Matt Arends (he/him) is based in Minnesota. He is an adventurer, environmentalist and thrill seeker. He also happens to have chronic pain and is the COO | CMO for The MindStrong Project.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How being on a college football team shaped Matt’s drinking but also his need for community
- How cyclical injuries affect your mental health
- The identity crisis that comes after an injury or the end of your specific sports career
- How alcohol is part of the equation in most outdoor sports
- How he found the outdoor community after college
- How one injury set him on the path of discovering and dealing with chronic pain
- His time at a whale shark tour company in Tanzania
- His experiences living with chronic pain
- The importance of sharing our pain and being vulnerable for not feeling alone and finding community
- How one friend starting a group chat can change everything
- What lights him up now (spoiler alert: plants!)
- His goal of helping to extend the local farming season in his hometown
Resources mentioned:
Where you can catch up with Matt:
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