Good morning! Is anyone else besides me asking themselves how it possibly could be May already?

This week, I’m celebrating the first 100 subscribers to The Weekly Pounce! That’s YOU, friends and family. You all are at the heart of every newsletter and every article in the Pounce Pot Post that I create for The Pounce Pot.

It means so very much to me to share my passion and research with readers I know and love. Thank you for joining me on this journey toward our mission!

Like what you see? Forward this email to your favorite people, and let’s widen our circle of friends and family.

First time reading? Yay! Welcome! Sign up here for more.

It’s no secret that I love Mel Robbins. Her podcast inspires, motivates, and engages me more than any other.

Improving our overall attitude about aging is one of the main goals of The Pounce Pot, but how we each see the world is certainly a tough subject to tackle.

I think she does a fabulous job of giving us a simple way to reign in our negative thoughts in this recent episode.

Look, it’s 65 minutes long, but seriously, your brain health is worth it. Too busy with other tasks? When you’re ready to learn, I know you’ll find the time. Dishes can wait. Mindless scrolling can wait.

Put yourself first this week and filter your day right when you wake up.

Are pets as good for our wellbeing as being married or meeting up with friends or relatives? I’m keeping mum on this one! But you can learn more here. ➜

The list is lengthy, but right next to “improve your efforts to sleep well,” on the inventory of ways you can harness your hidden powers, you’ll will also find “understand your relationship with tiny microbes.”

Interestingly, while some are essential, others are out to kill us. This is where hand-washing comes in. That’s an essential action we can easily achieve daily.

This teacher’s class experiment reminds us that hand sanitizer is useful, but it does not replace hand-washing.

Try singing a few rounds of “Happy Birthday” the next time you wash your hands. Your future self will thank you when you’re not sick next week.

We have much better things to do with our one wild and precious life than wasting it battling a virus we could have avoided.

I’m a big fan of Michael Pollan’s books. They’re packed with clear, well-researched advice written with a friendly, conversational voice that feels like he’s just chatting with you over a cup of coffee. I’ve written more about him in an introductory article about Fueling Your Journey.

If you struggle deciding exactly what to eat, why not take a moment this week to focus on foods that you enjoy that have only one ingredient? Just one.

Replace an item that you often eat that has a complex ingredient list with something that has NO ingredient list. Perhaps swap out chips with snap peas. Something like that.

Small changes can really add up! We’ll chat more about habits soon in the Pounce Pot Post.

Find Food Rules at your public library or here. ➜

Small changes in your physical activity help, too. The Independent recently reported on the UK’s new healthspan campaign called “Act Now, Age Better.” I love their slogan!

And they’ve snagged Oscar winner Dame Helen Mirren as an Age UK ambassador. At 79, she said what you’ll hear me say on repeat: “It’s never to late to start doing something….” Read more ➜

Tip: When you pump gas this week, or as you’re brushing your teeth, don’t just stand there. Rise up on your toes and hard drop back down onto your heels. Every few minutes here and there will add up, and just this small exercise can be extremely helpful.

Watch this short video to learn why it’s so beneficial and to hear about the scientific studies that support this activity. If you’d rather read the transcript, just email me, and I’ll send it to you.