I Wake Up at 5:05 a.m. Because Buddha Said No One’s Coming to Save Me
Fridge Philosophy: Turns out early mornings, sweat, and sore muscles are better for your heart, brain, and whatever soul you’re sculpting one rep at a time.
Note: Since 2018, I have placed these short quotes on our refrigerator at home to provide subtle hints for successful, thoughtful, and purposeful practices in hopes my teens would internalize them. Along the way, I found them helpful in my own life.
I look over. The digital clock on the bedside table reads 5:05 a.m. in bright red. At this point, there is no debate. I swing my legs over to the floor and stand, well, if standing is a process and not a direct action. Not wanting to disturb my spouse, I make my way to the bedroom door and then to the kitchen to grab a glass of water, pop some vitamins, and start a pot of coffee. This is my routine nearly every morning. I may wake up at 5:15 or 5:30, but never after 6 a.m.
After this, I diverge. I either go to the gym or write. I try to do three of each activity per week, but it’s always a tough choice. On the one hand, the opportunity to be creative sparks my neurons in various ways. Plus, I can sit or even lie on the couch and pull out my laptop. On the other hand, exercise is so important. The neurons are firing, but at a different level. Often, I use the time at the gym to listen to podcasts on writing, book marketing, creative process, self-improvement, or some corny celebrity interview.
Which would you choose?
Thankfully, I take some time on Sundays to review my weekly obligations and travel itinerary, and lay out a basic plan. Workout Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and possibly Saturday. Morning writing on Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, and maybe Saturday. In any case, I don’t compromise on either. I am committed to at least three days of both and if I can do both on the weekend, then I will.
Which brings us to this month’s Fridge Philosophy:
To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear. - Buddha
We can look at this quote in two ways. Do we want to take fitness advice from this guy?
Another way to think about it: Even the serene Buddha (who, yes, is often depicted as portly) knew the value of fitness. If he can preach wellness by sitting cross-legged for an eternity, I can throw some iron around for a few hours a week.
I joined a national fitness chain 28 years ago this week. At the time, I was living alone in a new town as a sportswriter, and I needed something to occupy my time. I also began to understand that my metabolism wouldn’t remain that of a colt for eternity. I spent $369 up front for three years, which was bold for someone who lived on four peanut butter and jelly sandwiches a day for months—but followed by $9 a month for life. That’s the kind of deal you tell your children when they talk about the new iPhone.
When I began going to the gym, it was a little about vanity. I didn’t want to have skinny arms and a pot belly. I was also quick to learn that late-night pizza and beer have their own agenda, and I've come to realize how taking care of my mind has helped me take care of my body.
Increasingly, studies are revealing the importance of holistic self-care—the idea of nurturing your mind and body as a unified entity.
Why? Well, we could go into alleged “Big Food” practices to make us addicted. And while I am suspicious, I won’t delve into conspiracy theories. But I think there is something to be said about blood flow, movement, and our senses. When we exercise or exert ourselves, blood flows through our hearts and to all our organs, including our brain. This is healthy. When we take a walk, and the environment around us stimulates us, our neurons fire. When we produce endorphins, we feel good about ourselves.
"Intentionally moving your body in more gentle ways throughout the day — like walking, stretching, taking the stairs, doing the dishes — can still add up in good ways for your mood. I think that's an encouraging message," Karmel Choi, a clinical and research fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. More evidence that exercise can boost mood - Harvard Health
As our lives increasingly become sedentary, intentional movement and exercise become more important. Whether it is a pause to walk around the block, or stretching in the hallway, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator, our bodies crave activity, and our minds need our bodies to be healthy.
Like anything in life, changing our lifestyle means taking the first step. We don’t have to be terribly bold with our first step. We don’t have to join the gym for three years. We can decide to look on YouTube for 30-minute exercise routines or take a walk around the block. Our bodies and our minds will thank us.
Side of Mustard
John Adams Rewatch
In honor American Independence Day, for the next eight weeks, I’m rewatching the 2008 HBO Miniseries on our second President John Adams, and his rise from humble Boston lawyer to a signee of the Declaration of Independence, to an envoy to Europe to gain French support, to the war years, the Vice Presidency, and the growing pains of a new nation.
This is a poignant time to rewatch this eight-part miniseries. As we grapple with the meaning of tyranny, freedom, and liberty, and the differences between rhetoric and integrity in modern America, we see the struggle of a new nation finding its way forward.
Episode 7: Peacefield (1803-1826)
In this series finale, we see John Adams’s life in retirement. Bitter from his political defeats, he returns to farm life with Abigail and his family. However, tragedy continues to befall the Adamses. His daughter dies of breast cancer, and his beloved Abigail succumbs to typhoid fever. He does get to see his son, John Quincy, become President of the United States, but is unable to attend the inauguration.
Adams also laments his legacy. While being shown the portrait signifying the signing of the Declaration of Independence, he is struck by the inaccuracies depicted (signing it took all summer), and realizes that only he and Thomas Jefferson know what happened that summer of 1776.
After years of silently feuding, Jefferson begin a correspondence that lasts the rest of their lives, until they both died within hours of each other on July 4, 2026 - 50 years after announcing the Declaration of Independence.
Final thoughts: In this tumultuous time in our American experiment, watching this miniseries revealed to me the struggles Adams faced during the country's birth. The issue of slavery is a shadow cast over that time. Unfortunately, the problem became political rather than moral, a compromise that haunts us to this day. I also see the bravery in starting a nation from scratch, defying the world’s superpower, and then following that up with creating a new system of government, a financial system that is still in use today, and the importance of the rule of law. Their idealism is remarkable and we’d be good to look back to those principles.
If you’re tasting the Salted Wetzel for the first time…
Welcome! My name is Vince Wetzel. I’m the author of two novels and write this weekly Substack, which includes fiction, fridge philosophies, interviews with other authors, and more. Enjoy, and be sure to subscribe to stay up to date.
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