Braco Pobric 0:00
Welcome to Business and happiness podcast. I'm your host Braco Pobric edge. This episode is sponsored by life Success Academy, a place where you recreate your business and personal happiness. Hello, everyone. So today we will talk briefly about happiness, pandemic and life. Pandemic happiness and well being, I'm going to try to cover like top four things that we must do during this time. I do have my colleague, my friend, Patrick Howell, who is going to join us in a second. So here we is a Patrick, welcome.
Patrick Howell 0:40
Hey, buddy, what's up brought? So good, good, good.
Braco Pobric 0:43
How you doing? My friend?
Patrick Howell 0:44
I'm good. Yeah, cool, threaten the goods.
Braco Pobric 0:47
So let's you and I had a brief discussion. And I know, in this short period of time, it's hard to cover all of this, but we want to give our audience like, top four things, top four things that we must do during the pandemic. Right. Yeah, good. So, so let's start from what we do. What's the number one I think it's saying that you and I do so let
Patrick Howell 1:12
it be before the pandemic, during the pandemic and after the pandemic, this excellent making sure you're exercising. And, and for me in particular, I tie that together with with an I know you do to meditation. And then the third piece I tie really is the nature peace, exercising in nature, whenever I can.
Braco Pobric 1:30
So I know you do a lot in nature, I actually make it a little simpler in the morning, I go downstairs to my basement, I do treadmill, I do spin bike, I do meditation, I do yoga, sometimes I'll do one of these to identify as nature, honestly, for a lot of us that are lucky enough that even have a little backyard. So you don't even have to have anything, just go out and get the tree. You know, see what's happening out there and enjoy yourself.
Patrick Howell 1:57
I'd say if you're physically able, right, if you're physically able, and you're in a you know, you know the pandemic, right, kind of screwed things up for everybody. But if you're physically able, and you're in a place that you feel comfortable that there's not too much congestion, then do your best if you at least once or twice a week is to combine that exercise, maybe a walk or run a trail run whatever it is out and out into nature, if it's possible for you. Now, for some people, it might not be possible, your exercise might look different than than mine. But if it is possible, we know that that nature has the therapeutic effect. We know exercise is one of the the best medicines for for keeping equilibrium not only in our, our, our psychology, but our for many people our spirituality.
Braco Pobric 2:45
Right. Right. And, you know, one thing I wanted to add, because for some people, it must, could be hard to exercise, you know, they may not have equipment at home, some of us are lucky, they may have a close nature, but it's really all about move. Just move around jump dance, just move. I mean, there is there is a reason that Apple figured out, you know, it's not only about these 10,000 steps, but it's about the move, meaning you burn, you know, enough calories. It's about standing up,
Patrick Howell 3:20
right. So yeah, it's just the motion, the motion creates your emotions, right? Exactly. Get into get yourself into action, and that action propels something, something new. And this is no secret, right? Everybody who's anybody who's alive knows this. When we're when we're depressed or when we're feeling down, what do we do we typically are not moving around much we're sitting you know, sitting in one, you know, one chair one place, so we want to move we want to keep on keeping the body in the mind moving.
Braco Pobric 3:49
So funny. You said that I swear to God, I was thinking show this one I was just thinking of depressed friend. And that's exactly what the press people do. Right? They don't move. Yeah, that's that's this. Every single show movie makes you more depressed.
Patrick Howell 4:03
I mean, think about every single cell in our body is in constant motion. Like this, the cells were made to move as human beings were, we're goal seeking creatures in order to achieve goals, there has to be some sort of action and momentum moving forward. Because a goal is something that we don't have that we want, that's somewhere out there. So we're just designed as human beings to to move in some capacity.
Braco Pobric 4:30
Exactly. Because we don't live as people lived 1000s years ago, they didn't need exercise because they moved all day long. Now we invented exercise because we don't move any longer. Cool. Cool, cool. So exercise meditation nature, that's kind of what both of us do. And it really, really works. And we know there's a lot of research on it. So the second one, again, you know, of course everybody does, you know, physical hygiene, right. But how many of us do this Emotional hygiene, how many of us check inside and see what's going on? Right? How many of us stop that downward spiral? And take the action to stop it? What do you think my friend?
Patrick Howell 5:13
Yeah, I think the emotional hygiene. I mean, I shower at least once a week, whether I needed it or not. No, I'm good to go. They're the emotional highs.
Braco Pobric 5:26
So then I was right when I said this show is just like the Seinfeld show Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, right, except that we're not going to be that funny. But you are.
Patrick Howell 5:37
So the emotional hygiene piece, I do think that right, that ties into a lot of the work that we do in the area of mindfulness, and recognizing the emotions that you're having in any situation. I mean, many of us on a serious note, have lost people that are close to us, or that are extended really close to us in some form or fashion. You know, many of us have children that are wearing masks and not going to school for a year, you know, the whole the whole deal. So really being able to check in on that emotion, being mindful, and making sure that you're not holding those emotions in because there's been research out there that says that one of the main causes of really emotional, you know, I guess mental disturbance is the bottling up of, of emotions, and not expressing them. I would throw in there that the reason many times we don't express the emotion is because we have no idea whatsoever what the emotion is. Because the human tendency is not to want to sit in that emotion and to understand it, it's to get the hell away from it. But emotional hygiene is being mindful, not not dwelling in it. But being mindful of it, accepting it, and then treating yourself kindly moving in and say, Okay, why need to take this action or this action? For a better? You know, better tomorrow.
Braco Pobric 7:03
Right. Right. Ah, so, uh, so we talked about emotional, you know, this just reminded me yesterday, I had a discussion
Patrick Howell 7:14
a Roxanna, sorry about that.
Braco Pobric 7:17
Yeah, yeah, we love it. Aksana. She's been a student for like, so many years. And, and they we keep learning from each other. Thanks, Roxanna, for coming. So, so we talked about? Where was I? Yes. So yesterday, I had discussion with one of my student who is from Eastern Europe, and basically said that this is really hard to, you know, positive psychology and happiness, especially organizational. It's actually hard because, you know, most people do they want to be macho men, right? It's like, there are no emotions. And finally, finally, we getting out of that in certain part of the world that much Amin is saying, yes, men have emotions to All right, we cry, we scream, we yell we love we hug. We do same things that women do. Right. So that's something some people will seriously. So bit different, actually, I think even here was like that. Yeah, even
Patrick Howell 8:15
hear it. Yeah, I mean, even here, it's different. And, you know, again, it's really just being mindful of what it is that you're experiencing, I think in that moment, and not, of course, there are times you have to repress it, you have to put it away. Because you know, the context of the situation. might not call for you to be mindful in that moment. But making sure that motional hygiene is in place that you're going to understand yourself, because if you don't understand yourself Who the hell's ever gonna write?
Braco Pobric 8:43
Right? So so I'm happy, this is a rewarding game, the bell and people are connecting with emotional hygiene and really looking, looking inward, right? And making sure that we don't play the downwards, that self
Patrick Howell 8:59
awareness piece, right? Because without that self awareness, and everybody is striving for, for self awareness, there is no end point of self awareness.
Braco Pobric 9:10
Of course there is there is there is no point.
Patrick Howell 9:14
Maybe well, we don't know that yet. Well, but when we
Braco Pobric 9:17
gone there is right. That's that's the end point, basically. But until then, until then, we better be better be aware. You know, didn't do it. There isn't one thing that again, you and I talked a lot, and it's kind of like really my top subject of research, which is a habits. And what I really recommend people highly is to, you know, continue with the existing habits, you know, educate new ones. Now, there are some that you may not be able to do, right? So you're not going to go to work every day. You know, you're not going to go shopping everyday. Maybe you don't go shopping at all, like me. I'm actually going shopping to these big things. But after the show But, but really continue with your existing habits, you know, from the time you wake up, right? Putting, you know, making your bed to possibly doing the exercise, brushing your teeth, taking a shower, or if you're working from home, right that many of us do, get dressed like you are going to the office, you know, today's my casual name is Patrick, when I go to the office, I'm dressed up regardless that I don't need to turn on my camera, you know, make sure your desk is clean and nicely ready for you to do the work. So all these things are really, really important. So that we don't drag again, going that downward spiral and thinking about pandemic because life has to go on. What do you think my friend
Patrick Howell 10:43
again, keeping that normalcy as much as you possibly can, and keeping it now? Because the pandemic messed up a lot of routines? Yes. Right? It just drew our routines out of whack for families, not just, you know, the individual, right? It's the family unit, and the social unit, the routines, you know, my, one of my really great friends I grew up with, since we're about 12 years old, we've, you know, remained in touch and good friends up until this time. And until the pandemic, we saw each other once a month, we made it a habit to get out and see each other. Now, I've only seen him once since the pandemic, that we talk a lot. So that routine was thrown out of whack. But as much as we can, keeping those habits, keeping those routines, the ones that are not outside of your control is I mean, it's a big benefit it just that it provides that stability. Yes. yourself. And if you have a family again, for the for the family, for your family.
Braco Pobric 11:42
Yes, yes. And and I would say, you know, there are things that you can do even more of now, to help your overall well being happiness and achieving even, you know, bigger goals. And you know, we talked about number one, which is that exercise. Well, maybe you didn't exercise enough before, you didn't have a time because your commute was two and a half hours like mine. Right? And you didn't want to get up five o'clock like I do. Well, now you do have a time. You know, I got to tell you this last weekend, we finally my entire family got together. I mean, get goosebumps, it was just wonderful. Right? See these pictures hugging each other. And then here we're talking about what we do in my knees says, Well, you know, finally she got some bite by concern. And she said, Well, I just I don't have time. I don't have one hour. I was like, Yes, you do. Tell me you don't have we all can find start from five minutes.
Patrick Howell 12:39
Right? Yeah, exactly. Yeah, keeping those habits keeping that that normalcy. And like you said, adding new habits in and not. So there was that that going narrative right about COVID. Everybody gains, you know, 10 pounds during COVID. But that's an opportunity to say you're gonna go against the grain. Yeah. And I learned I was fortunate I learned this many years ago, prior to when I was probably I think I was 30 The first time I went on a cruise ship. And so you know, 24 years ago, almost 25 years ago now. And I remember that going narrative, everybody goes on a cruise ship, they come out 20 pounds heavier. But at that point in my life I really cared and I still do about my physical body. That's the only one I have, as far as I believe is true. So I went on that cruise ship with a different mindset. I said, I'm going to flip this on its head I said, I'm going to go on the cruise and be the only person who comes off this cruise ship after 10 days having lost weight. And sure sure enough, I went on and of course the food was delicious. And I just I've managed myself I skipped the midnight buffet and I wound up losing I think three pounds on that first on that cruise. So we can actually take new routines that are counter intuitive to to what the going narrative is.
Braco Pobric 13:56
Right? You just say to Paula and this is really true. i She said find them rising what we can do is normal is better than trying to live as what was normal. That is really sad. Yeah. Such a great statement. Yeah, she said Well, what was normal? Yeah, exactly. Statement. Thank Thanks, Paula for sharing. So okay, so so interesting. Okay, so as far as Cruz I gotta tell you, I haven't been to one I'm planning to I bet I will not be able to I could do what you did, but I'm not going to write so that's what I will enjoy myself but
Patrick Howell 14:33
oh, I enjoyed myself. Myself, you know, yeah, that was just something I wanted to do. I didn't want to come off there. 10 pounds heavier.
Braco Pobric 14:40
You make a good point. Sorry. I miss it. Yes, yes. Yes. So you enjoy yourself. But but it is interesting what you just said about losing weight. My entire family and my friends that I saw the other day outdoor says you the only person I know the last way during pandemic so is it by yes as you said it is an opportunity
Patrick Howell 14:59
and it is But the opportunity is this though it's not that you lost weight during the pandemic, it's not that I went on a cruise ship and lost lost weight, the opportunity is that if you can do it in the hard time, imagine when it's easier. It was on a cruise ship to Buffy the food is insane. It's ridiculous, as my grandmother would have said, it's atrocious how much food it's there. But if you can do it then and you know, manage your your your cravings at that point, then you can do it at any time.
Braco Pobric 15:30
And this is how we build resilience. And you know, so many things that you and I talked about.
Patrick Howell 15:34
Yeah. And I know we have one more we want to chat about.
Braco Pobric 15:37
We do have one more we want to talk about and that one more is. You mentioned, you said earlier, that you you have a friend that you you know used to see him all the time. But you said the key word which I want to really address now, we know that relationships are number one predictor of happiness, there's just so much research, we don't need to research, right, we know that relationships are so important. It's not about just my, you know, spouse, my partner, my parents, my grandparents, it's about everybody around us. Yes, even strangers. Right. But how about you actually said the keyboard we talked about, you know how relationships are important. You couldn't see him, but you still keep calling each other. So I just base it's funny. I just had that bullet before how it's really important. Just pick up a phone and call one friend today. Yes, make a phone call like enough of this tech, I'm sorry, young kids, but enough of this texting crap, right? You know, like, let's talk, you know, this taxi is okay. But we got to talk to you. And
Patrick Howell 16:41
even better, I mean, even better than just a simple call is like with my, my mother. What I did don't depend on me, because I put I put the whatsapp on her phone, I can actually do the video calls. She still hasn't figured out how to answer it. But occasionally, you know, occasionally we've been able to do it. So. So even if you can get a video called going with somebody you know who you're a good friend with. And once a day is a good thing to shoot for. Maybe say you're gonna do it once a day. And if it only happens three times a week at least, right? It's better than nothing.
Braco Pobric 17:20
Yes, yes. And you said you know, video call, it is so important. You know what my son said the other day, because he calls everyday now with his with his kid with a baby two year old, he said that you now see me much more than you used to see me. That's so true. Yeah, that is true. So lots of opportunity, you know, things that we should really, really watch for, you know, as we said earlier, so start from, you know, exercising and meditation and being in nature and hopefully, exercising in the nature as Patrick does a lot, you know, keeping those physical and emotional hygiene and looking inward. You know, especially for emotional because physical We do, yes, Patrick does once a week
Patrick Howell 18:07
on elite, whether I needed it or not. But you know,
Braco Pobric 18:11
I said, Patrick, you know, I know you guys take shower every morning. So continue with existing habits and hopefully create new ones that will help you go through this really, really hard time. And think of relationships as a number one predictor of happiness so called friend, do the video call, you know, do something. So
Patrick Howell 18:32
call me if you if you have nobody else to call.
Braco Pobric 18:35
You and I talk more than I sometimes want to so we're good. Just getting like just getting in and jokes aside, but you can I call each other and we talk and we help each other and yeah, so it's it's really, really important help too hard and too good times. So with that said, hey, Patrick, thanks so much.
Patrick Howell 18:54
Thank you. Thank you, everybody. Thanks, everybody.
Braco Pobric 18:57
Talk to you guys later. Cheers. Bye. Bye. Become the life success academy founding member go to academy of life success.com and click on founding member to get 60% of full membership
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
