Persevering through Gritted Teeth
Smiling at Reflections of the Past
Hello, World
For many years, I’ve wanted to share my perspective but always had a bit of fear. Today, we take a first step.
As a world traveler, storyteller, forever learner, and wearer of many hats in 10+ years working in Silicon Valley startups, I aim to inspire, nudge, and put a bit more optimism into the world. There seems to be a lot of cynicism out there, far too much of it. As I dive into insights from a story, I hope we’ll take that first step toward shifting your mindset. To take a moment in the present and enjoy something inspiring external to yourself. This is one of the many techniques I’ve learned along the way that helped me drive forward when times are tough, when life feels uncertain, and still have a bit of fun along the way.
If you’re not a film watcher and have never seen the Rocky movies, then maybe you know a song from them, “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor, classically seen in media since the 80s to evoke a shift towards a strong and resilient attitude. While you read the stories below, take a moment to put it on while you read.
Fun Fact
The song was written by Survivor guitarist Frankie Sullivan and keyboardist Jim Peterik at the request of Rocky III star, writer, and director Sylvester Stallone after Queen denied him permission to use "Another One Bites the Dust", the song Stallone intended to use as the Rocky III theme, in the film.
Today, I’ll share a few challenges I’ve overcome with this persevering perspective in my never-ending journey on this river of life.
Following Through
While traveling in Peru, I discovered a cooking class not far from my hostel in Cusco. So, in the spirit of adventure, I signed up! Cooking is one of those skills where making mistakes can lead to the worst or best results; failure can be a reward in many ways.
Failure is essential for personal growth and success. When we fail, we strengthen our sense of perseverance. It helps us become stronger and more determined. Failure teaches us to improve and try again.
In other words, “true growth comes from the discomfort of failure,” said probably someone before me. For me, cooking isn’t something I grew up doing, loving, or anything of the sort. That said, great family recipes and dinners were the tradition during holidays, and it got me curious. I started exploring it more once I left my parent’s home. It took me a while to feel comfortable around a kitchen and get the food coming out with any consistency! Those spices are so hard to manage sometimes.
So back in Cusco, when I walked into this cooking class, and we were learning about the 3000 plus varietals of potatoes in Peru, how to identify the starch levels to determine the right methods of cooking them or if they even fit our dish, it felt like I had walked into a whole new world. I’ll never forget this particular class because I’d never cooked by lighting my wok on fire before (see photo); let me tell you, what a thrill! I nearly singed my beard off.
This wasn’t my first time leaping into something with a “spirit of adventure,” that was a muscle I’d developed over the many previous adventures we’ll likely bring up another time. Though this wasn’t my first time cooking while I travel, it really solidified how much I learned by taking that risk. It taught me so much about the culture, people, and lands from something we all need: food.
The first leap was scary until I discovered the rewards and failures that would make the next time even better because I’d learned something from both. In truth, this newsletter is something that gives me a tinge of trepidation. But because I’ve exercised what some might call grit, I’ll give it a shot!
This newsletter is filled with love and is meant to be a safe space for sharing reflections and the thoughts sometimes missed. Did you resonate with something I’ve shared?
A Moldy Reflection
A trial that required ALL of my grit came back into focus with the greatest clarity when a friend messaged me the other week, listing off symptoms they’ve been facing; I knew right away they were facing a similar battle. I am a survivor of black mold poisoning–it was a harrowing multi-year recovery to reclaim myself. Today, I’m given hope that my struggles and perseverance through it all will help them not face the same journey, or at least not alone. Many out there don't know their troubles come from mold; here are a few of the more common symptoms:
Allergic Reactions: Mold often triggers allergies. It could be due to mold exposure if you're experiencing persistent sneezing, coughing, runny nose, red eyes, or skin rashes.
Breathing Problems: Difficulty breathing, wheezing, or shortness of breath, especially in a location like your home or office, could point towards mold toxicity.
Sinus Issues: Mold can cause chronic sinusitis. Frequent sinus infections, nasal congestion, or sinus headaches could be signs of mold exposure.
Fatigue and Weakness: If you're always feeling tired or weak without an apparent reason, this could be a symptom of mold toxicity.
Memory Problems and Brain Fog: Mold toxins can impact your cognitive function, leading to memory issues, lack of focus, and general brain fog.
The above is sourced from this article, which outlines more symptoms of black mold and some common misconceptions. Inform yourself should you be one or find another needing support. To give it space, and if folks show interest, I’ll likely dedicate a post to this story. For now, what helped me tremendously was talking to a Naturopath who looked holistically at what was triggering my symptoms: an overabundance of histamines. For anyone who suspects mold toxicity, try these three things:
If you’re able, leave the space for some time. Get a professional who specializes in Mold Remediation in the home to inspect the place and give you an evaluation.
Talk to your doctor(s) about a blood panel that looks for histamine levels and other deficiencies. Start filling in those gaps, they’ll support your recovery.
As soon as you’re able, shift your diet to low-inflammatory foods, or what’s called a low-histamine diet, to reduce potential triggers.
With every lesson we share, we raise the tide.
Did a story I share make you think of someone you know? Share the newsletter and reconnect!
Picking Yourself Up
On a good day, forming habits can be difficult: writing regularly, going to the gym, and reading books periodically are just a few that I’ve struggled with in recent years. Today, I’m thankful to have made progress on all of them. The simple strategy that helped me get here?
Habit stacking –
Firstly, you need to identify a current habit that you do every single day.
Secondly, you add or "stack" a new habit on top of it.
You do that by using the stacking formula, which looks like this:
After [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT].
Once you master the basics of habit stacking, the next step is to start stacking your stacks. Basically, you chain numerous habits together, each one acting as the trigger for the next. This step will allow you to create an actual routine for yourself.
For more, check out this awesome video from Better Than Yesterday.
External accountability –
Find a friend, gamification, or perhaps an AI assistant to keep you accountable to stick with it. It can be harder to find one that works for you. I’ll admit that I struggled to keep myself accountable with gamified apps and even an AI coach bot (built by a friend of mine) that would text me to keep on top of my habits.
What eventually worked for me was finding a few friends to go climbing regularly, my partner (now fiancée) and I setting up a regular calendar event to remind us to check in on finances, and tearing my ACL in March to really get me committed to reclaiming my fitness. The last is an extreme example, but that in itself was yet another obstacle to persevere through, recognizing where I’d failed and taking the next steps to return to the slopes. Find what motivations work for you in the moment until you’re able to make things easier for yourself. We’re all a work-in-progress, moving through life step by step.
Continuous Growth
Every week, I'll pick out a few gems that have informed my perspective and kept me curious about the world. I hope you enjoy them!
How to Not NEED as Much Motivation to do the Thing
I’ve always struggled with procrastination, but having a visualization and mental tools to build the “bridge” made things tangible, making the Thing feasible.
"Talk to Strangers" by Matt Dahlia
In a world filled with people staring at their screens (for at least two decades now), talking to strangers has become the ultimate test of discomfort for many. I’ve been following this team's journey in awe, and I’m taking the chance on this pre-order because the message is so powerful. Go “Talk to Strangers”; they’re just friends you haven’t met yet.
I am absolutely inspired by SWYX and his presence of continuous growth in the developer community. His “Learn in Public” piece is part of the reason I’m writing this newsletter—a forcing function to do the things I want to do in my life.
Until next time, keep driving forward, as you only live once…
Eddie, your newsletter was so fun to read. It made me want to hop a plane, light some shit on fire, and explore the world. Thank you for sharing some of your travel adventures here as well as your musings on self-improvement. super inspiring!