You can’t control the moment, but you can control your response
It’s Not the Moment That Gets YouInside this issue
On My MindThere’s no single way to become a dad. Some of us have a timeline. Some of us don’t. Some of us plan for it. And some of us get a phone call… and everything changes in a matter of days. This week’s guest, Mike Weyandt, lived the latter version. “It was 20 days between when we first got the phone call to tiny human in our apartment in Brooklyn.”  Twenty days. That’s not a transition. That’s a complete reset, but once you’re in it, the path that got you there stops mattering as much as what happens next because whether you become a dad through adoption, biology, marriage, or something in between, you run into the same moments. Moments you didn’t plan for. Moments you don’t feel ready for. Moments where your reaction shows up faster than your intention. And underneath a lot of those moments, there’s a thought most of us don’t even realize we’re having: “There was a message that’s like, this shouldn’t be happening right now.”  That’s the friction. Not the moment itself. Not the chaos. Not the unpredictability. The belief that the moment is wrong, and once that belief shows up, it’s hard to respond well because now you’re not just dealing with what’s happening. You’re fighting it. The shift isn’t about becoming a different kind of dad. It’s about learning how to stay in the moment you’re already in, and respond from there. Stop Fighting the MomentMost reactions don’t come from the situation itself. They come from resistance to the situation. Why it MattersIf you’re constantly thinking this shouldn’t be happening, you’re already behind. You’re reacting to reality instead of working with it. What’s Actually HappeningThere’s usually a split-second thought that drives the reaction:
That thought creates urgency. Urgency creates tension. And tension drives reaction. How to Break It1. Catch one moment, not all of them Pick a specific situation where you reacted in a way you didn’t like. 2. Write the exact thought down Not a summary. The real wording in your head. 3. Replace it with a neutral truth
4. Decide what actually needs to happen next Not what should be happening but what’s required now? Why it WorksYou’re not trying to eliminate stress. You’re removing the layer that makes it worse. The moment stays the same. Your response improves. Pro TipIf you’re stuck, say the neutral version out loud. It forces you out of your head and back into the moment.  Catch the Pattern EarlyYou don’t need to fix your reactions. You need to see them sooner. Why it Matters By the time you notice a reaction, it’s already in motion, but there’s always a signal right before it. What to Look For Mike put it simply: “Learn your tells. Learn your, it doesn’t have to be all of them. Just pick a couple.”  Not everything. Just a couple. Your tells might be:
How to Use It 1. Pick one tell to track this week Keep it simple. 2. Pause for a few seconds when it shows up Not to fix anything. Just to interrupt the pattern. 3. Name it “I’m getting tense.” “I’m rushing.” That alone creates space. Why it Works Your body reacts before your mind catches up. Catch it early, and you change the trajectory. Pro Tip Don’t wait for the reaction. By then, you’re already behind it. Time to Sprint: Rewire One ReactionWhy it Matters You don’t change behavior by thinking about it more. You change it by practicing a different response. How to Do It Minutes 0–5: Choose One Situation Pick a recent moment where you reacted in a way you didn’t like. Be specific. Minutes 5–10: Break It Down Write out:
Keep it simple and honest. Minutes 10–15: Rewrite the Response Same situation. Ask:
Minutes 15–20: Run It Back Close your eyes and walk through it. Same trigger. New response. Not perfectly. Just better. Why it Works You’re training your brain before the moment happens again. So when it does, you’re not starting from scratch. Pro Tip Don’t try to fix everything. One repeated situation is enough. Start there. Your MoveWhat’s one moment this week where you reacted faster than you wanted to? Hit reply and let me know. I read every response. Connect with MikeMike Weyandt has built a career around helping people navigate moments where identity, work, and life start shifting at the same time. He’s lived through overlapping transitions, from performance to coaching, from dual careers to full-time fatherhood, and from constant motion to a routine that forced him to rethink how he shows up. What stands out is how practical his perspective is. He doesn’t try to simplify complexity or pretend it goes away. He helps you work through it in real time. If you’re thinking about how to handle change, manage reactions, or get more intentional about your next move, his work is worth exploring. Follow Mike On his website: analogpractice.work On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mweyandt/ On the Show This WeekContinue the ConversationThis conversation goes deep into what actually drives how we show up as dads. Mike connects his background in performance with the idea of presence in everyday life. In his world, if you’re not present, you miss your entrance. That same idea shows up fast in fatherhood. We also get into:
If you’ve ever felt like you’re just trying to keep up instead of being intentional, this one will resonate. Check it Out🎧 Mike Weyandt on Presence, Identity, and Navigating Fatherhood Through Uncertainty Listen on your favorite podcast platform The Last LaughDad doesn’t have a care in the world because he knows his daughter is going to be an amazing trauma surgeon some day. |
