Catalyst 5

It’s the difference between revenue and expenses. The more margin, the more choices. The role of margin in our lives is equally powerful. I’ve (Brad) been feeling overwhelmed the past month, feeling like there just isn’t enough time to get to everything on the plate that had previously fit. What is wrong with me?!? Then it hit me: Margin! I had traded my historical (time) margin to participate in a series of work-related weekend events 3 times in the past month. These were all great opportunities but they came in exchange for my available margin. I wasn’t “doing” anything differently – I’d simply drained the available margin and was paying the price, similar to paying a high interest on a credit card because my savings are drained. That realization shifted my perspective from “what’s wrong with me?” to “Ahh yes – time to pay off that credit card and get back that margin.” Eliminating debt is an important step in life, but we’re not just talking about financial debt.

Conflict is all around us, highlighted by the upcoming mid-term elections but seen everywhere, from families to neighborhoods and even marriages. NY Times best-selling author Amanda Ripley joined us on the latest episode (#242) of the Health, Wellness & Performance Catalyst podcast to share her incredible insights about conflict and what we can do about it in our lives. Avail via any podcast app or directly here.

Feeling tired but don’t want to lean on caffeine or have time for a full nap? Yoga Nidra has been highlighted by a number of leading experts (including recent Huberman Lab out of Stanford). Here is a 10 min version we found but there are plenty of options available. Sidenote – I just tried this one today after a rougher than usual night of sleep and was surprised by how refreshed I felt after the 10 min session.

Old-school marriage counseling focused on eliminating negative elements that were causing divorce and unhappiness. Then the realization hit: why are we focused on what “not” to do instead of aiming for what to DO?!? That soon resulted in a shift to doing exactly that – pulling lessons about what was working. Suzanna & Brad celebrated 30 years of (not always smooth-sailing) marriage last week and thought it was a good time to share some of the lessons they’ve learned over that time. You can tap into it here.

Looking to move forward to becoming an expert in something new? Kudos! But where do you start and what can you expect along the way? This recent “Insight” article from the world class Kellogg School of Management provides you with a running start.

I’m often discouraged (entertained?) by the dichotomy my (Brad) life often represents to the outside world. I’m “supposed” to be the health & wellness guy, modeling #BetterThanYesterday for team members, organizational partners, Catalyst Community members and others. Yet I repeatedly stumble in basic areas. Just today, I fell short on my sleep, skipped my morning ride in favor of work, and generally made my way through the day feeling overwhelmed. Why tell you this? Because that’s life. We all have our “stuff.” We all struggle. Remember to give yourself – and those around you – a little extra grace today. We could all use it more often than we might realize.

Marriage is a journey of ups & downs, twists & turns… at least it has been for us (Suzanna & Brad). With that in mind, the latest episode of the Health, Wellness & Performance Catalyst podcast lays out lessons learned from 30 years of marriage (we celebrate the milestone this month). We hope you enjoy this special episode and find a nugget or two that makes a positive difference for you or someone you know.

Having trouble sleeping but aren’t sure where to turn? This new article on the Sleep Advice No One Tells You might fill in some of the gaps toward better nights (and the ensuing days). You may also enjoy these interviews with sleep physician Dr. Chris Winter (episode #192) or sleep researcher Dr. Josie Broussard (episode #219).

Experiencing a sense of AWE (yes, as in AWEsome!) can reduce stress & inflammation and improve our mental health and overall quality of life. Why? We’re glad you asked, as this recent article dives into the research and realities of our sense of awe and the role it can play throughout the lifespan.

The inclusion of movement into our daily lives pays extensive benefits throughout our lifespan. But what if we spend the first several decades of our lives going from our office desk to our car to our couch… rinse and repeat? Well, the latest data continues to support the value of movement at any age, EVEN IF we don’t get started until our 5th decade or later. This article discusses how doing so extends our lifespan.

What are you thinking about right now? What may feel like an odd question may actually be the key to a more effective & meaningful life. How often do we (at least I – Brad) find ourselves doing one thing, but in our heads, we’re doing something completely different?!? Maybe it’s problem solving when supposedly sleeping… thinking about tomorrow’s plans when in the middle of a conversation… or any number of other “multi-tasks” that only deplete our gift of the current moment. “Am I present?” may just be the most important question we can ask ourselves, regardless of the setting.

How does our connection with others benefit our physical, mental and emotional well-being (yes, that includes us, my fellow introverts)? This infographic and Ted talk from Stanford University provides a straightforward overview worth sharing.

When it comes to anxiety and stress, there is growing evidence supporting the value of water. Nope – we’re not encouraging you to drink another 80 oz/day. This water benefit comes from being around water. The studies go beyond the (seemingly obvious) benefits of a gentle stream or calming ocean waves and point to benefits of various bodies of water, small and large. You can access the WSJ article here for details.

The power of time in nature is garnering more and more attention. From increased focus for work or school to mental health, hormonal balance, vitamin D levels and more, the benefits seem (?) overwhelming. However, does the research back up the claims? Dr. Jay Maddock is among the world’s leading researchers in this area and he joined us on latest episode of Health, Wellness & Performance Catalyst podcast! Avail via your fav podcast app or directly here.

While not our traditional “move” focus on studies/insights about healthy movement, we thought many who have moved geographically might find this website of interest/value. It identifies your home’s primary risk factors and you can access it here.

What story are you telling yourself about the life you’re living? The story we choose to tell ourselves (about ourselves) determines in so many ways the life we live. It’s a decision we make on a daily basis, and this classic 5 Minute Catalyst from waaaaay back on episode #113 of the Health, Wellness & Performance Catalyst reminds us how we can reframe that story to live life more fully each day. If you enjoy these short episodes, you can access them all here.

It appears your friendly, neighborhood therapist who’s provided a valuable connection over the years may be a buyout target. As the importance and value of skilled therapy and credible coaching expand, investors see opportunity. That’s not inherently a negative, but it is important to consider as you potentially look for a therapist or choose a credible coaching approach now or into the future.

Watching an artist at work provides an inspiring break from the day, and when that artist is able to also mix in some humor, the benefits are expanded further. Here is a video showing the card trick world champion do his thing (w/ a nice sense of humor).

Have you struggled when depending on “willpower” to make positive choices regarding food? If so, you’re (absolutely) not alone. There are ways to enhance your willpower but the alternative is to create default choices. Shane over at Farnam Street provides a nice example about the benefits of creating “rules” for such choices.

For many of us, pain can become a primary limiter of movement. But are there ways to reduce the negative influences of pain in our lives? In this fascinating discussion with one of the world’s leading experts in the area of pain neuroscience education (PNE), Dr. Adriaan Louw, we discuss perspectives and strategies to shift the dominant influence pain often takes so we can get back to living! It’s avail via your fav podcast app (search Health, Wellness & Performance Catalyst) or directly here.

Adam Grant’s book Think Again could be our book of the year (and it’s only February!). One memorable bite-sized nugget is value of curiosity over closure. Wait…what?!? Curiosity – knowing there’s another layer to explore with the individual, situation, headline, or opportunity… over closure – desire to wrap it up & move onto the next thing. In a world of swiping, liking and box-checking, we’re more interested in what’s next vs. what’s now. We want closure – in our work, politics, and even relationships. Curiosity requires an investment of time… limits our productivity… and often leads us down the path toward a life worth living. This special episode on the power of reflection might be of interest if you’re pondering a little more curious pondering in your life.

Who do we spend our time with as we move through our lifespan? Analysts at Our World In Data recently published some fascinating visuals summarizing the answer to that question. If you’d like to see how your “connection” patterns compare to the broader population, you can see it here.

There is growing attention about value of direct, morning sunlight on the quality of our sleep due to the influence on circadian rhythms. This article from WebMD sheds light (sorry – couldn’t resist) on the opportunity. I (Brad) am just starting a 30 day routine of scheduling a few minutes of direct sunlight each morning and tracking my sleep patterns and will report back on the outcomes. Anyone want to join me? Literally as simple as it sounds – stand outside ~10 min each morning – longer if cloud cover – and monitor sleep.

Dr. Mario Kratz, creator of the evidence-based (and freely accessible) Nourished by Science website is a humble, soft-spoken scientist who simply wants to help combat the extensive pseudoscience that often dominates nutritional guidance in today’s world. Maybe it’s this exact nature that resulted in his interview back on episode #228 of the Catalyst 360 podcast becoming one of our most popular in the past 6+ months. If you missed it the first time around, here’s the link to access directly.

Years ago, we were on our way to speak at a conference on a cruise ship (yes – still our all-time fav speaking engagement :-)) when news hit: the book by my fav columnist, Dr. Alex Hutchinson, was weeks from release. I immediately reached out to see how I could get an advanced copy before we boarded. No options on that front, but he did agree to send me a PDF of the book if I’d later purchase a copy. Done!! (I bought several to give away!). The PDF of Endure: Mind, Body and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance still sits on my bookshelf, covered in highlights, notes, circles and more. SO good! Guess what – Dr. Hutchinson joined us on the latest Catalyst 360 podcast episode (#257). You can access via any podcast app or here is direct link.

“To sing with the gods, you sometimes need a ladder,” claims Whitney Houston (referencing her drug use) in the recent film portraying her life. Think about that statement for a moment. The individual with quite possibly the greatest voice in a generation (I – Brad – was moved to tears throughout, reflecting on the power of her music) believed she needed something more – a “something” that would eventually end her life. The most beautiful voice on the planet – feeling inadequate – about her voice! It’s easy to shake our heads in disbelief, but maybe it’s worth a peek in the mirror to consider our own rationalizations in the contexts of our gifts? I (Brad) know I have my own feelings of inadequacy. Am I filling those with paper ladders? Or tuning into what those might be signalling at a deeper level? Maybe, instead of the ladder, it’s worth taking the stairs…

In 1992, the term “French Paradox” was coined by researchers who found the French had minimal cardiovascular disease in spite of a diet that… well… was often associated with cardiovascular disease. Initially red wine (which the French consistently enjoyed with meals, was given the credit. However, over time, researchers found nothing in the red wine (at the levels ingested) that could explain the paradox. So if it’s not the wine, then what’s creating the paradox? The most likely answer is the social element – CONNECT! As Chrissy King discussed in this interview, food/drink are not just about fueling – they’re also part of our social fabric. Wine is generally enjoyed in the company of friends and family, and that connection is one of the 4 Catalyst Cornerstones of wellbeing. If you’d like to tap into the research surrounding these findings, Brady Holmer does an excellent job of digging into the details of the paradox and red wine findings here.

What’s your story? We rarely take time to slow down enough to consider our answer to this question but it is paramout to the life we’re living. Who am I? What is my purpose? What story am I in the midst of writing? We discussed the subject previously in this short video but this week we had an extra special surprise. The Wall Street Journal’s official obituary writer, Bob Hagerty joined us on latest episode (#256) of the Catalyst 360 podcast to share his intriguing insights about what it means to write our story – and why it’s so very valuable to do while we’re living – to help us insure we’re doing it fully!!

No fueling strategy hits our radar more than Intermittent Fasting. We’re not making a recommendation as it’s not for everyone. However, if you’re considering going this route, you won’t want to miss the interview w/ Dr. Mark Mattson. He is professor of neuroscience at Johns Hopkins and Chief of the Laboratory of Neurosciences at the National Institute on Aging. He is the world’s leading researcher on the subject of Intermittent Fasting and our most popular guest of all time on the Catalyst 360 podcast. It’s episode #181 in your fav podcast app or avail directly here.

Sometimes the most difficult part of “moving” is (the mental element of) getting up and off the couch to begin. The latest Outside Magazine article examines the mental side of the equation and the latest insights from sports psychologists. Humorously, this article was forwarded to us by someone who noticed our fMT (functional mental toughness) research was referenced in the article – we had no idea :-).

What is your identity? When you look in the mirror, who do you see? When your name comes up in conversation, what qualities or characteristics rise to the top? After 16 years as US Corporate Wellness, we are changing our identity. It started off scary. Then we realized we weren’t actually “changing” our identity – we were revealing our true identity to the world in a public manner! What if we were to do the same thing in our personal lives? What if we took some time to consider who we REALLY are rather than simply continuing the pattern we began 10, 20, 30 or more years ago? The world has changed… we have changed. Maybe it’s time to take a deeper dive into the person we are an the person we are becoming – and then share that with the world!

Connection matters. Yet, in spite of all our social media “friends,” face-to-face zoom interactions, and 18.7 billion (yes, with a “B”) text message communications per day(!!) flying around, this insightful article from the Washington Post lays out the data that Americans are choosing to be alone. The article spells out some things worth considering. Maybe a good starting point is to ask myself “Who could I reach out to today to invite them to coffee, a real phone conversation or similar?”

We recently released the 255th episode of the Catalyst 360 podcast (thank you if you’re one of our regular listeners!!). Of all the engaging, evidence-based topics we’ve covered over that period, SLEEP is most definitely one of your favorite subjects! We’ve had sleep doctors, researchers, authors and others share their insights on how to improve that key area of life. If you’d like to tap into (or revisit) those, we’ve put direct links to all of those sleep-related interviews here for easy access.

Money matters – and it influences us both positively & negatively as a stressor, a driver, a resource… The more we understand, the more we can tilt the scales toward the positives. Financial Peace University’s Rachel Cruze (best-selling author and daughter of Dave Ramsey) joined us on latest episode of the Catalyst 360 podcast to discuss debt reduction and positive money moves. Avail via any podcast app or directly here.

Research is clear the most effective way to establish habits is to automate them so there is less friction (our Catalyst 360 podcast guests Dr. Wendy Wood – #160 or Dr. BJ Fogg – #209 both discuss this in more detail if helpful). HOWEVER, there is often a place for a little motivational boost to get things moving. When we’re looking for that boost, Dr. Google offers plenty of motivational speech compilations like this one that might do the trick! Or here’s one we did put together previously you might enjoy.

“It’s been 365 of record lows and record highs… Loving and losing, fun and confusing, prayin’ and shifting gears.” I don’t know about you, but those lyrics from Ashley Cooke’s song It’s Been A Year do a pretty good job of summing up our year. One of the toughest on a personal level we can remember in our lifetimes, accompanied by highs & memories we’ll carry with us the rest of our days. The loss of old friends, the introduction to new ones… things that simply don’t make sense… new perspectives on the sense of the simple… more than our share of shifting gears… and we know you’re likely right there saying the same. As we move through 2023 together, I hope we can remember – in spite of superficial differences – how much we all need one another. Thank you for being a catalyst for a world in need. We’re grateful for the opportunity to be even just a small part of your lives and thankful you’re a part of ours.

Connecting to others is key, but what does it mean to connect w/ ourselves when it comes to our careers and hobbies? Author Vitaliy Katsenelson, author of Soul in the Game: The Art of a Meaningful Life joined us on latest episode of the Catalyst 360 podcast. It’s avail via any podcast app (Spotify, Overcast, Apple, etc) or directly here.

For many in our Catalyst Community, the hardest part about “rest” is what to be “doing” while we’re resting (I know – it only makes sense if it’s you – but Brad is right there with you :-)). If that’s you, here’s great advice from Brain Food writer Shane Parrish: “The best way to improve your ability to think is to spend time thinking. One way to force yourself to slow down & think is to write. Good writing requires good thinking. Clear writing gives poor thinking nowhere to hide, making a lack of understanding visible.” If you’d like to follow that advice with a practical step, we provided a special episode on a new way to approach journaling (tip #1: Don’t Journal – it’ll make sense later). Listen to it here.

Premium fuel fills the tank, but comes at a high cost. However, some things can turn the tide in a positive direction without breaking the bank. This article in The Guardian identified 31 small (and inexpensive) items that various writers found would make their lives just a little bit better without creating any notable cracks in the piggybank.

We just passed the halfway point of January, which means that initial spark we often feel heading into the new year can begin to dwindle and fade. The early momentum may be hitting roadblocks and the accompanying discouragement can send us back to the starting line. But it doesn’t have to be that way. When things aren’t going well, the top performers will pause, take a breath, and then focus in on a key area over which they have at least a little control. That renewed traction will then often spread to other areas. An example of this, involving 2x NBA MVP Nikola Jokic is described in this 2 min video.