Marcus Lopes's Blog, page 9

Be Vulnerable

I am a quiet person. I often say it’s because I’m an introvert, but really I just don’t like being the centre of attention. I am more than comfortable spending time on my own. When I’m at work, and if it were possible, I would probably go my whole shift without speaking to any of my colleagues. But as my change journey continues, I’m learning to be vulnerable.

The Art of Sharing

Whether at work or out with friends, I have always been a listener. I tend to pay close attention to what people are s...

Focus on What You Can Control

Lately, I’m reminding myself of this: focus on what you can control. I can control whether I’m going to sleep longer or get up and put in time on my dreams. I can tell myself I’m tired and not go to the gym or for a run, or I can get in the run or workout no matter how I feel. Yes, I can settle for the status quo or decide to change my life.

Know What You Stand For

If you’re like me and work in an office—for someone else and not yourself—it’s where you spend a good chunk of your time and life. A...

Own Your Life

I have a bit of a ritual. On my way to work, I stop at the Tim Hortons across from where I work. It’s in an industrial area, so there really isn’t much around. But I’m a regular now, and the staff ‘know’ me and my mobile order. And as I returned to work after a couple of days off, I picked up my coffee and spent my usual fifteen minutes writing. It was clear, as I wrote and counted down the minutes to when I’d have to cross the street and enter that building, how essential it is to own your life...

You Always Have a Choice

How we spend our time is always up to us. We can work on our book or binge-watch Netflix. We can go to the gym or we can hit the snooze button. Instead of eating a salad, we may reach for that bag of potato chips. You always have a choice, and although I’ve always known that, it’s become more clear as I embrace writing off the grid.

The Choice to Do Less

The main reason I decided to pull back from social media in mid-April was because I was feeling overwhelmed and, consequently, burnt out. When ...

Fear of Missing Out

When I decided to, once again, step back from social media, something that almost stopped me was the fear of missing out (FOMO). I had spent several weeks working on my social media content, creating and post more videos and slowly (at a snail’s pace) watching engagement climb. Yes, I made progress but I wasn’t truly committed.

Still, that didn’t stop me from reaching for my phone to check for views, likes, and comments. And after months of working hard to reduce my screen time, I watched it soa...

Fear of Mission Out

When I decided to, once again, step back from social media, something that almost stopped me was the fear of missing out (FOMO). I had spent several weeks working on my social media content, creating and post more videos and slowly (at a snail’s pace) watching engagement climb. Yes, I made progress but I wasn’t truly committed.

Still, that didn’t stop me from reaching for my phone to check for views, likes, and comments. And after months of working hard to reduce my screen time, I watched it soa...

Becoming My Best

I am a lot of things, but I am not perfect. But I am always learning, always trying to do better and be better. That’s not always easy because, while I know I’m far from perfect, I chase perfectionism. That means that I set high standards and am hard on myself when I fall short. But in everything that I do, it’s about becoming my best self.

Self-Discipline

I’m counting down the days for the year (it’s a bit more than that, actually) that I’m stepping back from social media. It’s Day 371 (countin...

Patience as Virtue

Patience is a virtue. Growing up, that was something I heard often. And although I understood what it meant, it wasn’t something that came easy to me. I couldn’t wait for the school year to end to enjoy the freedom that the summer break afforded. I couldn’t wait to escape my awkward adolescence and become a grown-up. And I definitely couldn’t wait for the day when I would be able to leave my parents’ home for a place of my own. I was always in a rush to move to the next stage, always running ahe...

The Hardest Part of Change

Staying focused on what matters.

In the few short days that I have been off social media, I have already noticed a shift. I don’t feel overwhelmed. Because I’m no longer trying to do things that aren’t important to me. I’m not rushing in the morning to record, edit, or post videos for social media—or worrying about their possible virality. I’m also not scrambling to squeeze in some writing time, or wondering if I can get out for a run or to the gym. Instead, I am focused on doing the things that...

Writing Off the Grid

Post-Run, Toronto, 15 April 2024

As April began, my focus was on change because, as I recently explained in my last newsletter, I had a feeling that something was off. Life had been speaking to me, but I wasn’t listening even though I knew, knew, that if I changed my habits I could change my life. And I have a vision of what a better life can look like. A better life beyond the big dreams and goals I’ve been chasing. A life filled with calm, joy, love, and purpose. But to create that better life...