Dabbl

              Many of my favorite activities are doing things that make me feel primal. Activities like sports, Martial Arts, exercise, cooking, hiking, dancing, sex and so on. All of these activities are similar in the sense that it puts you in touch with the present moment. There is no need for phones or other screens during these activities. And that’s where the beauty lies.

              Doing things that make you feel primal can have an extraordinary effect on your well-being. For one, you physical state will most likely improve. Since being primal takes away the reliance of technology, most of the work that needs to be done is with your own body. In other words, it requires you to move and use some muscle.

              The other extraordinary effect of getting back to primal can have is on your mental health. This may be the biggest benefit to come from this concept. Putting the distractions away is the key to this being such a powerful concept. Distractions will only set you back and limit your brains activity. To increase this brain activity and create stimulation from within, try putting away any screens and do something new and active in silence. It may seem boring at first, but that’s because your brain is so accustomed to receiving stimulation from elsewhere. It may take a moment for your brain to kick in with its own stimulation. And when it does, it feels like all the stress in the world melts away. You are able to look at life from a step back and prioritize the things most important to you.

              The most recent example I can give you of when I felt the benefit of being primal is after a recent Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class. There’s no doubt that trying to choke out another man makes you feel primal. There is something about letting your stress out physically in a safe and ego-less environment that will pump your body full of endorphins. I’ve had some very euphoric moments in BJJ and that’s the point. You get to that position by putting away distractions and getting back to the things that make you feel primal. After I tapped out one of my classmates that I’ve been struggling with for a long time, I felt like I had enough energy to run a marathon afterwards. And I’m sure this is feeling is the same across any martial arts.

              When in doubt I think to myself, “Do as a caveman would.” Whenever I’m in a lull or dull point in the week, I force myself to do something primal. Technology has brought us many great things. However, it hasn’t been good to many of our mental states. The constant feed of stimulation puts our brains on autopilot and farther from an original creative state. Whenever I feel a dip in my mental health, I always stop and put all the screens away and go outside. By doing so, I immediately feel a difference in my stress levels and the clarity of my thoughts. It only takes about 30 minutes or so for your brain to reset. And that reset is crucial to us staying mentally aware and in the present.

              I highly recommend everyone to try this concept out of doing things that make you feel primal. I’ve seen a huge benefit from this in my physical state and even more so in my mental state. Doing primal activities will reset your mind and get your to look at the present with more clarity and less stress. Doing so will melt away the stresses pulling you down and you’ll have a sense of accomplishment afterwards. Get out there and be primal!