Peak Wellness To cut out the crap and focus on the basics. This stuff is simple—and though it’s n...

1. Social: It’s Not All About Productivity; Relationships Matter, Too

1.1. the mortality risks associated with loneliness exceeded those associated with obesity and physical inactivity and were comparable to the risks of smoking

1.2. digital connections can be beneficial in certain circumstances (e.g., to stay in touch with geographically distant friends and family), but they cannot replace in-person ones and the value of physical presence and touch

2. Cognitive: Follow Your Interests, Do Deep-Focused Work

2.1. Better than a fit mindset is a development mindset, in which you understand that passion takes time to emerge, thus lowering the bar for further engagement in something from “this is perfect” to “this is interesting.”

2.1.1. those who have development mindsets are more likely to end up with sustainable and energizing passions

2.2. the more present and fully engaged you are with what’s in front of you, the happier you’ll be

3. Spiritual: Cultivate Purpose, Be Open to Awe

3.1. people without a strong life purpose—defined as a sense of feeling rooted in your life and taking actions toward meaningful goals—were more than twice as likely to die

3.2. purpose is the deepest driver of well-being there is

3.3. What won’t lead to spirituality and true well-being? Trying to find meaning in all the stuff that modern-day wellness implicitly and explicitly promotes, such as beauty, wealth, antiaging, and sex appeal.

3.4. The trick is keeping the truth up front in daily consciousness.

4. Physical: Move Your Body and Don’t Eat Crap—but Don’t Diet Either

4.1. just 30 minutes of moderate to intense daily physical activity lowers your risk for heart disease, Alzheimer’s, mental illness, and many types of cancer.

4.2. people who spend at least two hours outdoors in green spaces every week have better mental and physical health

4.3. ignore diets and supplements and, instead, just aim to cut out junk like processed and fried foods

5. Emotional: Don’t Hide Your Feelings, Get Help When You Need It

5.1. more you hold something back or try to force it away, the stronger it becomes

5.2. the more vulnerable you are—both with yourself and others—the better

5.3. stop trying so damn hard to be invincible, and just be yourself

6. Environmental: Care for Your Space

6.1. Our surroundings shape us in so many ways

6.2. The goal is to design your environment to support the behaviors you desire.