Good morning. It’s Tuesday, October 8th.

In today’s email:

• Learn: Your Brain vs. Your Body

• Try: Storybuilding

• Think: Always Be Giving

• Laugh: The Lonely Island

• In the News: Apple Cider Vinegar

Stat of the Day

Number of connect thoughts (“thought worms”) we have in a day. Up to 80% of these can be negative - even for someone not depressed or overly anxious. It’s up to us to change those stories. (Queen’s University)

Learn

The Stories We Tell Ourselves

Why do we quit?

I was running the other day and didn’t feel myself. It wasn’t hotter than usual (actually finally a little cooler). I got great sleep the night before and my stress seemed average.

Regardless of the why - just a tough run.

At about mile 3 I thought I was going to stop and start walking. But then I started thinking - is it my body holding me back or my brain?

There’s been a lot of research on this since Alex Hutchinson wrote the book Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance.

While we all have physical limits to what our lungs and muscles can manage - most of us never come close to those limits.

There are two theories of what our brain is doing:

1. It’s protecting us - sensing that we might be in danger in the future if we keep going at this pace.

2. It’s not letting us go beyond the pain tolerance we’ve set for ourselves - “This is harder than I’m willing to work.”

But we can change our thoughts - our internal dialogue - and find ways to dig deeper.

On that specific run, I thought “what would I do if running the entire 4 miles guaranteed that Thrive25 would be a successful business?”

Of course this is insane - but we make up stories in our head all the time.

We ruminate. We play what-if. We think we know how the future will turn out.

So what if that’s the story I told myself?

I’m not going to say that all of sudden I was running a 7 min/mile pace. But the thought of walking was no longer an option. I had to keep going and finish my run - which I did.

We know - intuitively - that our brain is our command center. But this is true in every situation - including when it determines our physical capability.

Tough Times

With another hurricane looming in the Gulf of Mexico - the next few days (maybe weeks) are going to be tough. There’s no doubt that many people are going to suffer through loss of power, access to food/water, and entire homes.

But like any other challenging time - how we respond (not react) is based on the stories our brains tell us.

Our first impression of a situation will bias the stories we continue to tell ourselves. So if you go into a hurricane thinking the worst - it’s difficult to get out of that spiral.

The key is to stop and pause.

Change the narrative from one of fear and panic - which only raises our cortisol and leads to bad decisions - to one of abundance and action.

The more we focus on what we can control, and make the best decisions based on the information available to us, the more we can live with the outcome.

Life’s not fair - it’s both hard and fragile.

But it’s also in our head. And telling ourselves a different story pushes us to be stronger in any situation.

Thinking of everyone in FL and NC dealing with Helene and now Milton.* 🙏

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need any support - we’ve got a strong community at Thrive25 and are here to help!!

*Why the names? See the history going from the Greek alphabet to names of bosses an Australian weatherman didn’t like to female names to what we have today

Try

Come Up With a Story

The next time you’re working out - tell yourself a story.

How might that one workout change your life? What crazy thing could change if you’re able to make it the best workout ever?

Just see what happens - if you can change your brain during a workout, you can do it all the time.

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

Need a brain boost mid-day? Try a little color.

Research shows that certain colors can evoke specific emotional responses and enhance concentration. Warm colors like red and orange can boost energy and creativity, while cool colors like blue and green promote calm and focus.

The next time you're looking to elevate your mood or enhance your productivity, consider the power of color in your environment. It's simple, yet effective.

Try the free breathing.ai browser extension to bring this powerful wellness hack right to your screen.

And if you'd like to bring it to your workplace, simply reply to this email and let us know where our partners at breathing.ai can reach you.

Think

Always Be Giving

How about this for someone who puts others first?

I recently got an email from a classmate I hadn’t really kept in touch with over the last 15 years. He lives 500 miles away and offered my family a place to stay during the upcoming hurricane.

The crazy part is he’s been without power for over two weeks since Helene. In the midst of his own challenges, he was already thinking about helping someone else - someone outside his immediate circle of friends and family.

Imagine that - you’ve got young kids, you’re dealing with no power for weeks, and before the lights even come back on, you’re opening your doors to others.

How does a person like that not live a fulfilling life? How is he not overflowing with a full bucket based on how much he puts others first?

When we think about who we can help - we often think of our closest friends and family, or a generic volunteer opportunity.

But I’d challenge you to consider that there are more people in your life than you might think, who might need a helping hand, open ear, or even an empty room.

Laugh

The Lonely Island…

Max didn’t have much hope for this podcast - other than Seth Meyers and the boys being funny - but the show really works. Each episode they discuss a short from each episode of SNL 2005-2012. Beyond the shorts, you get a cool view into the sausage-making of an iconic show, plus interesting drop-ins from previous cast members. Looking for some entertainment, check this show out on YouTube (audio only) or wherever you get your podcasts.

From the criterion collection…

H&L in the News

Apple Cider Vinegar: Hype or Help?: Apple cider vinegar is touted for weight loss, blood sugar control, and more on social media, but research shows mixed results. While some benefits exist, experts advise caution and recommend moderation. (NYTimes)

Plunge into Wellness Anywhere: Plunge and Swimply (think AirBNB for pools) team up to bring cold plunge and sauna therapy to backyards nationwide, enhancing wellness access through exclusive discounts, pop-up events, and new amenities for Swimply users. (Fitt Insider)

What’s that Smell?: Scientists are unraveling the mysteries of how we detect and interpret odors. Discover how genes, neurons, and receptors help us identify scents - like bananas - while exploring the future of olfactory research. (Knowable)

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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 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!