It’s January 24 – and the New Years buzz has worn off and I am starting to fall back into my normal routines. In order to get back on the wagon – I’ve begin listening to Youtubers and Podcasts on self-improvement again. One such person I’ve found is Gabe Bult
Sharing one of my brothers names, Gabe Bult is a Youtuber who focuses on short videos on tips and tricks to live a better life, focusing on minimalism and book reviews. Sounds similar to what I was trying to accomplish back in 2016 during my Blendlogic stint.
For those of you who don’t me, I’ve been working as a Data Visualization Consultant in Atlanta Georgia and been in Atlanta pretty much since college at Georgia Tech. During my time there, I went through the typical system:
- Study
- Get Good Grades
- Go to College
- Graduate
- ????
- Get a Good Job
- ???
Though on first week of getting a corporate job – I realized that sitting at a desk 8-hours a day, 5 days a week wasn’t that great. At the time, I was making 43K, but could simulate into my life what i’d be making with 10% raises, etc – and figured I needed to switch things up
Long story short – around 2016 – after consuming tons of self-help YouTube Videos, Tony Robbins audio books, I decided to venture on my own through a web design company and attempt to scale.
I failed — on the metrics of success is being self sufficient and/or replacing my Consultant income… and here we are in 2023 – back in Corporate life, but Remote Life has helped ease the qualms I had with Corporate Life
Enough about you Alan – What’s the point?
As my first post on a website redesign – and focus on Eudemonia – I wanted to just level set with you, myself, and my future self of what I am trying to accomplish.
See… after some reflection – I think I’m really just bored.
I’ve practiced gratitude – and I know it sounds lame and I realize I am truly in a special spot, good job – opportunity to travel , be anywhere – heck I’m writing this from a coffee shop in Denver — but I still feel like I could be doing more.
Side tangent – if you haven’t practiced gratitude, gratitude journals – its a great exercise. Basically just list things, people , anything you can think of. Heres an exercise of me going through it :
- I’m grateful for the people involved so I can enjoy coffee in the middle of the day. The People and hands involved working it, making it. The people involved running management of the coffee shop so it stays in business. The farmers who had to nurture and farm/ grow the coffee. The people who had to roast the coffee, ship it and package it. The drivers who have to drive across or the pilots who fly the planes to do it.
- You the reader – list your gratitude and try to think through how it ends up in your lap
So for #1 – I am drinking coffee so I just did the exercise – but you can see how so much is involved in getting a simple cup of coffee. Its crazy!
End side Tangent
So back to what I feel like I am experiencing…. I believe the boredom stems from a LACK OF FEEDBACK and or GOALS. See, following the system – its get good grades, get good feedback… pat on the back — good job you got good grades.But after college no one prepares you for lack of review/feedback etc. Also what you miss out on is going outside of the box. You get the full autonomy to do whatever… but lack reviews and feedback. In short, with no one to really set one up for me, I must set up goals for myself
Another big “happy” blocker is lack of creation. I think for myself and perhaps for others, when you just keep doing what your supposed to do , you realize you could do whatever you want, and for me and naturally I think for others – you get to the idea of wanting to create something.
For me back in 2016 – it was vlogging, traveling, making content. And I sort of due that now – but its so routine with Blendlogic Tech and Technology channels… that its the same thing over and over. (Technically even traveling is the same thing over and over) .
For example – people (my viewers) give me views on Apple Products. But after the 3rd iteration of Macbooks on Apple Silicone – its the same games, same things tested – just marginally faster.
Or Travel Vlogging – go to a city, see nature — yes its unique structure but maybe it just not my vibe or maybe I just need to wear glasses – but the structure is all starting to look similar to me.
All of this leading to…..
Blog, content – written form. I’ve never fully done it consistently – and not at least put it out there in public, but in 2023 – this is what i’ll do.
I do some journaling on my iPad with an Apple Pencil – but I think this venue of getting thoughts out may be helpful. Maybe you are going through something similar. Whatever ends up for putting it out there, only time will tell.
All of this to relate back to this concept – prioritize towards what makes you happy.
Gabe Bult puts tons of content out – and I just listened to his latest one at the time of this writing and his most popular one on youtube. Linked below:
What I took away from both videos were some golden nuggest for me that are striking out for me now :
- 90/10 rule for Happiness
Prioritize the 10% of things that make you happy. To determine those – you have to be real cognizant of what makes you happy. For me, the exercise involves thinking about it, writing about it, and in this blog – commenting on what isn’t “striking joy” as Maria Condo would say - Make the world a better place
I’ve heard that one before during my self improvement phase – but hearing it again is really grounding me to what I’ve been doing.
Back when I was making content full time – it was that idea and concept – make things that will help people – But I got no views, and I got demotivated. My runways ran out – emotional runway, financial runway… all dried up. Going back to work and now having the luxury of remote life – its been great for refilling my joy meter – but theres the part that wants to be “OVERFLOWING WITH JOY” – They use that concept alot in self improvement. To be able to share. I’m reaching that point and hence writing this blog and article
There’s others that he talks about but I encourage you to read it for yourself . Let me know in the comments whats calling out to you.
And for my goals – and what I have in Notion workbook – I also have 2 videos a week planned
- Blendlogic Tech – Anything that can help people be productive with technology and systems
- Personal – Chasing Eudomonia – blog type, etc
Keep being awesome!
Alan