Enjoy this week’s curated round-up of articles, podcasts, and more from the web to help you live a healthier, happier life.
Featured Thoughts: The Incredible Benefit of Strength Training You’re Missing Out On
Takeaway: More than strength, energy, and staying pain-free, regular strength training will make you more impermeable to injury.
Published This Week:
Facing Change? This Is the First Thing You Should Do
Takeaway: This article covers building a personal mission statement. Something that transcends your career and daily tasks; A larger mission to be kept in view.
I really appreciated one woman’s example: “I help people become the best version of themselves.”
It applied to not only her career as a consultant, but also her new role as a mother. That helped her make the change from focused business professional to motherhood.
Ozempic, Oprah, & Obesity [Podcast]
Takeaway: This is a great conversation between two industry veterans who I have a lot of respect for. In the episode, they discuss the implications of new weight loss drugs, the recent Oprah special regarding obesity, and share their opinions. It was a great conversation on a topic that is relevant to a lot of people right now.
Reader Question:
You made a post this week about small talk. I don’t mind small talk, but I really hate going through the motions and people not eventually opening up to me. What suggestions do you have to get over that?
Different people have different timelines for how long it takes to feel comfortable and safe to fully open up.
In my experience, the biggest factors that expedite the process are:
1. The energy we bring ourselves.
Do people generally feel calm, safe, accepted, and heard in our presence? Is that the vibe we give off in our everyday life?
2. Have we opened the door to vulnerability by being vulnerable ourselves?
Being vulnerable is hard for most people, but reciprocity is a powerful force and often when we share ourselves deeply others feel compelled to do the same.
3. Have we asked them questions that lead to meaningful conversations?
Part of being a skilled conversationalist is the ability to ask questions in a non-interrogating way that lead people to open up more deeply.
If you struggle to meaningfully connect with others, evaluate these elements and see where you might need more practice.