You Start Today With Dr. Lee Warren | Weekly Prescriptions To Become Healthier, Feel Better, And Be Happier.

Sometimes life feels like a fight. Here’s how to win. (Adapted from Season 1, Episode 50, Infinitely Happier Part 6) Sometimes we struggle because we keep losing battles our heart knows we’re supposed to win. Or even worse, we don’t even try sometimes. And when we know we were supposed to take up a challenge and we’re too afraid to even try, it leaves us feeling ashamed and guilty. In this episode, we'll learn how to face off agains our biggest battles, and win. Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to dis

Today we’re going to do a little relationship brain surgery.  Because when you’re trying to change your life, it seems like there’s always one person- THAT GUY- who’s out there to stymie you.  Last episode, we talked about the new job I’m taking in a new place. I'm so pumped about it, because Lisa and I and our team are bringing neurosurgery to a community that’s never had access before. And I have decided to make it the best and most successful part of my career. I want you to make the same decision: success is the only option because you're tired of being stuck in some places of your life. What if you could guarantee that, with a solid purpose, careful planning, and a little help, there was no chance that you could fail to make major life change happen in your mind, body, spirit, work and relationships? I'm here to tell you that it's possible. No one knows what life's going to hold for us. There's a lot of scary stuff out there- the economy, COVID-19, the uncertainty of aging... there's no telling what migh

It’s Tuesdays with Tata! Here’s a great talk from last year with Tata about what it means to be sealed by God. Scripture: II Corinthians 1:22 Ephesians 1:13-14 Music by Phil Wickham (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

It’s Mind Change Monday! Today is also May 1, the first day of Remodel May! Some of the episodes we create this month will focus on areas of our lives we can remodel to find hope, craft resilience, and hold on during hard times. We’ll use brain science and scripture to become healthier, feel better, and be happier, perhaps even infinitely happier than we could on our own. Here’s Infinitely Happier, Part 4: The Courage to Change, to get us started! Today, we’re going to talk about courage. About how to shake off the fear of change and finally step into the freedom we’re designed to live in. My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss thi

Synapses are where the business of the nervous system happens. (Note: this is an archived episode, normally for paid subscribers only but available for everyone for 7 days!) Lately, we’ve been talking about the basics of self-brain surgery to learn how to think about our thinking, and the ideas behind my new book. But this isn’t just some “self-help” or motivational speaker-type thing. Because the vast majority of your life, the decisions you make, the relationships you have, the things you accomplish or strive for come out of how you think: your attitudes, your thought patterns. Everything about how you handle stress, unexpected challenges, and the hard parts of life is determined by your thinking. But the problem is, most of us spend our lives reacting to our thinking, because we never think about our thinking. And the reality is, our baseline thoughts are not very reliable most of the time. Why? That answer is rooted in the science of how our nervous systems are wired. The bad news is that your nervous sys

It’s Self-Brain Surgery Saturday! Look: Life is Hard. But Learning Self-brain Surgery Can Help In the last episode, we talked about the basics of self-brain surgery to learn how to think about our thinking and learn to biopsy our thoughts- put a little pause in there between what happens to us, what thoughts pop up- and how we respond, either in terms of how we proceed to think or feel, or in what we actually. Listen: Life is not brain surgery. It’s harder. You can actually train someone to do brain surgery. But you have to live life to get good at it. But you CAN learn self-brain surgery with a little help, and it will help you think better so you can become healthier, feel better, and be happier. That’s why I’m always saying, “You can’t change your life until you change your mind.” In other words, if you keep thinking the same thoughts- if you never change how you look at things or the mental framework from which you approach the world- then you’re going to keep experiencing the same patterns and outcomes.

Do You Struggle With Anxiety? If so, this will help. A look back at a 15-part series from 2021 with a new preamble (10 minutes or so). Look, friend: Life is not brain surgery. It’s harder. You can actually train someone to do brain surgery. But you have to live life to get good at it. Anxiety is one of the major problems that prevent an abundant, healthy life, but we're going to learn some self-brain surgery techniques to fight it today.  We’re going to start learning to be Infinitely Happier, friend. And we’re going to start today. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Hey, my new book is releasing July 25. Check it out by clicking on the cover! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Your Brain is Very Efficient I’m always telling you that “neurons that fire together wire together.” This is because God made your brain to be very efficient. So, things you repeatedly experience, think about, perform, or react to will create automatic “programs” through connections called synapses that will make the responses to those things more automated and require you to think about them less. This is the basis of things like “muscle memory,” but also of harmful things like post-traumatic stress syndrome/disorder. That’s the bad news. The good news? You’re not stuck with the brain you have. Through the gift of neuroplasticity, you can reverse this process and employ another neuroscience fact to your advantage: neurons that STOP firing together STOP wiring together. This means that if you have thoughts, feelings, behaviors, or reactions that are not helping you, you can change them. Listen to learn more! Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61

Christy Lefteri Wrote My Favorite Novel of All Time I read The Beekeeper of Aleppo after Lisa and I found it in a bookstore in Casper, Wyoming. I love the story, and how the author crafted the story. She used such imaginative ways to jump back and forth between present and past tense, and her control of point-of-view was stunning. Her follow-up novel, Songbirds, is also fantastic, but Beekeeper is one of those books that gets under your skin. Back in 2020 when everyone was on lockdown, I reached out to Christy through our mutual publisher (Penguin Random House), and she graciously agreed to appear on the podcast. It remains one of my favorite episodes ever, and I wanted to give it back to you today. Christy has a new book coming out in January of next year, The Book of Fire. Join me for a fascinating conversation with International bestselling author Christy Lefteri about her life, her work, her novels, and what she's writing next, as well as her perspective on how to find hope even when it seems so far of

It’s Tuesdays with Tata! Today, a great talk about how prayer helps us change our mind, even when massive, difficult things are happening in our lives. Scripture: II Corinthians 1 Books Mentioned: The Awe of God by John Bevere Words with God by Addison Bevere Hey, my new book is releasing July 25. John and Addison Bevere are two of my early readers/endorsers. Here’s what they had to say about Hope is the First Dose. “When hard things knock you out, you can’t stay out. Dr. Lee Warren prescribes a treatment plan that will help you rise again so you can discover hope in hardship.” John Bevere, bestselling author, minister, and co-founder of Messenger International “I should warn you that this book comes with deep breaths and the occasional tears. With beautiful prose and intimate insights, these pages take you where you need to go before life forces you to go there. And if you’re already ‘there,’ face to face with what Dr. Warren calls The Massive Thing, I have good news for you: you’ve found your book.” Addis

It’s Mind Change Monday! Today we talk about how our thought patterns are predictable, usually negative, and often harmful to ourselves and others. So, to become master self-brain surgeons, we have to learn to anticipate those negative thoughts and treat them pro-actively. Here’s how. Scriptures: Isaiah 43:18-18, Psalm 37 Check out my new book! You can pre-order it by clicking the book cover below. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Tommy Walker is a world-renowned songwriter, worship leader, and pastor. His song, "He Knows My Name," has helped people all over take comfort in being known by God.  Today, Tommy shares the beautiful origin of "He Knows My Name," to help us all understand that even when we feel isolated and unnoticed, God sees us, hears us, and loves us.  Check out Tommy's ministry, music, and story by clicking on the button below. Hey, my new book is releasing July 25. Tommy is one of my early readers/endorsers. Here’s what he had to say about Hope is the First Dose. “Dr. Lee Warren has personally gone through the devastating school of loss and come out stronger on the other side of what he calls The Massive Thing—or TMT. No matter what your TMT is, you will walk away from this book with a deep infusion of God’s healing hope!” —Tommy Walker, singer-songwriter and worship leader Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or pa

[Flashback episode!] Hey my friend, it’s Throwback Thursday, and I’m bringing you one of my all-time favorite podcast episodes. Here’s an interview from 2020 with Paul Baloche, and I think you’ll get a lot out of it! Paul Baloche has given the global church hundreds of worship songs over the years. And through his leadworship.com ministry, Paul has helped equip thousands of musicians and singers to hone the craft of worship ministry.  Join me for a conversation with Paul Baloche on how whatever you're going through, worship makes it better.  Learn more about Paul at www.wleewarrenmd.com/baloche This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

[Flashback episode!] Even in our hardest moments, hope is always available. Join me for a great conversation about hope and perseverance with American heroes Scotty and Tiffany Smiley, and you'll find yourself inspired and uplifted in this dark time. Blindness became Major Scotty Smiley’s journey of supreme testing. As he lay helpless in the hospital, he resented the theft of his dreams—becoming a CEO, a Delta Force operator, or a four-star general. With his wife Tiffany’s love and the support of his family and friends, Scotty’s response became God’s transforming moment. The injury only intensified his indomitable spirit. Since the moment he jumped out of a hospital bed and forced his way through nurses and cords to take a simple shower, Major Scotty Smiley has climbed Mount Rainier, won an ESPY as Best Outdoor Athlete, surfed, skydived, become a father, earned an MBA from Duke, taught leadership at West Point, commanded an army company, won the MacArthur Leadership Award and completed an Iron Man. Now he and

Be Honest: Is Your Prayer Life Everything You Want it to Be? Prayer is difficult for many of us. We’re busy, stressed, and often find ourselves wondering if God is even out there. We’re screaming into the void, and all we hear are the echoes of our own voices and the noises of the culture around us. Or, we’re desperately whispering our deepest needs, but we have no idea how to really connect with God, or whether he’s even listening at all. But what if it doesn’t have to be this way? What if we really can learn to have real connection and conversation with a God who wants to know and be known by us? That’s what my friend Addison Bevere is here to talk about today. Addison’s new book is Words with God: Trading Boring, Empty Prayer for Real Connection. It’s available today, everywhere books are sold. Click the button below for more information about Addison, and his wonderful new book that’s already locked in as one of my top books of 2023 (and all-time). I can’t recommend this book highly enough, and I’m so

Is it Reasonable to Base Our Hope on the Bible? It’s Self-Brain Surgery Saturday, and today I’ve got a treat for you! I had a great conversation with Pastor Jarrett Stephens, pastor of Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. We talked about why it’s reasonable to believe in and place our hope on God’s word. Do you have to be a moron to believe? Is there any rational basis for thinking that the Bible is inspired and not just a book of old stories and ideas written by people? Jarrett takes us through why even smart people (even brain surgeons!) should have a high degree of confidence in the reliability of this book, and why the Bible isn’t like any other literature in the world- it’s living and active! Jarrett is also the author of two great books, The Always God: He Hasn't Changed, and You Are Not Forgotten, and The Mountains are Calling: Making the Climb for a Clearer View of God and Ourselves. Check out Jarrett's I Am Second video for more of his story.  Other book mentioned in this episode- The Re

When Does God Stop Being God? Answer: Never! That’s such good news for troublesome times like these. Back in May of 2021, I had a great conversation with Pastor Jarrett Stephens, author of The Always God: He Hasn't Changed, and You Are Not Forgotten. I’m bringing it back to you today because Pastor Jarrett is coming back onto the show tomorrow! I thought a double dose of this wise and engaging teacher would be so helpful to all of us. (Please note that the free books mentioned have already been given away) Check out Jarrett's I Am Second video for more of his story.  Hey, I just wrote a book about my research into how people process pain and find hope again after they experience what we call “The Massive Thing,” or TMT, Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things (coming July 25). You can pre-order it by clicking on the book cover below. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my wo

Five Ways the Resurrection Matters Today (Classic episode from Easter 2022) A great talk with Tata about the power and impact of the resurrection.  Scripture: II Corinthians 4 Music by Paul Baloche (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Book reference: New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp Hey, I just wrote a book about my research into how people process pain and find hope again after they experience what we call “The Massive Thing,” or TMT, Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things (coming July 25). You can pre-order it by clicking on the book cover below. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

It’s Self-Brain Surgery Saturday! Today I’m inviting you to a new life. It’s a life unfettered by the toxic cloud of hopelessness, anxiety, and trauma. It’s a life of being in control of the most sophisticated supercomputer in the history of the world, your own brain. I’m inviting you into the Society of Self-Brain Surgeons, where we learn together how to change our minds and change our lives, using a treatment plan based on neuroscience and faith. To fully engage the treatment plan, there are three things we must believe and implement in our lives. Here they are! My new book is coming July 25, but you can pre-order it now! Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

In my life, when I’m stressed or worried, I always turn to the word of God. But when I need to talk to someone about these things, I talk to Lisa and to my chaplain or pastor. And God has blessed me with several pastors, chaplains, and writers in my life who are personal friends. But no matter where we’ve lived or worshiped, my go-to pastor is always our old friend Max Lucado. Max was my pastor when I lived in San Antonio, and my father-in-law Dennis worked at Oak Hills Church with Max. Today we’re going to visit with my friend, Max Lucado. The entire podcast archive is coming online for paid subscribers! There are at least two free episodes every week on Substack, along with the weekly free Self-Brain Surgery letter. Paid subscribers get new Mind Change Monday episodes weekly, the free episodes, and archived episodes every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday! Paid subscribers also get access to the entire newsletter archive, video content, and more! If you want full access, please subscribe using the button belo