// INNER FRONTIER EDITION #6 HQ

Greetings from the Costa Rican coastline!

Kelly and I have been searching for a nervous system-friendly place to start our family, and while it is far less convenient to live out here (no Amazon deliveries or paved roads), so far, we're appreciating the benefits that come from being immersed in abundant nature.

I don't yet know what to expect in six months when the baby arrives, or how fatherhood will shape me, but I'm willing to bet that living in a natural environment and building community will go a long way to supporting all three of our nervous systems, especially in the first few years of parenting.

Speaking of which... enrollment for our Fall cohort closes on Friday. Nervous System Mastery is a 45-day bootcamp that promises to increase your capacity for calm, resilience, and aliveness.

And since I plan to take an extended paternity leave, I cannot say for sure when the next cohort will run, so if you've ever been tempted to join us, this would be an excellent time to do so!

→ Learn more about what's involved, or RSVP for the free Q&A with me on Friday.

// NEW EPISODE DROPPED

Harnessing the Power of Belief with Nir Eyal

Nir Eyal is a New York Times bestselling author and behavioral design expert. We had a wide-ranging conversation on curiosity, identity, and the unexpected ways that beliefs shape our lives.

"What story am I telling myself about my limitations? What would I attempt if I truly believed it was possible?" – Nir Eyal

Nir shared why curiosity is a superpower for self-improvement, the role of community in mental well-being, why “pills don’t teach skills” when it comes to mental health, why testing and rewiring our beliefs is essential for personal growth, and how living with integrity aligns us with our deepest values.

In this conversation, you can expect to learn:

• How beliefs shape reality — and how to rewire them
• Why curiosity is a superpower for self-improvement
• Spotting and dismantling limiting beliefs that hold you back
• The link between integrity, values, and intentional living
• Why “pills don’t teach skills” in mental health
• The role of identity and labels in shaping behavior

// RUN THIS EXPERIMENT

Embodied Gratitude A mindfulness technique to deepen gratitude by focusing on physical sensations rather than thoughts.

Why: Building your emotional resilience shifts your thoughts from cognitive appreciation to felt experience, enabling you to effectively manage challenging moments.

How: Recall a moment of gratitude, perhaps a simple or recent memory. Locate where you feel appreciation in your body, perhaps: warmth in your chest, relaxation in your face or an opening sensation in your heart. Once you find this sensation, invite more attention there. Relax into the physical sensation rather than the mental story. Practice staying with this felt sense for 2-3 minutes.

Tip: Many people struggle to find gratitude in their body at first—this is normal. Start with obvious physical pleasures (sun on your face, a warm shower, a comfortable bed) before moving to more abstract appreciation. The key is building the neural pathway between the concept of gratitude and a sensation. Try this practice during daily transitions (before meetings, after calls) to build the habit of embodied appreciation.

// ET CETERA

👶 The Kids Are Alright: Great post from my friend Nat on why having kids was better than expected. Read​

🥞 The RCT Game: The evidence-based research game, explained with pancakes. Read​

👨‍🔬 Brave New Biology: incredible discussion with Dr. Michael Levin & Dr. John Vervaeke. Watch.

🎙️ New Story of Cortisol: A fascinating and thoughtful conversation between Rick Rubin and Andrew Huberman. Listen​

⚡ High Agency Wisdom: My favorite poem of the week on the empowerment that can't be taken away from you. Read​

// ONWARDS