This is just a little article on my lifestyle in terms of things I continue to do and I'm doing more of. I will have touched upon these topics over years in conversations, interviews and social media, but thought I'd consolidate it all into one place.

 

Things I continue to do:

• Martial arts training

  • 32 years of consistent training. As there are so many aspects of martial arts, I like to keep my training varied. I've always emphasised the importance of training when you don't want to so you can fight when you have to do; this is an approach I've had for years, which proved invaluable for when I worked in more dangerous environments. It's not easy nor necessarily enjoyable, but is a conscious decision as this is a physical form of insurance (in addition to my preparedness practices). As I've mentioned previously, martial arts splits into 3 categories; fighting, health and performance; I still train to be able to fight, when all else fails and I'll train for health purposes but perform for a living.  

• Gym training

  • 23 years of training 4-6 days a week and I still look forward to every session. Over the past couple years, I've cut down the volume considerably, shortening but intensifying my training even more, which is more challenging. Despite the job requiring me to look a certain way, health is still the most important aspect of gym training for me. Again, to address a frequently asked question, I am and always have been natural.

• Meditation

  • I used to meditate 3 hours a day in the woods for years. Sometimes not all at once, other times even longer. To be honest, I just loved the serenity. For the past decade or so, my emotional state baseline is usually quite close to my meditative state, so my meditative practices don't take long for me to reach that level. That being said, I still meditate every day and especially prioritise it when I feel like I don't have enough time for it. 

• Mindfulness

  • I remind myself that I am in the driver's seat of my thoughts and actions; I spend my thoughts as wisely as I would want to spend my money. 

• One meal a day

  • This is something I started 5 years ago during lockdown. I must say, it's not for everyone, so I would never prescribe this to anyone, but it just works for me. Certainly a contrast to eating 6+ meals a day every 2-3 hours! It's mostly a way for me to control what comes in and in what amounts and makes me more appreciative and mindful of that one meal. Of course, I still have practical reasons as to why I do this as there will likely be a time where food will not be as readily available. OMAD works especially when I know I'm not going to be out all day and will be eating out with people. 

• Music 

  • Whilst I don't play as much violin or viola these days, piano is still something I absolutely love. Music is just another language to express oneself and almost takes me elsewhere. Still learning guitar when I get the chance. Growing up, music, similar to martial arts (just far less physically painful!) was not the most enjoyable as I was working towards grades, shows and also competitions. Even after all that, it still took me 11 years to complete my album, which wasn't at all easy to do (or remember!). So these days, I just play for enjoyment and I think that's really underrated! 

• Being social

  • Of course, I love seeing friends. I can't express just how important it is to have a good group of people around you, who are supportive, honest and kind. It's also important to be aware of your social battery too and take time out for yourself. I'm grateful to be in a position where these days, I do have more free time (in between jobs), where I can see and catch up with people. I really have a wonderful and pleasant life and I'm so grateful to have those around me and also to those who support me online.

• Living within my means

  • I've never been a big spender or wanted for expensive things. I live quite a simple life, especially as work isn't always consistent. That being said, I'm never afraid to spend money (such as meals out, fun experiences, things that need fixing up etc.), I just don't waste it. 

• Self study

  • You never stop learning, even the smallest things, the shortest interactions are always learning experiences. I like to make the conscious effort to continue to read and educate myself further as well as challenging what I already know. That means taking up new activities, researching topics I know little about and also topics I do know about but update that knowledge base to become more informed. As such, I'm always willing to change the conclusions I formed in light of better knowledge and research as well as what works better as I get older.

• Being kind and empathetic

  • Y'know, the world just needs more of this.

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Things I'm doing more of:

• I started a bucket list, which I'm going through and adding to. Life is a collection of experiences; it's what you do with it that makes it worth living, so I'll always want to find new things to try and have a good time doing it, not to mention, choosing the right people to spend those times with. As I previously mentioned with music, I do a lot of things now just for enjoyment.

• When I see something that needs doing, I don't put it off; I'll do it there and then. For instance, if there is a lightbulb or battery in a clock that needs changing, I'll take the time to do it. Putting things off just adds to the list of things you need to do.

• Setting boundaries and saying no (this is a big one), whilst standing firm when pressed. 

• Not being bothered about comparisons, competitions or who is better than who, just because we're all at different stages of our lives and careers. There's something to be learned from everyone, especially if it's a realisation for yourself to practice patience. As such, I'm not as hard on myself as I used to be; I still have aspirations, but I won't achieve them at the expense of anyone else.   

• Donate more money and resources. For the past few years, I've taught classes for free or where my cut either goes back to the school or to charitable causes. I give as I go along, especially to causes that mean so much to others. This also includes helping with film productions, where I can. In terms of donating time, I take on a lot of action design work for my friends' passion projects as well as helping more behind the camera for charity events.

• Being more present! Whilst I get a lot of messages each day, which to be honest, I've always been good and timely at responding to; when I'm with others, I make sure to prioritise my time with them as opposed to getting caught up with messages, which I know I'll clear out at some point.  

• Reading more fiction. For years, I struggled with reading fiction. When I think, I don't have a voice that narrates the words. As such, I think quickly because I'm not thinking my thoughts at the rate in which I speak. As such, I naturally tend to read quickly, which has always been an asset when reading research papers and textbooks, but can be difficult to absorb and process emotions when reading fiction. These days, I try to slow down the rate in which I read just to enjoy it more. This has certainly become more relevant in my life as an actor when reading scripts.

• Not just visualising more, but embodying more of the attributes and traits my future self already has and resonate with the outcomes that I want to experience by being more of that person now. 

• Practicing more gratitude.

 

I'll update this as I go along!