why am I writing?

I don’t think many people read chriscorbin.me. Truthfully, I don’t know because I refuse to look at the analytics. I don’t want to see if I have an audience. That’s not why I am writing. 

I am writing because it is good for my mind. 

I believe your mind is your greatest gift. Your mind can change a rainy day from doom and gloom to refreshing showers. The rain didn’t change. Your mind did.  

The best way to improve your mind is to train your mind. Just as resistance training strengthens your body, writing nourishes your mind. And similar to lifting heavy objects almost everyone can write, anytime, anywhere.

Let’s use this simple post on “Why am I writing?” as an example for training my mind. What yielded a mere 385 words of writing, produced far, far more in mental health.

The timeline went something like this: 

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I wrote the idea down last Saturday. 

I let it rest on my unconscious mind for seven days. 

I woke up and decided to write. 

I scribbled down a few paragraphs. 

I read Kurt Vonnegut’s Greatest Writing Advice. 

I read Kurt Vonnegut’s The Paris Interview. 

I purchased Kurt Vonnegut’s The Last Interview. 

I read a Ryan Holiday post on the benefits of walking.

I read another Ryan Holiday post on the magic of walking. 

I reread Steven Pinker’s 13 Tips for Better Writing. 

I skimmed my notes from 100 ways to Improve Your Writing 

I skimmed my notes from Simple & Direct. 

I skimmed my Evernotes with writing tags. 

I watched a Tim Ferriss video about how writing sharpens your thinking.  

I wrote a draft. 

I used dictionary.com 4 times. 

I used the thesaurus.com 22 times. I am not joking. 

I went for a walk. 

I rewrote my draft.

I let it sit.

I slept. 

I woke. 

I stretched.

I journaled. 

I meditated.

I edited the draft. 

I re-edited the draft.  

I posted to chriscorbin.me 

I exercised my mind. 

I made something.

———

The steps taken to get to the sentence you are reading was good for my mind.

And that’s exactly why I write.

Now… it’s your turn.

——-

Another piece of writing inspired by my friends Mario Dot To and Nurture Theory. We believe the thinking that can only be found through public writing improves our lives. We call ourselves the Western Writers League and we’ll get hats made eventually.

The weather, the waves and the watcher.

I nearly died in the ocean, twice. 

Once caught helplessly in a Caribbean undertow. The second instance being tossed against the lava coastline of Hawaii. I was saying my final goodbyes, and I somehow survived.

I'll forever be thankful and I’ll forever respect the ocean. 

Over the last year, my relationship with the ocean has changed, shifting from one of fear to one of gratitude, with a side of curiosity. My love for steelhead (Searun Rainbow Trout) keeps bringing me back to Oregon’s coastal tributaries and their confluences with the Pacific Ocean. I even took surfing lessons to conquer my fears and see waves in a new way. Most importantly, a daily meditation habit has shifted my mindset about the source of 97% of the earth's water.  

My perspective of the ocean made another – definitive – change last week on my drive to the Oregon Coast.  As with most time spent in my truck, I listened to a book: The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer. 

It's a recommended read (listen) for all, but especially those exploring mindfulness, which I am. It's the first book I've ever read on Blinkist, listened to on Audible, and inked into my Field Notes journal, all within a 48 hour period. 

In his chapter "Who Are You?" Singer defines YOU as:

“I am the one who sees. From back in here somewhere, I look out, and I am aware of events, thoughts, and emotions that pass before me.”

Hearing this simple idea, I immediately crafted a mental metaphor for who I am and what I see: the ocean.

It goes something like this.

The metaphor begins as I stroll down to the beach, find a large driftwood stump, sit down, and watch the waves roll in. 

The Weather
The weather represents the worldly events that are out of my control, both big and small. Big events could include climate change, the economy, peace talks, pandemics, and the natural wonders of the world. Small events could be the loss of loved ones, an inherited disease, a new opportunity at work, or a random invite on a trip of a lifetime. The weather always changes, and the weather never stops. I have no say in the forecast. I can get upset about rain, but it's still going to rain. There is good weather and there is bad weather just as the world brings good events (new opportunities) and bad events (mortality).  

The Waves 
What the weather impacts most are the waves. The waves represent my feelings and emotions about the weather. Bad weather brings dark skies and rough seas. Good weather brings sunny skies and calm seas. 

My rough seas include sadness from the loss of my grandma. Loneliness when Linsey is away, anxiety over investments, or an overall feeling of self-doubt in my ability to meet my expectations. 

My calm seas arise as I watch Linsey cry tears of joy in another Ironman victory, land a bright steelhead, grow mentally, physically and professionally, hug my mom and dad, pet my dog, meditate. These rolling waves warm my heart and make me happy. 

A new day brings new unpredictable weather on the horizon and a new set of waves. The weather and thus the waves, both good and bad, are ever-changing.

The Watcher
In this metaphor, I am the watcher. I sit on my stump on the beach. Watching. Watching the wind-battled waves coming from a storm followed by the gentle waves of a soothing sunrise. 

The only thing I can control as I watch my thoughts is my attitude. Even a rain jacket won't stop the rain. But a positive mindset tells me this nasty squall too will pass and bring new waves of happiness. 

I also realize my time to watch the waves will eventually come to an end, so I might as well enjoy the time I have. Maybe tomorrow, maybe decades from now. The weather and the waves will never stop, but the watcher will be gone.

Until then, you can find me on my stump – armed with my attitude – watching the waters that nearly claimed my fleeting life. 

Twice.  

——————

A special thanks to Ryan Wines for the strong and persistent book endorsement of The Untethered Soul.

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Another piece of writing inspired by my friends Mario Dot To and Nurture Theory (Ryan again). We believe the thinking that can only be found through public writing improves our lives. We call ourselves the Western Writers League and we’ll get pens made eventually.

Benevolence without words

I ventured to the Oregon Coast last week for a strategic Workcation. (Noun) A serendipitous and pleasurable business trip.

I also enriched a friendship.

My friend and I spent nearly every second together. Working, fly fishing, strolling the beaches, meditating, journaling, surfing, repeat. We experienced the restorative trip I hoped we'd find. I consider us better friends now than ever before.

What may surprise you is my friend didn't utter a single word the entire trip. That's because my friend was my good ole' buddy Chimehuin.

My dog.

I sure do love dogs. They possess the best of attitudes, and we have many lessons to learn from these ever-loyal and loving souls. In this particular instance, Chimehuin educated me on benevolence without words.

Chimehuin showcased how much we’re capable of achieving without saying anything at all. I truly believe our friendship grew stronger and she never spoke, not one word, over a three-day span. Coming to this realization, I paused and reflected on the number of times I'd said something unnecessarily stupid, or interrupted a meaningful ongoing conversation, or made an off topic statement, only to hear myself speak. Because – for some reason or another – I thought I needed to speak. I didn’t. It's much easier for me to talk than listen with care. I now recognize this weakness.

As weird as the canine source for this lesson may be, it's the truth, my dog's loving silence inspires me to change to my behavior – to practice less talking and more listening. Genuine, authentic, listening.

My hope is recognizing this shortcoming and writing about it here will spur change for the better.

In closing, I'll leave you with three quotes summarizing my feelings and thoughts the best.

“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.”

— Epictetus

“They may forget what you said — but they will never forget how you made them feel.”

— Carl W. Buehner

“Did you ever stop to think that a dog is the only animal that doesn’t have to work for a living? A hen has to lay eggs, a cow has to give milk, and a canary has to sing. But a dog makes his living by giving you nothing but love.”

— Dale Carnegie

Thanks for the lesson, Chimehuin.

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Another piece of writing inspired by my friends Mario Dot To and Nurture Theory. We believe writing improves our lives and we call ourselves the Western Writers League, for fun. We’ll get stickers made eventually.

I have winning genes

I have written about my shortcomings before. Some are changeable through habit building, others are the hand I am dealt: my genes.

A bad back, a ginger complexion, a scattered brain, a likeliness for heart disease, a love of alcohol to name a few inherited hinderances found in my DNA helix. Sure, changing my habits will help, but the reality is I’ll always sunburn on a bright day and never dunk a basketball. 

I don’t’ want to argue evolutionary history here, but let’s say modern homo sapiens started running around 200,000 years ago. If the average Corbin lifespan was 50, that’s 4,000 iterations until I arrived. These numbers are conservative, and even if we cut these numbers in half, we’re still looking at a lot of former Corbin Iterations. 

Evolution is black and white. Genes die, or genes survive. Yes, my back hurts and my blood pressure is high, but somehow or another, I have a unique DNA sequence that survived the ultimate test of time. If my genes had lost any of those 4,000 attempts at life, I would NOT be here today. But they won.

I have winning genes!  

And so do you. 

Be thankful for your winning genes, good & bad. These genes have given you a shot at this fleeting life.

Live it. 

——————

Another piece of writing inspired by my friends Mario Dot To and Nurture Theory. We believe writing makes us better people and we like to call ourselves the Western Writers League, for fun. We’ll get T-Shirts printed eventually.

How to not drink in Mexico?

Linsey and I decided to kick off the new decade in Xcalak, Mexico. Much to Linsey’s surprise, I didn’t utter “Dos Cervezas por favor” once the entire trip. Let me translate: six days in the Yucatan without a sip of alcohol. This may not sound like a heroic feat to some sober souls, but for my beer-loving self, this was an aggressive start to the New Year. Even if alcohol isn’t your vice, the methods I applied can be useful to bust other bad habits in 2020.  

1. I made it a challenge. 

2. I made it rewarding. 

3. I made it ugly. 

I made it a challenge 
The status quo states: “You can’t go to Mexico and not drink!” 

Says who? 

Not me. I traveled across the border with the opposite mindset: “If you can’t have fun in Mexico without drinking, then you have a problem.”

This simple change in mindset from the norm was all it took. Yes, I was also the little boy who couldn’t turn down a double-dog dare. And I dared myself to a sober Mexico.  

I made it rewarding. 
Every time Linsey and I wanted to order a drink, I calculated the cost and wrote it in a notebook. The total came to $338. This may sound excessive, but a drink here, and a drink there, and drink everywhere adds up. I have the handwritten notes to prove it. As I write this, $338 feels a lot better in my pocket than the Pina Colada would have tasted.   

I made it ugly. 
I enjoy documenting our travels through photography. It allows me to appreciate the small things and, years down the road, I can refresh memories by pursuing old photos from our journey. On this particular trip, rather than shooting a frothy Corona or icy margarita, I photographed the other side. The trash, the warm day-old beer baking in the morning sun. I also observed the poor hungover travelers putting the pieces together at 10 am – 3 hours after we watched Yucatan sun crest the Caribbean Seas.

I came home sober, refreshed, and proud of myself.

What I truly changed was my mind. The most potent change of all. You can indeed drink in Mexico and have a lot of fun. It’s also true you can NOT drink in Mexico at all and have even more fun. 

I know, because I just did it. 

—————

That’s the end of this story, but I do have a few side notes:

1. In recent years, I’ve increased my focus on daily habits as the primary driver to create real change and build the life I want to live. I’m not the expert on this subject, the experts are James Clear, Gretchin Rubin & Kelly McCoginal.  

2. I addressed other personal beer challenges here, here, & here. Yes beer, I’m coming for you. And ten days into the new decade, I’m winning. 

All writing on ChrisCorbin.me over the last 2 years was inspired by my friends at http://mario.to/  & https://www.nurturetheory.com/. We like to call ourselves the Western Writers League, for fun. 

The Steelhead Bath

I’ve tried, and failed, to explain my deep and inner passion for Spey casting for steelhead. A journey that rarely ends in success – by the arbitrary angling standard of catching fish.

Spey casting for steelhead on my favorite Oregon streams is rumored to take 80 angling hours per fish. Even if this number comes with a fisherman‘s brag, you get the idea. And here’s the kicker: I don’t even keep my catch.

I’ll reiterate.

I stand in the water, wave a 13-foot stick over my head for 80 + hours, and immediately release the fish I bring to hand.

What I know is I love it.

What I don’t know is why?

This week my love of fishing for fish I rarely catch gained more clarity from a term I’d never heard before.

FOREST BATHING

The intentional practice of connecting with nature and surrounding yourself with the energy of the natural world or taking in the forest through our senses. Simply being in nature, connecting with it through our senses of sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch.*

I love a good forest, on my way to a great fishing hole. That’s right. A forest bath is good, but it’s a steelhead bath that truly cleanses my senses, and restores my soul.

Sight. Nearly everything my eyes touch on a steelhead trip enriches. A rising sun, a flowing stream, a low fog, and the dime bright side of a fish dancing downstream.

Sound. Running water alone captures my favorite sound, but when layered with a light breeze, leaves under feet, waterfowl heading south, it’s unmatched by any Spotify playlist.

Smell. Juniper in the high desert, western hemlock on the coast, and even a skunk cabbage I picked for Linsey not knowing it’s olfactory powers. A new meditation practice has me breathing deeper between casts, with a new appreciation for each breath.

Touch. A cork fly rod handle, wetted fly line, weary legs, boulder laden river bottom, and the slippery scales of a fish capture the feels that bring me back time and time again.

Taste. Yeah… umm…. taste. I’d like to make something up here, but other than leftover coffee and some beef jerky, I can’t truly recall my a steelhead bath doing much for my sense of taste. Maybe someday.

A Steelhead Bath.

Rich in sight, smell, hearing, touch and lacking taste. For years, I've recognized the healthier, happier me after a visit to the steelhead stream, but I have never cataloged the sensory response this journey provides each and every time.

I fished this morning. I didn’t catch a fish, it didn’t matter, and I’m just beginning to understand why.

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*my ad hoc definition from a handful of google searches.

39 lessons in 39 years

Another year, another lesson. I started this annual reflection at the age of 31. I add one new lesson each year. 

1. It’s your life.  No two people are the same. Embrace the gifts, challenges, and opportunities given to you.

2. Nothing is ever as good or bad as it seems.  The bottom is not that low and the top is not that high.

3. Family matters. At least to me. Good, bad, and ugly, I know my family loves me and this gives me strength. Find strength in your family.

4. Find your passion. Branding, fly fishing….  Passions make life worth living and people with passions make the world go round.

5. Do what you love. This is generally the easiest thing for you to do. What you think about when you go to bed and what you think about when you get up? Do that.

6. Fill wasted time.  Road trip or long commute? Fill your iPhone with audio material you don’t have time to read.

7. Carpe Diem. I’ve heard for years: “you’re young.” Don’t wait for the perfect time, because it will never come.

8. Use your words. The brain is a powerful engine and words drive this motor. What you think and say is what you will become.

9. Stay on your feet. Sitting is bad for you. Run, walk, and stand as much as possible. 

10. Make lists. Simple “to do” lists have become my greatest productivity tool. Email, call, errands, projects, media, etc., all have their own weekly “to do” lists.

11. Buy tickets not toys. I have no shortage of toys, but, it’s the trips I remember most, not the “things” I purchased.

12. Nobody is watching you. I’ve always thought people were watching me. What will they think if…? Don’t make decisions based on what other people will think, make decisions for your best interest.  (The 18-40-60 Rule)

13. Do your best. Win or lose you did your best, what more can you ask for? You gave your best.

14. You grow in the valleys not in the mountains.  Times get tough, that is inevitable. As bad as they may be, these experiences craft our character and build our strength.

15. Continuously learn. Read, listen, watch, write. Never stop learning.

16. Everything is relative. Everything. A 15-inch trout is a great catch, until you land one that is 20.

17. Riches have nothing to do with money.  Today (2011), I'm going on a fishing trip with my dad.  At moments, it will be impossible to be richer than us.

18. Set Goals. I set about 50 goals a year each divided into six priorities in my life:  family, faith, fitness, finances, focus, freelance.

19. Tell someone the goals you set. This will increase accountability and likelihood of achievement.

20. Buy a dog. Health and happiness will follow. 

21. Eat right and sleep well. I used to think both were a waste of time and resources; I now realize they are two of the greatest inputs to energy and performance.

22. Be spiritual. Not offensive, wacky, sign-holding spiritual, spirituality that gives you peace and purpose. Spirituality that allows you to embrace your blessings.

23. Live where you want. If fly fishing, running, riding, recreation, craft beer, and community are important to you, live there. If they’re not, live somewhere else.

24. Love. Marriage is my most prized possession.

25. Don’t be a critic.  It’s easier to be a critic than correct; respect the man in the arena.

26. Find your happy place. Go there when you need to calm the inner beast. 

27. Cheer for something. I always assumed I’d quit caring about sports when I hung up my high school cleats. I now relish the opportunity to cheer for my wife and cheer for the HOGS–Woo Pig Sooie!

28.  Keep a few friends. You don’t need a thousand friends, just a few really good ones.

29. You lose 100% of the races you don’t start. If you try, you’ll know. The “what-ifs” will haunt you, so you might as well try.

30. Measure. If you don’t determine metrics and measure, it’s impossible to gauge progress.

31. Have integrity. Without it, what do you really have?

32. Experiment.  “All of life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better." - Ralph Waldo Emerson.

33. Go down the rabbit hole.  Follow a passion, thought, idea, feeling, etc. as far as it can possibly take you. Once you've arrived at this point. Keep digging.  

34. Focus on Right Now. Vision is great, but I've found my best work gets done when I'm focused on the next task at hand. 

35. Meet in person. No other form of communication (message in a bottle, blogging, phone, skype, text, social, etc.) can compare to the experience of meeting in person.  This holds true for all relationships, professional and personal.

36. Nobody cares about your story. They only care about their story.  

37. Altruism wins. 

38. You only control your mind. A bad experience can turn good with a simple change of perception.  

39. Take Proper Breaks.

Taking Proper Breaks

I'm not sure how "taking a break" ever received a negative connotation. But, it did, at least for me. I once associated the term with weakness, a waste of time, an unnecessary evil.   

I now believe the opposite. Taking a break is one of the most productive lifestyle changes I've made in recent years. But not just any break, "A PROPER BREAK."

“I define A PROPER BREAK as weekly time out of the office to restore energy & zest for life.  ”

I take smaller daily breaks and even hourly breaks – I may cover these in a future post – but today I’ll cover the finer elements of taking A PROPER BREAK.

1. Break for Passion. The break is deeply rooted in my passion. It must take me to my happy place. A trip to New York City isn't a break for me. It may be fun, but it's not a proper break. I need to lose cell service, get my feet wet, cast a fly, sleep in a hammock, row a boat, pet my dog, and stare at the stream. That's my happy place, and that's a proper break.

2. Schedule the break. I schedule the breaks in my work calendar. Once in the calendar, it auto-populates my calendly to let clients know I'm out of the office, but more importantly, when it hits the calendar, it becomes real, and it gets done.

3. Make a project list. As soon as I plan the break, I build a list of projects I want to accomplish before I leave. This false deadline puts my productivity in overdrive. I'll knock out a week of work in two days if I know a fly fishing trip awaits.

4. Prepare for the break. Just as I prep for important work projects, I prepare for breaks. I check the weather. I check the river flows. I read the fishing reports. I organize my flies. I pack my gear. And I get excited. Heck, I'm getting excited thinking about it.

5. Revise the project list. Before heading out the door, I'll revise my project list, so I know what to tackle when I return. Knowing this list exist keeps me from thinking about it on the river. It's on the list.

6. Seed your mind. Based on the distance to productive steelhead fly water, my breaks involve a commute. I use this time to seed my mind via audible books and podcasts. The more this material makes me think, the better break. As I approach the stream, thought leaders transition to my favorite musicians. I'm all set to free my mind.

7. Free your mind. I work for myself, so there is technically no beginning or end to my workdays. Rather than building fences around "no work" on proper breaks, I let my mind be free. If it wants to think about work, I let it think about work. If it wants to disconnect, I let it disconnect. If ideas come, I jot them down and make another cast. Giving the mind freedom is the essence of the break.

8. Appreciate the break. Several times throughout the break, I stop, take a deep breath, and give thanks. I'm doing what I love, the sun's shining on a new day, the water is calm and cool, my dog is asleep in the boat, and for all the small simple things… I’m gracious.

Oh yeah, and don't try to reach me this Wednesday. I'll be taking A PROPER BREAK.

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The previous writing and thinking is inspired by the eclectic group of souls named the Western Writers League. You can the see the works of others at mario.to & nurture theory.

I have flaws.

I have flaws.

A lot of flaws.

Visit my Instagram page, and you’ll get the good stuff, only the good stuff.

Now it’s time for an honest self-review. Share the bad. The not good.

This list of imperfections could go on forever, but I’ll keep it to the first 15 that came to mind today.

I’m not detail oriented. In the last week, I’ve put the milk in the pantry, locked my keys in the car, lost my wallet, and sent important tax documents to my account I didn’t even read. Open any article on success, and you see “attention to detail” near the top of the page. You also won’t read my name in those articles.

I think small. I define Corbin Brands as a small batch digital agency, and that’s inflating us a bit. The movers and shakers of the world think big. I think small. And I keep things small.

I drink beer. I drink too much beer. I drink less beer today than I have in the last 17 years, but it’s a daily challenge. I love beer, and I drink too much of it.

I can’t touch my toes. I can’t put my socks on standing up, and when I put them on sitting down, it hurts my back. I have a bad back. I also have a bad knee. I used to find my lack of mobility humorous. I now see it as one of the biggest health challenges I face.

I say like, often. I like, use the word like, way too much. I like, put the word like, in sentences where it, like, doesn’t even belong.

I let society decide. I’ve always thought way too much about what others think of me. To the extent that it’s impacted my decisions & behaviors. At a young age, it impacted sports performance, at an older age, it influenced my career. Negatively.

I hear but don’t listen. Potentially the most critical skill of all: listening. I’m terrible. Meet me at a party, and you’re gonna have to tell me your name three times. I’ll likely ask you the exact same question twice. Back to back.

I’m messy. My natural tendencies would best be described as… A JUNK SHOW (All caps for emphasis). I broke the back window of my truck topper last week, cramming it full of poorly organized fishing and camping gear. A $400 messy mistake.

I waste time. I work hard, I work long, but I don’t work efficiently. I’ll waste three potentially productive days of work, only to knock out a project in the last 24 hours before a deadline. I’m not getting any time back, and I waste a lot of it.

I can’t decide. Great leaders make fast, clear, unwavering decisions. I don’t. I’ll put four different six packs of beer in my shopping cart, taking each back out, before taking a completely different one home. Beer in the shopping cart, also, a bad decision overall.

I text and drive. I do it all the time. And my wife’s a professional triathlete. That’s embarrassing. Actually, that’s disgusting.

I have a short attent… Oh, look, squirrel! I literally have to place a pebble on my phone to get work done. You can turn off notifications, but that’s not enough for this scatterbrain. I need an object that anchors my phone to the desk, or I’ll pick it up every five minutes.

I struggle to read. I haven’t read a fiction book since high school. And that was required reading. I read out of necessity, but not for pleasure. Reading doesn’t come easy to me, never has.

I’m a chicken. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I’ve had opportunities to make big bets professionally over the years. Big chances that could have led to big wins. And I’ve chickened out of every single one.

I keep it light. This post may be the most transparent I’ve been publicly my entire life. I generally avoid negative situations, negative conversations, or negative anything at all.

So where does this self-loathing leave me?

Ironically, happy.

I realize some of the items on the list are fixable, and I’ll fix them. Others are just me. I’ve wrestled with me for years. Not being the person I hoped to be and recognizing inherent flaws preventing me from reaching these heights. Today, I realize that’s just me, with one life to live and I’m going to enjoy it.

Besides, my dog thinks I’m perfect.

——

The previous writing and thinking is inspired by the eclectic souls named the Western Writers Society. You can the see the works of others at mario.to & nurture theory.

100 days later

We’ve surpassed the 100-day mark of 2019, and this post is holding myself accountable for my ten habit madness to kick off the new year. Here’s a link to original post, and here’s how it went down.

I documented every day with pencil and paper.

I only made it 52 days before eliminating six of the habits from my system.

I was either doing these every single day (Walk 10, Water 10, Schedule 10, Sugar 10, Fast 10, ) or was failing (coffee 10). Yes, I drank coffee every day. This article on the health benefits of coffee didn’t help.

So, let’s talk about the other four habits.

Yoga 10
I scored 85 of 100 days with a Yoga session. Granted some of the days were a mere five minutes and some of the days reached an hour. Mobility will remain a priority in 2019. I’m going to shift this focus to 3 days a week of a minimum of 20 minutes and see how this compares to the daily routine.

Mediate 10
I scored 90 of 100 days meditating, and only missed one day in the last 50 days. Mindfulness deserves and will receive a post of its own. I believe a commitment to guided meditation is one of the best decisions of my life. If nothing else came from this 100-day experiment, I’d consider it a huge success based on my meditation habit alone.

“Life is as big or small as we choose to make it. It all depends on our understanding and perception of the limitless nature of mind. ”

— Headspace

Book 10
Thirty days in and I couldn’t tell you a single lesson I learned from my nightly book reading. So I killed it. Once again, confirming my struggle with reading books and my intuition that I battle some form of dyslexia. Books & reading haven't lost their place in my heart. I’m once again shifting my attention to Audible for books and dedicating the last 10 minutes of the day to skimming industry news.

Beer 10
Oh, beautiful beer. As predicted, this was a tough one. The final score settled at 62 of the first 100 days alcohol-free. What’s hopeful is the majority of those days came in the last 50 days. I’m still battling my Irish genes on this one, but have now set my sites on four days a month, one day a week. That’s doable. Right?

In summary, I’m giving myself an atta boy. Habits don’t come easy. Behaviors don’t change fast. I lost some battles, but I won the war. I challenged myself, and I learned.

And I’m doing it again.

Another 100 days developing habits for a better me:

Mobility: yoga daily, 3 days a week 20+ minutes
Move: Walk, run, swim, bike, move 1 hour a day
Eat: alcohol and foods with 4+ ingredients weekly.
Think: read & meditate daily, write monthly.

——

The previous writing and thinking is inspired by an eclectic group of souls named the Western Writers Society. You can the see the works of the others at mario.to & nurture theory.

A look back at Ireland

In celebration of my Irish genes, I decided to spend a portion of my St. Patrick’s Day going back through my photos from our Saucony trip last October. I pulled my top 17 and posted below. And that’s the joy of taking photos for me. I can look back and reignite all my senses of the time and place. Even the temperature of the Guinness comes to life.

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the learning truck

The old truck recently crept over 200,000 miles. It took us 15 years to hit this milestone.

It’s a pretty basic rig, four cylinders, manual transmission. The fanciest feature is power windows – because I couldn’t find one with the classic roll downs. The best feature is the four-wheel drive – because I need it on almost every adventure.

I converted the back seat to a dog bed years ago. The truck outlived my first dog Madison and has traveled 2.5 years down the road with Chimehuin. I built storage boxes and a sleeping deck in the truck bed. I sleep like a baby back there.

The driver’s seat serves as a classroom. Yes, it’s where I learn.

I’ll crank up the Johnny Cash on the right stretch of highway, but I discovered over the years I also love filling travel time with schooling. The course materials started with books on CDs rented from the Missoula Public Library. With time, the mediums evolved to Audible, Digital Classrooms, and Podcasts.

Audible
Audible is my channel for books. I struggle to read books and always have. My Blinkist behavior supports this observation. I’m still a big fan of books, but I found I’m a stronger listener than a reader. I drove from Bend to the Oregon Coast last weekend and listened to books by Dale Carnegie and Guy Kawasaki. I would have never have consumed these books otherwise. I’ve also discovered I hear faster than I read. I keep my audible playback speed at 1.75x and will occasionally kick it up to 2x. I tend to buy the Kindle and Audible versions of the book at the same time. I listen on Audible and revisit the high points on Kindle.

Digital Classrooms
As digital classrooms emerged, they quickly found their way into the truck. Lynda.com, Skilshare.com, & Masterclass.com have all earned my money over the years. For example, Photoshop, Lightroom, After Effects & Premiere Pro were learned in the seat of my truck thanks to Lynda.com. Don’t worry, the distracted driving offenses are not as bad as they sound. I don’t watch or study the details, I introduce the concepts and bookmark the tips to revisit in the office. Call it digital classroom skimming.

Podcasts
Podcasts are my favorite audio medium. Stitcher is my favorite player. You can listen to detailed conversations with the best of the best. Accessing these great minds of the world, all in the palm of your hand. Amazing. An exciting podcast makes me want to jump behind the wheel and drive. No really, it does. I’ll take the long way to the river for extra time with How I Built This or The Tim Ferris Show.

The point of sharing here is not to brag about my windshield miles and the schooling I've received. It’s to challenge traditional learning. Today, education has no boundaries. In seconds, your phone can outperform the greatest scholar of the last century.

Find the topics you love, the mediums you use, and the time in your life to learn.

On a recent trip back from the Deschutes River, the truck motor misfired, the check engine light came on, and I thought we had come to the end of the road. A couple of new spark plugs later and we're looking at the next 200,000 miles.

Of learning.

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Another piece of writing inspired by my colleagues in the Western Writers League. You can read their works at Mario Dot To and The Nurture Theory.

My Pebble

My office computer lies on top of an old dynamite box. In the back left corner of this box, you’ll find my pebble.

Not any pebble. A pebble fetched from the banks of my favorite steelhead stream. But that’s not what makes my pebble awesome. My pebble provides FOCUS.

Yes, FOCUS.

I make my living in the digital marketing world. A market segment that’s perfected the art of disrupting our lives. I too have fallen victim to the real-time drip of updates.

The phone dings and I grab it. The phone dings again, I grab it again. Each and every time disrupting the task at hand and resetting my focus.

Truthfully, I’ve never been known for my attention span – “oh look, squirrel” – but in recent years I’ve noticed an addiction to the ding and thus a decline in efficient, productive work.

These disruptions come at the price of time. Half hour projects take the entire morning. Morning projects take a day and on and on. The one aspect of life I can never get back – TIME – lost to a lack of focus.

Recognizing this slide, I vowed to establish habits in 2019 that would heighten my attention. One of these habits included daily meditation via Headspace. After making it through the basics, I started my current block on… you guessed it: focus.

Ten days into my focus meditation block, Headspace introduced the pebble. My Pebble. Each day I pull my pebble out of my desk, focus on my pebble, shift my focus away and then regain my focus again on my pebble. It sounds simple, but it really works.

I’ve become a big fan of my pebble. I’m now using it in other areas of my life to also anchor my focus. For example, I’ll place my pebble on my cell phone for 45-minute increments. While the pebble holds down the dinging phone, I only work on the defined project. Afterwards, I return my pebble to the corner of the dynamite box.

As I’m putting the finishes touches on this post, my pebble happily sits on top of my phone. My phone dings and I smile. My phone dings again and I smile again. My pebble directs my focus, not an arbitrary ding.

Months from now my pebble may become just another river rock again. For the time being, it’s doing so much more. It’s providing FOCUS. It’s freeing TIME.

The 10 Habit

“What we do every day matters more than what we do once in a while. ”

— Gretchen Rubin

I have a serious sweet tooth. I come by it honestly. My papaw suffered from type 2 diabetes, and my dad loves ice cream (only time will tell). Knowing this, I limited my sugar intake to less than 10 grams of added sugar per serving for the entire month of July 2018.

It stuck.

Yes… I’ve had an occasional donut since this habit change, but… I can also say I no longer eat dessert after meals. I don’t miss sugar and I don’t crave sugar.

With my sugar crushing success, I’m taking the same formula and testing it in the first 100 days of 2019. I’m calling it The 10 Habit and it’s going to focus on time & diet.

“You always have time for things you put first.”

— Unkown

Walk 10
Each day will start with a 10-minute walk with Chimehuin. This will deliver fresh air and blood flow to help wake up the body. I believe the timing of the morning walk means more than the duration.  

Yoga 10
10 minutes of Yoga will immediately follow the walk. At the time of this post, I’m on a 50-day streak of at least 5 minutes of yoga a day. I’m doubling down in the new year and striving for 100 straight days of 10 minutes of yoga.  

Meditate 10
I’ve also been experimenting with meditation and found it very challenging and very refreshing. In hopes to make meditation a habit, I’ll take a work break between 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to clear my mind through meditation.  

Schedule 10
I have a long-standing habit of writing a list of tasks I’d like to achieve the following day before clocking out of the office. To strengthen this exercise, I’ll take 10 minutes to schedule these tasks on my calendar – visualizing the completion of each task the following day.

Book 10
As each day comes to a close, it’s much easier for me to watch a video, or read the latest industry news than pick up a book. I’ll end the first 100 days of the new year with a book in my hand.

“You can’t excercise your way out of a bad diet.”

— Mark Hyman

Water 10
Before I head out the door on my morning 10-minute walk, I’ll drink two glasses of water. Followed by eight more glasses of water throughout the day.  

Sugar 10
I’ve already established a habit of limiting my sugar intake to under 10 grams of added sugar per serving. I’m pleased with the results, so I’m keeping it in place.

Beer 10
My biggest weakness is alcohol consumption. I enjoy a daily drink more than I should and want to change this behavior pattern. Over the first 100 days, I’ll take five beer breaks, each ten days long.  

Coffee 10
Vice number two, I love coffee shop cultures and I love a good Cup of Joe. I’ll align my 10-day caffeine free streaks with my 10-day alcohol free streaks.  

Fast 10
I started experimenting with intermittent fasting at the end of last year and want to continue this practice into the new year. Following dinner, I won’t consume any other calories until breakfast. I say 10 hours here, but my specific goal is 13-16 hours between my last calorie of the day and the first calorie of the following day.

The 10 Habit test will end April 11, 2019. On the surface, none of these habits appear difficult. Together they present a challenge. Some of these habits may already be in place (water, walk, sugar, etc.) Even so, I’ve never defined them, tracked them, and announced them to the public. To further my accountability, I’ll repost these desired habits and results in mid April.

Happy New Year!

The Placebo is the Brand

“Placebos are wonderful because they don’t have any side effects and they actually work.”

— Seth Godin

The Placebo.

Prescribed for the psychological benefit, not the physical benefit.

The Brand.

I’ve been highly susceptible to the placebo effect of a well crafted brand since an early age. I was a mediocre basketball player in any shoes, but I would pursue the latest Air Jordan sneaker release at all costs.  Any jacket would warm my bones, but only a Patagonia would suffice.

The performance remained the same. I was buying the brand. I was buying the story it told.

Nearly thirty years later, very little has changed.

Today, I found myself beaming with joy as I gazed at my purchase from my friends at Deschutes Angler: a 13 foot, 9 inch, 6 weight, CF Burkheimer Presentation Spey Rod. I’m so proud of this purchase, I carved off a piece of my schedule today to take portrait photos of the beauty.

Yes, I was once again feeling the effects of my placebo. I stopped and questioned WHY? My answers lie in the Master, the Maker, and the Memories.

The Master.

I purchased this rod from John & Amy Hazel at Deschutes Angler. From the first day I darkened their doors, I was a fan. We instantly found some mutual connections, including a unique silver trout bracelet from Three Forks Montana. Connections aside, their history with the fish that captures my mind daily, sealed the deal. They’ve forgot more about steelhead than I currently know. The truly love the art of the sport.

When I decided I wanted to upgrade my spey collection, I called them for advice. Their excitement for the mere mention of Burkheimer was clear through the phone. The stories they told about the role they played in the Presentation Spey sold me, I was really feeling the effects.

The Maker.

I have a weak spot for handcrafted products. I always have. I’m all for technological advances in production, but it’s the craftsman that I love. The maker cares more. This attention to detail radiates every piece of the C.F. Burkheimer Presentation Spey. The plaid rod sleeve, the smoked nickel & buckeye reel seat, the five layer cork handle. The art that comes at the bench of a maker. The differences in style matters to me. It speaks to my style.  

The Memories.

It’s no secret that fly fishing captures my heart and plays a restorative role in my life. I’d like to say the countless hours swinging flies for steelhead has dampened my fishing spirit, but the opposite actually holds true. The chase, the mystery, the extended periods of time between fish, increases the desire to go.

The first swing through the first run with the new rod found a bright steelhead that disappeared on the horizon deep into my fly line backing. A memory never to be forgotten.

Did I pay more for placebo effect that comes with the C.F. Burkheimer Presentation Spey Rod in my hand?

Absolutely.

With this purchase, I salute the master, the maker, and the memories. The stories they tell and what these stories tell others about me. That’s my placebo effect. The placebo is the brand.

My Curious Vow

This post serves as my public pledge for CURIOSITY.  My Curious Vow. A commitment to question, learn, and change.

I’ve come to believe it’s the curious mind where a zest for life lives. It’s the source of inspiration, drive, and passion. It’s how we explore and how we grow.

Curiosity allows your mind & spirit to stay young as you grow old.

Let’s take fishing as an example. I love fishing examples.  

I developed an interest in spin fishing at an early age. This intrigue led me down countless dusty Ozark roads to new waters to wade. An introduction to fly fishing in Field & Stream Magazine sold me on my first fly rod at the age of 16. I was curious.

I packed this fly rod to receive an education at the University of Montana. This fascination for fishing with flies led to Alaska, Argentina, Canada, Chile, New Zealand, Europe, and every fishable water in between. This too expanded to new fly fishing techniques in the salty waters of both the Atlantic & the Pacific. I was curious.

Most recently, my inquiring mind spey casts for Steelhead: a sea run rainbow trout that sparks my interest more than any fish that has come before it. I’m still curious.

I use fishing as an example for simplicity. I could easily provide journeys in health & fitness, diet, career, finances, spirituality, etc., all fueled by questions. There is clearly joy found in learning. Just spend time with a 5-year-old.

Besides the fun factor, curiosity also plays another critical role in our ability to evolve. It drives change in our dynamic world. It allows us to create & adapt.

Unfortunately, society does a fine job of destroying intrigue. The decline in the sheer number of questions asked from age 5 to 18 is well documented. We’re eventually trained to stop asking questions altogether.

Today, I’m challenging myself to continue to question. I’m taking My Curious Vow. A commitment to question, learn, and change.

Living that Hunter-Gatherer Life

This past Sunday I hoisted my drift boat out of the Wild & Scenic Deschutes River and onto my trailer. It signaled the end of my seventh overnight journey down the river this year.

The short version of these river trips consists of rowing a drift boat, fishing, and camping.

The long version means so much more.

You join nature’s gym.
Each trip, I return mentally refreshed and physically tired. The Deschutes’ reputation for boulder gardens and slick volcanic edges makes for leg weary days. Balanced with time on the oars, the voyage delivers a full body workout. The “ stabilize on a boulder in fast water” or "carry 5 gallons of water up a slippery slope to camp" machines only exist in nature's gym.

You realize how little you need.
On all of these trips, I packed two pairs of underwear and only wore one. Actually, on one trip I wore none. When there is no need to judge your wardrobe, you don’t wear one. You wear what you need and you realize how little you need.

You get dirty.
Your gear gets dirty. Your body gets dirty. Your food gets dirty. Everything gets dirty. I’ve yet to fall ill from this addition of dirt in my life. A cold river cleanse never feels better. No soap, just wash off the dirt, refresh your senses, and get dirty again.

You sleep under the stars.
On all seven trips, I slept under the stars in a hammock. My best nights of sleep fall under these starry skies. When I wake in the night, the view can’t be matched by the world’s best bedrooms.

You bond with your dog.
It’s no secret I love my dog, and this friendship only strengthens on the river. I’ve fished with a golden retriever at my side nearly my entire life. I far prefer fishing with a dog than not fishing with a dog. On this most recent trip, I walked upstream to a fishing hole, leaned my fly rod against a tree, laid down in the grass, and pet my dog. Then I fished.

You disconnect.
As I expressed in my last post, we need social interactions for optimum health. We also need to disconnect. The river forces you to put down your phone. Verizon Wireless hasn’t reached the depths of the Deschutes Canyon, and this is a good thing.

More and more I ask myself: where does this passion for life on the river come from?

I believe I can thank our hunter-gatherer forefathers. It runs in our blood. At least in my lineage. Even the dog part. I’m almost certain I inherited the dominate dog loving, fishing genes in the Corbin Family Tree.

Let’s be clear, I have zero desire to go back to the hunter-gatherer ways of the nomadic Corbins. I believe we’re living better lives than anyone who has come before us thanks to the gifts of modern society. A delayed flight to Hawaii is now considered a big problem. Really? That’s a big problem?

Long story short, I’ve always enjoyed my time spent in nature. Only now, am I pondering the bigger role it plays in my life. I'm exploring the joys of living that hunter-gatherer life.

If a trip down the Deschutes heightens this happiness, take me to the river.

the need to connect

I’m somewhat obsessed with my personal wellness, always testing strategies that impact my mind and body. This usually pertains to work, diet, fitness, and sleep.

Today, I’m adding a new area of focus. Building relationships. Being social. Connecting. 

A few anecdotal observations and thoughts on this topic includes babies, mobile phones, and meeting in - person. As random as these topics may read, they share one underlying premise, our need to connect with another being. 

The Baby Social
This curiosity for human interaction began when I repeatedly watched two babies crawl towards each other on the floor. Outside of being near each other, they had no other forms of meaningful communication. This closeness appeared to be enough. Their parents never taught them to crawl to each other. They openly expressed through actions, that’s what they wanted to do. This confirms my belief that being social is deeply rooted in human nature.  

The Mobile Social
I’m lumping everyone with a cell phone into the same category. From Gen Z to Baby boomers, I see mobile usage very similar across generations. For example, my parents don’t send Snaps, but they do sit on the exact same couch, in the exact same room, each staring at their phones, connecting with others not in the room.  

Phones are forever changing how we connect and their popularity helps prove this necessity to do so. It’s easy to argue against the quality of the social interaction, but the reality is these mobile devices are allowing us to socialize with others in new ways. Texts, emojis, snaps, tweets, likes, Facetime, phone calls.. all forms of humans being humans. Connecting. Being social.

Another observation from The Mobile Social pertains to utilizing the phone as a “Connected Crutch.” I’ve even caught myself reaching in my pocket for my phone when not successfully finding another human to converse with at the party. The alternative – not being connected – was more than I could bear, especially in public. 

Good, bad, or otherwise, The Mobile Social diversifies our communications and increases the efficiencies and scale at which we can connect with others. It may also serve as a barrier to the richest and most valuable social of all time.

The In-Person Social
Not much different than where it all began as babies, the ultimate form of connecting with another human is the In-Person Social. From babies to grandpas, the verbal and nonverbal communication that exists when two humans are together cannot be matched. Regardless of how the relationship started or evolved, it becomes richer In- Person. I’d even argue a positive "in-person" conversation with a total stranger will brighten one’s day on both sides of the equation.  

As such, the In-Person Social is my preferred means of communication to accelerate a potential bond or strengthen a relationship.

I realized today I've taken our need to connect for granted. That's going to change. I'm going to strategically plan to socialize and connect with others. I'll also strive to strengthen existing relationships through more meaningful communications. 

Being social is critical to our overall health and should be prioritized just as we prioritize other aspects of our wellbeing: work, diet, fitness, sleep, & connect.

Don’t believe me? Here’s a study to prove it.

“Having weak social relationships poses a greater mortality risk than physical inactivity or obesity.”

— Shankar Vedantam

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This constitutes my third post for the WESTERN WRITERS LEAGUE.  Please also read the works of my colleagues on the following sites:

http://mario.to/
https://www.nurturetheory.com/

38 lessons in 38 years

Another year, another lesson. I started this annual reflection at the age of 31. I add one new lesson each year. 

1. It’s your life.  No two people are the same. Embrace the gifts, challenges, and opportunities given to you.

2. Nothing is ever as good or bad as it seems.  The bottom is not that low and the top is not that high.

3. Family matters. At least to me. Good, bad, and ugly, I know my family loves me and this gives me strength. Find strength in your family.

4. Find your passion. Branding, fly fishing….  Passions make life worth living and people with passions make the world go round.

5. Do what you love. This is generally the easiest thing for you to do. What you think about when you go to bed and what you think about when you get up? Do that.

6. Fill wasted time.  Road trip or long commute? Fill your iPhone with audio material you don’t have time to read.

7. Carpe Diem. I’ve heard for years: “you’re young.” Don’t wait for the perfect time, because it will never come.

8. Use your words. The brain is a powerful engine and words drive this motor. What you think and say is what you will become.

9. Stay on your feet. Sitting is bad for you. Run, walk, and stand as much as possible. 

10. Make lists. Simple “to do” lists have become my greatest productivity tool. Email, call, errands, projects, media, etc., all have their own weekly “to do” lists.

11. Buy tickets not toys. I have no shortage of toys, but reflecting back, it’s the trips I remember most, not the “things” I purchased.

12. Nobody is watching you. I’ve always thought people were watching me. What will they think if…? Don’t make decisions based on what other people will think, make decisions for your best interest.  (The 18-40-60 Rule)

13. Do your best. Win or lose you did your best, what more can you ask for? You gave your best.

14. You grow in the valleys not in the mountains.  Times get tough, that is inevitable. As bad as they may be, these experiences craft our character and build our strength.

15. Continuously learn. Read, listen, watch, write.  Never stop learning.

16. Everything is relative. Everything. A 15-inch trout is a great catch, until you land one that is 20.

17. Riches have nothing to do with money.  Today (2011), I'm going on a fishing trip with my dad.  At moments, it will be impossible to be richer than us.

18. Set Goals. I set about 50 goals a year each divided into six priorities in my life:  family, faith, fitness, finances, focus, freelance.

19. Tell someone the goals you set. This will increase accountability and likelihood of achievement.

20. Buy a dog. Health and happiness will follow. 

21. Eat right and sleep well. I used to think both were a waste of time and resources; I now realize they are two of the greatest inputs to energy and performance.

22. Be spiritual. Not offensive, wacky, sign-holding spiritual, spirituality that gives you peace and purpose. Spirituality that allows you to embrace your blessings.

23. Live where you want. If fly fishing, running, riding, recreation, craft beer, and community are important to you, live there. If they’re not, live somewhere else.

24.  Love. Marriage is my most prized possession.

25. Don’t be a critic.  It’s easier to be a critic than correct; respect the man in the arena.

26. Find your happy place. Go there when you need to calm the inner beast. 

27. Cheer for something. I always assumed I’d quit caring about sports when I hung up my high school cleats. I now relish the opportunity to cheer for my wife and cheer for the HOGS–Woo Pig Sooie!

28.  Keep a few friends. You don’t need a thousand friends, just a few really good ones.

29. You lose 100% of the races you don’t start. If you try, you’ll know. The “what-ifs” will haunt you, so you might as well try.

30. Measure. If you don’t determine metrics and measure, its impossible to gauge progress.

31. Have integrity. Without it, what do you really have?

32. Experiment.  “All of life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better." - Ralph Waldo Emerson.

33 . Go down the rabbit hole.  Follow a passion, thought, idea, feeling, etc. as far as it can possibly take you. Once you've arrived at this point. Keep digging.  

34. Focus on Right Now. Vision is great, but I've found my best work gets done when I'm focused on the next task at hand. 

35. Meet in person. No other form of communication (message in a bottle, blogging, phone, skype, text, social, etc.) can compare to the experience of meeting in person.  This holds true for all relationships, professional and personal.

36. Nobody cares about your story. They only care about their story.  

37. Altruism wins. 

38. You only control your mind. A bad experience can turn good with a simple change of perception.  

THIS IS FLY

A sincere thank you to This Is Fly, Volume 68. You can see and read my Fishing Buddy photo essay starting on page 60. The shot below didn't make the cut, but will give you a subtle hint on the subject matter. Enjoy. 

“Chimehuin doesn’t care how many steelhead we catch. Her joy comes from the journey. ”

— -Chris Corbin (This Is Fly)