I have been writing an email newsletter using Substack since the summer of 2021. The choice to start the newsletter was in response to Linkedin banning my account and I needing an outlet for my constant desire to share ideas and get attention.
Some of you may have read these earlier, longer posts. I was trying to send them weekly, with way more content per email than you have seen the last month. It was as exhausting then as it is now to focus long enough to complete the task and push send.
I am often paralyzed when attempting to start any heavy cognitive work or physical work. Instead, I want to sit down and stare at stuff on my phone or eat food and talk to friends. Onewheeling can get me out of the house, but almost everything else I do is very hard to get my engine started and excited about doing.
So here is an unsent email from August 2022 that I am sending today so I can feel like I finished that task and get free bump of dopamine. The format back then was so full of my ADHD, and had little purpose other than dumping on my contacts:) Now I try to just cover one idea a day, but I dump on you daily.
I hope you enjoy the warmer weather in this post from 500 days ago…
From August 2022
I now use a MacBook to do all my heavy lifting work.
I haven’t used a computer for work in years. I made my life revolve around my iPhone on purpose so I could always be on the go. But now I realize I revolved around the device when it should have revolved around me.
I recently had a late-night discussion about how I can detox from my phone. I decided to get rid of the 5 most used apps (Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, Slack, Messenger, and Tinder…I mean TikTok). This decision has cut my daily time on my iPhone by several hours. SEVERAL HOURS! It’s only been a week, but it’s going really well.
Have you ever fasted from technology that was hindering you? What were the results? I have done similar things many times before, but I find myself always defaulting to using everything without constraints. I am compulsive and can’t control my appetite for information and entertainment.
Natalie got to go fly fishing for first time for her birthday.
This dog 👇 is the worst and best thing ever.
My family bought it when I was out of town because I wouldn’t have given approval. But then I have moments like this where she is just too cute to ignore and brings so much puppy love to our fam.
Kids are not TPing like they use to anymore and I think that is a shame.
I am going to figure out a way to bring this childhood mischief trend back before I die. My followers on Linkedin think it is because toilet paper is too scarce of a resource and that kids don’t do things outside anymore.
I went down the Provo River with my family. I want to plan a massive Provo river float next year. It will be called FloatChilla and have DJs in big rafts with mixers and amplifiers.
A double rainbow happened this last week. Loved that.
I had to get towed out of the lake after I sunk my truck in too deep trying to find a shortcut to launch the jet skis. Not a pro move.
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Scott Paul
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Bring back FlaotChella, sign me up, sounds magical!! Detox from the socials; I threaten it, but can’t get myself to commit. 2022 sounds like a good year!
2022 sounded awesome. Love the best and worst dog decision … I have a few of them 😂