Yeah. You’ve read that right.
I am an addict.
Something I’ve been hiding from for longer than I care to admit, but it’s time to face the demons, be open and honest and address this addiction head-on.
It’s time to do something about it and make the changes necessary to overcome the addiction and move forward with my life.
Bumper Edition of The Weekly
Part of my addiction has been the reason that I’ve missed the weekly for the last 3 or nearly 4 weeks. But it’s time to come clean and hopefully clear some mental head space to allow me to continue on the path and continue on this path of self-improvement and personal development.
To be honest, the dials of life were turned up too high for me to commit to my writing schedule, and it’s easy to fall away from something when it isn’t your main priority.
My main, and biggest, priority is my fitness business. Helping people take control of their health and fitness, without the fluff, without the bullshit and helping them get into the best shape of their lives the easy way.
The Shred is now two weeks in, some unreal results so far and super excited to see how the 21 Shredders progress over the next 6 weeks. Something tells me some of the results are going to be unbelievable. Especially given that they’ve collectively lost ~100 lbs in just 2 weeks.
Turning the dials of life
I am a big believer in having dials for your life.
Imagine them as volume dials.
Having volume dials for various aspects of your life means you can control the things that are most important to you at that given time. But also what needs your most attention right now.
From experience, this is where most people fuck up their own health and fitness. They try and endure a fat loss phase when their social calendar is at the busiest. It’s going to be impossibly difficult to stay on track, without being a miserable bellend, when you’ve got so many social occasions.
Instead, turning the dial to maintenance for your health and fitness, whilst simultaneously turning up the social dial – is probably the right way to go about things.
My dials were really out of sync recently, and I need to do a better job of managing them.
The dial for onboarding, client work, fitness, and the normal stuff that comes with launching a product got cranked up so high that basically, everything else went out the window.
Lessons learned in managing expectations and not allowing myself to dig a hole when dials unexpectedly turn.
Getting up to speed
- Spent a week inside my hotel room advertising the Shred 3.0 (It went better than expected, so always a win)
- Drove up to Chiang Rai which is ~3 hours on the bike
- Visited a couple of amazing waterfalls
- Got my first rain in 9 weeks
- Experienced some wonderful Thai hospitality
- Saw some more temples
- Came back to Chiang Mai for a week
- Extended my time in Thailand and extended my Visa
- Booked my flights to Vietnam and planned further travel (Vietnam, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan)
- Went back to Chiang Rai in hope for better weather
- Sunrise hike up Phu Chi Fa
- Visited the Black Temple and Fish Temple (Both unreal)
- Back to Chiang Mai for one final week before leaving for Vietnam
A mini Chiang Rai Adventure
When originally planning to come to Thailand, I didn’t think Chiang Mai would be the place I fell in love with. I thought it would have been, Chiang Rai.
It wasn’t to be.
A smaller version of Chiang Mai, about 3 hours north and closer to the Myanmar and Laos borders.
Chiang Rai is nestled beside the mountains. Hosts some amazing waterfalls, beautiful temples, and enticing jungles and is home to the cave where the Thai boys got stuck a few years ago.
Interesting drive north through rice fields, winding roads, dodging buffalos, chickens, and dogs.
Unfortunately my first time in Chiang Rai it wasn’t the best weather. Rain, wind, a thunderstorm, and some pretty epic lightning. Butchered some of my plans as riding a scooter in those conditions isn’t the cleverest of ideas.
It did however mean that the waterfalls were flowing at max capacity, the leaves were green and the jungle came alive.
Khun Korn waterfall is the biggest in Northern Thailand and is definitely worth a visit.
As is Huay Mae Sai. This is where I had a wonderful experience of Thai hospitality and curiosity.
I was photographing the waterfall when 5 youngish Thai girls crossed behind me carrying everything but the kitchen sink.
You name it, they had it. Pots, pans, pestle and mortar, more food to feed the 5000, a BBQ.
They set up their camp next to my tripod and went to work on building a fire, getting the BBQ lit, preparing food, etc.
I asked one of the girls if the waterfall was deep enough for me to jump off of the side and in, and she said no.
“It’s too cold.”
Bless. But she did confirm that it would be above my head if I did jump in.
Not fully convinced my Thai had translated well enough, I waded in and did a depth test myself. To my surprise, she wasn’t lying.
It was freezing.
But it was deep.
After I emerged from the depths like a poor man’s Jason Mamoa, the girls laughed and giggled to themselves. Probably at my stupidity for getting so cold.
One girl shouted me over and offered me some food.
It was corn, but I didn’t know what it was at first.
I struggled to work out how to peel back the corn, struggling. When a girl half my height, and half my weight basically tore it in one go.
Embarrassed, I laughed and the girls all mocked me for my lack of strength, ha!
More food on offer, more laughter, and just a genuine interaction with some locals enjoying their little slice of waterfall paradise in the jungle.
I went to dry off and I could see one of the girls trying to record them all making food, dancing, and genuinely just enjoying their time together.
Seeing the struggle, I went over and offered my tripod in exchange for the food they’d gifted me.
They were delighted, and it made the little waterfall experience so much better.
My Second Jaunt to Chiang Rai
On my first trip to Chiang Rai, the weather had different ideas for my plans.
Missing out on a sunrise mission to Phu Chi Fa, missing the drive through to the Fish Temple/Cave, and also missing the Black Temple.
Not wanting to miss these before leaving for Vietnam, it was time to head back up for the weekend and see if I could bag them all before dusk set on Sunday evening.
The drive from Chiang Mai to Phu Chi Fa is nearly 5 hours.
Have you ever sat on a rumbling, vibrating… scooter for 5 hours? To some of you, that sounds pleasurable, I’d imagine. However, it is not.
Phu Chi Fa is one of the most famous places, well at least with recent Instagram exposure, for cloud inversions.
I wasn’t fortunate enough for a cloud inversion, but despite the early, and cold start, howling winds, and sleepy eyes, the sunrise was worth it and I am glad I made the trip north to Phu Chi Fa.
Having seen the White Temple in Chiang Rai on the first visit (and being bitterly disappointed, how it’s as popular as it is, I’ve got no idea). I wanted to see the black temple. A contrast to the white, instead of concrete, it’s made from wood. Giving me Norge vibes and taking me back to a wild summer in the van.
The black temple is worth a visit if you’re in Chiang Rai, but the fish cave/temple is by far one of the best temples I’ve seen in the whole of Thailand.
Not just a temple, but a cave, a huge lake filled with fish, and the temple grounds are home to some adorable monkeys too. Well worth the drive north!
Admitting I am an addict
Without realising it, I’ve become an addict.
The addiction?
Thankfully it’s not ladyboys.
It’s also not drug-related, although a steroid addiction could be quite easily attained here in Thailand.
It’s not an alcohol addiction.
Guessed it?
I’m addicted to comfort.
It fucking infuriates me.
Slowly but surely I’ve reverted back to choosing comfort over discomfort.
I recently read Cameron Hanes’ book, “Endure”. An inspiring story of a self-made man that gets everything he wants out of his life. Becoming a world-leading Bowhunter, an ultra runner, and just a generally all-around bad ass mother fucker.
But what inspired me most about Cam, and what inspires me most about anyone, is the art of doing.
Not thinking.
Not researching, looking at best practices, reviews, stories, tales, and all that fluff.
Doing the actual work.
I’ve wanted to get back into some Z2 cardio work for a long time, and with some BIG expeditions planned for the latter part of the year, it’s more of a necessity than anything else. But I’ve put it off and put it off.
I want to write, share my stories, and experiences, document my life and my travels, and hopefully, inspire others to do the same. But something stopped me from doing the work.
There are multiple facets of my life that comfort has slowly proceeded to action. Like the slow growth of ivy, before I knew it, comfort was my addiction.
Comfort was my drug.
Monk Mode: Engage
I’ve recently obsessed with this idea called Monk Mode.
It’s a time, or a phase, of one’s life where they focus on only the things that they want to grow in, develop or excel at.
Getting rid of all the unnecessary junk, fluff, and bullshit and honing in on the actions they know will lead toward their goals.
Monk Mode often requires some meditation, daily exercise, learning, etc. Some of this doesn’t really appeal to me and I’ve had enough time to dwell, focus and plan in the art of not doing that I’ve decided I’ll be doing my own version of Monk Mode.
Project90: Monk Mode.
90 days starting today, Monday 27th February.
Ending Sunday 28th May.
There are three levels to my P90, and that’s all.
This means there’s not too much overwhelm, it’s relatively time efficient and means even on the longest of days, I’ll still be able to get it done.
But, knowing how I operate, and how I work. Doing these three things daily will be like the tipping of dominoes. Leading from 3, into 6, into 12, etc.
Three levels to P90.
- Run a minimum of one mile every single day.
- Create/post a reel on IG every single day.
- Publish one article every single day.
These three things tie into the person I am trying to become.
Someone who is physically active and fit.
Someone who is a creator, not a consumer.
Someone who is a writer.
More than the actual goal is to build some mental callouses of resilience and discipline.
When the alarm goes off before sunrise, will I choose to stay in the comfort of my bed or run a mile?
When the option is to go out drinking with newly formed friends, or write and publish an article, which will I choose?
I want to be the person who takes action.
The person who does things instead of saying they’ll do things.
A do-er.
Here’s to the next 90 days.
Monk mode, engaged.