Upwarding by Chris Kawaja #88: Default choices, Sea otters, Jaywalking, and more.

Picture

Sea otters have six times more hair in one square inch (900,000) as humans have on their entire head (150,000).  Their hair acts as insulation against cold water.

Health/Wellness

A remarkably accurate predictor of how quickly you are aging is how long you can stand on one leg.  This ability falls off much more rapidly than strength, speed, and more.

Money

Default actions are underrated – setting up automated investing plans.  Here’s one I use: whenever I sign up for a monthly digital subscription (app, media), I immediately cancel it.  You’ll get to use it for a month, and the default is that the payment goes away.

Random

A great example of the power of reframing: “jaywalking” was a term essentially made up and promoted by the car industry in the 1920s to shift the blame for a growing number of people getting killed by cars.

“Jay” used to be slang for an unsophisticated person – but the people were just walking where they had always walked.  I have an unproven hypothesis that The Great Gatsby– a story about an automobile accident blamed on a guy named “Jay” – is at least partly related to this.  Am I crazy?

Reflection/Quote

“What you are not changing you are choosing.” –Laurie Buchanan

Upwarding is a weekly newsletter that inspires and empowers personal growth. Combining practical advice and contemplative musings, it provides a unique blend of self-improvement content for those looking to elevate their life.