“Hi! How are you doing today?” – Typical person #1
“Eh, I’m OK… how about you?” – Typical person #2
“About the same… thank you for asking and talk to you soon.” –Typical person #1
If this ‘typical’ conversation exchanged between two typical people sounds familiar to you, you aren’t the only one noticing its monotony. Each and everyday we are faced with the habitual question of “How are you doing?” and more often than not, we hear the same recurring answers of “Eh… Ok.”, “I’m doing alright.”, “I’ve been better.” and, well, you catch my drift. Have you ever looked outside the box and wondered why it is that people aren’t more open to expressing their happiness or conveying how wonderful their life is? If ‘ignorance is bliss’ (as they say), then why aren’t more people happy?
Happiness is something we all strive for each and every day and it’s something that impels us to move forward and sometimes back. Many of us find happiness in the simple things in life, some people in the bigger picture while others seem to never find it. Take a moment, close your eyes and imagine what it would take for you to reach eternal happiness. Would it take a change of career? Or maybe relocation to another area? More money? Less debt? What about a vacation? Weight loss or gain? Visualize these changes being made and ask yourself what it would take to reach this optimal state of happiness. Are you on your way?
Inner happiness is created by surrounding yourself with the people and things that support your dreams and aspirations. It also radiates from accepting what you have and who you are and not focusing on what you don’t have and who you are not. We are given but one life to live as the person we are. Although we cannot make ourselves grow seven inches or change our past, we are given the incredible gift of being in charge of our destiny, our future and who we want to become regardless of our current or past circumstances. Happiness lies in our attitude toward life. We unfortunately can’t control everything and everyone around us and we shouldn’t try to. We needn’t search for happiness any farther than our own backyard. Although it may do a fair job in eluding us at first, we can always find it if we take the time to remove the brush the wind so passively blew over it.
In life, we are given choices each and every day. We are faced with thousands of decisions that will ultimately determine our fate and our outcome in life. It’s our attitude towards these decisions that can either create happiness or destroy the word itself. Part of our job as health, wellness and fitness professionals is to help our clients dig deep within themselves to find what it is that makes them happy. If we aren’t happy and satisfied with ‘Us, how are we supposed to make others happy for a living? In order to be effective and efficient in helping others reach their optimal lifestyle, we have to take the journey ourselves and create happiness within Us first.
Happiness stems not from what you have, but from what you do and by how you choose to perceive your life. I want for you to picture your life in a perfect and ideal state. What are you imagining and how would a perfect day look for you? What we fail to sometimes realize is that all the people, places and opportunities in the world cannot and will not make us truly happy if we aren’t ‘at one’ with ourselves. We spend so much time worrying about what we don’t have and what we have lost, but what we need to instead focus on is the one thing that no one and nothing can take away from us: Our dreams.
Think about this for a moment… Nothing in life is 100% guaranteed and because of this fact, many choose not to take the leap of faith into the unknown to chance finding happiness. As humans, our natural tendency is to reside where we are safe, secure and comfortable in our living environment. By following a possibility or a dream, we are stepping out of our comfort zone and into a realm of uncertainty that may or may not take us to our destination right away. What we should be doing, however, is not settling for any less than what we deserve; and that is to be happy. Do you not live each day for your dreams and for the positive aspects of life that drive you to push on even in the hardest of times? Do you not dream each day of the things you want to accomplish and of your perfect destiny? You see, it isn’t always the here and now that propels us to rise up one more time after being pushed down many. It’s not the here and now that pushes us to survive and make good choices for ourselves, family and friends. It is thoughts of the future and the possible consequences of each action we take now that give us the strength to stand tall. It is our dreams, our possibilities, our ‘what ifs’ that drive us forward. Realize right now, Faithful Reader, that life can take away anything and anyone it wants to, but it can’t take away your dreams. Your dreams are the one thing that can’t be touched by anyone but you. It is our one guarantee in life, our ONE safety net that we can depend on no matter what else may happen in life. By envisioning our dreams and living for them, we will never encounter a point in life where we have ‘nothing’. We have but only one, single life to live and it is shorter than we think. You see, while we continue to live ‘safely’, we are choosing to ignore the open doors all around us that are left wide open for a reason and we are also allowing our dreams to be set on hold.
Where you are, who you surround yourself with, and what you do all play a role in your future. Positive people and situations can make all the difference in what not only today brings, but what tomorrow has in store. Positive people create chain reactions that spread like fire. By surrounding ourselves with the people who support what our dreams entail and if we are constantly following a direct path to what makes us happy, then we are constantly paving the road to greatness regardless of what may ensue around us. Then and only then can we be ‘at one’ with ourselves and truly be complete. People, places and things are but compliments to any human body. It is the heart, soul, and mind that are central to our emotional state and being more cognizant of this fact will only benefit us.
You have the choice to decide who and what you want along for your life journey. We are in charge of our destiny and we deserve to be happy because life is short already as it is. Picture your life once again as it is and now picture your ideal life. Close your eyes and feel how your emotional changes. See in your mind’s eye a parameter around your life. See a periphery that can’t be crossed by anyone or anything without your permission. The only other thing lying within your parameter are your dreams and the only way you will let anyone into your circle is by invitation only based on how it will complement You and your ideal life. Each person you invite should help provide the backbone for what you desire and for what makes you happy. You run the publisher of your life and you write each page day in and day out. When all is said and done, will you be proud to be the author? Will the book subsist as complete or will pages be missing?
In my own true life story, the difference between my real and ideal state was the difference between night and day. It can take time to establish the parameters and to send out the right invitations, but it is not at the expense of anything not worth-while. You will only benefit yourself and those around you by striving for happiness. Connect To Fitness is working hard to provide a backbone to health, wellness and fitness professionals or aspiring professionals by providing constant support and dedication to helping others reach their dreams and potential. We stand for connecting individuals together to help bind these parameters and dreams together to make everlasting change throughout the industry, the people who seek our help and guidance, and, in turn, the world. We are sending out our own invitations and extending our hand to those people and businesses who are taking their work and career to the next level by striving to create happiness within themselves and those around them by creating and living their dreams. Surround yourself with the people who can make your vision possible and let us help you make those connections. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
We will be having our newsletter up and running shortly that will feature what is new, current and up-and-coming in both the health and wellness industry in general as well as within Connect To Fitness. There will also be a feature for professionals who would like to share their goals with others by being interviewed and published. We are interested in hearing your thoughts and recommendations, Faithful Reader, so we can get the word out on those who are committed to making a difference in this industry.
Currently, we are also looking to meet and schedule sit-down meetings with You all to foster and develop lasting relationships, ascertain what you are all about and to understand how we can help each other. Each person has a unique story and it is our passion to hear your stories and to be a part of what you decide to write on your pages. Start looking forward to that and if we don’t already have your email information, please send it to ConnectToFitness@gmail.com so we can contact you! We look forward to branching out and becoming more involved with the people who are making our vision of Connect To Fitness a reality. Your support has been unbelievable and we appreciate those who are involved in our journey.
This past week, I had the honor of travelling to the beautiful Boulder City with Dr. Darian Parker to meet with Marcie Gibson, who runs the fitness, volunteer, and community show in this small town. She gave us an unforgettable experience that left us in awe of not only her dedication to helping others, but of the potential in Boulder City. Each street we walked down and each facility or establishment we walked into, Marcie greeted everyone by name and the faces of everyone she came in contact with just lit up. It is obvious she is making great strides in influencing those around her and in making the world a better place. This city is absolutely breathtaking and it feels like a home away from home. From visiting Lake Mead to the Hoover Dam to everywhere in-between, this is truly a historic and gorgeous city that is worth taking the time out to travel to. Connect To Fitness will be working closely with Marcie to build relationships between the Vegas and Boulder City areas. There will be many great health and fitness related volunteer opportunities in the future as well as events to behold. I fell in love with this city and would highly, highly recommend seeing it for yourself if you haven’t already. It will fill you with a sense of happiness and it is such a close getaway from the sometimes fast-life we live here in Vegas. Take advantage of visiting Boulder City when you get some time.
Don’t wait any longer to pursue what will make your dreams a reality. When people approach you and ask you how you are doing, tell them you are doing ‘Great!’ as this positive reaction will not only have a positive effect on you, but it will rub off and effect those around you. These people will in turn rub off on those around them and you will have started a positive chain reaction. It is never too early or too late to start chasing what it is that makes you feel happy and in this short life, we deserve no less than to feel this way on a constant basis. Become what you believe in and live it with every breath you take and with every ounce of your heart and soul. It is only then that you will be complete and it is only then that you will make a maximum and lasting imprint on those around you. We are in an industry based around helping others, but remember that we need to be able to help ourselves first. We become true role-models when we live our philosophies and when we walk our talk. Live for your dreams and push on each day to reach happiness for it will guide you to your dreams. Devote time each day for You and for what is going to most benefit you. You are worth every second invested and you are allowed to be selfish with your life for it is irreplaceable. Live your ‘perfect’ day. Every day.
The past is just that: the past. It is the future that holds your destiny. Don’t lose sight of your dreams; chase them. Don’t fear parameters, make them. And if you don’t mind me asking, “How are you doing today?”
Monday, May 25, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Forget The Swine Flu, Remember The Facts
Are any of us safe? Plastered everywhere in newspapers, magazines, the internet, and in everyone’s mind is the need to take caution against the sudden Swine Flu epidemic. Hypothetically speaking, if I were to tell you, Faithful Reader, that we currently have a much larger, much more serious epidemic right under our own noses affecting the health and lives of millions of people worldwide… would you believe me?
It ceases to amaze me how our country is responding to this Swine Flu outbreak. I don’t mean to be insensitive because it is a serious matter that we should behold and take seriously, but does it make sense to see a person going through such desperate measures as to wear a mask in public so as not to become infected, then to proceed in removing the mask for a smoke break… Am I the only one concerned about this? What I don’t understand is why the everyday epidemics affecting hundreds of thousands and millions of people aren’t getting such attention. Why don’t we see people herding to the gym to prevent the 1,700,000 new cases of diabetes a year, or the 233,600 diabetes-related deaths each year? Why aren’t people rushing to buy organically grown, chemical- and pesticide-free foods to prevent the 600,000 myocardial infarctions and 451,300 coronary heart disease-related deaths each year? People are literally ingesting food without second thought that is potentially more dangerous than any Swine Flu or the like. Folks, the sad reality is that these numbers are real and they are only increasing by the year.
As health care providers, it is our responsibility to see that we commit 100% to doing all that we can to prevent these massive numbers from becoming any higher and to educate our clients on how to become ‘healthy’. Take a minute to yourself and reconsider what it is you are really trying to accomplish as a health and wellness professional and what steps you are taking to make your goals and ideas a reality. Ask yourself if your own lifestyle priorities are in check. How are we supposed to educate and help another human being if we aren’t trying to educate and help ourselves? Another true fact: ‘90% of health care practitioners are unhealthier than their clients.’ Is this a reputation we are willing to let stand? Or are you ready to make a change in your life and encourage those around you to do the same? Naturally, this large percentage can mean many different things seeing as though many people in the health industry aren’t qualified, certified or aren’t regular practitioners because they can’t practice what they don’t have knowledge of. But the point here is that somehow, these people are giving the rest of us a bad name. If we expect anyone to listen to us, then we better know better than anyone else what we are talking about. In this day and age, our clients have access to the largest database in the world (also known as the internet) and we need to be sure they are receiving legitimate information. Once again, forget about the swine flu, we have bigger issues at hand.
Currently, at Connect To Fitness, we are looking for individuals who want to voice their expertise in the field and who want to get the word out on what it is they do or are trying to accomplish. This will not only provide exposure for professionals, but it will be an educational tool we can all connect to and use to our advantage in dealing with clients. It never hurts to be the one with options, whether it’s a referral, knowing what may be new and upcoming in the industry, or just simply being able to learn and teach those around you something they, themselves, may not be educated in. We are seeking individuals like yourself who may be interested, or maybe you know someone who you feel has a great story to tell and who deserves the spotlight. Those interviewed will be featured in Connect To Fitness’s monthly newsletter and will be distributed on the 1st of the month each month. You can look forward to that as well.
You can also look forward to another Connect To Fitness Event being held this Thursday from 7:00-10:00pm at Club Sport Green Valley. This mixer is for anyone who wants to make these connections that will ultimately benefit their own future and well-being. Please stop by for a great time as we will have live music, food and drink specials and, of course, great company. This event is very informal and all we ask you to bring is your passion for health, fitness and wellness and maybe a little fun and we look forward to seeing you there! The events we hold are also another opportunity or venue for those of you who may want to invite other professionals and aspiring professionals to your facility or if you know someone else who may be interested. It never hurts to have exposure and to get to know and educate others on what it is that makes you a success.
If you have any information regarding interviewing or holding a CTF Event, please contact either myself or Dr. Darian Parker at ConnectToFitness@gmail.com.
As professionals, it is our job to be the best we can be and to walk our talk. Statistics can either prevail or we can do something together to create the change needed to change these facts. If we are willing to make a continual effort to live what we philosophize to others, it will not only keep the essentials fresh in our own minds, but it will allow us to be the role models our clients see in us. Keep fresh on what’s happening in the industry and make connections! You never know when you, Faithful Reader, will stumble upon a time when you, too, will need someone else’s help to accomplish a common goal. Live your talk and walk your walk!
It is our knowledge and expertise that our clients and patients seek of us. They are dependent upon us to be their ‘Life Changers’ and to guide them to the path of success. Are you going to allow yourself to become just another statistic?
It ceases to amaze me how our country is responding to this Swine Flu outbreak. I don’t mean to be insensitive because it is a serious matter that we should behold and take seriously, but does it make sense to see a person going through such desperate measures as to wear a mask in public so as not to become infected, then to proceed in removing the mask for a smoke break… Am I the only one concerned about this? What I don’t understand is why the everyday epidemics affecting hundreds of thousands and millions of people aren’t getting such attention. Why don’t we see people herding to the gym to prevent the 1,700,000 new cases of diabetes a year, or the 233,600 diabetes-related deaths each year? Why aren’t people rushing to buy organically grown, chemical- and pesticide-free foods to prevent the 600,000 myocardial infarctions and 451,300 coronary heart disease-related deaths each year? People are literally ingesting food without second thought that is potentially more dangerous than any Swine Flu or the like. Folks, the sad reality is that these numbers are real and they are only increasing by the year.
As health care providers, it is our responsibility to see that we commit 100% to doing all that we can to prevent these massive numbers from becoming any higher and to educate our clients on how to become ‘healthy’. Take a minute to yourself and reconsider what it is you are really trying to accomplish as a health and wellness professional and what steps you are taking to make your goals and ideas a reality. Ask yourself if your own lifestyle priorities are in check. How are we supposed to educate and help another human being if we aren’t trying to educate and help ourselves? Another true fact: ‘90% of health care practitioners are unhealthier than their clients.’ Is this a reputation we are willing to let stand? Or are you ready to make a change in your life and encourage those around you to do the same? Naturally, this large percentage can mean many different things seeing as though many people in the health industry aren’t qualified, certified or aren’t regular practitioners because they can’t practice what they don’t have knowledge of. But the point here is that somehow, these people are giving the rest of us a bad name. If we expect anyone to listen to us, then we better know better than anyone else what we are talking about. In this day and age, our clients have access to the largest database in the world (also known as the internet) and we need to be sure they are receiving legitimate information. Once again, forget about the swine flu, we have bigger issues at hand.
Currently, at Connect To Fitness, we are looking for individuals who want to voice their expertise in the field and who want to get the word out on what it is they do or are trying to accomplish. This will not only provide exposure for professionals, but it will be an educational tool we can all connect to and use to our advantage in dealing with clients. It never hurts to be the one with options, whether it’s a referral, knowing what may be new and upcoming in the industry, or just simply being able to learn and teach those around you something they, themselves, may not be educated in. We are seeking individuals like yourself who may be interested, or maybe you know someone who you feel has a great story to tell and who deserves the spotlight. Those interviewed will be featured in Connect To Fitness’s monthly newsletter and will be distributed on the 1st of the month each month. You can look forward to that as well.
You can also look forward to another Connect To Fitness Event being held this Thursday from 7:00-10:00pm at Club Sport Green Valley. This mixer is for anyone who wants to make these connections that will ultimately benefit their own future and well-being. Please stop by for a great time as we will have live music, food and drink specials and, of course, great company. This event is very informal and all we ask you to bring is your passion for health, fitness and wellness and maybe a little fun and we look forward to seeing you there! The events we hold are also another opportunity or venue for those of you who may want to invite other professionals and aspiring professionals to your facility or if you know someone else who may be interested. It never hurts to have exposure and to get to know and educate others on what it is that makes you a success.
If you have any information regarding interviewing or holding a CTF Event, please contact either myself or Dr. Darian Parker at ConnectToFitness@gmail.com.
As professionals, it is our job to be the best we can be and to walk our talk. Statistics can either prevail or we can do something together to create the change needed to change these facts. If we are willing to make a continual effort to live what we philosophize to others, it will not only keep the essentials fresh in our own minds, but it will allow us to be the role models our clients see in us. Keep fresh on what’s happening in the industry and make connections! You never know when you, Faithful Reader, will stumble upon a time when you, too, will need someone else’s help to accomplish a common goal. Live your talk and walk your walk!
It is our knowledge and expertise that our clients and patients seek of us. They are dependent upon us to be their ‘Life Changers’ and to guide them to the path of success. Are you going to allow yourself to become just another statistic?
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Luck Be a Lady, But Not a Friend
Luck: a word we use liberally and often times daily and a word we need to give more thought. Luck: good fortune; advantage or success, considered as the result of chance. Luck: become a non-believer in its existence.
I can speak for us all when I say ‘Lady Luck’ has deceived us into thinking she has been an unconditional friend to us all. She shows up at the finish line at the end of the race, on graduation day, when we finally get hired after three extensive, pressure-filled interviews, when we win the game, when we pass our exam, and after each ‘wall’ we break down. Now, I don’t mean to appear cynical, but why is it that in our glory this great and ‘unconditional’ friend tries to steal the spotlight by taking full credit for all we achieve? Even better still; why do we proceed to allow her to take it from right under our noses? This has been a question I have began pondering since moving to Las Vegas where I have begun to catch on to her tactics of accepting responsibility for things she didn’t do. Correct me if I am being too harsh, but I must admit that Lady Luck doesn’t seem like she’s the celebrated friend and ally we have all been fooled into believing and thinking she is.
Not long ago, I too was entranced by the Lady’s constant manipulations and it took an extended period of time for me to see through her trickery. It wasn’t until a couple years ago that I began thinking something seemed a little out of order. Each time I would progress into a new stage of life and step onto the next highest platform of my goal-staircase, there she always was eating up my limelight and gleaming with joy at her recognition. It took me a while, but I realized her selfishness when her name always had to be brought up first in conversations; “I Lucked out!”, “What Luck I have!”, “I have the best Luck!”… I could go on and on about each time this happened, but the point I hope you see is that she is not the rightful owner of these incredible feats in life. We are. You are. I am.
‘If this is the case’, you are asking yourself, ‘and Luck is such a fallacy, than why is it that ‘lucky’ people are so successful, positive and content with life while ‘unlucky’ people are the complete opposite?’ Quite simply, our awareness to our own reality and our attitude in coping with what life lays out on our palate determines our outcomes. Lucky people have trained themselves to subconsciously think positively and to expect success and therefore receive it, while unlucky people presume failure is inevitable and blame ‘luck’ for not being on their side. Everything in life is relative and ‘lucky’ people realize that there is no big or small, no hard or difficult, and no bad or good because they don’t compare their insides to another person’s perceived outsides. Just because someone or something appears to exist in a certain way on the surface doesn’t necessarily mean the interior will remain synonymous throughout. Lucky people rely on faith for what they need and carry out the action needed to receive it. They bring things into form with the thoughts, words and actions they give their energy and faith to. Unlucky people send things away from themselves by doubt, fear and negativity. All ‘luck’ consists of is thinking and acting in a certain way that enables us to be skilled at noticing the possibilities in front of us and allowing ourselves to open our minds to new possibilities. Even though ‘luck’ isn’t the deciding factor of our fate, we can all learn a lesson by emulating and following the footsteps of self-proclaimed ‘lucky’ people and adopting their positive, success-driven thought processes. By acting on our intuitions and gut feelings without comparing our fate to that of someone else or relying on statistics for the answer, we are giving ourselves permission to dig deep in finding a better version of life as we know it.
By taking the reins of life and directing our thoughts into simple expectations day in and day out, we are paving the road for our own success story that we can use to help influence and positively change the lives of others. How are we, as health care providers and fitness professionals, supposed to have an influence on our client’s lives if we can’t have the same influence on our own lives? By accepting that we are in control, we are giving ourselves permission to change our lives and therefore our fate. In order to be the best, we need to expect the best. And in order for our client’s to become successful in reaching their own goals, they have to have a positive role-model (in YOU, Faithful Reader) in which they can emulate and follow the example of.
The future of society in regards to health and wellness is statistically in a downfall that appears to have a very ‘unlucky’ fate. If we decide to give in and accept that this is just how it’s going to end up and that we have no control of the situation, we might as well all quit our jobs and work for Lady Luck in a different field with more security…. or ‘luck’, as you will. Is this what it’s going to come down to? Can you find it within yourself to step out of the stands and into the arena to win the fight we are all up against without doubt that you will succeed regardless of what is slated to happen or how many jabs are thrown your way? Are you ready to face the unknown and can you hear your heart as it silently screams for you to push on as times get tough because success is ahead? There are no guarantees in this life, Faithful Reader. This is a curse and a blessing, but it means that life as we know it isn’t predetermined and that we have some say in how we want our future and the future of the world to transpire. We are but one person, one believer, and one single voice to be heard. But we have to realize that there are millions of other like-minded individuals in this field and millions of cries for our help to bring them the ‘luck’ they assume we can grant them with our services. Why should we fight this battle alone and give the Lady the upper hand? Although she is putting up a good fight, it’s just not good enough for what we can accomplish together. We are not only health care and fitness practitioners and professionals, but we are ‘life changers’. With this comes huge responsibility and we should never give ‘luck’ the satisfaction of managing our dreams of impacting and helping others.
Whatever it may be that drives and impels you to succeed, remember that is YOU that had made your accomplishments possible. It is you that broke through the wall and it is you that saw the outcome long before it presented itself. Connect To Fitness is an outlet for those of you who have found it within yourselves to see Lady’s true intentions in holding us back from our greatest potential. We have a tremendous journey ahead of us and it is going to take all of us to beat the odds. Connect To Fitness is looking to take things to the next level and we need your help to make this dream a reality. Not by chance, not by luck, but by pure dedication and commitment to doing the right thing at the right time. Right now. Take a stand and pursue your dreams with your eyes wide open and only look back with your eyes closed.
Currently, Connect To Fitness is working to allow more voices to be heard in the industry by scheduling and conducting live interviews with health, fitness and wellness professionals who want to share their story or passion with others and let others know how they are helping and how you can help as well. We want to spread the inspiration as far as possible and would love to share the story of anyone who is going above and beyond to ensure they are doing their part to make their mark in their field. Please contact me if you, Faithful Reader, are interested or if you know of someone who you would like me to get in touch with who has a story that could benefit from the help of others or that just simply needs and deserves to be heard. My intention is to help more people connect and to provide exposure to the different people, aspects and venues of this industry. We don’t need Luck on our side to accomplish big things. We just need each other.
Luck is not a magical ability nor is it the result of random chance. We aren’t genetically inclined to inherit a ‘lucky’ or ‘unlucky’ gene. Instead it is our thoughts and behaviors that are responsible for much of our good (or bad) fortune. ‘Luck ‘ is generated from those who are excellent at creating and noticing chance opportunities, making decisions based upon their intuition, turning positive expectations into self-fulfilling prophesies, and transforming ‘bad’ luck into ‘good’ by adopting a resilient attitude.
So you see, Reader, the mythical ‘Lady Luck’ is indeed not on our side and she never has been. She is there to shelter success and to claim it for her own. This is not the type of friend we need to proceed on our journey in reaching our goals.
Instead, we need to rely on each other to accomplish common goals and to expect success in helping ourselves and those who are counting on us to guide them to their own aspirations. By taking back all the credit from Lady, we can now free ourselves to accept that we are in charge of our future and we can move forth with making everlasting change.
“What we call ‘luck’ is the inner man externalized. We make things happen to us.”-Robertson Davies
How will your future transpire? Until next week… Luck be an Unlucky Lady Tonight.
I can speak for us all when I say ‘Lady Luck’ has deceived us into thinking she has been an unconditional friend to us all. She shows up at the finish line at the end of the race, on graduation day, when we finally get hired after three extensive, pressure-filled interviews, when we win the game, when we pass our exam, and after each ‘wall’ we break down. Now, I don’t mean to appear cynical, but why is it that in our glory this great and ‘unconditional’ friend tries to steal the spotlight by taking full credit for all we achieve? Even better still; why do we proceed to allow her to take it from right under our noses? This has been a question I have began pondering since moving to Las Vegas where I have begun to catch on to her tactics of accepting responsibility for things she didn’t do. Correct me if I am being too harsh, but I must admit that Lady Luck doesn’t seem like she’s the celebrated friend and ally we have all been fooled into believing and thinking she is.
Not long ago, I too was entranced by the Lady’s constant manipulations and it took an extended period of time for me to see through her trickery. It wasn’t until a couple years ago that I began thinking something seemed a little out of order. Each time I would progress into a new stage of life and step onto the next highest platform of my goal-staircase, there she always was eating up my limelight and gleaming with joy at her recognition. It took me a while, but I realized her selfishness when her name always had to be brought up first in conversations; “I Lucked out!”, “What Luck I have!”, “I have the best Luck!”… I could go on and on about each time this happened, but the point I hope you see is that she is not the rightful owner of these incredible feats in life. We are. You are. I am.
‘If this is the case’, you are asking yourself, ‘and Luck is such a fallacy, than why is it that ‘lucky’ people are so successful, positive and content with life while ‘unlucky’ people are the complete opposite?’ Quite simply, our awareness to our own reality and our attitude in coping with what life lays out on our palate determines our outcomes. Lucky people have trained themselves to subconsciously think positively and to expect success and therefore receive it, while unlucky people presume failure is inevitable and blame ‘luck’ for not being on their side. Everything in life is relative and ‘lucky’ people realize that there is no big or small, no hard or difficult, and no bad or good because they don’t compare their insides to another person’s perceived outsides. Just because someone or something appears to exist in a certain way on the surface doesn’t necessarily mean the interior will remain synonymous throughout. Lucky people rely on faith for what they need and carry out the action needed to receive it. They bring things into form with the thoughts, words and actions they give their energy and faith to. Unlucky people send things away from themselves by doubt, fear and negativity. All ‘luck’ consists of is thinking and acting in a certain way that enables us to be skilled at noticing the possibilities in front of us and allowing ourselves to open our minds to new possibilities. Even though ‘luck’ isn’t the deciding factor of our fate, we can all learn a lesson by emulating and following the footsteps of self-proclaimed ‘lucky’ people and adopting their positive, success-driven thought processes. By acting on our intuitions and gut feelings without comparing our fate to that of someone else or relying on statistics for the answer, we are giving ourselves permission to dig deep in finding a better version of life as we know it.
By taking the reins of life and directing our thoughts into simple expectations day in and day out, we are paving the road for our own success story that we can use to help influence and positively change the lives of others. How are we, as health care providers and fitness professionals, supposed to have an influence on our client’s lives if we can’t have the same influence on our own lives? By accepting that we are in control, we are giving ourselves permission to change our lives and therefore our fate. In order to be the best, we need to expect the best. And in order for our client’s to become successful in reaching their own goals, they have to have a positive role-model (in YOU, Faithful Reader) in which they can emulate and follow the example of.
The future of society in regards to health and wellness is statistically in a downfall that appears to have a very ‘unlucky’ fate. If we decide to give in and accept that this is just how it’s going to end up and that we have no control of the situation, we might as well all quit our jobs and work for Lady Luck in a different field with more security…. or ‘luck’, as you will. Is this what it’s going to come down to? Can you find it within yourself to step out of the stands and into the arena to win the fight we are all up against without doubt that you will succeed regardless of what is slated to happen or how many jabs are thrown your way? Are you ready to face the unknown and can you hear your heart as it silently screams for you to push on as times get tough because success is ahead? There are no guarantees in this life, Faithful Reader. This is a curse and a blessing, but it means that life as we know it isn’t predetermined and that we have some say in how we want our future and the future of the world to transpire. We are but one person, one believer, and one single voice to be heard. But we have to realize that there are millions of other like-minded individuals in this field and millions of cries for our help to bring them the ‘luck’ they assume we can grant them with our services. Why should we fight this battle alone and give the Lady the upper hand? Although she is putting up a good fight, it’s just not good enough for what we can accomplish together. We are not only health care and fitness practitioners and professionals, but we are ‘life changers’. With this comes huge responsibility and we should never give ‘luck’ the satisfaction of managing our dreams of impacting and helping others.
Whatever it may be that drives and impels you to succeed, remember that is YOU that had made your accomplishments possible. It is you that broke through the wall and it is you that saw the outcome long before it presented itself. Connect To Fitness is an outlet for those of you who have found it within yourselves to see Lady’s true intentions in holding us back from our greatest potential. We have a tremendous journey ahead of us and it is going to take all of us to beat the odds. Connect To Fitness is looking to take things to the next level and we need your help to make this dream a reality. Not by chance, not by luck, but by pure dedication and commitment to doing the right thing at the right time. Right now. Take a stand and pursue your dreams with your eyes wide open and only look back with your eyes closed.
Currently, Connect To Fitness is working to allow more voices to be heard in the industry by scheduling and conducting live interviews with health, fitness and wellness professionals who want to share their story or passion with others and let others know how they are helping and how you can help as well. We want to spread the inspiration as far as possible and would love to share the story of anyone who is going above and beyond to ensure they are doing their part to make their mark in their field. Please contact me if you, Faithful Reader, are interested or if you know of someone who you would like me to get in touch with who has a story that could benefit from the help of others or that just simply needs and deserves to be heard. My intention is to help more people connect and to provide exposure to the different people, aspects and venues of this industry. We don’t need Luck on our side to accomplish big things. We just need each other.
Luck is not a magical ability nor is it the result of random chance. We aren’t genetically inclined to inherit a ‘lucky’ or ‘unlucky’ gene. Instead it is our thoughts and behaviors that are responsible for much of our good (or bad) fortune. ‘Luck ‘ is generated from those who are excellent at creating and noticing chance opportunities, making decisions based upon their intuition, turning positive expectations into self-fulfilling prophesies, and transforming ‘bad’ luck into ‘good’ by adopting a resilient attitude.
So you see, Reader, the mythical ‘Lady Luck’ is indeed not on our side and she never has been. She is there to shelter success and to claim it for her own. This is not the type of friend we need to proceed on our journey in reaching our goals.
Instead, we need to rely on each other to accomplish common goals and to expect success in helping ourselves and those who are counting on us to guide them to their own aspirations. By taking back all the credit from Lady, we can now free ourselves to accept that we are in charge of our future and we can move forth with making everlasting change.
“What we call ‘luck’ is the inner man externalized. We make things happen to us.”-Robertson Davies
How will your future transpire? Until next week… Luck be an Unlucky Lady Tonight.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Half Empty or Half Full?
Remember when we were adolescents the world appeared to have no boundaries and we dreamt vast, colossal dreams about becoming astronauts, Doctor’s of everything and anything, our favorite superheroes, and even the President? The memories may be vague, but I guarantee each and every one of you can fondly recollect how confident you felt at age five that these endeavors were inevitable and that there was, in fact, no other way for the future to transpire. You may even notice your chin rise a little or maybe you are wearing a modest smile as you reminisce.
As we grow and mature, however, many of us lose this confidence and poise in what we are capable of becoming and we end up living a life that’s mediocre in comparison of what we once envisioned for ourselves. Why does this happen and how can we grow to live to our fullest potential without fear of failure? Quite simply, this happens because we tend to fear failure more than unhappiness, when in fact it should be the other way around. In order to discover and live each day in eternal happiness we must learn to overcome our obstacles and see ourselves reaching our goals through the walls that hold us back. If there is one simple word of advice I can pass on to you, reader, that has changed my entire life, it is this: View these walls in life not as ‘obstacles’ that hold us back, but rather as ‘challenges’ that are put before us to see how much and how far we are willing to push to accomplish something we are passionate about. By turning the negative connotation of ‘obstacle’ into something more positive such as a ‘challenge’, the glass is now half full instead of half empty and we have something to look forward to and to anticipate, knowing that it will help us reach our goals. You see, the walls aren’t there to hold us back; they are there for us to break through, to bring us closer to our ultimate aspirations and in turn make us stronger individuals. By viewing life in a new light and accepting that success is nothing but learned failures; we can then allow ourselves to step over the rubble that once formed a wall.
This past weekend, I had the delight of attending my first ‘official’ Connect To Fitness event where I had the honor of meeting and making connections with a host of professionals in the health and fitness industry here in Las Vegas. Because I am not only new to the area, but am also a newly appointed Director of CTF, this event was beyond words exciting and special to me and I must comment that my expectations were exceeded by every means of the word. Although each person in attendance had different stories to tell, different backgrounds, different lines of work, and different passions, one similarity was entrenched into the hearts of each and every one of us: Despite all of our ‘obstacles’ in life, we all made the decision to take a leap of faith and risk viewing the glass as half full. And we consciously made this decision without even knowing if the odds were in our favor. I felt overcome with a certain humbleness and awe in hearing the stories of so many people and felt incredibly honored to meet so many courageous individuals.
Held at the Professional Fitness Institute (PFI) on Sunset and Pecos, the two hour Connect To Fitness event was planned to perfection by the organization’s President; Dr. Darian Parker, who went above and beyond to make the event special for all who attended. Among the corridors of PFI’s brand new facility were friendly faces meeting, greeting and connecting with both strangers and familiar faces alike and it didn’t take long for the whole facility to become filled with conversation and laughter. Found on the refreshment table in one of PFI’s classrooms were turkey and cheese wraps and fresh fruit that were able to be enjoyed and socialized over. Also, a personally delivered, new state-of-the-art spin bike was available to be demoed by all attendees. I, for one, was astonished by the option of having your own personal spin-instructor lead you virtually through a spin class on the new ‘screen’ feature between the handlebars. PFI President, Charles Ware, and PFI’s Director of Education, Kristina Lindquist, were spectacular hosts and made sure each guest was fully accommodated for.
It was also a great time to debut PFI’s new facility, which comes fully equipped with its own offices, classrooms, and a staggering gym with up-to-the-minute and novel equipment. This all comes in handy during PFI’s monthly Boot Camps where they help develop the next generation of highly qualified Certified Personal Trainers by providing students all across the country the opportunity to travel to Vegas and experience practical and hands-on experience from both the staff at PFI along with other Fitness Professionals and Celebrities. They have partnerships with the top accredited career colleges worldwide and are affiliated with the most respected, nationally accredited personal trainer certification organizations. Being a graduate myself from PFI, I can voucher that it isn’t a week you will ever forget… nor will you want to leave when it’s over. They are the face of helping others aspire to overcome their ‘obstacles’ and develop careers out of dreams.
Being in the fitness industry means that it is our job on a daily basis to change the lives of others and to help them reach their highest potential. We serve a purpose to help others break through their ‘walls’ (whatever they may be) and assist them in becoming the person they are seeking to find within themselves and the person we know they can grow to be. Every one of you has a story as to how you came to ‘be’ in this present moment and what impelled you to break through the barriers that could have kept you ‘safe’ and possibly unhappy. Your stories are what brought you to the here and now, what impels you to succeed, and what will take you to the next step of coming together to create lasting change within the health and fitness industry. In order to rise up against the world and the odds placed against us and what we are committed to accomplish alone; we must take on the ‘challenge’ of breaking through the ‘walls’ separating and segregating us . Alone we are one story strong, but together we are connected through an organization that is dedicated to the limitless impact we can have on the world by being millions of stories strong. By making connections through Connect To Fitness we can expect and look forward to further our progression in a much shorter time. The health and fitness industry isn’t going to wait forever and neither should we.
In this life we are given a choice: Do we risk unhappiness and settle for the comfort of safety or do we break through our insecurities and risk failure for something we believe in and are passionate about? It all comes down to how ardently you want something and to what extent you are willing to put in to achieve it. I ‘challenge’ you, faithful reader, to take the next step, join hands and connect with those around you without fear, without regret, and with the confidence to bring irrevocable change to this industry once and for all.
Until next week, join me in a toast in lieu of Connect To Fitness and let us each sip a glass half full.
As we grow and mature, however, many of us lose this confidence and poise in what we are capable of becoming and we end up living a life that’s mediocre in comparison of what we once envisioned for ourselves. Why does this happen and how can we grow to live to our fullest potential without fear of failure? Quite simply, this happens because we tend to fear failure more than unhappiness, when in fact it should be the other way around. In order to discover and live each day in eternal happiness we must learn to overcome our obstacles and see ourselves reaching our goals through the walls that hold us back. If there is one simple word of advice I can pass on to you, reader, that has changed my entire life, it is this: View these walls in life not as ‘obstacles’ that hold us back, but rather as ‘challenges’ that are put before us to see how much and how far we are willing to push to accomplish something we are passionate about. By turning the negative connotation of ‘obstacle’ into something more positive such as a ‘challenge’, the glass is now half full instead of half empty and we have something to look forward to and to anticipate, knowing that it will help us reach our goals. You see, the walls aren’t there to hold us back; they are there for us to break through, to bring us closer to our ultimate aspirations and in turn make us stronger individuals. By viewing life in a new light and accepting that success is nothing but learned failures; we can then allow ourselves to step over the rubble that once formed a wall.
This past weekend, I had the delight of attending my first ‘official’ Connect To Fitness event where I had the honor of meeting and making connections with a host of professionals in the health and fitness industry here in Las Vegas. Because I am not only new to the area, but am also a newly appointed Director of CTF, this event was beyond words exciting and special to me and I must comment that my expectations were exceeded by every means of the word. Although each person in attendance had different stories to tell, different backgrounds, different lines of work, and different passions, one similarity was entrenched into the hearts of each and every one of us: Despite all of our ‘obstacles’ in life, we all made the decision to take a leap of faith and risk viewing the glass as half full. And we consciously made this decision without even knowing if the odds were in our favor. I felt overcome with a certain humbleness and awe in hearing the stories of so many people and felt incredibly honored to meet so many courageous individuals.
Held at the Professional Fitness Institute (PFI) on Sunset and Pecos, the two hour Connect To Fitness event was planned to perfection by the organization’s President; Dr. Darian Parker, who went above and beyond to make the event special for all who attended. Among the corridors of PFI’s brand new facility were friendly faces meeting, greeting and connecting with both strangers and familiar faces alike and it didn’t take long for the whole facility to become filled with conversation and laughter. Found on the refreshment table in one of PFI’s classrooms were turkey and cheese wraps and fresh fruit that were able to be enjoyed and socialized over. Also, a personally delivered, new state-of-the-art spin bike was available to be demoed by all attendees. I, for one, was astonished by the option of having your own personal spin-instructor lead you virtually through a spin class on the new ‘screen’ feature between the handlebars. PFI President, Charles Ware, and PFI’s Director of Education, Kristina Lindquist, were spectacular hosts and made sure each guest was fully accommodated for.
It was also a great time to debut PFI’s new facility, which comes fully equipped with its own offices, classrooms, and a staggering gym with up-to-the-minute and novel equipment. This all comes in handy during PFI’s monthly Boot Camps where they help develop the next generation of highly qualified Certified Personal Trainers by providing students all across the country the opportunity to travel to Vegas and experience practical and hands-on experience from both the staff at PFI along with other Fitness Professionals and Celebrities. They have partnerships with the top accredited career colleges worldwide and are affiliated with the most respected, nationally accredited personal trainer certification organizations. Being a graduate myself from PFI, I can voucher that it isn’t a week you will ever forget… nor will you want to leave when it’s over. They are the face of helping others aspire to overcome their ‘obstacles’ and develop careers out of dreams.
Being in the fitness industry means that it is our job on a daily basis to change the lives of others and to help them reach their highest potential. We serve a purpose to help others break through their ‘walls’ (whatever they may be) and assist them in becoming the person they are seeking to find within themselves and the person we know they can grow to be. Every one of you has a story as to how you came to ‘be’ in this present moment and what impelled you to break through the barriers that could have kept you ‘safe’ and possibly unhappy. Your stories are what brought you to the here and now, what impels you to succeed, and what will take you to the next step of coming together to create lasting change within the health and fitness industry. In order to rise up against the world and the odds placed against us and what we are committed to accomplish alone; we must take on the ‘challenge’ of breaking through the ‘walls’ separating and segregating us . Alone we are one story strong, but together we are connected through an organization that is dedicated to the limitless impact we can have on the world by being millions of stories strong. By making connections through Connect To Fitness we can expect and look forward to further our progression in a much shorter time. The health and fitness industry isn’t going to wait forever and neither should we.
In this life we are given a choice: Do we risk unhappiness and settle for the comfort of safety or do we break through our insecurities and risk failure for something we believe in and are passionate about? It all comes down to how ardently you want something and to what extent you are willing to put in to achieve it. I ‘challenge’ you, faithful reader, to take the next step, join hands and connect with those around you without fear, without regret, and with the confidence to bring irrevocable change to this industry once and for all.
Until next week, join me in a toast in lieu of Connect To Fitness and let us each sip a glass half full.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
