Not sure what to bring as a side dish to the next party? We know it can be difficult to go to family and friends parties without knowing if the food there will help you reach your goals. We recommend bringing a tasty and healthy side dish for everyone to try + you’ll be sure to have something that won’t compromise your goals.

Here are 3 delicious recipes to bring to the next party:

1. Cauliflower Tots Recipe

This is the recipe your friends will ask you to bring to every party!

Ingredients:
1 sack of cauliflower rice
2 large handfuls of spinach
1 cup full fat cottage cheese (I used @good_culture)
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
Garlic, rosemary and salt to taste

Direction:

1. Saute frozen cauliflower rice in a pan with chopped spinach and seasonings.
2. In a food processor or blender. Stir in the cottage cheese until smooth.
3. Let the cauliflower mixture cool and then combine it with the cottage cheese and cheddar cheese until combined.
4. Preheat your air fryer to 350 and line with foil or parchment paper
5. Use a spoon to scoop and form the mixture into “tots”
6. Cook for about 15-20 minutes. Mine took about 15, but check them regularly as all air fryers and ovens cook at different temps/rates.

2. Watermelon Feta Salad

This refreshing salad is the perfect combination of sweet and savory.

Ingredients:

Half of a Watermelon

One to two Cucumbers (depending on how many people you are serving)

Mint leaves

1 lemon

Optional: Balsamic Glaze

Direction:

1. Cut some fresh watermelon into cubes

2. Cut one to two cucumbers

3. Crumbled feta cheese on top

4. Sprinkle with fresh mint leaves

5. Squeeze lemon juice into the mixer

6. Optional: Drizzle with balsamic glaze for an extra burst of flavor.

And have fun! This dish is not only delicious but also hydrating, making it the perfect poolside treat.

3. HANGER BOMBS

This is the perfect sweet treat to bring to the dessert table! Delicious and guilt free! For more delicious guilt-free food and meals, check out my Guiltless Nutrition Recipe Book!

Ingredients:

1 cup almond butter
1/2 cup cacao butter
2 tbsp unsweetened baking cocoa
2 tbsp monkfruit sweetener (optional)

1/4 cup of chia seeds and/or hemp seeds

Direction:

1. Add cacao butter to a small saucepan over low heat and begin adding almond butter and monkfruit, if using. Let them all melt (3-5 minutes) while stirring occasionally.

2. Mix all ingredients (except toppings) in a medium bowl, and scoop into a lined muffin tin.

3. Sprinkle toppings on top and voilà! you are done

4. Place in the fridge or freezer to set up! If frozen, place them on the counter for 5-10 minutes before eating to soften a bit. Store in the freezer.

These three healthy recipes are sure to be a hit at your next party.

The last week of Summer Shape Up is HERE!! Whether you’ve completed all the challenges so far this week or halfway through, it’s time to kick back, get motivated, and finish strong. That Grand Prize awaits you 😉

5 tips to help you stay on track in the final week:

1. Set a Goal for the Last Week

Whether it’s hitting a new personal record in your workout streak or sticking to the Hot Body Meal Plan without any slip-ups, setting a specific goal for the previous week gives you something to work towards. Write it down and remind yourself of it every day to stay focused.

2. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others

Everyone’s fitness journey is unique, so avoid comparing your progress. Focus on your own achievements and how far you have come since the beginning of SSU.

3. Stay Positive

Positive self-talk can go a long way in keeping you motivated. Remind yourself of all the hard work you’ve done so far and the progress you’ve made. Motivate yourself with affirmations and believe in your ability to finish the challenge strong.

4. Trust Your Accountability Group

Your accountability group is there to support you, so don’t be afraid to reach out to them for motivation if you feel yourself falling away from your goals. Share your struggles, successes, and goals with your LSF babes, and let them lift you up. Knowing that you are not alone in this journey is incredibly empowering.

5. Celebrate How Far You’ve Come

Take time to celebrate how far you’ve come in your fitness journey. Recognize all the hard work and dedication you’ve put in over the past few weeks. Treat yourself to something special as a reward for your commitment to yourself and to SSU!

This final week of SSU is your chance to finish strong and show yourself what you’re capable of. Stay motivated, stay positive, and never give up. You made it to week 6 and that is incredible!

I spent years on a crazy exercise cycle. I would be very hard for a few weeks, see absolutely no change and give up. And repeat. can you relate

Not All Exercises Are Created Equal

Experts recommend a MINIMUM of 150 minutes of exercise per week to maintain a healthy weight and get all the health benefits. That means at least 30 minutes a day/5 days a week.

But the way you exercise is important and will make or break your progress.

3 Training Styles for Women

If your goal is to burn fat and build lean muscle (who isn’t?) research shows that there are 3 styles of training that will be most effective for our girls.

1. Strength Training: Lifting weights or exercise resistance bands can help build muscle and increase metabolism.

2. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Short bursts of intense exercise followed by short periods of rest can burn calories and improve cardiovascular health.

3. Pilates or Yoga: These low-impact exercises focus on core strength, flexibility, and the mind-body connection.

Now, knowing how to actually use these training styles is another matter, but I’ve got you covered.

My 3:1 method to MOVEMENT combines all 3 fat burning techniques to give you serious results in about 30 minutes a day.

And knowing how scary and expensive gyms can be, all my workouts can be done at home with minimal equipment to make it super easy for you to get the results you’ve been dreaming of.

Just remember, I can give you the exact formula with step-by-step exercises and detailed workouts, but you have to show up, do the work and keep pushing yourself.

Trust me, it’s worth it!

Our team continues to impress our LSF community. All the women in this community have worked hard and we are proud of each and every one of you! You all finished this 6 week challenge so strong and your transformations, inside and out, are AMAZING!

Thank you for pushing yourselves and our community to be the best we can be!

Time to shout out our SSU24 winners! These inspiring women, not only have incredible photos of transformation but have the most amazing stories!

GRAND PRIZE WINNER

Kim Cary (@kkgetsfit_lsf)

Total pounds lost: 7

Kim’s story:

“When I started Summer Shape Up, I wasn’t in a good place because I stopped working out and wasn’t eating healthy. I’ve done a lot of LSF testing in the past but I stopped working out for a while and I didn’t feel my best mentally or physically.”

“When I saw that Summer Shape up was starting, I decided I would start fresh and do a new healthy routine of exercising and eating healthy. The first week of SSU was the hardest because I had to do a new routine but once I got past the first week it got easier thanks to Move the App, Hot Body Meal Planand the amazing LSF community that helped keep me motivated. I now exercise every morning and it has changed my mental health. I struggle with anxiety and exercise helps me.”

“I’ve come a long way and I’m making healthier choices every day. I’m making progress every week that’s what matters to me. I’ve lost 7 pounds on this challenge but there’s also a huge amount of success because my clothes that used to be tight barely fit .I went down from a size medium to my biggest achievement is that I feel not only physically but mentally Teamlsf because I know they’re the ones that keep me going through challenges and beyond.”

RUNNER UPS

Morgan (Mitzmorg_lsf)

Total Pounds Lost: 6

to Morgan Story:

“I still struggle with maintaining a healthy lifestyle when my work at home is interrupted. This year has been a real eye opener for me. I weighed myself in June after our travels and have never been this high on the scale. I’m generally tired and lazy.”

“These past 6 weeks have helped me realize that I can do more than I thought I could. I’m sad the challenge is over but I still plan on checking in and doing the workouts on the app in the future. The support from LSF team and the community is unlike anything I’ve gotten from a gym, exercise class or online platform. So proud of all the girls in the challenge. These women inspire me every day to show up for myself. I love that we’re like a little online family.”

Jessie (Ohm mission)

Total Pounds Lost: 8

to Jessie Story:

“This is my very first time doing any kind of love sweat fitness workouts/challenge. I joined the MOVE app a week before the challenge and was shocked at how hard but fun the workouts were. I also bought hot body nutrition plan and the 14 days (shape up) in past times, like years ago, and never followed them. But I decided to make them this time and I was shocked at how easy the meal plan was to follow. I love how you offer easy swap outs for carbs and fat and how realistic the meal plan is. I’m still able to eat with my husband at night, but still stick to my goals.”

“I joined goals gang about halfway through the challenge and I feel like that really pushed me into the community a little more. The girls there are motivating. It’s really refreshing to see you too, Katiekeeping in touch with us and giving Lil news along the way. I love motivation and it goes deeper than workouts and meal plans. I think that’s what really sets your program apart from all the other fitness programs I’ve been a part of over the years.”

“I feel like, for the first time in the two years since my son was born, I’ve found a way to have time for myself, to recover my body, regain my mental clarity and really enjoy being take care of myself again. Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll ever lose the baby weight and postpartum weight I gained from three years of not really taking care of myself. the weight started to come off Effortlessly Life, as stupid as I am and I know that by taking care of myself and feeling good about myself, I also pour that energy into my family feeling motivated in all areas of my life now.”

PINK HEART RECIPIENT

Our Pink Heart Award goes to a member at #teamLSF community who not only stayed focused on their own fitness journey, but also really encouraged her fellow #teamlsf babes! Each challenge we ask members to submit people who have motivated them and been a source of positivity and encouragement throughout the challenge.

wake up (Lsfevey)

Total Pounds Lost: 3

Community Shoutouts to Evey:

“Showed up to me every day and made me happy.”

“This woman has a busy life! He always works out even late at night. Her posts are hilarious and I love that she does her workouts with her mom and includes her daughter in pics.”

Evey’s story:

“Not only am I struggling with anxiety due to fatigue and long distance, but also being a single mom physically now. Without the help of group lsfI might stop exercising.”

“Although I didn’t lose many pounds during this challenge, I gained strength, muscle, and the ability to eat well and exercise through the tough challenges. I lost about 3 pounds. I learned to eat well without limiting the foods I like to eat. and without giving in to my sweet tooth I learned that patience is key and not to compare myself to anyone I think might be better than me or compare myself to my old body.”

“This challenge taught me that it’s okay to change things when it gets difficult, but always remember the “why” I’m doing it so I don’t give up and get lost in the routine. I won’t say I’ve lost my Love handles like I wanted, but I gained muscle in my glutes and strengthened my arms…which is one of my other goals I’ve had for 2+ years.”

“I used LSF 14 days shape up and HBMP while I’m doing this challenge. I even brought my meal plans with me on my vacation up north. I wanted to stick to a meal plan that would satisfy my hunger but keep my goals in tact. In this trial, I discovered my love winged woman and now I can’t stop drinking it every day. It’s not only helped my immune system, but it’s my favorite morning drink that I can’t go a day without.”

MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS

We received so many amazing submissions to this challenge that it was nearly impossible to spotlight just our Grand Prize Winner, Runner Up, and Pink Heart Recipient. We want to give a shout out to these awesome members who also had crazy transformations and exciting stories!

@jenn.lowe22

@allison.fit.mama_lsf

@jess.sweats.lsf

Fall is here! Time to get cozy in your pajamas, Gilmore Girls, and tons of pumpkin spice recipes to really get in the spirit!!

If you are lucky enough to get one of ours Miss Congeniality Mood Boost Pumpkin Spice Edition before it SOLD OUT, these recipes are for YOU! Enjoy!

Must Try Recipes

If you’re looking for creative ways to enjoy your Miss Congeniality Mood Boost Pumpkin Spice Edition, try these delicious, guilt-free recipes!

The PERFECT Pumpkin Spice Latte

“LOVE!! Sooo yummy! Made PSL earlier too – so much better than Starbucks!” – Sarah Ann

Pumpkin Fluff Smoothie Recipe

A high protein, low sugar healthy dessert or snack to trade in for some of the not so tasty fall foods! It’s perfect whenever your sweet tooth hits especially for the warmer fall days!

Pumpkin Spice Crumble Muffins

The perfect sweet treat to curb cravings during the holiday season!

Pumpkin Spice Nice Cream

A delicious and guilt-free twist on ice cream 😉

Pumpkin Spice Mug Cake

All of these recipes are great to share or just to indulge yourself 😉

With these delicious recipes, you can enjoy the warm and comforting flavor of pumpkin spice while getting the mood-boosting benefits of our Miss Congeniality mixture.

Our Pep Rally Energy Boost is back—and he’s better than ever! Meet our new Boosting Tangerine Energy in convenient stick packs, perfect for tossing in your bag and traveling. Juicy, delicious, and oh-so-refreshing, she’s about to become your ultimate BFF. Get ready to brighten up your day in style!

Here’s the Tea:

We know you’re busy and caffeine is usually out of the question—how else are you going to tackle everything on your to-do list? But not all caffeine is created equal, and we’re here to make sure you’re fueling the best of the best. You deserve that!

We designed Pep Rally Energy Boost to give you caffeine from the best natural sources—because you deserve clean, effective energy. Each scoop delivers 100 mg of caffeine, giving you the perfect boost without jitters or any of the usual downsides. Need an extra kick? Take two packets for 200 mg of caffeine, still crash or side effects free.

What makes a Pep Rally great? It is full of L-theaninean amazing amino acid that helps reduce stress and anxiety, to keep you energized and focused, not anxious.

And that’s not all—Pep Rally is packed with other natural powerhouse ingredients for long-lasting energy, including:

We’re not gate keeping here either so we’re sharing everything you need to know about our CLEAN energy boost!

Here’s how to use our Pep Rally stick pack so you can enjoy it stress-free!

Everything you need to know about ingredients, nutrition facts, etc., can be found below. Because of clean energy there is no secret 😉

Shop Pep Rally + Our Daily Energy Bundle here!

It’s that time of year again—holiday parties, festive activities, and delicious food everywhere you turn.

We know how difficult it can be to navigate the holiday season without derailing your goals + still enjoying yourself so we have some tips to help!

1. MOVE APP – Wherever you are

The holidays are so busy and hectic with holiday shopping, family in town, etc. so finding time to go to an exercise class is the last thing you want to stress about.

That’s why I created my MOVE app so you can exercise at home, while you travel, or wherever you go. The MOVE app is a mobile phone app so as long as you have your phone, your workouts are with you wherever you go!

2. Crave-Worthy and Guilt-Free Recipes

Who says healthy eating during the holidays has to be boring? My Vacation Safety Guide is full of delicious recipes that not only align with your goals but also help curb those cravings.

From guilt-free desserts to healthy twists on classic holiday dishes, you’ll find plenty of options to satisfy your taste buds without sacrificing your progress.

3. Plan Ahead and Make Smart Choices

Before going to a holiday party, take a moment to plan your strategy. Fill up on protein-rich foods first to avoid overindulging on empty calories later. Opt for healthier options like vegetables and lean protein at the party, and allow yourself a small meal or two without going overboard. Remember, it’s all about balance! You can also bring something from Vacation Safety Guide at your holiday parties so you can indulge in something that definitely won’t get in the way of your goals!

4. Stay Hydrated + Get Plenty of Sleep

Even with all the festivities, don’t forget to take care of yourself. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day, especially if you enjoy a few cocktails at parties. Aim for at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night to support your overall well-being and help you resist the temptation to snack unhealthy when you’re tired.

Check out our Slumber Party Sleep Boost for a delicious treat before bed + sleep in 30 min! No more going around! Also, if you’re looking for a holiday version, check out this Sleepy Time Peppermint Hot Chocolate recipe here!

Don’t let the holidays derail your progress—embrace the season and enjoy every moment guilt-free!

I stumbled Thea reddit threadThe that really caught my attention.

Someone asked “What was the ‘one thing’ that finally got the weight off for you?”

And this question has 5,400 responses (and counting).

Some of the answers had to do with changes in the environment or changes in how they prepared their food:

“Pouring snacks into small ramekins to eat them. I suddenly ate a normal amount of snacks.”

“I meal prepared my usual amount of food and instead of putting it in 2 containers, I divided it evenly among 4 containers. I forced myself to only eat 1 container per meal and tricked my brain into thinking this was my normal amount.”

Others changed what they ate:

“Found a salad that I really like. Sounds dumb, but I never crave a salad, and having one that I really like means that I put together a solid few weeks of eating lots of lettuce – did- It snowballed from there, because I felt really good and then started feeling good.”

Some take a more holistic approach that involves reexamining their relationship with food, hunger, and discomfort:

“Realizing this is a lifestyle change NOT a diet.”

“Embrace the suffering. Expect to be short of breath and uncomfortable when you do cardio, expect to be sore after you get up, and expect to be hungry when you’re restricting your intake.”

Others used apps to track their calorie intake, which made them aware of how much they were eating:

“Using an app to track everything I eat. I realized a lot of the “healthy” things I was eating, in the amount I was eating, had more calories than I thought. Just cutting back on a few foods has done it.”

And some succeed thanks to an initial push with medicine:

“Saw a doctor about my type 2 diabetes. I weighed over 300 lbs and also had coronary artery disease. I qualified for diabetes medication which also helps with appetite control. Started tracking calories and exercising .”

“Semaglutide”

Some prioritize physical activity instead of focusing on food:

“Finding entertainment. I ate early because I was bored. Coming home from work to sit on the couch makes eating like sh*t easier… now I just go and do something I like so I don’t find food a distraction.”

“Walking. Proving that I lost 45 lb in 7 months just by walking every night around my neighborhood. It’s free and low impact, I walk rain or shine even through snow storms. Now I have a treadmill and walk indoors but it still feels as good as before.

As we look at this list, read the thousands of comments of people thinking about ‘something’ that changed their life, and how different some of them are, we can draw some amazing conclusions.

3 Short Lessons We Can Learn

LESSON 1: “Success is moving from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.” -Winston Churchill.

The hardest part of being healthy is no losing hope when several strategies you have tried have failed. I bet for every person who shared their answer above, they tried dozens of different techniques to try and fit. Hell, I bet they tried most of the things that worked for other people, until they found one that worked. for them.

What we can learn here: “Hope is the Thewarrior sentiment that wastes cynicismThe,” and it’s okay to have the hope that each failed attempt means that’s one less strategy to try in the future.

For example, if you’ve tried Keto 5 times and can’t stand it, congrats! You’ve found a diet that doesn’t work for you

If you can hide it The‘beta test’ mentalityThe of “I’ll see if it works for me,” you might just find the first domino to fall your travel!

LESSON 2: Beware the Charlatan.

Spend enough time on social media, and you’ll eventually run into health and wellness charlatans. These are the people who tell you that they are the only ones who have it a solution to all your problems. They often have a villain for all the evil in the world (“the sugar! It’s carbs! It’s X ingredient!”).

And sure enough, when they get scared and intimidated by your bullshit, they give you hope with their expensive unregulated supplement or foolproof system.

As you can see from the examples above, there is no “one size fits all” solution to this matter. Everyone is a unique weirdo with different baggage and triggers and traumas and experiences that make certain solutions a homerun and other solutions a nonstarter.

You can read more about how to spot and avoid charlatans in my previous essay here: “TheHow not to go crazy on the internetThe.”

Which brings me to my third point!

LESSON THREE: All fitness stories have 3 boring similarities!

Although all of these “one thing” solutions to getting in shape are different, they all have some similarities.

The good news? None of these things are revolutionary, proprietary, or fancy.

Being fit in literally 3 things:

• Eating the right number of calories for your goal weight
• Taking some form of physical movement
• Doing these two things is part of a lifelong lifestyle adjustment.

Weight loss is not magic. It’s math and behavior change.

As I cover my Theweight loss guideThescience is good about it.

Any diet can work, if it puts us in a caloric deficit. we have Theinstructing clientsThe who are vegan, some are doing Keto, some are counting calories and others are doing intermittent fasting.

Our ability to make dietary changes a lifestyle we can live with is how we find success, and that looks different for everyone.

Speaking of lifestyle changes, most of the answers above also include finding ways to make exercise a regular part of life.

Remember: it’s okay not to like exercise. We weren’t designed to love exercise! Especially if it’s an activity we don’t really enjoy! We were designed to live in times of scarcity, NOT to thrive in times of unlimited abundance.

So how do we make exercise a part of our lifestyle?

We have to find ways Themake exercise fun, useful, or necessaryThe:

• happy: join a walking/running club with friends, try Thebundling temptationThe.
• Useful: fall in love with Thegetting strongerThe and more confidence and how great you feel after exercising.
• need: pre-pay for a trainer, park at the end of the parking lot, bike to work.

Remember that hope is the warrior emotion.

We humans are incredibly adaptable creatures capable of change.

Keep trying different techniques, beware of charlatans, and don’t forget the basics!

And soon one day, you too can share the first domino that fell that changed things for you.

-Steve

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Have you heard of “Blue Zones”?

These pockets of the world are known for having citizens who live long and healthy lives.

Some of these locations may look familiar:

Okinawa, Japan (home of Mr. Miyagi from Karate Kid!). Sardinia, Italy. Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica. Icaria, Greece.

These locations have a higher percentage of people living longer because of their local whole food diet, high vegetable consumption, low incidence of disease, abundant social interaction, low stress, and many physical activity.

Books, documentaries, and countless news articles have promoted these societies, and millions of health-conscious individuals have modeled their lifestyles after how these people live.

there is only one problem with this amazing story.

It’s not really true.

The First Ig Nobel Prize in Demography

Last month, Dr. Saul Justin Newman was awarded the first “Ig Nobel Prize” in Demography.

These awards are given annually for scientific research that “makes people laugh, then think.”

For this particular award, Newman was recognized for debunking almost all the findings of any study related to the Blue Zones.

Here is the discovery of Dr. Newman:

“The highest level of attainment of extreme old age is predicted by high poverty, lack of birth certificates, and fewer 90-year-olds.

Poverty and pressure to commit pension fraud have been shown to be good predictors of reaching age 100+ in a manner ‘contrary to reasonable expectations.’”

It turns out that most of the “very old, healthy” individuals in these blue zones are simply the result of Thepoor record keeping, pension fraud, and outright lyingThe.

Let’s see what is really happening in Okinawa:

“Despite vegetables and sweet potatoes being promoted as a major part of Okinawan ‘Blue Zone’ diets, according to the Japanese government, Okinawans eat the least vegetables and sweet potatoes in Japan and have the highest body mass index.”

Ooooof. So, what do we do now!?

Beware of anecdotal narratives that make dramatic promises

Spend enough time on social media, and you’ll run into people telling you to eat only meat, cut out carbs completely, how this one supplement “saved their life,” or that doing XYZ were cured of their disease, and so on.

These anecdotal stories, especially when they have a villain, a victim and a hero about overcoming adversity, are incredibly powerful. They are also often used to sell you a solution in a pill or powder form.

The good news is that our data is constantly being refined by science.

we don’t actually need to know what the people of Okinawa eat, nor do we need to study the daily habits of a particular community in Costa Rica.

Don’t get me wrong, I too love a good exotic story about the customs of a faraway land, but it still comes back to reality and science!

And we can remember that we have to do the best for our particular situation. It may include that ThetherapyThemay belong to it Theweight loss medicationThethis might include just focusing on sleep now!

The decision is up to us, and we can do it with confidence. Not because this is what is happening in Costa Rica or Greece, but simply because it is what is best for us.

Here are some of the ways in which we can positively affect our lifespan and/or health span.

Yes, some of these things are part of the “Blue Zone Diet”… if only the sensationalism and pension fraud weren’t there.

And many of them may be out of our control!

For example, Thesocial determinants of healthThe (financial stability, access to health care, education, our neighborhood) are strongly associated with all-cause mortality, and many of these things may not be available to large portions of the population.

Life is messy

I’m not saying all this to tell you to avoid a Blue Zone diet.

Heck, you could do a lot worse than eating a Mediterranean diet! Of course you’ll likely lose weight and feel healthier if you eat fresh fish, whole foods, and vegetables.

I bring all this up to remind you that life is messy.

A long healthy life is a combination of dozens of interrelated things (like those listed above), thousands of decisions made throughout our lives, plus things like genetics, society, and luck! What works for one person may not work for the next person, and there is no “one diet fits all” solution to our problems.

We may get hit by a bus tomorrow, be diagnosed with cancer despite “doing everything right,” or experience a Thefreak accident that changed everythingThe next week.

So, instead of chasing immortality through surprising anecdotes, or getting swept up in the latest Social Media trend…

We can keep our focus on the things that we feel absolutely confident will make us better tomorrow than we are today.

Like the items on that list above! Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to do some push-ups, eat some vegetables, and take a brisk walk while calling a friend.

-Steve

PS Hat tip to my friend Jodi Ettenberg, whose heartbreakingly powerful story about acceptance I linked above. It is Thehis newsletterThe That led me to this article!

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I am currently reading TheThe Tainted CupThea fantasy detective novel.

Think “Sherlock Holmes set in Westeros.”

The main character has this augmentation that allows him to understand every single detail of every interaction, crime scene, and then recite these exact details again at a later date.

I remember something scary Black Glass episode about this very thing: to remember every fact of every interaction in the past.

Here’s the thing: in all of these situations, the facts may be true, but the analysis of these facts still leaves a lot of room for improvement.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently when I came across two stories I’d like to share:

“TheThe Past Is Not TrueThe” from Derek Sivers:

When I was 17, I was driving recklessly and crashed into an oncoming car. I found out that I had broken another driver’s spine, and he would never walk again.

I carried that burden everywhere, and I felt so terrible about it for so many years that at age 35 I decided to seek out this woman to apologize. I found his name and address, went to his house, knocked on the door, and a middle-aged woman answered. As soon as I said, “I’m the teenager who hit your car eighteen years ago and broke your spine”, I started sobbing – a big ugly cry, coming out of years of regret.

He was so sweet, and hugged me saying, “Oh sweetie, sweetie! Don’t worry. I’m fine!” Then he pulled me to his living room. walked

I misunderstood.

Yes she fractured a couple vertebrae but it never stopped her from walking. He says that “that little accident” helped him focus on his fitness, and has since been in better health than ever.

Then he apologized for causing the accident in the first place. Apologize.

And this Thestory about “the good old days”The from author Morgan Housel:

A few months ago I mentioned to my husband about how wonderful (life is in the early 20s). We are 23 years old, well employed, living in our version of the Taj Mahal. This was before the kids, so we slept in until 10am on the weekend, went for walks, had brunch, naps, and went out for dinner. That’s our life. For many years.

“That’s peak living, as good as it gets,” I told him.

“What are you talking about?” he said. “You were more anxious, scared, and probably depressed then than before.”

…In my mind, now, I look back and think, “Maybe I was so happy then. Those were my best years.”

But in truth, at the time, I was thinking, “I can’t wait for these years to be over.”

I think a lot about the past, and our future. It turns out, neither is set in stone!

Which Past Story Can You Rewrite?

As the cliché goes, it’s easier to connect the dots looking back than it seems.

Is there a story from your past about a particular moment that you still carry with you?

Maybe it’s full of shame about something that happened, but it led to something better for you.

Maybe it’s longing for a past life that didn’t really exist.

The past has happened, but that doesn’t mean it’s set in stone!

Returning to Sivers:

“You can change your history.

Actual factual events are a very small part of it. Everything else is opinion, open to reinterpretation.

The past is never over.”

I want to know which story you tell yourself about the past, good or bad, that you decide to rewrite?

-Steve

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