Too long, didn’t read

Life is about pushing yourself to be MORE - more mindful, more kind, more driven - BUT at the same time it’s about embracing your messiness. It’s about keeping it 100 while you work to become more. The most freeing thing you can do is just say screw trying to be perfect and to appear perfect. Work for the life you want but keep it 100.

- Case “I pick things and put them down” Kenny

It’s a power move.

“Why settle for something that doesn’t feel right? For something that doesn’t match your energy? Keep your spiritual standards high” (Case Kenny - New Mindset, Who Dis)

🎧 Listen to this meditation x music.

nst, om, nst, om, ommmmm... Start your week with this meditation x music featuring yours truly and the talented DJ/producer Alex Cruz. There’s more than you can imagine waiting for you in life. It’s out there and you’re going to find it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Listen: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

If you care about someone, show up for them.

With the tragic news of Kobe Bryant's passing yesterday, I feel compelled to remind myself that if you truly care for someone, you have to show up for them because you might not get another chance.

And so I turned to blogger Bianca Sparacino who once founds the words I couldn’t to remind myself (and you) of this truth in life.

If you care about someone, you have to make them a priority not just when it’s easy, but when it’s difficult as well. If you care about someone, show up for them.

• Show up for them when they least deserve it. Just be there for them - not because you have to be, but because you want to be. Love someone when they are breaking down or even when they are lashing out. That is when it means the most. That is when you must show up for them.

• Put your phone down. If you care for someone… connect deeply with them. Don’t allow yourself to be pulled from those moments. Don’t allow yourself to settle for talking about the weather or the monotony of life. Ask them what they dreamed about the night before. Debate with them. Teach them something new.

• Let them know. Remind them that you appreciate the very heart within their chest. Remind them that you want to protect who they are, that they mean something to you, and don’t just do this with words. SHOW them that they matter to you.

If you love someone, prove it. Choose them.

How to actually change your life.

One of the first “self help” bloggers I read many years ago was Mark Manson and the first article I ever read by him was on a BIG, BROAD topic - how to change your life.

His approach was so simple and pragmatic that it essentially started my personal journey into self development. I still have post-it notes in my apartment with quotes from from his article.

I’ve summarized below what I’ve learned from Mark and my own life experiences on how to actually change your life (and make it last).

To change you life, you have to change how you see yourself and the world around you. You have to:

1. Do something. The motivation to change your life doesn’t come from some magical place within you. Action is both the effect of motivation and the cause of it. 

2. Be willing to pay the price. A lot of life ultimately comes down to a series of tradeoffs. The big things we want in life - happiness, healthy relationships and wealth - they are all tradeoffs. The most important question you can ask yourself isn’t what you want, it’s what you’re willing suffer for.

3. Stop caring! No one else does. You are free to do whatever the heck you want and no one will care if you fail spectacularly. Instead of basing your life decisions on what others think of you or what you do or how attractive you’ll appear, figure out exactly what it is you value most in your life and cut all the other bs out.

4. Be grateful along the way. As hokey as it sounds, be grateful for what you have while you’re working towards what you want. Everything you need to be happy is likely right in front of you. Start taking the time to appreciate the simple pleasures in life.

Today’s soul food.

Keep it 100.

Are you keeping it real in your life? Real? Authentic? Raw? 100?

I’ve realized that maybe life isn't about some of the things I once so confidently thought were the “it” things.

• Maybe life isn’t about becoming the best, the biggest, the most applauded or recognized, the best looking, the funniest or the most chill. 

• Maybe life isn’t about trying to appear to be the most put together, the most calm, the most suave, the smoothest cat in the club or the most perfect.

• Maybe life isn’t about those things either - watches, cars, houses, your hot boyfriend or girlfriend or trips around the world.

Maybe life is simply about keeping it 100. 

That certainly simplifies things, doesn’t it?

I think life is simply about owning who you are. It’s about saying screw being perfect and certainly screw trying to appear perfect. 

I’ve realized that after a lot of time wasted fighting this and wanting to portray myself a certain way because I thought it would mean I would become that way… the most freeing thing you can do is to just say screw it.

Say: “I’m going to do everything in my power to be better, fuller, more driven, successful and fulfilled… BUT as I do, I promise myself to keep it 100.

Screw it! I’m not going to deny the things that make me me. I’m not going to hide things I might be embarrassed about. I’m not going to deny the things that make me uncomfortable or nervous. I’m not going to deny that something happened. I’m not going to get offended to be the brunt of a joke or made fun of.” 

I’m not going to hide my flaws.

I know that sounds like a feel good, self improvement thing to write, but this is it!

This is it!

There’s no more freeing feeling than to just say f*ck it and work your *ss off BUT while you do you commit to keeping it 100.

Join me in making growth your goal right now but make that only 50% of your goal.

Make the other 50% to say I’m very happy to be myself - not same fake version or some projected version of who you want to be.

Personally, the more I push myself to grow and accomplish WHILE ALSO promising myself to keep it 100, the happier I truthfully am.

I’d love for you to make the same promise to yourself.

I think you can!

Look at the friends around you. Look at the friends of yours who aren’t afraid to keep it 100 and who do not hide their shortcomings.

• I took a boxing class recently - I certainly was’t the best (I liken my left hook to spanking a disobedient avocado or swatting a bee). I kept it 100 and didn’t feign confidence.

• I was out with a friend the other night who wasn’t afraid to poke fun at himself and his errrrr… certain shortcomings in the bedroom lol.

• I was talking with a friend the other day who wasn’t afraid to say “… not gonna lie.. I’m nervous right now” before a big meeting.

I think we can all learn something from this.

We can learn from people, friends or coworkers who aren’t afraid to keep it 100.

We can learn that maybe life isn’t about appearing to be the best, the most popular or the most put together.

YES… life is definitely about pushing yourself to be more mindful, more kind and more driven… BUT at the same time it’s about embracing your messiness.

It’s about embracing that because at the end of the day you’re never going to be perfect… so why try to act that way?

Why act that way when the alternative - keeping it 100 - sets you free?

It sets you free! It doesn't guilt you or shame you. It doesn’t make you feel less or like you‘re falling behind… in fact, it does the opposite!

The more you keep it 100, the more you love yourself.

Isn’t that what life is about? 

Life isn’t about doing and being the right person. It isn’t about saying the right thing, being the best or the most successful.

Life is about keeping it 100 while you push yourself to become the bad*ss you’re capable of becoming.

That’s the balance I think we should all strive for in life.

Keep it 100. Be messy, suck at something and own it, be nervous and own it, fall down and own it. Don’t hide from it and most importantly don’t hide it from others. 

Be real and keep it 100. Because when you do that… you don’t feel BS pressure anymore. You don't feel pressure to be perfect or appear perfect.

That is an incredibly freeing mindset!

When you keep it 100, you love yourself and you become free to express who you are - no matter how much of a work in progress you might be.

Let’s go.

——————

** PS: I just released a podcast episode on how I keep it 100. In this episode, I tell some funny stories about boxing class, spanking disobedient avocados and what it means to ACTUALLY keep it real. Listen here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

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Things that make me smile

1. This guy’s brother passed away but he continued to text his phone to keep his memory alive… then he got a response. That is rather clickbaity, but this is seriously heart warming. There are good people in the world. (via Reddit)

2. This dog’s smile ugh :) This dog’s smile is just what you need today. (via Reddit)

3. Smiling can trick your brain into being happy. A smile spurs a powerful chemical reaction in the brain that can make you feel happier. That’s good news. (via NBC)

My name is Case.

I believe in the power of perspective. Holler at me on Instagram @case.kenny and check out my twice-weekly podcast New Mindset, Who Dis?

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**SIDE EFFECTS from reading the PRSUIT mindfulness email may include making power moves, being a carefree goofball, checking off your bucket list and living an unbothered life.

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I live, write and podcast in Chicago, IL :)

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