HALT on Hump Day 3/27
A newsletter about managing life, not fixing it.
HUNGRY
Myth: Searing meat seals in the flavor. That’s not true. In fact, I do exactly the opposite and make steaks so good that they ruined steakhouses for me. Reverse sear.
I like using my Traeger, but you just need indirect heat the the initial cook. Use anything you have or like. I’ve had delightful results out of an oven, for example.
Here’s what I do:
Season steaks on both sides with JUST SALT and let it sit for 30 min while the grill warms up.
Preheat Traeger to 225
Grill for 20 min per side (adjust for thickness)
Prepare Miso Butter*
Bring steaks inside
Cast Iron on high until it smokes
Sear each side for ~60 sec
Remove from heat to a cutting board. Let sit for 30 sec.
Flip and season with your favorite mix. I love Pike’s Peak Butcher’s Rub
Now flip again and season the other side.
Serve steak
Slather with Miso butter and enjoy
I like a roasted veggie mix on the side. Carrots, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and asparagus.
*Be careful. Introducing miso butter into your life will change it. I like a 60/40 split between master miso mellow white miso for this. My wife likes to add finely chopped chives as well. Oh, and here’s how you know Miso Master is legit: They don’t have a website. Just Instagram or Facebook.
ANGRY
This week’s journal prompt is for Mondays, when I like to reflect on affirmations. It’s a great way to start the week. Be your own hype man (or woman). Check out my 7 day journal cycle for a deeper dive on the approach.
The prompt:
What does your positive self-talk sound like?
I like this prompt because we basically believe anything that we tell ourselves over and over again. Our inner voice is the best salesperson we know, and that can be dangerous. Or it can be a superpower. This helps us turn that voice into an ally.
Also, negative self-talk gets all the glory. Mental health advocates talk about it all the time, and for good reason. We should pay attention to our negative self talk so we can fight it, but highlighting our positive self talk helps us recognize it in real time. Often, mindfulness starts with reflection.
As always, follow these steps for writing in your journal:
Sit alone without distractions
Write continuously for 15-20 min. Don’t stop for spelling mistakes, grammar, punctuation, or anything else. It’s not about readability. It’s about transforming thoughts into language.
You can type, write with pen & paper, or dictate into a recorder.
Dig deep.
Keep it confidential. You can delete it or burn it afterwards if you like, but this is just for you.
LONELY
I played Monikers with a group of friends this weekend, and it rules. It’s easy to learn and to teach, so you don’t have to worry about spending hours going back to the rule book. It’s a party game that will have everyone laughing for an hour.
The game has three rounds, and the goal of each round is the same: guess the words on the card. The interesting thing is that you use the same set of cards for each round.
Here’s how they go:
Round 1: Pretty much anything goes. Each card has a description on it, and you can just read that if you don’t recognize the word. This happens frequently. I wasn’t aware of the fetal pig with a human face, for example. Don’t google that…or do, but be prepared to see weird images of a fetal pig with a human face.
Round 2: Now you only get 1 word. No hand gestures. No sounds. No bullshit. Just one word. Now things start to get fun.
Round 3: It’s charades. No sounds allowed. Just act it out.
The rules pit two teams against each other, but I encourage a group of 4-5 to play on one team. It’s just as fun.
TIRED
I lost my first 40 lbs without breaking a sweat. Recovering from my cancer surgery meant that I couldn’t lift or run or do much else, frankly. I started walking. Slowly at first, but I started walking for about 20 minutes. I felt like a 70-year-old in my 30s. But guess what? I loved it.
I noticed the benefits to my mind the most in the early days. My mood improved, as did my sleep. I came up with great ideas, and I got to take in the sunrise every morning. Sunsets get all the glory, but only because people sleep through sunrises.
If you’re not a gym person or a runner, I understand. Running sucks. Try taking a walk.
Thanks for spending a few minutes with me. I’ll be back next week with another HALT on Hump Day next Wednesday.