EMPTY SPACE
21 JAN 2018
Take a deep breath.
Close your eyes.
Okay, so it might be hard to read the next lines with your eyes closed, but read the next 5 lines, and then close your eyes and do the instructions.
Breathe in as if you are trying to force your breath into the tips of your fingers and ends of your toes. Inhale as if you are trying to fill yourself up with life.
Let it out slowly, allowing yourself to retract back to your normal position.
Repeat 3 times.
Now take a moment to acknowledge how great that felt. Do you feel more centered? More present? More in the moment?
Me too. Thanks for sharing that with me.
It’s simple exercises like this over the last year that have encouraged me to cultivate empty space in the moments in between life, and to acknowledge and make the most of them when they arise.
Try this on Monday: before you go into a big meeting, breathe deep 3 times. Try not to think about what’s happening next, just focus on the feeling of your ribs stretching and your fingertips tingling. Smile, and be thankful you are where you are. Then walk in.
The theme for this week is (loosely) cultivating empty space.
I hope you find ways of doing so in your own life.
With gratitude,
Brendan
Things I’ve Been Reading, by length:
X by Chuck Klosterman [431 pages] (3/5) [Book 3 of 52]
As a freelance journalist, Chuck has had a front row seat to some of history’s most famous personalities in music, writing, and pop culture. A self-professed lover of rock ‘n roll, literary fiction, and societal shifts, his perspective on the goings of the world are tailored brilliantly to this musical, well-read lens. This book, his 10th publication (hence the title) is a collection of some of his favourite and most widely read essays, and bridges from Taylor Swift to the death of Lou Reed, from various authors to contemplating the societal impact of Harry Potter and the weighted score of individual band members’ impact on the group’s success, musically and professionally. It’s a wild ride, and was a fun introduction to a series of unexpected rabbit holes throughout the last 20 years. Some of the essays went over my head, some dragged on too long, but all of them were insightful and entertaining. It’s clear to see why Mr. Klosterman has published 10 books so far. I’m certain, if his writing stays at this caliber, there will be many more.
Be Like Water [10 min read] (4/5)
Bruce Lee is a personal hero of mine. His philosophy of martial arts, and the way he conducted himself professionally and personally, are models to exemplify in our own lives. He was truly a martial arts professional, one who viewed the philosophical and the physical as two sides of the same coin. His mantra on “being like water” is a powerful reminder that we mold our inner self, and we should do so with thoughtfulness and intention. The sheer grace and power Bruce was able to cultivate, not only in his body, but in the way his conducted his life, is a testament to the principles he mastered. His image is my desktop background, and is a steady reminder that strength and power need not come from bulk or mass, but rather from refinement of energy, intention of focus, and an indestructable inner spirit. Be like water, my friends.
8 Ways to Read (a lot) More Books This Year [5 min read] (3/5)
It’s always fun to hear tips from people you admire on a goal you are trying to achieve. I’m a fond admirer of Mr. Pasricha, author of The Book of Awesome and The Happiness Equation, and his points are succinct, practical, and easy to use. I’ve put a few into action already, such as eliminating TV and putting not one, but two bookshelves front and center in our apartment (but let’s face it, what’s not front and center in our apartment?). Here’s to eliminating the excess and focusing on the essential a little more this year.
What I Learned from 7 Days Doing Nothing [4 min read] (2/5)
Disconnect. Sit with the boredom. Let the dissonance fade away. You might be surprised in what you find.
Something I’ve Been Using:
Toronto Public Library Card (6!!!!/5)
What if I told you there was this magical portal that gave you access to nearly limitless information, on demand, whenever you wanted it, for free, forever? What if I told you most of us have immediate access to it through a small device we carry around with us all the time?
What if I told you, instead, we use it to take pictures of our food and watch cat videos?
Of course, this “thing” is the internet. And that item we carry with us is our cellphone/computer/laptop/home speaker. Free, nearly unlimited access to information, whenever we want it, all the time.
Pretty amazing, isn’t it?
Now, let me take it one step further: what did we used to use before we had the internet? We had this crazy collections of written notes called “books”, that we used to keep in a place called a “library”.
We could borrow the books from the library, read them, and get their knowledge. It’s how we got smarter, and learned about the world.
Now the internet has been turned into a toxic wasteland for advertisements, self-indulgent narcissism, and YouTube celebrities — so much so that many people are getting rid of it all together.
Fortunately, there’s a repreave: libraries still exist. You can learn almost anything you’ve ever wanted, borrow any book on any topic you can think of, and do it all for free.
All you need is an access card.
Which, in most cities, is free if you live there. Pretty amazing, huh?
What are you waiting for?
And if you don’t know where to start, here’s a list of the most popular books from last year according to the Toronto Public Library.
Something I’ve Been Writing:
Thoughts on Empty Space [5 min read]
This is an answer to the question “What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned recently?” for a Venture for Canada Q+A that I was well overdue on delivering (sorry Sindhu!).
Personally, I hate everything about that question. What does “interesting” mean? How about “learned”? What if I’m still learning, and does one determine the point at which they’ve “learned” something? And how “recently”? Yesterday? Last Week? This year?
Not to harp on the VFC people — I know they’re busy — but ask something more specific. The other questions were great, however, and I guess everyone is allowed one mistake.
So I just went for the profound. Perhaps reframing the question: what’s the most surprising and profound life lesson you learned in 2017?
My answer was simple: the importance of cultivating empty space.
That feels like a long-winded answer, but it can be summed up quite nicely: what are the things you do that “clear your head”? For me, this question has been a profound wake-up call in my life this year.
I go into much more detail in my response, but simply, find space for clear thinking and rest.
This last year has been more pedal-to-the-metal than I expected, so finding the space for quiet thought and relaxation has been a critical offset to the high-speed pace of everything else in my life.
Journaling has been a big help here. So has not having TV or internet in my apartment. Headphones at work help me get into the groove when I need to focus.
But all of these are just tools. The real work is knowing how to turn your mental chatter off and let your conscious mind go silent. Whenever I’m feeling worn out, the act of emptying my brain through silence helps to rejuvenate me in ways I haven’t experienced before.
Give it a try in your own life. When you’re feeling anxious, frustrated, worn down, or exhausted, take 5 minutes to sit in a quiet space, and just breathe.
It works wonders for me. Maybe it’ll work for your too.
PS: The VFC article will be out shortly! Will link to it next week.
Project I’ve Been Working On:
I’m working on getting a webpage up and running so I can more easily capture emails to join our weekly get-togethers here.
For those of you who have read this far, thank you. You’re the reason I keep pushing this out every week.
I’d be delighted if you could share it around (if you feel it’s worth sharing) and I’ll do my best to have a landing page by next week.
