When you come face to face with death, you begin to look at life differently.
Today’s freedom letter is a bit longer than usual. I’m telling you about a big project of mine. It should encourage you to think about your life and may well be an inspiration for you. I gladly offer you my support in continuing on your path confidently and taking personal responsibility.
The biological upper limit of age seems to be around 120 years. Most people live to be a little over 80 years old. Some of us bite the dust earlier, some significantly.
We don’t know how long we will actually live. For some, the knowledge that life could be over at any time is a powerful motivator not to waste time. However, the vast majority seems to live under the illusion that there is enough time to do everything.
But not only time itself is important, also its quality. Decades of carrying around dozens of surplus pounds, taking medication every day or even being dependent on life-support machines – do you take these limitations into account when planning your life?
We often hear people say: “I’ll do this or that when I retire.” Are you sure that you will still be able to do the things you planned? Some people need a walker at age 70, others run triathlons. Inevitable fate of genetics?
No! Aside from accidents and rare individual cases, you have great influence on the development of body, mind and soul. The decades-old dogma of the immutability of our genes has been broken. Epigenetics – the influence of the environment on gene activity – is becoming increasingly important. You are not a passenger in your body, you are the pilot!
Whether you are frail, weak and dependent in old age or fit, agile and independent is the result of countless small daily decisions and actions.
I am currently reading You Are the Placebo by Dr. Joe Dispenza and fascinated by a study he describes. In the 1980s, five men aged 70 to 80 were asked to pretend they were 22 years younger at a retreat. Surrounded by cues that they are actually living in an earlier time – magazines, news, music – their bodies became physiologically younger in just five days! Posture, weight, gait, mobility, grip strength, memory, vision and hearing all improved. In just five days, the men literally became younger.
I have no doubt that it is possible for anyone to massively influence, even reduce their own biological age.
While reading last Sunday, I realized that I’ll be celebrating my next round birthday in exactly six months. Getting older on paper doesn’t worry me in the slightest. With each passing year I gather more experiences, learn more and become wiser.
However, I definitely don’t want to become dependent on the medical industry.
Besides freedom, health is one of my greatest values. That’s why I’ve set the ambitious goal of having the fitness and vitality of a 20-year-old by my 40th birthday. To this end, I commit to the following plan (bold targets are non-negotiable):
Body
I take at least 10,000 steps a day. I do weight training (bodyweight exercises that I can do anywhere without equipment) at least three times a week.
I drink at least two liters of water every day. Part of this is so-called “hydrogen water”, which is said to have an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect. Whether it’s the H2 water itself or only the placebo effect that provides better health, I can’t say. What excites me, however, is the fact that the placebo effect occurs even when you know that what you are taking is a placebo. In any case, the water should help me to improve my health.
I sleep at least seven hours a day. I usually wake up around sunrise and get moving outdoors within the first hour after waking to regulate my internal clock with natural light.
I eat as wholesomely as possible with freshly prepared dishes made from natural, unprocessed raw food. I reduce my sugar consumption significantly.
I strictly limit my alcohol consumption. For a man, 2 units of alcohol per day are said to still be healthy (one unit corresponds to 0.1 l of wine or 0.25 l of beer). My goal by June 2023 is to drink no more than ten units per month.
Mind
I read 20 pages a day and take notes on what I read (active reading).
I watch a TED talk every day.
I actively look for new challenges and new experiences.
I refrain from using smartphones and the like before 10:00 a.m. and after 10:00 p.m.
Soul
I take time for myself.
I allow myself to feel my feelings without defining myself through them.
I focus on beauty and practice gratitude.
I spend more time with the people who give me energy and less time with those who drain my energy.
At the same time, I commit to reporting on my progress once a month. In one of the next Freedom Letters, I will show you how I easily implement all of this without putting myself under pressure.
I am aware that I won’t be able to follow the plan perfectly. I’ll be grateful if I reach 80%. My philosophy, which I describe in the ABC of Freedom, is to be committed with every fiber of my body and still be open-minded and forgiving towards myself. When it comes to habits, it’s the daily work that counts. Missing once does not equal failure. Twice, however, is the start of a new habit. I have developed methods for this, which I would love to show to you soon.
With the new year approaching, you might be thinking about making resolutions for 2023. Experience shows that starting on January 1st rarely leads to success. The year 2022 has more than two weeks left. Do you want to let this time pass unused?
If you want change, start now!
I’m happy to help you. Send me an email and we’ll talk about your individual path to freedom with better habits.
#befree
Yours, Ulrich
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