Beyond the Birthday Cake

If you’d asked me a few months ago how I felt about turning 30, I would probably have told you to not remind me and that I was trying to forget all about it. While I’m sure that seems silly, and in reality birthdays are just another day, 30 marks a major turning point in our lives. We are (supposedly) leaving the self-inflicted chaos of our 20s and stepping into a new defining chapter. Of course, we can choose to start a new chapter of our lives any day - even today - we’re rolling with the “turning 30” analogy for argument’s sake. It’s worth exploring exactly why many of us view aging - and turning 30 - with apprehension. It’s rarely about the years themselves, but rather more about the symptoms that come along with it. 

An achy back. 
Stiff joints. 
“It’s harder to lose weight”
We get sicker easier.
We are more forgetful.
Wrinkles. 

We’re not afraid of more candles on a cake - we’re afraid of looking older, sounding older, and feeling older.

But what if it didn’t have to be that way? That’s what I’m exploring in this week’s newsletter. It is lengthier than my usual, but I thoroughly enjoyed writing this one and hope it is worth the longer read!

The Catalyst

Think back to the stories that moved you the most, the lives that sparked a fire in your soul. For me, it's those narratives of unrealized potential and dreams cut short that have fueled my drive for living an uninterrupted life more than almost anything. It’s seeing someone pour 35 years into a career only to retire with a body too broken to enjoy it. Or when the wake of tragedy offers the stark reminder that life can be fleeting, and there's no guarantee of a tomorrow—no matter how young or old we are—to chase the things we put off for "someday."

I have personally experienced both – witnessing the quiet disappointment of those who postponed joy until it was physically out of reach, and the heart-wrenching moments of lives unexpectedly cut short. And the morbid reality is that we can all become the butt of irony’s cruel joke at any given moment. These stories aren't meant to be morbid, and to help, the Stoics offer a poignant reminder: "Memento Mori.” Remember that you will die.

This isn’t a cause for despair, but a call to action.

The Epigenetic Edge

​Turning away from fate and towards science, sometimes we are gifted with uncontrollable qualities that keep us from moving in the direction of change. Maybe we are genetically predisposed to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, or high cholesterol. Genetics can certainly increase our likelihood for certain risk factors and pathology, but not all genetic traits get expressed and we can influence the expression of these genes. 

As research in epigenetics reveals, we're not simply puppets of our DNA. Studies consistently show that lifestyle choices —diet, exercise, stress management, and even our sleep patterns—can influence how our genes express themselves. We quite literally have the power to rewrite our genetic narrative.

Simply put, we are not beholden only to our DNA. There are lifestyle factors, such as smoking, heavy drinking, and sedentary behaviors, that lead to early morbidity and mortality for those with otherwise healthy DNA. There was even a recent systematic review of over one million participants that linked TV viewing with mortality. Watching TV for 3-4 hours per day was associated with an 8% increase in all-cause mortality and even a 29% increased risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes! I can only imagine what the studies will conclude after a few decades of measuring the affect of screen time on our long-term health… Conversely, physical exercise has been shown as a significant intervention for chronic diseases such as metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Sometimes, we draw the short straw from the genetic purse. We are all dealt a hand from the Impartial Dealer. It’s not the cards we’re given, but how well we play poker, you might say. Fate is always sitting across from you, and always claims the pot. That’s out of our control, so we might as well accept it. 

We can, though, play a better hand and stay in the game longer. 

The Pillars of Longevity: VITA

I was listening to a podcast with Dr. Roger Seheult, a leading doctor in internal medicine, lung health, critical care, and sleep medicine. The entirety of the podcast was exploring the benefits of sunlight on our daily and long term health as well as preventative practices to reduce the risk of dementia, cancer, and other age-related diseases. In this interview with Steven Bartlett, Dr. Seheult proposes that there are 8 pillars of health that can be manipulated to preserve and prolong the quality of our wellbeing: nutrition, exercise, water, sunlight, temperance, air, rest, and trust. Here’s a summary of how he articulates each:

Nutrition - what we put into our bodies can have a dramatic impact on our well-being
Exercise - moving our bodies regularly can have significant side benefits to improve many aspects of our physical well-being
Water - water has many internal and external benefits as studies confirm the positive effects of hot and cold water therapies
Sunlight - a central component of Dr. Seheult’s argument, sunlight has far more benefits than just Vitamin D, including treating disease
Temperance - moderation of toxins like alcohol, drugs, etc.
Air - the best kind of air we can breathe is outside air
Rest - rest is more than just sleeping and is an essential part of disease prevention
Trust - trust in God better equips people to face life’s challenges

NEWSTART it spells.

How brilliantly corny.

While these assessments are apt for preventing physical disease, what about the diseases of the soul? We require more than just a strong body to achieve a fulfilling life. So, I've adapted these principles into my own version of the components for longevity:

• Vitality

• Intellect

• Transcendence

• Action

Let's break each of these down:

Vitality

This pillar encompasses most of what Dr. Seheult submits in his model, including nutrition, exercise, water, air, sunlight, temperance, and rest. How we move, nourish, and rest our bodies is imperative for our long term physical and cognitive health. Your vitality boils down to three fundamental questions:

1. How often do you move your body with intention?

2. What do you put into your body?

3. How well do you support your rest and recovery?

These seemingly simple actions lay the foundation for long-term physical and cognitive health. If you want to feel better, start there. Take a walk, drink a glass of water, and go to bed earlier. One of my favorite content creators, Michael Smoak, likes to end his videos with “It ain’t easy, but it is simple.” And he’s so right in this way.

Intellect

Here's where I begin to diverge from Dr. Seheult's model. While his research focuses on preventing degenerative illnesses, we must also continually strengthen our minds alongside our bodies. Cultivating our intellect is like training any other muscle: it requires consistent effort, stretching, coaching, and pushing.

Building an innate curiosity for the world is a key indicator of long-term cognitive function. Studies have demonstrated that lifelong learning and engaging in activities that stimulate critical thinking, creativity, and reflection can significantly decrease the risk of cognitive impairment as we age.

Consider these practices:

• Read Widely: Engage with diverse subjects and perspectives.

• Learn a New Skill: Challenge yourself with something unfamiliar.

• Engage in Debate: Sharpen your critical thinking by discussing ideas with others.

• Reflect Regularly: Record your insights and observations in a journal, written or audio.

Transcendence

Transcendence envelops Dr. Seheult’s final component: trust. On this topic, he says, “Faith, or people who have faith in God, are better apt and able to deal with stress, depression, and anxiety.”

Though a belief in an arbitrary god isn't a prerequisite, the ability to cope with the complex emotional landscape of the human experience, including stress, depression, and anxiety, is scientifically associated with well-being. This ability to reconcile within ourselves often stems from a strong value system, and religion provides a valuable tool to develop this system regardless of which particular flavor of religion you choose.

Transcendence, however, extends beyond developing our defense mechanisms by way of passing them off to (insert sky god here), crystals, or horoscopes. In tandem to our coping and defense mechanisms, we must also feel like we are contributing to the world around us. In other words, we are biologically wired to feel like we are living with purpose and intention, rooted in self-actualization. We find our purpose in life when we know ourselves intimately. Shallow purposes lead to shallow lives. The stories worth telling come from finding our own way to live a good life and to make the world a better place because of it. 

That’s transcendence. Not sitting cross-legged on the floor in a Buddhist temple. Not being dressed in white linen and doing yoga and drinking onion and banana juice (a nod to my ATLA fans…if you know, you know). 

Transcendence is getting to know who you are, and living every day with the intention to make the most out of the little dash between the day you’re born and the day you die.

Action

I’m going to risk being a little cliche for a moment, but we all know the quote, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

Here’s a better one:

Cheeky, beautiful, and utterly powerful.

The point of both quotes is this: Life is meant to be lived. It’s not meant to be written about, studied, or read. It’s not meant to be left on an itinerary, on a bucket list, or in a picture next to your travel jar.

Life is meant to be LIVED.

And you can only live it when you take action.

On Thursday my roommate and I went to the pool near our complex and it happens to have a splash pad. A really cool one, I might add. We always want to go play on it, but there are usually children over there and the image of 2 grown adults running around with 6 year olds isn’t an easy one to explain. But on Thursday, there were no kids there, so we snuck over and turned on the splash pad. And you know what? 

It was an absolute BLAST.

I’m talking, we had some of the most fun I’ve had in a long time. We ran around, stood on the different jettisons of water rocketing towards the sky, waited under buckets to dump gallons of water on our heads, and shot at each other with water cannons. I laid under a giant sprinkler arch that gave me a wonderful hydromassage on my back, and sat under a water dome we made by facing all the water canons at each other.

It was silly.

And also liberating; a powerful reminder that we don't need a special occasion to embrace joy and spontaneity. We had the option to ignore the splash pad and sit in our chairs, but why do kids get to have all the fun?

Every action we take tells the Universe who we are, what we value, and what we want. All you have to do is figure out what you want and take action towards it. Any action, any step that moves you towards that vision. Often, the action is far less as important as our intention behind it. We may not always know what the “right step” is, but we’ll never know until we take that step.

I want you to consider how you're investing in each aspect of your well-being. Are you nourishing your body, challenging your mind, nurturing your spirit, and taking action every day towards your goals?

If you're seeking clarity and direction on your holistic well-being, I invite you to schedule a Wellness Clarity Session with me. During this session, we'll explore your unique needs and aspirations, help demystify your wellness vision, and map out actionable steps to create a life of vitality, purpose, and fulfillment that you can look forward to waking up to every day.

Click here to schedule your Wellness Clarity Session and embark on a journey towards a more vibrant and meaningful life.

When we put all of these together — vitality, intellect, transcendence, and action — we craft a life that not only supports us for the long term but maximizes our experience along the way.

For me, the goal post isn’t to live forever. The reality is that I have no control over when, where, or how I will die. The only thing I can control is how I use the time that I have to make the ride as smooth and enjoyable as possible for as long as possible. So, I choose to live well, and die trying.

Oh, and by the way, vitality, intellect, transcendence, and action spells VITA. Vita translated from Latin means “life.” So take that Dr. Seheult and your lame acronym.

Until next time, live uninterrupted.

~Coleman