Learn II Perform with Braeden Ostepchuk

Gratitude can be defined in many different ways. In its simplest form, it is state of appreciation and/or thankfulness for something of value to oneself [1]. In different contexts for different people, gratitude can look a lot different. While there is no single, correct way to be more grateful and no promise land of a perfect life by incorporating gratitude, it really can change your life.
 
Reflecting on my own personal life, I discovered that practicing gratitude was the key that unlocked the door to a happier life. So much so, that I have established gratitude as one of my three personal, guiding values. After all, Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl notes that optimism, faith, hope, and love cannot be commanded or ordered [2]. We cannot simply be happy.
 
“[H]appiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue. One must have a reason to ‘be happy.’ Once the reason is found, however, one becomes happy automatically” [2].

In this episode, we’ll explore what gratitude is, how it can help you remove stress and be happier, and some simple strategies to living a life of gratitude.
 
TOPICS:
[2:18] The present moment
[6:35] Shifting your perspective
[12:40] The neuroscience of gratitude
[15:50] What a gratitude practice looks like
[19:50] How to incorporate gratitude into your life
 
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Thank you all for joining me on this journey to lifelong health, happiness, and higher performance. And remember, always be grateful, love yourself, and serve others.

References
[1] Sansone, R. A., & Sansone, L. A. (2010). Gratitude and well being: the benefits of appreciation. Psychiatry (Edgmont (Pa. : Township)), 7(11), 18–22. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3010965/
[2] Frankl, V., Lasch, I., Kushner, H. & Winslade, W. (2006). Man's search for meaning. Boston: Beacon Press. 

In this episode, John Yeager, Ed.D. – CEO of Yeager Leadership Group, author, and legendary lacrosse player and coach – joins me to discuss the core competencies of next level leadership in sports. On April 8th, 2021, John’s new book “The Coaching Zone,” co-authored by Jon Cunha, was launched. Based on years of research, experience, and anecdotes, this book is your playbook to taking your coaching to the next level.

As a former elite lacrosse goaltender, John is a member of the Halls of Fame of New England, Eastern Massachusetts, and UMASS Boston/Boston State. He was named one of the top 20 New England lacrosse players of all time by the New England Lacrosse Journal. He translated what he learned as an athlete into high school and college coaching in Massachusetts and Indiana.

Extending his interests beyond the playing field, he became a certified Polarity Thinking™ consultant and he also earned his doctorate at Boston University. Currently, John is also the CEO of Yeager Leadership Group, in which he helps athletic programs, businesses and schools discover their positive core by maximizing engagement and capacity to develop high performing teams.

He is the also author/co-author of three books including: Smart Strengths: The Parent-Teacher-Coach Guide to Building Character, Resilience and Relationships in Youth; Our Game: The Character and Culture of Lacrosse; and Character and Coaching: Building Virtue in Athletic Programs. He has written for Sports Illustrated.com and has been quoted in the New York Times Magazine and Sports Illustrated Magazine on matters of character and youth sport.

This episode is full of inspiring stories to accompany an exploration of the psychology of coaching!

TOPICS:
[3:53] John’s life-changing experience at Middlebury
[14:30] Overview of The Coaching Zone
[24:50] HERO elements of Psychological Capital
[34:20] Polarity Thinking: Why does it matter?
[50:50] Travis Roy: A model of PsyCap
[54:45] Exemplary Coaching: Katharine DeLorenzo and Neal Anderson
[1:05:04] 360 Degree Strengths Gallery
[1:15:0] John’s best advice

Learn more and follow John:
LinkedIn
Yeager Leadership Group
The Coaching Zone Book

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Thank you all for joining me on this journey to lifelong health, happiness, and higher performance. And remember, always be grateful, love yourself, and serve others.

En este episodio, Mariana Monsalve - una ingeniera civil de Envigado, Colombia - se une a mí para hablar de los beneficios de viajar y aprender idiomas. Ya sea que viajes por trabajo, por diversión o por cualquier otro motivo, descubrir nuevos lugares, culturas, idiomas y personas tiene el potencial de cambiar la vida.

Al tratarse de un episodio especial, cambiaremos los papeles. Mariana será la anfitriona y me entrevistará a mí. Ambas compartiremos nuestras experiencias con los viajes y el aprendizaje de idiomas, ¡y tendrás la oportunidad de oírme luchar por comunicarme en español! Este fue un episodio increíblemente divertido de grabar.

Mariana tiene una amplia experiencia aprendiendo inglés y viajando por el mundo. Ha viajado a Londres, Reino Unido, ha estudiado en Sydney, Australia, y ha sido Au Pair en Boston, Estados Unidos. Mientras tanto, actualmente estoy viajando en Colombia y tratando de disfrutar de la comida, la cultura, la gente, el clima y el idioma tanto como sea posible. Juntos, compartimos nuestras mejores experiencias y consejos para viajar y aprender el idioma.

Desde un punto de vista científico, también hablará de la neurociencia del aprendizaje de idiomas como herramienta para mejorar la cognición, luchar contra las enfermedades neurodegenerativas y mucho más.

TEMAS:
[1:26] Presentación de Braeden
[4:20] Por qué deberías viajar y aprender idiomas
[8:42] El aprendizaje de idiomas y la salud del cerebro
[15:30] Las mejores experiencias de viaje de Mariana
[20:14] Las mejores experiencias de Braeden en Colombia
[27:49] Los mejores consejos para aprender un nuevo idioma
[31:56] Los consejos de Braeden para la salud, la felicidad y el alto rendimiento

Conoce más y sigue a Mariana:
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Gracias a todos por acompañarme en este viaje hacia la salud, la felicidad y un mayor rendimiento de por vida. Y recuerden, siempre sean agradecidos, ámense a sí mismos y sirvan a los demás.

In this episode, Mariana Monsalve – a Civil Engineer from Envigado, Colombia – joins me to discuss the benefits of traveling and learning languages. Whether you are traveling for work, fun, or otherwise, discovering new places, cultures, languages, and people has life-changing potential.

Mariana has extensive experience learning English and traveling the world. She has traveled in London, UK, studied in Sydney, Australia, and was an Au Pair in Boston, USA. Throughout her travels, she learned a lot, grew as a person, and created some incredible memories. Today, she shares her recommendations for traveling and learning languages, as well as her favorite food and travel destination!

From a scientific perspective, I’ll also discuss the neuroscience of language learning as a tool to improve cognition, fight off neurodegenerative diseases, and more!

NOTE: This is the English version. The Spanish version will be posted separately.

TOPICS:
[1:23] Introducing Mariana
[5:15] Why you should travel and learn languages
[8:30] Language learning and brain health
[12:00] The best decision of Mariana’s life
[19:44] Mariana’s best travel experiences
[22:40] Best advice for learning a new language
[32:10] Mariana’s advice for health, happiness, and high performance

Learn more and follow Mariana:
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For more information on Learn II Perform and Braeden, please visit:
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Thank you all for joining me on this journey to lifelong health, happiness, and higher performance. And remember, always be grateful, love yourself, and serve others.

We have all heard someone say, “she has great genes” or “it must be in his DNA.” But is that what is really going on? Are we really just a product of our genetic makeup, or is there more to it? Consider case studies of identical twins separated at birth, raised in drastically different environments, and observed to be completely different. How much influence did genetics really have? The modern argument is no longer nature vs nurture, but now it is genetic vs epigenetic.

In this episode, we are going to explore why epigenetic pioneer, Dr. Ben Lynch, claims that “your genes are not your destiny.” We will cover the basics of genetics, epigenetics, gene expression, methylation, and genetic polymorphisms. Most importantly, this episode will offer actionable advice to ‘clean’ up your genes and become the Beethoven of your life.

Topics
[2:29] Biology 101: Genetics
[6:13] Are you the piano or the pianist?
[8:32] 5 ways your genes get ‘dirty’
[11:35] Methylation: The key to gene expression
[14:41] Braeden’s personal gene protocol
[21:56] Braeden’s DNA test results: SNPs and insights
[25:40] Easy steps to optimize your gene expression

Learn more and follow Dr. Ben Lynch:
Dr. Ben Lynch
Dirty Genes
Instagram

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For more information on Learn II Perform and Braeden, please visit:
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Thank you all for joining me on this journey to lifelong health, happiness, and higher performance. And remember, always be grateful, love yourself, and serve others.

In this episode, Sid Chawla – a Personal Development Coach, 3-Time CEO, 2-Time Author & more – shares the neuroscience behind creativity and how to Spark Your Inner Genius. After years of research, study, and application, Sid created a playbook to help people unlock their true creative potential. In addition to his passions for excitement, innovation, and learning, Sid has dedicated himself to inspiring and coaching others to take command of their lives.

Regarding high performance, not only does Sid talk-the-talk, but he also walks-the-walk. Currently, Sid is a business intelligence engineer specializing in data strategy at J.P. Morgan Chase, a Certified Neuroscience & NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) Professional, a Motivational Speaker, popular blogger, and still finds time to actively volunteer for Minds Matter, The American Red Cross, and the American Indian Foundation.

Full of frameworks, metaphors, and historical tales of genius, this episode just might trigger multiple eureka moments. I certainly had my share of Archimedes’ moments!

TOPICS:
[7:30] The choice paradox
[15:04] Five ways to develop fluid intelligence
[22:56] Exercising your brain: Physically change your brain’s structure
[28:35] The two biggest barriers to creativity: Fear and uncertainty
[41:05] Three types of innovative breakthroughs
[53:28] Five steps to be a genius
[1:08:23] The secrets to optimizing health, happiness, and performance

Full Episode with Video

Learn more and follow Sid Chawla:
Sid Chawla – Uncomplicated Personal Development
Spark Your Inner Genius
Charisma Crush
Instagram
LinkedIn

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For more information on Learn II Perform and Braeden, please visit:
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Thank you all for joining me on this journey to lifelong health, happiness, and higher performance. And remember, always be grateful, love yourself, and serve others.

Sleep is an incredibly complicated process that plays an incredibly important role in recovery and human optimization. As a passive activity, it is much harder for us to assess our sleep performance and actively improve our sleep. Technology and research has helped clarify what actually happens during sleep, and the key mechanisms of different phases of sleep.

In this episode, we are going to explore why sleep is so important by understanding the components of the sleep cycle and factors that influence them. You’ll learn about the stages of the sleep cycle, the benefits of each stage, and potential disruptions that may be compromising your sleep. I’ll also share my experience with tracking my sleep stages and best practices for understanding, documenting, and adapting to your sleep tendencies.

Topics
[2:38] A breakdown of the different sleep stages
[5:58] Memory consolidation during N2 and REM sleep
[8:00] Steroid secretion during deep sleep
[9:05] The impact of your sleep schedule on restorative sleep
[10:12] Alcohol and cannabis: Implications for sleep
[13:13] Tracking my sleep: Observing trends in REM and deep sleep
[17:57] Top tips for you to understand and track your sleep

For more information, please visit:
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Thank you all for joining me on this journey to lifelong health, happiness, and higher performance. And remember, always be grateful, love yourself, and serve others.

In this episode, Dr. Amanda Chay – a naturopathic physician and my amazing cousin – shares evidence-based insights into HPA axis dysregulation and stress, diet-related health issues including SIBO and fungal dysbiosis, and female hormone regulation. Her expertise comes from a combination of her medical training, experience treating thousands of patients, and a passion for health, happiness, and performance.

Currently, Amanda is the owner of The Natural Path Clinic in Rossland, BC, owner of her own supplement company, Enliven Naturals, and a business consultant helping wellness providers diversify income and help more people. Her work has been featured in Medium, Thrive, and The Female Hustlers. And finally, in addition to her Naturopathic medical training, she also has advanced training and certifications in the following:

- Pharmaceutical prescription rights
- Acupuncture
- IV & chelation therapy
- Advanced cardiac life support

Needless to say, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge and her personality and enthusiasm is infectious. I personally guarantee that you will enjoy this episode with Amanda!

TOPICS:
[3:45] What is naturopathic medicine?
[8:50] HPA axis dysregulation and its role in health
[19:12] The role of diet with IBS, SIBO, fungal dysbiosis and more
[25:15] The two foods that cause 95% of gut issues
[33:23] Building the best diet with whole foods
[42:34] Most common factors that contribute to hormone imbalances
[45:27] Functions of progesterone and estrogen in female menstrual cycle
[51:43] The lifestyle habits of a naturopathic physician
[57:08] Where to learn more about Amanda
[1:02:41] Amanda’s best advice for optimizing health, happiness, and performance

Full Episode with Video

Learn more and follow Dr. Amanda Chay:
Instagram
Naturopath Clinic – Website
Naturopath Clinic – Instagram
Enliven Naturals – Website
Enliven Naturals – Instagram
Hormone Harmony Master Class

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For more information on Learn II Perform and Braeden, please visit:
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Thank you all for joining me on this journey to lifelong health, happiness, and higher performance. And remember, always be grateful, love yourself, and serve others.

Soft-tissue injuries consist of damage sustained to muscles, ligaments and tendons, such as sprains, strains, and tears. These injuries are extremely prevalent, accounting 35-50% of all workplace injuries and are the most common type of sport injury. Depending on severity, acute soft-tissue injuries can impair an individual’s quality of life and performance for up to months at a time, and chronic injuries much longer.

In this episode, you’re going to discover three unconventional rules that will allow you to return to full health shockingly fast. Topics covered include inflammation, the role of amino acids and collagen, and importance of actively rehab. I’ll also share the protocol I used to recover remarkably fast after impulsively running an ultramarathon with no training.

Topics
[2:38] Inflammation is your best friend
[4:35] The problem with RICE and NSAIDs
[6:40] Collagen peptides and tissue regeneration
[8:36] Role of amino acids in recovery
[10:38] Immobilizing a joint is detrimental to recovery
[13:02] Aftermath of running an ultramarathon with no training
[15:23] Recovery from possible grade II sprains in both ankles in less than 2 weeks
[20:14] Your three rules to turbocharge soft-tissue injury recovery

For more information, please visit:
Website: https://learniiperform.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com//braedenostepchuk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braedenostepchuk/

Thank you all for joining me on this journey to lifelong health, happiness, and higher performance. And remember, always be grateful, love yourself, and serve others.

In this episode, Kristen Holmes – Vice President of Performance Science at WHOOP and legendary field hockey player and coach – shares actionable insights into the physiology and psychology of human performance that can enable you to literally CHOOSE your performance. At WHOOP, she works directly with hundreds of the best tactical, professional, surgical, and NCAA Athletes/Teams in the world helping them interpret WHOOP data to optimize training, recovery, and sleep behavior.

Not only is Kristen an authority on all things related to human performance optimization, she speaks from a place of experience as one of the most decorated field hockey athletes AND coaches of all time. Competing at the University of Iowa, she was a 3x All American and 2x Big 10 Athlete of the Year before becoming a 7 year member of the US National Field Hockey Team and a legendary coach at Princeton. Her tenure at Princeton is the definition of a dynasty, winning 12 Ivy league titles in 13 seasons and a National Championship in 2012.

This episode distils many of the greatest scientific breakthroughs in the world of elite performers and provides actionable advice so that you can immediately CHOOSE your performance level. Kristen’s wisdom can change the trajectory of your life.

TOPICS:
[3:09] Performance is the capacity to perform intentionally
[9:06] The North Star: How to access the Flow State
[14:09] The two ingredients in Kristen’s (tried and tested) winning formula
[20:54] How to manifest high performance consistently (Hint: Everything you need is free)
[24:42] Why meal timing is so important
[35:00] You can opt out of jet lag
[40:29] The physiology and psychology of resilience
[54:07] Most impactful changes you make today – The gold standard of performance habits

Learn more and follow Kristen:
LinkedIn
Instagram

Learn more about WHOOP:
whoop.com
The Locker
LinkedIn
Instagram
Podcast

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For more information on Learn II Perform and Braeden, please visit:
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Thank you all for joining me on this journey to lifelong health, happiness, and higher performance. And remember, always be grateful, love yourself, and serve others.