It is not always rainbows and unicorns. Last quarter was definitely a tricky time. I think that the situation in the world finally got me and started messing in my mind. And the fact some things started falling apart, sometimes literally, didn’t help. In the spirit of retrospective mindset, I would like to look back to the second quarter of 2020. This post is going to be harsh reality documentation. I will also share what helped me and how I coped with it. 40% rule – a secret to mental toughness.
Sometimes it is small things that bother you the most 🌾
I used to have a severe allergy to grass and trees pollen when I lived in Poland. I tried a few things, including vaccinations. It didn’t work, and doctors said that it may be turned to a food allergy to I gave up. I was taking off the shelf pills that made me sleepy and dizzy, or I was just suffering sneezing fafcilion times.
Then I came to the UK, and it disappeared. The climate is milder, there are different types of grass and trees, and we live in closer proximity to the sea. All of it or some of it helped with my allergy situation. I forgot about it until recently. Last year the sneezing was back. It was just annoying. This year, however, is the whole new story. The symptoms are severe, and I actually have had problems catching my breath.
I needed to buy electric inhaler for nebulising liquid meditation. It can be used for colds, asthma and respiratory diseases. It also helps with my issues with allergy. I use Gilbert NaCl 0.9 saline weather with 2 drops of 2% Lugol’s Iodine Liquid.
April blog posts
It is not business as usual
3 practices that will help to stay sane in crisis
Retrospective mindset – first quarter 2020
How to improve the immune system and develop a Spartan mindset in 60 sec per day
We have one real deadline
Ignored things will rarely be fixed by themselves 🏗
It’s been going on for months. I initially ignored it. Then, as a typical engineer, I built a neat system to capture water to some small container. Later, I tried to schedule an engineer, but it was already lockdown. When a small box needed to be small bucket because of the amount of water that was leaking every night and day, we finally called a company for emergency work.
The engineer came, and the verdict was that we needed a new boiler. They needed to order it, so another visit was required. They were very professional and did actual work in just one day. It was good to have a financial cushion. But money was only one cost. It did cost me stress and anxiety. I am glad it is done.
May blog posts
May the fourth be with you!
How to feel less tired
How to spot a fake news story
I became the IT guy thanks to green men and a hockey stick
How to start professional development
The first trip after a long time that never happened 🚧
I love travelling. We have travelled a lot with my wife, and we try to pass this passion to our kids. The lockdown was a real bummer in our plans. 2020 was supposed to be a year of travel. We needed to modify those plans. Finally, after a long time that felt like an eternity, we decided to go for the first time for a day-long car trip.
We were supposed to go to the beach to inhale good air. That would help with my allergy. And obviously, it would be a fun day. We prepared everything together. Kids were involved in making food, packing their own backpacks. The anticipation and excitement were high. We were already packed and sitting in the car.
However, when I turned on keys to start the engine, it didn’t work. It was because the battery was flat. We were waiting for too long, and I turned on the air-con and started charging my phone. It was enough to discharge the battery. We used our car once every two or three weeks to go for more significant shopping, so the battery never got a chance to be adequately charged.
We didn’t go anywhere. Everyone cried; it was a tough moment. Thanks to my wife, we quickly changed our plans. We were already packed, so we decided to go to the nearby forest on foot. We did 11km that day (with my 4yo daughter!). It was a fantastic day in the end.
June blog posts
The shortest path is not always the best
Hiking in the Alps during a thunderstorm – sunk cost fallacy in practice
I propose a leadership lesson from a visit to the zoo
When technology fails – how people managed to travel in the old days
It is never too bad, 40% rule that comes handy ⚠️🆙
I mentioned it when I was trying to find out the things to fight fatigue and tiredness. I listened to London Real episode about Why most people quit at 40%. Then, I watched the documentary IronMind. It is worth every minute if you need a solid motivation.
Most people quit at 40%. It is the brain that quits first. The body always has more.
Both films describe physical challenges, but they are more than that. They are a great inspiration to face all sort of problems in our lives, as the official film description explains.
It is the story of Brian Rose, Founder and Host of London Real, as he undergoes the challenge to race the Ironman 70.3 triathlon with just 90-days to train on a 100% plant-based diet under the guidance of the hardcore punk icon John Joseph (lead singer of the Cro-Mags). Making this movie forced him to confront the dark demons from his past, including a struggle with drug addiction and subsequent overdose. This movie was created to inspire millions worldwide to face their demons head on and heal themselves mentally, physically and spiritually.
Don’t get me wrong. I am not selling cheap solutions here. After watching the most motivational films, the struggle will not go away. It’s a constant fight. However, seeing other people struggle, face and fight their demons may help to acquire a healthy perspective on our own problems and challenges.
I am not alone, you are not alone. Stay safe, stay sane. Keep going like a rose in my garden and remember about this 40% rule – a secret to mental toughness!
My retro on previous quarter of the year.
Thanks for reading!
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