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When does your brain need to take the lead over your body? In this profound conversation, Tony Slaton stands at a pivotal moment—preparing for hip replacement surgery after decades of pain dating back to his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys. With remarkable vulnerability, Tony unpacks how early parental wisdom shaped his understanding of persistence, courage, and self-care.

Tony shares how his father's simple observation—"you got a lot of glue in your shit"—recognized his ability to complete tasks from an early age, while his mother's repeated phrase "all you got to do" taught him the power of taking first steps. These lessons created neural pathways that guided Tony through life's challenges, including the moment in 1990 when team doctors dismissed his hip pain as merely a pulled groin.

The heart of Tony's story reveals the battle between "program" (external expectations) and "process" (internal awareness). For years, Tony suppressed his body's signals to meet professional obligations, creating what Dr. Christopher Kevin Slaton describes as "the crisis of self." Only when football ended did Tony finally have the "free space" to discover who he truly was beyond the structured binders that mapped his every hour as an athlete.

Tony's journey illuminates how physical pain affects our ability to show up authentically in relationships, community work, and even simple interactions. His decision to finally address his hip pain stems from wanting to fully engage with life again—especially precious moments with his grandson where he found himself "having the best time of my life and the worst time of my life at the same time."

Whether you're facing physical challenges, career transitions, or simply trying to honor your internal wisdom over external pressures, Tony's story offers powerful insights about healing, character, and the courage to create space for transformation. What signals have you been ignoring? When might your brain take the lead?Refle

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Education and Science: The Brain's Body, Help to Improve Brain, Body, and Sense Events. www.drchristopherkslaton.com *Brain's Body Consults: www.brainsbody.net * Brain Talk: Learning the Brain's Body with Dr. Slaton Live. www.drslatonlive.com Also: Dr. Christopher K Slaton: Amazon.com.