The Daily Habit

          I think about death quite often. I’m not sure if it is the case for most people and I don’t remember very well how I got the concept of death but I know I was very young. My first experience with death was probably when I was 3 years old and my uncle died. I don’t think I fully understood what was happening but I knew he had an accident and he was going to heaven so we will not see him anymore. About two years later my grandma die. Then my grandfather (mother’s side) passed away when I was in seventh grade. I remember seeing his mouth and it looked like someone sew it. I don’t remember feeling much and we were not that close. I have the impression that as time goes by the deaths around me start becoming closer and more relevant, more important and more heartbreaking.   I believe it is the same for most of us and part of getting older. But one thing is the tremendous pain of losing a loved one and another one is when you think about your ow...

I am from a beautiful country with beautiful women. It is also a country with very tight and defined standards of beauty. Particularly, the city where I'm originally from was vastly affected for violence due to drug trafficking during the 80's and beginning of the 90's, it is also one of the reasons that we hate jokes related with Pablo Escobar. During this time it flourished the idea of beauty required by the drug dealers, and they had the money to   pay for any plastic surgery for their women to "make them" more beautiful. The idea of feminine beauty in my home country is defined by big breasts, tiny waist and prominent glutes. It is also an idea widespread worldwide although some countries seem to take it more seriously.   I remember being aware of my lack of breast since I was a little kid, as I had a late bloom, while all my classmates were entering puberty and their bodies were changing, mine was still the body of a little girl. Kids and teen...

Very often I think about the relationship between spending habits, comfort and affordability. If your expectation is to enjoy a better financial position in the future, there are sacrifices that must be done in the present, after all that is the natural meaning of delayed gratification. You can either overspend in the lifestyle and things that you think you deserve now,   or put a little bit of pressure on yourself and make some sacrifices here and there, in order to offer your future self a better life. As Dave Ramsey says: "Today I will live like others won't, so tomorrow I will live like others can't" The truth is, quitting to buy your coffee at Starbucks every morning won't make you rich in 20 years. This example is often misunderstood, because this habit alone won't make you rich or poor; but it certainly can become the first step that will give you the mental toughness to embrace uncomfort, and the will power to stick to what is right for y...

Life skills like self-discipline, will power and delay gratification are fundamental but hard skills to develop. The following 30 days challenge will boost your skills and allow you to develop them a little bit more everyday during 1 month. The idea after you finish this challenge is that you keep practicing your skills to turn them into habits. 1. If it takes less than 5 min. Do it immediately. Examples: cleaning a tiny spill, throwing the garbage, writing a quick thank you email. Whatever you have been delaying and it can be done quickly. (less than 5 min). 2. No snooze button. Wake up with your alarm the first time. Repeat for the whole month. Practice the 5 second rule by Mel Robins, get a smart alarm that requires you to make a math calculation or solve a puzzle in order to stop it, or if you are wild, keep a glass of water in your night stand and throw a little bit in your face when the alarm sounds. 3. Plan your day and follow through. Start planning between 1 or...

Most of us have dealt with the unpleasant feeling of procrastinating homework, work or even chores and then having to put more effort to accomplish the same goal in a very short period of time with the added stress overload. Procrastinating is a natural thing. There is no need to be ashamed. What should be embarrassing is not looking for a change and keep making your life miserable under the stress of deadlines or rushing up to complete a work that could have been done in a better way if done sooner, with more time. Here are some simple tips to avoid procrastination and start changing your habits. 1. Block distractions: It is easier to slip away and do everything else, except what you were supposed to do if your environment is full of distractions. Procrastinating means your brain do not want to do the task that needs to be done and distractions are a great excuse to pull you out of the right path. When you are committed to do something; make it easier by blocking any...