How to Stop Living on Autopilot

Over the last few months, I’ve had conversations with neuroscientists, addiction specialists, leadership coaches, outdoor educators, adventurers, and podcasters. On the surface, they were all talking about different things.But the more I reflected on those conversations, the more I realized they were all pointing toward the same idea:The quality of our lives is shaped less by our intentions than by our defaults.Why do we instinctively reach for our phones? Why do we fall into habits we know aren’t serving us? And why do so many of us feel drawn to the novelty of nature, adventure, and deeper human connection?In this season recap episode of Next Door Neuro, I explore the common thread running through this year’s conversations: the importance of intentionality in a world increasingly designed to run us on autopilot.Drawing on insights from guests including outdoor educator Sarah Nielsen, Erica Mallery - coach and mentor for those looking to improve their relationship with alcohol, leadership coach Marcy Stoudt, adventurer Richard Campbell, and podcaster Dawn Wecker, I unpack what it means to pay attention, build better defaults, and create a life that reflects who we actually want to be.Because the most important question we should be asking isn’t “How can I optimize my life?”It’s simply:“Is this the way I want to live?”If you enjoy conversations about neuroscience, behavior change, mental health, human connection, and what it means to thrive in the modern world, I’d love to have you along for the journey.