When something is happening that doesn’t make sense, your brain will often just make something up to explain it. One of the brain’s most important jobs, actually, is to put a story together that you can and will believe…no matter what the truth really is. And the shock of being caught in a candid camera joke, with clearly obvious clues being still so hidden and denied, has stayed with me for over 20 years.

For the longest time, I’ve wanted to do book reports. Share some of the books that had the most impact in my life. But, it turns out “report” isn’t quite right and what I really care to do is discuss how and why they’ve impacted me. Kathryn Schulz’s “Being Wrong” is the first and possibly most important of those selections, as it opened the door for objective and defense-free self exploration, a critical component of living an examined life along my personal Path of Wellness.

After talking about changing my "north star" of wellness, i thought I'd further explore what value my new star brings to my wellness journey. More broadly, what value a longevity mindset has brought to my life. Science can help define "how" I can achieve more than 130 years of healthy living, but "why" I would want to is entirely in my hands. And it's not in order to see what the future holds...it's more about getting me to that future, in the first place. The inspirations needed for, and gained from, a longevity mindset are critical for the journey along my personal Path of Wellness.

As I work with the various wellness factors in my life, moving towards my North Star of being the best version of me possible, it’s important to be open to the changes that are needed along the way. Living an examined life allows me to encounter all those wellness opportunities I’ve explored, but it also provides opportunities to reassess the larger framework and map I’ve created to direct me along my personal Path of Wellness.