Good Things Are Happening

Hi Readers.

Happy Sunday! In today's news, good things are happening. You may have noticed by now that this blog is all about the positive vibes and how to maximize them in your life for peace, happiness, and mental/physical/spiritual well-being. You also may have noticed that the external world at large is getting way more toxic, divisive, vitriolic, negative, and frankly exhausting with each passing day. This blog - and the Church of Bike With Joe - is intended to counteract that doom-y and gloomy narrative. Many people tell me they feel hopeless about the direction of the external world at large and powerless to do anything about it. I'm here to tell you that you have a lot more agency, autonomy, and control over your positivity and happiness than you think. But, that being said, it requires taking action (wishful DOING vs wishful THINKING).

Most people don't have the time or resources to take any big and impactful action on the negativity that plagues the external world. And that can make people feel hopeless, helpless, and want to passively give up. But just because you cannot control the external (outside) world does not mean you cannot control your inner world, and bring peace, happiness, and positivity to that. I have spent the past 56 (almost 57) years exploring this problem and searching for a potent evidence-based solution to it. Despite a lot of trial and error, I finally did. And, as it turns out, the solution is much simpler than anyone (even me!) anticipated. In short, the solution is three-fold:

1. Exercise aerobically for at least 30 minutes every day (ideally) or on more days of the week than not (if there are obstacles to daily aerobic exercise).

2. Follow a whole food (80%), plant-based (100%) diet.

3. Disenfranchise toxicity (including toxic people) from your life.

The nice thing about these three actionable things is that anyone can do them. Aerobic exercise is any activity that increases your heart rate, and that will be different for different people, but anyone can increase their heart rate, regardless of fitness or skill level. Eating a plant-based diet is easier than it has ever been in recorded human history (that's only a little bit hyperbolic...). Even if one cannot access whole foods, because of socioeconomic barriers, 80% of the American diet is already plant-based. All you have to do is cut the 20% of food that isn't plant-based and eat more of what is. Humans can get all the nutrients they need from a plant-based diet and many peer-reviewed scientific studies show that it's a healthier way of eating [SOURCE]. Lastly, disenfranchising toxicity involves setting boundaries and taking action to safeguard your inner world from it. The biggest and most destructive source of toxicity in today's external world is social and mainstream media (SMSM). So, you can actually cut 80% of the toxicity out of your life RIGHT NOW by quitting all SMSM [SOURCE]. The remaining 20% of toxicity in the world usually comes from harmful substances and people in your immediate environment. It's easier to eliminate harmful substances (drugs, alcohol, nicotine, toxic chemicals, guns, etc.) from your life than it is to eliminate harmful people, especially if you live with a narcissist or sociopath. You may have to settle for a little bit of toxicity leaking into your inner world if you cannot disenfranchise all these people from your life. But don't focus on the obstacles! Focus on what you can control (removing 80% of SMSM and toxic substances from your life immediately). You'll find that once you start taking care of yourself and your inner world, the toxic people will tend to wander off and leave you alone on their own. Trust me on this...I have tested it! Toxic people thrive on your passivity and acquiescence and lack of boundaries. Once you actively take control of your inner world, these people lose interest and seek out easier targets. That being said, if anyone needs some additional support on this, contact me. I'm a licensed family therapist with some pretty amazing coaching skills in this department.

Many people reading the above are going to say (for a variety of reasons), "NO WAY!" and continue on with their status quo, allowing negativity and toxicity to continue to plague their inner world. That's OK! This is not about OTHER people; it's about YOU. Do you want to take control and agency for your life? Then I encourage you to think about trying this out.

The nice thing about this three-fold solution to the problems of negativity and toxicity in the world is that it's TESTABLE. Here at Bike With Joe HQ, we are all about the SCIENCE and making decisions based on evidence. You can test this solution yourself: Follow the three Tenets above for 30 days. Assess how your inner world has improved at the end of the 30 days. Boom. That's it. If you're not convinced after testing them that these three Tenets hold the key to bringing peace, happiness, and positivity to your inner world, totally fine...go back to your status quo. However, I guarantee you will be a convert once you test it out.

Have a great day!

Fin.