Finding and Implementing Your Individual Style.

Every man is unique. What may work for one man, may not for another. This is true for all facets of a man’s life, but today we’re focusing on style. A man’s style is part of how he defines himself, both in home style/décor and clothing style. Today’s post will be about finding your individual style of dress. If this turns out to be a good post, I’ll probably continue by writing a post about integrating your style into your home.

Finding your style is generally a very personal journey. No one but yourself can look at you and say “This style works best”. The word “style” can be pretty ambiguous. It can refer to hair, clothes, home décor, personality; many things. My goal is to tie this all together to make a nice, cohesive, presentable package. I’ve found it difficult to put this all into a learning-style format, so I’m going to do something that seems easier: I’ll lead by example. Your results may vary from mine, but I hope you’ll get at least an idea of what I’m talking about.

As I start my 30’s, I’ve decided that I want to look nice but remain casual with the option of being more formal if I want to. I have found a series of four articles at the Art of Manliness that are geared toward rebuilding your wardrobe; going from “college-age dude” to “well-dressed casual/professional man”. I will do my best to take tips and interpret them for you here.

In order to start rebuilding your wardrobe, you first have to weed out all the ancient relics that haven’t seen light in a long time. Go through your closet and/or dresser, pull out anything that a) you haven’t worn in a year or more, b) looks dirty or dingy, even though you’ve washed it many times, and c) comes within a hair’s breadth of falling apart because it doesn’t fit anymore and set these items aside to either donate, toss or sell.

Next, you need to figure out your style. Remember, we’re trying to get away from looking like you’re still in high school. A sharp appearance is important; if you’re anything like me, you want people to respect you. That doesn’t happen when you’re wearing “dad jeans” and a t-shirt that says “I’m with stupid” or equivalent. I’m not saying throw away everything you own and go buy 30 suits, but you probably don’t want to be wearing anything that says Tapout on it.

I’ve compiled, from many sources, a list of essentials that every man should have. This list is the basics. It’s not the be-all end-all, but it should give you a decent foundation to work with:

1 Suit, dark in color – a navy or charcoal would do fine, single-breasted with 3 pockets (2 side-flap and one breast). The trousers should be made from the same fabric, and if pleated they should have a cuff.

3 Dress Shirts, solid colors (white, blue, etc). Remember - the darker the color, the less formal the shirt. Starting out, you shouldn’t worry about French cuffs; just get the standard barrel cuff for now. Point collars are the standard as well, and they fit just about every face type.

3-4 pairs of shoes/boots. In general, you’ll want to have one pair of black dress shoes, a pair of brown dress shoes, a boot of some sort (desert boots, Chelsea boots, etc), and your casual shoes (Converse one-stars are nice, and for the summer you could have a boat shoe)

3 Ties for every suit you own, in colors and patterns that compliment your suit. You don’t want to overpower the suit with the tie, so subtlety is key here.

1 Belt, at least; preferably reversible black/brown, to go with your shoes.

2-3 pairs of jeans, varying shades of darkness. Stay away from “dad jeans” though – tapered leg, light blue or stone-washed, high waist. Those are just ridiculous.

2-3 pairs of chinos, in similar styles to your suit as far as color, cut, etc. In my closet, there are 2 pairs right now – a light tan color and a navy blue color. A bit more modern, but they fit my style.

4-6 Polo/Golf/Tennis shirts, in varying solid colors. Smooth, soft wool or cotton are more dressy than the rougher weaves, which are considered more casual.

2-3 pairs of shorts. Ditch the jorts, go for a nicer style. Remember these two rules and you should be good to go: they should provide decent space in the hips and be no more than 6 inches shorter than your knees, but never extending past them. Swim trunks are just that; don’t wear them around unless you’re going to be swimming.

Sweaters – Make sure to have a few, for the winter months. They can vary in style and color, but make sure they fit and try not to wear “Cosby” sweaters. I prefer cardigans and the like more than pull-over style, but all of them can look attractive when worn right.

Lastly, you’ll want to own at least one classic navy blazer or dark wool sport coat. These are very versatile pieces in your wardrobe, as they can be added to just about any outfit. People always say you can’t go wrong with a sport jacket, dress shirt and jeans.

I think that about does it for today. Keep in mind, I’m not even close to an authority on this subject as I’m still starting out like you; I just thought I’d share what information I’ve been able to glean from the various sources out there on the ‘net. 

I hope this turns out to be a good source of information for you all, and as always, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Vacation and "Quiet Time" - Thoughts on Reflection and Centering Yourself

A calming moment of reflection

Good day, dear readers! I have finally returned from my vacation with fresh mind and body, eager to resume sharing my thoughts with you.

Today’s post is actually about taking vacation time. During the week preceding my time away from work, I started planning all the things I would do during my time off: Re-decorate the pad, de-clutter, etc. The actuality of my vacation was more like this: Wake up late, take my son to daycare, sit on my bum and do nothing. When I first started reflecting on my vacation time, I was unhappy that I spent so much time being unproductive; I felt like I’d wasted all that time by not doing anything. I started really thinking about the time, going through each day and how my thoughts and feelings were. As it turns out, I spent my vacation time in the best way possible.

From the point of view of a man who is trying to better himself, this time spent doing next to nothing was brilliant. It offered me the chance to spend time inside my head and clear out some cobwebs. I didn’t realize it until Sunday, as I was working my way through the last day of my vacation. I spent some time tidying up my home, hanging some pictures I’ve neglected for a couple months, filling my display case with my replica props and all in all just having some good old-fashioned alone time.

Alone time is a good thing for men. It allows us the quiet time needed for things like reflecting on the day’s events, working on a hobby, reading a book or really just doing whatever we feel like without the interference of outside life. Whatever you choose to do, make sure you enjoy it and it allows you to center yourself.

It’s funny, last night I was dreading coming back to work. When I woke this morning and went through my morning routine, it didn’t matter anymore. I got in my car, drove to work and since my arrival I’ve been in a decent mood. I think this is a perfect reason to take some time doing absolutely nothing productive. It helps refresh your mind, as well as your body. Now I’m not saying you should take a vacation and never get out of bed, quite the opposite actually. Take some time off work, stay in town, continue your routines if you have them, but don’t make a “honey-do” list for yourself. Just enjoy your time. You’ll end your time feeling better than you started.

I’ll close today’s post with a couple questions: How often do you take more than a day or two away from work? What do you do with your time? Do you feel any different when you return to work after an extended time away? Leave your comments below; I’d love to hear your ideas!

On The Integrity of a Man...

Integrity. It is the one core value I believe should be in every man's list of values. The word is defined as the adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.

A man is nothing without integrity. If a man's integrity comes into question, he must defend it with passion.

I feel like I have more to say on this, but I'm tired. Leave your thoughts in the comment section below, lets have a discussion on this.

~J

Simplifying Your Surroundings -or - De-Cluttering Your Life

Does this look like your space?

For today's entry, I chose the "Declutter Your Life" task of the Art of Manliness "30 Days" series. This is something I've been dealing with for many years, and I think it's become necessary for my mental health to severely trim down and organize my belongings. I'm sure some of you need to do this as well, so I'm going to share my plan of attack and hopefully you'll benefit from it too.

Living with tons of superfluous stuff, whether organized or not, can be stressful. You need to find a pen, so you start looking in places you think you've seen one. After spending an extended period of time digging through all this accumulated crap, you can come out quite stressed and pen-less. I know, I've done it. 

During your life, you'll reach a point where enough is enough and you need to simplify your surroundings. I've reached that point. Hell, I've been in my current home for seven months and -still- haven't gotten completely unpacked. That just screams too much crap. I don't even know what's in half the boxes I haven't unpacked yet. 

In the article linked above, Mr. McKay details a list of things that simplifying and de-cluttering your space can do. I'll copy it here:

• Stress Reduction - Having a space free of clutter can allow you to know where everything is and be able to access it easily. Knowing this can help you live more stress-free.
• It can give you a fresh start - Ever been through a bad breakup after living with your then significant other? Ever move into your own place with a bunch of crap you used to share with him/her? Yeah. I've been there. Getting rid of a bunch of crap will let you rebuild the way YOU want to.
• Simplicity is a time-reducer - Again, having less stuff in your place allows you to organize properly and know where things are. This will save you time when you're looking for that specific item you need right now.
• It has the potential to make you some much-needed cash - Instead of throwing all that extra crap away, appraise it. Can it be sold, or is it crap? Obviously you'll want to toss all the crap, but anything that can be sold should be. Money in the pocket is always nice!

You may be thinking, "But Justin, how do I go about de-cluttering my living space? I need all my crap!" - Well fear not, dear reader, I'm about to blow your frickin' mind! De-cluttering your space may seem like a daunting task; trust me, I know. But I'm going to list some things I've learned in my research that will help you start your new, simplified lifestyle.

• Make Time - Unless you live in a studio apartment, getting rid of clutter is not an afternoon project. You'll probably need a full weekend to at least make a large dent in it. Set aside a couple days and get it done!
• Stock Up on Necessities - Inevitably there's going to be some stuff you'll be throwing out. Make sure you have enough garbage bags for trash and things you may want to donate. Also make sure you don't mix the two up!
• Pick One Room at a Time - Undertaking something like this can be quite overwhelming. It's like packing up your place to move. What you'll want to do here is pick one room at a time, get everything cleaned out and organized, then move to the next room. If it makes you feel more comfortable, do the more common rooms first - Living room, Bedroom, Bathroom, Kitchen - then move to the less-used rooms, if you have them.

As you work room by room, sort through your stuff. Make four piles: Keep, Donate, Sell, Trash. You'll want to examine everything you sort through. Is it in good condition? Are you going to use it? Could you make money by selling it? Keep these questions in your mind when you're sorting through your stuff. Think quickly and be decisive. If you hesitate, it's likely you don't need it. Unless it's irreplaceable, you can get rid of it.

When you're working on your paper items, bills and what-have-you, make sure to shred any old documents that may have personal information. Keep only the most current things and make a mental note to organize them at the end of the process.

Sorting through your clothes should go something like this: Old, ratty undergarments (Socks, underwear, bras, etc) go in the trash. Torn up T-Shirts can make pretty excellent rags, so save a couple of those to cut up, but toss anything you don't think you can donate or sell. Go through and think about each item of clothing: Are you going to wear it more than once or twice in an extended period of time? If not, get rid of it. If so, go ahead and keep it. If you're changing your style at the same time you're doing this, you may want to think about how each item of clothing will fit into your new wardrobe and get rid of anything that won't.

Time passes. You're done. You've successfully reduced the amount of stuff in your house. You're probably already starting to feel better about your living area. You're probably wondering how you'll keep all that clutter from reappearing. Well don't fret, there's an answer for that too! All you have to do is follow these steps:

• For every new thing you bring home, get rid of something you already have; there's probably something you haven't used in a while that you could stand removing.
• Every night, take a few minutes and go room by room, removing any clutter that built up during the day.
• When you get your mail, immediately sort through it. Get rid of the "junk mail", organize your bills, etc.

After all is said and done, and you've gotten into the groove, you'll enjoy your space a lot more. Confidence will grow from organization and a presentable living space. You may even start looking for other areas of your life to de-clutter; If you have an office at work, you may look for ways to clean it up and organize it better. 

The steps I detailed above are merely bits of information I've gleaned from various blogs and websites regarding this subject. Feel free to share your methods and tips/tricks in the comments section below.

Until next time,

~J

"30 Days" Update - Day 11: "If"

Shamelessly stolen from the Art of Manliness store

I'm going to start this out by saying I've never been completely into poetry. I feel it's something you have to be able to write in order to truly understand it. That being said, there are some poems that I will read and be able to feel what the author either wants me to feel or felt themselves. I believe this is one of those poems.

Rudyard Kipling was an English writer in the late 1800s and early 1900s. During his time, he wrote the classic story "The Jungle Book" along with many other short stories and poems. "If" is a poem Kipling wrote in 1895 that, in extreme paraphrase, says "if you can handle anything that's thrown at you, then you are a man".

Many men have taken inspiration from this poem, and I'm sure many more men will over time. It's a very good piece, and I believe it has much to say about being a man. Well I think I've rambled enough without showing you the actual poem. Without further ado, I give you "If..."

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too:

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same:

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss:

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much:

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

Now you may have noticed this is supposed to be day 10 in the "30 days" project, but like I said a couple entries ago, I'm skipping around. The task is to memorize this poem but I feel as long as you read it, reflect on it, and enjoy it - maybe even keep it around to do the same thing later - the task is done. 

Read on, my friends, there will be more soon!

~J

Class is in Session - Budgeting 101

Today's stream of consciousness will be about budgeting and money management. I hope you're all ready!

My friends will most likely agree, I've never been great with money. In fact, it's one of a few things in life whose concept has escaped me. My hope is that by writing this article, I'll be able to help myself and any readers who may be struggling with this as well.

Budget: An estimate of income and expenditure for a set period of time.

Budgeting, to me, is an easy enough concept to grasp; write down your monthly income vs your expenditure and don't spend more than you have. Simple, right? In all honesty it is, you've just got to have the motivation and discipline for it. 

In order to start a budget, you'll need a few things: 

First you'll need your numbers. We're talking about your monthly net income and your outgoing spending - rent/mortgage, utilities, cable/internet, groceries, etc. If you don't have a solid number for something, ballpark it - just remember to ballpark a little higher than you would expect, that way you can compensate if need be.

Secondly, you need a way to track all this information. I prefer an Excel spreadsheet. There are many various templates you can find that are specifically built for budgeting, or if you like you can create one that better suits you.

Some of the budget templates available in Excel

The last thing you'll need is the desire and motivation to stick to your budget. This is something I've been lacking so far, but hope to change that starting now.

Once you have at least the first two things, but preferably all three, you're ready to start planning your budget. I just learned a method that I think is the most straight-forward way of doing this. 

First, you're going to input your monthly income. This is usually a static number, but there are always things that could come up - lack of hours, pay cuts, positive things like bonuses and extra income, etc.

Secondly, you'll write down your monthly expenditures. These also usually do not change, as they are going to be your monthly bills; rent, utilities, cable/internet, any monthly subscriptions, etc.

Once these numbers are in your sheet, you'll know just how much static income vs expense you're looking at. From here, you can start budgeting things like groceries and other variables into your plan. Remember to factor in some savings! The goal is not to spend all your money, but to spend enough to survive and save!

Eventually, you'll want your budget to look something like this:

After you've got everything all set up and on paper, the only thing you have left to do is follow the budget you've just created. This is the hard part. It takes a lot of discipline to stick to the guidelines you've just set for yourself. Don't lose faith though, you'll thank yourself after a while. You'll see your savings grow each month, and you'll start to feel more confident about your financial situation and yourself.

Keep in mind, this is only my opinion on budgeting and by no means am I an authority on the subject. If you have any tricks or secrets you feel like sharing, please feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

Taking at Face Value vs. Interpreting for Yourself.

It occurred to me, over the last couple days, that by doing this “30 days” thing from Art of Manliness I am basically forming myself to someone else’s vision of a ‘good’ man. I’ve decided to change it up a bit. This may not be a 30-day program; it could be less, it could be more. I don’t know. What I do know is from now on, I will be blogging about what *I* think it means to be a man – values, health, style, skills, etc.

I will also go through the “30 Days” list at AoM and pick out the days I think are pertinent to my development and do them. If I feel like I need more, I’ll find some other things to do or work on.

I hope this style change will be more entertaining, informational, and overall better to read than the last few posts I’ve made. As always I appreciate feedback, so don’t be scared to throw your own thoughts into the mix. You may even have a comment featured in a future blog post, who knows!

"30 Days" Update: Day 9 - Take a Woman on a Date.

Well good morning, dear readers!

Part of being a better man is to be a gentleman. What better way than to actually take a lady on a date?

In this day and age, dating is a fairly uncommon occurrence. Typically boy meets girl, boy and girl have a drink, boy and girl start "physical activities" and they're all of a sudden dating without actually dating. The art of courtship. The gentleman making the plan, paying for the date(s), doing small things like opening doors for the lady. As I've noticed over the last few years, these things have become uncommon in society. Men and women have all taken to opening their own doors, casually holding it open for whomever may be behind them. As a whole, this is not a problem. In dating, however, I believe it is a problem. Men need to step up their game as potential mates.

I believe this is why AoM chose a day in this program to take a woman on a date. To teach yourself to be the gentleman. To give both parties the opportunity to show the other that they are worthy of their love and/or affection. That's what dating is to me, and I mean to start doing it more; I think my lady deserves it.

~J

"30 Days" Update: Day 8 - Start a Journal

Well folks, it's Day 8. Are you excited?

The task today is to start a journal. You may be wondering "Start a journal, isn't that a little froofy or something?" Many great men had journals; It's a way to get your thoughts out and reflect on them, when perhaps talking your thoughts out isn't the greatest sounding idea.

A journal, to me, can be anything you want it to be. It can also be in whatever media you'd like it; pen/paper, blog, etc. I suppose this blog could be considered my journal, but I also carry a Moleskine book around for random thoughts that may not be good enough for the blog.

Since I've basically already started a journal, I'll just continue it and call today's task done for now. I would highly suggest starting a journal though. It seems so far to be pretty therapeutic, being able to get my thoughts  on things written down and reflect on them.

Until next time,
~J

"30 Days" Update: Day 7 - Reconnect With an Old Friend.

Today's task is to reconnect with an old friend, perhaps lost by time or distance.

Honestly, I'm not a hundred percent sure what this has to do with manliness or being a better man, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and try it. Because this is somewhat enigmatic to me, I'm not even really sure what to say about today's task that Mr. McKay hasn't already said in his article on Art of Manliness. I think I'll just leave you all with the link and call it good for now: Day 7: Reconnect with an Old Friend

~J

"30 Days" Update: Day 6 - Update Your Resume.

Just a quick blurb on this one, since it was yesterday.

The task for Day 6 is to update your resume. Why? Because it most likely needs it. Your resume is the how potential employers get their first impression of you. If they like what they see, they'll give you a call and schedule an interview. If they don't, well usually they won't call you or let you know.

Regular readers will notice that this entry is a day late. I didn't actually write anything yesterday, since I recently updated my resume anyway. For the sake of keeping up the blog and such, I'm writing this quick entry.

Men, update your resume! You never know when you'll need it!

Next up, day 7...
~J

“30 Days” Update: Day 5 – Cultivate Your Gratitude.

“Gratitude: The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”

The traditional act of gratitude today seems to be a notion of times gone by.  We have become complacent and apathetic toward most things in our lives. So much, even, that we do not even think to give thanks to those that deserve it a lot of the time. Sure, a man will hold the door for a lady, he gets a quick ‘thanks’ and that’s the end of it. That’s not quite what I’m talking about. Yes, we should be thankful for the little things, but we should be –genuinely- thankful for them.

Today’s “30 days” exercise is about cultivating genuine gratitude. It’s a 2-part task:

Task #1 is to make a list of 10 things you’re grateful for.

This list, as Mr. McKay said in the Art of Manliness article, will most likely start with the “big things” like health, family, job, etc. The point is not to just list out the major things, but to think about the small things too. An example he gives is to not just say “I’m thankful for my wife/girlfriend” but to find something specific to be grateful for; something like “I’m thankful that my S.O. makes me laugh every day”.

Task #2 is to show your gratitude to others.

Thank 3 people today, for specific things. Thank your significant other for how great she is, thank a friend for being there when you need them, or show your gratitude to your boss for giving you the opportunity to work for them.  Whatever you do, make it genuine.  I’ll be doing it, you should too.

If you'd like to read the AoM article on gratitude, you can do so here: Cultivate Your Gratitude

~J

“30 Days” Update: Day 4 – Increase your Testosterone.

Welcome back!

The goal for today is to start doing at least 3 things that have been known to have an effect on your body’s testosterone production.

How in the hell do you that, you ask? Well according to the 30 days blog over at the Art of Manliness, the following list is made up of things you can do to help your body increase T production:

1. Get at least 8 hours of sleep tonight.

2. Do not smoke at all today. (If you don’t smoke right now, you can’t count this one as one of your 3)

3. Do no eat anything with soy in it. You’re going to have to read labels. It will blow your mind how many things contain soy these days.

4. Meditate for at least 10 minutes. This will help you de-stress.

5. Do resistance training. Lift some weights and do compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, dips, rows, and pull-ups. They’ll boost your T more than bicep curls. You also need to use heavy weights and short sets. If you’re looking to maximize your T, I highly recommend theStrong Lifts 5X5 program.

6. Eat a serving of good fat. As you fat intake goes up, so do your T levels. Aim to get at least 30% of your calories from fat today and spread your consumption of it throughout the day. Monosaturated fats-the kind found in nuts, fish, olives, olive oil, seeds, and avocados-are particularly beneficial to your testosterone level (and your health).¹⁰ Also, don’t be afraid of saturated fat; that whole business about it raising your cholesterol and causing heart disease is a bunch of rubbish.¹¹

7.  Eat a serving of animal protein. Vegetarian diets have been proven to lower your T levels.¹² So go ahead and have that steak. (This might be the easiest day of the challenge yet!)There’s no need to overdo it though; a diet with a carb to protein ratio of 2:1 is ideal for testosterone production.

8. Eat a serving of cruciferous vegetables. Veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, turnips, cabbage and brussel sprouts contain Diindolylmethane which helps balance your estrogen and testosterone levels and increases the amount of free circulating T in your body.

9. Have morning sex (if you partner is willing, of course). Just having an erection increases your testosterone. And you already get a surge of T when you wake up, so this will bump it up even further.

Alright, there’s the list. What are you waiting for? Pick 3 and get on it! As for me, I’m going to work on getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night, have some meditation time to reduce stress, and get more of a 2:1 carb/protein ratio in my diet – with more cruciferous veggies like Broccoli, of course.

If you were to pick, what would your 3 be?

Until next time,

~J 

“30 Days” Update: Day 3 – Find a Mentor.

Today’s task is a tough one. I’ll start with a little explanation.

“Back in the day”, it used to be commonplace that a young man would have a mentor; someone he could look to for guidance and learn by example to be the man he wanted to be. More often than not, this man would be a family member, like his father. Now, men may not have that directly-related person to mentor them, for any number of various reasons. That’s what today’s task is all about.

If you’d like to do further reading on this, I’ll link you to the article on the Art of Manliness blog at the end of this entry.

Finding a mentor is no easy task. He’s got to be someone you can relate with. Someone who is what you’re looking to be as a man. Right now, I can think of 2 men with whom I’d be comfortable in a mentoring situation. Yes, today’s task is not at all a single-day task. This is going to be a process that could take 2 days, a week, a month. The point is, ultimately, to find someone who is willing to act in a mentor-type role.

For those of you who’d like to read the AoM article on finding a mentor, here’s the link:

http://artofmanliness.com/2009/06/02/30-days-to-a-better-man-day-3-find-a-mentor/

Wish me luck!

~J

"30 Days" Day 2: Shine Your Shoes

I'm actually kind of excited for this task, though I won't be able to do it until after work. At first, I thought this task to be a little forced, maybe superficial, but this morning I started thinking about it and I believe it has a couple different messages.

The first is that we should take pride in our appearance, even the shoes, because that is the first thing a person is to be judged upon. If we present ourselves in a clean, well thought out fashion, it not only adds to our own confidence but the confidence of others as well. People will be more inclined to open up than they would if we appeared shabby or as if we don't care.

The second message, to me, is to pay attention to detail. The details are frequently what trip us up. I'm sure I can speak for all men, but commonly we focus more on the "big picture" instead of the details that make up the whole. If we take the time to pay attention to our own details, we will better understand our own "big picture"; thereby allowing us to learn things about ourselves we may have missed.

I'll most likely take a photo of my shoes once they're all shiny and neat looking. I'll upload it here.

Until next time,

~J

"30 Days" Day 1: Core Values

Yesterday being the 1st of October, I started my 30-day journey to becoming a better man. Again, I posted this on Facebook, but I'm copying here for posterity.

~J

Monday, October 1, 2012 -
Last week, I wrote a little blog post - "Note" on Facebook - about this October being a defining month for me. A "re-branding", if you will. Today being the first, I start on my 30-day journey to becoming a better man. Each day, I will document the process. It is my hope that by the end of the last day, I will notice a drastic change for the good in myself and I would hope others notice the same. 

Day 1: Values
Today is about determining my core values as a man. I have made a list of 5 things that will eventually be the definition of me and my character. These 5 things are:

1 - Integrity
2 - Respect
3 - Happiness
4 - Confidence
5 - Stability

From this point forward, I will reflect on each one of these values and what they mean to me and how they will translate to my daily life.

October - or - "The Month of Manliness"

I wrote this in a "Note" on Facebook last week, around the 25th of September I think, and figured it would be a good opener to my "30 Days" challenge. If you've followed me from there, you've probably already read it. That's alright, just skip ahead. For those readers that haven't seen this, here it is:

Tuesday, September 25, 2012 - 

October is going to be upon us in just a few short days. A few significant things happen this month: The fall colors will start showing up, Oktoberfest, the greatest holiday known to man - Halloween... Another thing happens this October, and that thing is my 31st birthday. I've decided I'm going to do something that I think has been a long time coming this month.

Over the last few decades, the world has seen a decline in “manly” men. You know the type:  irresponsible, indecisive, slouchy, no sense of drive or self-worth. We’ve all become at least marginally this way, and I’d like to put a stop to that. I’m going to take the month of October and teach myself to be a better man; the kind of man our grandfathers and past generations were. The kind of man I would be proud to teach my son to be, and he can be proud to teach his to be.

I feel that as men, it is our duty to teach future generations what it means to be a man. For those of you that feel as I do, I encourage you to join me in this undertaking. We may not be able to change the world, but we –can- change ourselves.

Life, in general...

I've recently started writing more heavily about the goings-on in my life on Facebook and I thought, "What the hell, I'll start a 'daily life' type blog".

Here I'll talk about all the things I find interesting, random thoughts and observations, etc. I'll be starting off documenting my journey to becoming a better man using a "30 Days" program I found on a website I follow.

I think that's about it for this entry, more to come. I hope you enjoy it!

~J