The 5 R's: Reconnnection

Good morning, friend.

Welcome to the 2 new subscribers that joined the newsletter this week.

Thanks to each and every one of you reading— we just hit 50 subscribers.

Last week, I introduced you to the mission of Discover More Health and my intentions for the newsletters to come.

This week, I’m introducing the Discover More Health Transformation Framework— a concept that will inform the content I create and share from this point forward.

1. Reconnect

2. Reimagine

3. Rebuild

4. Reflect

5. Refine

This framework is the synthesized result of my decade-long health journey of study and self-experimentation. Since 2015, I have read dozens of instructive books, listened to hundreds of podcasts, worked with several personal coaches, and completed numerous courses of study - all in pursuit of healing, health, happiness, and growth.

I believe these 5 steps provide a simple and concrete framework for creating sustainable transformation, so I’m incredibly excited to share the first pillar with you today.

Let’s get to it.

1) Reconnection

“I’ll tell you what hermits realize. If you go off into a far, far forest and get very quiet, you’ll come to understand that you’re connected with everything.” – Alan Watts

As philosopher Alan Watts astutely observed, we and the world are deeply interconnected. Just a few minutes spent in nature quickly reveals the reciprocal relationship that all beings share.

Looking around in 2022, on the other hand, suggests that companies & politicians are trying their dardest to keep us disconnected.

Social media keeps us distracted, processed food makes us sick, and our systems oppress the many to advantage the selected few.

These are just a few of the many examples that indicate that we live in a culture of deep disconnection, despite being in a world of inherent interconnection.

In my life— whenever I feel lost or sad, I’m usually disconnected from my mission & vision.

When I feel sick or tired, I’m likely disconnected from my physical body.

And when I feel lonely or upset, I’m often disconnected from my friends and family.

These feelings surface far less often than they did years ago, thanks to the coaches, friends, and resources I’ve connected with over the past few years. But they still rear their heads from time to time, and now, when they do, I reconnect.

Here’s how: Finding the present moment and tuning back into my true nature.

As Eckhart Tolle writes in his book “The Power of Now,” “The present moment holds the key to liberation. But you cannot find the present moment as long as you are your mind.”

In other words, Presence is the key to Reconnection.

So what does this look like?

Just a few deep breaths can dramatically shift our physiology and help us drop into our bodies.

Or if you have more time - meditation is a powerful tool that’s been used across cultures for thousands of years, and now, is becoming well-documented within the scientific community.

For example, a Harvard study conducted in 2015 showed that an 8-week daily meditation program showed unmistakable physical changes, such as the shrinking of the amygdala (brain’s fear center) and the expansion of the brain stem— the area in which feel-good neuro-chemicals dopamine & serotonin originate. (Schulte, 2015).

These results are hard to contend with and they are possible for all of us to attain.

All by reconnecting to the present moment.

Other reconnection tools that are worth mentioning are exercise, mindfulness practices, cleaning your living space, and spending time in nature.

Whatever your vehicle of choice, reconnecting to the present moment and your true nature is the fundamental first step of any transformation.

As author and psychologist Susan Campbell writes in her book “Getting Real,”

“The way out is to go deeply in.”

I was tempted to share write-ups for each of these 5 steps, but let's be honest— you wouldn't read a 2200-word newsletter.

I respect your time and attention way too much for that.

I appreciate you reading and hope that Pillar 1 (Reconnection) gives you a taste of what's to come.

Reconnecting, before reacting, is the key to tuning into our powerful intuition, and moving forward in a grounded and intentional manner.

Next week, we’ll dive into Pillar #2: Reimagination

As always, if you have any questions or ideas floating around - I’d love to hear from you.

Hope you have a great and (re)connected week ahead.

With Gratitude,

Aidan

This was a Special Week in Hip-Hop:

Kendrick Lamar, the only rapper to win a Pulitzer Prize, is widely considered to be the best in the world right now. "The Heart Part 5" is his first musical release since 2017, and has been incredibly well-received for its lyricism and music video production.

Logic and Russ are each talented in their own right, so a collaboration between the two is a special treat. In "Therapy Music," they share their personal mental health journeys through a series of especially flowy raps.

Whether you're a hip-hop fan or not, these two songs provide a simultaneously scary & beautiful education in both hip-hop and modern-day culture.

Podcasts of the Week: