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365 Ways
To A Stronger
YOU!
By Dustin Conrad
Dedicated To:
All my teachers and students
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE………………………………………………..3
FOREWORD…………………………………………….4
SERENITY……………………………………………….7CONFIDENCE…………………………………………..13
CONNECTION………………………………………….19
SELF-CARE……………………………………………..24
SERVICE………………………………………………...28
NUTRITION………………………………………………31
FITNESS….……………………………………………...35
SUCCESS………………………………………………..39
PREFACE
Imagine what it would feel like to be able to DO, BE, and SAY ANYTHING you wanted without worrying about what the world might think, say, or feel because of it? Imagine what it would feel like to say "WHOA, did I just really DO or SAY that?” Imagine what it would be like to BE so loving to yourself and others that the world around you opens up with opportunities and success and confidence just flows naturally as a result?
Imagine what it would be like to walk up to another person male or female and just say "Hi, I’d like to get to know you!" Or to get up in front of a room of strangers and say "I'm scared of all of you, but I stand here in honor of that". THIS is power.
I KNOW and BELIEVE this is possible.
Creating that possibility is the sole intention of this book.
FOREWORD
We all have a phoenix inside of us that is just dying to rise out of our own unique flames. I had been in my flames for far too long and, in fact, I had grown numb to it like most of us are. Any remaining heat that could have been used to thrust me out of my fire, I snubbed out with a variety of different chemicals, keeping myself in an almost constant state of numbness with just an underlying sense of my life melting. However, not all of these chemicals were external. Much were internally generated by way of fears and frustrations that I had deluded myself into believing and being. A very restricted existence.
My numbness was woken up by a very not so numbing heart surgery, when I ruptured two heart valves as a result of shooting up crystal meth. I was in a space where nothing really mattered too much. No direction. No desires. However, after that heart surgery, a very different kind of opening of the heart took place and I finally began to rise out of the flames. I fully dedicated myself to finding the freedom inside of me that I knew was there buried under the ashes of the smoldering fire I had left behind.
I didn’t know it at the time, but this path was headed down a road of learning how to FEEL again. And not just feel emotion, but feel what it feels like to be ME. Whole and complete ME. Sensitive, scared, and spontaneous ME.
I've done thousands of hours of therapy, several thousands of dollars of seminars and workshops, and read thousands of books. All in search of a way to fix or reverse this broken kid.
And while I still have a long way to go, at a newly 33 years of age, I have made significant progress achieving AND sustaining this freedom. And now I would like to share some of the things that I have learned and experienced over the years to get where I am. Financially, Spiritually, and Emotionally.
I say SOME because at the end of writing this for 4 months, I ended up with over a 100 additional entries. I had to get rid of a lot of them. I ALSO went through extensive research and re-reading to ensure that I had ONLY the best 365 entries. I may have missed some and will continue to add and refine and maybe to second draft later on. Also am committed to writing an actual book about my life as an extension of this.
My wish and hope for you is that you will take all or some of these on and really go for it. I will pre-warn you that most of these are not easy and will really put you in directly into contact with your fears, your pain, and your resistance.
My favorite saying is one that I actually coined is:There's a million excuses but only ONE act of courage, So just do it! And this is one we all know, but is great coming from a fitness trainer:
No Pain No Gain: Endure discomfort so you can grow, change, or succeed.
In closing, I commend anyone who takes their life on with that vigor because it is not an easy task; it takes commitment and consistency and I am honored to walk with you on this path.
I challenge you to see how many of these you can do. I challenge you to start living your life LOUDLY and like today could be your last. I challenge you to transform yourself, your life, and those around you because of your transformation. ARE YOU IN?
Great, let's get started!
-Yours TRULY,
Dustin Conrad
1 / To Get More Serenity: Abstain From Checking Notifications First Thing In The Morning.
2 / To Get More Serenity: Be As Honest As Possible And Try Not To Exaggerate.
3 / To Get More Serenity: Be Aware Of The Beauties Of The World, City, And Life.
4 / To Get More Serenity: Practice Being Ok With Making Mistakes And Forgetting
5 / To Get More Serenity: Breathe Deeper And Consciously As Often As Possible.
6 / To Get More Serenity: Do Daily Affirmations About Your Ideal Day And Personality.
7 / To Get More Serenity: Delay Instant Gratification Things 5-10 Minutes.
8 / To Get More Serenity: Detach From Outcomes And Expectations.
9 / To Get More Serenity: Breathe Deeply During Daily Tasks, Like Reading This.
10 / To Get More Serenity: Do Daily Tasks Like Brushing And Flossing Your Teeth Slower.
11 / To Get More Serenity: Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself. Be Aware Of Your Self Talk.
12 / To Get More Serenity: Don’t Give Into Cravings One Day/Minute/Hour At A Time.
13 / To Get More Serenity: Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover OR A Person.
14 / To Get More Serenity: Don’t Worry About Things That Haven’t Happened Yet. Stay Present.
15 / To Get More Serenity: Drive Slower And More Cautiously. See How Soft Can you Stop At Lights.
16 / To Get More Serenity: Eat Slowly And Savor Every Bite.
17 / To Get More Serenity: Embrace Discomfort, Take A Cold Shower OR Ice Bucket.
18 / To Get More Serenity: Schedule A Time To Enjoy A Sunset.
19 / To Get More Serenity: Expect Each Day To Be Full Of Awesome Surprises.
20 / To Get More Serenity: Find A New Positive Daily Habit You Can Add To Your Life.
21 / To Get More Serenity: Go For A Walk In Nature For At Least 5-10 Minutes.
22 / To Get More Serenity: Find The Silver Lining In Seemingly Negative Or Annoying Situations.
23 / To Get More Serenity: Give Up A Bad Habit Today.
24 / To Get More Serenity: Use Technology Less OR Do A Technology Detox.
25 / To Get More Serenity: Go Camping In A Quiet Remote Area.
26 / To Get More Serenity: Go For A Long Scenic Drive Or Road Trip.
27 / To Get More Serenity: Practice Standing Alone In A Crowd Or At A Party.
28 / To Get More Serenity: Go On A Meditation Retreat, Even If It’s Just For A Full Day.
29 / To Get More Serenity: Give Up Caffeine, Cigarettes, Alcohol And Other Bad Things.
30 / To Get More Serenity: Hike To The Top Of A Tall Mountain Or Hill.
31 / To Get More Serenity: Leave Your Phone At Home When You Go Out Sometimes.
32 / To Get More Serenity: Let Others Be Right. Restraint Of Pen And Tongue.
33 / To Get More Serenity: Listen To Music Deeply, Like Each Instrument And Lyric Is For You.
34 / To Get More Serenity: Ponder The Universe, Earth, Nature, Etc.
35 / To Get More Serenity: Practice Patience When Waiting.
36 / To Get More Serenity: Practice Pausing And/Or Taking A Breath Before Reacting.
37 / To Get More Serenity: Practice Visualizing Your Future And Your Daily Goals.
38 / To Get More Serenity: Pretend Everything Happens For A Reason.
39 / To Get More Serenity: Pretend That Anything Is Possible.
40 / To Get More Serenity: Push Acupressure Points On Your Head, Face, And Hands To Relax.
41 / To Get More Serenity: Relax And Sit Quietly Somewhere For No Good Reason.
42 / To Get More Serenity: Replace A Bad Habit You Currently Indulge In With A Positive One.
43 / To Get More Serenity: Reset Your Day And Start Fresh When Things Get Chaotic.
44 / To Get More Serenity: Set Hourly Alarm Reminders For Something You’re Working On.
45 / To Get More Serenity: Sit With A Physical Or Mental Pain And Let It Pass.
46 / To Get More Serenity: Stop Obsessing And Recognize When You Are.
47 / To Get More Serenity: Take 3 Deep Breaths As Often As Possible.
48 / To Get More Serenity: Take Breaks Throughout The Day For Breathing, Walking, Moving.
49 / To Get More Serenity: Take Responsibility For Everything That Happens To You.
50 / To Get More Serenity: Talk Slower And More Deliberately.
51 / To Get More Serenity: Try Different Kinds Of Meditations.
52 / To Get More Serenity: Unravel Your Issues Through Writing, Journaling, And Questions.
53 / To Get More Serenity: Try To Feel Equality With Everyone; Even Homeless And Annoying People.
54 / To Get More Serenity: Unleash Your Inner Artist By Drawing, Painting, Or Writing.
55 / To Get More Serenity: Try Guided Meditations Online.
56 / To Get More Serenity: Google Top 10 Ways To Be More Serene.
CONFIDENCE
57 / To Get More Confident: Ask Someone Something They Will Probably Say No To.
58 / To Get More Confident: Ask If You Can Take A Picture Of Someone Doing Something Cool.
59 / To Get More Confident: Ask Someone If You Can Cut Them In Line.
60 / To Get More Confident: Ask Someone Nicely To Stop Something That Annoys You.
61 / To Get More Confident: Ask A Few People What They Truly Think Of You.
62 / To Get More Confident: Ask Someone To Take A Picture Of You.
63 / To Get More Confident: Be As Nice As Humanely Possible.
64 / To Get More Confident: Be The One To Start A Clap Somewhere.
65 / To Get More Confident: Buy A Weapon You Can Keep On Keychain.
66 / To Get More Confident: Buy And/Or Wear A Funky Outfit You Wouldn’t Normally.
67 / To Get More Confident: Change Or Break Your Normal Routine.
68 / To Get More Confident: Choose To Be Loved But Some, Over Being Liked By Everyone.
69 / To Get More Confident: Comment On A Strangers Conversation.
70 / To Get More Confident: Compliment People’s Hair, Shoes, Accessories, Clothing Etc.
71 / To Get More Confident: Force Yourself Things You Don’t Want To, But Should.
72 / To Get More Confident: Do One More Than You Think You Can Of Something.
73 / To Get More Confident: Do Something Out Of CharacterTo Not Care What Others Think.
74 / To Get More Confident: Do Something You Fear Today.
75 / To Get More Confident: Don’t Take Anything Personally.
76 / To Get More Confident: Force Your Self To Do One Thing You Don’t Want To.
77 / To Get More Confident: Dance To A Song In Front Of Mirror, At A Club, At A Class.
78 / To Get More Confident: Keep Your Head Up And Don’t Look Down Or Avoid People.
79 / To Get More Confident: Learn An Instrument Online Or Via A Teacher.
80 / To Get More Confident: Learn To Love Yourself! If You Don’t Neither Will Most People.
81 / To Get More Confident: Live How Would You Live If Your Life Was A Movie.
82 / To Get More Confident: Make A Video About Anything And Post It Online.
83 / To Get More Confident: Make Eye Contact As Often And Long As Possible.
84 / To Get More Confident: Make More Decisions Instead Of Asking What Others Want.
85 / To Get More Confident: Post Something Personal About Yourself Online.
86 / To Get More Confident: Practice Being Nice And Encouraging With Yourself.
87 / To Get More Confident: Practice Being More Enthusiastic About Things.
88 / To Get More Confident: Practice Saying No To People.
89 / To Get More Confident: Practice Talking Louder.
90 / To Get More Confident: Practice Using Ranges In Your Voice.
91 / To Get More Confident: Prank Call Someone You Know Who Won’t Get Upset.
92 / To Get More Confident: Pretend That Everyone Thinks You Are Awesome.
93 / To Get More Confident: Pretend That Everyone Wants To Talk To You.
94 / To Get More Confident: Raise Your Hand Even If You Don’t Know What To Say.
95 / To Get More Confident: Say Or Ask Something You’re Scared To.
96 / To Get More Confident: Say Yes More Often When Asked.
97 / To Get More Confident: Sit And Stand Tall With Shoulders Back.
98 / To Get More Confident: Smile At People As Often And Long As Possible.
99 / To Get More Confident: Speak Your Opinions As Often As Possible.
100 / To Get More Confident: Start Doing The Opposite Of Your Excuses.
101 / To Get More Confident: Start Honoring Your Yes’s And No’s.
102 / To Get More Confident: Stay 5-10 Minutes Longer At Social Gatherings.
103 / To Get More Confident: Take An Aerobic Dance And Be Ok With Looking Stupid.
104 / To Get More Confident: Trust Your Own Productivity Without Stimulants.
105 / To Get More Confident: Trust Your Own Social Skills Without Intoxicants.
106 / To Get More Confident: Try A New More Adventurous Haircut Or Color.
107 / To Get More Confident: Use Positive Self Talk To Force Yourself Into Action.
108 / To Get More Confident: Watch A Video On How To Fix Something And Fix It.
109 / To Get More Confident: Wear Your Nicest Outfit And Go Out OR Go For A Walk.
110 / To Get More Confident: When Asked“How You Are?” Use A Brighter WordBeside“Good.”
111 / To Get More Confident: Write 5-10 Great Things About Yourself And Read It Daily.
CONNECTION
112 / To Get More Connection: Ask People “How’s Your Day Going So Far?”
113 / To Get More Connection: Ask People What Their Names Are And Write Them Down.
114 / To Get More Connection: Ask People What They Do For Work.
115 / To Get More Connection: Ask Someone To Do You A Favor.
116 / To Get More Connection: Ask Someone To Help You With Something.
117 / To Get More Connection: Ask To Eat Or Drink With A Co-Worker, Neighbor, Etc.
118 / To Get More Connection: Avoid Gossiping At All Costs.
119 / To Get More Connection: Be Extremely Kind To Service People.
120 / To Get More Connection: Be Healthy And Giving In Your Sexuality.
121 / To Get More Connection: Call Someone You Wouldn’t Normally And Talk For 5 Minutes.
122 / To Get More Connection: Call Your Family As Often As Possible.
123 / To Get More Connection: Cook A Meal For Someone.
124 / To Get More Connection: Don’t Be A Flake And Always Keep Your Word.
125 / To Get More Connection: Find 5-10 New "Big" Words To Use.
126 / To Get More Connection: Find A New Way Or Place To Make New Friends.
127 / To Get More Connection: High Five A Stranger Or Anyone.
128 / To Get More Connection: Hug As Many People As Possible.
129 / To Get More Connection: Introduce Yourself To People.
130 / To Get More Connection: Join A Club Of Some Sort That Meets Weekly.
131 / To Get More Connection: Learn Greetings From Another Language And Use Them.
132 / To Get More Connection: Learn How To Join An Existing Conversation.
133 / To Get More Connection: Meet Your Neighbors, Be Friendly, And Talk To Them.
134 / To Get More Connection: Memorize Funny Jokes And Use Them.
135 / To Get More Connection: Organize Or Find A Game Night.
136 / To Get More Connection: Plan A Romantic Or Friend Date With Someone.
137 / To Get More Connection: Practice Listening Deeply Without Planning A Response.
138 / To Get More Connection: Really Tell Someone How Good Or Special They Made You Feel.
139 / To Get More Connection: Reconnect With Someone You Haven’t Talked To.
140 / To Get More Connection: Rephrase Questions Or Statements From Others.
141 / To Get More Connection: Say "You’re Awesome" As Often As Possible To People.
142 / To Get More Connection: Say Good Morning To As Many People As You Can.
143 / To Get More Connection: Say Hi Or More To Everyone You Stand Or Sit Next To.
144 / To Get More Connection: Say Something Borderline Inappropriate.
145 / To Get More Connection: Say Something Funny To Someone.
146 / To Get More Connection: Send Flowers To Your Family Or Someone Close.
147 / To Get More Connection: Send Positive Texts To People Each Day.
148 / To Get More Connection: Smile At People In Cars Next To You.
149 / To Get More Connection: Talk To Someone When You Are Struggling.
150 / To Get More Connection: Teach Someone Something That You Recently Learned.
151 / To Get More Connection: Tell Interesting Stories.
152 / To Get More Connection: Tell People Thank You As Often As Possible.
153 / To Get More Connection: Tell People They Did Great As Often As Possible.
154 / To Get More Connection: Tell People When They Inspire You.
155 / To Get More Connection: Wear A Conversation Starter Outfit, Accessory, Or Other.
156 / To Get More Connection: Tell People You Love Them As Often As Possible.
157 / To Get More Connection: Tell Someone Congratulations.
158 / To Get More Connection: Thank Speakers As Often As Possible.
159 / To Get More Connection: Treat Others The Way You Would Like To Be Treated.
160 / To Get More Connection: Use More Emogies More Often.
161 / To Get More Connection: Tell People When You Appreciate What They Did.
SELF-CARE
162 / To Practice Self-Care: Wear Pajamas Or Lounge Clothes.. Even Outdoors.
163 / To Practice Self-Care: Bake Cookies And Eat Them.
164 / To Practice Self-Care: Binge Watch A TV Show By Yourself.
165 / To Practice Self-Care: Buy A Piece Of Art That You Like.
166 / To Practice Self-Care: Buy An Awesome High Quality Pair Of Sunglasses.
167 / To Practice Self-Care: Buy An Awesome New Outfit And Wear It.