You Are What You Read, Follow Your Greenlights, and Streamline Your Life
Hi Folks! Connor and Nick here from Healthy Living With Nick and Connor. Thanks again for being on our email list, it means a lot, and we are excited to share our weekly email with you. We hope you enjoy it! Here is what we hope you take away from this one:
You are what you read. Consume information that allows you to be the person you want to be.
Become more open-minded in your life, increase your awareness of what you want to do, and be ready for the greenlights that present themselves to you.
Stop taking on too much in your life. Do the things that you really want to do and get rid of the rest.
Starter Mindset Tip: You Are What You Read
There is the age old saying “you are what you eat,” we also truly believe that “you are what you read” is also very true. This doesn’t just have to be books, this could be podcasts you listen to, shows you watch, the news you read. Whatever you consume has a large impact on your thoughts, your mood, your mindset, your beliefs, and the paths that you inevitably choose to go down. Make sure you choose to consume information that applies to all parts of your life and helps you in becoming the person you want to be. If you are a parent, read about parenting, if you run a business, read about running a business, if you would like to improve your health, read about improving your health, if you would like to improve as a person, read about self help and self improvement, if you like or would like to exercise, read a book about exercise. We are what we consume. Consume the information that allows you to be the person that you want to be.
Health Recipe: Follow YOUR Greenlights
Timing: Give yourself a little time every day to be open to new ideas
Level of Difficulty: Easy-hard depending on mindset
Serving Size: All you need are small moments throughout your day
Spiciness: Can get spicy when you chase a greenlight, but that spiciness shows you that you are on the right path
INGREDIENTS
Just yourself and an open mind to capitalize on the greenlights that come your way in your life
REASONING AND BENEFITS
This health recipe was inspired by the book “Greenlights” by Matthew McConaughey. This is a fantastic book that teaches you to keep your eyes open for the greenlights in your life, and go after them. A greenlight in your life is something that presents itself to you, and only you, to do something, to try for something, to go for it. You have to be on the lookout for these greenlights because if you don’t stop to notice them, if you travel through life with your head down, they may pass you by. Whether it be about relationships, about a new career path, about a trip, about something that you HAVE to do, greenlights can present themselves in any facet of your life. In order to notice these greenlights and distinguish them from a hard red or a soft yellow, you have to learn to be more open minded, listen to your inner voice, check in with yourself to see what you want to do in life, what you want to get out of life. This comes down to awareness. Increase your awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and interests, and give yourself the time to explore them. In your busy life it is very easy to let the days go by without giving yourself any time to stop, slow down, and look at your life. You have one life. Be on the lookout for greenlights at any time. Be open-minded, be aware of who you are and who you want to be, and live the life that you are meant to.
INSTRUCTIONS
Start living in a way that allows you to spot the greenlights in your life. Be open-minded, listen to your thoughts, feelings and interests, talk to people you look up to, talk to people with different ideas.
The more you live this way, the more you will start noticing these greenlights. Separate the greens from the reds based on what you want to get out of life. Not every opportunity that presents itself to you is a greenlight. Learn what a greenlight is to YOU, not someone else.
Start saying yes to the things you want to do that you have historically said no to.
Consume knowledge through books, podcasts, and talking to people that will expand your views, and feed your brain the proper fuel to be open to new thoughts and ideas.
Create the opportunities to find the greenlights and get after them.
PRO TIP: It may not always be clear what a greenlight is to you. If you are unsure, follow how you feel. Does the opportunity that is in front of you excite you? Do you want to spend time on it? The things that excite you, the things you spend your time on are usually the paths that you should explore further and chase that greenlight.
* Read the book “Greenlights,” by Matthew McConaughey.
** One of Connor’s greenlights: Taking a year off of work and travelling across Canada and the US with my wife and two sons. The greenlight presented itself as an idea, we were excited about it, then we went after it. We made the decision, we planned for it, we made it happen.
*** One of Nick’s greenlights: Becoming an emergency room physician after medical school. The path presented itself to me, I made a plan to attack it in a way that still provided me with work life balance to avoid burnout. I made it happen, and I have prioritized time for myself, my partner, my family, and my friends ever since.
Dessert Quote:
“What are five things you are focusing your time and energy on right now? Think about eliminating one or two of them so you can immerse yourself deeper in the 3 you actually care about.” — Connor McCuaig, Dec. 13th, 2024 sitting by the fire in Tofino.
Now we want to hear from YOU! Please let us know what you think of today’s newsletter, and send us an example of how you applied the health recipe to your life! We would love to share how you introduced this week’s recipe into your life’s unique menu. Thanks and have a great Sunday!
Sources:
Learn more about living the life you want to live:
McConaughey, M. (2020). Greenlights: Raucous stories and outlaw wisdom from the Academy Award-winning actor. Hachette UK.
