I would like to generate more and better ideas in my life. This page is about that.

I know that exercising is probably the number 1 option here, specifically cardio. Running every day is a simple exercise I would like to incorporate into my routine. 45 minutes is optimal because I will reap the mental benefits of the exercise. Speaking of which, the mental benefits are my biggest motivating factor here. It’s easy to whine, bitch, and complain about exercise. It’s the child part of your brain that just wants to be a couch potato, watch Netflix, or play videogames. It’s the part of your mind that just doesn’t believe in yourself or would feel more comfortable procrastinating.

This, of course, comes at a cost. The cost is not receiving those juicy, healthy brainwaves emanating from your consciousness. Do you want to be a lazy fuck who just doesn’t try? No, of course, you don’t. You want to be someone who is a productive member of society. You want to be a creative with a healthy brain. You want to have ideas flowing easily and effortlessly. The “hard part” is just getting out the door. All you have to do though is lace up your sneakers and go. Also, don’t forget your mask. The mask I wore today was a more fashionable one but it was a bit too hot and heavy on my face. I recommend using the N95 surgical masks because they are lighter and easier to breathe. I probably could’ve gotten away without wearing a mask because I left the house at around 5:30a. I would rather play it safe though and follow the recommended guidelines. Plus it looks kind of weird and badass.

Clearing Your Mind

Imagine your mind is something akin to the game Katamari Damacy. In the game, the Prince rolls around a magical ball where everything it touches sticks to it as you roll over them. Your mind is pretty similar. As you go through life, you have things, memories, experiences, thoughts, ideas, information, junk, etc. clinging to your mind. Over the years, this adds up—some positive, some negative. Some stuff you may want to keep, while others you’d rather toss in the trash.

With exercise, specifically cardio, you can literally clear your mind. It’s like clearing the cookies off of your browser history. Another analogy would be removing unnecessary apps, files, and photos off of your phone. By doing so, your device will run more efficiently and smoothly. There is a lot of mental clutter that needs cleansing through some form of exercise. Much like your electronic devices, your mind needs a refresh—ideally daily.

Calming Your Heart

Another huge benefit of exercising is calming your heart. If you suffer from anxiety or depression, you *need* to exercise. As someone who has dealt with both in their lifetime, there is no clearer substitute than some form of cardio. The simple act of running, for example, will do wonders for your heart. For one, you can actually fucking breathe. Just that alone is such a wonderful feeling. As I am sitting here writing this, I can actually breathe easily without feeling that tightness in my chest or shortness in my breath. I am not an exerciser by heart, but today was different and I am a believer. I already knew in my mind it would do wonders, but its another thing when you’re actually living that feeling from the inside. I am just simply amazed by how easy it is to breathe right now and just feeling that calmness and stillness I know it’s making my heart happy. My heart is waving back at me and saying “thank you, friend.”

Combining Exercise and Audio

Combining exercise and audio is a great way to receive the mental benefits of new, fresh ideas with the physical. When done, you simply are giving your mind and body a complete workout. When you have a better intake, the output will be better as well. For example, let’s say you went on a run for 45 minutes while listening to a new audiobook. While running, your mind can focus on the author’s thoughts, ideas, and messages. This will stimulate your brain by giving you something interesting and positive to play with and bounce around within your own mind. You can reflect on what the author is saying by comparing it to your own life and gathering ideas from it as well! When you are done with your run and want to create something new, it will no longer feel like you are trying to come up with stuff out of thin air. This is essentially what writers’ block feels like. It’s you staring at the screen with a blank document in front of you with the insertion point blinking with no idea-branches to grab onto.

Earning Money While Exercising

Another way to sweeten the deal is by earning money while exercising. The app I use for this is called Sweatcoin. With Sweatcoin, your steps are counted that you can later redeem or exchange for products and services. I have yet to redeem my sweatcoin for something, but it’s nice to know that I can and that my steps are actually earning me income with something I already would be doing otherwise. Up until this point, I have only used Sweatcoin while taking walks, so it would be cool to kick it up a notch and see how many I can rack up while running.

The end goal should never be about earning money, but if it’s something you already do then why no, right? And it’s so easy to get started.

Habits for Cardio

Here is a list of habits for cardio to make it easier to say *yes* the next time:

- Wake up/start early

- Have shoes by the door

- Listen to audiobooks, podcasts, uplifting music, and the like

- Focus on the mental benefits (focus, clarity, calmness, lowers anxiety/depression, etc.)

- Start a 30-day or 365-day challenge

- Mix it up with a running buddy (good for discipline and accountability)

- Don’t listen to the child-mind

Happy running! 🏃🏻‍♂️