inspiration

How Not Counting Reps Helped Me Break Through My Workout Plateaus

/ Stuart Danker / 68 Comments

Woman working out on stadium bleachers

I feel like it wasn’t too long ago that I wrote this piece about working out every day for two months, and now it’s time once more to follow up on that.

I’m proud to announce that I’ve yet to break the chain, and I’ve now reached the five-month mark of working out every day. And this is coming from someone who much prefers sports to plain ol’ exercise.

I’ve learned so much about myself thus far, the main lesson being how much I hate exercise. But I’ve also learned that I can do hard things, especially on the days when I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to pull it off.

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How Meditation Helps Me Write Better (And Overcome The Dreaded Blank Page)

/ Stuart Danker / 51 Comments

Woman sitting at a balcony meditating during the sunset

Do meditation and writing go hand in hand? Yes. Are there any real benefits? I don’t know.

The general consensus is that meditation isn’t a silver bullet you can scrounge up in moments of need. Think of it as exercise, another tool that’s scientifically proven to benefit you, but it’s not as if busting out a hundred push-ups will instantaneously bestow you with a sculpted chest.

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5 Writing Skills For Bloggers Who Want To Boost Their Content Game

/ Stuart Danker / 87 Comments

Woman with glasses writing with pen in the dark

I’ve written for a living for close to a decade now, but I actually have very little to show for my years of experience.

So now I’m scrambling, trying to understand my own craft better, and you know what? Let the first lesson be that you should learn about your job wayyyy before the one-decade mark.

But the second best time to plant a tree is today, am I right? So no use crying over spilt milk (oh, we’re on a cliche journey with this post, so put on your seatbelts). Instead, let’s explore the skills any typical writer should have—or in my case, wishes he had.

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Here Are 3 Simple Perspective Shifts That Will Inspire A Better Life

/ Stuart Danker / 63 Comments

Girl laughing in front of graffitied wall

Do you ever feel differently towards a problem depending on your mood?

I have. Take, for instance, my writing process. My attitude towards the blank page changes along with my mindset, most prominently before and after exercising. Ditto pre- and post-alcohol as well.

But the circumstances themselves don’t really change, do they? Only your point of view does. It’s a miracle, really, how difficulties can change just with a slight shift in perspective.

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