I just looked at my check stub and realized that I am getting close to maxing out on vacation days...that got me thinking.
I used to be really good at being a "Vacaton McSlacker" and could at one time, take more than my fair share of days off--but lately I haven't been good at making time for myself. I can see I'm going to have to step it up, if not for me, then to bring up the national average. Because a vacation poll from a couple of months ago said that fewer Americans than ever are planning to take summer vacations in 2008--only a third!
The New York Times was talking about the depressing phenomenon of "shrinking vacation syndrome" a couple of years ago. A typical quote, by a AAA spokesman: "The idea of somebody going away for two weeks is really becoming a thing of the past. It’s kind of sad, really, that people can’t seem to leave their jobs anymore."
Another vacation survey from a year ago found that more than half of the employees polled did not use all of their vacation. There seem to be two issues here: the inability to take much time off work, and the expense and difficulty of traveling anywhere when such precious time is actually secured. Maybe I should just mix these two entirely different problems together because it's easier to pretend it's all one issue!
But anyway, the net result is: Hardly anyone seems to be able to "get away from it all" anymore. It is my official position that This Is Just Wrong!!
This "shrinking vacation" thing sucks for many reasons, but one of them is actually related to the supposed topic of this blog: It is apparently unhealthy not to take vacations! For example, researchers looking at the Frammington heart study found that women who took a vacation every six years or less were almost eight times more likely to develop heart problems than those who took at least two vacations a year. (And they controlled for other factors like obesity, diabetes, smoking and income).
And another study of men at high risk for heart disease also found that those who failed to take annual vacations were more likely to die of a heart attack. So quick, go to your boss and demand that you be released immediately! If your boss says no, simply lie down on the floor and have a heart attack. That'll show 'em!...NO not really. Time spent away from work but hooked up to machines in the Intensive Care Unit might not be quite as relaxing as a week at the beach.
But even if you can manage to take a vacation without threatening cardiac arrest, it may not even help you recuperate if you don't take the right kind.
A survey of managers found that a quarter of them returned from vacation more stressed than when they left, (I know that feeling!) with a third having spent at least part of their break checking in with the office, often every day. And according to Dov Eden, an organizational psychologist who has studied the issue "those who are electronically hooked up to their office, even if they are lying on the Riviera, are less likely to receive the real benefits of a vacation and more likely to burn out."
Another earlier study looked at "health-related vacation outcome" Despite the dry language, the conclusions were kinda interesting:"Recuperation" was facilitated by:
Free time for one's self;
Warmer (and sunnier) vacation locations;
Exercise during vacation;
Good sleep; and
Making new acquaintances
Duh.... I hate when someone says that too me. sorry.
Exhaustion was increased by:
Vacation-related health problems, and
A greater time-zone difference to home.
The only tips I have for less stressful vacations are either pretty obvious or possibly not too practical. But what the hell:
Don't go somewhere to impress others; go somewhere you're excited about. It could be camping in your local park or something more exotic. But the further away it is, the more time you need to allow to enjoy it without stress. Those "if it's Tuesday it must be Belgium" vacations are seldom relaxing.
And along those lines, don't schedule every single minute with activities. Chill, dude.
Don't have kids. Or if it's too late for that, figure out how to get at least some time away from them.
Do lots of fun vacation-related exercise--hiking, swimming, biking etc, but leave your ambitious workout plans at home.
Ditch your loved ones. Don't feel like you and your spouse/friend/family have to do the same thing all the time--constant compromise can be frustrating. If Beloved Husband wants to tour the dusty old Train Museum or spend all day on a boat drinking beer "fishing," and you'd rather shop the boutiques, split up for God's sake. You can catch up at dinner.
Find a tour group. On the other hand, are you single and can't round up a friend with the same schedule or interests? Don't let that keep you at home. Tours have gotten a lot less "touristy" these days and are no longer just for the blue-hair set. The Internet is your friend--spend a few minutes with Google and I know you will turn up lots of options.
If you can't stay off your office email, stay somewhere without Internet access. Even if it means (sniff) no larryespinoza.blogspot.com for the duration.
Get some sleep. Arrange to have any noisy or obnoxious hotel neighbors arrested or intimidated by local thugs. Failing that, at least complain to hotel management with the hopes that they may do something about it or get you another room.
Come back home a day or two early. Don't wait until the last minute before you have to go back to work. Nothing will erase a relaxing vacation faster than stack of unopened mail, a mountain of chores, a pile of stinky laundry two stories high and no time to deal with any of it.
Well heck, you tell me! (You guys are much better at this stuff).
Til next time....
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Goals, goals, goals....
I was watching some of the talking heads yesterday on my flat screen and they had this "so called" self-improvement expert on talking about goals.
Don't get me wrong, having goals... looking at them every once in a while is a good thing. I really think you need to try to have a plan. But this person was going on tirelessly on the importance of long-range goals.
I think long-range goals are more important earlier on in life.
But having a DAILY goal, however, is important EVERY day of your life.
IF you put most of your focus on meeting daily goals. If you hit your daily target day after day, just seems to me that the long-range targets will take care of themselves.
One of the difficulties with long-range goals is that you may not be the same person a year from now, or five or ten years from now as you are today. In fact, I guarantee that I am not, and you may not be the same person today that you were on May 1, 2008 - or January 1, 2008.
In my case this is a good thing...because to live means to change, improve and grow.
So right now at this moment are you getting closer to your daily goal?
Til next time...
Don't get me wrong, having goals... looking at them every once in a while is a good thing. I really think you need to try to have a plan. But this person was going on tirelessly on the importance of long-range goals.
I think long-range goals are more important earlier on in life.
But having a DAILY goal, however, is important EVERY day of your life.
IF you put most of your focus on meeting daily goals. If you hit your daily target day after day, just seems to me that the long-range targets will take care of themselves.
One of the difficulties with long-range goals is that you may not be the same person a year from now, or five or ten years from now as you are today. In fact, I guarantee that I am not, and you may not be the same person today that you were on May 1, 2008 - or January 1, 2008.
In my case this is a good thing...because to live means to change, improve and grow.
So right now at this moment are you getting closer to your daily goal?
Til next time...
Friday, June 13, 2008
Whew.....
I was just looking around my office, and after getting over the shock of boxes piled three feet high around the perimeter of my office, six "2do" lists and a pad full of phone calls to make... I just went whew!
Many people go through life filled with resentment and bitterness about what isn't working, what they don't have, what they wish they had, what other people have that they don't have, and so on.
I really think that this is the wrong orientation toward life. Perhaps a better orientation is to begin with what you DO have and build from there.
It's human nature to take note of our weaknesses and fret about what we cannot do...
But you will find that if you take an inventory of your strengths and build upon them. IF you focus on what you can do - then make plans to turn the things you cannot do into things you can do - even if it means enlisting the help of others.
There are many things I cannot currently do that I get done but because I'm willing to allow others to help me. Knowing this allows me to focus on what I do best - and if I continually do what I do best - I'll get more accomplished in less time.
Have a great weekend, and better Fathers Day
Til next time....
Many people go through life filled with resentment and bitterness about what isn't working, what they don't have, what they wish they had, what other people have that they don't have, and so on.
I really think that this is the wrong orientation toward life. Perhaps a better orientation is to begin with what you DO have and build from there.
It's human nature to take note of our weaknesses and fret about what we cannot do...
But you will find that if you take an inventory of your strengths and build upon them. IF you focus on what you can do - then make plans to turn the things you cannot do into things you can do - even if it means enlisting the help of others.
There are many things I cannot currently do that I get done but because I'm willing to allow others to help me. Knowing this allows me to focus on what I do best - and if I continually do what I do best - I'll get more accomplished in less time.
Have a great weekend, and better Fathers Day
Til next time....
Monday, June 9, 2008
Got to get started...
I read something the other day about being successful. It went something like this...
You don't score touchdowns by worrying about how far you have to move the ball. You put points on the board by focusing on an objective, seeing yourself where you want to be - then hauling ass to get there.
You don't complain when times are tough. Nor do you expect anyone or anything else to do the job for you - but you willingly and graciously accept help when it comes. Sometimes help comes in mysterious ways, so be open to it.
Even so, a coach of mine said something profound one day when I was feeling sorry for myself. "Don't expect God to get you out of bed in the morning." Guess, I got to get started by myself huh?
We have all had days where we just don't know if we can accomplish what we need to do. For me today is one of those days, but unless we start moving in some direction, we will never find the place we need to go or the thing that we want.
So take a deep breath and get started, no one else is going to do it for you.
Til next time...
You don't score touchdowns by worrying about how far you have to move the ball. You put points on the board by focusing on an objective, seeing yourself where you want to be - then hauling ass to get there.
You don't complain when times are tough. Nor do you expect anyone or anything else to do the job for you - but you willingly and graciously accept help when it comes. Sometimes help comes in mysterious ways, so be open to it.
Even so, a coach of mine said something profound one day when I was feeling sorry for myself. "Don't expect God to get you out of bed in the morning." Guess, I got to get started by myself huh?
We have all had days where we just don't know if we can accomplish what we need to do. For me today is one of those days, but unless we start moving in some direction, we will never find the place we need to go or the thing that we want.
So take a deep breath and get started, no one else is going to do it for you.
Til next time...
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Been thinking again....
Sometimes I think that when I was born, I just wasn't dropped on my head, but thrown across the room and landed square on my head. It's just amazing what I come up with when I have too much time on my hands.
Give you an example, when did fish get an appetite for worms? I have this mental image of two bass laying on the bank trying to catch their breath when a worm just happens to wonder by...then fish CPR (catch, picture and release) and they went under the nearest submerged stump and told their kin... You'll get it if you are a fisherman.
Anyway, I had this though while peddling around town on my bike... do you think spiritual growth is possible without concurrent intellectual expansion.
In other words can you grow spiritually if you are not growing intellectually?
Many of you know that I love to learn. I think it is fun, and from all the latest research life long learning might just be the number one thing that will keep you younger longer. Besides, doing something that you find stimulating can't be all bad.
But even as a young learner I have always been drawn to biographies. Better yet talking to people about the lives they lived and the path that they have walked often teaches and inspires.
As a teacher I always encourage those that I touch to read widely and to expand their understanding. I think it is important and well as enjoyable. But ultimately while I believe that expanding the intellect has many benefits, it is not an essential prerequisite to developing spirituality.
Many people surmount great spiritual peaks through feeling and intuition alone. Most of the old Shamans were not conventionally intellectual or well read (or even read at all); they could not quote Lau Tzu, or Goethe or Jung but it did not stop them from connecting with and becoming a great conduit for God.
I guess if you are going to flex your intellectual muscles (and I recommend that you do) remember that for knowledge to be of any benefit at all it must be placed into the experiential world.
Knowing is not the same as doing. And you only truly own what you have experienced. Everything else is just decoration. Seems to me until you get to the point of practice, all knowledge remains impotent.
Having said that, one of the first things I do initially when I take on a new group of students at the college or mentor wide eyed interns is to get them reading widely, anything they can get their hands on about fitness, learning and life. What I have found is that IF I can get them to escalate the difficulty of their reading, (advising them to ‘just read’) even if initially they do not understand what they are ingesting. I can stimulate discussion and hopefully a little bit of learning. Over the years I've learned to do this as part of their studies, I made it a compulsory element because I know that in the age of DVD's, TV and dumbed down journalism very few people read anymore, and when they do, they generally do not challenge themselves.
This helps me when I am teaching. Primarily people come to me because they are looking to learn new things about this fitness stuff and exercise adherence, and while I am practised in articulating how I found my way, there will always be a part of the aspirant that will want my experience and my words validated from other sources. So giving them books to read by other travelers helps people to trust what I offer. Ultimately the words and the book s are only there to encourage them to go out and experience things for themselves, so that they can be the proof.
Because words without experience are short lived. What gives words life is action.
But there is a danger of mistaking knowledge of the journey for the journey itself, if people are not careful, they can get too caught up in intellectualisation - I think that a word. If it is not tempered in the forge of experience knowledge can become a wank-fest of self congratulatory narcissism. I have fallen into this trap myself, quoting the latest flavor of guru to display my level of intellect. But I have also fallen into the trap of judging people that I think might over intellectualise things.
When I was studying for a master’s degree and had to read lots of academic tomes I really hated the language of academia because I felt that it was completely inaccessible to the man on the street. But to pass my degree I had to read it, and I also had to write it. And ultimately I was glad I did, because it pushed me to expand, and enabled me to understand a language that was not open to me before.
So now I encourage other people to read books that are beyond their scope for the same reasons. The danger is (as I said) when the intellectuals intellectualise but never put the words into action.
In the world of metamorphosis (I have found) action is all. And if the anti-intellectuals don’t become more open minded they too might miss out on something of real import.
I am aware that I have possibly offered you contradictory advice here so, in conclusion I’ll tell you what my life has told me thus far and what is as real as gravity to me; reading is great, writing is great too, you discover things that you didn’t know you knew when you write, but when it comes to actual knowledge, experience is everything.
When I am attracted by a speaker or a guru or a swami it is always because they have experienced life in all its wonder and its awe. If you climb Everest or go to the moon or overcome a debilitating childhood people will cross the globe to speak with you because everyone wants to touch the hand of experience.
Til next time...
Give you an example, when did fish get an appetite for worms? I have this mental image of two bass laying on the bank trying to catch their breath when a worm just happens to wonder by...then fish CPR (catch, picture and release) and they went under the nearest submerged stump and told their kin... You'll get it if you are a fisherman.
Anyway, I had this though while peddling around town on my bike... do you think spiritual growth is possible without concurrent intellectual expansion.
In other words can you grow spiritually if you are not growing intellectually?
Many of you know that I love to learn. I think it is fun, and from all the latest research life long learning might just be the number one thing that will keep you younger longer. Besides, doing something that you find stimulating can't be all bad.
But even as a young learner I have always been drawn to biographies. Better yet talking to people about the lives they lived and the path that they have walked often teaches and inspires.
As a teacher I always encourage those that I touch to read widely and to expand their understanding. I think it is important and well as enjoyable. But ultimately while I believe that expanding the intellect has many benefits, it is not an essential prerequisite to developing spirituality.
Many people surmount great spiritual peaks through feeling and intuition alone. Most of the old Shamans were not conventionally intellectual or well read (or even read at all); they could not quote Lau Tzu, or Goethe or Jung but it did not stop them from connecting with and becoming a great conduit for God.
I guess if you are going to flex your intellectual muscles (and I recommend that you do) remember that for knowledge to be of any benefit at all it must be placed into the experiential world.
Knowing is not the same as doing. And you only truly own what you have experienced. Everything else is just decoration. Seems to me until you get to the point of practice, all knowledge remains impotent.
Having said that, one of the first things I do initially when I take on a new group of students at the college or mentor wide eyed interns is to get them reading widely, anything they can get their hands on about fitness, learning and life. What I have found is that IF I can get them to escalate the difficulty of their reading, (advising them to ‘just read’) even if initially they do not understand what they are ingesting. I can stimulate discussion and hopefully a little bit of learning. Over the years I've learned to do this as part of their studies, I made it a compulsory element because I know that in the age of DVD's, TV and dumbed down journalism very few people read anymore, and when they do, they generally do not challenge themselves.
This helps me when I am teaching. Primarily people come to me because they are looking to learn new things about this fitness stuff and exercise adherence, and while I am practised in articulating how I found my way, there will always be a part of the aspirant that will want my experience and my words validated from other sources. So giving them books to read by other travelers helps people to trust what I offer. Ultimately the words and the book s are only there to encourage them to go out and experience things for themselves, so that they can be the proof.
Because words without experience are short lived. What gives words life is action.
But there is a danger of mistaking knowledge of the journey for the journey itself, if people are not careful, they can get too caught up in intellectualisation - I think that a word. If it is not tempered in the forge of experience knowledge can become a wank-fest of self congratulatory narcissism. I have fallen into this trap myself, quoting the latest flavor of guru to display my level of intellect. But I have also fallen into the trap of judging people that I think might over intellectualise things.
When I was studying for a master’s degree and had to read lots of academic tomes I really hated the language of academia because I felt that it was completely inaccessible to the man on the street. But to pass my degree I had to read it, and I also had to write it. And ultimately I was glad I did, because it pushed me to expand, and enabled me to understand a language that was not open to me before.
So now I encourage other people to read books that are beyond their scope for the same reasons. The danger is (as I said) when the intellectuals intellectualise but never put the words into action.
In the world of metamorphosis (I have found) action is all. And if the anti-intellectuals don’t become more open minded they too might miss out on something of real import.
I am aware that I have possibly offered you contradictory advice here so, in conclusion I’ll tell you what my life has told me thus far and what is as real as gravity to me; reading is great, writing is great too, you discover things that you didn’t know you knew when you write, but when it comes to actual knowledge, experience is everything.
When I am attracted by a speaker or a guru or a swami it is always because they have experienced life in all its wonder and its awe. If you climb Everest or go to the moon or overcome a debilitating childhood people will cross the globe to speak with you because everyone wants to touch the hand of experience.
Til next time...
Sunday, June 1, 2008
I Think....
I think God wants us to grow. I believe that the universe is hungry for us to expand - and it is continually offering us the means to accomplish this.
Ok, so let’s back up for a second, I haven’t written in a while and from that statement you might think that I have completely lost my marbles. No doubt I have… but I lost them long ago. Actually, the above was stimulated by watching my son deal with a bully on the baseball diamond and some demons that some friends and family members are fighting. I’ll explain.
Many people feel that meditation is the prime exercise for this expansion, and while in theory I agree that it is hugely beneficial, I have to add my own personal experience based caveat; while I love to grow my conscious “net” though meditation I have to say that my very deep development always came through my very hard experience where I learned to dissolve fear while facing fear, and expand into new realities by engaging new realities.
I’ll get back to Phil.
After being hit twice by this particular little league pitching staff, there was an “incident” on the ball diamond where Phil ended up punching this kid lights out. I think it was the taunt of the second pitcher as Phil walked to first base. The opposing team didn’t like Phil’s snap throws to first and third that picked off three of their players. (It is funny how people deliver messages in the sporting world!)
Now, I would never condone violence on a ball field, especially from my son, but as the father of the child who delivered the right hook. I did sit back for a split second and appreciate its precision. I know it’s a boy/dad thing! However after the fray, Phil was mortified and very upset that he had lost his cool. It was a good lesson and it reminded me of a past experience from my teenage days.
I thought I nearly killed this kid one night walking home from my girlfriend’s house. Maybe I had never seen so much blood, maybe it was the anger I felt after seeing this kid pick on some friends of mine earlier in the day. But there we were in a dimly lit parking lot, Jack just full of himself, probably high and wanting to go. I walked away from him after hearing the four and seven letter words directed at me, my family, my mother and my first love. And then it happened. I felt his hand tug on my shoulder I spun around and the rest as they say, is history…
Afterwards I saw God.
It was the last place I expected to encounter Him, but He was there and he spoke to me through my pain. I was certain that Jack was dead and I was also certain that my life as I knew it was over. After the bloody encounter (triggered by two obese egos and an argument over personal territory) he was deeply unconscious and on his way to hospital and I was in my own version of Dante’s inferno. Within minutes I was deeply remorseful, within hours I believed I was on my way to prison. When I walked home that night, it was about midnight, I felt as though my world had collapsed. If he was dead, and I was sure he was, I was about to lose everything that I held dear; ironically everything I had become complacent of. It was then that the realization hit me; I was about to lose the most precious gift of all.
After talking to the authorities (apparently a patrolman saw the incident as it was happening. The neighbors called the police on Jack before I happened on the scene - he was a malicious kid and already spent plenty of time at the police station), I ran home. I seemed to be flying, the street lights were glowing, and looked like celestial orbs. When I got home my folks were asleep in one room, completely unaware of my crime and my pain. As I lay on my bed my life would be changed for ever – no chance to go to college, play tennis or even have a family, I would be taking Jack’s place in the Joliet state penitentiary …I was about to lose everything!
Then another startling realization; the boy I kicked around in that dimly lit park parking lot like a football, the man I had thought my enemy, was also a human being, he was Jack Senior’s and Barbra’s son. I was filled with remorse. I unashamedly laid on my back and prayed to God, I asked Him for one more chance, I promised that if He allowed this jerk to live I would turn this baby around, I would change my life. After a very long dark night of the soul I found out that the he had not only survived, but he was walking around completely without serious injury. He was scared, banged and battered and talking smack! The little Shit! I kept my promise, I renounced violence and I started my search for meaning.
The huge revelation for me here was that all those folks that I felt were my enemies were not my enemies, I have no enemies.
Another experience based epiphany occurred when I started to delve heavily into the martial aspect of the combat arts and learned how to kill people. You would think that if you trained intently in a killing art that it would give you a thirst for killing, but the opposite is true, the ability to kill, taking the martial arts to it’s obvious ends, triggered a transition in me, I could feel how ugly it was to hurt another person, and suddenly all I wanted to do was hug everyone.
I was actually happier than I had ever been, all I wanted to do was help people, serve people, and the thought of harming another human was the furthest thing from my mind.
These revelations might seem obvious…but at 18 years of age, not so. I know we all have read about the futility of violence many times… and have read about killing all your enemies by making them friends, no doubt. But for me this was not mere information taken from a library or a book of quotes, it was not learned, this was earned wisdom, it was actual elixir.
I can now say with certainty that violence always rebounds on its self, and use this knowing to “uncreate” violence in all its forms. I can say I have no enemies with absolute faith and pray even and especially for those that would do me harm.
This is what that extreme physical experience gave me.
Over the years I have had similar thoughts and revelations in meditation, but until I tested them, they remained simply pregnant pieces of information looking for a birth in the outside world.
But of course I was up for the challenge because I wanted to be free. As much as I love meditation and as much as I practice it and concur on its benefits, I do find that people are often guilty of courting deep states of relaxation in order to avoid raw states of experiential growth. I was never a man to sit at a bar and talk challenge, or theorize challenge or intellectualize challenge. I didn’t take the concept of challenge to a lab and do qualitative and quantitative experiments with mice or rats. I took my bones out onto the court, field or ring and I was my own experiment. I was ‘Rat A’ and the world was my laboratory. If it worked I got to walk away. If it didn’t I ended up on my ass or a hospital ward.
Ironically what I found was that all the external challenges I faced in the world of men turned out to be internal challenges, they all forced me back inside. The real Jihad is the internal jihad. In fact all jihads are battles with the self; the self is your only friend and the self is your only enemy.
But for me it was only in facing the fears and challenges that I had created out there - because ultimately they are only projections from the self I know that was deep let me better explain.
The bigger challenges are often closer than you think.
It is easier to march angrily through your town with an ‘anti-war’ banner than it is to pick up the phone and end the war with the sister that you don’t talk to anymore, the ex-wife that hates your guts or the son/daughter that you haven’t seen since a family argument all those lost years ago. People want to stop the war ‘out there’ while the war in their own life, or inside their own bodies is raging away almost un-noticed and often ignored.
I think that ‘out there’ is often an easy distraction for what is ‘in here.’
People are in love with the idea of challenge but do not actually take on the real challenge, they want to change the world but are unable to even change their own personal habits. They want sovereignty over the material before earning sovereignty over the self.
Idyllic retreats and lonely caves are nice and I highly recommend them for respite and recovery, but they do not prepare you for the world of men. The world of men is where you prepare for the world of men.
With that thought as my sponsor I changed my whole universe for the better. And my method was simple; I made a list of all the things that I dreamed of doing, all the things that I was frightened of doing…and now I am doing them.
But in order to do that I had one major hurdle to over come.
My self.
I was my own enemy.
So I killed my enemy by making him my friend.
If you want to master the world, first master yourself. If you want to take on the world, start first by taking on the self.
Til’ next time (hopefully much sooner!)
Ok, so let’s back up for a second, I haven’t written in a while and from that statement you might think that I have completely lost my marbles. No doubt I have… but I lost them long ago. Actually, the above was stimulated by watching my son deal with a bully on the baseball diamond and some demons that some friends and family members are fighting. I’ll explain.
Many people feel that meditation is the prime exercise for this expansion, and while in theory I agree that it is hugely beneficial, I have to add my own personal experience based caveat; while I love to grow my conscious “net” though meditation I have to say that my very deep development always came through my very hard experience where I learned to dissolve fear while facing fear, and expand into new realities by engaging new realities.
I’ll get back to Phil.
After being hit twice by this particular little league pitching staff, there was an “incident” on the ball diamond where Phil ended up punching this kid lights out. I think it was the taunt of the second pitcher as Phil walked to first base. The opposing team didn’t like Phil’s snap throws to first and third that picked off three of their players. (It is funny how people deliver messages in the sporting world!)
Now, I would never condone violence on a ball field, especially from my son, but as the father of the child who delivered the right hook. I did sit back for a split second and appreciate its precision. I know it’s a boy/dad thing! However after the fray, Phil was mortified and very upset that he had lost his cool. It was a good lesson and it reminded me of a past experience from my teenage days.
I thought I nearly killed this kid one night walking home from my girlfriend’s house. Maybe I had never seen so much blood, maybe it was the anger I felt after seeing this kid pick on some friends of mine earlier in the day. But there we were in a dimly lit parking lot, Jack just full of himself, probably high and wanting to go. I walked away from him after hearing the four and seven letter words directed at me, my family, my mother and my first love. And then it happened. I felt his hand tug on my shoulder I spun around and the rest as they say, is history…
Afterwards I saw God.
It was the last place I expected to encounter Him, but He was there and he spoke to me through my pain. I was certain that Jack was dead and I was also certain that my life as I knew it was over. After the bloody encounter (triggered by two obese egos and an argument over personal territory) he was deeply unconscious and on his way to hospital and I was in my own version of Dante’s inferno. Within minutes I was deeply remorseful, within hours I believed I was on my way to prison. When I walked home that night, it was about midnight, I felt as though my world had collapsed. If he was dead, and I was sure he was, I was about to lose everything that I held dear; ironically everything I had become complacent of. It was then that the realization hit me; I was about to lose the most precious gift of all.
After talking to the authorities (apparently a patrolman saw the incident as it was happening. The neighbors called the police on Jack before I happened on the scene - he was a malicious kid and already spent plenty of time at the police station), I ran home. I seemed to be flying, the street lights were glowing, and looked like celestial orbs. When I got home my folks were asleep in one room, completely unaware of my crime and my pain. As I lay on my bed my life would be changed for ever – no chance to go to college, play tennis or even have a family, I would be taking Jack’s place in the Joliet state penitentiary …I was about to lose everything!
Then another startling realization; the boy I kicked around in that dimly lit park parking lot like a football, the man I had thought my enemy, was also a human being, he was Jack Senior’s and Barbra’s son. I was filled with remorse. I unashamedly laid on my back and prayed to God, I asked Him for one more chance, I promised that if He allowed this jerk to live I would turn this baby around, I would change my life. After a very long dark night of the soul I found out that the he had not only survived, but he was walking around completely without serious injury. He was scared, banged and battered and talking smack! The little Shit! I kept my promise, I renounced violence and I started my search for meaning.
The huge revelation for me here was that all those folks that I felt were my enemies were not my enemies, I have no enemies.
Another experience based epiphany occurred when I started to delve heavily into the martial aspect of the combat arts and learned how to kill people. You would think that if you trained intently in a killing art that it would give you a thirst for killing, but the opposite is true, the ability to kill, taking the martial arts to it’s obvious ends, triggered a transition in me, I could feel how ugly it was to hurt another person, and suddenly all I wanted to do was hug everyone.
I was actually happier than I had ever been, all I wanted to do was help people, serve people, and the thought of harming another human was the furthest thing from my mind.
These revelations might seem obvious…but at 18 years of age, not so. I know we all have read about the futility of violence many times… and have read about killing all your enemies by making them friends, no doubt. But for me this was not mere information taken from a library or a book of quotes, it was not learned, this was earned wisdom, it was actual elixir.
I can now say with certainty that violence always rebounds on its self, and use this knowing to “uncreate” violence in all its forms. I can say I have no enemies with absolute faith and pray even and especially for those that would do me harm.
This is what that extreme physical experience gave me.
Over the years I have had similar thoughts and revelations in meditation, but until I tested them, they remained simply pregnant pieces of information looking for a birth in the outside world.
But of course I was up for the challenge because I wanted to be free. As much as I love meditation and as much as I practice it and concur on its benefits, I do find that people are often guilty of courting deep states of relaxation in order to avoid raw states of experiential growth. I was never a man to sit at a bar and talk challenge, or theorize challenge or intellectualize challenge. I didn’t take the concept of challenge to a lab and do qualitative and quantitative experiments with mice or rats. I took my bones out onto the court, field or ring and I was my own experiment. I was ‘Rat A’ and the world was my laboratory. If it worked I got to walk away. If it didn’t I ended up on my ass or a hospital ward.
Ironically what I found was that all the external challenges I faced in the world of men turned out to be internal challenges, they all forced me back inside. The real Jihad is the internal jihad. In fact all jihads are battles with the self; the self is your only friend and the self is your only enemy.
But for me it was only in facing the fears and challenges that I had created out there - because ultimately they are only projections from the self I know that was deep let me better explain.
The bigger challenges are often closer than you think.
It is easier to march angrily through your town with an ‘anti-war’ banner than it is to pick up the phone and end the war with the sister that you don’t talk to anymore, the ex-wife that hates your guts or the son/daughter that you haven’t seen since a family argument all those lost years ago. People want to stop the war ‘out there’ while the war in their own life, or inside their own bodies is raging away almost un-noticed and often ignored.
I think that ‘out there’ is often an easy distraction for what is ‘in here.’
People are in love with the idea of challenge but do not actually take on the real challenge, they want to change the world but are unable to even change their own personal habits. They want sovereignty over the material before earning sovereignty over the self.
Idyllic retreats and lonely caves are nice and I highly recommend them for respite and recovery, but they do not prepare you for the world of men. The world of men is where you prepare for the world of men.
With that thought as my sponsor I changed my whole universe for the better. And my method was simple; I made a list of all the things that I dreamed of doing, all the things that I was frightened of doing…and now I am doing them.
But in order to do that I had one major hurdle to over come.
My self.
I was my own enemy.
So I killed my enemy by making him my friend.
If you want to master the world, first master yourself. If you want to take on the world, start first by taking on the self.
Til’ next time (hopefully much sooner!)
Thursday, May 15, 2008
What you can learn from the Presidents
One of the great things about having kids is that you go back to school every once in a while. Not only do you go back physically during parent teachers conferences and wonder how you ever drank out of those little fountains.
I used to really enjoy history class in school, but somehow got out of the habit of paying attention to it as hit more tennis balls. Dumb I know. As a student of history you better understand why things happen today, let alone understand the human condition. My avoidance of history happened over time because my priorities changed over the years and of course you get into earth shattering habits like watching American Idol!
I digress.... I had the opportunity to look at a book that Phil was reading. It was pretty interesting really, since it was a book about American presidents. We haven’t had all that many, forty three I think… But, I realized that in my lifetime their have been 7, but I can only really remember 6 with clarity.
Looking at their lives from childhood to post presidency got me thinking and wondering if I would have had the same drive to overcome the obstacles some of these men and their families endured to become our Nation’s leader.
What do these names have in common?
Richard Nixon
Gerald Ford
Jimmy Carter
Ronald Reagan
Bill Clinton
They were all President of the United States, right? They were all the most powerful man in the world at one point. However, I am looking for something else...
Richard Nixon... Nixon was born in the home his father built. He won an award from Harvard his senior year of high school. However, his family was unable to afford his leaving home for college. He instead attended Whittier College.
Gerald Ford... Ford was born as Leslie Lynch King, Jr. In 1913 his mother left her abusive husband and took her son to live with her parents. She met Gerald R. Ford, whom she married and gave her child his name Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. He was the only President to be adopted. Ford worked in his stepfather's paint and varnish store growing up. He coached boxing during college to afford his tuition.
Jimmy Carter... He was the first member of his family ever to go to college and his father was a peanut farmer.
Ronald Reagan... he was the son of an alcoholic traveling shoe salesman. He worked his way into show business by broadcasting baseball games. At forty, he was divorced and his career was at a dead end.
Bill Clinton... Born William Jefferson Blythe IV, his father ( another traveling salesmen) died in an automobile accident three months before he was born. His mother married Roger Clinton and Bill took that name. Clinton grew up in a turbulent family. His stepfather was a gambler and alcoholic who regularly abused his wife, and sometimes Clinton's half brother Roger.
None of these men were born into wealth and prosperity, yet they each achieved the rank of most powerful person in the world by working hard and not making excuses. That is 5 out of the last 7 Presidents or 71% of Presidents in the last generation born into normal families who struggled. Yet, they refused to use that as an excuse.
'The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.' You have heard it a million times. However, my guess is that you have never heard it from the mouth of the 'rich'. Instead, this echo has most likely bounced to your ear with its origins being an excuse. That is right... an excuse. Excuses are what many use to pacify their guilt of not accomplishing what they are capable of.
I am not suggesting that wealth is success. My inference is that success is the progressive realization of predetermined worthwhile goals. It may be something as simple as raising a family.
I guess my point here is that life is too short to make excuses. Set your goals and pursue them. If you have been dealt a 'worse' hand than another, it may indeed be a gift that teaches you the value of hard work. Your story will be richer and your success sweeter when you achieve your dreams.
Til next time…
I used to really enjoy history class in school, but somehow got out of the habit of paying attention to it as hit more tennis balls. Dumb I know. As a student of history you better understand why things happen today, let alone understand the human condition. My avoidance of history happened over time because my priorities changed over the years and of course you get into earth shattering habits like watching American Idol!
I digress.... I had the opportunity to look at a book that Phil was reading. It was pretty interesting really, since it was a book about American presidents. We haven’t had all that many, forty three I think… But, I realized that in my lifetime their have been 7, but I can only really remember 6 with clarity.
Looking at their lives from childhood to post presidency got me thinking and wondering if I would have had the same drive to overcome the obstacles some of these men and their families endured to become our Nation’s leader.
What do these names have in common?
Richard Nixon
Gerald Ford
Jimmy Carter
Ronald Reagan
Bill Clinton
They were all President of the United States, right? They were all the most powerful man in the world at one point. However, I am looking for something else...
Richard Nixon... Nixon was born in the home his father built. He won an award from Harvard his senior year of high school. However, his family was unable to afford his leaving home for college. He instead attended Whittier College.
Gerald Ford... Ford was born as Leslie Lynch King, Jr. In 1913 his mother left her abusive husband and took her son to live with her parents. She met Gerald R. Ford, whom she married and gave her child his name Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. He was the only President to be adopted. Ford worked in his stepfather's paint and varnish store growing up. He coached boxing during college to afford his tuition.
Jimmy Carter... He was the first member of his family ever to go to college and his father was a peanut farmer.
Ronald Reagan... he was the son of an alcoholic traveling shoe salesman. He worked his way into show business by broadcasting baseball games. At forty, he was divorced and his career was at a dead end.
Bill Clinton... Born William Jefferson Blythe IV, his father ( another traveling salesmen) died in an automobile accident three months before he was born. His mother married Roger Clinton and Bill took that name. Clinton grew up in a turbulent family. His stepfather was a gambler and alcoholic who regularly abused his wife, and sometimes Clinton's half brother Roger.
None of these men were born into wealth and prosperity, yet they each achieved the rank of most powerful person in the world by working hard and not making excuses. That is 5 out of the last 7 Presidents or 71% of Presidents in the last generation born into normal families who struggled. Yet, they refused to use that as an excuse.
'The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.' You have heard it a million times. However, my guess is that you have never heard it from the mouth of the 'rich'. Instead, this echo has most likely bounced to your ear with its origins being an excuse. That is right... an excuse. Excuses are what many use to pacify their guilt of not accomplishing what they are capable of.
I am not suggesting that wealth is success. My inference is that success is the progressive realization of predetermined worthwhile goals. It may be something as simple as raising a family.
I guess my point here is that life is too short to make excuses. Set your goals and pursue them. If you have been dealt a 'worse' hand than another, it may indeed be a gift that teaches you the value of hard work. Your story will be richer and your success sweeter when you achieve your dreams.
Til next time…
Sunday, May 11, 2008
How long do you think you'll live?
Normally I don't usually do these things, but with it being a holiday I couldn't help myself. Peter Russell has a calculator for Real Age, that looks at your lifestyle and then predicts how long you might live.
In my case with my current lifestyle, I am projected to live another 13,100 days. Or almost 36 years. However if I just change two things in my lifestyle, easy ones at that, I would statistically live to almost 17,200 days or 47 years. huh...
For a whole lot of reasons, but mainly trying to outlive all those tennis pros who whooped up on me when I was playing - read that as spite (Using up my son's inheritance comes to mind as well!)... I think I'm going to make those lifestyle changes permanent over the course of this year.
Why don't you check out the website and see how you do.... the web address is: http://www.peterrussell.com/Odds/RealAge.php
Til next time....
In my case with my current lifestyle, I am projected to live another 13,100 days. Or almost 36 years. However if I just change two things in my lifestyle, easy ones at that, I would statistically live to almost 17,200 days or 47 years. huh...
For a whole lot of reasons, but mainly trying to outlive all those tennis pros who whooped up on me when I was playing - read that as spite (Using up my son's inheritance comes to mind as well!)... I think I'm going to make those lifestyle changes permanent over the course of this year.
Why don't you check out the website and see how you do.... the web address is: http://www.peterrussell.com/Odds/RealAge.php
Til next time....
Sunday, May 4, 2008
The moral of the story is....
I had the good fortune of spending some time in Savana Georgia a few weeks ago. We had an afternoon to explore and I found some terrific old bookstores down by the river and spent a pleasant afternoon window and book-shopping.
In one of the stores I found an old autobiography with yellow pages and grainy photos. I happily paid $19.95 for it, and stuffed it into my backback and rediscovered it just the other day.
Here’s how it begins:
"In 1915, when I was nineteen, I fought Johnny Sudenberg ten rounds in the wild mining town of Goldfield, Nevada. I was in there with a good fighter, one much better than I was, but I took the fight because I was dead broke and my manager of the moment, Jack Gilfeather, had been able to jimmy a $100 guarantee out of [the] promoter...
Sudenberg almost killed me. For two rounds it was a fight. For the next eight I was a helpless, blood-soaked punching bag. It was the worst beating of my life. I don't remember going down once, because I still don't remember the last three or four rounds.
Goldfield was a tough town. A stranger who got his brains knocked out in Goldfield was no rarity. Hardly worth bothering the doctor about. So they dumped me, unconscious, into a wheelbarrow and some good Samaritan pushed me through the hilly streets. He threw me on the bunk in my "home." I slept.
My "home" was a cave in the side of a hill. Goldfield had been a boom mining town and a room cost five dollars a week. In advance, for a skinny young hobo with holes in his shoes and a newspaper for a suitcase. ...
I remember nothing at all until I woke up at three o' clock the next afternoon – nearly twenty hours after I'd been wheelbarrowed "home."
Everything hurt, of course. But I was young, and I was hungry. I stumbled over to the saloon where Gilfeather hung out, to collect my share of the purse.
In the saloon a few heroes laughed at my battered face. A few made jokes about how funny I looked being trundled through the streets in a wheelbarrow (which is the way I found out about that journey).
I asked where I could find Gilfeather.
A bartender said, "He left town last night, kid. He got drunk and Blew his wad shooting craps."
I had been almost killed for nothing. I was broke and starving. It was the lowest point of my entire life..."
Four years later, on July 4, 1919, Jack Dempsey – yes, the dog-eared old book was Dempsey’s Autobiography—demolished the hulking giant, Jess Willard, to win the single most coveted prize in all of sports in that era: the Heavyweight Boxing Championship of the World.
Is there a moral there? I think there is.
For Champions, the most essential attribute is a grim determination to succeed. Successful people have patience, tenacity and they never quit. They never yield. They never give in. They always keep on going...
Just like Jack Dempsey.Just like every single person in the history of the world who has dared to dream great dreams—and to turn those dreams into reality, no matter long or how hard the journey.
If YOU want to succeed, you MUST accept this fundamental truth. Success requires effort. It requires hard work. It demands persistence. There is always a price. Nothing in life is easy. Not for you, not for me, and certainly not for Jack Dempsey.
And yet – look at what he accomplished, against unimaginable odds. Take it to heart. It’s a classic example of the indomitable power of the human spirit.
No matter what the odds, if you keep on fighting the fight, you WILL win. I guarantee it.
Til next time....
In one of the stores I found an old autobiography with yellow pages and grainy photos. I happily paid $19.95 for it, and stuffed it into my backback and rediscovered it just the other day.
Here’s how it begins:
"In 1915, when I was nineteen, I fought Johnny Sudenberg ten rounds in the wild mining town of Goldfield, Nevada. I was in there with a good fighter, one much better than I was, but I took the fight because I was dead broke and my manager of the moment, Jack Gilfeather, had been able to jimmy a $100 guarantee out of [the] promoter...
Sudenberg almost killed me. For two rounds it was a fight. For the next eight I was a helpless, blood-soaked punching bag. It was the worst beating of my life. I don't remember going down once, because I still don't remember the last three or four rounds.
Goldfield was a tough town. A stranger who got his brains knocked out in Goldfield was no rarity. Hardly worth bothering the doctor about. So they dumped me, unconscious, into a wheelbarrow and some good Samaritan pushed me through the hilly streets. He threw me on the bunk in my "home." I slept.
My "home" was a cave in the side of a hill. Goldfield had been a boom mining town and a room cost five dollars a week. In advance, for a skinny young hobo with holes in his shoes and a newspaper for a suitcase. ...
I remember nothing at all until I woke up at three o' clock the next afternoon – nearly twenty hours after I'd been wheelbarrowed "home."
Everything hurt, of course. But I was young, and I was hungry. I stumbled over to the saloon where Gilfeather hung out, to collect my share of the purse.
In the saloon a few heroes laughed at my battered face. A few made jokes about how funny I looked being trundled through the streets in a wheelbarrow (which is the way I found out about that journey).
I asked where I could find Gilfeather.
A bartender said, "He left town last night, kid. He got drunk and Blew his wad shooting craps."
I had been almost killed for nothing. I was broke and starving. It was the lowest point of my entire life..."
Four years later, on July 4, 1919, Jack Dempsey – yes, the dog-eared old book was Dempsey’s Autobiography—demolished the hulking giant, Jess Willard, to win the single most coveted prize in all of sports in that era: the Heavyweight Boxing Championship of the World.
Is there a moral there? I think there is.
For Champions, the most essential attribute is a grim determination to succeed. Successful people have patience, tenacity and they never quit. They never yield. They never give in. They always keep on going...
Just like Jack Dempsey.Just like every single person in the history of the world who has dared to dream great dreams—and to turn those dreams into reality, no matter long or how hard the journey.
If YOU want to succeed, you MUST accept this fundamental truth. Success requires effort. It requires hard work. It demands persistence. There is always a price. Nothing in life is easy. Not for you, not for me, and certainly not for Jack Dempsey.
And yet – look at what he accomplished, against unimaginable odds. Take it to heart. It’s a classic example of the indomitable power of the human spirit.
No matter what the odds, if you keep on fighting the fight, you WILL win. I guarantee it.
Til next time....
Thursday, May 1, 2008
My thoughts on Georgia
Hi Everyone, just got back from one of those bike tour thingees.
I worked the Tour deGeoriga presented by AT&T (got to get the plug in - I got some free shirts!) professional cycling race. It was pretty neat.
You see... with these types of adventures I get to travel roads and visit towns somewhat off of my personal road map. In my myopic world and workplace when someone mentions Georgia, I think of Jimmy Carter, Billy Beer, the Cheetah club and Pecans.
I remember getting lost in "Hotlanta" during my crazy college days. I looked up at the signs in the intersection and knew I was messed up when I was at the corner of Peach Tree and Peach Tree. Probably not a good a good start to my sophomore spring break considering the amount of alcohol in my system at the time.
But that is not the basis of my opinion any longer....
I had the good fortune and opportunity to eat some of the best and freshest seafood ever on Tybee Island and in America's first planned city of Savannah. This Midwesterner didn't normally think of the state of Georgia being on the eastern seaboard. The marshes and tidal areas are amazing and still fairly pristine. The history from the area is rich and with a little investigation literally comes alive.
You get a real good sense of what the soldiers, citizens and slaves had to endure from both from the revolutionary and civil wars. Apparently GA was pivotal because of it's sea ports in our early conflicts.
As an example Fort Pulaski. This national monument is located just off the coast between Tybee Island and Savannah.
President Madison ordered a new system of coastal fortifications to protect the United States against foreign invasion after the war of 1812. The fort was named after the famous Polish General from the Revolutionary war, and was actually built under the direction of General Robert E. Lee in 1829. (the good general was trained as a civil engineer before the war between the states).
The place is a testament to advanced engineering and hard work. Even after the bombardment of the Union's new rifled cannons during the Civil war, this fort still maintains its seven foot walls on marsh land without one single crack in its foundation. (With all the advances in technology why can't they do that today with the drywall in my house?)
Within 30 hours of the Union's attack during the Civil war, Col. Charles Olmstead had to surrender the fort, the Union had developed a new technology - a rifled cannon shell. Those 60 pound shells could travel far distances (up to 5 miles) and easily passed through the fort's brick walls. This advance in weaponry made brick fortifications obsolete.
(As an aside, the good Col.was the uncle of Fredrick Law Olmsted who went on to design Central Park in New York and Jackson Park in Chicago. He dropped the "a" in the last name because he did not want be associated with a confederate. Small world ain't it?)
We also had the opportunity to stay in a bed and breakfast that was well over 200 years old. (LaFayette Manor) As a matter of fact, the one who built the manson was one of the original signers of the declaration of independence - George Walton. As a lawyer and a plantation owner he held a great deal of land in the north Georgia and had much influence over the direction of our new found country.
The "house" was later named in honor of General LaFayette who used the manor as a base of operations during the revolutionary war. It was even said that George Washington spent some time in the area because of his close friendship with LaFayette.
But what heartens my day, during these sojourns, is that I get the chance to meet people in small towns that have no desire to be connected to their crackberrys or have a need to check their emails every 15 minutes. People who genuinely enjoy having a conversation with an outsider, and care about the others who live in their town.
It seems that the half step slower pace allows one to connect with people and share commonalities that albeit quaint, are quite comforting and for me, help to restore my faith in Americans and our ideals.
Even though some of the towns reminded me of Mayburry right down to the "five and dime" and included Floyd the barber, the citizens in each town usually stopped and smiled and were genuinely concerned with your response to their "hello, how are you doing?".
Too often we get so busy with the goofiness of our day, that we really don't connect. Being connected via email, blackberry and blue tooth, is very different than spending the time to talk to our neighbors and get to know the community.
I enjoyed doing just that on this trip. When you do really connect, you can learn so much more and really appreciate the situation you are in and the life you have a chance to live.
So I have a challenge for you, go talk to someone today - really listen to their response, you might just be surprised how fun it can be.
Til next time...
I worked the Tour deGeoriga presented by AT&T (got to get the plug in - I got some free shirts!) professional cycling race. It was pretty neat.
You see... with these types of adventures I get to travel roads and visit towns somewhat off of my personal road map. In my myopic world and workplace when someone mentions Georgia, I think of Jimmy Carter, Billy Beer, the Cheetah club and Pecans.
I remember getting lost in "Hotlanta" during my crazy college days. I looked up at the signs in the intersection and knew I was messed up when I was at the corner of Peach Tree and Peach Tree. Probably not a good a good start to my sophomore spring break considering the amount of alcohol in my system at the time.
But that is not the basis of my opinion any longer....
I had the good fortune and opportunity to eat some of the best and freshest seafood ever on Tybee Island and in America's first planned city of Savannah. This Midwesterner didn't normally think of the state of Georgia being on the eastern seaboard. The marshes and tidal areas are amazing and still fairly pristine. The history from the area is rich and with a little investigation literally comes alive.
You get a real good sense of what the soldiers, citizens and slaves had to endure from both from the revolutionary and civil wars. Apparently GA was pivotal because of it's sea ports in our early conflicts.
As an example Fort Pulaski. This national monument is located just off the coast between Tybee Island and Savannah.
President Madison ordered a new system of coastal fortifications to protect the United States against foreign invasion after the war of 1812. The fort was named after the famous Polish General from the Revolutionary war, and was actually built under the direction of General Robert E. Lee in 1829. (the good general was trained as a civil engineer before the war between the states).
The place is a testament to advanced engineering and hard work. Even after the bombardment of the Union's new rifled cannons during the Civil war, this fort still maintains its seven foot walls on marsh land without one single crack in its foundation. (With all the advances in technology why can't they do that today with the drywall in my house?)
Within 30 hours of the Union's attack during the Civil war, Col. Charles Olmstead had to surrender the fort, the Union had developed a new technology - a rifled cannon shell. Those 60 pound shells could travel far distances (up to 5 miles) and easily passed through the fort's brick walls. This advance in weaponry made brick fortifications obsolete.
(As an aside, the good Col.was the uncle of Fredrick Law Olmsted who went on to design Central Park in New York and Jackson Park in Chicago. He dropped the "a" in the last name because he did not want be associated with a confederate. Small world ain't it?)
We also had the opportunity to stay in a bed and breakfast that was well over 200 years old. (LaFayette Manor) As a matter of fact, the one who built the manson was one of the original signers of the declaration of independence - George Walton. As a lawyer and a plantation owner he held a great deal of land in the north Georgia and had much influence over the direction of our new found country.
The "house" was later named in honor of General LaFayette who used the manor as a base of operations during the revolutionary war. It was even said that George Washington spent some time in the area because of his close friendship with LaFayette.
But what heartens my day, during these sojourns, is that I get the chance to meet people in small towns that have no desire to be connected to their crackberrys or have a need to check their emails every 15 minutes. People who genuinely enjoy having a conversation with an outsider, and care about the others who live in their town.
It seems that the half step slower pace allows one to connect with people and share commonalities that albeit quaint, are quite comforting and for me, help to restore my faith in Americans and our ideals.
Even though some of the towns reminded me of Mayburry right down to the "five and dime" and included Floyd the barber, the citizens in each town usually stopped and smiled and were genuinely concerned with your response to their "hello, how are you doing?".
Too often we get so busy with the goofiness of our day, that we really don't connect. Being connected via email, blackberry and blue tooth, is very different than spending the time to talk to our neighbors and get to know the community.
I enjoyed doing just that on this trip. When you do really connect, you can learn so much more and really appreciate the situation you are in and the life you have a chance to live.
So I have a challenge for you, go talk to someone today - really listen to their response, you might just be surprised how fun it can be.
Til next time...
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
A random thought
Every time I need a good laugh, I always turn to a book that contains thousands of stupid things people have said. It never fails as a pick me up.
There is a special sports section that always gets me, and I've read it at least fifty times.
Today's gem was, "Left hand, right hand, it doesn't matter. I amphibious." Those words were spoken by former North Carolina basketball star Charles Shackleford.
Or the anonymous tourist who asked a lifeguard, "Which beach is closest to the water?"
How about this one, asked of a travel planner. "If you go to a restaurant in Idaho...and you don't wan't any kind of potato with your meal, will they get upset and ask you to leave?"
Former Washington, D.C., mayor Marion Berry has some jewels. The first is,"What we have here is an egregious miscarriagement of taxitude."
"The contagious people of Washington have stood firm against diversity during this long period of inclement weather."
I miss old Marion. There isn't anybody as unintentionally funny as he used to be.
The title of today's piece was something Yogi Berra said about Steve McQueen.
Everybody needs a little help shedding the blues at times. This book has always worked for me.
So has calling a friend who always makes me laugh, or getting out one of the old classicly funny movies.
There are comedy channels on radio, and on television.
Then there is the King...Larry the Cable Guy.
He's funny...I don't care who you are.
I watched a biography of Larry the Cable Guy a few weeks back. He may just be the hardest working man in show business. He wasn't an overnight sensation. He put in ten years on the road before he caught a big break, and then put in another three years before stardom came calling.
Now he's the number one act in America, hauling in $500,000 a night.
He doesn't have to dress up either. He just goes to a tractor supply store, buys some cheap shirts, and rips off the sleeves.
So there isn't any reason to go around like an old sourpuss. Find a simple cure, like I did, and like scores of other people.
The more you laugh, the longer you live.
Til next time...
There is a special sports section that always gets me, and I've read it at least fifty times.
Today's gem was, "Left hand, right hand, it doesn't matter. I amphibious." Those words were spoken by former North Carolina basketball star Charles Shackleford.
Or the anonymous tourist who asked a lifeguard, "Which beach is closest to the water?"
How about this one, asked of a travel planner. "If you go to a restaurant in Idaho...and you don't wan't any kind of potato with your meal, will they get upset and ask you to leave?"
Former Washington, D.C., mayor Marion Berry has some jewels. The first is,"What we have here is an egregious miscarriagement of taxitude."
"The contagious people of Washington have stood firm against diversity during this long period of inclement weather."
I miss old Marion. There isn't anybody as unintentionally funny as he used to be.
The title of today's piece was something Yogi Berra said about Steve McQueen.
Everybody needs a little help shedding the blues at times. This book has always worked for me.
So has calling a friend who always makes me laugh, or getting out one of the old classicly funny movies.
There are comedy channels on radio, and on television.
Then there is the King...Larry the Cable Guy.
He's funny...I don't care who you are.
I watched a biography of Larry the Cable Guy a few weeks back. He may just be the hardest working man in show business. He wasn't an overnight sensation. He put in ten years on the road before he caught a big break, and then put in another three years before stardom came calling.
Now he's the number one act in America, hauling in $500,000 a night.
He doesn't have to dress up either. He just goes to a tractor supply store, buys some cheap shirts, and rips off the sleeves.
So there isn't any reason to go around like an old sourpuss. Find a simple cure, like I did, and like scores of other people.
The more you laugh, the longer you live.
Til next time...
Friday, April 18, 2008
Fat Loss....explained
I found a great analogy about fat loss that I wanted to share with you.
Following is a pretty good explanation of the visual representation of fat loss that was emailed to me recently (And attributed originally to a "Bob White"). Hope you enjoy it..
Let’s assume you go out and buy two rolls of paper towels, each with 112 paper towels on it. You put one aside, and keep it for future reference (your “before” picture). The other one represents you (I’ll call your paper towel “Ed”). The core represents the lean Ed. The towels represent the fat that is covering the lean Ed.
For sake of argument, let’s say that Ed wants to lose 28 pounds of fat, so (112/28) each sheet represents a quarter-pound of fat lost.
Let’s also assume that Ed loses his fat equally during each day of the program.
Each day during the first week, you tear a sheet off of Ed, representing the fat he has lost for the day. Next, you put Ed next to the full roll (“Big Ed”) for comparison.
No noticeable difference! Even at the end of the week!
"This can’t be working for me! This program sucks!
"But, you continue to follow your fat loss program. At the end of weeks two and three, you continue to compare Ed to Big Ed, and still notice very little difference.But Ed is determined! He continues to work hard!
Three more weeks go by, the sheets peeling off day after day, before Ed gets up the courage to stand next to Big Ed again.
Now there’s a big difference!
By the end of the program (112 days), Ed is down to his lean dream, or somewhere near it. Big Ed is still - well, big.
The lesson to be learned is that fat, like paper towels, comes off in sheets. When you are heavy, you are big around. And when you are big around, that fat is spread over a MUCH larger area – just like that outside towel sheet. The closer you get to the lean you, the more each lost pound of fat shows, because it is spread over a smaller area.
While the outside sheet may only cover one layer of the roll, the inside sheet may go around 4 times. That last sheet looks like it gives you four times the results of the first sheet, but in reality, the results are the same – your perception is just different! And you’ll never see the inside, if you aren’t patient while the outside is coming off!ted to share.
Til next time....
Following is a pretty good explanation of the visual representation of fat loss that was emailed to me recently (And attributed originally to a "Bob White"). Hope you enjoy it..
Let’s assume you go out and buy two rolls of paper towels, each with 112 paper towels on it. You put one aside, and keep it for future reference (your “before” picture). The other one represents you (I’ll call your paper towel “Ed”). The core represents the lean Ed. The towels represent the fat that is covering the lean Ed.
For sake of argument, let’s say that Ed wants to lose 28 pounds of fat, so (112/28) each sheet represents a quarter-pound of fat lost.
Let’s also assume that Ed loses his fat equally during each day of the program.
Each day during the first week, you tear a sheet off of Ed, representing the fat he has lost for the day. Next, you put Ed next to the full roll (“Big Ed”) for comparison.
No noticeable difference! Even at the end of the week!
"This can’t be working for me! This program sucks!
"But, you continue to follow your fat loss program. At the end of weeks two and three, you continue to compare Ed to Big Ed, and still notice very little difference.But Ed is determined! He continues to work hard!
Three more weeks go by, the sheets peeling off day after day, before Ed gets up the courage to stand next to Big Ed again.
Now there’s a big difference!
By the end of the program (112 days), Ed is down to his lean dream, or somewhere near it. Big Ed is still - well, big.
The lesson to be learned is that fat, like paper towels, comes off in sheets. When you are heavy, you are big around. And when you are big around, that fat is spread over a MUCH larger area – just like that outside towel sheet. The closer you get to the lean you, the more each lost pound of fat shows, because it is spread over a smaller area.
While the outside sheet may only cover one layer of the roll, the inside sheet may go around 4 times. That last sheet looks like it gives you four times the results of the first sheet, but in reality, the results are the same – your perception is just different! And you’ll never see the inside, if you aren’t patient while the outside is coming off!ted to share.
Til next time....
Sunday, April 13, 2008
My BIGGEST diet and exericse mistake you can make....
This is something you already know, but you forget sometimes.
So I'll remind you. (This is one of those sort of preachy posts, sorry. They happen sometimes).
But here's the deal: In order to succeed at any worth while long-term health goal (exercise, diet, stress reduction, whatever) you have to Give up on Being Perfect.
Duh, right? But we all keep forgetting this all the time.
The Pursuit of Perfection, and the all-or-nothing thinking that follows naturally from this delusional quest, is one of the two most lethal motivational mistakes you can make. (The other is Not Actually Giving a Crap--this is what happens when you embark on a self-improvement program because someone else thinks it's a good idea. They may be right! Still, it ain't gonna work).
But unless you come to grips with your perfectionism early and often, you're doomed. You may start off making great progress but you won't be able to maintain it for more than a few weeks or months.
Why not?
Because long-term success in any endeavor is about Mastering the Self-Improvement Process, not about how many calories you ate or how many miles you ran or how many dollars you earned or how many words you wrote on a particular day. You can have a "perfect" record for months, but if you're not learning how to cope with the imperfect days, the first few that come along can derail you completely.
It's a simple idea (that you've heard a bunch of times before) but the implications of this are really powerful. It means that for the long haul, it doesn't matter if you ran a marathon today or stayed in bed with the flu. Whether you ate 1500 calories or 5,000 calories.
What matters is that you did what you needed to do to Stay On Track.
Staying On Track is the most important thing. Over time, if you Stay on Track, there will be good days and bad days but the good days will eventually predominate. I still maintain and defend your right to think that healthy living is a pain in the ass. But the longer you keep doing it? The less of a pain it is. It will probably never, however, be completely easy and fun. You will always be tempted to Slack. Thus you need to know how to Stay on Track for the rest of your life.
For Life! Yea, I know it blows but it is really important.
So what are some of the essential components of Staying on Track?
You will find yourself lying to yourself if your goals are lofty and become inviolable (that's not a word is it? - well maybe) rules in your own mind. You will "forget" to write things down; you will fudge and cheat and you will be psychologically Off Track no matter how well you are actually doing. You will frequently feel disappointed in yourself even when you are objectively doing good things. You won't praise yourself for your good days because they're ALL supposed to be good days. You will feel easily discouraged and tempted to just go off - no, jump off the wagon in a Big Way, because it's just too hard to be good. And you won't learn how to minimize problem behaviors if you're not admitting to them or accepting them as natural and inevitable and part of the process. Blah blah blah, you get the idea.
Enough Theory? Here is a practical example!
This is an Actual Conversation that occurred in my brain several days ago.
Self: I know it's getting to be time for the gym but I don't think I'll go today. I hate the gym.
Self's Conscience: Just go.
Self: But I don't wannnnna. I go to the gym plenty. Shit, I live in a gym everyday...Leave me alone.
Self's Conscience: You're due for aerobics today. A long one, remember you said? And you're way way overdue for weights. You haven't done them since Monday. You can't skip out again.
Self: F*ck off. Go away.
Self: Are you gone?
Self: Good.
(A minute or so later)
Self's Conscience: OK, now it's really time to go. Your caffeine will wear off.
Self: Shut up!
Self's Conscience: You'll be so happy once you're done.
Self: But I'll be so MISERABLE while I'm doing it! I'll go for a bike ride later. Scram!
(A few more minutes later)
Self's Conscience: So here's an idea.
Self: WTF? I said go away!
Self's Conscience: Suppose you just go to the gym and do a little of everything. A really quick aerobics. Only half your weights.
Self: But I'm supposed to do a long aerobics! And what about the other half of the weights? I can't do just part of a workout!
Self's Conscience: It's better than no workout. C'mon. Think of it as "fun sized." An "express" trip to the gym.
Self: You've been reading my blog! That's really sneaky. But hmmm, "fun sized"... that does sound oddly less miserable that a regular workout...
Epilogue:And so dear readers, I indeed went to the gym - did only half a workout. (Some days when I bargain like this I go on do what I would normally do anyway, but this time, I really didn't feel like it.) I gave myself Full Credit Anyway and felt very happy and pleased with myself. I returned to the gym two days later, because I was Still On Track! And that time, I did every damn thing on the list and lived Happily Ever After. At least so far.)
Til next time.....
So I'll remind you. (This is one of those sort of preachy posts, sorry. They happen sometimes).
But here's the deal: In order to succeed at any worth while long-term health goal (exercise, diet, stress reduction, whatever) you have to Give up on Being Perfect.
Duh, right? But we all keep forgetting this all the time.
The Pursuit of Perfection, and the all-or-nothing thinking that follows naturally from this delusional quest, is one of the two most lethal motivational mistakes you can make. (The other is Not Actually Giving a Crap--this is what happens when you embark on a self-improvement program because someone else thinks it's a good idea. They may be right! Still, it ain't gonna work).
But unless you come to grips with your perfectionism early and often, you're doomed. You may start off making great progress but you won't be able to maintain it for more than a few weeks or months.
Why not?
Because long-term success in any endeavor is about Mastering the Self-Improvement Process, not about how many calories you ate or how many miles you ran or how many dollars you earned or how many words you wrote on a particular day. You can have a "perfect" record for months, but if you're not learning how to cope with the imperfect days, the first few that come along can derail you completely.
It's a simple idea (that you've heard a bunch of times before) but the implications of this are really powerful. It means that for the long haul, it doesn't matter if you ran a marathon today or stayed in bed with the flu. Whether you ate 1500 calories or 5,000 calories.
What matters is that you did what you needed to do to Stay On Track.
Staying On Track is the most important thing. Over time, if you Stay on Track, there will be good days and bad days but the good days will eventually predominate. I still maintain and defend your right to think that healthy living is a pain in the ass. But the longer you keep doing it? The less of a pain it is. It will probably never, however, be completely easy and fun. You will always be tempted to Slack. Thus you need to know how to Stay on Track for the rest of your life.
For Life! Yea, I know it blows but it is really important.
So what are some of the essential components of Staying on Track?
- Staying Accountable and being Honest with yourself.
- Acknowledging your Achievements and not just taking them for granted.
- Trying your best but refusing to get all Punitive and Self-Hating when you inevitably screw up.
- And so Not Quitting in self-disgust because you screwed up.
- Then Starting Over if you do happen to quit in self-disgust despite your crabby self telling you Not To.
- Setting Realistic goals and making positive changes Gradually and Steadily.
- Accepting that while "All" may be nice, "Some" is better than "None" when it comes to good behavior.
- Analyzing the Triggers for bad behavior and planning to Avoid them or Minimize their Impact in the future.
- There are Lots more but I'm getting Really Bored of doing this list.
You will find yourself lying to yourself if your goals are lofty and become inviolable (that's not a word is it? - well maybe) rules in your own mind. You will "forget" to write things down; you will fudge and cheat and you will be psychologically Off Track no matter how well you are actually doing. You will frequently feel disappointed in yourself even when you are objectively doing good things. You won't praise yourself for your good days because they're ALL supposed to be good days. You will feel easily discouraged and tempted to just go off - no, jump off the wagon in a Big Way, because it's just too hard to be good. And you won't learn how to minimize problem behaviors if you're not admitting to them or accepting them as natural and inevitable and part of the process. Blah blah blah, you get the idea.
Enough Theory? Here is a practical example!
This is an Actual Conversation that occurred in my brain several days ago.
Self: I know it's getting to be time for the gym but I don't think I'll go today. I hate the gym.
Self's Conscience: Just go.
Self: But I don't wannnnna. I go to the gym plenty. Shit, I live in a gym everyday...Leave me alone.
Self's Conscience: You're due for aerobics today. A long one, remember you said? And you're way way overdue for weights. You haven't done them since Monday. You can't skip out again.
Self: F*ck off. Go away.
Self: Are you gone?
Self: Good.
(A minute or so later)
Self's Conscience: OK, now it's really time to go. Your caffeine will wear off.
Self: Shut up!
Self's Conscience: You'll be so happy once you're done.
Self: But I'll be so MISERABLE while I'm doing it! I'll go for a bike ride later. Scram!
(A few more minutes later)
Self's Conscience: So here's an idea.
Self: WTF? I said go away!
Self's Conscience: Suppose you just go to the gym and do a little of everything. A really quick aerobics. Only half your weights.
Self: But I'm supposed to do a long aerobics! And what about the other half of the weights? I can't do just part of a workout!
Self's Conscience: It's better than no workout. C'mon. Think of it as "fun sized." An "express" trip to the gym.
Self: You've been reading my blog! That's really sneaky. But hmmm, "fun sized"... that does sound oddly less miserable that a regular workout...
Epilogue:And so dear readers, I indeed went to the gym - did only half a workout. (Some days when I bargain like this I go on do what I would normally do anyway, but this time, I really didn't feel like it.) I gave myself Full Credit Anyway and felt very happy and pleased with myself. I returned to the gym two days later, because I was Still On Track! And that time, I did every damn thing on the list and lived Happily Ever After. At least so far.)
Til next time.....
Thursday, April 10, 2008
More on the NCAA's
Champion's have a certain mindset....
I'll explain what I mean.
If you really - (I mean REALLY) listen to the athletes and coaches during interviews - espcially around the "BIG" game or during championship runs, you'll become almost psychic about who will and won't win.
This past Sunday I watched the Stanford women's basketball team whoop up on Connecticut. Then I watched Tennessee eke by LSU. Afterward I figured Stanford would win their first NCAA women's basketball title.
Afterall, they had averaged 90 points in their last two games, while Tennessee didn't even break 50 points against LSU. Not only that, Stanford was red hot in the semi-finals while the Lady Vols looked like they came out of a freezer.
Stanford was going to win it all, I thought.... No doubt about it. But then I heard the post game interviews with Candice Wiggins of Stanford and Candace Parker of Tennessee. As soon as I heard what each player said, I changed my mind. Pay close attention and you'll immediately know why I reversed my thinking.
When Stanford star Candice Wiggins was interviewed after winning the semi-final round, she was thrilled to make it to the finals. That alone was a dream fulfilled. She did not speak a single word about winning the NCAA title. Tennessee's Candace Parker, however, said that "anything short of an NCAA championship would constitute a failure."
Very different goals, don't you think?
The specifics of your goals play a major role in how you perform. Two nights ago I did an "energy read" of the teams in the men's finals when Memphis was up by nine points. Even with two minutes left, upon gazing at the emotion coming off the players, I believed Kansas would pull it out.
They did.
Last night I did the same sort of reading when Stanford was down by a couple points and had the rest of the game to turn it around.
"They haven't got a prayer," I said to my son. "Tennessee is on a mission."
Tennessee's defense took the high-powered eight-cylinder Stanford offense and reduced it to two cylinders. Wiggins, normally smiling and cheerful in the midst of a big game, didn't look too happy. Parker, on the other hand, had a Cheshire cat grin most of the night. This "look" by the way, is one of the hallmarks of the truly great "Super Human" performers. Even in the midst of battle, elite athletes often look like they're having a blast. When they're in the zone, all physical and mental resistance is gone. Often you'll be in awe of how cool, calm and collected they are.
Those who do not perform at the highest level rarely look truly comfortable in their own skin. They don't know the peace of mind that comes with being on the journey toward a pre-determined objective. Instead, they're hoping that the attainment of the goal will bring them happiness.
It won't.
It can't.
It never does.
People wonder why champions tend to win over and over again. This is the 8th NCAA women's basketball title for Tennessee coach Pat Summit, who is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA hoops history - and that includes both men and women coaches.
The answer lies in how you define your goals. You'd think this would be a no-brainer - but the truth is you see this mistake being made all the time, even at the highest levels of competition.
All you need to do to pick a winner, most of the time, is listen to the interviews of players right after they make it into the Super Bowl, World Series or NCAA finals.
The eventual losing team has players who say their goal was to get to the finals. The winning team shows their excitement about making it to the big one - but they make it known that WINNING the championship is the main goal. Getting there is simply a stepping stone.
The greatest battles in sports take place when both teams in the finals have the same goal.
Keep this in mind as you travel through your day. What do you want to create today. Focus on it and make it happen.
Til next time....
I'll explain what I mean.
If you really - (I mean REALLY) listen to the athletes and coaches during interviews - espcially around the "BIG" game or during championship runs, you'll become almost psychic about who will and won't win.
This past Sunday I watched the Stanford women's basketball team whoop up on Connecticut. Then I watched Tennessee eke by LSU. Afterward I figured Stanford would win their first NCAA women's basketball title.
Afterall, they had averaged 90 points in their last two games, while Tennessee didn't even break 50 points against LSU. Not only that, Stanford was red hot in the semi-finals while the Lady Vols looked like they came out of a freezer.
Stanford was going to win it all, I thought.... No doubt about it. But then I heard the post game interviews with Candice Wiggins of Stanford and Candace Parker of Tennessee. As soon as I heard what each player said, I changed my mind. Pay close attention and you'll immediately know why I reversed my thinking.
When Stanford star Candice Wiggins was interviewed after winning the semi-final round, she was thrilled to make it to the finals. That alone was a dream fulfilled. She did not speak a single word about winning the NCAA title. Tennessee's Candace Parker, however, said that "anything short of an NCAA championship would constitute a failure."
Very different goals, don't you think?
The specifics of your goals play a major role in how you perform. Two nights ago I did an "energy read" of the teams in the men's finals when Memphis was up by nine points. Even with two minutes left, upon gazing at the emotion coming off the players, I believed Kansas would pull it out.
They did.
Last night I did the same sort of reading when Stanford was down by a couple points and had the rest of the game to turn it around.
"They haven't got a prayer," I said to my son. "Tennessee is on a mission."
Tennessee's defense took the high-powered eight-cylinder Stanford offense and reduced it to two cylinders. Wiggins, normally smiling and cheerful in the midst of a big game, didn't look too happy. Parker, on the other hand, had a Cheshire cat grin most of the night. This "look" by the way, is one of the hallmarks of the truly great "Super Human" performers. Even in the midst of battle, elite athletes often look like they're having a blast. When they're in the zone, all physical and mental resistance is gone. Often you'll be in awe of how cool, calm and collected they are.
Those who do not perform at the highest level rarely look truly comfortable in their own skin. They don't know the peace of mind that comes with being on the journey toward a pre-determined objective. Instead, they're hoping that the attainment of the goal will bring them happiness.
It won't.
It can't.
It never does.
People wonder why champions tend to win over and over again. This is the 8th NCAA women's basketball title for Tennessee coach Pat Summit, who is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA hoops history - and that includes both men and women coaches.
The answer lies in how you define your goals. You'd think this would be a no-brainer - but the truth is you see this mistake being made all the time, even at the highest levels of competition.
All you need to do to pick a winner, most of the time, is listen to the interviews of players right after they make it into the Super Bowl, World Series or NCAA finals.
The eventual losing team has players who say their goal was to get to the finals. The winning team shows their excitement about making it to the big one - but they make it known that WINNING the championship is the main goal. Getting there is simply a stepping stone.
The greatest battles in sports take place when both teams in the finals have the same goal.
Keep this in mind as you travel through your day. What do you want to create today. Focus on it and make it happen.
Til next time....
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Expect a celebration..
Ooops I actually wrote this a few days ago and didn't post it. Hope you enjoy.
It’s the end of the college basketball season, so I took the weekend off and watched a couple Final Four games with my son. I think the last time I watched the Final Four was when Coach Wooden was leading UCLA with multiple championships - that seems like it was about 30 years ago – so this was a definite deviation from the norm.
It turned out to be a wise choice – mostly because of what I watched on Saturday night when Kansas tore #1 ranked North Carolina apart.
Yet, it wasn't the athlete’s performance that I will remember the most. It was what Bill Self, the Kansas coach, said to his players before they took the court.
He told them they were playing a very good team - but they were also a very good team.
He told them it would be a long game, so they needed to go out there and have fun, stay relaxed and keep their focus.
Yes, in the heat of battle, he told them to remove the resistance by being relaxed.
Oh, if the average person could understand the value of this. Far too many people think the key to overcoming difficulties and surmounting obstacles is to frown, complain and flex.
Not so.
It's to keep moving forward - but in a spirit of calm and relaxation expecting all will go well.
Coach Self ended his pre-game talk with a quote from Vince Lombardi - on expectations. He told the team that they would get what they expected.
Then he paused before delivering a line I will never forget:
"I expect a BIG CELEBRATION in this locker room in about two and a half hours."
Coach Self did not talk about winning. He did not talk about beating the other team. ALL he talked about was "expecting a big celebration."
He began with the end in mind.
And the end was NOT winning - it was the joy and excitement to be felt AFTER winning.
Coach Self gave the team a vision that aroused their emotions and focused them on what they really wanted - the FEELING of victory - the FEELING of having given their best.
Kansas led 38-10 at one point in the first half. A 28-point lead on the nation's number one team!
In the second half their lead was chopped considerably as the Tar Heels fought valiantly. But after North Carolina fought so hard to catch up, they had nothing left and Kansas flew past them again - winning by 18 points.
As you go through your day, ask yourself this question, "What do you expect to be celebrating about at the end of today."
Begin with the end in mind and watch the end come to you in record time.
Til next time....
It’s the end of the college basketball season, so I took the weekend off and watched a couple Final Four games with my son. I think the last time I watched the Final Four was when Coach Wooden was leading UCLA with multiple championships - that seems like it was about 30 years ago – so this was a definite deviation from the norm.
It turned out to be a wise choice – mostly because of what I watched on Saturday night when Kansas tore #1 ranked North Carolina apart.
Yet, it wasn't the athlete’s performance that I will remember the most. It was what Bill Self, the Kansas coach, said to his players before they took the court.
He told them they were playing a very good team - but they were also a very good team.
He told them it would be a long game, so they needed to go out there and have fun, stay relaxed and keep their focus.
Yes, in the heat of battle, he told them to remove the resistance by being relaxed.
Oh, if the average person could understand the value of this. Far too many people think the key to overcoming difficulties and surmounting obstacles is to frown, complain and flex.
Not so.
It's to keep moving forward - but in a spirit of calm and relaxation expecting all will go well.
Coach Self ended his pre-game talk with a quote from Vince Lombardi - on expectations. He told the team that they would get what they expected.
Then he paused before delivering a line I will never forget:
"I expect a BIG CELEBRATION in this locker room in about two and a half hours."
Coach Self did not talk about winning. He did not talk about beating the other team. ALL he talked about was "expecting a big celebration."
He began with the end in mind.
And the end was NOT winning - it was the joy and excitement to be felt AFTER winning.
Coach Self gave the team a vision that aroused their emotions and focused them on what they really wanted - the FEELING of victory - the FEELING of having given their best.
Kansas led 38-10 at one point in the first half. A 28-point lead on the nation's number one team!
In the second half their lead was chopped considerably as the Tar Heels fought valiantly. But after North Carolina fought so hard to catch up, they had nothing left and Kansas flew past them again - winning by 18 points.
As you go through your day, ask yourself this question, "What do you expect to be celebrating about at the end of today."
Begin with the end in mind and watch the end come to you in record time.
Til next time....
Monday, April 7, 2008
The Question...
At one time or another, and in one way or another, we have all asked ourselves these questions. "Why am I here? What, if anything, am I supposed to be doing? Is there a purpose I am supposed to fulfill?"
Until we arrive at answers to such questions, our life seems to hold little or no meaning. Once we ask, we often wonder why we didn't pursue the answer much sooner.
Life without meaning, or purpose, is somewhat like the analogy my high school history teacher used when encouraging our class to set goals. I can still picture him standing in front of the room holding a piece of white chalk, saying, "Without a goal, you're like a boat without a rudder or an anchor, just being bounced around any which way at the mercy of the wind.
We laughed and mimicked him outside of class, but that pathetic boat he had drawn on the blackboard depicted most of us back then. Unfortunately, that boat at the mercy of the wind represented a number of us years later. Those of us who were lucky, grew tired of being bounced around, and asked.
What do I want life to be?
Finally, you listen to your heart. You realize that it is your passion and love that directs you to your purpose in life. Interestingly, it has nothing to do with making the most money, what others expect from you, or what is fashionable and popular. It has nothing to do with the majority of what was written on our walls by otherwise well-meaning parents, teachers, ministers, counselors, and the like. Long forgotten writings deeply buried in our unconscious mind that now and again break loose just often enough to sabotage our happiness and success. That can, if allowed, prevent us from fulfilling our life purpose.
The good in finding your purpose is that once you begin doing, begin living, begin fulfilling it--everything you need begins to appear in your life.
Purpose makes your life easier. It flows. You are in control. You no longer get caught up in life. One that tugs and pulls you this way, then another.
It is by following your heart, your passion and love, that allows the ills of life--the worries, fears--to disappear and be replaced with joy, happiness, and satisfaction.
Yes, making changes can be a scary experience. It is far easier to stay within your comfort zone, no matter how badly you dislike where you are. However, it is never too late to find your purpose and begin taking the steps to live it. Begin by incorporating pieces of your passion into your life. Take little steps and add to them. Listen to the voice within. Soon, you will be fulfilling your life's purpose.
Life is too short to feel sorry for yourself, to sit and do nothing. If you haven't already done so, ask the question.
Have a great week
Til next time...
Until we arrive at answers to such questions, our life seems to hold little or no meaning. Once we ask, we often wonder why we didn't pursue the answer much sooner.
Life without meaning, or purpose, is somewhat like the analogy my high school history teacher used when encouraging our class to set goals. I can still picture him standing in front of the room holding a piece of white chalk, saying, "Without a goal, you're like a boat without a rudder or an anchor, just being bounced around any which way at the mercy of the wind.
We laughed and mimicked him outside of class, but that pathetic boat he had drawn on the blackboard depicted most of us back then. Unfortunately, that boat at the mercy of the wind represented a number of us years later. Those of us who were lucky, grew tired of being bounced around, and asked.
What do I want life to be?
Finally, you listen to your heart. You realize that it is your passion and love that directs you to your purpose in life. Interestingly, it has nothing to do with making the most money, what others expect from you, or what is fashionable and popular. It has nothing to do with the majority of what was written on our walls by otherwise well-meaning parents, teachers, ministers, counselors, and the like. Long forgotten writings deeply buried in our unconscious mind that now and again break loose just often enough to sabotage our happiness and success. That can, if allowed, prevent us from fulfilling our life purpose.
The good in finding your purpose is that once you begin doing, begin living, begin fulfilling it--everything you need begins to appear in your life.
Purpose makes your life easier. It flows. You are in control. You no longer get caught up in life. One that tugs and pulls you this way, then another.
It is by following your heart, your passion and love, that allows the ills of life--the worries, fears--to disappear and be replaced with joy, happiness, and satisfaction.
Yes, making changes can be a scary experience. It is far easier to stay within your comfort zone, no matter how badly you dislike where you are. However, it is never too late to find your purpose and begin taking the steps to live it. Begin by incorporating pieces of your passion into your life. Take little steps and add to them. Listen to the voice within. Soon, you will be fulfilling your life's purpose.
Life is too short to feel sorry for yourself, to sit and do nothing. If you haven't already done so, ask the question.
Have a great week
Til next time...
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Hey, you just have to look...
When I initially work with people I just watch how they move, sit or stand.
Following is a list of things you can look for next time you are in the gym. Or it can be a cruel party game. Either way, it can help you determine where you need work to be a better you.
1) If your arms move forward when you squat, then your chest and latissimus dorsi (major back muscle) are tight. This will lead to neck and shoulder ailments.
2) Knees move out - then your hips and lower back will have to compensate for the weaknesses in your inner thigh. Therefore your low back and hamstrings will be extremely tight.
3) Knees cave in - then your outer thighs are weak and your risk of knee injury greatly increases.
4) Upper body moves greatly forward - your calves are extremely tight, this may sound odd but if your calves are tight then your ankle mobility is probably limited so your upper body has to compensate during the squat. This will greatly affect your ability to produce power during activities.
5) Low back arches excessively - your hip flexors (front of hips) are tight and your abs are weak. This will cause you to shorten your stride and move at a slower less efficient pace when walking or running.
6) Feet turn out - Your peroneals (outer calf) are tight, this will reduce your ability to produce force when running or jumping.
When people move, their bodies give you some telltale signs that help determine what muscles are out of wack or weak and which others are over compensating.
There is a fella way smarter than I by the name of Gray Cook. He has a PhD in Physical Therapy out of the university of Miami's School of Medicine and wrote a book about 3 years ago called Athletic Body in Balance. He is one of the nicest and smartest guys you'll ever know about this physical fitness/orthopedic stuff - especially for a Ph-duh... I digress, anyway one of the best ways to find out what is going on with someone is by watching them do a squat, with their arms overhead. Looks hard huh...it is.
Following is a list of things you can look for next time you are in the gym. Or it can be a cruel party game. Either way, it can help you determine where you need work to be a better you.
1) If your arms move forward when you squat, then your chest and latissimus dorsi (major back muscle) are tight. This will lead to neck and shoulder ailments.
2) Knees move out - then your hips and lower back will have to compensate for the weaknesses in your inner thigh. Therefore your low back and hamstrings will be extremely tight.
3) Knees cave in - then your outer thighs are weak and your risk of knee injury greatly increases.
4) Upper body moves greatly forward - your calves are extremely tight, this may sound odd but if your calves are tight then your ankle mobility is probably limited so your upper body has to compensate during the squat. This will greatly affect your ability to produce power during activities.
5) Low back arches excessively - your hip flexors (front of hips) are tight and your abs are weak. This will cause you to shorten your stride and move at a slower less efficient pace when walking or running.
6) Feet turn out - Your peroneals (outer calf) are tight, this will reduce your ability to produce force when running or jumping.
I hope this helps you determine what you need to work on in the gym.... I'll be watching.
Til next time....
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Where did it go?!
In an ongoing effort to motivate everyone to take action, myself especially -- here is an interesting tidbit…. Monday marked the 25% point of the year. Sorry - it's not an April fools joke.
The entire first quarter of 2008 has already passed- we are now three months into 2008.
How are those New Year's Resolutions looking?
Are you on track with those New Years Resolutions?
Are you on track with your goals?
If you wanted to lose 20lbs this year - are you down 5lbs already?
If your goal was to do 250 workouts - have you completed 62 ?
IF you wanted to make $10,000 more this year -- are you on track?
It's amazing how time passes so quickly. I guess the lesson here is don't waste a single second.
If your goal is fat loss - start today
If your goal is muscle building - start today
If your goal is (insert anything here) - start TODAY !
25% of this year is gone forever.
Will you make changes TODAY or will another 25% pass, then another 25% -- and before you know it -- it's 2009.....
I meet a lot of people in my job, and get a lot of questions
I'll talk to people who track every single macronutrient that passes their lips, and have tried just about every program out there. When I ask them how things are going -- they'll tell me that it's great, or that the program is working well.
However, very few people actually measure and take stock of their efforts. If you are following a plan to lose fat - are you actually losing fat? And I mean at a rate that is acceptable for your efforts? Or are you blindly following a plan that doesn't work, and essentially ignoring that?I know where my progress towards my goals stand because I measure it.
When I had some medical issues about a year and one half ago - enduring test after test the medical team took measurements of temperature, blood pressure and blood samples every 4 hours. That was a pain...but very telling.
When we implement a marketing campaign at The Center -- we track the results. We know for example how many direct mail pieces we send out, the cost of each mailing, how many inquiries we get, how many people we attract because of those efforts. It is still a work in progress but we can measuere how effective the plan is, and whether the return we are seeing is worth the investment.
In my current position I need to see that $X invested, we receive a return of $Y. This is important as I am trying to expanded our programs by 50% this year and are in the middle of a complete remake of the various departments I head up.
We need to know where our enrollment stands, how many members and nonmembers are involved in the programs. It it necessiary that I am able to track- our new members, renewals etc and when our busiest times are – we have put systems in place so that everything can be measured and tracked so we can continue to grow and serve our membership and users.
If you remember "SMART" goal setting -- one of the keys is 'M' - Measurable. Measure your results.As we enter the second quarter of 2008, it's time to take stock of your efforts. Has your current return been worth the investment?
Again -- 25% of this year is gone forever.
Will you make changes TODAY or will another 25% pass, then another 25% -- and before you know it -- it's 2009.....
Don't waste a single second. Start TODAY.
Where will you be at the 50% point - July 1st ? That's 13 weeks away. Will you be 13 weeks leaner- will your business demonstrate 13 weeks further growth - will you be 13 weeks closer to your goals?
The time is going to pass either way - why not make the most of it.
Til next time…
The entire first quarter of 2008 has already passed- we are now three months into 2008.
How are those New Year's Resolutions looking?
Are you on track with those New Years Resolutions?
Are you on track with your goals?
If you wanted to lose 20lbs this year - are you down 5lbs already?
If your goal was to do 250 workouts - have you completed 62 ?
IF you wanted to make $10,000 more this year -- are you on track?
It's amazing how time passes so quickly. I guess the lesson here is don't waste a single second.
If your goal is fat loss - start today
If your goal is muscle building - start today
If your goal is (insert anything here) - start TODAY !
25% of this year is gone forever.
Will you make changes TODAY or will another 25% pass, then another 25% -- and before you know it -- it's 2009.....
I meet a lot of people in my job, and get a lot of questions
I'll talk to people who track every single macronutrient that passes their lips, and have tried just about every program out there. When I ask them how things are going -- they'll tell me that it's great, or that the program is working well.
However, very few people actually measure and take stock of their efforts. If you are following a plan to lose fat - are you actually losing fat? And I mean at a rate that is acceptable for your efforts? Or are you blindly following a plan that doesn't work, and essentially ignoring that?I know where my progress towards my goals stand because I measure it.
When I had some medical issues about a year and one half ago - enduring test after test the medical team took measurements of temperature, blood pressure and blood samples every 4 hours. That was a pain...but very telling.
When we implement a marketing campaign at The Center -- we track the results. We know for example how many direct mail pieces we send out, the cost of each mailing, how many inquiries we get, how many people we attract because of those efforts. It is still a work in progress but we can measuere how effective the plan is, and whether the return we are seeing is worth the investment.
In my current position I need to see that $X invested, we receive a return of $Y. This is important as I am trying to expanded our programs by 50% this year and are in the middle of a complete remake of the various departments I head up.
We need to know where our enrollment stands, how many members and nonmembers are involved in the programs. It it necessiary that I am able to track- our new members, renewals etc and when our busiest times are – we have put systems in place so that everything can be measured and tracked so we can continue to grow and serve our membership and users.
If you remember "SMART" goal setting -- one of the keys is 'M' - Measurable. Measure your results.As we enter the second quarter of 2008, it's time to take stock of your efforts. Has your current return been worth the investment?
Again -- 25% of this year is gone forever.
Will you make changes TODAY or will another 25% pass, then another 25% -- and before you know it -- it's 2009.....
Don't waste a single second. Start TODAY.
Where will you be at the 50% point - July 1st ? That's 13 weeks away. Will you be 13 weeks leaner- will your business demonstrate 13 weeks further growth - will you be 13 weeks closer to your goals?
The time is going to pass either way - why not make the most of it.
Til next time…
Monday, March 31, 2008
Happy 100th!!
This is a special post for me... It's my 100Th.
It still is amazing to me that I had that much to say over these past few months - considering I generally pride myself in keeping my mouth shut!
So in honor of the occasion, and opening day, I thought I would post something very important (at least to me... sorry for the indulgence).
It is true that I am a die-hard Cub fan. (I know, there is no accounting for taste), however it has been 100 years since the Cubs won the World Series - lets not talk about the 7 times the came in second since then - and I wanted to share what has happened since that fateful day in 1908
So I invite you to stroll down memory lane to see how far we have come....
Radio was invented; Cubs fans could hear their teams lose.
TV was invented; Cubs fans could see their teams lose.
Baseball added 14 teams, Cubs fans get to see and hear their teams lose to more clubs.
George Burns celebrated his 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th, 80th, 90th, and 100th birthdays.
Haley's comet passed Earth twice.
Harry Caray was born and died.
The NBA, NHL, and NFL were formed, and Chicago teams won championships in each sport
Man landed on the moon.
16 U.S. presidents were elected.
There were 11 amendments added to the constitution
Prohibition was created and repealed. Just in time for Cubs fans, they lost the Fall Classic three times in the 30's. '32 to the Yankees, '35 to the Tigers and again to the Yankees in '38.
The Titanic was built, set sail, sank, was discovered, and became the subject of major motion pictures, the latest giving Cubs Fans hope that something on bottom can come out on top.
Wrigley Field was built and becomes the oldest park in the National League.
Flag poles were erected on Wrigley's roof to hold all the team's future World Series Pennants. These poles have since been rusted and been taken down.
A combination of 40 summer and winter Olympics have been held.
Thirteen baseball players have won the Triple Crown in baseball.
Bell bottoms came in style, went out of style, and came back in.
The Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, and the Florida Marlins have all won world series.
The Cubs have played more than 14,000 regular season games.
Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Oklahoma, and New Mexico were added to the Union.
Today marks opening day and it is now time for me to cozy up in front of the flat screen with a hot dog and beer and root on my Cubbies. Hum of course we are expecting 2 inches of rain today. Well, there is always next year!
Til next time...
It still is amazing to me that I had that much to say over these past few months - considering I generally pride myself in keeping my mouth shut!
So in honor of the occasion, and opening day, I thought I would post something very important (at least to me... sorry for the indulgence).
It is true that I am a die-hard Cub fan. (I know, there is no accounting for taste), however it has been 100 years since the Cubs won the World Series - lets not talk about the 7 times the came in second since then - and I wanted to share what has happened since that fateful day in 1908
So I invite you to stroll down memory lane to see how far we have come....
Radio was invented; Cubs fans could hear their teams lose.
TV was invented; Cubs fans could see their teams lose.
Baseball added 14 teams, Cubs fans get to see and hear their teams lose to more clubs.
George Burns celebrated his 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th, 80th, 90th, and 100th birthdays.
Haley's comet passed Earth twice.
Harry Caray was born and died.
The NBA, NHL, and NFL were formed, and Chicago teams won championships in each sport
Man landed on the moon.
16 U.S. presidents were elected.
There were 11 amendments added to the constitution
Prohibition was created and repealed. Just in time for Cubs fans, they lost the Fall Classic three times in the 30's. '32 to the Yankees, '35 to the Tigers and again to the Yankees in '38.
The Titanic was built, set sail, sank, was discovered, and became the subject of major motion pictures, the latest giving Cubs Fans hope that something on bottom can come out on top.
Wrigley Field was built and becomes the oldest park in the National League.
Flag poles were erected on Wrigley's roof to hold all the team's future World Series Pennants. These poles have since been rusted and been taken down.
A combination of 40 summer and winter Olympics have been held.
Thirteen baseball players have won the Triple Crown in baseball.
Bell bottoms came in style, went out of style, and came back in.
The Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, and the Florida Marlins have all won world series.
The Cubs have played more than 14,000 regular season games.
Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Oklahoma, and New Mexico were added to the Union.
Today marks opening day and it is now time for me to cozy up in front of the flat screen with a hot dog and beer and root on my Cubbies. Hum of course we are expecting 2 inches of rain today. Well, there is always next year!
Til next time...
Misinformation about food? No....
There is a lot of hype and misinformation surrounding nutrition.
The goal of todays post is to uncover just some of the hype that surrounds certain foods. Here is a list of the 7 most overrated foods (and drinks). Hype, marketing, and slick advertising work wonders to line the pockets of these companies. But we're not letting them get away with it anymore! RIGHT?!
Breakfast cereal: Surprised? Of course breakfast is important - please don't mistake me for saying it's not. But most breakfast cereals are nothing more than well marketed, fortified junk carbohydrates (Fruity Pebbles,anyone?). Oatmeal, oat bran, Shredded Wheat 'n Bran, and a few others are all great - and notice on their labels, there are less than 3 ingredients in each. They also don't have cartoons on their packaging (a tell tale sign that it's junk). Or try an egg omelette with loads of mixed veggies and some fresh fruit for another option.
Xango Juice (from the Mangosteen fruit): Mangosteen is a tropical fruit. Mangosteen juice is becoming a popular healthful and "medicinal" drink. Here are just a few claims from the website -- sustains a healthy cardiovascular system, supports cartilage and joint function, supports the immune system, promotes a healthy seasonal respiratory system, maintains intestinal health, and neutralizes free radicals--to name a few.
Wow, surprising they didn't throw cancer, AIDS, and polio in there too. None of these claims have any supportive research behind them (research is not the same as a testimonial from a person).
Like all fruits, this fruit surely has some healthy properties. But at $37.50/bottle, which would last around 5-26 days depending on the dosing structure recommended for your ailment, spending that much money on whole fruits and vegetables would surely do a lot more to boost your health! Leave this multi level marketing product with the salesman!
Mona Vie (from the Acai fruit): I know I'm picking on fruit juices, let's throw this one in the mix. You can pretty much cut and copy from above; expensive, overhyped fruit juice. Eat whole fruits and vegetables -- lots of them, and you'll improve your health. Don't hope for a magic bullet by drinking juice.
Sugar in the Raw: Has any sugar or sweetener ever been healthy? Well, some believe when it says "organic, raw, natural, etc" than it is. Case in point-Sugar In The Raw.
Listen to this fantastic description from the website: "natural cane turbinado sugar is grown and cut exclusively on a 37,000 acre plantation in central Maui, Hawaii. There, nature's own sweetener is gently converted into the natural crystals that make Sugar In The Raw. The secret lies in the fact that Sugar In The Raw is never bleached or over processed..." Fortunately there aren't nutrition claims on their site, but I have heard and talked to many who believe this is a much more nutritious product than any other form of sugar. Nope, sorry -- and either are the 10 other names for sugar (there's likely more, but I'm aware of at least 10).
Rice cakes: I like food with nutrients, not taste free, air puffs that people mistake for a quality "diet food," but really do nothing to fill you up! :-)
Here's a better snack -- an apple with 1 oz of cheddar cheese, natural peanut butter on a banana, raw mixed nuts, veggies and humus, etc.
Vitamin Water: Eat your vitamins, don't drink them. And when I say eat your vitamins, that means through whole foods sources (high quality grains, fruits, veggies, healthy fat, and lean proteins).
Vitamin water is very well marketed. Try regular water and squeeze some citrus into it if you're looking for a little added flavor.
Naked Juice: (get your head out of the gutter!) Can you tell that I am not a fan of juices in general. The packaging is great here, but with some of their products packing a whopping 500+ calories per bottle (there are at least 2 servings per bottle, I don't know anyone who actually breaks them up into 2 or more servings), you're getting a heck of a lot of sugar, some sprinkling of fruit juices, and nothing in the way of fiber.
Although they list about 8 fruits on the sides of these bottles, that's a lot different than actually eating 8 whole fruits! Again, ideally eat your nutrients instead of drinking them!
There you have it. The moral of the story is stick to the basics. In the comming weeks I'll provide some actual tips and strategies to make the absolute best decisions when deciding what to eat.
Til next time...
The goal of todays post is to uncover just some of the hype that surrounds certain foods. Here is a list of the 7 most overrated foods (and drinks). Hype, marketing, and slick advertising work wonders to line the pockets of these companies. But we're not letting them get away with it anymore! RIGHT?!
Breakfast cereal: Surprised? Of course breakfast is important - please don't mistake me for saying it's not. But most breakfast cereals are nothing more than well marketed, fortified junk carbohydrates (Fruity Pebbles,anyone?). Oatmeal, oat bran, Shredded Wheat 'n Bran, and a few others are all great - and notice on their labels, there are less than 3 ingredients in each. They also don't have cartoons on their packaging (a tell tale sign that it's junk). Or try an egg omelette with loads of mixed veggies and some fresh fruit for another option.
Xango Juice (from the Mangosteen fruit): Mangosteen is a tropical fruit. Mangosteen juice is becoming a popular healthful and "medicinal" drink. Here are just a few claims from the website -- sustains a healthy cardiovascular system, supports cartilage and joint function, supports the immune system, promotes a healthy seasonal respiratory system, maintains intestinal health, and neutralizes free radicals--to name a few.
Wow, surprising they didn't throw cancer, AIDS, and polio in there too. None of these claims have any supportive research behind them (research is not the same as a testimonial from a person).
Like all fruits, this fruit surely has some healthy properties. But at $37.50/bottle, which would last around 5-26 days depending on the dosing structure recommended for your ailment, spending that much money on whole fruits and vegetables would surely do a lot more to boost your health! Leave this multi level marketing product with the salesman!
Mona Vie (from the Acai fruit): I know I'm picking on fruit juices, let's throw this one in the mix. You can pretty much cut and copy from above; expensive, overhyped fruit juice. Eat whole fruits and vegetables -- lots of them, and you'll improve your health. Don't hope for a magic bullet by drinking juice.
Sugar in the Raw: Has any sugar or sweetener ever been healthy? Well, some believe when it says "organic, raw, natural, etc" than it is. Case in point-Sugar In The Raw.
Listen to this fantastic description from the website: "natural cane turbinado sugar is grown and cut exclusively on a 37,000 acre plantation in central Maui, Hawaii. There, nature's own sweetener is gently converted into the natural crystals that make Sugar In The Raw. The secret lies in the fact that Sugar In The Raw is never bleached or over processed..." Fortunately there aren't nutrition claims on their site, but I have heard and talked to many who believe this is a much more nutritious product than any other form of sugar. Nope, sorry -- and either are the 10 other names for sugar (there's likely more, but I'm aware of at least 10).
Rice cakes: I like food with nutrients, not taste free, air puffs that people mistake for a quality "diet food," but really do nothing to fill you up! :-)
Here's a better snack -- an apple with 1 oz of cheddar cheese, natural peanut butter on a banana, raw mixed nuts, veggies and humus, etc.
Vitamin Water: Eat your vitamins, don't drink them. And when I say eat your vitamins, that means through whole foods sources (high quality grains, fruits, veggies, healthy fat, and lean proteins).
Vitamin water is very well marketed. Try regular water and squeeze some citrus into it if you're looking for a little added flavor.
Naked Juice: (get your head out of the gutter!) Can you tell that I am not a fan of juices in general. The packaging is great here, but with some of their products packing a whopping 500+ calories per bottle (there are at least 2 servings per bottle, I don't know anyone who actually breaks them up into 2 or more servings), you're getting a heck of a lot of sugar, some sprinkling of fruit juices, and nothing in the way of fiber.
Although they list about 8 fruits on the sides of these bottles, that's a lot different than actually eating 8 whole fruits! Again, ideally eat your nutrients instead of drinking them!
There you have it. The moral of the story is stick to the basics. In the comming weeks I'll provide some actual tips and strategies to make the absolute best decisions when deciding what to eat.
Til next time...
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