Re-calculating

I have a navigation system in my car. When I first got it, I thought it was the coolest thing ever. With a few quick keystrokes, I can have the dulcet sounds of Charlize (yeah, that's what I call her...) guiding me to my destination.

At first, it was a lifesaver. I travel a lot and frequently find myself in unfamiliar locations. Nothing gives me confidence in a strange town like Charlize telling me where to go.

I got so accustomed to it that I started using her EVERYWHERE - even when I was traveling around my own neighborhood. If I was in a hurry - Charlize! If I was heading to a strange part of town - Charlize!

Pretty soon, I started to realize that I was having trouble with basic navigation. It turns out, I am not alone.

I did some research.  I learned that GPS use can actually reduce the size and functionality of the part of the brain (the posterior hippocampus) responsible for memory and navigation. This area of the brain is also one of the first parts affected at the onset of Alzheimer's Disease. [Edwards (2010, November 18). Study suggests reliance on GPS may reduce hippocampus function as we age. PhysOrg.com. Retrieved October 18, 2013, from http://phys.org/news/2010-11-reliance-gps-hippocampus-function-age.html]

Another study shows that cab drivers in London have larger hippocampi. They have to go through extensive training in one of the world's most complex cities in order to be licensed. Navigating the crazy streets of London appears to create more brain cells in the very same areas that the GPS is shrinking. [Woollett K and Maguire EA. Acquiring 'the Knowledge' of London's layout drives structural brain changes. Curr Biol 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2013, from http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/News/Media-office/Press-releases/2011/WTVM053658.htm]

This is a perfect example of "use it or lose it". Relying on technology means we aren't exercising portions of our brains. It's making us stupid and possibly putting us at risk for truly debilitating disease.

What do we do about this? First off, it should be pretty clear that we need to ween ourselves off the GPS! If we're not lost and we don't need to use it, we shouldn't.

More importantly, we have to realize that our bodies are made to be used in certain ways. The brain needs stimulation as much as your muscles need exercise. When we rely on the comfortable and avoid challenging ourselves, our bodies begin to shrink and atrophy.

I've made the conscious decision to distance myself from Charlize. I try to use her only when necessary and I've even gone back to printing directions from Google maps so I can plot the course in my head. It's a much lonelier trip nowadays, but the company wasn't worth the price I would have to pay.

Have similar experiences? Join the conversation!

Motivation

For those of you who have been following me on Facebook for a while, you're probably used to seeing the daily quote on my page. I've always found it valuable in my own life to read some of these things. It's not so much about who says these things, but the message that's conveyed. There's wisdom to be gleaned from others' words, experiences, and philosophies. After all, we're all sharing this experience and if someone can offer some insight that can make our time better and more fulfilling, by all means, we should take it! When a particular quote resonates with us, it connects us to the human experience and makes us feel a bit less like we're on our own. One quote that I revisit often is attributed to Jack London, though it may not necessarily be his entirely:

I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.

This is really the perfect visual that comes to my mind for my philosophy of the Unsteady State.

• Imagine an athlete that has all the skills and raw talent to be the best, but plays it safe on the field of play, never realizes his/her potential, and never leaves an impression on his sport...
• Imagine a glorious (and expensive!) vintage of red wine sitting in your wine rack for the perfect occasion. It sits there so long that it turns to vinegar and you never get the opportunity to enjoy it...

It's so easy to get caught in the steady state, a situation that is comfortable, safe, and doesn't change. Nobody likes change! But life is not about merely existing. And in order to live, we have to introduce and accept change.

Change doesn't have to mean running off and becoming a hermit or completely changing your life as you currently know it... Change can be as simple as taking a class, starting a new hobby, saying "hi" to that person down the hall that you never really bothered to meet.

There is even evidence that leading a more active cognitive lifestyle (i.e. - doing things that make you think rather than hanging out on autopilot) has physically measurable benefits on your brain! [Elsevier (2012, April 25). Protecting your brain: 'Use it or lose it'. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 12, 2013, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2012/04/120425094358.htm]

We have to make the effort to expand our horizons. The old adage "if you're not living, you're dying" couldn't be any simpler or more true.

How do we move towards finding our Unsteady State? I've got some key things we can do that I'll be sharing in future blogs...

What do you think? Join the conversation.

Gravitas & Gravity

Over the weekend, I indulged in a little Me-time... I went down to the local IMAX theater and got lost in space with Sandra Bullock for an hour-and-a-half. Alfonso Cuaron's new movie "Gravity" was something to behold. I can't even begin to express how gorgeous the cinematography was. True, there were some inaccuracies as Neil DeGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) has pointed out. Nonetheless, it was a beautiful picture with a compelling story. After having some time to digest it, I keep getting drawn back to just how fragile life is. A spacesuit is all that separates an astronaut from the vacuum of space. Life exists in that spacesuit and it is pushing out the lifelessness that surrounds it.

In much the same way, we are all living in this atmospheric bubble around a big rock. Life as we know it exists on this side of the tropopause and doesn't on the other. It's such an amazing thing that we take for granted as we get caught up in our daily routine.

There is so much to experience here inside our bubble... And there aren't any rainchecks... Are you going to explore your world? What have you always wanted to do, but were afraid to try? Be a terranaut! Get out there and discover what this world has to offer!

Beginnings

There's an ancient Chinese proverb by Lao Tzu that says "A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” And so it begins for me... With some not-so-gentle nudging, I embrace my own unsteady state and take my first step to enter the blog-o-sphere. It's not without some kicking and screaming and a bit of trepidation. For many reasons, it's been my desire to avoid being in any headlines! So this first step has been a hard one.

But it's what happens when your significant other is a successful Internet entrepreneur... It's what happens when friends look to you for advice... It's what happens when you come to the conclusion that playing it safe isn't always the right thing to do...

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin

This time, I took everyone else's advice and left my comfortable existence off the grid. I'm looking forward to sharing thoughts and starting new conversations with you. My plan is to start by trying to update weekly, but who knows where we'll end up. If you have any questions about Unsteady State or things you'd like to see, drop me a line.

Cheers!