Collapse into now - OutOfTheBlue's journal

Where are you and where are you going?
OutOfTheBlue
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Collapse into now - OutOfTheBlue's journal

Post by OutOfTheBlue »

Welcome to my journal. This entry will also serve as a forum introduction, since I've only made an account a few weeks ago, and would rather introduce myself before I join in more actively. In the typical fashion, I have been lurking here for some time now. At this point, though, given the amount of great insight I have already received digging into various threads and journals (it's a gold mine!), I feel compelled to step forward, participate, engage with, give back, share my ERE journey, foray into new territory, and so forth.

But first, let me render to Caesar what is Caesar’s. Jacob, thank you so much for all the inspiration, the sharing, the website, the book, this forum/community. You have my gratitude!

I have read the book in late summer of 2019, and was immediately drawn to the ERE ideas. As for the forum, which I now understand as an integral part of the ecosystem (the synergy between recycled posts of the website, the book and the forum is just genius!), it took me a while to dive in and take the time to really appreciate the wealth and depth.

It feels great to have found so many great individuals gathered in one place. Thank you all for your unique and varied contributions!

This post will not dwell too much into my goals, thinking, experiences and insights, as I expect these to unfold gradually. Hope you stick around : - )

However, for the sake of communication, and for good measure, here are a few facts about me:

- I am a 41 male from FR & GR (EU) (English is not my native language)
- Currently in TH (SEA) (been here for almost two years now)
- With an ERE-compatible DGF
- Working man quadrant (freelance translator)
- Around 4-5x years worth of savings
- Investing strategy: almost all crypto assets
- MBTI: INFJ (but please don't box me in)

The title of the journal is "Collapse into now". I like the catchy "Collapse now and avoid the rush" by John Michael Greer, which AxelHeyst has mentioned a few times. It is also a nod to my teenage year favourite band (R.E.M.), which has an album/song with that title. Ultimately though, it is about a reminder for being in the now. Living mindfully, striving for balance, growing, simplifying, deepening, integrating. Taking the freedom not to wait for a freedom day. Because is already happening. It is here. I am here.

In other words, to paraphrase a well-know proverb for placeholder seekers:

Before ERE*, chop wood, carry water. After ERE, chop wood, carry water.

Happy ERE-ing!

*Or ERE FI/RE, to be more precise.

Note: Don't worry if I don't respond too quickly. Harvesting the power of asynchronous communication (and staying out of Internet addiction) : - )

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Lemur
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Re: Collapse into now - OutOfTheBlue's journal

Post by Lemur »

Hey and welcome! A few things:

1.) Current spend level?
2.) Why almost 100% crypto?
3.) Current hobbies?

Dave
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Re: Collapse into now - OutOfTheBlue's journal

Post by Dave »

Welcome!

Looking forward to following your journey.

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unemployable
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Re: Collapse into now - OutOfTheBlue's journal

Post by unemployable »

I bought several R.E.M. albums the day they came out, but my musical tastes changed around the time of Reveal.

They sang a lot on the subject of presence all through their career, didn't they.

OutOfTheBlue
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Re: Collapse into now - OutOfTheBlue's journal

Post by OutOfTheBlue »

I don't remember where I've seen this, but I like the idea/forum ethic of making it a point to read someone's journal (if you haven't already) when they comment on your own. Dave and Lemur, I have started reading yours, please allow me some time to follow through and follow up!

@Dave: thank you for the welcome!
@unemployable: Funny, I hadn't thought of it that way. I guess you can say that! And my tastes did change around that album too.
@Lemur: Thanks! These are excellent prompts and deserve a detailed answer/post each.

Let me start with the first:

**Current spend level?**

For personal expenses, something to the tune of USD 8,200 per year. WIth +10% wiggle room, I guess I am around 1 JAFI.

I don't currently systematically track spending any more, but I maintain a list of categories (with details on each) and costs (fixed or guestimated), which I often revisit to adjust, identify areas of friction and streamline/rethink.

Here is a general monthly breakdown:

Housing (including water/electricity bill): USD 235
Food/Groceries/Eating out: USD 100-120
Transport: USD 24-32 (I work from home, no car or other vehicle (other than my Brompton, which left in EU), so this includes public transport, the occasional taxi bike or shared taxi, and one month of rented scooter per year in the home base. Cheap scooter rentals during trips are included in travel expenses)
Phone/Internet/VOIP: USD 17
Clothing: USD 17 (I live out of the proverbial "one bag": one pair of shoes/sandals/pants, two long sleeve items and shorts, a few t-shirts, socks, boxer briefs, minimal running/swimming/rain gear…)
Health insurance (IPD, USD 2000 deductible): USD 50
Medical: USD 32 (dentist, biennial check-up, glasses/contact lenses/contact lens solution)
Toiletries: USD 6
Hardware (laptop [replacement every 6y] [with the exception of above average RAM, translation does not really need a top of the line rig, at least not when running Linux with i3], smartphone [every 4], earphones, etc.): USD 27
Software (pro software/email/website): USD 7
Additional trip expenses to EUR every two years: USD 60
Additional budget for in-country/nearby country travelling: USD 60-90
Entertainment: zero or negligible cost, otherwise included in travel expenses

Comments

Current visa/work permit plan (I am paying an umbrella company service, which was pretty much the only way to enter TH for me when I did) is excluded from these spending calculations, and will thankfully end soon (two months to go). Going forward, I will opt for much fewer visa costs, which are already priced in.
These are calculated with TH as my home base. I have a place to stay in GR, so housing would be lower if I still lived there (but would probably be offset by higher costs in other areas, although my everyday spending was even lower at some point during my last period there)

Big 3:
- Housing costs will probably go down, after my three month trip back to EU this summer. I plan to eschew long-term rentals, sometimes co-living with my DGF, sometimes staying in short term rentals. Since I have learned to sleep on the floor, only use a fan, work while standing, etc. I can stay in cheap places (with the caveat that my home is also my work office, so I can't just stay "anywhere", for now).
- Food: I proudly cook most of my generally plant-based food, but eating out is cheap in SEA when done intelligently (going local: buying some cooked food in local markets, eating at food courts/street food joints, and only occasionally going to malls). I guess doing OMAD day-in day-out also helps in that regard.
- Transport: If at some point, I decided to buy a used middle-range scooter, transport costs would double, but would be still quite low.
Saving rate is not that great though, but this is not much due to spending levels. Relatively low income levels is the main culprit as well as some non-personal expenses.

OutOfTheBlue
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Re: Collapse into now - OutOfTheBlue's journal

Post by OutOfTheBlue »

Lemur wrote:
Wed Apr 20, 2022 4:25 pm

2.) Why almost 100% crypto?
I reserve discussing investment topics more in detail later as this dimension is currently on the backburner. I stopped pursuing self-education on the subject and following it too closely to focus on other areas. New savings are currently not being invested anyway as I use them to help my DGF's family with their house and free her from an important obligation. I am also mostly not touching my existing crypto portfolio allocation.

For now, I will just say that I believe in crypto's growth and further adoption potential. Some crypto assets have solid fundamentals/tokenomics, which are bound to drive value up in the long run. Here for the long game. I am past determining whether this represents a legitimate asset class to hold/invest in. In light of the massive institutional and other adoption we're seeing, I am not the only one, and not interested in debating that.

Crypto offers enough diversity to apply various approaches, it suits my working man perspective (I will likely continue translating to some capacity as one of my income streams past the initial accumulation phase, and can see myself scaling workload depending on market conditions to meet my low living costs as needed, in a downmarket) and risk profile (I don't get any sleepless nights over market swings or downturns), and it is compatible with legal zero taxation, assuming I stay here (tax residents in Thailand are subject to income tax on foreign-source income only if paid in or remitted to Thailand within the same calendar year in which the income is paid), etc.

I won't claim this is the best asset class for everyone and don't exclude foraying into different territory as well in the future, but for now, ~95% crypto allocation suits me fine. I look forward to furthering my education and refining my approach later on.

OutOfTheBlue
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Re: Collapse into now - OutOfTheBlue's journal

Post by OutOfTheBlue »

Lemur wrote:
Wed Apr 20, 2022 4:25 pm

3.) Current hobbies?
I don't really think in terms of hobbies. Maybe it's a matter of semantics, but in this regard, I concur with the excellent article you [Lemur] had shared on page 9 of your journal. These days, I am reading/listening, learning, habit forming/breaking, moving (running, swimming), self-growing...

One thing that is currently missing and that I definitely wish to reintegrate at some point as part of an ERE/producer lifestyle is art/creative projects. This crucial aspect will just have to wait, though. I've got some more strengthening/development/liberation to do. I need to prioritize and avoid spreading myself too thin.

Focus project: running

My current focus project (a type of "ultralearning" project, if you will) revolves around running/moving, from a holistic point of view, and as such encompasses a range of subjects/activities.

In my youth, I often said: "I trust my feet/legs (we don't have a separate word in Greek!) more than anything". Twenty years later, an Achilles tendon rupture and surgery in 2019 was a wake up call. Mobility can't be taken for granted. That led me to review my priorities and transition to minimalist footwear and barefoot (or barefoot-style) running.

I am currently running (mostly barefoot or in running sandals) and doing mobilizations and general exercises almost every day. In the past, when I had a lot of work, I used to skip this. Not anymore.

My focus project deals with extensive reading on the subject (running, but also body function, natural movement, sleeping, breathing, nutrition, the whole health and fitness dimension), in parallel with physical practice and movement. This also stacks well with my efforts to keep a balanced relationship with technology (see below). I target taking full ownership of my physical well-being and maybe building up to a competence level that would allow me to be an instructor/coach for others.

Running (and walking) is being wholly integrated, hence not a hobby. Need to go to the super market or local fresh market (talat, as they call it here)? I will run up to there or go there before or after a session. It is my weight loss/fitness program, my alone time, a time for self-care, thinking, meditating, connecting with nature (or simply being outside), and reading/listening (in the form of audiobooks, books/texts read via TTS, podcasts, etc.). It is also my natural shoe building (when running unshod), and preferred way of locomotion. It is crazy how homeotelic towards my well-being running is. As my physical ability improves, so does my desire to go places (literally and metaphorically) and the range of possibilities expands (I will discuss this more when talking about my three month trip back to Europe by end of June).

I have already transitioned from desk-bound to working in a standing position or from the floor. Although I had started tackling this prior to my travel, I've loved to discover the floor sitting culture here in Thailand. People can assume a sitting meditation stance or deep squat like it is the most natural thing. I had tight hips/psoas and restricted knees (soccer injuries didn't help) when I came here. Gradually working towards the lotus position. Still a long way to go, but it is getting better. This has helped incorporating more floor sitting. Plus, we are mostly sleeping on the floor now, usually with no pillow, and feeling all the better for it! This leads naturally towards a "furniture-free" living, and simplified requirements means more mobility and living quarters options!

Nutrition

After several attempts, mostly failed because of work-related stress eating and the convenience of working from home (I was already skipping breakfast, but lunch and snacking proved a lot harder to beat), I have taken up OMAD as my everyday diet ("diet" actually comes from the Greek and originally meant "way of life"). It's been six weeks or so, think it will stick! OMAD works great for me. It has decreased my cravings, energy swings, brain fog, mindless snacking and caloric intake (it is hard to overeat in one meal). It frees time and energy (I tend to be lethargic after lunch, and preparing/consuming an additional meal takes time too, plus, as a freelancer, I don't get paid for lunch breaks). As intermittent fasting, It is good for health. Pretty neat if you ask me.

I cook plant-based food at home, but tend to have more mixed dishes when eating out (in food courts, etc.) or buying already cooked food from local markets and street vendors. From now on, we have committed with my DGF to stay plant-based as much as we can. I had done so as an experiment for six months back in Europe, but doing so in Thailand makes for a unique experience, as it involves incorporating new ingredients and dishes!

Hydration

Water (some times with chia or basil seeds, or a pinch of salt before exercising), some tea/infusion (like ginger or grilled buckwheat) or home made kombucha are the main drinks. No alcohol, no coffee, no sodas or energy drinks. Nothing to change here, but more to learn on hydration and physical activity.

Other projects:

Travel

Since I am in a completely new country/region and culture, there is also exploring and experiencing, discovering new places, ingredients/dishes, etc. Traveling and engaging with a different culture has been quite enriching from a personal development perspective. Long/Slow travel allows for a non touristy approach that suits me best. Being in relationship with a local helps, too!

Mindfulness

I see mindfulness as key to my well-being and ideally baked into all aspects of my life. Meditation practice comes as a way to improve this fundamental skill. However, I am having some trouble to turn this into a regular habit. Going forward, I will try doing a session as part of my morning routine or, failing that, during my late afternoon running session.
What I am already doing is Yoga Nidra, a guided meditation practice where the body is asleep while the mind is awake. I helps me regain energy/clarity/focus for creative work and as a complement to sleep (For instance, if I wake up one or two hours early, I find it more beneficial to do a one hour yoga nidra session than trying to fall asleep, Same goes for napping). Yoga Nidra definitely counts as a meditation/mindfulness practice in my book.

Finally, I am adding here three projects for which I will use this journal for accountability (plant-based/OMAD diet being a fourth).

Journaling

Journaling is an essential companion to making life changes, pursuing creative endeavours, improving writing skills, documenting and making sense of things. Consistency is key, and I haven't always been able to keep up in the past. Combining paper and digital note taking (Logseq, which is also my tool for time-blocking, to-dos, weekly reviews, reading notes, flashcards, knowledge management, etc.), I want to turn this into a daily habit. I see this ERE journal as an integral part of this (with the added social aspect).

Technology-related addictions:

I've read several books on building and breaking habits, but most seem to miss a point. There is a difference between a habit and an addiction, which I think is not a difference in degree, but in kind. I find it helpful to identify an addiction for what it is instead of simply treating it as a bad habit. The willpower method alone won't cut it. Following a habit breaking script often won't be enough. There needs to be radical change. I have been fighting this for years, as it is pervasive, affecting all aspects of my life. I have had some success, but It has been hard to find a balance and avoid relapse when I can't really afford a withdrawal period (as the computer is also my main income tool). Also, I had tried going smartphone free, but a smartphone makes a lot of sense when traveling with one bag, if only for maps and Internet tethering… This makes it more challenging to tackle/solve.

Since the beginning of the year, though, I have renewed my efforts as I would really like to fix this. It is a major project for 2022. So far, I have done various things in this direction: minimalist launcher, degoogled/decluttered phone/computer, no social media, minimized newsletter subscriptions and removed distracting apps, grayscale on phone/PC most of the time, no movie/TV show/YouTube watching (except for occasional listening music or video podcasts in audio mode) unless it is a specific instructional video, focus rules during work (55 min pomodoro sessions with no phone/mail or other disruptions), etc.

Digital declutter

Officially starting a digital declutter/reboot period, with a view to making sustainable changes (not just come back to the same old ways) to my technology-related addictions.

Duration: May to end of September (reassess then)

Rules:
  • No porn sites (later: banned for life). This has been a huge addiction on its own and probably the worst offender in terms of impact. After so many years. I am ready to let it go now.
  • No social media (later: continue avoiding). Reddit okay when coming up in web searches or occasionally for specific interest subs, but no participation.
  • No news websites (later: once a week/month)
  • Pro forums once a week. Limited tracking and participation (later: same). This has been compulsive and a time sink.
  • ERE forums: Tracking/catch-up once a week. Schedule reading/writing during the week as part of my reading/journaling practice.
  • Crypto: pause self-education, track/review once a week (later, schedule more as needed for investment or education purposes)
  • No movies/series/films (later: viewing limited to occasional quality films/sharing with DGF, no movie theaters or once a year or something).
    Linux PC/smartphone maintenance/customizations once a month (updates, complete backups, fixes). From experience, this can easily turn into a time sink. I have done enough. No need to dig further into this rabbit hole for now. (later: keep once a month, unless urgent).
  • Web searches: avoid immediately initiating web searches. Add topics that come up to a list, review and schedule as needed, with specific targets and time allocated. Once again, avoid this time sink.
  • Email: when possible/appropriate, limit replies to five sentences. Personal emails: check once a week, or no more than once a day. Pro emails: due to time zone difference, check only once in the morning, then hourly from 15:00 to 20:00, outside pomodoro sessions.
  • Phone/VOIP: more focused phone conversations, I notice that I tend to let these run for too long. I guess this can be improved without impacting the quality of the contact.
  • Signal: friends muted, except DGF. Review once a day otherwise.
  • Online reading: use Raindrop for curating "read later" lists, and schedule time for reading.
  • No smartphone near me during sleep.
  • Smartphone yes list: internet tethering, photography, maps, audio-books, TTS listening, e-book reading, meditation/yoga nidra/music, podcasts, banking, working from smartphone.
  • Focused work, with positive/recharging breaks (yoga nidra, mobilizations, small chores, just check pro emails outside work sessions). Self-contained workday (Try to stop after a set time (shutdown ritual). This is already happening lately and contributes to better balance).
  • Refine the rules or add items as needed
No buy year challenge/Detailed expenses tracking

Two plus years of living out of "one bag" (with the exception of household items) have helped a lot towards minimalist living, belongings optimization and limited expenses.

Still, I think I can benefit from a year-long no buy challenge, combined with a return to detailed expenses tracking, to shed some more consumer pounds. I have been preparing for this, completing a few purchases that were deemed necessary (like some stuff for ultralight back-packing).

Duration: May 2022 to May 2023.

Rules:
  • No clothes purchases: I have everything, trimmed down to a very efficient travel capsule wardrobe suited for summer months. Unless a critical item is destroyed or lost, no additional purchases will be made. Some replacements (like my single pair of shoes) are only scheduled for later. This will be an additional motivation to work on my (hand) sewing/mending skills. I also have a project for making DIY huarache-style (running) sandals this summer
  • No online purchases/accessories. Exceptions include non frivolous consumable items (like B12 capsules, etc.).
  • Eating: no eating out/food deliveries, except occasionally in food courts and simple/street shops, especially when on a trip, with no access to a kitchen (Thailand). No restaurants when I am back in Europe, or if unavoidable in a social context, just one dish.
  • Thoughtful gifts.
  • Entertainment: already close to zero, except for traveling. Just keep up the good job.
  • Traveling: experiment with even more cost-efficient ways.
  • Refine the rules or add items as needed

Humanofearth
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Re: Collapse into now - OutOfTheBlue's journal

Post by Humanofearth »

Fascinating journal. Keep going even if setbacks happen.

I tried running a bit but my knees gave up quickly. Are you running for health or for endurance? I’ve found walking to be healthier for my body than running but it takes more time, mostly for mental health with 3-6 progressive resistance weight sessions a week for strength/joint health. Fasting was huge for me as well. Lost 25kgs. The benefits go beyond physical, the mental clarity and survival feeling are game changing in the modern age of gluttony.

I’m curious, what coins are you dca into? I’m seeing a collapse of inflationary coins as greed changed into denial then fear and acceptance. Even the good stuff is in a slow fading out energy with a few hype coins pumping here and there (ape pumped but is now dying, gmt, fxs, syn still holding up). Bitcoin and Eth holding up well, merge likely to be the biggest catalyst this year even as Bitcoin keeps becoming a stronger and stronger asset with a higher hash rate, wider adoption, and more tools available.

basuragomi
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Re: Collapse into now - OutOfTheBlue's journal

Post by basuragomi »

Good luck with the digital detox. I've gradually implemented many of those rules. It's a series of small revelations as you discover how much each habit was just an expression of boredom, unrelated to the actual act. Giving up porn is especially a journey of self-discovery. At the other end of the challenge you may find that engaging in most of those things is worse than simply doing nothing at all, such that even the idea of limited indulgence sounds absurd.

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Lemur
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Re: Collapse into now - OutOfTheBlue's journal

Post by Lemur »

OutOfTheBlue wrote:
Mon May 02, 2022 9:15 pm
I am past determining whether this represents a legitimate asset class to hold/invest in. In light of the massive institutional and other adoption we're seeing, I am not the only one, and not interested in debating that.
Okay but tbh this kinda sounds abrasive (unless I'm mistaken) and in light of the recent crash...has your mind changed at all? I guess you don't have to respond here if you don't like...would not like to turn this journal into a crypto debate either but could carry here: viewtopic.php?t=12383 up to you. would be interested to hear your thoughts since you've a very high allocation toward crypto.

OutOfTheBlue
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Re: Collapse into now - OutOfTheBlue's journal

Post by OutOfTheBlue »

Lemur wrote:
Thu May 12, 2022 8:53 am
Okay but tbh this kinda sounds abrasive (unless I'm mistaken) and in light of the recent crash...has your mind changed at all? I guess you don't have to respond here if you don't like...would not like to turn this journal into a crypto debate either but could carry here: viewtopic.php?t=12383 up to you. would be interested to hear your thoughts since you've a very high allocation toward crypto.
Hey Lemur, thanks for commenting again!

By the way, I have read your journal. Your FI/ERE journey is impressive, and inspiring. Expect a comment on your page too, I have some thoughts on a recent topic (but please bear with me, if you are a slow reader, I am a slow writer).

Sorry if my post came across as abrasive, that was not my intention. I guess I sound a bit defensive on this point, as I've read some disparraging comments with regards to crypto here and did no want to get into a quarrel over this. All roads lead to Rome, etc.

Since I've entered the game, I have seen crashes, recoveries, rallies, and periods where the market moves sideways. The swings may be more spectacular in crypto, but they are part of the cycles.

In general, I am not one easily spooked. When you are in for the long game, you tend to zoom out. But the situation with Terra's Luna and UST... This was something else. A stablecoin should remain... stable (it has yet to recover at this time of writing), and the ex-5th biggest coin by market cap should not become essentially worthless overnight. Brutal stuff.

My exposure was limited, but some poor moves resulted in a bigger realized loss, and this did hurt. It is a personal failure.

Has my mind changed?

Not with regards to longer term prospects for projects such as BTC or ETH, although I do see some risks/unknowns along the way.

Yes with regards to my approach. I need to conduct a financial review, reflect, and take fresh decisions. Probably put a higher priority on furthering economic/financial education/skills. Reasessing investment assets.

I will end with an excerpt from the ERE book: "When investments become fashionable (a result of emergent behavior of a system), by definition they no longer offer good returns, even though they have historically when only used by a few people."

And a comment: We're still early in crypto. Despite the (institutional and retail) adoption, there is a lot of room to grow.

And if governments, in their infinite wisdom, try to kill it to push their dystopian CBDC's (Central Bank Digital Currencies), its decentralized, censorship-resistant nature will have a role to play.

OutOfTheBlue
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Re: Collapse into now - OutOfTheBlue's journal

Post by OutOfTheBlue »

@Humanofearth

Thanks for the encouragement! How you deal with setbacks is really key.

RUNNING

Running for health first, then for fitness and endurance. I definitely wish to stay away from the "fit but unhealthy" paradigm. I am also doing some body-weight training, and walking.

Currently at the stage where I develop running as an everyday activity, integrate mobilizations (thanks, Kelly Starrett) and more nutritious movement (thanks, Katy Bowman!) and build my aerobic base.

For the latter, I am largely influenced by Dr. Phil Maffetone's MAF method (The Big Book Of Endurance Training And Racing). MAF stands for maximum aerobic function, and the idea with MAF training is to train at, or below, your MAF heart rate ceiling to improve your aerobic function and increase your fat burning ability.

In the beginning, you hit this ceiling quite quickly, which calls for running at a slower pace than usual, or even walking in ascents. As you build your aerobic base, though, you discover that you can cover the same distance in less and less time for the same effort (= heart rate, while still mostly burning fat).

This method uses the heart rate as the key metric.

Thing is, I currently don't have a heart rate monitor device. Since I've started a no buy year, I will refrain from buying one (such as a smart watch) for the time being.

Instead, I use the "breath in//out from the nose" method while running. This is less precise, but adequate for now. If I find that I have trouble breathing through the nose, it is a clear sign that I am running above/near the limit and should slow down.

This method is more gentle and helps avoid overexertion. Sometimes, less is more.

The other thing that helps tremendously is running barefoot/barefoot-style.

The transition needs time and care, as there is risk in rushing it. But it works great.

The feedback you get from your bare feet helps improve running form. Fast cadence even at slow speed, springy feet with smooth landing and no more heel striking… the list goes on.

For inspiration see these two excellent videos by Dr. Mark Cucuzzella:

Principles of Natural Running - https://yewtu.be/watch?v=zSIDRHUWlVo&da ... %2Cfr%2Cel
Barefoot Running Style - https://yewtu.be/watch?v=kpnhKcvbsMM&qu ... %2Cfr%2Cel

I might try to compile a list of good books on the subject at some point, but I still have many more to cover.

---

Well said about the benefits of fasting, that go beyond the physical.

---

CRYPTO

Regarding crypto, unfortunately, I haven't been able to DCA during all this downtrend, as I have been using my savings for something else (explained in an earlier post), but before 2022 (actually, my most focused year was 2020, I didn't follow things close enough for a good part of 2021), I was layering into some L2 alternatives, however the timing wasn't great, as they soon started underperforming. In the current state of things, I think I'd stick to BTC and ETH, but also keep some interest yielding "stable" stablecoins on hand as dry powder (and "cash"). It is one of the lessons learned, another being "take more profits" as you said elsewhere, but there are other things I'd like to improve, like rebalancing strategies. I want to keep things simple for a while.

In general, I thought that from the outset, it was obvious than my journal wouldn't revolve heavily around this subject (as my focus is clearly elsewhere), and was surprised to see this topic can raise a few eyebrows, and even vehement reactions in the Money Questions forum category. Going forward (and for the time being) I prefer to stay out of these discussions and leave the space to more qualified investors. Time to bury the hatchets (and tulips).
Last edited by OutOfTheBlue on Fri May 27, 2022 12:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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mountainFrugal
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Re: Collapse into now - OutOfTheBlue's journal

Post by mountainFrugal »

OutOfTheBlue wrote:
Fri May 27, 2022 11:13 am

The feedback you get from your bare feet helps improve running form. Fast cadence even at slow speed, springy feet with smooth landing and no more heel striking… the list goes on.
I was on the barefoot train for a while (it works and takes a while to build up lower leg strength), but have switched to minimalist zero drop trail shoes instead (Altra Superiors). They offer the best of both worlds and if you maintain form they last a really long time.

OutOfTheBlue
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Re: Collapse into now - OutOfTheBlue's journal

Post by OutOfTheBlue »

basuragomi wrote:
Tue May 03, 2022 11:21 am
Good luck with the digital detox. I've gradually implemented many of those rules. It's a series of small revelations as you discover how much each habit was just an expression of boredom, unrelated to the actual act. Giving up porn is especially a journey of self-discovery. At the other end of the challenge you may find that engaging in most of those things is worse than simply doing nothing at all, such that even the idea of limited indulgence sounds absurd.
Thanks, Basuragomi. Your observations resonate with me. This has been a big theme and vastly predates the lockdowns, which have amplified the issue for many more people.

These are really addictions. There is so much at stake. If I can pull it off, it could change everything. A building block to unlocking potential, time and life-energy.

Things didn't start so well on this front. I've dealt with some stress which called for temporarily more slack. A great week off in Krabi/Koh Phi Phi with my best friend and other friends didn't help with routine/habit-building either.

I will experiment with some adjustments and report back!

OutOfTheBlue
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Post by OutOfTheBlue »

mountainFrugal wrote:
Fri May 27, 2022 11:31 am
I was on the barefoot train for a while (it works and takes a while to build up lower leg strength), but have switched to minimalist zero drop trail shoes instead (Altra Superiors). They offer the best of both worlds and if you maintain form they last a really long time.
Hey, montainFrugal, thanks for chiming in! Altra's Superior? Very nice. I haven't tried them yet, but many swear by these. I plan to alternate with running sandals on the trails myself. Testing this summer in Greece.

In the Barefoot Running sub-Reddit that I've been following in the past, I saw many focus on which barefoot/minimalist/zero-drop shoes to get (and these may help also during transitioning), but my understanding is that one really benefits from actually running unshod at some point.

The ground feel and feedback you get from minimal soles is not the same as from bare feet, and the latter can help improve form and technique even if/when you chose to run with shoes. It is all about barefoot running "style", as Dr. Mark Cucuzzella puts it.

Has this been your experience? Has your barefoot training helped your shod running as well? Your comment about the mileage you can get out of your shoes seems to point to this direction (or at least that you've perfected your form).

Of course, some terrain (and that last photo of yours in the V02 max challenge thread falls into this category!) is definitely more approachable with some sort of additional protection!

I haven't read ChiRunning yet (it's in the list), but I've heard that it is the closest to running barefoot-style, in shoes. Have you been exposed to this method by any chance?

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mountainFrugal
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Post by mountainFrugal »

I think it is still a good idea to run unshod. Try it first in a park with lots of grass or on a sandy beach of some kind. The tradeoff I found was "toughening" up your feet with eventual callus formation and preventing them from forming in the first place. If you are doing shorter runs calluses are not an issue. When you increase mileage over varied terrain they become a liability. They often form many skin layers deep. I usually file them down if they start forming to keep them as tidy as possible. If you get a blister under a callus it is VERY bad. I also found that increasing barefoot miles would increase the likelihood that the skin would dry out and crack regardless of how much I babied them after. One other hard to predict component of barefoot is that eventually you will land awkwardly on a rock and either bruise the bone or roll your ankle. The people in cultures that grow up running without shoes have had decades of barefoot activity to develop all their stabilizers so something to keep in mind. The edge cases causing injury were what made me stop it all together unless I visit a beach.

I have settled on thin wool socks to wick moisture away from the skin while in the large toe box provided by the Altra shoes. I have had 0 foot issues in the past 7 years of running after transitioning away from barefoot. I still keep a similar form and occasionally do "The 100" running exaggeration exercise to keep my stride springy. You definitely need some foot and toenail protection on the trails I have been running. I ran in my last pair of Altra's for 2 years until they became essentially "racing flats". They last a long time if you are neutral striking.

Chi running was just okay. It was the first book on the subject that I picked up. Just do many rounds of "The 100" exercise and train yourself to do form check-ins while you are running to make sure you are landing with neutral foot strike on flat ground and engaging your core as much as possible. Also, spending time doing variations on planks to make sure your core is really strong can help a lot.

Hope that helps. Good luck and I look forward to following along.

OutOfTheBlue
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mountainFrugal wrote:
Fri May 27, 2022 2:59 pm
@mountainFrugal Thank you for sharing your running/barefoot experience and for your advice (much appreciated!), as well as for commenting on Chi Running. It will be one of my next reads.

I have taken up barefooting after recovering from an Achilles tendon rupture, in 2019. Now I do most of my running bare foot (but I am also in a summer-all-year kind of location). The sole skin has grown thicker, but not excessively so. I noticed that most of the occasional blisters were developing after running on a hot surface (mostly pavement), so I now alternate with running sandals (Luna Venado) as needed. I am curious to see how this setup will hold this summer with hiking/trail running in Greece, and as I gradually increase mileage and intensity.

OutOfTheBlue
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Next, week, I will come back to Europe/Greece for three months after living nearly two years in Thailand.

This period has been a boon for personal discovery and growth, but the return is a source of excitement too. High expectations!

I will also take a break from posting here for this transitional period, as my recovery from addiction calls for an even more drastic approach. Need to walk before I can run. I am still here though, reading, learning. So grateful to be part of this!

OutOfTheBlue
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Post by OutOfTheBlue »

It's been a month and a half since I came back to Thailand after three months in Greece, and I've been struggling with a journal update.

There's a lot to cover, but let's start with the elephant in the room.

There is a point where embracing simple living, low expenses, self-reliance, constant personal development and all that jazz becomes natural and brings a sense of abundance, not of scarcity or sacrifice. This is very freeing, empowering, even joyful at times.

Being FI on top of that is even better, though, and I am not there yet.

In fact, networth-wise, I find myself starting again from the ground up at age 42.

Doesn't take a genius to know I have fared rather poorly on that front.

I won't dwell much on the specifics here (and they were many pain[ful] points and chains of events to review), but with regards to crypto, I eventually got the "not your keys" memo, among other hard won lessons.

By the way, this is not related to the recent FTX debacle. Doesn't really matter which centralized platform it was that took the cake, but trusting it with my assets was only one of a series of bad decisions, and I don't blame my "misfortune" on others.

Not all poor financial choices relate to crypto either, but on that subject, if I once thought I weren't investing more than I could afford to lose (essentially falling for the risk=reward fallacy), I have since come to realize that I don't wish to risk any more life-energy go down the drain and that I value capital preservation and failure prevention to a much greater extent.

Many months prior, my focus had shifted to other endeavours, and not suffiiciently keeping tabs with a constantly moving and hard to grasp landcape didn't help me separate signal from noise and take appropriate and timely action. Left unchecked, good decisions can easily turn bad later. Rebalancing, taking profits, avoiding sunk cost fallacy, defining exit strategies and just applying effing common sense self custody were all areas I have fallen short.

There's a wider perspective, however., because at the end of the day, this is not about crypto. It is about economical skills, financial savvy, and graduating from FI university.

So, what now?

For starters, I have been doubling-down on my ERE path. Luckily, I am not starting from scratch in that regard.

Next post up, I will take some time to share/assess my situation and what actions I have taken or will take to make things happen.

I can do this!

ertyu
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Post by ertyu »

That really sucks. Glad to see you're not letting it bring you down. I am looking forward to your next post.

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