The StoWicks Conversations
by
Carolyn and Seth Wicks
We're trying something a little different this week. Instead of exploring one big idea, we're sharing six smaller ones: three dimensions of self-improvement, viewed through two different perspectives.
Some thoughts might challenge you, while others might give you something practical to try. Hopefully, at least one sticks with you after you finish reading, and as always, feedback is welcome.
Let's get it!
Physical:
Carolyn: We’ve talked about this over and over and unfortunately for you, I am one to beat a dead horse. If you take nothing else from us, take this: lift weights. It’s the single most important physical thing you can do to lose fat, gain strength, boost your metabolism, and extend both your longevity and your healthspan. I can’t stress it enough. It changed my life, and I want it to change yours. Not everyone has a Seth to coach them in the weight room, but you have us! Reply to this email if you’d like help starting your lifting journey, and we’d be happy to help.
Seth: GLP-1s and peptides seem to be all the rage right now, but if you want to actually lose fat while maintaining muscle, stick with the basics. Strength train 3-4 times/week, walk 10,000+ steps/day with rucking included in some of those miles, reduce alcohol consumption and cheat meals, and eat in a calorie deficit (300-500). We did 75 Hard last year from January 1-March 16 (adding in the 10K daily steps goal), and the results were amazing. I will note that I actually maintained the same total bodyweight of 195 pounds, so I leaned out a bit and built muscle during the program. Don't worry so much about the number on the scale. Focus on building strength, moving more, and consistently eating well.
Mental:
Carolyn: I want to give a shoutout to our parents, because I think this one is because of them. One of the most amazing things they instilled in me was to always try, and more specifically, to have almost delusional optimism about anything I wanted to do. Apply for opportunities you have no business applying for. Ask for the thing you assume the answer is no to. Introduce yourself to the person who seems out of your league.
Sure, you might be rejected, but a lot of the time you won’t. Most people are too scared to take a chance on things they don’t feel qualified for. Plenty of the people who get the job weren’t fully qualified either. They just asked. You can get a lot by simply asking for it, because most people won’t. My mindset has always been, “Well, I’m at least going to try,” and I’d say it works out about 80% of the time. So whatever opportunity is coming up, the one you’re thinking about and don’t feel qualified for, go for it. You might not get it...but then again, you might.
Seth: You are all that is required to change. Take this new format as proof! Carolyn and I discuss the newsletter almost daily, and the idea came up to switch things around. After a few days of thinking it over, we decided to try it. We didn't wait until 2027 or run polls to get everyone's approval. We just made the change. And honestly, it might suck! You might prefer the original format, but we wouldn't know unless we tried.
The same applies to your life. You don't need to wait for January 1, the perfect circumstances, or someone else's approval to make a change. You have more control over your thoughts, decisions, and actions than you might realize. Have an idea? Think it through, take the first step, and adjust as you go. You don't need to have everything figured out to get started.
Spiritual:
Carolyn: It’s amazing what a little gratitude can do. Maybe you’re stuck talking to someone you don’t like, or someone who acts in contradiction to what they preach (this one really annoys me), or you’re frustrated with a coworker, or it feels like one thing after another on a horrible day. Then something small happens. Leto smiles at me. The sunset is beautiful. Seth gives me a big, long hug after a day at work. And the anger, sadness, and frustration just melt away.
I know there will be bad times, but there are good times too, and I’m working harder than ever to find the good inside the bad. When Leto poops his pants and it ends up all over me, him, and the changing table, I can’t help but laugh. It’s gross and overstimulating, but once he’s cleaned up he’s ready to snuggle, and the faster I clean him up, the faster I get baby snuggles. One day he’ll be too big and too busy for them, so I’m taking every one I can get. Even in the bad, there’s good, and it’s almost always a good day when I remember how grateful I am for what I have.
Seth: What's a weekly newsletter without a little controversy?! We don't normally discuss religion, and there's nothing wrong with believing in an afterlife. But we do take issue with the idea that people should do good now primarily to earn a reward or avoid punishment in the next life. You should have a moral compass because doing the right thing matters. Period.
If the only thing stopping you from lying, cheating, or hurting someone is the fear of being punished later, are you really acting out of good character? I don't think so. You do the right thing because it's right. Not for a reward, not to avoid punishment, and not because someone is watching. The action itself is the reward. You acted in line with your values. You did the right thing. That should be enough.
Both: That’s our first attempt at six small ideas instead of one big one. Hit reply and let us know which one stood out the most (we're having an internal competition so don't be shy).
See you next week,
Carolyn & Seth
The StoWicks
Quote of the Week:
“You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
Marcus Aurelius
