Use It or Lose It

Use it or lose it. This common phrase doesn't just speak to skills, but to so much of your uniqueness and life. Let me show you how to keep more of what matters most.

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Use it or lose it. This common phrase doesn't just speak to skills, but to so much of your uniqueness and life. Let me show you how to keep more of what matters most.

As technology transforms our lives, it makes a lot of the hard stuff easier. This started with math, then navigating, retrieving memories, and now generative AI can create "original" works of art, music, and writing.

I assure you, these messages will continue to be authored by me, without the help of a chat bot.

The problem with easier is that you may lose your tolerance and ability to deal with difficult. Today let's talk about how that hits you physically, mentally, and socially.

When it comes to physical strength, flexibility, and dexterity, apathy brings atrophy. Your body wants to conserve energy and resources, so if you're not moving, lifting, or stretching, it simply says, "I guess we don't need that stuff anymore." And this is especially true as we age.

Your brain produces thousands of new neurons every single day, most of which quickly die unless they're needed to learn something difficult, solve a problem, or create something new. If you don't actively engage in complex thinking, you default to the simple solutions and easy answers of your world.

And when it comes to social skills, I'm not just talking about social media or messaging. I mean face to face, eyeball to eyeball, genuine human interaction. This includes listening, conveying your ideas and requests, and maintaining relationships. If you don't use it, you lose it. We naturally feel anxious when we're out of practice and develop confidence and competence by interacting socially.

So what do you do if you are "out of shape" physically, mentally, or socially? Start somewhere. Move through the clumsy challenges of being a beginner, or maybe just rusty. Show up to the gym, the class, or the conversation. And enjoy those low expectations while you can, as well as the pain that precedes your inevitable growth spurt. Until next week, stay Off Balance On Purpose.

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