For the uninitiated, I’d like to introduce you to one of my favorite coworking hacks: the Capital One Cafe.
These are coffee shop/coworking spaces offered by Capital One. Most major cities have them.
What’s cool about these spots is that Capital One cardholders get 50% off drinks. It’s literally the last place in America where you can get a $4 latte.
I love these spaces because they provide the value of working from a coffee shop without the pretension. While I LOVE coffee shops, not all coffee shops are designed for workers like me.
Plus there’s a nice perk from Capital One’s cafe concept: you can do your banking at these cafes too.
Where’s your favorite place to work from? I’m always looking for fresh new ideas.
I’ve spent $110.95 on groceries, $43.38 on takeout/restaurants, and $97.41 on coffee and beer since last week.
This week’s totals are a bit wonky.
My grocery total includes a $105 protein powder purchase. It’s a 90 serving supply so it should last a hot second.
My restaurant total includes going to a comedy show at Alamo Drafthouse. A side order of cauliflower wings and a beer came to $27 so, ya know.
And my coffee intake included a substantial amount of croissants this week because #carbs.
My current Bitcoin holdings: are 0.0749227 BTC.
Coinbase didn’t process my automated purchase this week so I’m a bit annoyed by that.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin is over $50K now. That puts it over 100% higher than this time last year. We’re in a pivotal year for Bitcoin. Start paying attention to this space if you aren’t already.
In Audio Note #63 this week I talked about where I find meaning and purpose in life.
Since moving to Austin I’ve been re-evaluating how I define success in my life. I’m starting to recognize that the things I thought defined a quality life actually don’t. Real life is quite boring but the reality is that is were joy and meaning resides.
This week on Medium I published The West Continues to Disregard Putin — Here’s Why That’s a Problem
I love writing about foreign policy even if it doesn’t pay the big bucks. This piece is about Tucker Carlson’s recent interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It’s about how we ignore perspectives simply because we don’t like the person sharing their perspective. I think this creates echo chambers that continues to separate us rather than bringing us together.
I had a really great coffee date with Lana of LookingGLASS this week.
LookingGLASS is a text-based styling service. You take pictures of clothes in your closet and a stylist will help you piece together an outfit for a special occasion.
I used to think stuff like this was incredibly superficial but since losing a bunch of weight I now understand the importance of dressing for success. It’s hard to show up as your best self if you don’t feel like the best version of yourself. That not only reflects your confidence, but it also signals whether or not you respect yourself too.
I’ve shared in past notes how I’m working on building a consulting business. There’s three projects I’ve submitted proposals to. This week two out of the three were accepted!
This is terrifying, scary, and exciting. I know I have value to bring but sometimes I don’t see it or recognize it for myself. Still have some imposter syndrome to get over but hopefully this is a step in the right direction.
Sunday is race day! See you all on the other side of the finish line.
P.S. Please join me in wishing one my bestest friends, Ms. Zannah, a very happy birthday!
Happiness is found in the absence of expectation and a continuous focus on appreciation.
-Tony Robbins
Every Friday morning I go to an event in town called Comfort Zone Fridays. It’s a two-hour long event that begins with meditation and flows into yoga, breathwork, and then concludes with a 90-second cold plunge in a tub of water filled with ice.
During the transitions the facilitator usually shares a spiritual message. It’s not religious in any way, mostly just reminding us that we’re all humans living a human existing.
Last week she shared 21 principles for living life that were so compelling I wanted to share them for you here:
Connect to Spirit/Higher power/God every morning first thing when you wake up. (maybe that's prayer, meditation, spiritual reading, gratitudes)
Genuinely Compliment Three People every dav.
Watch a Sunrise at least once a vear. (Or once a month :))
Be the first to say, "Hello."
Live beneath your means.
Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen.
Treat everyone like you want to be treated.
Forget the Jonses. (**Comparing to others)
Never deprive someone of hope. It may be all they have.
Pray for Wisdom and Courage, not for things.
Be Tough-Minded but Tenderhearted.
Be Kinder Than necessary
Never forget, a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.
Keep your Promises.
Learn to show Cheerfulness, even when you don't feel like it.
Remember that overnight success usually takes about 15 years. :)
Leave everything better than you found it.
Remember that winners do what
losers(people who aren't winning as much) don't want to do.When you arrive at your job in the morning, let the first thing you say brighten
everyone's dayDon't rain on other people's parades.
Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.
As she read the list aloud to the group #13 stood out to me: never forget, a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.
When I look back on my career, failed relationships, friendships I let wither, and how I treat myself I always come back to the same thing — appreciation.
According to Merriam-Webster, appreciation is defined as:
a feeling or expression of admiration, approval, or gratitude
When you think about it, appreciation is basically the currency of gratitude. Gratitude, I’ve come to realize, is the foundation for everything — love, respect, compassion, and empathy.
Without appreciation, it’s difficult to let others know we care. Whether it’s at the office or at home, this affects how we show up in all facets of our lives.
This week we celebrated a holiday all about appreciation: Valentine’s Day. Most people celebrate the holiday by purchasing flowers, chocolate, or dinner for someone they love. But think for a moment, without genuine appreciation, do those tokens of love actually mean anything?
Not really. And maybe that’s why our relationships break down. They’re rooted in superficial acts of love rather than genuine appreciation.
As you go about your day today, think about what appreciation means to you. Are you showing the ones you love that you appreciate them? Do you feel appreciated back in return?
If appreciation is missing from your life, what can you do to sprinkle it in?
P.S. I appreciate you for reading this update every single week. If your inbox is like mine I know it’s cluttered with all sorts of emails. I truly appreciate you taking the time to spend it reading mine. It means more to me than you know.
What I’m Currently Reading
The Plant-Based Athlete: A Game-Changing Approach to Peak Performance
P.S. Check out my recommended reading list here
My running gear:
Whatever clothes I can find at the thrift store
My crypto gear:
My productivity tools:
Task management:
TodoistScrapping this because Google launched a new to do list feature built into Google Calendar. It’s AMAZING.
Time management: Clockify
Email management: Unroll.me
Everything management: Notion
P.S. some of these are affiliate links including links from Amazon’s affiliate program. I may receive a commission from them. This is one way to support my writing and help me build sustainable income streams in 2024.
Thank you for sharing the 21 principles. I need to print them out and read through often