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The text came in right as I stood at my desk. ‘Jumpy Jim' texted, “I'm working non-stop. I don't see this ending anytime soon.” I could feel the absolute despair as I read those words. I stood up straight in my office chair and looked up at the sky. I took a deep breath in and smelled the fresh air. I felt the warm sunlight kissing my skin. I looked at my phone and realized something terrifying… ‘Jim' and I were living in the exact same world, but he was trapped in a biological prison while I was holding the keys. Ironically, my life used to be exactly the same as that text message. When COVID hit in 2020, I learned about stress to help my clients, never realizing that I was a complete mess of stress myself. I used to wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. I even had panic attacks in the open water before everything changed. Always with a smile in my face, and unknowingly pretending everything was okay. I realized I needed to break those chains of stress while my son Jagger was still in the womb. I was terrified of becoming a “Ghost Parent,” physically present at the dinner table but totally empty inside. I refused to let my son get the exhausted scraps of my energy. The reason I'm sharing this with you is because we're best served to help the people we once were. You can't out-think a thinking problem. Remember this: The mind lives inside the body. When you're stressed, your brain is the CEO, but your body is the Bouncer. You can't hand the Bouncer a spreadsheet to prove you're relaxed. You have to use your physical body to pick the lock. It comes down to one irreplaceable tool… I call it The Body Throttle. The first step in the Body Throttle is fixing your hardware.
Slouching with rounded shoulders literally suffocates your nervous system in plain sight. I want you to test this right now… Sit up straight, drop your shoulders away from your ears, and take one deep four-second breath through your nose. You'll physically feel the emergency brake engage on your stress. If you don't take control of your physiology, prepare to stay on that stress treadmill for a really, really, long time…
PS: Here's the kicker, if you have the right position (the right posture) but your nose is clogged, stuffy or completely blocked… None of this will work. Luckily a magic solution exists. <Watch 2-minute this video to Clear Your Nose Instantly> |
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Tomorrow, we celebrate my Mom's 71st birthday. It's the oldest she's ever been. We've been spending more time together lately, and she's really stepped up to help Courtney and me with Jagger. But stepping up is nothing new to my mother. Young Mama Sofia was growing hopeless in poverty-stricken Mexico. They had no electricity. They had no plumbing. Worst of all, they had no access to education past the sixth grade. As each day passed, she dreamt of a better life. But for a better life to happen, she needed to do something. Nothing changes if nothing changes. Uncertainty breeds fear, and fear can paralyze you. But Mama Sofia braved a dangerous crossing to the United States. Scared, frightened, and alone, young Sofia sought opportunities.
She headed to Los Angeles, the land of opportunity. That's when she met Pedro, my biological father. Pedro could make anyone smile and instantly swept my Mom off her feet. Life was certainly better in the U.S., but it came with its own problems. Pedro worked hard, but he also held grudges. He was never wrong, and he liked many other women. Then they had me. A year later, she gave birth to my brother Richard, and then Laiza finally came. We were supposed to have a better life than in Mexico. “We live like Kings here,” I remember her telling me in our tiny, hot apartment in the heart of South Central Los Angeles. And I believed it. But Pedro's drinking and womanizing only increased with time. The apartment was stuffy, and it always stank of a teenage boy's armpit. Then, one of the other women called our apartment. It was one of my Mom's friends. That was the breaking point… Could a single mother of three without speaking English have the courage to jump again? Mama Sofia did. She wasn't crying when we left. It was sudden, and she moved with purpose. The reason I'm sharing this with you is because there's something in your life that you want to change. It's something that scares you, maybe a little, but probably a lot. I promise you this. It's always scary when you jump. That's how life is designed. It's a feature, not a bug. You can't have courage without fear. I've jumped many times in my life. I gave up engineering for fitness, started my own business, and wrote my first book. But this last jump has been the scariest. I completely reimagined my career for one main reason. I want to be present with my son. My father was never there for me, and it still hurts to this day. So, although the parachute hasn't completely opened, I have complete faith that it will. Like it always has. What's the jump you're terrified to make right now? You got this. Let's make it happen.
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Hey Reader, I posted a video the other day of Jagger throwing a bunch of balls at Dave and Buster's. He was targeting Cucuis and having the time of his life…
Instantly, my inbox was flooded with messages. People kept saying how much they couldn't believe he's grown. They repeated the old cliches about time flying. They said time's a thief and life happens way too fast. But I watched that video and realized something different… These last two years of my life haven't flown by at all. I've been more present than ever. It actually feels much longer than two years. The reason I'm sharing this with you is because of a harsh reality I noticed. We can physically watch our kids develop. But we can't mentally see how we're evolving. A lot of people settle into being the Ghost Parent. They're physically in the room, but their energy is completely drained. Look at your kid. Now look in the mirror. Are you growing as fast as they are? Use their birthdays as a timestamp. Last year, you were too exhausted to play tag. This year, you're chasing them across the yard without losing your breath. Pull up a photo of yourself from two years ago… Are you sleeping better, thinking clearer, and moving faster today? If not, it's time to fix the engine. Tomorrow morning, when your kid shows you something new they've learned, make a choice. Decide exactly what new habit you're going to build by this time next year. Let's grow together.
PS: What's one way you've mentally grown in the last two years? Hit REPLY and let me know. |
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“I never want to get married. I never want to have kids,” I said. We were sitting in her apartment in Costa Mesa. The room lost its life. She looked down, then turned to face me. “Ever?” Courtney responded. I looked away and shook my head. “Well, not in the foreseeable future.” Her eyes swelled with tears before she turned and walked to her room. I wanted to chase her. But instead, I walked out and pulled shut the heaviest door of my life. And then we broke up… Or so I thought. That conversation feels like a lifetime ago. Tomorrow, Courtney and I are celebrating our five-year wedding anniversary.
My younger self was terrified of turning into my father. I thought building a wall was the safest way to protect myself. But I soon realized I shouldn't let my disdain for his behavior block me from the life I truly wanted. We originally planned to continue our epic global Steak House Tour to celebrate this five-year milestone. A night of fine dining at Ruth Chris's or Mastros…. But instead, we are packing up the stroller, apple juice, diapers and taking two-year-old Jagger to Disneyland. And honestly? I wouldn't trade it for the world. The reason I'm sharing this with you is because growth requires sacrifice. Change is constant, but growth is a choice. We often lock ourselves into a rigid idea of who we are. We think we have to stick to the script we wrote years ago… But a growing family requires new choices. A growing body requires a new approach to fitness. When Court, Jagger, Kona, (yes, they count although they don't speak) and I meet to discuss our dreams, we always begin with the end in mind. Our Champagne Dreams today looks very different than it did years ago. I want to be present for my family. I want to chase Mickey Mouse instead of a Michelin star. You have to be willing to let go of the person you were to become the person you are meant to be… But what about you, Reader? What old script are you still holding onto? Where are you fighting change instead of leaning into growth? You got this. Let's make it happen.
P.S. I’ve survived my fair share of triathlons, but dodging crowds and chasing Jagger through Toontown tomorrow is the ultimate test of human endurance. Pray for my step count… |
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Hey Reader, Last month was an absolute whirlwind of moving, sleepless nights, and pure chaos. Through all that turmoil, my son Jagger started school. Courtney and I decided to drop him off together. We agreed to be swift and not make a big deal out of it. I looked at Courtney and asked, “Ready?” We walked Jagger to the classroom and told him we loved him. We said, “Mama and Dada will be back.” Then we didn't look back and walked away in stoic silence. We just drove back in the Tesla in tense silence as we waited for the first update from his teacher. I was terrified he wouldn't nap or that he'd have one of his “Dark Jagger” moments. I kept reloading the app looking for a message. Then it finally came….
He cried for 40 minutes… I couldn't hear him, but I could feel his little heart at home. But then something clicked for the little guy. He calmed down and actually started loving it. He loved the novelty, the new friends, and the playtime. But most importantly, he loved the routine. A few days later, he asked us, “School?” “Sorry buddy, not on Saturdays..” I smiled. As the dust settled on our chaotic month, I had to look at our own household routines. Everything from our meal planning and bedtime to my workouts had taken a hit… We were suffering from massive decision fatigue. The reason I'm sharing this with you is because routines dictate our reality. You have to actively build systems that serve your health, your family, and your fitness. Test this system out tomorrow morning: before you pour your coffee, drink 30oz of water and take four deep nasal breaths. You'll physically feel the morning fog lift within twenty minutes. Build the systems that build the life and health you desire. That's exactly what my high-performing clients are doing… When chaos hits, they don't rely on willpower. They stack simple daily dominos, like stretching before checking their phones, to guarantee their energy never crashes. They take the unpredictable and make it predictable. They turn chaos into calm. You can't out-logic biological burnout. It's time to stop treating your health like a 2 AM fire drill and build a standard operating procedure for a body that won't quit on you. Let's make it happen. 💪 LivFit 365 High-PerformersPlease take a moment to recognize the outstanding achievers who are building high-performance human systems. Jesse Galeana Talk about building a legendary family legacy. Jesse and his wife shredded fifty pounds together by locking in bulletproof household guardrails. The man is unstoppable. Phu Phan Building a powerhouse starts with Air. Adhering to his breathing moments transformed him into a completely anchored father and business owner. Yolanda Phan She knows her body is the ultimate sanctuary. Leveraging physical presence to bring peace makes her an absolute rock for her kids. Glanda Phan She completely mastered the Survival Chain. Hitting a year of consistency by honoring the right order is the ultimate recipe for massive success. Dr. Omar Guzman Triathlete ✔️ Omar embraced the fear of the open water, and came out with his first triathlon medal. Small strokes, huge changes. Congrats! Krystal Guzman Chaos stands no chance against her drive. Crushing a 13.1 mile run with her mom is a beautifully powerful moment for her entire family. Kim Travis Drop the mic because she's winning the Life Game. Hitting her lowest weight in years cements that her next upgrade is her greatest yet. Anna Shad Beauty and strength are completely colliding right here. Her unrelenting commitment to leveling up proves she is designing a beautifully unshakable architecture. Fred Ghamari We love a guy who protects his bandwidth. Minimizing mental loops to lower stress makes him the ultimate present father and husband. Kristin Erickson Mastering the Nightly Street Sweeper is her secret weapon. Leveraging the breath to bring deep calm guarantees her days and nights are optimized. Yes Ordorica She officially upgraded her Internal Operating System. Cementing new breath techniques completely revolutionized every single facet of her glowing well being. Mike Celeya This guy is slaying absolute dragons out there. Getting stronger with every single challenge guarantees he's climbing straight to the elite tier. Colleen Smith Simple done with fierce consistency is pure magic. Liberating herself through daily habits shows she finally built a house that is fireproof. Mitch Moshe He's absolutely operating at He Man status. Committing to higher consistency to banish back pain proves we completely control our own hardware. Pooneh Mashadi Life keeps throwing heavy tests her way. Always having the right answer through fierce consistency shows her armor is completely bulletproof. Karla Ceja She's making massive waves. Conquering the ocean to prove her potential shows her family exactly what true courage really looks like. Carol Gorelick She finally put herself at the top of the list. Carving out time for her own personal growth will open doors we thought were closed. Nicole Collins Life moves fast but she steers the ship perfectly. Making time for herself with absolute grace ensures her next brilliant version is already here. Alex Flores Say goodbye to the panza and hello to peace. Committing to his breathing for dramatic mental improvements makes this father an absolute titan. LivFit 365 Family Fitness CoachingPlease welcome my new families. Your success is why I exist. I promise to do my absolute best to ensure you succeed. Eddie Chavez Welcome to the LivFit Fam. I'm grateful to serve you. LivFit Coaching Calls – Fridays (12 pm PST/ 3pm PST)Want the ultimate fitness cheat sheet? I've packed 22 years of experience into these sessions, giving you the tools and knowledge to transform your body and mind. No more wasted time, just pure, results-driven knowledge to help you eat right, train effectively, and make healthy habits stick. LivFit Live Group Workouts – Saturdays (8am PST/ 11am EST)Say goodbye to boring workouts and hello to a fitness experience that's as unique as you are! Our live group sessions offer a dynamic blend of everything your body and mind need: strength, cardio, flexibility, meditation… and maybe even a few laughs along the way.
P.S. Remember: you don't rise to the level of your willpower; you fall to the level of your systems. Stop fighting biological burnout alone and start stacking daily dominos. |
