Welcome to the first episode of our new War Stories series. This week, Dr. Lee Warren takes us back to 2004, sharing his experiences as a combat neurosurgeon deployed to the Iraq war. From personal challenges to professional fears, Dr. Warren explores the parallels between literal war and the battles we all face in life—whether they come as trauma, tragedy, or unexpected challenges. He shares lessons on preparation, resilience, and how the process of self-brain surgery can help us recover, rebuild, and thrive. If you’re looking for tools to help you face life’s challenges with hope and strength, this episode is for you. Click here for the transcript! What You’ll Learn in This Episode: The parallels between war and personal challenges. Why preparation (“prehab”) is essential for resilience. Lessons from deployment that apply to life’s battles. How to use gratitude and mindset shifts to reframe hardship. The importance of community, faith, and self-brain surgery in overcoming adversity. Resources Mentioned: Hope Is the First Dose by Dr. Lee Warren No Place to Hide by Dr. Lee Warren Dr. Lee Warren’s Newsletter: drleewarren.substack.com Timeline’s Mitopure: timeline.com – Use code drleewarren for 10% off. Connect with Dr. Lee Warren: Website: drleewarren.com Instagram: @drleewarren Podcast: Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview 00:34 Reflecting on 20 Years Since Deployment 01:17 Lessons from the Iraq War 02:14 Applying Self Brain Surgery to Life's Battles 02:36 First War Story: Receiving Orders 03:50 Sponsor Message: Timeline 05:17 Preparing for Deployment 08:11 Facing the Unknown in Combat 11:32 Emotional and Personal Struggles 12:37 Types of Wars: Expected vs. Unexpected 13:27 Prehab: Preparing for Known Battles 16:46 Orders in Hand: Emotional Preparation 20:32 The Importance of Preparation 23:12 Biblical Perspective on Life's Struggles 24:09 Finding Faith in Hard Times 24:34 Preparing for Life's Challenges 24:59 Defining Your Belief System 26:04 Building Resilient Relationships 26:19 The Importance of Mental Preparation 26:47 Daily Gratitude Practice 28:32 Facing Life's Inevitable Wars 28:50 Planning for Potential Marital Issues 30:58 Financial Preparedness 32:32 Personal War Stories 35:46 The Impact of War on Personal Growth 38:14 The Power of Sharing War Stories 40:07 The Role of Faith and Community 43:53 Conclusion: Embracing Hope and Change This episode was sponsored by Timeline. Mitochondrial dysfunction as we age has been linked to muscle dysfunction, metabolism, overall energy levels, and resiliency. But what makes our mitochondria fail as we get older? It turns out to be related to a disruption in a process called mitophagy, the natural repair and recycling process that normally rebuilds and recreates healthy mitochondria to replace damaged ones. When mitophagy fails, mitochondria lose efficiency and cannot do their jobs, and we have a power failure. The compound that's key to keeping mitophagy happening normally is called Urolithin-A, and that compound is lacking in most of us because of a change over time in our gut microbiota. Timeline is renewing this process and making our mitochondria better with their product Mitopure. It will help you repair your cells, increase your strength, and become healthier. Check it out at timeline.com, and use the discount code leewarren for 10% off your first order. Resources and Links: I’ve created a free BRAIN Goals™ Guide for you! Click here to download the guide. It will help you align your mindset to your mission and set goals to make 2025 your best year yet! Be sure to check out my latest book, Hope Is the First Dose! Sign up for my weekly Self-Brain Surgery Newsletter here! Connect with me on Instagram @drleewarren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
