"I Get by With a Little Help From my Friends."

Happy Friday Friends,

Let me set the scene for you.

You’re driving along an ocean road, snaking around corners and slowly heading up a mountain. On one side is the ocean and on the other a lush forest. You make a turn and head down what seems like neverending S-bends into a small, quiet beach-side suburb.

It’s the middle of winter so the narrow streets are calm and quiet except for the waves crashing on the sand and the boisterous cockatoos squawking in the trees. The smell of firewood fills the air and immediately comforts your soul. The soft winter sunlight filtering through the eucalyptus leaves is just warm enough to stop you in your tracks.

Sounds romantic doesn’t it?

And It is but it’s also the perfect place for a lad's weekend away. LADS!

This past weekend I had a boys’ weekend away. 4 mates and I drove up the coast to a small, quiet beach town. We planned a weekend with equal parts shenanigans, outdoor sports, food and chill. The weekend was fantastic and just what the psychologist ordered.

I hardly touched my phone other than to document moments of hilarious stupidity that no one else will think is funny but we’ll look back on in 5 years and still laugh out loud.

It reminded me of when I was in uni and I’d often go away with a group of mates for a weekend. Seems not much changes on such weekends. And that is perfect in my opinion. Maybe we added a couple of conversations about crypto, the markets and mortgages. But overall it was boys being boys, well men being boys to be more accurate.

Who knew a weekend away with friends would uncover a few life hacks we all need?

Spend a Weekend Outside

Most of us spend every day in an office or behind a desk. Walking from home to the car and the car to the office is the only time we spend outside. Then when it comes to the weekend it’s all too easy to stay inside because “we want to chill”. Or, if you’re a parent out there you’ll spend a good part of your weekend driving from one kid's part to another. Which, especially in winter, will not be outdoors.

Once a month try to spend as much of your weekend outdoors as possible. Go for picnics, take walks, play sports, it doesn’t matter. Fill your lungs with fresh air and flood your eyes with sunlight.

Go Back to Basics

During our beach house getaway, we rediscovered the simple joy of making a wood fire. The crackling flames became the heart of the room, captivating us more than any TV show ever could. We all sat around talking and laughing staring at the greedy flames devouring the delicious oak dinner we’d chopped up.

Find activities that don’t rely on technology and get you a little dirty. From getting on your knees and doing some gardening to building sandcastles on the beach. Sometimes the simple things we’ve long forgotten can give us the most satisfaction.

Act Like a Child

Remember when we were told to stop acting like children? Well, I challenge that! Every now and then indulge in activities that you loved as a child. We roasted giant marshmallows. Yup, marshmallows about 3x normal size, on the end of sticks, in the fire. It was hilarious, delicious and magically nostalgic.Do things that will delight you.

Talk Shit and Laugh Till Your Cheeks Hurt

If I reflect back on a few conversations from the weekend almost none of them were serious. Or, anything of actual substance. Hours of banter and talking complete nonsense. So wonderful!The odds are more probable than not that your average conversation is serious and very real. Don’t get me wrong, we’re adults and professionals, it makes sense that a lot of our time we focus on reality.

All I’m saying is make sure you’re scheduling some time to take a break from that. Meet up with some friends, go for a walk with your partner and talk about random topics.

Watch the Sunrise

When was the last time you watched the sunrise? If you can’t remember then it’s too long ago. It’s time to change that. We woke up at 6:15 am on Saturday to go for a freezing swim and watch the sunrise. Yes, a group of lads, after a relatively big night woke up in the dark to watch the sunrise. People would call us outliers but the way we felt after that experience means I am 100% ok with that. There is something special about that time of day. Try it for yourself.

Spend Quality Time With Quality People

I’ve left this till last because I can’t stress how important it is. Humans are generally community driven. It sits deep within our lizard brain. We all have the need to interact and spend time with others. Be conscious of the people you choose to spend your time with. Most of the time you do have a choice.

Choose people who make you feel great and when you leave their company you feel energised. Choose people that love you for you, and feel like you add as much value to their lives as they add to yours.You will need to work at and nurture relationships with this handful of people but it will be worth every drop of effort. Good relationships have an exponential reward-for-effort ratio.

If I had to summarise the above it into one word it would be simplicity.

Our lives are over-scheduled, over-cluttered, and over-complicated. We need to think about slowing down and going way back to basics.

I encourage you to reflect on these lessons and incorporate them into your own lives. Embrace the outdoors, rediscover the joy of simplicity, let your inner child shine, engage in laughter-filled conversations, and witness the beauty of a sunrise. And, most importantly, surround yourself with quality people who uplift and energise you.

Remember, life is too short to let opportunities for growth and happiness slip away. So, go out there, challenge your preconceptions, and make every moment count.

Peace, love and muscles.

Jazza