Get everybody.
It is.
Oh, it's a strange feeling coming into the studio today for a number of reasons, the first of which it's the last episode of the year, and the second of which it's the last episode probably for a little while, because we're going to take a break. I'm not sure for how long, but it's just the right time to have a little break of Woodlife podcasts, something that we've done.
We've done forty.
Episodes a year for the last two years and I have, honestly, hand on heart, loved every second of it. So we don't have a guest coming in today because I thought it was important to reflect back on what has been such a brilliant journey, wonderful learning experience, and most importantly give thanks to all of you for listening and tuning in every single week or a couple of times a week.
And I mean that sincerely. It's been wonderful to get all of the great feedback and the continual questions that come in. But there's just a lot going on at the moment, and sometimes something has to give and it's time for a little break. And a massive thank you to iHeartRadio, Aarn and Tobri and to Indy, my wonderful producers who have just been incredible to work with. A huge, huge thank you to our eighty wonderful guests over this time that have taught me so much and and I
really mean that sincerely. In a job where you're often the one giving advice, to be able to sit there and listen and learn on a weekly basis has been something that I've thoroughly enjoyed. It's literally like getting the front row seat to some of the best experts in the world.
But it's not goodbye. It's just goodbye for now.
So yes, we're going to get to a little list. I've put a little list together, a bit of a recap list, which I don't know I'm going to wax lyrical, and we could take in any direction that's coming up next on the Woodline. All right, time to get into it. Our last list, our last list for now. Here are just some of the key takeaways from two incredible years of the Woodlife. There has been so many key lessons.
I think one I was writing a little list, and I think one of the one of the things that really sort of hit me was how often the same key lesson would come up in a different way, So from a nutrition perspective or a sleep perspective, or a mental health or a physical health or psychology, physiology. The interconnection between them all just really reinforce the fact that and I'm going to start with my last point first, because everyone's health and I've got health in inverted commas,
is different. What's important to you might not be important to that person, and that doesn't matter. You have to find what works for you and you have to be multi dimensional. You know, pilarates is not health. Pilaratees is a tool to health. It is one facet. You know, yoga, an apple, a smoothie, a good night's sleep. It all has to come together for what ultimately drives your health
and happiness in a realistic, sustainable manner. So I think the most important message to start with is that everyone's health is different. You've got to find what works for you, and it's really important that you're multi dimensional. The second one, closely related to that is you can't separate mental and physical health. They are so connected. It's not just think they've got a mental health. It can be fixed with
going for a run. It's not suggesting that if you've got a saw a leg that can be fixed with the meditation session, but it does show the overlap and the interconnection always between the two and again reinforces the multi dimensional, holistic nature of our health the way that we look at it. I'm all about, you know, doing smarter, not training, but doing smarter not harder. When I was younger, it used to be more is more, push harder, The harder you work, the better results you'll get from a
training perspective. And interestingly, to my point at the beginning of the episode, I think I'm starting to have the same revelation from a life perspective. More isn't more, Harder isn't better, do things smarter, give more time to yourself. It's not all bash and crash for the best results. It's not all you know, the person who does the eight and our day wins at the end of the day. You might win from a productivity perspective, but at what costs.
And it's the same with your training. I always see that relationship or that metaphor between life and training from a train smarter, not harder perspective, and adding in you know, I'll do less workouts, but there'll be a sauna and an ice bath in there once a week where a workout perhaps where two workouts perhaps were and I definitely am better mentally and physically for it. Another one that
really resonated with me is get in the flow. Finding something in your life each week that makes you forget about time. Get rid of your phone, no alarms, no alerts, nothing to break that flow with a beep or a vibration or whatever it might be. It might be reading, it might be dancing, it could be crochet, painting, pottery, writing.
Whatever is your thing.
Find a little window every single week to do something where you get into a flow and it makes you feel inspired, It makes you feel creative, and it's a disconnect from the craziness that is life that we all know. The next one balance. That's a really interesting one because I don't know if I believe if there is such thing.
If I'm being honest, I think it's important to have boundaries and parameters around things, because then we can't tell those little white lives to ourselves that we're perhaps doing things better.
Than what we really are.
But when it comes to balance, it's I think it's about am I taking care of myself mentally and physically
without putting too much pressure on myself. And I'm a massive believer that if your attitude or your philosophy is progress not perfection, and you are trying to do things at a seven or eight out of ten, then that's where you will find the best or the closest level to what is balanced, because you're going to be doing good things for yourself, eating, sleeping, exercising, mental health most of the time, but never in a way that feels
like your own harshest critic. You're never satisfied no matter how much you're doing. You are comparing yourself to others constantly, probably more so from an individual perspective. You're depriving yourself of everything all of the time. So you're like, yeah, I'm great, I'm a ten out of ten. I'm a ten out of ten. I'm doing so well, But at what cost? No chocolate, no wine, no beer, no socializing,
no fun, no life. Really, if I'm being honest, and I think it's when you have that realization that life is to be lived. And if you can do that at eight out of ten while still taking care of yourself. You've got to remember, most people out there are taking care of themselves at a one to or three. If you're an eight, you are absolutely in the minority of people out there that are looking after themselves. People look at me like I'm some kind of wellness freak. I'm
at a seven. Literally, if I'm being honest, I'm at a seven. I would eat at a seven, I would exercise at a seven, I would sleep at probably a six.
Since I've had babies. But I feel good. I feel good.
I feel like I'm getting that balance pretty right for a forty three year old bloke with four kids, and I'm okay with it. Next one, don't try and do too much too early. It's all about small habits build success. If you can get the little things to the habitual stage, that is this habitual to you as cleaning your teeth every morning and every night, you will be absolutely blown away at how much those little habits add up to
genuine success from a wellness, productivity, happiness perspective. Don't worry about where you need to be in a year. Don't worry about locking yourself into one hour workouts seven days a week, and you know feeling that the world's going to end if you miss one. A misst workout is a mist workout. Tomorrow is a fresh day with a clean slate. Don't beat yourself up about it. The next one, eat real foods. Try and avoid the word diet for the rest of your life. It's never really a good connotation.
Diet by definition, is already talking about a short term solution. It's got a finish line, and good eating, good wellness should be something you're aiming to build a habit around that you stick to for the rest of your life. So try and work away from diet. And when people say what's the best advice when it comes to food, and you may have heard me say it here before one, eat real food. Number two, eat more protein and more vegetables. If you can achieve those three things, you will already
be ninety percent of the way There. One of my favorites. It's an oldy bit of goodie, and I promise you, no matter what fads come and go, this one should absolutely be top of your list. Always try and move every day, and I'll add to that, try and move.
In the morning.
If you can move your body for ten to thirty minutes in the morning, you will not only be better mentally, but you'll be better physically. You'll be consistent with your exercise because you get it done before something can intervene.
You'll have a.
Boosted energy, boosted mood, more clarity, more productivity. You'll feel a great sense of accomplishment early in the day that will carry on, that will carry momentum throughout your day. So try and move your body every single day. It keeps the momentum and the motivation going. It's the perfect start to the day. It decreases stress. I could go on, I could write a list of three hundred reasons why you should move every day, but the bottom line is you should.
You just should.
And I always like to preface that by saying, know what you're going to do tomorrow today, don't leave it's a chance you should know tonight. When is the window that I'm going to move my body tomorrow?
Whenever?
That may be bet maybe best? And what am I going to do? Consistency what gets results. There's no magic workouts, it's no best workouts. Consistency of movement is what gets you the best results. And if you want to move every day or most days, planning the night before is an absolute game changer. Second last one, sleep It's been an evolution since Woodlife started because when the wood Life started, I would have been getting okay sleep because Harper wasn't born yet.
She was in mum's dummy. She's now eighteen months. So I've gone, I've got.
I've been on a roller coaster from a sleep perspective of the last six years, because every time a baby has been born, you go back into the trenches for I don't at least twelve months, and we've been in the trenches, out of the trenches on and off for a year, for six years. Two big things with sleep, I think so many of us tell ourselves we don't need as much sleep as we actually do. The other thing with sleep is don't get it with a sleep in.
Get it by improving your pre go to bed, habits, dark room, cool room, turn off your digital devices half an hour before going to bed. Try not to binge on a streaming service, a TV show, a movie service, or social.
Media just before you go to bed.
Have a nice shower, you know, wind yourself down in some kind of way with some music or breathing exercise or gentle meditation. All of that stuff feels a bit rarah to many people. And I was perhaps in that boat once upon a time it works. And if you cannot only improve the volume of your sleep or the amount of your sleep, but you can improve the quality, you will feel the difference. And I think for many of us we need to stop feeling to ourselves because it really can be powerful.
This is the last one.
I'm glad I went backwards because I think it's a really nice one to finish on. And it's amazing how often this conversation happens.
Just get started.
Too many people talk and think and procrastinate or know what they should be doing but just aren't doing it for too long. And it's not to finish on a harsh note. It's not to finish on a note to make you feel guilty. It's to finish on a positive note. Don't try and do too much too soon. Don't overwhelm yourself by making the mountain bigger than.
It needs to be. Just get started.
Motivation doesn't create momentum. Momentum creates motivation. Take that first step doesn't mean you sign up for a one hour hit class tomorrow morning. It might mean you go for a ten minute walk. Doesn't mean you start some ridiculous diet. It might mean you're going to do. You're going to do a healthy swap and what you normally have for breakfast, you're going to swap out for a healthy smooth that takes three minutes to make.
Just get started.
Not tomorrow, not next Monday. You're not waiting for a new year like so many people do. There is no perfect time to get started. But getting started is the most important message that I can leave you with, because I know that many of you listen and nod and love the knowledge that you're building by listening to the Woodlife episodes, But knowing and doing and not the same thing. And I think too many of us confuse the two from time to time, or if not a lot of
the time. So I'm going to love you and leave you with that. It's been my absolute pleasure and privilege to come and speak to you every day a couple of times a week here from the studio, And as I said, it's not goodbye, it's just farewell for now, and I can't wait to rejoin you in some capacity soon. Of course, if you want to keep up to speed with what's going on, just follow along on Sam James Wood on my Instagram, or keep you up to date
with all of the updates with what's going on. I'm always putting content up there too that can keep you engaged and keep you motivated.
And I can't wait to speak to you soon