Keith McArthur's Blog, page 10

How to Be Resilient with Rick Hanson

Rick Hanson, New York Times best-selling author of Hardwiring Happiness, talks about his new book Resilient. And host Keith McArthur speaks with mindfulness contributor Joelle Anderson about how to overcome the most common meditation stumbling blocks.

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Episode 24 Show Notes
[00:00] Welcome and Intro
[0:59] Featured interview with Rick Hanson

Rick Hanson is the New York Times best-selling author of Hardwiring Happiness and Buddha’s Brain. His latest book, Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness comes out this week. Rick is a psychologist who lives in the suburbs of Los Angeles.

In this conversation, Keith and Rick discuss:

How Hardwiring Happiness created an awkward moment between Keith, his wife and a box of Starbucks coffee pods [2:05}
The science behind how we can change the physical structure by changing our thoughts [3:08]
How stress re-wires our brains in a harmful way  [5:20]
The brain’s negativity bias [7:14]
What it was like to co-author Resilient with his son Forrest [8:48]
What does Rick mean by Resilience?  [12:11]
Why we need to acquire inner strengths we may not already have [18:46]
Learning as the “superpower of superpowers” [20:08]

[22:05] Rick Hanson’s Instruction Manual

1. What are the habits you maintain every day to stay happy and healthy? [22:18]

Meditate for a minute or more every day
To admit fault and move on rapidly
Exercise
Reset to “green zone” several times each day
Try to experience “awestruck gratitude” regularly

 2. What personal development book do you recommend? [28:18]

Dune by Frank Herbert
Buddha’s Brain by Rick Hanson and Richard Mendius
Sattipatthana by Analayo

3. Favorite personal mantra / inspirational quote [31:34] 

 “Think not lightly of good, saying it will not come to me. Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise the wise one, gathering it little by little fills oneself with good.”

4. What’s your one guilty pleasure? [32:20]

Righteous Anger
Good chocolate, good coffee
Being off trail by himself in serious wilderness

5. When your time comes, how do you want to be remembered? [35:04]

“He was a loving guy.”
Remembered as someone who kept trying
As someone for whom “wakefulness  shone through neuroses.”

[36:10] Where to find Rick

Website: RickHanson.net

[37:24] Mindfulness contributor Joelle Anderson on meditation stumbling blocks

Joelle Anderson is a therapist specializing in mindfulness meditation and creator and host of the Kernel of Wisdom YouTube channel.

In this conversation, Keith and Joelle discuss:

Stumbling block 1: Meditation isn’t always relaxing [38:16]
Stumbling block 2: Establishing meditation as a habit [39:35]
Stumbling block 3: self doubt  [41:42]
Where to find Joelle [43:32]



Kernelofwisdom.com
YouTube.com/KernelofWisdom1





[44:00] Closing words
Feedback & Connect

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More Life Lessons from the World’s Most Inspiring People

In this very special edition of the podcast, life lessons from 10 of the most inspiring people on the planet. Host Keith McArthur speaks with Rick Hanson, Daisy Buchanan, Kristen Ulmer, Olivia D’Silva, Jake Nawrocki, Andrea Owen, Leslie Caubble, Carmela DiClemente, Jeff Chegwin and Stever Robbins.

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Episode 23 Show Notes
[1:20] Welcome and Intro
[1:45] Rick Hanson: ‘Love at Will’

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Rick Hanson is the New York Times bestselling author of is author of Hardwiring Happiness and Buddha’s Brain in 2009. His new book Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength and Happiness goes on sale on March 27.

Rick will be back for a featured interview on Episode 24 of the My Instruction Manual podcast, which will be available on March 26. It’s an amazing conversation so make sure you give it a listen.

[3:51] Daisy Buchanan: ‘Success isn’t permanent. Neither is failure.’

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Daisy Buchanan is the author of How To Be a Grown Up: You’re Doing Fine and Let Me Tell You Why. Daisy is a freelance journalist living in England.

Daisy first appeared on episode 16 of the podcast. Listen here.

[9:03] Kristen Ulmer: ‘The most important relationship you will ever have is your relationship with fear’

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Kristen Ulmer is author of The Art of Fear: Why Conquering Fear Won’t Work and What to Do Instead. In the nineties, Kristen was known as the best female big mountain extreme skier in the world.

Kristen talks first appeared on episode 17 of the podcast. Listen here.

[12:13] Olivia D’Silva: ‘Don’t Take Your Blessings for Granted’

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Olivia D’Silva is author of Your Whole Life Economy: Recognize Your True Value and Improve Your Quality of Life, in which she describes seven precious resources we all have to offer. She is a life coach living in England.

Olivia was my guest last week on episode 22 of the podcast. Listen here.

[15:53] Jake Nawrocki: ‘Never Give Up’

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Jake Nawrocki is the host of the popular podcast Operation Self Reset. He lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Jake first appeared on episode 18 of the podcast. Listen here.

[19:41] Andrea Owen: ‘Take Responsibility’

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Andrea is author of How to Stop Feeling Like Sh*t: 14 Habits that Are Holding You Back from Happiness. She is a life coach based on North Carolina and hosts the Your Kick-Ass Life Podcast.

Andrea first appeared on episode 13 of the podcast. Listen here.

[22:25] Leslie Caubble: ‘Progress not Perfection’

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Leslie Caubble blogs and podcasts about living in Hawaii at The Aloha 360. She was one of more than a million people who woke up on the morning of Jan. 13, 2018 to an errant email that warned ballistic missiles were on the way.

Leslie first appeared on episode 15 of the podcast. Listen here.

[28:03] Carmela DiClemente: ‘Love is the most important thing in life ‘

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Carmela DiClemente is co-author of Dare to Win: Lessons from 57 of the world’s most successful people. Carmela is former BBC producer who has worked with some of the biggest names in the UK radio business.

Carmela appeared on episode 14 with co-author Jeff Chegwin. Listen here.

[29:54] Jeff Chegwin: ‘If you have a vision, see it through’

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Jeff Chegwin is co-author of Dare to Win: Lessons from 57 of the world’s most successful people. A veteran of the UK music industry, Jeff has promoted some of the biggest names in the industry including Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello.

Jeff appeared on episode 14 with co-author Carmela DiClemente.  Listen here.

[30:54] Stever Robbins: ‘Less Information. More Doing.’

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Stever Robins is author of Get-It-Done Guy’s 9 Steps to Work Less and Do More: Transform Yourself from Overwhelmed to Overachiever and host of the Get-It-Done-Guy Podcast. He is an executive coach and communications consultant who has been involved in multiple startups.

Stever first appeared on episode 19 of the podcast. Listen here.

[39:35] Closing words
Feedback & Connect

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Email: keith@myinstructionmanual.com
Keith on Twitter: @KeithMcArthur
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A Gratitude Hack from 18 Steps to Own Your Life

On my 11-month kidneyversary, I share with you a gratitude hack.

Eleven months ago, my little sister gave me a second chance at life when she donated a kidney to me. This was a life-changing gift so I decided to change my life. And so each month, I take time to reflect on the things in life I am grateful for.

This month, I share an excerpt with a gratitude hack from my new book 18 Steps to Own Your Life.

This is just part of the chapter on gratitude, but I’m happy to send you the whole thing. To download the entire chapter as a PDF for reading or MP3 for listening, just click here.

A Gratitude Hack

There are stories of people who go through life-changing events and come out the other end completely changed. These people are constantly grateful and never resentful, and are said to have an aura around them that attracts other people (and sometimes even animals!) to them.

I’m not one of those people.

Yes, getting a second chance at life led me to make a choice, but I still get angry, resentful, cranky, jealous, and difficult to be around. Just ask my wife and kids.

But there is one gratitude hack I’ve discovered that works wonders.

Whenever I start to feel angry or resentful about something that somebody has done “wrong,” I try to turn it around in my mind and imagine how that same thing could actually be interpreted as something that person has done right.

Here’s an example. Let’s say you’ve got a toddler at home who wakes up by 6am every morning and doesn’t understand the concept of weekends. One morning, you get up and you’re greeted with a giant hug and smile from your delightful little child.

It feels great.

But by 8am, after seventeen games of Disney Princess Memory Match, five tantrums, and one bowl of Cheerios dropped on the floor, you realize how exhausted you are. And you start to feel resentful that your spouse is still sleeping while YOU’RE DOING ALL THE WORK. If you let the resentment build up, you know how it will end. You’ll say something to your partner and you’ll get into a fight about WHO DOES MORE. And you’ll both lose.

So instead, you try to find the most positive possible motivation for your partner’s absence. For example, you could reflect on the fact that you are trusted so much with your partner’s most precious resource that he or she feels comfortable sleeping, knowing the child is safe with you.

Sometimes, our resentments are so silly that it’s easier to turn them into gratitudes. Let’s say that every time your mother-in-law visits, she goes through your fridge and throws out everything close to the expiration date. Your initial reaction is to be angry that she’s throwing out good food, and embarrassed because you feel that she’s judging you as a terrible homemaker. But you turn it around to be grateful that she’s helping you and your family.

One more: You have a group of friends you like to get together with regularly. But lately, these brunches are always at your house. You resent that your friends aren’t sharing the load. So, you turn it around and choose to be grateful that you have a home that other people want to spend time in.

What about you? What are you grateful for today?

 

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The Economy of Life with Olivia D’Silva

Olivia D’Silva, author of The Whole Life Economy shares what she says are the seven essential resources in the economy of life. And host Keith McArthur speaks with nutrition contributor Michelle Jaelin about the risks of worrying too much about the foods we put into our bodies.

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Episode 22 Show Notes
[00:00] Welcome and Intro
[1:46] Featured interview with Olivia D’Silva

Olivia is author of Your Whole Life Economy: Recognize Your True Value and Improve Your Quality of Life, in which she describes seven precious resources we all have to offer. She is a life coach living in England.

In this conversation, Keith and Olivia discuss:

Olivia as Keith’s author twin [1:46]
Olivia’s life-changing event: the death of her brother Andrew [2:37]
Live had become a “superficial and soulless experience” [5:15]
Olivia moves to France but still feels lost and disconnected [6:15]
What Olivia learned from eating livestock she had raised [8:15]
Olivia introduces the whole life economy [11:15]
Some resources renew over time [12:57]
The resource of physicality and appreciating the gift of life [14:15]
The challenge of spending the attention resource carefully [18:30]
Why love isn’t one of the resources [19:36]
The difficulty of defining joy [21:09]
Olivia’s   No. 1 tip for using our resources wisely? Start with joy.[22:45]

[25:25] Olivia’s Instruction Manual

1. What are the habits you maintain every day to stay happy and healthy? [25:42]

Yoga and meditation
Eating well
Not allowing herself to get too busy

 2. What personal development book do you recommend? [27:05]

The Four Desires: Creating a Life of Purpose, Happiness, Prosperity, and Freedom[image error] by Rob Stryker

“If anybody is wanting to find direction in life, I totally recommend this book.”


Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek[image error]

“Reading these two books in conjunction really helped me to think about what it is that I want to offer the world.”

3. Favorite personal mantra / inspirational quote [28:21] 

“Don’t postpone your happiness. The best time to take stock is long before some tragedy strikes to confirm that life doesn’t last forever.” — Rob Stryker

4. What’s your one guilty pleasure? [28:52]

Sleeping in on Monday mornings

5. When your time comes, how do you want to be remembered? [29:45]

As someone who brought joy into other peoples’ lives

[30:56] Where to find Olivia

Website: Oliviadsilva.com
Instagram: @livdsilva
Twitter: @livdsilva
Book: Your Whole Life Economy: Recognize Your True Value and Improve Your Quality of Life,

[32:00] Nutrition contributor Michelle Jaelin on the downside of too much information about nutrition

Michelle Jaelin is both a trained artist and a Registered Dietitian who is known as The NutritionArtist. She appears regularly as in newspapers, magazines and on television as an expert in healthy eating.

In this conversation, Keith and Michelle discuss:

Why too much nutrition information can be a problem [32:26]
Orthorexia Nervosa: an obsession with healthy eating [35:15]
Solution: eat mindfully [35:43]
Where to find Michelle:

Twitter: @nutritionartist 
Instagram: /nutritionartist
Facebook: /nutritionartistRD



[36:58] Closing words
Feedback & Connect

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21 Personal Development Books to Read Next

Has reading 18 Steps to Own Your Life inspired to you learn more about how to be a better you? Here are 21 personal development books to read next.

The 21 books are grouped to match the four sections of my book. Several of these personal development books are referenced within the pages of 18 Steps to Own Your Life. All of them served as inspiration.

Part I: Imagine the Life You Want
1.  The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

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Amazon: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change[image error]

2. Pivot by Jenny Blake

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Amazon: Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One[image error]

3. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

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Amazon: The Happiness Project (Revised Edition): Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun[image error]

4. Better than Before by Gretchen Rubin[image error]

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Amazon: Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits–to Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life[image error]

5.  The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

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Amazon: The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business[image error]

Part II: Become the Happiest, Healthiest Version of You
6. 10% Happier by Dan Harris

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Amazon: 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works–A True Story[image error]

7. Unplug by Suze Yalof Schwartz

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Amazon: Unplug: A Simple Guide to Meditation for Busy Skeptics and Modern Soul Seekers[image error]

8. The 4-hour Body by Timothy Ferriss

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Amazon: The 4 Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex and Becoming Superhuman[image error]

9. The One Minute Workout by Martin Gibala

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Amazon: The One-Minute Workout: Science Shows a Way to Get Fit That’s Smarter, Faster, Shorter[image error]

10. Finding Your Fit by Kathleen Trotter

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Amazon: Finding Your Fit: A Compassionate Trainer’s Guide to Making Fitness a Lifelong Habit[image error]

11. The Ripple Effect by Greg Wells

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Amazon: Ripple Effect, The[image error]

12. Hardwiring Happiness by Rick Hanson

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Amazon: Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence[image error]

Part III: Connect More Deeply With Others
13. How to Talk to Anyone by Leil Lowndes

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Amazon: How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships[image error]

14. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

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Amazon: How to Win Friends & Influence People[image error]

15. 15 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy by Luminita D. Saviuc

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Amazon: 15 Things You Should Give Up to Be Happy: An Inspiring Guide to Discovering Effortless Joy[image error]

16. The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman

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Amazon: The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts[image error]

 

Part IV: Get Shit Done
17. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

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Amazon: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing[image error]

18. The Pomodoro Technique by Francesco Cirillo

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Amazon: The Pomodoro Technique: The Acclaimed Time Management System That Has Transformed How We Work[image error]

19. Manage Your Day-To-Day Edited by Jocelyn K Glei

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Amazon: Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind (The 99U Book Series)[image error]

20. 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management by Kevin Kruse

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Amazon: 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management: The Productivity Habits of 7 Billionaires, 13 Olympic Athletes, 29 Straight-A Students, and 239 Entrepreneurs[image error]

21. Who Moved My Cheese? by Dr. Spencer Johnson

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Amazon: Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life[image error]

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How to Be Grateful

Host Keith McArthur reads an excerpt from his new book, 18 Steps to Own Your Life: Simple Powers for a Healthier, Happier You. It’s all about gratitude, including a gratitude hack you don’t want to miss.

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Episode 21 Show Notes
[00:00] Welcome and Intro
[00:56] Keith on pre-launch jitters and early feedback

Keith worries: ‘what if nobody buys my book?’ [00:56]
Keith shares some advance praise for the book [1:40]

[3:40] Keith Reads from 18 Steps to Own Your Life: Simple Powers for a Healthier, Happier You. Step 5: Embrace Gratitude

In this excerpt, Keith shares:

Why we should be grateful for sharks [4:13]
His gratitude birthday [5:11]
A gratitude hack [7:00]

 

[10:04] Closing words
Feedback & Connect

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Email: keith@myinstructionmanual.com
Keith on Twitter: @KeithMcArthur
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Buy 18 Steps to Own Your Life: Simple Powers for a Healthier Happier You on Amazon

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What if Nobody Buys my Book?

The writing and editing and design is done. I’ve spent months creating a book I can be proud of. And I’m ready to put it out into the world.

It’s all so exciting.

Until…

Until I start to wonder. What if nobody buys my book? Or worse, what if people buy it and hate it?

18 Steps to Own Your Life: Simple Powers for a Healthier, Happier You goes on sale next Tuesday, March 6 in the Kindle store. And it’s available now for pre-order at just 99 cents. The price goes up after launch day.

With launch right around the corner, it’s natural that these self-doubts and fears start to creep in.

Some of the Simple Powers I outline in the book help me through these negative thoughts. (This is my instruction manual for life, after all).

Another thing that helps?

The early feedback I’m receiving on the book.

Honestly, I am both honored and a little shocked at the advance feedback the book is getting from both professional reviewers and people who have signed up for my advance reader team.

I can’t link to it yet, but Readers’ Favorite has let me know that the book is getting a perfect 5-star review. Here’s a bit of what that reviewer has to say:

Keith McArthur’s 18 Steps to Own Your Life is one of the finest books in this genre I have ever read. From the first chapter, I knew this was going to be a new outlook on the self-help genre. You are told from the outset what you will learn from this guide and it didn’t disappoint me. You are encouraged to take the first of a ‘million tiny steps’ and with easy to follow bullet points, that make sense. This is the only guide you will need, not just to improve relationships and self-esteem but much much more. How can you connect with any person and build rapport? How do you change your limiting beliefs and destructive rituals? If you buy just one self-improvement guide this year then this is the one you should get. A fantastic insight into the mind, and you will be blown away by what you learn about yourself.

[image error]18 Steps to Own Your Life | 5-star-review

I’ve also received some amazing feedback from my advance reader team, people from around the world! Here are a few examples…

“This book reads like your best friend giving you the advice you need that doesn’t simply make you feel good, but inspires you to work along side them to make those small changes that make all the difference.” — Juanita Cox, Boston, Massachusetts

“A straight-to-the point, practical guide for living your best life.” — Beccy Harris, Wokingham, England

“Life-changing information that is clear and easy to understand and apply!” — Roslyn Brooks, Goochland, Virginia

“McArthur’s book contains all the elements to excel at joyful living.” — Mike Mather, Gold Coast, Australia

“Keith’s book holds true to its title—the steps are concise and effective, covering the pertinent elements for a healthier, happier you.” — Candace N. Bisram, Trinidad and Tobago

“18 Steps for Your Own Life has to be one of the most practical self-help books I’ve had the pleasure to read.” — Jo-Ann MacDonald, Sydney, Nova Scotia

With advance praise like this, you can’t go wrong with a 99 cent book. And you don’t need a Kindle to read; just download the Kindle app on any Android phone, iPhone or tablet.

If you pre-order, it’s a win-win. A great deal for you and really helpful for me. That’s because pre-sales let Amazon’s algorithm know this is a book worth recommending.

How can you help? Go out and buy a Kindle copy of the book before launch. Then leave a review of the book when it goes on sale next Tuesday.

I can’t wait to hear what you think!

Keith

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Book Launch: Behind the Scenes

Keith McArthur takes readers behind the scenes of the launch of his upcoming book 18 Steps to Own Your Life. 

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Episode 20 Show Notes
[00:00] Welcome and Intro
[00:57] Keith on 18 Steps to Own Your Life: Simple Powers For a Healthier, Happier You.

In this episode, Keith talks about:

Why this episode is different [00:57]
What led him to write this book [4:26]
What 18 Steps to Own Your Life is all about [11:15]
Behind the scenes of launching a book [14:15]

Mentions Launch podcast


What a successful book launch will look like [19:00]

[21:34] Closing words
Feedback & Connect

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Get It Done with Stever Robbins

Stever Robbins, host of the Get-It-Done-Guy Podcast and author of Get-It-Done Guy’s 9 Steps to Work Less and Do More, shares his best productivity hacks. And host Keith McArthur speaks with fitness contributor Kathleen Trotter about how exercise can help us beat the February blahs.

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Episode 19 Show Notes
[00:00] Welcome and Intro
[00:57] 18 Steps to Own Your Life

Keith’s next book comes out Tuesday, March 6
Keith is recruiting launch team members who can get a pre-release review copy now
myinstructionmanual.com/launchteam

[01:43] Featured interview with Stever Robins

Stever Robins is author of Get-It-Done Guy’s 9 Steps to Work Less and Do More: Transform Yourself from Overwhelmed to Overachiever and host of the Get-It-Done-Guy Podcast. He is an executive coach and communications consultant who has been involved in multiple startups.

Stever moved out of home as a teenager at 14 and got started as a computer programmer [2:30]
How growing up a computer programmer led Stever to crack the human algorithm [4:22]
The trouble with productivity [9:05]
How the erosion of task-specific space has created a productivity crisis [13:15]
Why smartphones make it harder to implement workarounds, such as only checking your email a couple times a day [18:03]
Is it time to get rid of the smartphone and go back to a flip phone? [20:26]
Why putting your phone in black and white mode makes it less addicting [22:10]
Divorcing your computer  [22:54}

Work Less and Do More: The Zombie Musical


Stever’s views on living an extraordinary life [29:35]
Why we should pursue fulfillment instead of success [31:46]
Stever’s theory of hard work [34:30]

[36:06] Stever’s Instruction Manual

1. What are the habits you maintain every day to stay happy and healthy? [36:26]

Exercise
Eat well
Have human contact regularly

 2. What personal development book do you recommend? [38:23]

Loving What Is: Four Questions that Can Change Your Life by Byron Katie
“I have found nothing that even approaches this in terms of how powerful it can be.”

3. Favorite personal mantra / inspirational quote [39:26]

“Done is the Engine of More” from The Done Manifesto

4. What’s your one guilty pleasure? [40:55]

Oreo Ice Cream Cake

5. When your time comes, how do you want to be remembered? [41:06]

“To be honest, how I’m remembered is just not important to me. What’s important to me is the change that I make in the world.”

[42:12] Where to find Stever

Podcast on iTunes: Get It Done Guy
SteverRobbins.com
Stever’s Living and Extraordinary Life Speech
Work Less and Do More: The Zombie Musical

[43:24] Fitness contributor Kathleen Trotter on how exercise can help with the February blahs

Kathleen Trotter is author of Finding Your Fit: A Compassionate Trainer’s Guide to Making Fitness a Lifelong Habit

In this conversation, Keith and Kathleen discuss:

Why working out is most important on days we don’t feel like working out [44:37]
Getting outdoor exercise in the winter is good for you, but you need to take precautions to stay safe [47:09]
Where to find Kathleen [48:49]

KatheenTrotter.com
Instagram: KathleenTrotterFitness
Twitter: KTrotterFitness
Facebook: KathleenTrotter



[49:12] Closing words
Feedback & Connect

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Ten Things I’m Grateful For Today

It’s been ten months since my little sister gave me a second chance at life by donating a kidney to me. So every month since the transplant, I take time to reflect on the things in life I’m grateful for. Since it’s my 10-month kidneyversary, here are ten things I’m grateful for today.

I’m grateful for my health. Once a month I get bloodwork to make sure my new kidney is still working well and that there are no signs of rejection. And once a month I still get nervous when I check the results. Well, I’m happy to report that I did my latest blood test yesterday and everything is working as it should be!
I’m grateful for my wife. Laura, you are my one true love. I am honored to be on this journey of life with you. Happy Valentine’s Day.
I’m grateful for my boys. Connor and Bryson: It is such a blessing to be your dad. These last two months in particular, I have seen so much growth from both of you!
I’m grateful I live in Canada. This week’s school shooting in the United States terrified me. But when I dropped my son Connor off at school the next morning, I know I didn’t feel quite as scared as so many parents in the United States must have felt. It’s rare for something like this to happen in Canada, partly because we have gun laws that, for example, make it much harder for the wrong people to get their hands on a killing machine like an AR-15.
I’m grateful that my next book is done.  18 Steps to Own Your Life: Simple Powers for a Healthier, Happier You goes on sale in just two weeks!
I’m grateful to you for being part of the My Instruction Manual community. You help me to stay healthy, happy and positive every day. And I’m grateful that so many readers have signed up to be part of the 18 Steps to Own Your Life launch team. (There’s still time to sign up if you want access to a pre-release review copy.)
I’m grateful that spring is just around the corner. Winters are long up here in Canada, and I’m thankful that the end is in sight.
I’m grateful baseball is back. Pitchers and catchers have reported to camp and Spring Training games are just a couple weeks away. There’s something about baseball being played in Florida and Arizona that makes me feel like we’re almost through the long winter.
I’m grateful for Stephanie for giving me one of her kidneys. You made all of this possible!
And of course, I’m grateful for sharks.

I’ve created some fill-in-the-blanks Gratitude Mad Libs. Just enter your name and email address in the box below and I’ll send them right over!

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