Good morning!

During my morning walks this week, I realized that my children are some of the smartest people I know.

Two years ago, while I was spending hours day and night teaching myself how to set up an on-demand printing storefront, my oldest son wisely said: “Mom, the world does not need anymore t-shirts that will just end up in landfills.”

That struck me profoundly. He was right. The world doesn’t need any more “stuff.” I enjoy a challenge, however. Learning how to create a website, design, and market products checked my creativity boxes.

Nevertheless, I shuttered my shop, and spent weeks afterwards pondering my ikigai, something I explain in the Pounce Pot Post.

Even years before that, my love of yoga led me to go through intense training to become an instructor. I was so dedicated to teaching and being punctual for my morning class, that I dropped off my youngest at his sweet little preschool in his tiny bare feet.

I was in such a rush; I begged his teachers to take him anyway. They graciously did just that and found him a little pair of socks as I hurried off to unlock the studio doors.

I kept teaching yoga five days a week until I realized that my personal practice had dwindled down to zero. Even worse, I had taken my child to school with NO SHOES.

Fast forward to this week. I’ve been writing and researching for The Weekly Pounce. The weather has been gorgeous, sunny and cooler… finally. But I’ve watched my daughter go to the beach, the state park, and our local botanical gardens without me.

I’ve been sitting in front of my computer and working so hard that I’ve been trading proper meals for more time at the keyboard, and skipping special times with my daughter and friends to find an extra hour or two in my day to write.

I had to really stop and ask myself if I am putting The Weekly Pounce above improving my own health, longevity, and relationships — the very same goals I’m asking you to reach for — and I believe the answer is yes.

Fortunately, I had just taken a month’s sabbatical to organize the Pounce Pot and finely hone its purpose and guiding philosophy. My long-form essays, guest blog posts, and interviews live on the website at the Pounce Pot Post, and they truly are satisfying to write and produce.

They also check those creativity boxes that I long for, and I’m so very grateful for the time and ability to create meaningful work that won’t just end up in a landfill. The Pounce Pot website, I hope, adds something positive to the world.

My daughter recently pointed out to me that for a “health blogger, I sure do sit at my computer a lot.” In fact, a weekly newsletter requires much more social media consumption than I’m willing to commit to. I’m encouraging you to limit your screen time, yet I’m on it more than ever!

So where does that leave us? How can I maintain my commitment to breaking down current healthspan research into the five-part protocol without sacrificing my own wellbeing in the process?

After some thought, it’s clear that the pressure comes from The Weekly Pounce. As much as I love researching and writing the newsletter, this will be the last issue. Just as my son’s advice was invaluable three years ago, my daughter’s words hit home with me today.

I am going to maintain the 26 issues of The Weekly Pounce in the permanent archive. I’ll continue to publish in-depth essays and healthspan research on The Pounce Pot Post when I feel the desire to write (which seems to be an innate drive for me), and most importantly, when I have free time, after I have taken care of myself in all five areas of the Pounce Pot Protocol… and made sure my children are wearing shoes.

I hope that I’ve inspired at least a few of y’all to adopt the Protocol with me. Please keep up your weekly practice! I’ll send out links to the Post (like the format of this week’s edition) from time to time, as well.

Before I shift from The Weekly Pounce to the evergreen content on The Pounce Pot Post, I’m going to use this week’s issue to explain what I’m personally doing each week to practice proactive aging.

Everyone is different, of course, but hopefully sharing what I actually practice each week will inspire you to find your very own ways to stay engaged with life.

Remember, the Pounce Pot’s five-step protocol:

• Promotes a weekly practice with purpose, awareness, and a mindful engagement with life.

• Counters passive digital consumption, inactivity, loneliness, and poor nutrition with practical ideas for proactive, real-life interactions with…
  ✅ the arts,
  ✅ the outdoors,
  ✅ whole foods,
  ✅ physical activity,
  ✅ self-awareness, and
  ✅ community involvement.

Pounce on life’s possibilities! It’s NOT too late, and it’s NEVER too early!

P.S. My content was too long to email this week, so I’ve broken it down into individual short blog posts that you’ll find links to below. Thanks for clicking through and reading! See you soon at www.pouncepot.com!

Boost Your Brain

Connect & Thrive

Harness Hidden Powers

Fuel Your Journey

Stay Active

Thank you for reading!

😀 Looking for more great content? Visit the Pounce Pot Post for encouraging, in-depth articles.

😅 What do you think of this week’s issue? I’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, & suggestions. What’s your favorite section? Email me at [email protected] and let me know! Do you have tips to share? I’d love to hear about them!