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The Observe and Rapport Newsletter
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A weekly guide of my favorite books, articles, products, and lifestyle habits.
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December 8th, 2023 | by Kyle Brennan
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Thought of the Week
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Controlling your actions is far easier than controlling your thoughts.
Let me share an example.
I'm a Giants fan (depite how terrible they are this year). That also means I have a deep hatred for the Dallas Cowboys and everything they stand for.
Now imagine a friend of mine forced me into a dare - or I lost a bet.
They said, starting today, I have to root for the Dallas Cowboys
I know, this is a would never happen in real life, but humor me for a moment.
One way I could go about my dare would be to force myself to like the team. I'd tell myself "I love the Cowboys!" or "We're going to the Superbowl!"
That sounds excruciating. And, based on my thirty years of Giants fandom, impossible.
Alternatively, my friend could invite me over to watch a Cowboys game with him. Maybe we would schedule a trip to Dallas and go to a Cowboys home game. Over time, (although I'd still secretly still hate them), I'd become familar with the players. I'd interact with other Cowboys fans.
Suddenly, I'd start to appreciate the Cowboys culture a bit more than I otherwise would have. Maybe they're not so evil and arrogant. Maybe I'd actually start to like the Cowboys naturally through exposure rather than forcing myself to with my thoughts.
The message here is that it's far easier to change your behaviors and thoughts through doing something than by trying to force yourself to think differently.
If you want to change attitudes, start with a change in behavior
Mood follows action, not the other way around.
Go Giants. F the Cowboys
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What I'm Reading
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Lee Child’s brother Andrew has taken the reins of the Jack Reacher series. This is his fourth book in the 29-book franchise and while the first few were a tough transition, I think Andrew has finally hit his stride in taking over the plot and writing for such an iconic character.
The Secret takes us back to when Reacher was still in the military in 1992, serving as an MP. When respected scientists begin turning up dead, the military is highly concerned. They form a group, of which the recently demoted Reacher is one, seeking answers.
There is always something about a Jack Reacher novel that gets me excited. The writing flows effortlessly, and how Reacher can calculate his next move and think through the chess pieces of whatever problem lies ahead is such a joy to read.
Can’t wait for Season 2 of the Amazon TV series with @alanritchson
Rating: 4.4 / 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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What I'm Watching
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Comedian Mike Birbiglia dives headlong into mortality, medical tests, nature's pillows and an overchlorinated YMCA pool in this candid one-man show.
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I love Mike Birbiglia since he's really more of a funny story teller than a true "joke/punchline" comedian. He takes you on a ride into his life, health issues, relationships, and awkward encounters and you feel like you're living life right alongside with him. Check out all of his other specials on Netflix too!
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Cold Plunge Tub Link Again For Those Interested
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I got a ton of messages from people after my post about the Cold Pod. Here is the link again for people who are interested in buying it. It's super easy to set up (it took me about five minutes), it's sturdy and easy to clean.
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I will say, if you are on the bigger side, you might want to look into the XL version of the Cold Pod for $185. For reference, I'm 6'0, 190 lbs and I fit fine in the regular-size cold pod. But if you're, say 6'3 or taller you may want to opt for the larger size.
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In the winter, you probably won't need ice at all. This morning the water in my tub was 39 degrees with no ice at all. Generally, I like the water to be somewhere in the 45-degree range, and you'll only need a couple of bags of ice at the most during this time of year. Come summertime, that's a different story.
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Source I'm Using for Free eBooks
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I'm not a huge fan of eBooks (I prefer hard copy), but it's hard to turn down free books. Libby is a free app to use if you have a Library card to you local library. You sign in using your Library card and it gets you access to hundreds of thousands of free ebooks and audiobooks that you can download onto your phone or Kindle device.
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Poor Charlie's Almanack was going for over $100 on Amazon this time last year and it's now totally free on the Libby app. Just downloaded it yesterday.
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Quotes I'm Pondering
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Liberalism defines government as tyrant father but demands it behave as nurturant mother. Society must be so tyrannical that you should be protected from mean tweets but also so permissive that you should be able to change your gender (and back).
- Camille Paglia
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Keith and Kyle sit down to discuss the modernization of Disney World, Keith's experience running a Half Marathon, the Bush administration's strategy, or lack thereof, during the War in Iraq, and Kyle's personal experience and opinions on the Ice Bath fad.
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Books Mentioned in this Episode:
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Check Out My Amazon Favorites Bookstore
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Browse my favorite book selections hand-curated by me. I also earn commissions so if you buy anything, those earnings get reinvested right back into this fancy newsletter ;)
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Kyle's Published Work
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33 Life Lessons on My 33rd Birthday
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Thirty-three was a big one. Mostly because I became a dad. Our daughter was born on New Year’s Eve — a fitting arrival for a kid destined to reset everything. It’s been a beautiful, if slightly sleep-deprived blur ever since. I’ve only been “Dad” for less than ten months, but if I’m being honest, I’ve been preparing for the role for over …
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Depth Over Downloads: Why Spending Time with Books Still Matters
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Everyone wants faster information. But no one asks if faster information leads to better understanding — or a better life. In the age of AI and tweet-sized wisdom, we’ve confused information with transformation. But there’s a massive difference between knowing what a book says and being changed by it. The Delusion of Instant Learning In a recent interview, political journalist Ezra Klein admitted he once believed …
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The Jack Reacher Approach to Never Being Caught Off Guard
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There’s no difference between a pessimist who says, ‘Oh, it’s hopeless, so don’t bother doing anything,’ and an optimist who says, ‘Don’t bother doing anything, it’s going to turn out fine anyway.’ Either way, nothing happens.” —Yvon Chouinard, Founder of Patagonia I don’t read much fiction, but I’ve always been hooked on Lee Child’s Jack Reacher. He’s not your typical …
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