try to label every thought that enters your mind. Since you are attuned to your body and ‘present’ – you may start to notice your thoughts.

Allow your mind to wander. This is where things get really fun because literally the most random thoughts and themes start popping up. Embrace the randomeness.

As soon as you consciously notice a thought, label it.

When i’m meditating, if I start thinking about my day tomorrow – maybe something I need to do,  I will consciously label it as: preparation, planning, strategizing… anything.

The act of labelling with a word or phrase is so powerful. It immediately puts the thought at ease.

You can now move onto another thought or random musing.

The key with meditation is catching what crosses your mind. If the same thoughts reappear, keep labelling them – these are obviously things which your brain is tagging as important.

Rinse and repeat.

It becomes pretty fun when your mind starts wondering.

I challenge you start meditation

Bear in mind, this is all coming from a guy who can’t sit still and turn his mind off for a second, let alone 15 minutes.

I started small in November, and now I am up to 17 minutes a day. Committing to daily meditation is honestly one of the hardest things I have ever done, but for me, the benefits are worth it.

My goal is to work up to 25 minutes within the next few months. I would love for you to join me in this process.

We all have struggles and stresses in our daily lives. Meditation is one small, safe thing which can help shift your whole mindset on life.

Do you meditate? What does your practice look like? Please share your experiences in the comments.

Also, if you’re interested in more resources to help you start meditation, leave a comment or email me and I will happily pass them along to you.

Image cred: houseofjapan.com

The post Why I Chose To Start Meditation Plus A Modest Plan For You appeared first on ConnorMeaks.com ~ The Aspiring Renaissance Man.

Are you curious how the 5Run faired running a 5k… 18 times? Peruse the video to find out.

It’s been a long week… feels like I’ve been hit by a truck. Through the last seven days, along with my team and fellow Bagel Chasers, I’ve managed to run 90 km. This of course is in addition to working 50-55 hours this week.

Aside from causing me to reassess my life, (who spends this much time running?) this week really opened my eyes to the vibrant running community in Vancouver.

Small, passionate communities are all over the place, you just need to find them. Case in point is all the awesome people I met this past week. Everyone has a unique story from different backgrounds, but we all came together for a great cause.

Maybe, i’ve finally found the running enthusiasts.

I also figured out that (wait for it…) running in groups is WAY better than solo missions.

How did team #5Run fare running a 5k Bagel Chase?

Team #5Run FunBoys fell in love with the Bagel Chase – learning more about CISV, the vision and the cause, was inspirational.

In the end, it’s the people who inspired me to continue hammering out km’s every day, from dark rainy 6am mornings to post-work struggles.

Some called us crazy and others were a bit confused around the whole week. I like to think we left our ‘mark’ on the Bagel Chase, and our fellow runners.

We finished 2nd place in the group challenge – completing 480 km as a team. Falling short of first place was pretty disappointing.

Given that we were a rag tag team from a tech company going up against running groups from across the city, I am proud of what we accomplished.

The secret sauce to our runs were high fives. From running Saturday night with glow sticks, to early Friday morning, I truly feel like we managed to brighten our fellows runners days’, and add some fun to the ‘collective run.’

It got to the point where others were high fiving through the week. Mission = accomplished.

Much to the chagrin of my calves and hips, I enjoyed this past week.

So what should I do next week?

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