Good morning. It’s Friday, January 6th. 100 issues!!! In the words of Tampa native Dick Vitale "Are you Serious??" Thanks to all of you for following along for our first 100 newsletters - much more to come!

Seems appropriate that today we're focusing on:

• From the Lab: Our Brain is Still Getting Better

• Take Action: How to Keep Learning

• Inspiration: Something New - 365x

• Friday Flex: 5 Minute Abs

• Brain Games: Draw Your Neighborhood

The number of thoughts our brain creates every single day (Credit: Cleveland Clinic)

From The Lab

Contrary to popular belief, our brain doesn’t inevitably deteriorate as we get older.

Some functions - like semantic memory - actually get better with age!*

Intelligence isn’t fixed - I can still learn to code or speak Spanish! Neuroplasticity means our brain is always changing. Learning something new (at any age) creates new synaptic connections (i.e. we get smarter). Trust me - you have genius in you. (Issue #50)

We just need the right motivation (Issue #53):

Motivation = Purpose x Energy x Simple Small Steps

But 2 things get in our way - distractions and fear.

Take Action

1. Limiting beliefs suck - we need a positive mindset to maximize a healthy lifespan. Give a name to your inner critic - this separates it from being “you” and you won’t listen to it as much (Issue #50)

2. Don’t be afraid of failure/looking dumb when learning something new - have patience, stay positive, adapt, start small (Issue #51)

3. Go Back to School - ask questions, take notes, and use repetition (Issue #51)

4. Get Rid of Distractions - Schedule 30 min of “White Time” (no tech) AND schedule “Distraction Time” so you’ve got it and it doesn’t get in your way when you need to focus (Issue #52)

5. Use the FASTER Way to Learn (Issue #54)

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

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Inspiration

Talk about growth - Jess Mell suffered from anxiety and depression during the pandemic and decided to do something new everyday for the first 100 days in 2022.

Well turns out - she completed 365 "firsts" last year. She sweated out her first hot yoga class, learned how to pick a lock, tried out beekeeping, and took a hand at curling (see full list).

She's the happiest she's been in over 10 years and has changed her mindset from "I could try that" to "why don't I".

Go after it and keep track of what you do - you might surprise yourself of all your new experiences without realizing it.

Friday Flex

Get in a good stretch after probably overdoing the workouts in this first week of the year, but then finish with a weighted plank challenge. If you want, track your time HERE and then see how you do later in 2023.

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Workout and video courtesy of Connor J. Obrochta. Check out all of Connor's workouts at Playbook!

Brain Games

#1: 2-min Break

What is the number of the parking spot with the car?

Why: Expand your logic and problem solving skills.

#2: 10+ min of Focus - Know Your Neighborhood

Draw a map of your neighborhood from memory - including street names, landmarks, stores, homes of people you know. Prove just how well you pay attention to where you live and get creative with some drawing. 🖊️

Why: This activity triggers parts of your brain you may not use in your daily tasks to keep your mind sharp.

Credit: verywellmind.com

**For the answer, scroll to the bottom of the issue

Thrive25 Referral Program

Do us the favor - tell your friends about Thrive25! Earn Thrive25 swag and other rewards from our Sponsors via our referral program:

We'll see you next week! But until then...in honor of Dan Reynolds this week and the fact their songs still make me run just a bit faster - here's to a little workout jam to head into a great weekend:

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** Brain Games Answer **

#1: The numbers are upside down - the spot with the parked car is 87.

#2: I don't know what your neighborhood looks like, but would love to see what you draw!

Why Thrive25

We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 3-5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.

This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].

To health!