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I'm an 80s baby, which means I was around for the invention of the Konami Code. Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start. If you know, you know. If you don't, that's the most famous cheat code in video game history, and it gave you extra lives in Contra, which you absolutely needed because Contra was impossibly hard. So is one stinkin’ level on Super Mario Bros. Wonder that I just can’t get passed.

Anyway, the code became so iconic that The Moldy Peaches (excellent band name, by the way) even put it in a song: "Up up down down left right left right B A start / Just because we use cheats doesn't mean we're not smart."

They're right. Using a cheat code doesn't make you less smart. If anything, it makes you smarter because, really, you're just using available tools to make things easier or more fun.

And is it really even cheating if the code is built into the game and accessible to everyone? If the developers left it there for anyone to use, it's not cheating. It's just... a shortcut that's available to everyone who knows about it.

The cool thing is that there are cheat codes in life too. Small practices that give you an unfair advantage, except they're not actually unfair because everyone has access to them. They're just simple things most people don't think to do because they seem too basic or too obvious to matter.

But they do matter. A lot, actually.

These aren't shortcuts that make life easier or let you skip the hard parts. They're more like... enhancements. Small intentional moments throughout your day that make everything feel a little better, a little more manageable, a little more enjoyable. They don't eliminate the challenges. They just make you better equipped to handle them.

The best part is that they're accessible to everyone. You don't need special equipment or training or money or talent. You just need to know about them and actually do them.

So here are seven cheat codes for life. Simple mindfulness practices that give you an advantage not because they're secret or exclusive, but because they work and most people don't use them.

Think of this as me sharing the Konami Code with you, except instead of extra lives in a video game, you get a slightly better experience of your actual life.

Let's roll.

These are small, intentional practices that compound into a better day. You don't have to do all of them. Even one or two will make a difference.

Cheat Code 1: Actually feel getting into bed

When you get into bed at night, take a few minutes to notice it. Feel the softness of the sheets on your skin. Notice the comfort of the pillow under your head. Let yourself actually experience the relief of lying down after a long day instead of just collapsing into unconsciousness.

Research shows that going to bed early (and mindfully) can help fight depression. But even without clinical benefits, there's something restorative about acknowledging the transition from "doing" to "resting" instead of just powering down like a phone.

Most of us treat bedtime like the end of a to-do list instead of a genuine moment of comfort. Taking thirty seconds to actually feel it changes that.

Cheat Code 2: Wake up without immediately grabbing your phone

When you wake up in the morning, take a few minutes to just be awake. Feel the warmth of your body. Notice you're alive and breathing. Listen to whatever sounds are around you… birds, traffic, your partner snoring, whatever.

Before you check your email or scroll social media or jump into the day's demands, just exist for a minute. Let your brain wake up gradually instead of shocking it with information and decisions.

Studies show that how you start your morning sets the tone for your entire day. Starting with presence instead of reactivity gives you a better foundation. Plus, the emails can wait. They're not going anywhere.

If you want to maximize waking up, here’s a previous newsletter you can check out: Unroll yourself before you scroll yourself.

Cheat Code 3: Eat breakfast without screens

When you eat your first meal of the day, actually taste it. Don't check emails or scroll your phone or watch TV. Just eat. Experience the food. Notice the flavors, textures, temperature.

Studies show that mindful eating leads to better digestion, more satisfaction from food, and healthier eating patterns overall. But even if you're just eating cereal, eating it while actually paying attention makes it more enjoyable than eating it while distracted.

You're going to eat anyway. Might as well actually experience it.

Cheat Code 4: Be present with the first person you talk to

When you encounter the first person of your day (your partner, your kid, a coworker, the barista) be fully there for that interaction. Look at them. Listen to what they're saying. Respond like you actually care about the conversation instead of thinking about seventeen other things.

Research shows that quality of social connections matters more than quantity, and presence is what makes connections feel real. When someone feels like you're actually listening to them instead of just waiting for your turn to talk, the interaction becomes meaningful instead of transactional.

This doesn't mean every conversation has to be deep. It just means being there for it.

Cheat Code 5: Notice something beautiful or interesting during your day

At some point during your day, pause and actually notice something. The sky. Your coffee. The way light comes through a window. A tree. Literally anything.

Just take ten seconds to observe something with full attention instead of rushing past everything on autopilot. Let your senses actually register something that's not on your to-do list.

Studies show that moments of awareness throughout the day reduce stress and increase overall life satisfaction. Your brain needs breaks from constant doing, and noticing something beautiful gives it that break.

It doesn't have to be profound. It just has to be noticed.

Cheat Code 6: Say something kind to someone

At some point today, say something genuinely kind to another person. Not polite. Not transactional. Actually kind.

Tell someone you appreciate them. Compliment something specific. Thank someone sincerely. Say something that makes another human feel seen and valued.

Research consistently shows that acts of kindness boost your own mood as much as the recipient's. When you make someone else feel good, you feel good. It's one of the few things in life that genuinely works both ways.

And it costs you nothing except paying attention long enough to notice something worth appreciating.

Cheat Code 7: End your day with gratitude

Before you go to sleep, think of one thing you're grateful for from today. Not a big profound thing necessarily. Just something that was good.

Your coffee was good. Your kid made you laugh. You had a decent conversation. The sun was out. You finished something at work. Literally anything that wasn't terrible.

Studies show that gratitude practices improve sleep quality, reduce anxiety, and increase overall wellbeing. But even without the research backing it, ending your day by acknowledging something good instead of replaying everything that went wrong changes how you feel about your life.

You don't have to journal it or make it formal. Just notice one good thing before you fall asleep.

Why these work

These cheat codes work because they interrupt autopilot mode. Most of us spend our days on automatic, moving from task to task without actually experiencing any of it. We're mentally time-traveling (past regrets, future worries) instead of being present for the life that's actually happening.

These small moments of intentional awareness bring you back to now. And "now" is the only place where life actually happens. Everything else is just thinking about life instead of living it.

Research on mindfulness shows that even brief moments of present-moment awareness throughout the day reduce stress, improve mood, and increase life satisfaction. You don't need to meditate for an hour or become a zen master. You just need to be here for a few moments instead of constantly being somewhere else in your head.

This week, don't try to do all seven cheat codes. Just pick one or two that seem doable and try those.

Here's how:

1. Pick a couple cheat codes that appeal to you.

Look through the list. Which ones seem most accessible or interesting? Which ones fit naturally into your existing routine?

Maybe you're already eating breakfast, so mindful eating is an easy add. Maybe you take a shower every day anyway, so being present during it doesn't require adding anything new to your schedule.

Start where it's easiest. Don't make this harder than it needs to be.

2. Try them for one week.

Commit to your chosen cheat codes for seven days. Not perfectly. Not every single time. Just when you remember.

If you choose "eat breakfast mindfully" and you manage to do it three times this week, that's three more times than you were doing it before. That's progress.

3. Notice the difference.

Pay attention to how you feel when you use the cheat codes versus when you don't. Do mornings feel different when you don't immediately grab your phone? Does food taste better when you're actually paying attention to it? Do you feel more connected when you're present with someone?

You're not looking for dramatic transformation. You're looking for small improvements. Slightly better. A little more pleasant. Marginally more enjoyable.

That's what these do. They make regular moments slightly better, which compounds into a better day, which compounds into a better life.

4. Add more if you want, or stick with what works.

If your 1-2 cheat codes become habits and you want to add more, go ahead. If 1-2 is enough and you just want to keep doing those, that's fine too.

The goal isn't to do all seven, but rather to have a few small practices that bring you back to the present moment instead of living entirely in your head.

5. Remember: these are accessible to everyone.

These aren't secret techniques that only work for certain people. They're simple practices that work because they're simple. Anyone can notice their sheets feel soft. Anyone can taste their breakfast. Anyone can say something kind.

If it feels too simple to matter, that's the point. The best cheat codes are the ones that seem obvious once you know about them.

Permission slip for the week:

You don't have to become a mindfulness expert or meditate for hours. You just have to be present for a few small moments throughout your day. That's enough to make a difference.

Reflection questions:

Which cheat codes are you trying? What do you notice when you use them?

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If this made you realize you've been living on autopilot and want to try a few cheat codes to actually be present for your life, share this with someone who could also use the Konami Code for real life.

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That's Volume 049.

Here's to life's cheat codes, being present for small moments instead of lost in mental noise, and remembering that if it's accessible to everyone and actually works, it's not cheating.

Until next time: breathe deep, notice something, and chill the duck out.

Jason

Research from the University of Colorado Boulder shows going to bed early can help fight depression. Studies demonstrate that morning routines set the tone for the entire day, with mindful starts leading to better outcomes. Research shows alternating hot and cold water in showers can reduce sick days and boost immune function. Studies on mindful eating show it leads to better digestion, more satisfaction, and healthier patterns. Research consistently demonstrates that quality of social connections matters more than quantity, with presence making interactions meaningful. Studies show moments of awareness throughout the day reduce stress and increase life satisfaction. Research on acts of kindness demonstrates mood benefits for both giver and recipient. Studies show gratitude practices improve sleep quality, reduce anxiety, and increase wellbeing. Research on mindfulness shows even brief moments of present-moment awareness reduce stress and improve mood.