Closed Paths, Open Futures | Nerd Fitness
I’m a huge Stephen King fan. I’ve read the whole Dark Tower Series, It, The Shining, Doctor Sleep, and my favorite movie ever is based on his novella, Rita Hayworth…
The “Yes And” Rule | Nerd Fitness
A few years back, I attended my friend Nick’s blowout 40th birthday party. As part of the celebration, he hired an improv comic, and we all had to participate in…
The most important skill for getting (and staying) healthy
In 1933, an overwhelmed and frustrated woman named Frau sent a letter to psychologist Carl Jung, asking “how to live.” (She didn’t have any Instagram influencers to yell motivational platitudes…
Beware the Story, Embrace the Science
Have you ever heard of “Blue Zones”? These pockets of the world are known for having citizens who live exceptionally long, healthy lives. Some of these locations may sound familiar:…
Wasted Effort | Nerd Fitness
I remember racing up the down escalator in Macy’s at the Cape Cod Mall. My mom, calmly riding the Up escalator like a regular human, would say I was going…
The Past Isn’t Set In Stone
I’m currently reading The Tainted Cup, a fantasy detective novel. Think “Sherlock Holmes set in Westeros.” The main character has this augmentation that allows him to absorb every single detail…
The ONE thing that finally worked…
I stumbled across a reddit thread that really grabbed my attention. Somebody asked “What was the ‘one thing’ that finally made weight loss work for you?” And this question had…
Boundaries: the Cure for Burnout?
It’s been a while since I’ve felt this uncomfortable. I had an empty afternoon last week and saw Speak No Evil (trailer here), a horror/suspense film about a family who…
94 Years of Wisdom | Nerd Fitness
Last week, I flew to Massachusetts to visit my 94-year grandmother in the hospital. Let me tell you about this amazing woman. Barbara, Auntie B, or Gramma to us grandkids,…
This is a Test (Year)
We have two choices for how we spend the rest of 2024: Path A: Coast and say “I’ll start back up in January.” Path B: Treat it like a Beta…
You’re overcomplicating it. | Nerd Fitness
I know you’re overcomplicating things, because everybody does. Including me, the nerd who studies this stuff for a living. I shared a quick story the other day on Threads (and…
I apologize for my sideburns and striped shirt
For the first time in 10+ years, I rewatched my 2012 TEDx talk: “Nerd Fitness and Resetting the Game of Life.” My first thought: “Whoa, Steve. Those are some EPIC…
Ask For Help | Nerd Fitness
For a long time, I took a lot of pride in never needing to rely on other people. I am a conflict-avoidant people-pleaser, so I would often pride myself on…
The Warrior Emotion | Nerd Fitness
Nick Cave has taken over my life for the past month. Mr. Cave has been putting out music since the mid 1980s with his band Nick Cave and the Bad…