Mappy July!
Coral Pink Sand Dunes / 5.3% APY / Kangaroo Sausages / Epic Vegas to Denver Road-trip / Yoga and Trauma / Death and Mushrooms / Read "Think Again" / Before you say "Yes" / Your Personal Soundtrack
New on MappyEverAfter: Mysterious tracks and visiting Coral Pink Sand Dunes (2 videos), and Psychedelic Science 2023 trip (blog post)
From the Archive: The one where we almost ate kangaroos in Australia, and How to make quick cash with Credit Card Bonuses
Experiment: July Gymdom
Travel: Vegas to Denver road trip through National Parks and more
Health: Why is Yoga effective in treating trauma?
Money: Wealthfront did it again—5.3% interest on your savings.
Watch: A short film on death, rebirth, and mushrooms: “Let Things Rot”
Read: Adam Grant’s “Think Again”. Explore your biases and rethink your beliefs.
Mental Hack: Do this before you make promises
Just because: Your own unique ambient noise
Note: I will always tell you if I’m getting any referral bonuses and how much they are. There is one in this letter: If you use my Wealthfront referral link, you and I both get a 5.3% interest rate on our savings for 3 months (4.8% thereafter)
New on MappyEverAfter: Coral Pink Sand Dunes and Psychedelic Science
Whenever we find ourselves driving through southern Utah, we make a mandatory pit stop at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. We stalk desert critters by their tracks, stroll, admire those hardy desert plants and flowers, and soak up the peace and quiet. I made these 2 (very short) videos: "Mysterious Tracks" and "The Dunes." Have a look!
And, if you missed June’s Mappy Monday, have a peek at this (slightly expanded since then) post about the Psychedelic Science 2023 Conference in Denver, Colorado. It was quite a trip!
From the Archive - Our 3-month Trip to Australia and Making Money with Credit Card Bonuses
If you want to have a mid-summer Christmas, now is the time to start planning! Here’s a dose of inspiration from the hubby: The Magical Land of Oz
And if lack of funds is what’s holding you back (and you live in the US), this might help: Make an easy $1100 with Credit Card Bonuses
July Experiment: The Gym, of all things!
Exercising wasn't exactly in my family's (or country’s) blood when I was growing up. While my parents, grandparents, and neighbors walked, gardened, and did good old-fashioned work, my friends and I preferred to play, bike, hike, and get into shenanigans.
A couple of months back, Mark and I joined a gym. We then declared July our “Serious Gym Month”. We go 3x a week, sweating it out for a solid 2 hours each time, plus the walk there and back (mainly because we’ve spent years bitching about people driving to the gym just to then hop on the treadmill). On our way back, we jump into the neighborhood pool, but that’s more laughs than laps.
I still feel a bit out of place at the gym, with all that testosterone in the air, but my resting heart rate and waist circumference went down and my leg press and miles per minute went up. My weight didn’t go anywhere, whereas the hubby is succeeding on all fronts.
I thought my leg press was very impressive but this nifty chart says I’ve barely hit an “intermediate” status. It might have as well said “Meh”. But, it’s up from a month ago so I’m on the right track, I was smiling to myself all the way to the bathroom (Anyone else with the runs after lifting? Just me? Ok. Never mind then).
Travel: Vegas to Denver road trip
The Psychedelic Conference was epic, but for us, the adventure started 3 days prior, with a road trip from Vegas to Denver, a wild mix of National and State Parks, charming towns, and jaw-dropping vistas - Zion, Bryce, Arches, Aspen, Vail, Independence Pass, Red Rocks Amphitheater, and even Butch Cassidy’s childhood home. The map shows our 3-day trip. It took us about 20 hours of driving (even though google says 17).
Health: Why and How can Yoga Heal Trauma
When you think about it, emotions are physical sensations. Heartache, a knot in your stomach, a lump in your throat, or a pain in the ass (haha, ok, maybe that one’s not literal).
Bessel Van Der Kolk, the psychiatrist, researcher, professor, and author, is known for studying ways to treat trauma that don’t involve medications. I summed up some of his ideas on yoga below, or you can click here to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. He also swears by EMDR, theater and movement, neurofeedback, and psychedelics.
Trauma, Bessel says, is in the body, not in the head. A residue of past emotions lodges itself inside you and wreaks havoc. Psychotherapy helps you be kinder to yourself and understand your reactions, but reclaiming your body is crucial.
When you get traumatized, you don't really want to feel what you feel and know what you know. This is where yoga can help. You put yourself in some damn uncomfortable position and before too long, it’s over. You reestablish the sense of time, which is the key to overcoming trauma. Uncomfortable feelings do pass.
Yoga lets you befriend your body and your emotions. You pay attention to what comes up and if it’s frightening, you know that it will come to an end after a few breaths, and then you’re like “Wow, I did it!”.
Research shows that a steady yoga practice is more effective than medications for a traumatized person. It’s not a comfortable path, but having a good yoga teacher will give you the courage to begin to face your trauma and move past it.
Bessel also swears by EMDR, theater and movement, neurofeedback, and psychedelics.
As we begin to re-experience a visceral reconnection with the needs of our bodies, there is a brand new capacity to warmly love the self. We experience a new quality of authenticity in our caring, which redirects our attention to our health, our diets, our energy, our time management. This enhanced care for the self arises spontaneously and naturally, not as a response to a “should.” We are able to experience an immediate and intrinsic pleasure in self-care.
—Stephen Cope, Yoga and the Quest for the True Self
Money: Wealthfront. Yes, again. Because - 5.3% Interest on Your Cash, duh...
I sound like a broken record (see here and here and elsewhere) but what can I say? Wealthfront did it again. Each time the Fed raises interest rates (which makes everything more expensive), Wealthfront follows suit (which makes us money in interest). Here are some (glowing) reviews from Forbes, Business Insider, and NerdWallet.
If you use my referral link to open a Cash Account, you and I both get boosted to 5.3%APY for 3 months. Then the APY reverts back to their current 4.8%, which is still great. You can then generate your own referral links and extend your 5.3% for another 3 months two more times.
Please do your own due diligence but know that I would never recommend anything I don’t both use and love. I’ve had Wealthfront accounts (both Cash and Investment) for almost a decade and they have always delivered. My Investment account slightly outperforms the market and the Cash account has always paid one of the highest interest rates in the US.
Read: Adam Grant’s Think Again
"Think Again" by Adam Grant is a fun book that tells you to beware of “Mount Stupid”. It urges you to change your mind and rethink your beliefs, challenge your assumptions, embrace curiosity, and welcome feedback. It shows why arguments can be a good thing and teaches you how to get your message through.
Watch: Let Things Rot
A short, 7-minute film that gave me a new perspective on death.
A collaboration between the director Mateo Barrenengoa and Giuliana Furci (the founder of the Fungi Foundation and the first female Chilean mycologist), this lovely short documentary takes us on a visual adventure through Chile's southern forests and reminds us how the natural cycles of decomposition and rebirth keep our world ticking.
Mental Hack: Would I do This Tomorrow?
I learned this hack from the author and nonconformist Chris Guillebeau:
Ever felt that twinge of reluctance, or even dread, when something you’ve optimistically arranged long ago shows up on your calendar?
"Ugh, I totally forgot about that. Why the hell did I agree to this? What was I thinking?"
That's how the brain works, tricking you into believing that events in the distant future are more enjoyable than they really are. It leads you to agree to commitments you don't genuinely want, simply because they're scheduled way ahead.
The solution lies in changing your perception of time. Before making any commitment, treat it as if it were happening very soon. Ask yourself:
"Would I gladly do this tomorrow? (or today? or right now?)"
If the answer is yes, go for it! But if you’re not into it, say no.
Time is your most precious asset, protect it.
Just Because: Your Unique Soundtrack
Whether you fancy a campfire on the beach with fireworks in the background, an alien ship landing in a hospital by a volcano, or barn animals in a train station during a zombie invasion, Neal has you covered. Pick any number of tthe 30 individual sounds he offers and combine them into your own unique soundtrack.
If you have any questions or comments, leave them below or click reply. I'm a pretty friendly and responsive lass.
So there you have it, that was July. Keep doing your thing and know that I’m cheering you on!
Be Mappy,
Mags
Already tried it. Works great! Thanks again Mags.
Thanks😊