As you see in the photo, I'm wearing special pressure gloves. I got these a few days ago and they've been helping immensely with my tendinitis – particularly for typing and writing by hand. (They unfortunately don't make it possible for me to hold a book in any of my favorite reading positions.)

Working on these Myers-Briggs charts yesterday was one of my first times really getting into a flow state for hours. For once, I could work uninterrupted by pain, obligations, distractions, doubt, self-consciousness, fear, or anything else. I was so happy I barely had any hunger or need for food (which only happens to me in flow states – even depression has trouble holding my hunger at bay).

In the past I thought the Myers-Briggs types were fairly simple representations of behavior preferences, but I'm now studying the theory behind it and present-day research on it. The cognitive functions concept comes from Carl Jung; and the eight cognitive functions are a major study of interest all by themselves.

Entire books have been written by dozens of people about the types, so in addition to the podcasts, videos and articles I’ve been consuming on the subject, I’ve started reading a couple books (which are showing on the right edge of the photograph). One from A.J. Drenth of Personality Junkie, and one from the duo of Personality Hacker. (Personality Hacker has an amazing, in-depth podcast for each of the sixteen types plus a lot more. They literally have hundreds of podcasts all about Myers-Briggs types. There is even an interview with a neuroscientist studying the correlation between brain activity and type which I listened to.)

What really hooked my interest and got me studying this subject is that certain types (INFJ and INFP for example) are almost exclusively highly sensitive people (HSPs). Being an HSP is a genetic thing that occurs in 20% of our population (and also 20% of the population of over two-hundred species that science knows of thus far, such as fruit flies and horses). This means there is at least a loose link with genetics and personality types, but there may even be a stronger correlation, which is a fascinating notion.

A few months ago I wrote about this subject (being an HSP) as it pertains to my type (INFJ) in a long-form article on my website.

I thought you all might enjoy seeing my work-station and its quirky mix of organization and randomness (and how it is on my bed in this case – I move about a lot).

In other news, I've found this foam roller device particularly helpful to my overall back health. Using it on a daily basis seems to have nearly the same benefit (for me) as going to a chiropractor weekly.

Other practices that have been helping my ongoing issues with my knees, lower back and hands have included ice treatments and recording guided meditations for you guys. 

Ice Treatment

The ice-treatment involves filling up a five gallon bucket with cold water and adding ice packs. Then you dip your arms. I've found this best if I start with my elbow and don't actually put my hands themselves into the ice water – just my wrists. You dip each arm for about ten seconds, dry off, warm up, and then repeat in ten minutes or so.

This treatment is something I found for tendinitis, but I've heard it is also helpful for circulatory issues, arthritis, cleansing your lymph system, and more. My personal experience with it has been overwhelmingly positive. I've been alternating dipping my arms with playing StepMania so that I stay so hot (from hopping around on the game pad) that the ice-water literally feels like a tremendous relief.

What about you? What treatments, rituals or therapies have been helping you in your life?