This Week’s Quote:

“Don’t count the days, make the days count.” — Muhammad Ali

Physical Wellness

“You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” – James Clear

When it comes to physical health, we often focus on willpower or a grind mentality. We tell ourselves we’ll work out more, eat cleaner, or get more sleep. But the truth is, our environment shapes our habits far more than our motivation.

Think about it:

• A dark, cool, phone-free bedroom sets you up for deeper sleep and real recovery.
• A kettlebell by your desk or shoes by the door makes moving your body the default.
• A fridge stocked with nutrient-rich options and a pantry free of junk food determines what you actually eat.

These aren’t monumental changes. They’re small, intentional shifts in how we design our spaces and systems. And over time, those systems compound.

At 9:03, we believe physical wellness isn’t about perfection. It’s about creating environments where the healthy choice is the easy choice.

So the question this week: What system can you put in place today that your future self will thank you for?

Mental Wellness

I keep coming back to the work of Dr. Edith Eger. I’ve mentioned her books before, The Choice and The Gift, but I honestly can’t recommend them enough. I’m currently rereading The Gift, as I’ve reread The Choice a few times, and every time I find something new.

Dr. Eger’s life story is one of the most powerful I’ve ever read. A Holocaust survivor, she doesn’t just write about resilience and healing…she has lived it. What strikes me most is her insistence that no matter what happens to us, we always have a choice. How we show up. How we react. What we do with our story.

A few of her lessons that continue to live in my head.

• “We cannot choose to vanish the dark, but we can choose to light the candle.”
  A reminder that life will always hold challenges, but we are never powerless in how we respond.
• “Suffering is universal. But victimhood is optional.” (The Choice)
  We can’t avoid pain, but we can choose not to let it define us.
• “No one rejects you but you.” (The Gift)
  So much of vulnerability is fear of rejection, when in reality, we’re often the ones shutting ourselves off.

Her books are not just theory or academic. They are a narrative and a guide for living with more clarity, resilience, and purpose. And they remind us that mental wellness isn’t about eliminating hardship, but about choosing how we move through it.

Financial Wellness

We talk a lot about money as a resource. But in truth, time is our most valuable currency.

How often do you hear yourself saying: “I don’t have time. I can’t squeeze it in. I’m too busy.”

But like anything else…finances, training, wellness…the solution starts with doing the work. Review and reflect. Analyze the data.

There are 168 hours in a week. That’s the budget. The question isn’t whether you have time. It’s whether you’re spending it on what matters most.

One of the first exercises we do in our coaching program is a time audit. Break down where the hours are actually going. Sleep. Work. Family. Screens. Fitness. Chores.

It’s eye-opening. And once you see it, you can reallocate. Or at least ask why am I spending my time there. Just like you would with money.

So if you’re struggling to find the time…start by doing the work. Track it. Review it. Reinvest it. Because until you know where your hours go, you can’t spend them with intention.

• Where did my hours really go this week? (Work, family, sleep, screens, exercise, etc.)
• Which activities truly align with my core values? Which are just wasting my currency?
• If I could reallocate 5 hours next week, where would I invest them for the greatest return?

Spiritual Wellness

Memento Mori= “Remember that you must die.”

It sounds harsh at first. But in truth, it’s one of the most powerful reminders we have.

The Stoics carried it with them not to dwell on death, but to live more fully. To remind themselves that tomorrow is not guaranteed, so today must be lived with clarity, intention, and meaning.

For me, Memento Mori isn’t about fear, it’s about perspective. It’s the check-in that asks:

• If life is finite, what am I doing with the time I have?
• Am I spending it on what matters most?
• Am I putting things off for “someday” that may never come?

That’s why I keep a few visual reminders close. A pendant I wear, a chart on my wall that tracks my life in weeks. They’re not morbid. They’re grounding. They nudge me to choose presence over distraction, connection over busyness, experiences over things.

Marcus Aurelius put it best: “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do, say, and think.”

Memento Mori is not about endings. It’s about beginnings. It’s about remembering that the real currency we hold isn’t money, titles, or possessions. It’s time and how we choose to spend it.

Here’s to Living Richly,
The Journey Team & The 9:03