Live It Or Waste It

Word of the WEEK - Nature!

Topic of the week: Healthy Financial Habits

Video of the week: 12 Ways to be better with money by The Financial Diet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sygf_q6WELE&feature=youtu.be

We have 12 tips for you this week breaking down some do-able and not-so-painless ways to get your financial habits in check.

1) Use a budget app like Mint or you excel spreadsheet

2) Automate your savings. Have money go directly into your savings every month

3) Credit rehab - one way you can build your credit is by paying your bills on a credit card and then set up your checking account to pay off credit card every month. If you can do this you will improve your credit and also get points or miles on the card.

Advice from 7 money experts

Dan Levine Entrepreneur & Business Owner

4) Know your credit score- Most of us will seek a bank loan at some point so its important to know your credit score and research ways of improving it.

J Money - Founder of Rockstar Finance

5) Track your net worth. This may be hard to see your assets and debts but remember, we aren’t doing this to shame ourselves, this is to get a clear picture of our financial situation so we can improve it. And we can’t improve it if we don’t know what to improve.

Allison Elkund, Financial Advisor

6) Make sure that you are adding to your retirement fund. Remember that when you add to that, that money gets tax breaks.

Bridget Eastgaard founder of Money after Graduation & an MBA in Finance

7) Put at least 10 dollars toward your debt or savings every month

Jane Hwangbo - Investment analyst

8) Forgo one thing a day that you planned on buying and feel good about it. And make it a habit.

Jaclyn Gallo - writer and ad tech analyst in NYC has 3 tips

9) Open second checking account incase of the first being

10) Sort debts high to lowest so that you can plan how to pay them off.

11) Plan and buy most groceries at once so that you’re like to not over buy and spend

Sarah Noelle - blog The Yatchless

12) Open an acorn account

Which tips are David and Dave going to implement?

Which tips are you going to implement?! Please share with us and also some of your own financial tips for that worked for you. Join us next week, when we check in with the Davids once again! Our monthly check in. Remember to SUBSCRIBE and SHARE

Join us on our live it or waste it Facebook page and our Facebook group - just search Live It Or Waste It NOW - to find us!

DG: www.SomeoneTalkedMedia.com

DW: www.weindesigns.com

Now go out there and live it!

Don’t waste it!

Word of the WEEK - Reality!

Topic of the Week: Atomic Habits part 2 Systems over goals

Video of the week: Success Habits: The Proven Way to Achieve Your Dreams with James Clear and Lewis Howes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRse5I_p7tA

In James Clear’s book he says, you do not rise to the level of your goals but fall to the level of your systems.

The goal is your desired outcome, the system the collection of daily habits that will get you to your goal.

If there’s a gap between your goal and your system, if there’s a gap between your desired outcome and your habits, your habits will win.

Your results in life are often a lagging measure of your habits. You savings is a measure of your financial habits, your physical fitness level is a measure of your habits of eating and exercising, etc

The system delivers what ever result occurs.

We talked about a system here on live it or waste it way back in the beginning when we did the show on the morning routine. That would be a system of good habits that get your day started in the right direction.

Goals are good for setting you on the path, giving you a direction, but your system of getting there is what really matters and determines whether you accomplish your goals.

SPORTS ANALOGY - In sports, every team starts the offseason with the goal to win the championship. But only one team achieves that goal every year.

There are other factors that play into it that aren’t necessarily in your control, like personell, injuries, schedule, etc… but it’s the system the coach implements, from the way they practice, what they eat, how they bond with one another, these are all things a coach does and they do it the same way every season with a tweak here and there once they see that system leads to an opportunity to win the championship.

Now there are some coaches that are stubborn and refuse to change their system or adapt it to changes in the way the game is played and they are successful at achieving the goal of a championship.

But the important thing to understand with systems is that they aren’t attached to the outcome of the goal, because the system is to put you in the best possible position to take advantage of the opportunities put in front of you.

The system is a series of good habits that create a lifestyle in line with your identity.

Kobe identified himself as someone who was going to outwork everyone else, so his habits reflected that with the 50 workouts a day. The championships, the records, the achievements were all just symptoms or a reflection of the system in place.

This is where what you identify as, is important. Because identifying yourself as something too specific can cause you to have tunnel vision and limit you.

For example, Kobe’s identity was someone who worked hard and was disciplined and focused on the task. If he had just identified himself as a just basketball player he, one, may not have pushed himself as hard, and two, when basketball was over his identity would be gone, then what?

But identifying himself as someone who outworked everyone else, someone who learns and grows, embraces fear and failure, he could apply that to anything he was doing.

James also discusses the importance of environment and habits.

Habits are more likely to form if the cue is obvious. It’s easily visible, easily accessible.

The groups you spend your time with.

positive habits in a negative environment is only sustainable for a short period of time.

A great way to build a good habit is to be around, join a group with mutual habits and interests.

With bad habits you would do the opposite.

if you’re trying to quit smoking you stop having cigarettes in the house.

You don’t hang out with people who love to smoke

Stop going places where people smoke

James says in his book that research shows that people who appear to have better self control really are just tempted...

Word of the week: Transform!

Topic of the week: Healthy habit Series - Atomic Habits with James Clear PART I

Video of the week: Success Habits: The Proven Way to Achieve Your Dreams with James Clear and Lewis Howes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRse5I_p7tA

James Clear is the author of the book, "Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones" and one of the first things James says in this interview and mentions in his book is that habits are the compound interest of self improvement. The effect of your habits multiply over time so the choices you make, even the small choices accrue over time and impact your way of life.

So why do we have so many bad habits if we know it’s going to have a negative effect on our way of life? Habits that are immediately satisfying are more likely to be repeated. Like eating a donut. The long term effects are negative, but we really enjoy the immediate gratification of the taste. Also, we won’t see the negative effects right away. The opposite could be said for exercising. It’s not immediately gratifying, it’s usually grueling and painful, you’re tired and sore after and you don’t see results weeks or months down the line.

The interviewer then jokingly presented the idea of eating a donut at the gym so you get that immediate gratification before doing something you wouldn’t get immediate gratification from. That made us think about a psych101 class where we learned about conditioning. Classical and operant conditioning, Pavlov's dog gets a treat when they ring the bell and eventually he would salivate at the sound of the bell. Would you associate the feeling of eating a donut with exercising? Would the sound of weights clanging cause us to salivate?

This isn’t a good idea and not something we would recommend. And it leads James to go into his concept of identity based habits which I am really fascinated with. He goes into great depth in his book but we’ll cover as much as we can because we think this is a concept we should all at least consider trying.

The ultimate form or immediate satisfaction is through the reinforcement of your desired identity. So your habits would match your identity. So If you identify yourself as a writer then you write everyday. If you identify yourself as a healthy person or a gym rat you would go to the gym and workout everyday. Eating a donut wouldn’t fit into that identity so you would probably have a different reaction to seeing one than someone who doesn’t have that identity. So you get that immediate gratification of being that person. You want reinforcements that align principles and values. Once that happens your perception of things will change. If you identify as a Muslim or Jewish you would look at a honey baked ham differently than someone one who identified as a pork lover? Yes, you would. And once you understand your identity and what habits are in tuned with that identity it’s just a matter of reps. A habit is formed through reps. There’s no magical day, it’s a lifestyle not a finish line.

And he talks about how it’s kind of a give and take, the habits reinforce the identity and the identity reinforces the habits.

Next week in PART II of this podcast, we will get into his concept of having systems in place are more important than having goals.

Please share your experiences with achieving healthy habits and what’s worked for you. Join us next week, when we continue our discussion of James Clear’s video. Remember to SUBSCRIBE and SHARE

Join us on our live it or waste it Facebook page and our facebook group - just search Live It Or Waste It NOW - to find us!

DG: www.SomeoneTalkedMedia.com

DW: www.weindesigns.com

Now go out there and live it!

Don’t waste it!

Word of the Week - Stretch!

Topic of the Week: We are continuing our healthy habit series with a very important and necessary habit, Vulnerability. This week’s topic is Vulnerability and Shame. How to be vulnerable in a world that lacks empathy...

Video of the Week: The power of vulnerability - Brene’ Brown

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0&t=125s

Vulnerability is being honest, being seen as imperfect, to put yourself out there. Brown describes Vulnerability as emotional risk, exposure, uncertainty. Most people equate vulnerability with weakness - we explain why that is the opposite of the truth. Often people avoid vulnerability because they see it as a weakness yet when we see someone else being vulnerable we see courage.

Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change. To create is to make something that never existed before. Nothing more vulnerable than that. The reason we are afraid to be vulnerable is shame. The feeling of not being good enough. Not worthy of empathy. We take a deep dive on that.

What Brown's research showed was that the people who had a strong sense of love and belonging were the one's that felt they were worthy of it. They had the courage to be imperfect. They had the compassion to be kind to themselves first and then to others. They had connection as a result of authenticity. They were willing to let go of who they thought they were supposed to be, and allowed themselves to be who they truly were. They embraced vulnerability. To them it was necessary.

Her last quote really sums up why vulnerability is important, “if we let ourselves be seen, deeply seen, to love with our whole hearts, to practice gratitude and joy and to believe we are enough, then we will stop screaming and start listening and we will be kinder and gentler to ourselves and to each other.”

Please share your experiences with vulnerability and tell us if it’s something you need to work on in your life, and we want to hear about tips and strategies that have worked for you. Join us next week, when we continue our healthy habit series with Atomic Habits with James Clear. Remember to SUBSCRIBE and SHARE

DG: www.SomeoneTalkedMedia.com

DW: www.weindesigns.com

Now go out there and live it!

Don’t waste it!

Word of the Week - Patience!

This is something Dave W. needed to remind himself of. Having struggled with things not happening fast enough he thinks this is a good reminder for all of us, whatever we are doing, if it’s meaningful, if it’s a large priority, it’s going to take time. Probably more time than you anticipate, expect, or hope for. Have reminders of why you’re doing it, what this means to you. Understand you have no choice but to push through no matter how long it takes. Focus on the journey not the outcome or the finish line.

Topic of the week! Checking in with the Davids

What’s up with us, what are we using in our daily routines, what’s working, what are we struggling with and what do we want to improve upon?

Please share what new tips, habits etc you have implemented and what’s worked for you. Join us next week, when we get back to our healthy habit series and talk about atomic habits and creating a system of success.

Remember to SUBSCRIBE and SHARE

Join us on our live it or waste it Facebook page and our facebook group - just search Live It Or Waste It NOW - to find us!

DG: www.SomeoneTalkedMedia.com

DW: www.weindesigns.com

Now go out there and live it!

Don’t waste it!

Word of the WEEK - Now!

It’s been about a week since the tragic death of Kobe Bryant and 8 other beautiful human beings in a helicopter crash. And when something like this happens, if nothing else, it reminds you, all you have is right now. The next moment is not guaranteed to anyone. Not to anyone. Live in the now. What are you going to do with this moment? This gift you have been given. You can’t be focused on the task at hand if your mind isn’t present. Be present. Be alive. Be you!

Topic of the week: The Mamba Mentality

Video of the week: The Mind of Kobe Bryant - Learning by piotrekz prod https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeJroG3YsZw&t=22s

We had to kind of shuffle some things and change our agenda a bit so we could do this tribute show. This week was supposed to be a check in show to see update our progress but I thought it would be a good idea to save that and talk about a man who really set the gold standard for what we call on this show, living it!

It’s so wild that Kobe passed on the day we posted episode 24, his number, and the topic was discipline. Because if you look up discipline and hard work in the dictionary and Kobe’s picture is next to it, in the gym working out.

He had what he called the mamba mentality which he simply described as being the best version of yourself. Learning and growing. Getting better every day. It’s a constant, infinite quest to get better.

Kobe had a curiosity for everything. He was constantly trying to learn everywhere. Always asking questions. Seeking out people who have mastered their craft and even going as far as cold calling people who are leaders in industries and pick their brain.

He understood at a very young age what it took to be great and developed a system of success.

He said, if you’re always practicing, always working you can’t help but be better than everyone else.

He knew that hard work and preparation was key to success. If you’re prepared, if you’re ready, then it’s just a matter of execution. No reason to fear, to doubt, to worry when you’re prepared. He knew he had done everything he could up until that moment so now he just had to let it be.

Think about the confidence you would have, stepping on the court knowing that you’ve worked harder than everyone else out here. You’ve gone above and beyond to prepare for this moment.

Winning was the goal. But winning isn’t the journey. It’s the indicator of how well your system works. And when he didn’t win, he would ask himself, ok, what do I need to do different next time? We must I improve?

There is no end to this. Even when you win, there’s the next season. It’s the journey, the action taken, the system in place.

He wasn’t afraid to fail. He wanted the ball with the game on the line because he wasn’t attached to the outcome. Winning is the goal but learning and executing what you learn, putting in the work to be the best is what it’s really about. He knew he had prepared for this moment so why wouldn’t he want the ball? He learned from his mistakes, his losses, his disappointments. He assessed his abilities and worked on his weaknesses until they became a strength. He accepted challenges and embraced fear.

When they said he was just a scorer and didn’t play hard on defense, the next year he made all defensive team.

He identified himself as a basketball player. He identified as being the best. He identified as a man who was not going to be out worked. And because of this, working out 50 hours a day just seemed logical. It’s what someone who wants to be the best ever does.

Join us next week, when we check in with the David’s! What’s going on with us, what’s working, what’s not working. Remember to SUBSCRIBE and SHARE

Join us on our live it or waste it Facebook page and our facebook group - just search Live It Or Waste It NOW - to find us!

DG: www.SomeoneTalkedMedia.com

DW:...

Word of the Week - Volunteer

Topic of the Week - Self Discipline. How can we stay on task even when we really, really, really don’t want to?!!!

Video of the Week - How to Be More DISCIPLINED - 6 Ways to Master Self Control - By Thomas Frank

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3vRK2P9lSU&t=606s

What is self discipline? How does it differ from motivation? Author Samuel Thomas Davies defines it by saying, Self discipline is about leaning into resistance. Taking action in spite of how you feel. Living a life by design, not by default. But most importantly, it’s acting in accordance with your thoughts - not your feelings.

6 important strategies to building self-discipline

1) Focus on the change in identity

2) Create Reminders

3) Embrace discomfort

4) Target the fundamentals

5) Meditation

6) Build new habits

Please share your struggles with discipline, what strategies have you tried and what’s worked for you. Join us next week, when we Check in with the Davids! See what’s going on with their new years goals and what we have implemented and how it’s worked or not worked.

AND… Remember to SUBSCRIBE and SHARE

Join us on our live it or waste it Facebook page and our facebook group - just search Live It Or Waste It NOW - to find us!

DG: www.SomeoneTalkedMedia.com

DW: www.weindesigns.com

Now go out there and live it!

Don’t waste it!

We have a new feature to help you get your Monday's off to the right start. Something to get you in a conscious headspace you'll need to activate that self awareness within us so that we can effectively absorb the information and wisdom we are going to embrace this week. Kind of like a pre game pep talk.

Get ready to be inspired! Please let us know what you think of our new feature... now on with the show.

Word of the WEEK - Perge!

Topic of the Week - the second in our healthy habit series - Getting organized!

Video of the Week:TOP 20 MARIE KONDO TIPS for Tidying Up and Decluttering | A Small Wardrobe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YQpvlNC59g&t=29s

Please share your tips for getting organized and what’s worked for you. Join us next week, when we continue our healthy habit series. Remember to SUBSCRIBE and SHARE

Join us on our Live It or Waste It Facebook page and our facebook group - just search Live It Or Waste It NOW - to find us!

DG: www.SomeoneTalkedMedia.com

DW: www.weindesigns.com

Now go out there and live it!

Don’t waste it!

Word of the Week: Why

BONUS Video of the Week: Simon Sinek - The impact of your why

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSLrhTw2tQA&list=PLgCOAz4cqZMTqDVfY6MtWuupJmFwd1M3D

Topic of the Week: Our first habit in our Healthy habit series to start off the new year, Self Care.

Self care is something we briefly covered in previous podcasts but we think it’s a subject we should revisit and dedicate an episode to.

You are the most important asset to invest in!

If we don’t take care of ourselves, mentally, physically, emotionally then all these goals we set, all the tools we acquire and all the time we’ve spent working on ourselves won’t mean anything.

All the people who depend on you or need your help won’t get that if you’re not well.

And your mood will suffer.

Video: A Self-Care Action Plan with/hosted by Hank Green

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0iVTQS8ftg

Please share ways you care for yourself, things that have worked for you. Join us next week, when we continue our healthy habits series with getting organized!

Remember to SUBSCRIBE and SHARE

Join us on our live it or waste it Facebook page and our facebook group - just search Live It Or Waste It NOW - to find us!

DG: www.SomeoneTalkedMedia.com

DW: www.weindesigns.com

Now go out there and live it!

Don’t waste it!

WORD OF THE WEEK: Awaken!

This episode is going to cover a few things we’ve already discussed but we think it’s good to have a refresher to start off the new year. If you already have goals set, you’re already on the path, then perhaps you don’t need to start new goals but just go back and really reassess the way you’re going about achieving them.

VIDEO OF THR WEEK: How to Set Goals for the New Year (+actually ACHIEVE them)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiM97bP8500

- envision your goals - every aspect of your life. Health, family, career, friends, finances, living situation, personal growth, adventure and whatever matters to you.

- Be specific about each one. You don’t want to just focus on one goal because then the other goals will drop off.

- Make sure that’s it’s realistic.

- She talks about prioritizing and planning your goals. Listen to our podcasts on planning to get a good idea on how to organize and plan your goals.

- Take action! Get started, get moving, get momentum.

- Be disciplined and consistent.

- Track your progress. This is where your planner comes in. If not just write out the tasks and cross them off. Keep yourself accountable.

Please share your goals for the new year and how you plan on sticking with them. Join us next week, when we start our healthy habit series. We did a series on toxic habits to end the year, now we start the new year with healthy habits to help you get the most out of your life.

Remember to SUBSCRIBE and SHARE

Join us on our live it or waste it Facebook page and our facebook group - just search Live It Or Waste It NOW - to find us!

DG:Online: www.SomeoneTalkedMedia.com

DW: www.weindesigns.com

Now go out there and live it!

Don’t waste it!