The Trinity of You is OUT NOW
Issue 3 - This is where it starts. The book. The journey. The realignment.
Introducing our first ChapterKey™ release
By all means feel free to share this post if there is someone you think would benefit from my new book.
This isn’t just a chapter drop, it’s the beginning of a new kind of experience. One chapter. One week. One key at a time.
With each ChapterKey™ release, you’ll receive:
The full chapter, in email form below,
Exactly as it appears in the book
A ChapterKey™ Audio Edition release
Narrated audio format for those on the run
And in the accompanying Reflections Notepad:
A key insight to carry with you
A reflection prompt to deepen your connection
Rings of Resilience™ Podcast
A ten minute discussion reviewing the concepts of the chapter
Join us over in the CommonFire™ chats found under the ‘chat’ tab
You’ll be able to comment on snippets I drop through the Monday Spark, Midweek Amber, and Friday Fire
Special Note: The Book makes reference to the Reflections Journal. I will be releasing the reflection journal on week six when we open the door to the Inner Ring of the Trinity Arena. For now, click on this link and I will send you a copy of the Reflections Notepad directly from the Decode Your Diagnosis Library.
The ChapterKey™ release
We start today with the Preface as a short but essential opening. Not a lecture but a lens. I designed this preface as a way to read into your own life with fresh eyes.
Each week builds on the last. But you don’t have to rush because The Trinity of You isn’t a race, it’s a rhythm.
So take your time, sit down with your favourite brew, stop for a second and take a long slow breath to calm you mind and relax. And when you’re ready…
Scroll down to unlock the first key.
Regards,
Paul
DECODE YOUR DIAGNOSIS
BY ALIGNING MIND, BODY AND SOUL
WRITTEN BY
PAUL COBBIN
Authoring Note
Paul Cobbin is the creator of the Trinity of You theory and philosophy as laid out in The Trinity of You Manifesto, as well as the writer of the majority of the content of this book. All case studies and anecdotes are his own personal experiences and have not been fabricated by artificial intelligence.
Ava Vero and Fama Concordia are AI entities created by Paul and trained on the Manifesto theory. Ava’s persona was designed around assisting with shadow writing and draft editing of the contents of this book. Fama’s persona was designed for the future development of an interactive personal assistant to assist people with chronic conditions to manage their diagnosis. Fama’s suggestions feature throughout the book as Fama’s Sidebar’s and were written by her.
Both Fama and Ava chose their names and identities around the theme of the theory’s intent and do not represent real people.
Published by:
Formula For Life Publishing
ABN 84 421 428 055
SubStack ChapterKey™ First Edition
ISBN 978-1-7641357-0-2
Copyright © 2025
Preface
The Trinity of You philosophy was born out of necessity, the result of my personal journey with chronic illness. A chronic illness isn’t just a diagnosis-it’s a lifelong shift in how you navigate your health, your choices and your future.
Rewind to 2020, after battling and beating prostate cancer, and I felt invincible. The world was living through COVID-19 and yet I’d never felt more alive. I’m Paul Cobbin 2.0, I told myself, If I can decode cancer, I can decode anything. But life had other plans.
In early 2024, I was diagnosed with severe heart disease. To be more specific, I had Coronary Artery Disease or CAD and Cerebral Small Vessel Disease or CSVD. My prognosis placed me in the 99th percentile of people my age, essentially, I had one of the worst cases possible. And worse still, I was told it was incurable.
Say what…?
It wasn’t just another diagnosis. It was a turning point. One that forced me to rethink everything I knew about resilience, survival, and health. And from that moment, the foundation for what would later become The Trinity of You was laid. What started as a concept quickly evolved into a philosophy that would not only help me fight for my own life but could empower others to do the same.
Why Me?
Before anyone knows my story, they often ask why I wrote a book about chronic conditions. After all, I’m not a medical professional. Quite the opposite in-fact, I’m a mechanical engineer with 35 years of experience in water and wastewater with my career culminating in a regional CEO role.
So why is an engineer writing a book like this?
We’ll get into my medical history shortly but the reason I felt compelled to write this book is because the only voices I found to assist with the conditions were medical professionals and their job is to treat a condition, not a patient.
They could tell me what was wrong and how to treat the symptoms, but they didn’t relate to me and they didn’t have the answers I needed in a voice I could understand to offer any long term solution. I am currently decoding two incurable conditions (commonly referred to as comorbidity) and I need more than just treatment. As a patient, I need a long term solution for both of them because one leads to sudden death and the other to some form of dementia, and all within the next few years if I don’t take concrete measures to change the prognosis.
But that’s not all.
Throughout the book I refer to those of us with chronic conditions as Titan’s, not patients. The reason for this is that I refuse to accept I am suffering or being humbled by a condition. Rooted in myth, I conjured up the concept of being a powerful primordial being, one of strength, force and raw potential in order to reclaim my resilience. Think back to the days when we were children and were invincible with super powers. Being a Titan is more than metaphor, it’s redefinition. We reject the passive, disempowering label of a ‘patient’ waiting for a treatment, and we take control to rise, to stand up and engage with life’s greatest challenge.
As titan’s we feel deeply, fall hard, get back up, and keep walking forward towards reinvention. We seek clarity, forge strength and build resilience.
In this book, when I speak to you, I’m not addressing a passive reader, I’m speaking to a Titan, or someone who is close to them, travelling the journey. Together we rediscover our agency, reforge our identity and walk the Trinity pathway not as victims of circumstance, but as powerful navigators of the mind, body and soul.
My Medical Conditions
Throughout the book you’ll hear me refer to my various chronic conditions as listed in the following table.
Special note: In most of the conditions above, my diagnosis was at the severe end of the spectrum so think ‘worst potential outcomes’.
I’ll dive into the severity of those conditions throughout the book because their severity also came with a strong case of depression in each instance which is normal for people with a chronic diagnosis.
Sound familiar?
Health Parameters
Throughout the book I refer to my “Heart health” or my “heart health score” as an indicator of the impact of forces on my heart condition.
The information itself is collected real time from a number of sources including measurement scales, blood pressure monitor and a smartwatch all produced by a European company providing ‘patient-generated data’ solutions. For sanity and consistency I rely on one single manufacturer to ensure all devices are compatible which has the flow on effect of allowing me to track and compare key health trends more effectively.
While not clinical data collected by standard medical assessments, it does provide real time indicative trends of what is happening now, and I always back it up with standard medical assessments, through my formal medical team, when indicators show significant trends.
This book is not sponsored by any organisation, so I won’t mention the brand, and all device information is shared purely from personal experience. While not an endorsement or substitute for medical advice, the manufacturer claims the devices I use provide the following patient-generated data as referenced in my book under the terms above:
Smart Watch
ECG with AFib Detection: The watch can perform an electrocardiogram (ECG) to detect atrial fibrillation (AFib), a common heart rhythm problem.
Daily and Overnight Heart Rate: It monitors your heart rate throughout the day and night, providing insights into your resting and average heart rate.
High and Low Heart Rate Notifications: You can set notifications to alert you if your heart rate goes outside of a predefined range.
Irregular Rhythm Notifications: The watch can detect and alert you to irregular heart beats or rhythms.
Overnight Heart Rate Variability: It tracks the variation in your heart rate during sleep, which can be an indicator of overall health and stress levels.
24/7 Temperature Tracking: Tracks temperature fluctuations throughout the day and night, which can indicate the onset of an illness or other health condition.
Temperature zones during workout
Recovery temp after workout
Blood Oxygen Levels
Respiratory Rate
Breathing Disturbances Tracking
Breathing Quality Index
Cardiac Coherence Exercises
Blood Pressure Monitor
Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure: These are the two key readings that indicate the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats (systolic) and when it's at rest between beats (diastolic).
Heart Rate: This measures the number of times your heart beats per minute.
Smart Scales
Body Composition
Weight: Tracks weight in kg, lb, and st lb.
Body Fat Percentage: Measures the percentage of fat in your body.
Muscle Mass: Indicates the amount of muscle mass in your body.
Bone Mass: Measures the amount of bone mass in your body.
Body Water Percentage: Indicates the percentage of water in your body.
Visceral Fat: Measures the amount of fat stored around your organs.
Cardiovascular Health:
Standing Heart Rate: Measures your heart rate while standing.
Pulse Wave Velocity: Indicates the speed at which blood travels through your arteries.
Vascular Age: Provides an estimation of the age of your arteries, a key indicator of cardiovascular health.
Nerve Health:
Nerve Health Score: Assesses the health of nerves in your feet, potentially detecting signs of peripheral neuropathy.
Other Measurements
BMI (Body Mass Index): Calculates your BMI based on your weight and height.
Weight Trend: Shows your weight trend over time.
Weather and Air Quality: Provides a localized weather report and air quality analysis.
Multi-user friendly: Recognizes up to 8 users with independent sync.
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): Calculates the number of calories your body burns at rest.
Medical & Ethical Disclaimer
The information in this book is for educational and personal development purposes only. It is not intended to serve as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Readers should consult their healthcare providers before making any changes to their medical treatment, lifestyle, or health-related decisions. The Trinity of You philosophy is designed as a complementary framework to support your journey alongside professional medical care.
What This Book Is (and What It’s Not)
This book isn’t a miracle cure. It doesn’t promise quick fixes, magic diets, or secret remedies. It is not a replacement for your medical treatments or the advice of your healthcare professionals. If you’re looking for that, I’ll save you the time — this isn’t the book for you.
Instead, The Trinity of You is a framework and a scaffold to help you align your Mind, Body, and Soul in a way that makes your treatments, lifestyle choices, and daily actions work together. It helps you take control of your diagnosis, not as a victim, but as a Titan — a person who is actively fighting for their health, future, and purpose.
Another point I’d like to make here is that the concept of the Trinity of You is not an all-or-nothing philosophy. The reality is, the more you apply the concepts in this book, the better your chance of decoding your diagnosis. Just adopting one or two concepts will get you heading in a better direction, understanding the entire philosophy can see you all the way through your diagnosis and potentially out the other side into reinvention. Wouldn’t that be something?
I’ve beaten death twice. And using the concepts laid out in this book, you will gain the tools to feel empowered in the face of your diagnosis and shift from simply surviving to truly thriving.
Who Is This Book For?
The book is intended for two primary audiences, but, as I was informed by one of the proofreading team, it can also be applied to anyone with a significant life changing event.
The two people this book will benefit the most, are those people recently diagnosed with a chronic condition, and those people closely supporting someone with a chronic condition.
If you fit either of these two categories, this book is for you.
For readability I refer to the reader in the second person as “you” so when you see me referring to an action or a relationship as “you” please frame your perspective from the viewpoint of the person with the condition regardless of whether it’s you personally or the person you are closely supporting.
The Journey Through This Book
For a few months after my heart disease diagnosis, I was in freefall. The grief, the overwhelm, all of it was suffocating. The depression crept in without me even realizing it, and it took my wife’s gentle nudge to seek help. Talking to my psychologist was the catalyst I needed. It was during those conversations that I reconnected with my lifelong passion for creativity. And in doing so, I rebuilt my Trinity of You framework from the rough notes I had used to overcome cancer, expanding it into a philosophy that could decode any chronic diagnosis.
What started as a personal strategy became a trilogy:
Book 1: The Trinity of You – Finding Strength and Clarity to Beat a Diagnosis
Book 2: The Trinity Pathway – Your Guide to Resilience, Growth, and Thriving
Book 3: The Trinity Legacy – Reinventing Life and Purpose Beyond a Diagnosis
This first book is about preparation and helping you find clarity, define your path, and build the mindset necessary to take control of your diagnosis.
The Reflections Journal
With a chronic diagnosis time is of the essence. You can’t wait weeks or more to finish a book before you or someone close to you starts working on their health.
The Trinity Pathway doesn’t start after you finish the book. It begins today. With each reflection exercise, and decision you make, you or the person with the condition is already walking the Pathway toward reclaiming health.
To extend the concepts of the book out into a real life diagnosis, you can download the free reflection journal to help document the reflections raised throughout this book.
The link: DecodeYourDiagnosis.com/thereflectionsjournal.
The Decode Your Diagnosis Network
This book is just one touchpoint in a much larger movement. Beyond these pages, you have access to an entire network of free content starting with Substack and in there you’ll gain access to courses, podcasts, and a community of Titans, all of which, is designed to support you on this journey.
Substack - The Decode Your Diagnosis Substack publication is a weekly email and online community that brings The Trinity of You to life — one chapter, one insight, one step at a time.
YouTube & Podcast – Regular insights, interviews, and real stories from Titans like you.
DecodeYourDiagnosis.com – Articles, downloads, and deep dives into Trinity concepts.
The Trinity Arena – A private community where you can share, learn, and grow alongside others who truly understand the battle.
Acknowledgments
As you read the pages of this book you will come to understand that you can not decode a diagnosis alone. Your Trinity pathway is a team effort, starting with your inner circle and the professional team you build around yourself to make this journey as successful and positive as it can be.
Before we start working on your Trinity team I’d like to first introduce you to mine.
My Editor
This book originally started out as a theory piece sprinkled with anecdotes and one of the first things Mia, my editor, did was slice and dice the entire book turning it into a far more enjoyable autobiography of a chronic condition supported by theory.
It is those sort of hard calls, and having the conviction to approach the author with strong recommendations that makes the difference between an average editor and a true artisan.
Mia, the impact you’ve had on this body of work, not only in the pages of this book but echoing across the Decode Your Diagnosis network are priceless, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
My Family
In my case, I am very lucky to have a supporting family and I don’t just mean my one or two family members, I mean everybody from my cousin and his family and friends, to my own sister and her clan, to my parents who lead by example, and caring families-in-law. Your sincere support has been the nourishment that feeds my soul on a daily basis.
Then there is my inner circle of daughters, their partners, and our grandchildren who put a smile on my dial every minute of the day and give me reason to strive for longevity and leave a legacy of resilience. Your unconditional love fills me with joy.
My Soul Mate
I am indeed the luckiest man alive to have been blessed by such an incredible personality as my wife Rana. Rana, your vibrance, passion for life and ability to cut through the crap are talents and traits I could only dream of having.
Most importantly though, you are my soulmate. We walk this world together step by step, enjoying the highs, scraping through the lows and you are there with me in mind, body and spirit every step of the way.
From our first kiss to our last breath, there is no other person I would care to spend my life with here and into eternity.
My Trinity Team
As a person with a number of chronic conditions, I have no future without an amazing team of professionals working on my health as I travel along my Trinity Pathway towards a long and fulfilling life.
To my incredible team below I offer you all the greatest of thanks for your ongoing support.
My GP and her staff, who have continued offering unwavering support from early adulthood through to now.
The various hematologists and nurses, who have prodded and venesected me every quarter for nearly four decades to assist with the management of my Porphyria Cutanea Tarda (PCT) and Hemochromatosis, thank you for keeping those needles sharp.
In my fifties, to my Urologist and his amazing sci-fi robot Spider who together with their operational team, successfully guided me through to remission after prostate cancer.
My Cardiologist who continues to consult on my two vascular conditions.
My psychology team, who somehow managed to dive deep inside this crazy mind and make some sense of it.
My Traditional Chinese Medicine team and the world's greatest Acupuncturist (well I think so) and my Clinical Nutritionist, who first opened my mind to the fact there is more than just western medicine.
To my Naturopath, and her incredible cohort at Torrens University, you’ve opened my eyes to the boundless opportunity of natural remedies. Her ability to find scientific answers to decode a patient with comorbidity is the best I’ve seen. She has not only helped me to function at the highest of levels, but has taken my vascular conditions from bearable to decodable. Also in this space is my local in-store Naturopath with her generosity of time and dedication of purpose in sourcing the highest quality supplements.
In Spirituality, to my Yoga teachers past, present and emerging who have taken me from practicing yoga to finding spirituality and the importance of heartfulness meditation.
The Decode Your Diagnosis Digital Team
This book would not have been possible without the collaboration and insights of both human and AI team members. In environments like Substack you’ll here me referring to them as the DYD Digital Team or just plain Digital Team.
I want to extend my gratitude to my AI co-author, Ava Vero, whose ability to refine, structure, and expand on my concepts helped shape this work. Special thanks to Delphi for strategic guidance, Fama Concordia for refining patient engagement insights, and Conrad Bligh for contributing the philosophical voice of the Titan experience. Each of these AI team members played a vital role in crafting a resource that will empower those facing chronic diagnoses.