And here I thought 2019 was full of challenges!

Welcome to 2020: a global pandemic has taken over the globe (and ugh, it begins right around a devastating San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl loss) . I’m forever grateful that I’ve been able to maintain work and keep very busy during these tough times, however I know many others have lost their jobs and are struggling to stay afloat at this time.

A common thread for all of us is managing to maintain our health and wellbeing as many of us are sheltering in home. I wanted to share a few tips & tricks that I’ve applied to my personal and professional life and keep a level of sanity as we navigated uncharted territory.

1. Practice Gratitude - Even in the darkest of times, it’s important to take a step back and think of one thing you are grateful for. It can be as simple as waking up with a cup of tea to the small break you get throughout a busy day. Try journaling things you’re grateful for daily. I’d recommend the Gratitude Happiness Journal app for iOS.

2. Listen & Learn - I haven’t had a boatload of free time appear on my calendar, but I have aimed to try to find 15-30 minutes each day to learn something new. I’ve started listening to more podcasts and reading when I can. I’ve picked up later chapters in one of my favourite books: The Manager’s Path by Camille Fournier, and I’ve really enjoyed Marcus Blankenship’s Programming Leadership podcast!

3. Exercise - Not as easy for some, but having a home gym has been a life-saver during a pandemic. Personal trainers are also moving to virtual classes over video conferencing. I’ve been doing a 30 min session every Monday to start my week. If you’re local to Metro Vancouver I’d recommend the good folks at LIFT Fitness who have a number of virtual options available.

4. Meditate - … and do it every day! I’ve recently switched to morning meditations, spending anywhere from 3-10 minutes each morning before I look at my work email or start my exercise routine. I’m 26 days into my meditation streak and I can tell it’s helping my mental health! Be sure to check out the Headspace app for guided meditations and other tools to manage your mental health.

5. Reflect - Regardless if you’re running a mile-a-minute or living life at a slower pace these days, reflecting each day helps ground us all and gives us perspective. I’ve been ending my work days by asking myself these questions: What did you learn today? How did you utilize your strengths? What do you want to do differently tomorrow? These questions have opened up my mind to what is really important during these tough times.

Hopefully these tips will help you as you navigate through the remainder of this year. Stay safe out there!

1. Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind

Best Tracks: Nero Forte, Unsainted, Orphan

2. The Glorious Sons - A War On Everything

Best Tracks: Spirit To Break, Lean On Me Love, Pink Motel

3. Beck - Hpyerspace

Best Tracks: Saw Lightning, Hyperspace, Uneventful Days

4. Jimmy Eat World - Surviving

Best Tracks: All The Way (Stay), One Mil, Surviving

5. City & Colour - A Pill For Loneliness

Best Tracks: Difficult Love, Living in Lightning, Astronaut

6. Dreamville - Revenge of the Dreamers III

Best Tracks: Sacrifices, Down Bad, Under the Sun

7. In Flames - I, The Mask

Best Tracks: I Am Above, Voices, Burn

8. The Black Keys - "Let's Rock"

Best Tracks: Shine A Little Light, Tell Me Lies, Lo/Hi

9. Gang Starr - One of the Best Yet

Best Tracks: Hit Man, Family & Loyalty, Bad Name

10. Gary Clark Jr - This Land

Best Tracks: When I’m Gone, This Land, Feelin’ Like A Million

I’m excited to bring back my top albums list, this time for 2019! I considered the idea of looking at the top albums of the decade and I may still do that in a future post. For now, below are the top albums that I listened to this year.

Similar to my criteria for 2018, nothing specific other than being in regular rotation in Apple Music (vs. iTunes from last year!).

It’s interesting to compare my lists in the past year, given that I’ve included more rock music and less hip-hop in my library these days.

Check the images on the side to see the top tracks from each album.

10. Gary Clark Jr - This Land
9. Gang Starr - One of the Best Yet
8. The Black Keys - “Let’s Rock”
7. In Flames - I, The Mask
6. Dreamville - Revenge of the Dreamers III
5. City & Colour - A Pill For Loneliness
4. Jimmy Eat World - Surviving
3. Beck - Hyperspace
2. The Glorious Sons - A War On Everything
1. Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind

Happy New Year and all the best in 2020!

The year of 2019 has been a heck of a year for me. I’ve started maturing as a father and realizing the demands on having not one, but two young kids can have on a parent. Professionally I went through my first acquisition (which was a strange one to leave it at that). I’ve struggled with health issues that have likely been impacted by the above. While this year has been a bit of a grind, it’s also tested my resiliency and given me perspective on life in general.

When I started the year I gave myself 3 goals that I achieved pretty quickly:

• Gain a better understanding of where my investments lie.

• Play more games (video, card games, etc).

• Drink more water.

As we get close to to the end of the year, I put one more on my list that hasn’t been as easy as the others: be happier. And while I still have a long way to go on this one, I wanted to share a few thoughts and ideas on how I’m working to make this a reality.

I previously documented my journey on self-care, in which I focused on areas of both my physical and mental health. The results of the work done in that post are apparent to many when I see them for the first time in a while: my body is the best shape it’s ever been. I’m really proud of that fact, however, as I look back more I realize that may have came at a price of my happiness.

Moving forward I’ve realized that much like investing in your physical self by exercising regularly and eating well, investing in your happiness will pay dividends. It’s unlikely that happiness will come find you out of the blue - working at it will help make it a reality!

Below are a few tips I’d recommend considering if you too are looking for a bit more happiness in your life.

Do Your Research

We’re in an age in which the stigma of mental health is breaking down. This encouraged me to do more research online and find resources that could help me. Two that I credit to giving me a ton of perspective are:

• Dan Gilbert’s Tech Talk on “The Surprising Science of Happiness”. This was a game changer for me, in which Dan speaks of how our brains are not our best ally when it comes to happiness. It’s a tad bit dated but the content still stands today and will make you really think about how we manufacture happiness in our lives.

• The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos. This podcast was shared to be by a former leader and mentor of mine. While I do not spend much time listening to podcasts, this one has been on regular rotation for me. Dr. Santos breaks down the science behind happiness with amazing guest interviews, humour and ultimately a frank and direct way in sharing how science can help us be happy.

Build an External Support Network

I’ve been really lucky to have some amazing support in my journey this year. While family tends to always be the first line of support, seeking out additional support to focus on your mental health, that is separate from your day-to-day, can give you a better perspective on life in general. Last year I started seeing a psychologist regularly which has given me an outlet and person to learn from that doesn’t have the same context as my family or team at work does.

I’ve also utilized my work’s benefits through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to get support when needed. Most organizations offer this benefit and it’s highly under-utilized. Having a direct connection to speak to someone at any time of day, and knowing there are resources for me 24/7 helps give me the confidence I need.

Treat Yourself

Life moves fast. As more responsibility has come on me in the past few years, I’ve thought much more about planning for the future and ensuring that, financially, my family will be in a good space. While we do have a good plan for our kids education, retirement, emergency fund, etc. - I was focusing too much on the future and less on the now.

I’ve found myself worrying less about spending money to make myself happier today vs. saving those dollars for a future situation. I find myself being more open to little things like buying that cup of tea, going out to that dinner or heck, buying that Vancouver Canucks hockey jersey (or two!).

I’m really excited on the next journey I’m taking to be a happier person. It’s not easy, and it’s never perfect but I’m thrilled at my progress so far and I’m looking forward to carrying these practices into 2020 and beyond!