Issue #56: Let's Play
Good morning. It’s Tuesday, November 1st. Back in 1966 New Orleans was awarded a football team on All Saints Day and MJ had his jersey retired at the United Center in 1994.
“The times we feel most alive, those that make up our best memories, are moments of play.”
From the Lab: Playfulness, Connection, Flow
Take Action: Identify True Fun
Speed Read: Garmin
Tuesday QR: Cinnamon Apples
Bucket List: Cape Kidnappers Golf Course in NZ
The percentage of female leaders that are burned out - males are at 31%. How do we get ahead without always “being on” and live our life (+have fun)? Better question: what does "getting ahead" really mean when it comes to the life you want? (WSJ)
From the Lab
Yesterday, we talked about how fun has fallen off our calendar. But what is fun - like real fun?
Fun should make you feel*:
Fully present (not distracted or wanting to be anywhere else)
Free from self-criticism or judgment
Engaged without caring about an outcome
Laughter
Alive
So how do we get there? Catherine Price has a blueprint (I know that doesn’t sound like fun, but give it a chance) on how to get to True Fun:
Playfulness - Not a term I associate with much. But hey - we play sports and play the guitar. Play is doing something without purpose (for love of the game) where we let our guard down and just enjoy it.
“When we stop playing, we start dying.” - Stuart Brown, National Institute of Play
Play actually increases our brain protein BDNF - which supports our emotional processing and decision making - and aligns with the development of our cerebellum. And laughing reduces cortisol, inflammation, and blood pressure, while boosting our endorphins and immunity (“laugher is the best medicine”).
Plus, being playful is a magnet to meeting new people (no, you don’t need the comedic skills of Ted Lasso).
Connection - when asked, nearly everyone thinks of fun memories that involve other people. Even the most introverted among us thrive when we are connected to others having fun.
Emile Durkheim defined Collective Effervescence - when you experience an unexpected sense of connection with other people. Adam Grant calls this out when you slide into rhythm with strangers on the dance floor, colleagues in a brainstorming session, or teammates on the soccer field (see Adam Grant's column in NYTimes).
Lastly, Flow - we talked about this in Issue #53, but this is when we become so immersed in something that we are fully present and lose the sense of time around us. It’s not just important to get into work flow, but also fun flow.
Take Action
Thrive25 Partner Spotlight
Gut health is paramount when it comes to our overall health & longevity. That's why we've partnered with Seed Health.
Their DS-01™ Daily Synbiotic includes 24 scientifically validated probiotic strains with a patented, non-fermenting prebiotic. This breakthrough formulation not only supports gut health, but also heart and skin health.
Go to Seed Health and check out their DS-01™ for adults and PDS-08™ Pediatric Daily Synbiotic for kids ages 3-17. ALL Thrive25 readers get 20% off their first month of DS-01™ Daily Synbiotic. Just use code THR25 at checkout!
Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
Follow the Leader: Apple Watch dominates the wearables market (36% market share), followed by Samsung with 10%. But Garmin is king in the premium over-$500 category - mainly purchased by athletes and people that love the outdoors. Why? Battery life, physical buttons and GPS accuracy to name a few. (WSJ)
Pegula wins 2nd Title: Serena and Roger pushed the threshold for playing world-class tennis until 40 - but they starred as teenagers. Jessica Pegula didn't win her first WTA tournament until age 25. After winning the Guadalajara Open last weekend, the 28-yr old is now the highest ranked American (#3 in the world). PS - she’s a huge Bills fan. (NY Times)
Getting Certified: Since Issue #1, we’ve highlighted the gap between the care we get and what we need. Most of us have no real relationship with our doctor - connecting maybe 1x per year. Functional medicine doctors and health & wellness certified coaches (a growing field) are trying to change how we think about healthcare (solving the root cause, not the symptom) and be our partner when it comes to our health. (IFM, FMCA)
Tuesday QR (Quick Recipe)
Got a real simple recipe for the first day of November - just boil some apples with cinnamon. They taste even better than raw apples with peanut butter and have way more health benefits, plus kids love 'em!
Cooked Apples have increased pectin, soluble fiber that is awesome for your gut (Seed Health would be proud)
Cinnamon has too many benefits to list - but includes lower inflammation, better immunity, heart health, and regulated blood sugar - this is definitely a "superspice"
Bucket List
Talk about Fun - I'd love to play Cape Kidnappers Golf Course in New Zealand! Designed by Tom Doak and completed in 2004, this course reminds me of the old Prince Course on Kauai, but with 5x the number of cliffs. Check out this video from No Laying Up's Tourist Sauce Season 1 for an in-depth view of the course...
Of course, to get to there, I'd get to travel to NZ, drive/camp/hike the beautiful scenery and meet the wonderful people. And if I was to drag my clubs there, I'd have to play Kaury Cliffs and 5 other courses too...so maybe this is a NZ golf and hiking trip. Who's in?
Cape Kidnappers Golf Club
Thanks for joining us today!
Check out the latest workout videos on our YouTube channel
Got feedback? Tell us what you think at team@thrive25.com
Want this direct to your inbox? Sign up here
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 team@thrive25.com.
To health!
Sign up for free:
The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25 Labs LLC does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.