LIFE Support

“Cancer never sleeps.”…


As I listened to this heartfelt sentence roll off the tongue of a man speaking on behalf of his wife and her battle with cancer, I felt my throat tighten up and the silence of the moment stab through me like a knife. As the man spoke, his wife’s story unfolded as he choked out each word. Breast cancer was her first battle… “Cancer never sleeps.” Bone Cancer struck second… “Cancer never sleeps.” Brain cancer came next… “Cancer never sleeps.” Liver, kidney, and lung cancer are now her latest diagnosis… Cancer. Doesn’t. Sleep. Listening to him tell her story, I stood beside myself in devastating awe as I came to terms with the realization of passion, strength and courage this man bestowed.


Think of a situation in which you, Faithful Reader, experienced someone you know directly or indirectly suffering through a battle with disease. Recall the helplessness and urgency to find a way out. A way to take away the pain. A way to help FIGHT and defeat the battle.


Each year, each day, each moment, countless people are affected by disease. Each day, hundreds and thousands of people are up against great odds to overcome a never-ending combat that puts them in the middle of life and death. Until we or someone we know is impinged with one of Life’s dark angels, we seldom sit and think about the different things we could be doing to make a difference in the lives of many.


I was reminded of all these feelings and emotions and was influenced by the sense of urgency when I was seated at the ‘Relay For Life’ Kickoff Event held in Boulder City, NV this past Saturday the 23rd of January. Shortly after moving to Las Vegas last year, I remember crystal clear the first day I traversed to Boulder City with Dr. Darian Parker to meet with Marcie Gibson, who is the Fitness Center Supervisor of the City of Boulder City. She is highly involved in Boulder City’s community organizations and events and her passion radiates above and beyond most people I have ever met before. It was during that meeting where we discussed an alliance between the City of Boulder City and Connect To Fitness and how we could develop a helping relationship between Vegas and Boulder City. Both fans of this spectacular small town, Darian and myself couldn’t help but to be extremely excited about becoming more involved with this community and in having an excuse to venture out that way more often.


In meeting with Marcie, we discussed much about the fitness scene in Boulder City and how we can become a part of it. One of the events put on each year is the ‘Relay For Life’ walk in which the entire town gets together and supports this great cause to raise cancer awareness. One of the main objectives (aside from the fact that it’s a worthy cause) that caught our attention was Marcie’s explanation on how the volunteer committee, which is very, very small, work over 24 hours straight to make this event successful. This committee is dedicated to their accountability in making sure the event runs smoothly and in the process they end up volunteering a ton of their time to the cause. It is truly inspiring how dedicated these individuals are in their devotions and that, in itself, piqued my interest and sparked a light from underneath me that had me agreeing to come out and help this May before I could even hesitate to answer. The cause is just too great and they truly don’t have enough helping hands at their events. Although the CTF Team will probably be up for most of this 24 hours as well (setting up, working, and tearing down), knowing we are helping others and that we are contributing to something worthwhile. I also remember thinking how excited I was for the kick-off event after the New Year.


As I drove into Boulder City, I smiled to myself and basked in the sunlight washing over me through the driver’s side window and miraculously watched on as the desert became a small, green town. As I traversed down the 215 and slowed as it turned into Nevada Way, I was once again reminded of the small town I used to live in; Waterford, PA. Driving into Boulder City, you immediately forget about all things ‘Vegas’ as there is no huge or towering buildings, heavy traffic, casinos, flashing lights, or much of anything that stands out in particular. What you see is a historic town that encompasses and preserves its roots and foundation much like Las Vegas treasures and openly invites every new trend and disassociates itself with anything old or out of style. My hometown was much like Boulder City, right down to the one, small, main street of independent small business owners and mom and pop restaurants and shops amongst a sea of modest houses. Although I absolutely LOVE the big city mentality and rapidity of Las Vegas, it is really a great asset to know that if you want to relieve yourself of the city chaos, you can drive a half hour and be in a totally different atmosphere enjoying a completely different and fantastic experience.


As I pulled up to the Boulder Dam Brewery right on this main street, I followed the car in front of me and took a right at the single stop sign to find a parking spot. Having become accustomed to Las Vegas where you will rarely, if ever, find parking right away, I conveniently parked right across the street from the Brew Pub and walked across the 2-lane street and immediately saw the one and only Marcie Gibson (who basically is a one-woman show in running Boulder City’s fitness agenda) turning the same corner I was approaching. After greeting her, we walked together, chatting about what’s new and discussing our excitement about Relay For Life. Approaching the main site of the Event, which was taking place in the outdoor part of the restaurant, I then saw Dr. Darian Parker and his wife, Michelle and ran over and greeted them as well. I walked with Darian over to the registration table and he sat down and began the ‘official’ creation of our Connect To Fitness team. It was a really gratifying moment and it became an affirmation to begin our mission to prepare for the month of May. As Darian signed us up, I looked around and marveled at the beauty around me and reminisced of my own small town.


The event, appropriately called ‘Brewin’ and Stewin’, conjured up a great number of people and it was different to see how everyone knew each other. The chances of running into someone you know in Vegas are slim, but in Boulder City, everyone knows each other by name. Homeade stews and soups lined the tables in back and Darian, Michelle and I passed through the line numerous times to sample and devour the delicious temptations in each Crockpot. From beef, to chicken, to barley, to potato, to macaroni and cheese, to cornbread; there was something for everyone and plenty to go around. As we sat and enjoyed the taste of home-cooking, a few speakers, including Marcie, took center stage up front where the DJ was making noise and spoke on behalf of the event and it’s purpose. As Marcie introduced the rest of her committee (all of about 6 other people), she also reflected as to why they were chosen for their different positions and what inspired them to jump onboard. Each committee member had a specific story on how cancer impacted them directly or indirectly and it reminded me to remember that you never know what someone else is going through. Someone who has, had or will have cancer does or may look exactly like the person next to them who is not affected.

Ranking second in total deaths only after heart disease, cancer claimed nearly 1/3 of total deaths in the United States in 2009, and it is expected that over 1.5 million more cases will arise this year as well (http://www.cancer.org/docroot/home/index.asp?level=0). It is rapidly spreading like fire day by day and the statistics are showing it’s not slowing down anytime soon.


THINK if we had a cure! THINK if you and/or someone you know never again had to be affected. THINK how many more lives may be spared in such an event. Just THINK of the possibilities! The catch? It starts with US and us alone. While listening to that man speak on behalf of his wife, I became suddenly aware of it’s existence in my own life. It has gone through many times in my family, most recently with my own cousin who lost his life battle to this disease just a couple months ago. Knowing that statistically 1 in every 2 men may develop some type of cancer and that 1 in every 3 women may do the same, I feel uncomfortable knowing that statistics aren’t on my side. The number ‘3’ resonates in my mind and as I look around the event at all the attentive faces fixated on the man standing in front of me, I think how much easier and less-painful Life would be and would have been for so many of these individuals who have lived through experience. I think about how unexpectedly it lurks and how anyone in the world is at risk and not safe from cancer’s grasp. As my own eyes well with tears, I am reminded again of how precious the gift of Life is and how walking for a cause like cancer is actually a walk for LIFE. To help maybe get just a little bit closer to finding the cure. I am suddenly filled with honor and with LIFE and I listen intently to someone braver than I know how to be. Knowing how fortunate I am makes me want to be a better person in sharing the gift of LIFE with others. We ALL have so much to give, and to give the gift of volunteering is as gratifying as Life itself.


Come join us as we raise cancer awareness in Boulder City by walking for the Relay For LIFE. Connect To Fitness is dedicated to giving back as much as we have been given and the limits to our existence in both Vegas and beyond is… well… limitLESS. We are but one person. One truth. One Life. But we have the . capacity to make a vast difference together and NOW. Come with us on the walk to everlasting Life and support a great cause while having fun. If you don’t frequent Boulder City too often, take this opportunity and come enjoy a whole new world located just next door to Vegas.


“Cancer never sleeps.”… But one day it will. It all starts with YOU. It all starts right NOW. Let’s walk together and finish strong in the Relay For Life.


Until next time, Faithful Reader…


“Together we can help celebrate more birthdays…”
–Marcie Gibson


“Cancer is a word, not a sentence.”
-John Diamond


“During chemo, you're more tired than you've ever been. It's like a cloud passing over the sun, and suddenly you're out. You don't know how you'll answer the door when your groceries are delivered. But you also find that you're stronger than you've ever been. You're clear. Your mortality is at optimal distance, not up so close that it obscures everything else, but close enough to give you depth perception. Previously, it has taken you weeks, months, or years to discover the meaning of an experience. Now it's instantaneous.”
-Melissa Bank


“The power of love to change bodies is legendary, built into folklore, common sense, and everyday experience. Love moves the flesh, it pushes matter around.... Throughout history, "tender loving care" has uniformly been recognized as a valuable element in healing.”
-Larry Dossey


“It is in moments of illness that we are compelled to recognize that we live not alone but chained to a creature of a different kingdom, whole worlds apart, who has no knowledge of us and by whom it is impossible to make ourselves understood: our body.”
~Marcel Proust

The Deception of Perception

This week is Your week, Faithful Reader. I am going to take a break from my own philosophies and share with you a couple amazing thoughts I received this past week from other like-minded individuals. I hope they keep you thinking long after the thought as they did me…


While driving during last week’s Boot Camp at the Professional Fitness InstituteÔ, I was enjoying a great piece of dialogue with my new friend, April, who was in Vegas to spend some time with us before graduating school and becoming a certified personal trainer. During our conversation, she repeated a simple statement said from her grandmother that completely made me think outside of my own box. She said, “If you can spare a penny, you have too much.” Let that thought marinate for a minute before moving on. Sitting there analyzing this thought, I came to realize how incredibly true this is to our everyday lives and how easy it is to take for granted what we have, don’t have and/or need. When we feel like we don’t have anything while letting our desires get the best of us, we need to check our pockets, our purses, and even our couches for those missing pieces of change that we forget we have, but that someone else might treasure. Sure, a penny is useless to you and I for the most part and there really isn’t much in this world we can purchase with a single cent piece. However, envision if each person on Earth took their loose pocket pennies and change and gave them to something or someone who could really use them. If we don’t even realize we have these small treasures to begin with, it won’t hurt us to part ways with them and we will have helped to facilitate a better world. When you give selflessly and without regret to the world around you, the world around you will reward you in ways you can’t even begin to imagine. Don’t take what you have for granted and always appreciate the little things in life that we seldom think twice about. Somewhere, someone is wishing they were in your shoes and praying for a small treasure to help get them there. Give freely and without expectations. I dare you…


During this same conversation with April, I was able to listen in to a second story which really impacted my heart and soul. She alluded back to a day when she and her husband passed a homeless man on the street whom they graciously gave a few dollars to. Nothing substantial, but enough for someone of his stature to do plenty with. A few minutes after the kind exchange between April’s husband and the homeless man, the homeless man called April’s husband back over his way. As he went over, the man thanked him and said, “By the way- my name is John. I just wanted someone to know that.” Just think, Faithful Reader, of how many times you pass a person while you are walking, driving, running errands, and in Life where you make a judgment and immediately put a stereotype to a face without making it a fact to remind yourself that under these stereotypes lies a person. A human being. We are all guilty of it. This particular man just wanted someone to know that underneath his tattered clothes, battered persona, and vulnerability that he was a person with a name and feelings. As she told me this story, I thought back to a million and one instances in my life where I put a name onto someone before ever getting to know them or their story and how awful I would feel if someone were to do the same to me if I was in a disposition or had hit a rough patch. No one deserves to be treated that way regardless of if the problem was related to them or from an outside force. We truly don’t know the full story and need to be cognizant of the labels we use on people. We are all here to lift each other up, not to break each other down or exclude people from Life when they are fully exposed to suffering and vulnerability. Put yourself in the shoes of someone who is different than you- and who knows it. Imagine if you were suffering so badly and were so poor that you had to actually go up to strangers and beg them for their goodness and kindness. How prideful would you feel? How much dignity would you feel you possessed? Encompass these thoughts and feelings and revert back to them when you find yourself pre-disposing people to labels. We really don’t know the story or the cause of what caused the individual to be in their disposition to begin with, so why should we, then, be the ones dictating who they are through false accusations? Next time you walk by someone you don’t feel the need to look twice at, look again and think about how you would want the world to empathize with you if you were in their shoes. We should always want and desire to life each other to new heights, not to dismiss someone because they are not as fortunate as us or if they choose to be different than us. Before you choose a stereotype, ask them what their name is. And while you are at it… give them a penny or two.


One of my favorite parts about Boot Camp is at the end of the week when the students all have an opportunity to step in front of the classroom and, essentially, tell their own stories on how they got to where they are today and why they decided to enter into the fitness industry. It is always an emotional time for many reasons, but mostly because I am humbled to the fact that you can never judge a book by it’s cover. Tying in the previous lessons mentioned above… When the students first arrive to Las Vegas, they are (for the most part) eager to begin the week and to become certified personal trainers. When I first began working for PFI, I tended to make my own judgments in trying to decipher what walks of life most of our future trainers came from. One of the things that has (and still) leaves me in utter shock is when I hear the reasons behind the student’s yearning to help others. A big percentage of the students we have the pleasure of working with are in pretty great shape and most of them look like they have never had to struggle a day in their lives to look the way they do. This is something else I take for granted and something I am always humbled to stand corrected about. Extremely humbled. Many times, behind the smiles, confidence and success lies a difficult story that takes raw courage to spill out and share. One thing I have learned is that no matter WHAT it is you see externally, the internal spirit is a hidden gem that is untouched in many individuals and never brought to life because it gets buried in the midst of the exoskeleton. We can be very devious if we choose to be and, many times, just a look of confidence and a great body can be a cover-up in itself. Or you could go the opposite direction and look at someone who may not be in the greatest shape and make a preconceived notion about them as well. I try to do neither as I have found that I am wrong more often than not in making my own assumptions. Some of the most heartfelt and emotional stories I have ever heard have come from some of the most beautiful people I have ever met. Some of the most difficult and treacherous moments have stemmed from these individuals who have decided to dedicate their own LIVES in lieu of helping others improve their own. It takes a certain personality to be so bold, and I find most often that the people who decide to embark upon this career field have hit rock bottom at one point or another and had to make the hardest and most detrimental decisions of their lives on going to one extreme or the next to fight for their own lives. The difference between these students and most other people is a simple fact that when forced to see the glass as half empty or half full, they took a risk and saw it as completely full and overflowing. Half just wasn’t enough. It is so easy for us as humans to focus solely on the negative. It’s just easier. We can stand around and pout instead of doing something about it and nothing is stopping us from sitting around and waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the problem to resolve itself. When it doesn’t resolve on it’s own, we find more reasons to be negative and we run circles in spite of ourselves in complaining about something we aren’t being proactive in doing anything to prevent. It takes a person of courage and bravery to step up to the plate and decide to take action. And not only that, but to change the negative situation into a life-altering, positive action to go against all odds and come out on top when everyone else would expect the opposite. THAT is true courage. Learn from this lesson and realize that regardless of what you see on a person externally, each person has been through hardships, loss, struggles, challenges, failures and mistakes. We musn’t ever take for granted another person’s story and we must always be humbled to the fact that everyone has written their own Book of Life. Read through some of their pages before guessing the ending.


In speaking with my great friend, Scott Hopson, I became reminded of one thing we all don’t give enough appreciation to… Silence. Scott brought up an amazing point that silence not only speaks volumes, but it is actually the ONLY universal language in the entire world. Think about it- When do you ever just sit back and actually enjoy and appreciate the silence of the world around you? Do you allow yourself to be encased and enclosed in the silence of the moment on occasion? Personally, I know that it takes me extreme focus to concentrate on silence because I am rarely exposed to it these days. Life sends in commotion as soon as noise ceases to exist and I am truly someone who is guilty of not appreciating the world around me in all its silent glory. I tend to specifically search for noise as I don’t know what it’s like to be without it. I tend to therefore feel the discomfort of the silence because I have become so dependant on hearing sounds to know if I am being productive. Silence is a gift we are given and a gift we so easily throw away or ignore. Regardless of where we go, we are drenched in noise and become dependant on ‘hearing’ Life to know its existence. What we fail to realize is that in silence, we can be at one with the world and with ourselves and it is here where we sometimes find our greatest answers to life’s most ‘impossible’ questions. If we take the time to ‘listen’ to how piercing the silence is, we can then open our ears to receiving the answers the commotion hides from us. With all the language barriers in the world, silence speaks the only language that each and every person can understand. Tell me, Faithful Reader: Is it not true that you can discover how great a partnership between two people is through silence? If you can be comfortable sitting in mere silence right next to someone when there are just no words, you have truly found the deeper meaning behind friendship and relationships. We are very hard-wired to think that we should never have a dull moment with another individual. While this is true by every means, silence is typically put under the domain name of ‘dull’ and is shunned away into a deep corner and looked down upon. However- isn’t it in the silence when in the presence of another when we can truly say we have found ‘comfort’? If you cannot be comfortable in silence and if words are the only means of expression, then are we truly able to say we are completely comfortable with another person? Sometimes silence speaks louder than words and if you take a moment to discover it for yourself, I no doubt believe you will agree with this fact. Experience and enjoy silence. It is a gift in disguise and if we all take a little bit of time to enjoy it, we may just find the answers we have trouble hearing in all our regular commotion.


In essence, there is much to be learned from the simple things in life and many times, the things we are most familiar with and consider to be the most ‘simple’ are actually the most complex facets of life that we simply forget to pay attention to. Give selflessly. Live each day without judgment. Experience the loudness in a bout of silence. And by the way… What is your name?


Until next time, Faithful Reader…


“I have learned that some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet are those who have suffered a traumatic event or loss. I admire them for their strength, but most especially for their life gratitude - a gift often taken for granted by the average person in society.”
-Sasha Azevedo


“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.”
-Lao Tzu


“I don't think you ever stop giving. I really don't. I think it's an on-going process. And it's not just about being able to write a check. It's being able to touch somebody's life.”
-Oprah Winfrey


“Silence is the true friend that never betrays.”
-Confucius


“Soon silence will have passed into legend. Man has turned his back on silence. Day after day he invents machines and devices that increase noise and distract humanity from the essence of life, contemplation, meditation... tooting, howling, screeching, booming, crashing, whistling, grinding, and trilling bolster his ego. His anxiety subsides. His inhuman void spreads monstrously like a gray vegetation.”
- Jean Arp


“In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in an clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth.”
-Mahatma Gandhi

Resolution To An Evolution

Dear Faithful Reader,

“We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives… not looking for flaws, but for potential.”… With the New Year upon us, how are planning resolve your resolutions? What mark are you going to leave on the world in 2010?


With 2010 upon us, we need to buckle down and take a look at the big picture. While the New Year should be a time to celebrate and encompass the spirit of the season, it is also a time to gear up, buckle down and open our eyes to the road ahead.


Today is an opportunity and it’s the chance for you to make a difference not only within yourself, but throughout the rest of the world. Look around you. I mean really look around you. Let the world go in slow motion as you view the prevalence of obesity, as you view the ever-growing population of sick, diseased and suffering individuals who don’t know how or where to go for help. This is why you entered into this industry. The people who need our help need it now and WE are going to be the ones who make the most difference in the lives of the millions of people who need our help whether they or WE even know it. How many times a year does a typical person see their family (or other) practitioner? How many times do you go see the doctor a year? A typical response to this question is one, maybe two times. Although most doctors can be effective at leading patients in the right direction, who is going to be there the other 363-364 days of their lives? The answer?... YOU. YOU are the one who needs to step in and take the reins during that time. As trainers and fitness professionals, we see our clients (on average) 1-3 times per WEEK! That is an incredible amount of time to have a profound effect on someone’s life and way of living. And, if you are an outstanding professional (which we are all striving to be, right?), you will make it a point to be even more involved with your clients even after they leave your facility or studio. Our goal is to encompass the person as a whole and to make every aspect of their life better than it was before they came to you.


Most people who are unhealthy have never even experienced what it feels like to feel ‘good’. To ACTUALLY feel ‘good’. If they know (as we do) what being healthy feels like from a mental and physical standpoint, I guarantee they will never return to the way they were. We have to show them what it feels like and we have to inspire them to believe in being healthy and motivate them to make a change to lead a better life. Without you to hold them accountable and to educate them, they have NO ONE. This is YOUR time to step up and vow to give your all to make a difference. 2010 is here and the days are passing by. How they pass by is up to you. Are you going to sit there and watch; waiting for something to happen, or are you going to get up and do SOMETHING? Look around you and let your mind hover around the epidemics plaguing the world. Step outside of the pretty picture and get down to the nitty gritty. THIS is what we are up against, and it is going to take each and every one of us to put a dent into all that has been corrupted, manipulated and destroyed in our industry. Stand with me now.


We are up against monsters, folks, and it is going to be a rocky, bumpy, cloudy and exhausting road. We have to be willing to put up a fight, and a good fight at that. We need to show the world why we DESERVE to be treated with respect. Why we DESERVE to be listened to. Why we DESERVE a flawless reputation. There are so many people who are currently in our industry giving us a bad name right this very moment in time. Right NOW there are 'professionals' sabotaging our name and repelling people from getting the help they need. Because regulations are so lax, almost anyone can be a healthcare provider of some sort. We are looked down upon because of those individuals and our reputation is being sabotaged amongst other healthcare providers. We aren’t taken seriously and we never WILL be unless we band together and do something about it. Why should we let those individuals overtake all that we are working so hard for everyday? We don’t deserve this. The people of the world don’t deserve this. Don’t wait until the damage is irreversible. Get up NOW and do something. Rise with me and raise your torch! Stand shoulder to shoulder with your beliefs and hold your shield before you just high enough so you can still see the light in front of you. The road is going to get dark. It’s going to get scary. But we have one shot. One life. One TIME to get this right. There is no turning back and there is NO stopping. Put one foot in front of the other and keep pushing forward. Make yourself stand out in the crowd. When you see something terribly wrong being done by the person next to you, allow yourself to not give up or be discouraged, but use these times to remind you why it’s so important to be just THAT much better. It is your job. It is your duty. This is your LIFE. We have a lot of slack to make up for, but if we all try ten times harder to make up for one person each, we are making significant progress and we will eventually be able to separate the good from the bad. After that, it’s only a matter of time before the rest is done for us. Let’s make the gap between the GREAT and the not-so-great SO big that people will have no choice but to notice us. If the government and legislation isn’t going to step in and assist us with creating standards, let’s set them ourselves. Let’s raise the bar so high that those who aren’t and never were qualified can’t reach it. Let’s then proceed to keep raising it higher and higher. Let’s, together, hold the bar while we climb our ladders and leave no man behind. Let the ones who don’t take what we do seriously take a seat behind us and let the world label them as ‘followers’ and not ‘professionals’. Let. Us. Lead. There is nothing we can’t do both independent and together to change the stereotype lurking in our midst and in the way of our future. In order for us to progress as an INDUSTRY, we need to make change and we need to do it NOW. Do we plow through ONE man strong or do we march forward TOGETHER one foot in front of the other and force the world to see us in a new light? It is your CHOICE.


2010 is OUR year to make this change last forever. It is OUR year to step up, hold our ground and stand up to the people who have tried so hard to take away our dignity. We are strong and we are even stronger as ONE. We may have to walk in as the minority, but we have voices to be heard that deserve attention. Band with me once and for all and let’s MAKE this change happen. Let’s get up right now and pledge our time as healthcare PROFESSIONALS to making this industry come back around full circle as a force that can’t be touched, brought down, or STOPPED. There is absolutely NOTHING we can’t do if we don’t put our minds to it and we have all the proof in the world that this fact is true, valid and reliable. Many people have gone up against great odds and beat them. We are no different. We are facing a situation here that is bigger than any one of us, but not unattainable for ALL of us. Let 2010 be our ANTHEM. Let us rise against all the tides and all the forces trying to keep us at a standstill. And let’s march. Let’s look the rest of our industry in the eye and demand to be listened to. We were all given talents and gifts that we should be sharing with each other and sharing with the world. Use them! Share them! Learn more about them and IMPLEMENT them into your life. Into your work. Bring them to life! This is YOUR future and we can make it THEIR past.

I don’t know about you, but I’m sick and tired of seeing people sick and tired. So many people need our help, Faithful Readers, and if we don’t get out there to help them, who will? This is YOUR year, YOUR destiny. The wall in front of us isn’t there to keep us out. Rather it’s there to see how BADLY we want what’s behind it. How hard we are willing to fight to find a way above, around or through it. If we will be persevered through our heart’s will to redeem what so many others are sabotaging, we can make this year a year to go down in history. We can set ourselves apart from the rest by our own actions. By our own endeavors. Why must we stand back and wait for initiative to be taken outside of our industry? We need to work with what we have right now in the present moment and we have to take our own initiative. Time is what stands in our path and the longer we wait, the longer we sit back and wait. What we need is a revolution! We need to be standing when everyone else expects us to fall. We need to collectively band together and stand as ONE. This is YOUR time. Your year. Your life.


Stand with us in Connect To Fitness, and help us FIGHT together for what is rightfully ours. By coming together we can effectively strive in trying to optimize our careers in this industry. 2009 was an incredible success, but it was just the VERY tip of the iceberg. I would like to cordially invite you to join us in the most incredible journey you will ever be a part of. One that is taking over the fitness industry as we know it, beginning in Las Vegas and starting with YOU. Become involved. Walk with us. Become a part of what’s to become the biggest and movement and innovation in the fitness industry as you know it now and how you will know it in the future. If you are truly PASSIONATE about being a healthcare provider, you should feel an undying urgency to do something and to do it now. It’s never too early to come along, but one day… It could be too late.


2010 is OUR year to shine and the things we have planned to bring to YOU, Faithful Reader, and to the rest of the industry are beyond the longest stretch of the imagination and are completely unfathomable. Don’t sit back or make yourself unseen any longer. Now it THE time. This is IT! You may not get another chance in this lifetime… Make today the first day of the rest of your life….


You have the opportunity to make a difference starting NOW. How do you want to be remembered and how do you want to look back on your own life story? Don’t stand still. ACT. Don’t just act. RESOLVE. And don’t stop there... EVOLVE.


Get ready 2010… Connect To Fitness can’t be stopped.


“'Where there is a will there is a way'.' is an old true saying. He who resolves upon doing a thing, by that very resolution often scales the barriers to it, and secures its achievement. To think we are able, is almost to be so/to determine upon attainment is frequently attainment itself.”
-Samuel Smiles


“I am in earnest. I will not equivocate. I will not excuse. I will not retreat a single inch and I WILL be heard.”
-William Lloyd Garrison



“Be stirring as the time; be fire with fire. Threaten the threat'ner, and outface the brow Of bragging horror. So shall inferior eyes, That borrow their behaviors from the great, Grow great by your example and put on The dauntless spirit of resolution.”
-William Shakespeare


“Either I will find a way, or I will make one.”
-Philip Sidney



“You may be whatever you resolve to be. Determine to be something in the world, and you will be something. "I cannot," never accomplished anything; "I will try," has wrought wonders.
-J. Hawes


“There is no impossibility to him who stands prepared to conquer every hazard. The fearful are the failing.”
-Sarah J. Hale


“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them.”
-G.B. Shaw


“If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking.”
-Buddhist Saying

Believing Is Seeing

“When you're young, you don't know what you don't know, so it's easier to get into that magical thing.”… Remember how magical the Holiday season was as a child and how our imaginations took hold of the rope of life to create moments when anything was possible? Why is it that when we ‘grow up’, we stop ‘believing’ that something greater than us can make our dreams come true?


As a kid growing up, I remember how incredibly magical each day was. The school year lasted decades upon decades, and summer vacation somehow seemed to last forever as well. Time had no meaning, and things like the Holidays were a really big deal. All year long, in the back of my mind was the fact that Santa was always watching and that I ought to behave myself. Of course, being a kid, I didn’t always follow this philosophy to the best of my ability, but when I messed up, I immediately felt reprimanded in that I knew Santa would NEVER approve. Originally from Erie, PA, the Holiday Season began as soon as it started to snow, and by Christmas, there was always enough snow to go around and enough to make you despise the stuff. All else aside, it was also absolutely magical as it meant that a whole wide YEAR of waiting was going to pay off for that one day of the impossible made possible.


Getting ready to leave to go to my Grandparents house overnight on Christmas Eve, we would meticulously set out cookies and milk and wouldn’t even take into consideration that Santa might possibly be really, really full and bloated from eating the other millions and trajillions of cookies laid out for him. Or even that he may be lactose intolerant, as a good percentage of the world today has some sort of intolerance to dairy. Nope! None of this mattered. Why? Because as children we don’t think about those technicalities. All that was ever taken into consideration was the small world we knew and lived in and there were no second thoughts or oppositions to behold. The magic of the season arose not only in the array of gifts under the tree, but also in the belief that something bigger than the stretch of the imagination existed and we didn’t have to see it to believe it. We just KNEW. And sure enough, every year at Christmas, the excitement and anticipation would build up to mass exhilaration and our world as we knew it was encompassed and embellished by the ‘impossible’.


I remember coming home Christmas Day each year and stepping foot into my house. I would always get goosebumps and a blood pressure spike on the never-ending walk to the living room. Although I knew (I just knew!) that the gifts were going to be placed beautifully and artfully under the tree, it was the climax of an entire year of built-up belief and pure imagination that sent me into a full-on frenzy. With my brother and sisters in toe, we would all creep over to the living room and slowly look around the corner to see what we had been waiting for all YEAR! It was so exciting, in fact, that none of us would actually be the first ones to walk into the living room. It was as if the magic made a secret aura around the room, and we needed permission to walk into it. The pure intensity of such a stimulating moment always made my mouth ache at the sides from smiling so big, but I didn’t care, and even if I did… I still couldn’t stop smiling. And, wait! The cookies! Did he eat them? Being the little, caring girl I was, I just knew that he would be super hungry after traveling in that snow. The long drives in the snow made ME hungry, so, naturally, I just knew that Santa would be just famished after his own travels. Plus, he was a pretty big guy, and he just LOOKED hungry. Each year, I was always so happy to see that Santa did, indeed, like the cookies and I assumed that he must have snacked while bringing in the presents through the front door. We didn’t have a chimney, so he (again, naturally!) had to use the door like everyone else. Christmas Day was almost too much to handle sometimes and the magic would last for weeks on end after each year’s celebration. Once those few weeks were over, absorbed and fully cherished, it was time to start gearing up for next year. The ‘impossible’ was real and my belief in something I didn't have to see drove me to see each element of my life in a new light. I didn't have to see Santa to 'know' that he was real, nor did I care to see him. The belief I instilled into his being was enough to influence me for the rest of those years and to consider my actions (...or at least consider them AFTER I had committed the crime), and to take my future into an account without question. In essence, a child's belief is actually quite wise to an extent as it creates a foundation for dreams. It creates wonderment and the curiosity to explore things beyond anything they can hold, touch or prove in a tangible sense. A child doesn't need to know something exists by simply seeing it. They 'see' things by believing in them and the rest creates itself. Imagine if we all were able to take even a little bit of this amusement and wonderment without question with us into 'adult'hood. What would your world consist of?


Think about this… If money, other people, and time weren’t objective, what would you aspire to do? What would change about the beliefs you have right now and your perception of life? Take a moment, close your eyes and just envision something you have always viewed as ‘impossible’. Imagine what it would feel like to you if you were to aspire to meet this unimaginable endeavor.

1. How would your life change or be different?
2. What would improve or worsen?
3. What would you have to sacrifice to get there?
4. What is the worst thing that could happen on your journey and what steps could you take to prevent this from happening?
5. How would your feelings about yourself and/or your life change?
6. What is holding you back?


Really take in your answers. This is just a taste of what you could have if you believed it was really a possibility and if you are willing to commit to admit to these answers. When you are timid to believe in not ‘seeing’ the end result with your eyes, sometimes having it written in front of you serves as that tangible evidence needed to ease the mind and heart. Not everything in life is as it seems and we often precipitate things to be UNbelievable when, in fact, our only culprit is most often ourselves. By knowing the risks involved in accomplishing anything, we tend to sit back and instill our belief into Life making things happen for us. Life can open up the door for us, but WE are the only ones who can walk through it. If you don’t open your eyes to believing the door is in front of you, you will sit and wait for something to happen that never will. What we fail to realize is that it’s not what we ‘see’ with our own eyes that holds our aspirations. Rather, it’s our dreams and our belief in our dreams that propels us to actually accomplish them. Live for your dreams without second-guessing the consequences. Your heart and subconscious already know the answers. Believe in yourself and believe that you deserve to be happy in your life. Keep your goals close to your heart and incorporate the things you do daily to support your ambitions. Why should the Holidays only come once a year?


Return to a day when you were a child at Christmas or another special time, and just encompass and feel the magic of the moment. Believe in yourself and let your mind wander to explore the things you never thought possible. Let yourself be inspired by the thought and feeling and allow your actions to follow close behind. Maybe believing in Santa isn’t so unbelievable after all…


Until next time, Faithful Reader…



“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.”
-Anatole France


"Don't let go of your dreams. If you have determination and belief in your dreams, you will succeed in spite of your desire to let go."
-Catherine Pulsifer


“Some things have to be believed to be seen.”
-Ralph Hodgson

"The Performance of a Lifetime"

I stood there, staring ahead without blinking as my heart pulsated through my chest and into the overwhelming silence. Taking a deep breath and savoring it, time ceased to exist as my gaze traveled from the space below to straight ahead where the plush fabric of the curtain stood only feet in front of me. Raising my chin just a little bit higher, the moment departed in slow motion as the curtains opened, slowly revealing the vivid spotlight and my stomach filled with wild butterflies. This was it…


For many years of my life, a big passion of mine was in the performing arts. Having been a singer ever since I can remember, my passion evolved into theatre, on a high school, community and collegiate level, singing the National Anthem at school and community events, voice lessons and writing and performing my own music, dancing to being a dance instructor, as well as being a former trumpet and guitar player. Music was something that gave me purpose and what I loved about it was that it didn’t have an ‘answer’ like most other subjects. No two people in the world will have identical views and preferences on music, and that’s the point. It allows you to be creative both mentally and physically and each performance is different than the last, even if it’s the same show played numerous times.


Dedicating countless hours to one show, song or dance, I always felt the biggest adrenaline rush in the world when the moment arrived to share the outcome of all those hours with other people. Being up on stage or in front of an audience was a challenge that kept me humble and very much so on my toes each day. After a performance, you suddenly don’t feel so afraid of anything life brings and the satisfactory ‘high’ after such an adrenaline rush would oftentimes last for weeks. Going into a production, you know you are going to be spending almost everyday of your time for at least a few months to ‘become’ the part you need to play. Each person on set or in a number has a specific objective to follow and obey and until each piece of the puzzle flows together, there would never be an opening night nor would there be the actual show itself. Although each person involved has a different character, choreography, voice, personality, and wardrobe, it is only together that the show can go on and it takes the entire cast to make it appear flawless. One of my favorite parts of performing was the relationships you would take with you in the end. After spending so much time working together towards a common goal for so many countless hours to successfully pull off what you have worked so hard for, you end up establishing a ‘trust’ in those people due to the heavy reliance on them pulling their weight.


Aside from making the actual production itself a success, the most challenging endeavor in performing in theatre is the initial audition to actually make the cut and have the opportunity to step on stage. Sometimes auditions in themselves can make or break a person down emotionally regardless of how well they do on stage. When you want anything bad enough there is a tremendous amount of pressure to do well and some people crack while others thrive. One of the things auditioning did was toughen me up for the real world of actual job interviews where I taught myself to look forward to the experience instead of fear it. One of the things we tend to forget sometimes is that the director or employer is (most of the time) just as nervous as we are. I mean think about it… Without great people to fill the empty shoes, there IS no play and there IS no business to be operated efficiently without employees. We put so much pressure on ourselves when we should be looking forward to having the opportunity to create the success the interviewer is striving for. Interviewing in itself is actually quite honoring when you really think about it. It’s a great challenge to attack in that you get one shot to make someone believe in you as much as you believe in yourself. But herein lies the problem… We don’t all believe in ourselves.


It may sound like an odd comparison, but as professionals in the health, wellness and fitness industry, aren’t we essentially ‘performing’ each day? Really take a moment to think about it… Each day and each person we come in contact with, we are playing a little piece of their puzzle. It is our job to be who they need us to be to help them reach their goals. If you aren’t able to be that person, they will ‘fire’ you and leave either to fear training or to find another trainer. We become both the director and the performer in our art of personal training and if we can’t adapt to different scripts, scenarios, personality types, situations, environments and conditions, our own production will never happen and the end product will cease to exist.


During an initial interview with a new client, essentially we are testing out the waters and seeing if we will be a good fit for our potential client and vice-versa. Your objective is to see if you can both work together efficiently and be compatible throughout a specific, or less structured duration of time to accomplish a final outcome or ‘production’, if you will. After establishing compatibility, you now have to build trust in each other over time and you, as the professional, have to be willing to guide the client in the right direction by following the script you have taken careful time to map out for them. We see the final outcome of our plans as we are the creators of it. We are able to visualize and express our expectations and teach the client how to get better at playing the new part of living a healthy lifestyle that they auditioned for and are trying to get used to. You, as the ‘director’, have to have confidence in your vision and have to be willing to guide the client into playing the part written for them. You have to carefully guide them into adjusting to their new part and you have to get them to believe they can become this person in order for the show to be authentic. They have to be able to convince themselves that this new roll of exercise and healthy living is right for them. If you aren’t able to teach them proper form, technique, habits, and about healthy living in general, they will remain and stand by their old habits and who they were before they walked into your realm. This is a very, very powerful role to possess and one that many people tend to take for granted more often than not. Think about the first time you ever stepped foot into a gym or your first soccer practice, or even the first time you went on stage. It is awkward to do something you have never done and it takes time to train your body and mind to accept, become familiarized and, most importantly, become comfortable with the lifestyle adjustment.


But you also, as the professional, get to do a little acting and performing yourself as your attitude, persistence and personality must blend fully to match your client and meet them halfway. One thing they don’t teach you in school no matter how many years and credits you obtain is how to actually interact with another person and make yourself fit the mold they need filled. Although YOU are the director, you also have to know how to treat each performer as everyone is different and everyone responds differently to different stimuli. This is why both music and fitness are forms of ART. There is no one answer to any equation or any one ‘right’ answer. If you sit in a room and ask 100 trainers the same question about what they would do to design a program for the same client, not a single one of them would deliver the same exact answer. Would it not be the same if you were to ask 100 musicians to write a song? Just like music, fitness is ever-changing and constantly evolving. If we stick to one idea or one belief forever without keeping up with the latest trends, we will never survive in being truly successful in our art. You need to expand your heart and mind to explore new horizons and accept change because if you don’t, you will be phased out of this industry immediately. Directors in film aren’t still using the same equipment or ‘technology’ that was used when film was first invented, musicians have evolved tremendously over time to create new sound, and YOU need to do the same if Success is to collaborate with you in the future. Having an open mind in the industry could mean the difference between the life or death of your career and regardless of if you ‘like’ doing something in particular, are biased to certain things, or just simply have personal preferences, you NEED to evolve with the changes happening around you and incorporate them into your art. Even though many ends have been tied up in the Land of Science, there is still so much ground to cover and so many discoveries to unfold before our eyes and if you happen to close your eyes and shut off your mind to acclimate to your surroundings, you will fall short of reaching your own goals and will have a challenging time working with people who are interested in the evolutions of fitness. There is no ‘one size fits all’ in any art form and there never will be. What your client wants is more important than what you ‘prefer’ to want to do or are biased towards. You must be WHO your client wants you to be and you must never forget that without THEM, you will never have a blockbuster, number one hit or career.


Perform your best each day on the job by always having more energy and enthusiasm than your client, even if you have been working nine hours in a row. When you are in session, you are playing the part of the ‘trainer’. You must play the part outstandingly each hour of your day and change yourself to fit the needs and wants of your client. You must script a new program for each person who crosses your path and you must take them by the hand and guide them to be the best performer they can be in the role they auditioned for. Don’t just play the part, BE the part. We are the directors and performers and must lead our industry TOGETHER to create the performance of a lifetime. Alone we are one piece of the play... Together we will change the world.


As the audience stood up and roared with searing applause, the curtains drew themselves to meet back in the middle of the stage where the vast illumination of the spotlight narrowed exponentially until the tiny sliver of light disappeared completely. I instantly drew in a deep breath as my stage ‘character’ flowed out of my body and mind on the exhale to return me to the present. As my client walked through the door smiling, I found myself smiling too, knowing I just gave the performance of a lifetime.


Until next time, Faithful Reader…


“Act the part; walk and talk exactly as if you were already the person you want to be.”
-Brian Tracy


"When ever you don't feel like working hard, someone, somewhere else is, and when you meet them, they will have the edge."
-Unknown


“A theatre, a literature, an artistic expression that does not speak for its own time has no relevance.”
-Dario Fo


“The moment you think you understand a great work of art, it's dead for you.”
-Oscar Wilde


“I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”
-Albert Einstein

Being Vulnerable to Vulnerability

“GOOOOODMORNING!!! One morrrre dayyyy!!!”… This is the sound on my voicemail at exactly 5:30 in the morning from my best friend in Kansas City, Casey Arnold, who just couldn’t wait to tell me how excited she was to fly in for the next week to work Boot Camp at the Professional Fitness Institute… What are friends for, right?


Living in Las Vegas for a lot of people can be extremely overwhelming and, at times, way too much fun. It’s a huge city where anything goes, and where you really have to accept that you will be exposed to just about everything and anything, regardless of whether or not you go out of your way for it. It is a land of opportunity as it is a city that thrives off trends and in always making things bigger, better, faster and stronger than the rest of the world. Because of the magnitude and charade of people and places here, many people can’t resist Vegas’s many temptations and from one extreme to the next, it truly isn’t a place for the faint at heart.


I feel fortunate to be in an industry where it hasn’t been too much of a struggle to find those individuals in the area who truly have the world’s best intentions at heart. Although my own intentions for moving out to Vegas were work and opportunity related, living in a big city is a new experience for me and I know that it can at times be extremely discouraging trying to find like-minded individuals who share your same morals and who you can develop a lasting relationship with when you know absolutely nothing about them going in. Upon first moving to Las Vegas, I had known a select few individuals whom I had connected with previously and was very content in knowing because they were people whom I had learned to greatly respect, look up to, and appreciate more than words can explain. Since the actual move itself, I have been incredibly blessed to meet and work with some of the most amazing professionals in the industry and some of the most humble and big-hearted people imaginable who are always doing everything under the sun for everyone around them… myself included.


Each month, I have the great opportunity to devote almost an entire week to instructing Boot Camp at the Professional Fitness Institute where working over 80 hours in 6 days is completely normal and you get to spend each of these days submerged in a different experience each time with different people. Although each Boot Camp is a new adventure to behold and relish, the one thing that remains constant is spending each of these hours and days with my ‘family’ of best friends, who also do a great job posing as co-workers. Each day of Boot Camp, it is our job to work together to find a way to make sure each of these crazy days goes according to plan and to always be there to back each other up and to push each other forward. Although it is the student’s time to shine, it is a big part of our job to help show them the light. I remember the first time meeting each of my co-workers and I remember how challenging it was at first to become accustomed to working such long days so many days in a row and in getting used to working so closely with people whom I was still getting to know. I remember fighting with fatigue (although this still happens on occasion!), and I remember the first time I ever gave a lecture in front of a group of our students. Most importantly, I remember the people who were there to back me up through each hardship, accomplishment, and experience, and whose presence has helped me to become a better person. Without these individuals who were and still are willing to open their hearts and arms to me, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.


When you are working so closely with people so many hours of the day, you really have no room to hide any flaws. You can’t go home during the day to shake off a trouble or a ‘bad’ day, you have to stick it out and find ways to brush it off and deal with it after you are off the clock. Being vulnerable is something that puts everyone out of their comfort zone, and vulnerability is one of the most difficult things to share with people as it makes you susceptible to ‘weakness’. What we often don’t realize, however, is that our natural strengths aren’t always what make us ‘strong’, and that oftentimes it is in overcoming our ‘weaknesses’ that create the strength we can use to grow as individuals. Strength can only be found in any facet in life through an ‘obstacle’ or a challenge. One isn’t born strong, but gains strength through experience, hardships, overcoming negativity or a negative situation and in facing Fear head-on. This is also a great test of the strength of a friendship or relationship as only those who truly have your best intentions in mind will be there to catch you when you fall and help guide you back on your toes. So often we believe it is the opposite and that vulnerability makes us ‘weak’, but it’s really amazing what you can find out about yourself and others when something less than desirable happens in life. Working with these incredible individuals has truly taught me the value of true friendship and the true meanings of encouragement, support, motivation and how important it is to surround yourself with the right people when you are making transitions and attempting to grow as a person in any way, shape or form.


As each month goes on, I get more and more eager to work with and spend time with my ‘family’ of Professional Trainers, and the days don’t seem quite as long when you are around those people you love and when you know you are doing something to progress not just yourself and your own endeavors, but when you are making a difference in the lives of other people as well. Although I am a work in progress and am no where near where my aspirations lie, I have grown so much over a short period simply by being around the people who have helped guide me in my journey to help me reach and accomplish my goals and who have been there for me in the midst of all the hardships, troubles, joys, triumphs and successions I have gone through. And they have done it earnestly and without judgment or bias.


One of the things we have to remember as trainers and healthcare professionals and providers is that each of our clients are going to be coming to us with less-than-greater belief in themselves or in their competence in accomplishing their goals. If they felt satisfied or that they could accomplish their goals on their own, they wouldn’t have any desire to seek you and/or your services. The fact that they even step one foot into a facility to get help speaks volumes already regarding the fact that whatever they are doing outside of your doors just isn’t working. Admitting vulnerability isn’t something people typically do naturally unless provoked by something in their lives and it is especially rare for someone to openly admit vulnerability to a complete stranger, which is essentially what each potential client is doing when taking that step into a new facility or environment. We have to look at these situations and revert back to a time when we, ourselves, had to step into an unknown situation and be fostered by gaining experience and guidance through vulnerability. As a plant cannot grow without water, we cannot grow either personally or professionally by standing still. Our clients are no different in this way. We all had to start where we were standing in each of our own life’s endeavors and without putting one foot in front of the other, we would never have gotten from point A to point B by any stretch of the imagination. We have to put ourselves out there and reach out to receive the guidance of someone or something else, whether it’s through someone directly in front of you or through other viable resources you have access to in regards to your chosen venture. As human beings, we naturally gravitate towards making great first impressions and in showing ourselves in our greatest light when meeting someone for the first time. Our clients will be coming to us many times broken down, frustrated, depressed, sick, unhealthy, unmotivated, lacking confidence, and the list goes on. They are going to be feeling their worst and they are going to be afraid and fearful of where they are now, who they may be now, and where the road ahead may take them. We have to be willing to lift them up to help them find and discover their inner strength, beauty and confidence and help them to find their path to greatness to be the best they can be. You ARE their motivation, their savior, their inspiration, their leader, their therapist and their friend and confident.


Moving was, and still is, a humbling experience to me because it forced me out of my comfort zone and to admit that I needed help. Reaching out to people 3,000 miles cross-country was at times really difficult, but I was able to step my foot into the right doors to let the right people know that I really needed them to help me.


One of the other things my move humbled me to was the two extremes of being completely terrified and being completely excited to begin a new life. On one hand, it was the most excitement I had ever felt as it was beyond intense to know I was uprooting everything I had come to know as ‘comfortable’ and ‘home’ to be somewhere completely foreign and far from where I was prior. On the other hand, because this was such a change and because it opposed everything I had known up until the moment I moved, it was equally terrifying venturing into the ‘unknown’. One of the things I had to realize quickly was that success is NOT comfortable. It’s not meant to be. If it were, there would be no holding one-self back from taking risks, and more people would be taking action. This, however, isn’t the case, because it’s not our natural and desirable state to strive to be uncomfortable. We are creatures of habit, routine and COMFORT and we naturally fear stepping out of the box. Success isn’t easy and you will fall more times than you find yourself standing, however, the outcome for perseverance is always, always success and all it takes is that ONE single time for all the pieces to fall into place and for all the stars to align themselves. Our clients and patients will be experiencing the same things. They are stepping into OUR comfort zone and out of their own. They are taking a risk and are excited and terrified all at once. Making-over your life isn’t something that happens overnight and the thought of hard work over a lifetime can, in itself, be pretty intimidating at times. We must never forget our own struggles and should use these experiences to humble ourselves into understanding and empathizing with those who are at a crossroad and who are teetering on both extremes of excitement and terror. Never allow yourself to get too comfortable yourself. Step into the shoes of people in all walks of life and let them know you are there for them and not against them. Compassion, understanding, belief, motivation and support are KEY to success in this industry. Help them to see the light and train them to keep their eye on it at all times. Starting from the bottom and working your way to the top is never an easy challenge to conquer.


Remember where you started and never forget where you began. Be humble and recognize the time to be vulnerable and to encourage and embrace vulnerability in both yourself and others. Your own success might depend on it.


Until next time, Faithful Reader…


“Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint you can on it.”
- Danny Kaye


“Example sheds a genial ray which men are apt to borrow, so first improve yourself today, and then your friends tomorrow.”
-Anonymous


“The test we must set for ourselves is not to march alone but to march in such a way that others will wish to join us.”
- Hubert Humphrey, U.S. vice president, senator


“Change does not change tradition. It strengthens it. Change is a challenge and an opportunity; not a threat.”
-Prince Philip of England


"I understand now that the vulnerability I've always felt is the greatest strength a person can have. You can't experience life without feeling life. What I've learned is that being vulnerable to somebody you love is not a weakness, it's a strength."
-Elisabeth Shue

The Injustice of Time

Sit still. Don’t move. Don’t think about the past or future. Forget about all that needs done and focus on the here and now…. Just (Inhale…). Breathe(…Exhale).


Having hardly rested in days and having just got off work from the early morning, I was on my way to my second business meeting of the week, and had about an hour and half before I had to be clocked-in at my next job to close. Then, after work later that night, I knew I had a ton of work to get done on my computer. The clock was ticking and I could have sworn it was ticking synonymously with my heart. As I looked out my window at the line of cars in front of me and the traffic light still on red, I realized that in that exact moment in time, I was forgetting something quintessential to life and to the journey I was on. I was so focused on the final outcome, deadlines and time constraints that I was forgetting to stop, stand still, and enjoy the moment.


Life as we know it stops for no one. It doesn’t cater to our deadlines, nor does it care if we overload our schedule and miss out on getting adequate rest. It has its own agenda, and we are just along for the ride catering to It. Time is selfish and doesn’t allow us to press pause whenever we might need a time-out. Time is elusive and presents us with the gift of present each and every second with no intervention. How we choose to value this time is up to us, for it is going to pass regardless of our deepest thoughts or desires. Time is our foundation, our platform, and if we are to live to be the best we can be, we need to take full advantage of each moment we are given and never feel that we have to look back longing for more. We just, simply, don’t have enough time for that.


Sometimes it can be easy to take time for granted because it is something we adapt to and something we build each day of our lives around. When we begin to take Time into consideration and really realize and accept that it truly isn’t for or against us, we can live each day appreciating the process of time versus wanting to jump too far ahead or behind the 'here and now'. If there’s one thing Time doesn’t care about it’s... how we spend ours.


That busy day, I found myself unappreciative to what I was being given at that present moment. I had just got out of a job that I absolutely love, was going on an amazing business meeting, was going back to another job I love just as much as the first, and later I was to work on a couple projects I had made the decision to do because they supported my future endeavors and because I enjoyed doing them. I had put time against me instead of realizing that time just exists and that it is the same for everyone.


That same day right around this same time, I had received a text from my good friend, Daniel Howell, who was out of town visiting his grandfather. If there is one thing I always gain from Daniel, it’s inspiration. He is one of the hardest workers I have ever met and sometimes when I see all that he does, I get a new perspective and jump-start on my own life. As a Licensed Massage Therapist, a Registered Dietitian, AND a Certified Personal Trainer for both is own business (Triple Threat Wellness) as well as operating out of different facilities all around Vegas, Daniel is always, always on the go. His work ethic is exceptional and anyone around him can voucher that you can always learn something new from being around him. This day, Daniel wasn’t working and was instead spending time, out of town, with his grandfather who is older and retired. His text just simply alluded to the fact that it was a nice change of pace to just take a step back and enjoy living life at a different pace, in a different light than the chaos he is used to. In this case, it was his grandfather’s. When you are constantly on the go, you get into a routine of being constantly on the go and both your mind and body can’t comprehend the true meaning of ‘stopping to smell the roses’. There is really no such thing as a 'day off' for people like Daniel, and I find myself falling into that trap sometimes as well.


Being in the fitness industry or any industry involving art (music, acting, theatre, etc.) and making a career out of it is a huge risk to partake in, a lot of work, and (best of all) a huge reward when done right. I feel blessed everyday to be able to do what I love as my ‘career’. It rarely feels like ‘work’ (even with time constraints) because it is something I fully enjoy doing. When you are submerged daily in your greatest passions, you don’t and can’t really separate yourself from work like most people aspire to do because your ‘work’ is, essentially, YOU and not... well… ‘work’. I find a common ground between like-minded people in this profession where you truly work so much doing what you love for the sake of other people that it can be too easy to lose track of putting some of that focus back into yourself to do something you enjoy outside of work. In regards to myself, I forget I am working because (and this is the honest truth) even if I wasn’t getting paid for what I do, I would still be doing it any spare second I could get. It’s just not an option in my mind, nor will it ever be. A part of me feels selfish already for insisting on being persistent in making fitness my life and not settling for anything less, and I find that when I actually get a day ‘off’, I don’t know what to do with myself or my time because it is such a big part of me that I cannot separate myself from it and end up ‘working’ anyways. The fine line between work and play can be extremely conflicting, and although this doesn’t sound like such a bad thing (and believe me...it’s not!), you can’t give more than you have or have been given. One of my friends said it best in that, “Sometimes you have to be selfISH in order to be selfLESS.” I never really valued this until I heard it put in this manner, and it truly is something to think about and to live by. Even when you love what you do everyday, it is still important to do something for YOU once and a while. It’s important to give to yourself just as much as you give to others and to be receptive when others try to give to you. If this means doing something completely un-work related, then sometimes this is what needs done. This is something Daniel really realized on that day, and it’s a battle I am constantly working to improve in my own life. Working from a young age, and working many of those years with multiple jobs, I have learned what and where hard work will get you and it’s extremely difficult for me to not be constantly invested in what I'm doing.


This Thanksgiving, I had the day off. I had the entire day off, and I didn’t know what to do with myself. Even my main priorities for that day were un-work related and I found myself, once again, feeling guilty that the day would go by and I wouldn’t have anything productive to show for it. So, I found myself on my computer that morning trying to get some work done and responding to emails and messages. Then I went to support the guys at Kaizen Crossfit as they defeated their opponents in the Turkey Bowl flag-football game held in a park near my house. After that was over, I came home and did a little more light work and got ready to accompany my roommate to the dinner we were invited to at an older couple’s house in Anthem. I had never met them prior and although I was really looking forward to it, I still felt that nagging thought in the back of my head telling me that I should be working instead of going to dinner.


As we pulled up to the house, I was already in amazement as it was just gorgeous. Perched up on a hill overlooking a golf course, pond and the beautiful Las Vegas Strip,and in a pretty secluded area that didn't feel like the city, this was truly a beautiful property. Inside the house was even more enticing as the entire ambiance had a very vintage and Victorian look to it, and smelled like Heaven with the food cooking. The couple who owned the house were just lovely people who introduced themselves to me as Mary-Louise and Henry, and I immediately felt right at home (they WERE from my home state, Pennsylvania, after all!). Remarkably, Mary-Louise’s 86 year-old mother was in town visiting and I found myself listening to her talk for hours that night. She told me the most incredible stories about her life, where she’s from, and just packed my brain full of enough wisdom to last for a long time to come. Daniel’s message from just days before resonated with me as I was able to just be around and enjoy time spent with my roommate, a retired couple and an older woman who lived life at a much slower pace than what I am used to being around, and who had more than enough time to cook an absolutely astonishing meal. As I stuffed myself full, I really felt thankful for each moment I have been given and was able to really just sit back and ‘smell the roses’ (or in this case… turkey and pumpkin pie). It really was refreshing to be in their company and to have that moment to breathe and just be surrounded by great company (and amazing food!), and all thoughts of guilt rushed away in a hurry.


What we have to realize is that there is no use blaming Time for what needs or doesn’t need done and by when and where. Life is too short to let us pass by and we should instead be focused on appreciating the processes we work on to get to our final outcome. The process is just as important as the outcome itself and we need to be able to step back and enjoy each step we take up the ladder to success in whatever endeavor we are trying to accomplish because only then will we be able to effectively ‘give’ ourselves to our tasks or to others. When we don’t take adequate time for ourselves, there is a chance we may not appreciate the precious time we are given and we may end up with resentment or regret towards Time itself, and to ourselves for not being ‘selfish’ enough with our time. Something that always helps me to take the next step (whatever it may be) is to always remember that we only get so much time and that we only have one life to spare. The seconds, minutes, hours and days we expend, we can never return to or hold onto again. Focus on the process and the journey. Does time not exist so everything isn’t required to happen at once?


Remember, you have to be selfish before you can be selfish and that time stands still for no one. Seize each day and each moment and be cognizant of how you exert your time for there are no second chances. Don’t just let them pass you by… Smell the roses.


Until next time, Faithful Reader…


“All we have to decide is what to do with the time we are given.”
-Gandalf to Frodo, The Fellowship of the Ring (movie)


“Don’t count every hour in the day, make every hour in the day count.”
-Unknown


“Yesterday is a canceled check; tomorrow is a promissory note; today is the only cash you have - so spend it wisely”
-Kay Lyons


“But what minutes! Count them by sensation, and not by calendars, and each moment is a day.” -Benjamin Disraeli