How you do it

by going fractal...

How you do it.

Is what you do….

A complex novel. A psychologically challenging memoir. A play like no one has ever seen before. A new series of artworks in a completely different medium. Envisioning a brand that expresses depth. My clients accomplish amazing things.

But that’s not the point. At the beginning we focus on envisioning new goals, but our real work goes deep into redefining process. How do you make room for complexity? Or innovation? And risk? What circumstances and what kind of environment support all that expansion? And how can you do it all while flourishing?

I can say with confidence, it doesn’t happen by relying on the old methods. As your process grows, so does your practice. So, while it’s very satisfying to see that aligning with your physiology and your authenticity can get things done—I’ve also learned that evolving your art process is about so much more than what you produce.

One question I love to start with is how could each part of your process reflect the new work you want to make as a whole, fractal-style?

{image: “Salad Ingredients, New York, 1947, Irving Penn.}

Beyond Basics…

In studying for last week’s national board health coach certification exam I realized that basic has actually become pretty extra. Even conservative institutions like the CDC have raised the bar for health markers (which I had to memorize for the exam). I was actually pretty impressed.

Good art, good writing, movie making and fashion happen at their best when the body has the capacity for Flow. I spend most of my time coaching around the mindset that makes bold creativity possible, but truly, these fundamentals are nonnegotiable.

Still—being healthy doesn’t have to be boring. Use these baseline standards as a starting point. Then customize towards your pleasure.

Movement

Baseline: The CDC recommends 75 minutes of vigorous exercise or 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week (For example 30 min x 5 days a week walking at a pace to get your heart beating fast, or a mix of moderate and intense activity on two or more days per week.)

Additionally they recommend two or more days a week of strength training, working major muscle groups to exhaustion, “where it’s hard for you to do another repetition without help.” This might mean lifting weights, using resistance bands, or doing pushups, sit-ups, or intensive yoga.

But make it sexy: I like The Class for its cathartic live-streaming HIIT classes (trial subscription includes two weeks free)

Enhanced: More ambitious sources recommend 180-200 minutes per week Zone 2 cardio, plus some time spent with your heart rate raised to 220 minus your age. See Andrew Huberman’s very detailed plans.

All-in: Balance. Agility. Power. Weirdness. My dream is to train with Ido Portal.

Nutrition

Baseline: Following Harvard University’s guidelines, half of what you eat should be fruit and vegetables (not including potatoes, because they spike blood sugar.) Both Harvard and the CDC use the visual of sectioning a plate in order to envision the proportioning. (Another 1/4 would be whole grains, and the remaining 1/4 would be protein.) Diet is controversial. But the takeaway is—most people need to eat way more vegetables.

But make it sexy: This Spring I’m looking for vegetable forward inspiration from flavor innovators like Flynn McGarry’s (broth of littleneck clams, cilantro, garlic and parsley served in the clam shell as a bowl)

Woldy Kusina (who just announced he has a new cookbook on the way) tempts with dishes like Bakla Chili, made with tomatoes, ginger, jalapeños, kimchi, gochujang, samba omelet and tamari.

And the very accessible Ayurvedic Chef Om has caught my eye with dishes like fried artichokes with cashew cream chipoltle dipping sauce.

Enhanced: Make sugar a rarity (with the awareness that insulin sensitivity rises with age.) For me this includes capping fructose. I try not to eat anything sweeter than an apple, except on special occasions, and only eat apples when they are local. So that looks like loving strawberries for the two weeks that they are naturally season in Maine, and a long winter of eating hardly anything sweet. I’ll end of my 46-day zero sugar streak, which began February 20 on April 6.

Rest

Baseline: The CDC says adults need at least 7 hours of sleep each night, acknowledging that insufficient sleep is linked to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression. Full stop.

But make it sexy: After decades of resistance, I’ve started studying my dreams. It’s been fascinating, and it takes regulation. This is possible because I’m not too tired to allow myself to wake up after a period of REM sleep, and not too over-stimulated to get back to sleep afterwards. There’s a lot going on in there: Rides over the dark waters in a Venetian gondola and street gangs with muscle cars. Fascinating.

Enhanced: Have a consistent bedtime and waking time (if not, it's like constant jet lag.) Drink caffeine before noon. Finish working out at least 3 hours before bedtime. Stop eating at least 2 hours before bedtime. No more screens during the last hour before bedtime.

All in: During the hour before bed, shift into relaxation mode, ritualizing the process by changing the environment. No blue light. Down-regulate using breath work, foam rolling, or taking a hot bath. Empty your mind by journaling or finalizing tomorrow’s schedule. Keep your bedroom cold and dark.

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