“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
Showing posts with label Las Vegas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Las Vegas. Show all posts
Monday, December 14, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
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
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
Monday, November 23, 2009
Meet 'Courage'
Courageousness: n- The quality of mind enabling one to face danger or hardship resolutely… How is it that some of the most ‘ordinary’ people are capable of conquering and triumphing over some of the most unordinary and inconceivable feats and occurrences the rest of us couldn’t even begin to fathom? What can we learn from those who do and have possessed insurmountable courage?
Being in the healthcare industry is humbling in too many ways to count or to begin expressing. Each day, the mission of a healthcare provider is, essentially, to help others find their ‘epiphany’ which will lead them to be successful both in and out of the gym. But what about the people who don’t necessarily have the option of making a change? Or what about those who enter knowingly into a field or career knowing they are up against the life and death of both themselves and those they serve? This is something I have really come to embrace and recognize because all around us and throughout the world, people are fighting battles they will or may never win without a miracle. These people live and breathe courage every minute of their lives because they know that at any given moment in time, everything as they know it could be gone. They realize how precious life is and how it should never be taken for granted because tomorrow is never a guarantee. For some people, just waking up and having the opportunity to see the sun shining is the greatest miracle they could ever hope for. Meet “Courage”….
Having been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in high school that only inflicts a few hundred individuals a year, my 21 year-old cousin, Robbie, truly was the definition of ‘courage’. Spending his high school years and beyond fighting a never-ending battle with Rhabdomyosarcoma, Robbie was always, always one to divert any and all attention elsewhere. With a constant smile and an always positive outlook on his situation, you would seriously never have guessed from the outside all the damage and pain he was experiencing on the inside. Although in and out of the hospital and Doctor’s office for years of constant treatments, chemotherapy and every other possible procedure you could imagine, Robbie always jumped right back into life full force and never made you feel at will to feel sympathy for him. Working back home at the gym I was employed at, when he would walk in, the smile that illuminated on his face was so infectious that you couldn’t help but to feel on top of the world with him. Being around him was almost the opposite of what you’d expect from a cancer patient. He did absolutely EVERYTHING any ‘normal’ kid would do and never took for granted a single moment of his life. Instead of feeling bad for him, you almost couldn’t help but to feel bad for all those who weren’t enjoying life as much as Robbie did. He fought for life against all odds, and although he lost his battle just last week, he is someone I will look up to and admire Robbie for the rest of my life for having the physical strength and the positive mental capacity to live life like there was no tomorrow and to show the world how courageous he could be through such dire circumstances. People like Robbie come few and far between, but when you meet them… you are never the same. “Pride in being a nice guy since 1988.” (–Robbie’s default quote on Facebook)
My best friend growing up and throughout life, Cleveland (yes… he always caught a lot of flack for his name!), was the absolute most positive person I have ever met before. You would never guess that he lived each day in an extremely broken home where he almost daily suffered through abuse, poverty, and very little love and support. Talking to him was always such a positive experience, and his ability to relate to people was just outstanding. Never, ever did he project his problems onto anyone, and he always started every conversation wanting to know about how the other person was doing. People gravitated toward him like bees to honey and his energy could instantly snap you out of any negative moods. When I was younger, it was Cleveland who heard me humming a song and who encouraged me to sing it out loud. Being one of the most talented musicians imaginable, Cleveland found his happiness through his relationships with his friends and through music. Without him, I would have never found my own voice and it was he who was my inspiration to pursue music so heavily when growing up. I used to sing for hours and hours over the phone with and for him and he always supported me through anything I wanted to engage in. Nothing was ever too big for Cleveland and no matter how bad things were in his life, his courage always led him in directions typically opposite of most other people in his situation. To begin a new life for himself, he decided to courageously up and move to Colorado where he received an amazing career opportunity to head and revive the music department at a school where it had been suffering for years. He wanted so badly to escape the life that was destined for him, to live his dream and to defeat all the odds placed against him his entire life. He received his wish as his life only enhanced from that point forward. His next courageous step came in his decision to receive gastric bypass surgery to assist him in his weight-loss goals as he was a pretty hefty guy. After the surgery was over, he successfully lost over 100lbs (and counting!), and was working so hard to reach the goals he had set for himself. Upon my own decision to move to Las Vegas, Cleveland and I had planned on seeing each other as often as possible and he was still right by my side being one of my biggest supporters throughout that challenging time in my life. I was always amazed at how much he constantly ‘gave’, and how much he truly loved me for me, day after day, year after year, come rain or come shine. Right before my move, he had to go back into surgery for another gastrointestinal procedure and I was just beside myself with how far he had come in his journey, and how he never failed to be right there beside me during my own endeavors. During this second and less intense procedure, Cleveland tragically and devastatingly suffered a massive heart attack and didn’t make it through the surgery. Although I lost someone very close and dear to my heart on that day, I am able to take what I was blessed to be given from him and use it to find my own courage in this life and to ‘give’ to others what he never failed to give me. It truly goes to show that the cycle of ‘giving’ really does go full circle, and that even through loss we can find inspiration and courage, in turn, share it with others.
Back home in PA, I spent four years working for a gym that had grown and developed into a home away from home ever since I was little. During this time, I met so many amazing and courageous people who helped shape me into the person I am today and who helped guide me down my chosen path and career field as a personal trainer. Inspiration can sometimes be rare to find, but it’s always impossible to miss. My great friend, Dan, is one of these people who you just couldn’t miss. Not because he is paralyzed and in a wheelchair, but because he always wears a smile despite his disabilities and is one of the most delightful people you could ever hope to know in your lifetime. Having dove out of a tree at the age of 13 into shallow water appearing deep, Dan has spent the majority of his life wheelchair-bound without a chance or guarantee for full or any recovery. The irony of it all is that even in his disposition, he always seems happier than most everyone else around him and he speaks with such a positive demeanor that always rubs off on all those around him. In the years I have known Dan, he indirectly taught me so much about life and about never taking things for granted. Regardless of what life brought his way, he was always, always at the gym every Tuesday and Thursday morning and for a while before I moved, I had the great opportunity of training him on those days I was working. In and out of the hospital continuously due to the other conditions Dan’s immune system just couldn’t always fight off, I remember visiting him while he was in a coma on life-support and just feeling so upset that life could be so cruel to someone so incredible. When you have the honor of knowing someone like Dan, your perceptions, ‘realities’ and life change forever. Although I am 3,000 miles away, I think of Dan all the time. When I think I’m having a bad day, or if I let something get to me, my mind always, always reverts back to Dan and how hard he fights everyday just to stay alive and wake up the next day. I think of all the challenges he has faced and continues to battle through each day. I think about it because the truth is… I truly don’t know if I could ever be as courageous as Dan. I literally can’t even begin to imagine how different and challenging life would be in his shoes. There are people ALL over the world who have it SO much worse than me at any point in time when I could say I’m at my ‘worst’. A ‘bad’ day for me is a day someone like Dan would give anything in this world to experience. I have no business frowning if he can always find a way to smile. Without knowing it, knowing Dan has influenced me to be a better person and to never take life for granted. He literally lives FOR the day, and I think it’s a lesson we should all learn from and apply to our own lives. When I hear people complain about having a leaky faucet at home, breaking their watch, being too tired, needing a car repair, etc… I can’t help but wonder why if THIS is the worst of their ‘problems’, why aren’t they smiling?!... Maybe they have just never met someone like Dan.
The act of courage doesn’t always have to come directly from the people suffering through debilitating situations either. I see courage everyday, all around me in a positive light as well. Take my three friends, Leanne Nester, Jeremiah Carroll, and Martina Montgomery. Leanne is currently going through invasive training to become a Las Vegas Paramedic and is also working hard towards entering the Las Vegas Fire Department, Jeremiah was one of just 120 out of 1,500 applicants here in Vegas just accepted into the Fire Department, and Martina formerly served as one of the only females in the Las Vegas Police Department. Talking with Jeremiah the other day about his daily schedule and the absolute insanity he is dedicated to each day in his training, watching Leanne travel from training to work, to training to work, to work, and BACK to training each and everyday with little or no rest, and having discussions with Martina on what she had to go through just to get ON the LVPD, and what she was forced to handle on a daily basis, I can’t help but to just bow down in awe and admiration of the people who devote (and oftentimes volunteer) their time and lives to helping prevent tragedy, see people and situations at their absolute worst, and put their own lives at stake in lieu of saving or protecting another life. The same can also be said of many other professions as well such as the many, many, many friends and family of mine (and yours) who have served our country in all the different branches of the military and who put their lives on the line for us each and everyday. Although the stories that result from the people in these professions are heavily glorified and taken note of continuously through the news, media, community and even from some of their own personal experiences, I truly think that the individual people behind these acts of courage aren’t always appreciated enough for what they do. Although we are aware of these people and we hear about them, more often than not, it is the situation or people they save or protect that we hear about first and foremost. This is their career. This is their life. And even when we do hear about the hero behind the act, what we are sometimes jaded from and what I believe we take for granted is the fact that these individuals are literally miracle-workers. They go to work each day prepared to face situations the rest of us can’t even begin to fathom and each day they play guardian angel to families, communities, countries, and to the world. The courage these individuals unknowingly possess impresses me to no end as it truly takes a special person to have the desire and the mental and physical ability to face these situations head-on everyday. In being around people like Leanne, Jeremiah and Martina, I have grown so aware of the big and little courageous things people are doing each day for us that we may not think twice about. I also apply it to my own life and career in knowing that each person that walks into my life seeking my help has a fear of something. That each person in GENERAL is afraid of something. That part of my job is to take that person’s fear and help them find the courage to overcome it. It’s a quality we all possess and are able to do, but it is also a quality we have to be reminded about on occasion and sometimes nagged about.
These are only a couple of the many, many examples of courage that have influenced me to be the person I am today and of the billions of stories we could spend a lifetime talking about. There is something to learn from each person’s courage and no matter how glum the situation, there is always something beautiful and inspirational that will always emerge from it in time. Maybe not this instant. Maybe not tomorrow. Maybe not in a year. But eventually. As healthcare providers, we mustn’t ever forget to try and find the beauty that lies within the people who look to us for the courage to help them find their own. Each person will and does have a story. Each person has lived. Has lost. Has seen devastation. Tragedy. Has fought a battle and won. Has lost. These individuals possess more courage than we know for walking through our doors as for most of them, this experience alone can be terrifying and may have taken a significant amount of time to work up to.
We must approach each day like it’s our last and know we may not always win. The obstacles that Life burdens us with are in direct proportion to our strength and we must realize that we will never be thrown a ball that’s too heavy for us to catch. Appreciate all that’s around you and the next time you feel like complaining… smile.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength.” –August Wilson
“Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” –Mark Victor Hansen
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” –Theodore Roosevelt
“Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death.” –Earl Wilson
(Rest in peace, Robbie and Cleveland. I will always love you.)
Being in the healthcare industry is humbling in too many ways to count or to begin expressing. Each day, the mission of a healthcare provider is, essentially, to help others find their ‘epiphany’ which will lead them to be successful both in and out of the gym. But what about the people who don’t necessarily have the option of making a change? Or what about those who enter knowingly into a field or career knowing they are up against the life and death of both themselves and those they serve? This is something I have really come to embrace and recognize because all around us and throughout the world, people are fighting battles they will or may never win without a miracle. These people live and breathe courage every minute of their lives because they know that at any given moment in time, everything as they know it could be gone. They realize how precious life is and how it should never be taken for granted because tomorrow is never a guarantee. For some people, just waking up and having the opportunity to see the sun shining is the greatest miracle they could ever hope for. Meet “Courage”….
Having been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in high school that only inflicts a few hundred individuals a year, my 21 year-old cousin, Robbie, truly was the definition of ‘courage’. Spending his high school years and beyond fighting a never-ending battle with Rhabdomyosarcoma, Robbie was always, always one to divert any and all attention elsewhere. With a constant smile and an always positive outlook on his situation, you would seriously never have guessed from the outside all the damage and pain he was experiencing on the inside. Although in and out of the hospital and Doctor’s office for years of constant treatments, chemotherapy and every other possible procedure you could imagine, Robbie always jumped right back into life full force and never made you feel at will to feel sympathy for him. Working back home at the gym I was employed at, when he would walk in, the smile that illuminated on his face was so infectious that you couldn’t help but to feel on top of the world with him. Being around him was almost the opposite of what you’d expect from a cancer patient. He did absolutely EVERYTHING any ‘normal’ kid would do and never took for granted a single moment of his life. Instead of feeling bad for him, you almost couldn’t help but to feel bad for all those who weren’t enjoying life as much as Robbie did. He fought for life against all odds, and although he lost his battle just last week, he is someone I will look up to and admire Robbie for the rest of my life for having the physical strength and the positive mental capacity to live life like there was no tomorrow and to show the world how courageous he could be through such dire circumstances. People like Robbie come few and far between, but when you meet them… you are never the same. “Pride in being a nice guy since 1988.” (–Robbie’s default quote on Facebook)
My best friend growing up and throughout life, Cleveland (yes… he always caught a lot of flack for his name!), was the absolute most positive person I have ever met before. You would never guess that he lived each day in an extremely broken home where he almost daily suffered through abuse, poverty, and very little love and support. Talking to him was always such a positive experience, and his ability to relate to people was just outstanding. Never, ever did he project his problems onto anyone, and he always started every conversation wanting to know about how the other person was doing. People gravitated toward him like bees to honey and his energy could instantly snap you out of any negative moods. When I was younger, it was Cleveland who heard me humming a song and who encouraged me to sing it out loud. Being one of the most talented musicians imaginable, Cleveland found his happiness through his relationships with his friends and through music. Without him, I would have never found my own voice and it was he who was my inspiration to pursue music so heavily when growing up. I used to sing for hours and hours over the phone with and for him and he always supported me through anything I wanted to engage in. Nothing was ever too big for Cleveland and no matter how bad things were in his life, his courage always led him in directions typically opposite of most other people in his situation. To begin a new life for himself, he decided to courageously up and move to Colorado where he received an amazing career opportunity to head and revive the music department at a school where it had been suffering for years. He wanted so badly to escape the life that was destined for him, to live his dream and to defeat all the odds placed against him his entire life. He received his wish as his life only enhanced from that point forward. His next courageous step came in his decision to receive gastric bypass surgery to assist him in his weight-loss goals as he was a pretty hefty guy. After the surgery was over, he successfully lost over 100lbs (and counting!), and was working so hard to reach the goals he had set for himself. Upon my own decision to move to Las Vegas, Cleveland and I had planned on seeing each other as often as possible and he was still right by my side being one of my biggest supporters throughout that challenging time in my life. I was always amazed at how much he constantly ‘gave’, and how much he truly loved me for me, day after day, year after year, come rain or come shine. Right before my move, he had to go back into surgery for another gastrointestinal procedure and I was just beside myself with how far he had come in his journey, and how he never failed to be right there beside me during my own endeavors. During this second and less intense procedure, Cleveland tragically and devastatingly suffered a massive heart attack and didn’t make it through the surgery. Although I lost someone very close and dear to my heart on that day, I am able to take what I was blessed to be given from him and use it to find my own courage in this life and to ‘give’ to others what he never failed to give me. It truly goes to show that the cycle of ‘giving’ really does go full circle, and that even through loss we can find inspiration and courage, in turn, share it with others.
Back home in PA, I spent four years working for a gym that had grown and developed into a home away from home ever since I was little. During this time, I met so many amazing and courageous people who helped shape me into the person I am today and who helped guide me down my chosen path and career field as a personal trainer. Inspiration can sometimes be rare to find, but it’s always impossible to miss. My great friend, Dan, is one of these people who you just couldn’t miss. Not because he is paralyzed and in a wheelchair, but because he always wears a smile despite his disabilities and is one of the most delightful people you could ever hope to know in your lifetime. Having dove out of a tree at the age of 13 into shallow water appearing deep, Dan has spent the majority of his life wheelchair-bound without a chance or guarantee for full or any recovery. The irony of it all is that even in his disposition, he always seems happier than most everyone else around him and he speaks with such a positive demeanor that always rubs off on all those around him. In the years I have known Dan, he indirectly taught me so much about life and about never taking things for granted. Regardless of what life brought his way, he was always, always at the gym every Tuesday and Thursday morning and for a while before I moved, I had the great opportunity of training him on those days I was working. In and out of the hospital continuously due to the other conditions Dan’s immune system just couldn’t always fight off, I remember visiting him while he was in a coma on life-support and just feeling so upset that life could be so cruel to someone so incredible. When you have the honor of knowing someone like Dan, your perceptions, ‘realities’ and life change forever. Although I am 3,000 miles away, I think of Dan all the time. When I think I’m having a bad day, or if I let something get to me, my mind always, always reverts back to Dan and how hard he fights everyday just to stay alive and wake up the next day. I think of all the challenges he has faced and continues to battle through each day. I think about it because the truth is… I truly don’t know if I could ever be as courageous as Dan. I literally can’t even begin to imagine how different and challenging life would be in his shoes. There are people ALL over the world who have it SO much worse than me at any point in time when I could say I’m at my ‘worst’. A ‘bad’ day for me is a day someone like Dan would give anything in this world to experience. I have no business frowning if he can always find a way to smile. Without knowing it, knowing Dan has influenced me to be a better person and to never take life for granted. He literally lives FOR the day, and I think it’s a lesson we should all learn from and apply to our own lives. When I hear people complain about having a leaky faucet at home, breaking their watch, being too tired, needing a car repair, etc… I can’t help but wonder why if THIS is the worst of their ‘problems’, why aren’t they smiling?!... Maybe they have just never met someone like Dan.
The act of courage doesn’t always have to come directly from the people suffering through debilitating situations either. I see courage everyday, all around me in a positive light as well. Take my three friends, Leanne Nester, Jeremiah Carroll, and Martina Montgomery. Leanne is currently going through invasive training to become a Las Vegas Paramedic and is also working hard towards entering the Las Vegas Fire Department, Jeremiah was one of just 120 out of 1,500 applicants here in Vegas just accepted into the Fire Department, and Martina formerly served as one of the only females in the Las Vegas Police Department. Talking with Jeremiah the other day about his daily schedule and the absolute insanity he is dedicated to each day in his training, watching Leanne travel from training to work, to training to work, to work, and BACK to training each and everyday with little or no rest, and having discussions with Martina on what she had to go through just to get ON the LVPD, and what she was forced to handle on a daily basis, I can’t help but to just bow down in awe and admiration of the people who devote (and oftentimes volunteer) their time and lives to helping prevent tragedy, see people and situations at their absolute worst, and put their own lives at stake in lieu of saving or protecting another life. The same can also be said of many other professions as well such as the many, many, many friends and family of mine (and yours) who have served our country in all the different branches of the military and who put their lives on the line for us each and everyday. Although the stories that result from the people in these professions are heavily glorified and taken note of continuously through the news, media, community and even from some of their own personal experiences, I truly think that the individual people behind these acts of courage aren’t always appreciated enough for what they do. Although we are aware of these people and we hear about them, more often than not, it is the situation or people they save or protect that we hear about first and foremost. This is their career. This is their life. And even when we do hear about the hero behind the act, what we are sometimes jaded from and what I believe we take for granted is the fact that these individuals are literally miracle-workers. They go to work each day prepared to face situations the rest of us can’t even begin to fathom and each day they play guardian angel to families, communities, countries, and to the world. The courage these individuals unknowingly possess impresses me to no end as it truly takes a special person to have the desire and the mental and physical ability to face these situations head-on everyday. In being around people like Leanne, Jeremiah and Martina, I have grown so aware of the big and little courageous things people are doing each day for us that we may not think twice about. I also apply it to my own life and career in knowing that each person that walks into my life seeking my help has a fear of something. That each person in GENERAL is afraid of something. That part of my job is to take that person’s fear and help them find the courage to overcome it. It’s a quality we all possess and are able to do, but it is also a quality we have to be reminded about on occasion and sometimes nagged about.
These are only a couple of the many, many examples of courage that have influenced me to be the person I am today and of the billions of stories we could spend a lifetime talking about. There is something to learn from each person’s courage and no matter how glum the situation, there is always something beautiful and inspirational that will always emerge from it in time. Maybe not this instant. Maybe not tomorrow. Maybe not in a year. But eventually. As healthcare providers, we mustn’t ever forget to try and find the beauty that lies within the people who look to us for the courage to help them find their own. Each person will and does have a story. Each person has lived. Has lost. Has seen devastation. Tragedy. Has fought a battle and won. Has lost. These individuals possess more courage than we know for walking through our doors as for most of them, this experience alone can be terrifying and may have taken a significant amount of time to work up to.
We must approach each day like it’s our last and know we may not always win. The obstacles that Life burdens us with are in direct proportion to our strength and we must realize that we will never be thrown a ball that’s too heavy for us to catch. Appreciate all that’s around you and the next time you feel like complaining… smile.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength.” –August Wilson
“Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” –Mark Victor Hansen
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” –Theodore Roosevelt
“Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death.” –Earl Wilson
(Rest in peace, Robbie and Cleveland. I will always love you.)
Monday, November 2, 2009
"Optical Illusions"
The drive home was a blurry one. Gripping the steering wheel so tightly, I struggled to choke back tears as my faith and belief began to wither away. My world as I knew it was crumbling and the biggest challenge of my life was confronting me head-on.
Originally from Erie County, Pennsylvania and residing in a small town called Waterford, I was always a little girl with a big imagination and even bigger dreams. So big, in fact, that even I didn’t always take them seriously. Growing up modestly without many material items, imagination was the key to cure boredom and it was where I returned to on a daily basis. When friends would come over, we wouldn’t just simply play with toys and technology like most kids do nowadays, but we would be in the woods conveniently surrounding my house building castles with motes and living lavishly amongst the fantasy world we would create and believe in. We would ‘cook’ gourmet food, our careers were (obviously) no less than six figures, and most of the time even that wasn’t even an issue as anything we wanted we were able to create right before our very eyes. We would cruise around in our vehicles that never needed repaired (or gas!) and our houses were massive, always clean, and mortgage free. I grew up with the mentality that nothing was impossible because, for me, imagination had shown me that nothing WAS on the realm of ‘impossible’. I had lived each day vicariously in a different career doing whatever I desired at that moment in time, and the truth of it is that after a while, I really started to believe those things. My imagination took on a life of its own and I didn’t even understand the concept of ‘impossibilities’. As far as I knew, I didn’t have much, but at the same time, I was rich with everything I could possibly ever dream of (and dream I did!).
It seems strange to me that as the years pass and we are exposed to more and more people and more and more situations, our need for ‘safety’ increases and our emotions begin to get in the way of our belief system we have within ourselves. We become so easily influenced by those people and situations, that over time we actually believe these negative thoughts and we become worn down and pushed into fear of progressing into what is now known not as ‘imagination… but as ‘the unknown’.
Growing up myself, I didn’t have a lot, but I CREATED a lot. If I didn’t physically own something or if I wasn’t physically able to do something right at that moment (like… say… fly away), my mind would create the right conditions to make these endeavors completely viable and possible in my life. And each day I would find a way to make this happen. We all did. When we were lonely, we brought to life dolls, figurines, action figures, and tons of inanimate objects that probably made absolutely no sense to have ‘alive’. Although creating a friend out of thin air is not quite conducent to life as you get older, it doesn’t deter from the fact that most of us are guilty of lacking imagination and belief in what we may not be able to actually see before our eyes. Seeing tends to be where we find our belief, and we let our horizons end at an eye’s distance. This is explained perfectly in a quote made by Paul Chek: “The eyes only see what the mind knows.” I mean… read this over again a couple time and really digest what this is saying. Examine the truth exemplified in this simply complex statement. Now… Return to childhood when you actually could SEE the palace you created outside out of a few trees, some rocks, and the creek (aka: ‘mote’) in your backyard. Remember how transient time was and how we truly had no perception of ‘impossibility’. Anything was possible and everything WAS possible because we not only thought about what we wanted to do with our time and our lives, but we BELIEVED in it. We made all things possible not because we had to see them with our own eyes, but because our mind saw the final result. You see, the concept of belief can only be masked by our feelings of doubt, and oftentimes in life, what we doubt is what we fear. But think about this: If we do not possess doubt, then how can we truly say we possess faith? Belief is ascertained only by our ambitions to overlook doubt and fear and face the ‘impossible’ with an open and accepting mind that can bridge the gap between what we ‘see’ as the truth in a tangible sense and what we ‘envision’ in the distance as being unknown and fearful. Actual belief is about blind submission and being able to submerge yourself into the vigor of the ‘unknown’ with belief that what you want to happen is what is going to happen without having to actually see it. When we set aside our fears, we can begin to really discover ourselves and learn to ‘see’ our future without doubt to hold us back. We can move forward with our eyes always on that light at the end of the tunnel and our gaze can continue to be fixated without feeling the need to look over our shoulders and lose sight. When we ‘see’ in the distance our belief in our dreams and how our ideal life looks, we suddenly have grasped a control aspect to our lives that we hadn’t had prior to these ‘impossibilities’. Part of the reason so many people stop utilizing their imagination is because it diminishes their control over a situation. When you can’t physically see something with your own eyes, it is difficult to voucher for its existence in real time and it makes us feel as if we aren’t secure. The truth of the matter, Faithful Reader, is that without our visions to guide us forward, we will always be at a standstill. We will never know what that next step looks like or feels like because we will be lacking faith in its existence and we will actually have LESS control over our situations.
As I drove home that fateful day, I had let Life take control of the wheel even though I was the one behind it. Having known I was going to make the ‘impossible’ happen in a couple months by moving to Las Vegas by myself, I was stuck between a rock and a hard place with all the obstacles that life was throwing my way. As Life would have it, everything around me seemed to be ripping apart at the seams when it was supposed to be a time for me to embrace, enjoy and prepare myself for the changes that were to take place. As I was hit again HARD on this very day, my vision was completely fogged and the once transparent light up ahead was now shadowed by an opaque cloud of fear and doubt. Questions without answers swirled through my mind and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop shaking. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks… In that very moment in time, I realized how much I NEEDED to pull myself back together to make this work. My calling awaited me and the only thing stopping me from my destiny was ME. It wasn’t Life. It wasn’t these events. It wasn’t the ‘wall’ placed so strategically in front of my path. It was me. The deepest passion I had ever felt lied ahead of me a couple months away. What I desired more than anything else in the world was right at my fingertips… if I let it be. I just couldn’t give up as I was so close. If there’s one thing I have learned it’s that success can best be defined as learned failure, mistakes and setbacks. 99 out of 100 times, a person will ‘fail’, make a mistake, or have a setback in taking a risk. What most people can’t ‘imagine’, is that all it takes to reach your dreams is that ONE time. That one point when all the stars align and the pieces just fit together perfectly after ‘practicing’ for the other 99 times. If I can’t pull myself together, have confidence in myself and my life, and BELIEVE in my dreams, then how am I ever going to be effective at changing and having a positive impact on the lives of those around me as my entire career calls for? Doesn’t this revert back to the age-old saying of, “You can’t take care of someone else until you take care of yourself.”?
Right then, the fog began to dissipate and the light made itself just barely visible. Had I given into my disbelief, I may have never again found this light and I would have come to a standstill. The steps as I had previously envisioned would have ceased to exist and the platform my very feet touched would have crumbled with me on it. Faithful Reader, when you are in a profession dedicated to servicing others, you have to not only believe in your own endeavors, but you have to envision the final outcome of each client, patient and individual that walks through the doors to seek your advice, help, expertise and knowledge. Most of the people who we come in contact with aren’t going to believe in themselves to their full potential; They are going to rely on you to guide them in the right direction. They aren’t always going to know their full potential, because they have never reached it. The light at the end of the tunnel is going to be blurred and hard to follow for most individuals and they are going to need a second pair of eyes to help see them through. YOU are going to have to be their belief system, their second set of eyes and it is going to be your mission to help them ‘see’ and believe in the steps they can’t see for themselves. It is indeed a big responsibility, but it is absolutely not ‘impossible’ by any stretch of the word. If we can’t find it within ourselves to believe, how will we ever get those who seek our services to believe in us and to therefore believe in themselves? The answer is simple: We won’t. When you believe in something to the point where you can see the final outcome, it is much easier to invite others along for the ride. Let fear and doubt get in your way and not only will you be at a permanent standstill… but so will your clients. This journey and career path isn’t just about you, and this is something we always have to keep in the front of our minds and at an eyes distance away.
The times in life when belief is the hardest, it is of vital importance to look past the fog and know that regardless of how thick the wall is in front of you, the light is still shining. ‘See’ with your mind despite where life directs you as your eyes can only see as far as your mind can fathom… Sometimes it’s NOT seeing that’s believing.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
"All great masters are chiefly distinguished by the power of adding a second, a third, and perhaps a fourth step in a continuous line. Many a man has taken the first step. With every additional step you enhance immensely the value of your first." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
"If I had to select one quality, one personal characteristic that I regard as being most highly correlated with success, whatever the field, I would pick the trait of persistence. Determination. The will to endure to the end, to get knocked down seventy times and get up off the floor saying. "Here comes number seventy-one!" -Richard M. Devos
"Before success comes in any man's life he is sure to meet with much temporary defeat and, perhaps, some failures. When defeat overtakes a man, the easiest and most logical thing to do is to quit. That is exactly what the majority of men do." -Napoleon Hill
"What we do not see, what most of us never suspect of existing, is the silent but irresistible power which comes to the rescue of those who fight on in the face of discouragement." -Napoleon Hill
“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your own estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” –Marcus Aurilius
“Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities - always see them, for they're always there.” –Norman Vincent Peale
Originally from Erie County, Pennsylvania and residing in a small town called Waterford, I was always a little girl with a big imagination and even bigger dreams. So big, in fact, that even I didn’t always take them seriously. Growing up modestly without many material items, imagination was the key to cure boredom and it was where I returned to on a daily basis. When friends would come over, we wouldn’t just simply play with toys and technology like most kids do nowadays, but we would be in the woods conveniently surrounding my house building castles with motes and living lavishly amongst the fantasy world we would create and believe in. We would ‘cook’ gourmet food, our careers were (obviously) no less than six figures, and most of the time even that wasn’t even an issue as anything we wanted we were able to create right before our very eyes. We would cruise around in our vehicles that never needed repaired (or gas!) and our houses were massive, always clean, and mortgage free. I grew up with the mentality that nothing was impossible because, for me, imagination had shown me that nothing WAS on the realm of ‘impossible’. I had lived each day vicariously in a different career doing whatever I desired at that moment in time, and the truth of it is that after a while, I really started to believe those things. My imagination took on a life of its own and I didn’t even understand the concept of ‘impossibilities’. As far as I knew, I didn’t have much, but at the same time, I was rich with everything I could possibly ever dream of (and dream I did!).
It seems strange to me that as the years pass and we are exposed to more and more people and more and more situations, our need for ‘safety’ increases and our emotions begin to get in the way of our belief system we have within ourselves. We become so easily influenced by those people and situations, that over time we actually believe these negative thoughts and we become worn down and pushed into fear of progressing into what is now known not as ‘imagination… but as ‘the unknown’.
Growing up myself, I didn’t have a lot, but I CREATED a lot. If I didn’t physically own something or if I wasn’t physically able to do something right at that moment (like… say… fly away), my mind would create the right conditions to make these endeavors completely viable and possible in my life. And each day I would find a way to make this happen. We all did. When we were lonely, we brought to life dolls, figurines, action figures, and tons of inanimate objects that probably made absolutely no sense to have ‘alive’. Although creating a friend out of thin air is not quite conducent to life as you get older, it doesn’t deter from the fact that most of us are guilty of lacking imagination and belief in what we may not be able to actually see before our eyes. Seeing tends to be where we find our belief, and we let our horizons end at an eye’s distance. This is explained perfectly in a quote made by Paul Chek: “The eyes only see what the mind knows.” I mean… read this over again a couple time and really digest what this is saying. Examine the truth exemplified in this simply complex statement. Now… Return to childhood when you actually could SEE the palace you created outside out of a few trees, some rocks, and the creek (aka: ‘mote’) in your backyard. Remember how transient time was and how we truly had no perception of ‘impossibility’. Anything was possible and everything WAS possible because we not only thought about what we wanted to do with our time and our lives, but we BELIEVED in it. We made all things possible not because we had to see them with our own eyes, but because our mind saw the final result. You see, the concept of belief can only be masked by our feelings of doubt, and oftentimes in life, what we doubt is what we fear. But think about this: If we do not possess doubt, then how can we truly say we possess faith? Belief is ascertained only by our ambitions to overlook doubt and fear and face the ‘impossible’ with an open and accepting mind that can bridge the gap between what we ‘see’ as the truth in a tangible sense and what we ‘envision’ in the distance as being unknown and fearful. Actual belief is about blind submission and being able to submerge yourself into the vigor of the ‘unknown’ with belief that what you want to happen is what is going to happen without having to actually see it. When we set aside our fears, we can begin to really discover ourselves and learn to ‘see’ our future without doubt to hold us back. We can move forward with our eyes always on that light at the end of the tunnel and our gaze can continue to be fixated without feeling the need to look over our shoulders and lose sight. When we ‘see’ in the distance our belief in our dreams and how our ideal life looks, we suddenly have grasped a control aspect to our lives that we hadn’t had prior to these ‘impossibilities’. Part of the reason so many people stop utilizing their imagination is because it diminishes their control over a situation. When you can’t physically see something with your own eyes, it is difficult to voucher for its existence in real time and it makes us feel as if we aren’t secure. The truth of the matter, Faithful Reader, is that without our visions to guide us forward, we will always be at a standstill. We will never know what that next step looks like or feels like because we will be lacking faith in its existence and we will actually have LESS control over our situations.
As I drove home that fateful day, I had let Life take control of the wheel even though I was the one behind it. Having known I was going to make the ‘impossible’ happen in a couple months by moving to Las Vegas by myself, I was stuck between a rock and a hard place with all the obstacles that life was throwing my way. As Life would have it, everything around me seemed to be ripping apart at the seams when it was supposed to be a time for me to embrace, enjoy and prepare myself for the changes that were to take place. As I was hit again HARD on this very day, my vision was completely fogged and the once transparent light up ahead was now shadowed by an opaque cloud of fear and doubt. Questions without answers swirled through my mind and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop shaking. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks… In that very moment in time, I realized how much I NEEDED to pull myself back together to make this work. My calling awaited me and the only thing stopping me from my destiny was ME. It wasn’t Life. It wasn’t these events. It wasn’t the ‘wall’ placed so strategically in front of my path. It was me. The deepest passion I had ever felt lied ahead of me a couple months away. What I desired more than anything else in the world was right at my fingertips… if I let it be. I just couldn’t give up as I was so close. If there’s one thing I have learned it’s that success can best be defined as learned failure, mistakes and setbacks. 99 out of 100 times, a person will ‘fail’, make a mistake, or have a setback in taking a risk. What most people can’t ‘imagine’, is that all it takes to reach your dreams is that ONE time. That one point when all the stars align and the pieces just fit together perfectly after ‘practicing’ for the other 99 times. If I can’t pull myself together, have confidence in myself and my life, and BELIEVE in my dreams, then how am I ever going to be effective at changing and having a positive impact on the lives of those around me as my entire career calls for? Doesn’t this revert back to the age-old saying of, “You can’t take care of someone else until you take care of yourself.”?
Right then, the fog began to dissipate and the light made itself just barely visible. Had I given into my disbelief, I may have never again found this light and I would have come to a standstill. The steps as I had previously envisioned would have ceased to exist and the platform my very feet touched would have crumbled with me on it. Faithful Reader, when you are in a profession dedicated to servicing others, you have to not only believe in your own endeavors, but you have to envision the final outcome of each client, patient and individual that walks through the doors to seek your advice, help, expertise and knowledge. Most of the people who we come in contact with aren’t going to believe in themselves to their full potential; They are going to rely on you to guide them in the right direction. They aren’t always going to know their full potential, because they have never reached it. The light at the end of the tunnel is going to be blurred and hard to follow for most individuals and they are going to need a second pair of eyes to help see them through. YOU are going to have to be their belief system, their second set of eyes and it is going to be your mission to help them ‘see’ and believe in the steps they can’t see for themselves. It is indeed a big responsibility, but it is absolutely not ‘impossible’ by any stretch of the word. If we can’t find it within ourselves to believe, how will we ever get those who seek our services to believe in us and to therefore believe in themselves? The answer is simple: We won’t. When you believe in something to the point where you can see the final outcome, it is much easier to invite others along for the ride. Let fear and doubt get in your way and not only will you be at a permanent standstill… but so will your clients. This journey and career path isn’t just about you, and this is something we always have to keep in the front of our minds and at an eyes distance away.
The times in life when belief is the hardest, it is of vital importance to look past the fog and know that regardless of how thick the wall is in front of you, the light is still shining. ‘See’ with your mind despite where life directs you as your eyes can only see as far as your mind can fathom… Sometimes it’s NOT seeing that’s believing.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
"All great masters are chiefly distinguished by the power of adding a second, a third, and perhaps a fourth step in a continuous line. Many a man has taken the first step. With every additional step you enhance immensely the value of your first." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
"If I had to select one quality, one personal characteristic that I regard as being most highly correlated with success, whatever the field, I would pick the trait of persistence. Determination. The will to endure to the end, to get knocked down seventy times and get up off the floor saying. "Here comes number seventy-one!" -Richard M. Devos
"Before success comes in any man's life he is sure to meet with much temporary defeat and, perhaps, some failures. When defeat overtakes a man, the easiest and most logical thing to do is to quit. That is exactly what the majority of men do." -Napoleon Hill
"What we do not see, what most of us never suspect of existing, is the silent but irresistible power which comes to the rescue of those who fight on in the face of discouragement." -Napoleon Hill
“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your own estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” –Marcus Aurilius
“Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities - always see them, for they're always there.” –Norman Vincent Peale
Monday, October 26, 2009
Mirror, Mirror On the Wall...
“What is your favorite thing about yourself?”… Belief instills I am correct in assuming I caught you off-guard with that question. Why is it that we spend all day helping other people recognize the greatness within themselves (as health care providers), yet we rarely take the time to ask ourselves personally this same question?
While I was in school, I was really into an exercise psychology book that presented endless ways on how to appropriately approach clients and athletes on a mental level to help them achieve an optimal mindset for performance as well as everyday life. Within the pages of the book, there were numerous sample questionnaires to be filled out by the applicant that could help the trainer, coach, etc… get a better idea of where this person stands on a mental level. Curious, I decided it would be in my own best interest to take the questionnaires as it was part of my studies and something I should experience myself before ever implementing (not to mention I was kind of curious as well…). One of the questions I came across was the question, “What is your favorite thing about yourself?”. To my own surprise, I found myself stopped in my tracks as I actually had to think of what the answer might be! “Well,” I thought, “I guess I kind of like my eyelashes, but as my favorite?... And then I sort of like my skin tone and complexion, but not with all these summer tan lines and that one zit that won’t seem to go away… but WAIT… Do I maybe have a decent physique?... Maybe, but I’m not where I’d like to be.” Sigh…. Why was this so difficult?
Weirdly enough (and I’m sure you have heard it all before), we are our own worst critics. Because we get to spend 24 hours a day with and in our bodies, we get to know every single ‘flaw’, every single ‘imperfection’, and every single thing that could be made better ‘If only…”. We are competitive by human nature and evolution created us to aspire to be a better mate than the person standing next to us. The truly ironic part is that no matter how much we want to be the person standing next to us or on that magazine cover, this opportunity will never arise. We will never be somebody else and we should never want to. Each person has their own individual characteristics of which makes them stand out and special. Each person has their own quirks, their own room for improvements. If we were all the same or if we all spent our lives trying to be someone else, we would never truly be recognized for our own unique qualities, talents, personalities and looks.
One of my best friends and my co-worker, Kristina Lindquist, made a comment one day at our Health Profile Institute Certification Course that really resonated with me deeply and I never forgot it. She expressed that one of the first things she asks a new client isn’t “What are you trying to improve?”, or “What is it you are unhappy with?”, but she asks the question of, “What do you love most about yourself?”. I found this interesting and could completely resound with why this question could possibly be extremely meaningful in a first exchange with a new client. Think about it; We already spend so much time critiquing and criticizing ourselves for our flaws, for our blemishes, for all the things that make us unique. Rarely does a person spend time relishing the things that they love or picking out the certain characteristics about themselves that are positive attributes. As a trainer myself, I found this deeply regarding as personal training in general is based on self-improvement and in really channeling into the things the client wants and needs to improve mentally, physically, emotionally and (sometimes) spiritually. Oftentimes, we face extreme circumstances of clients who are physically disabled, overweight, mentally broken down and/or stressed, on loads of medication, diseased, and just overall not where they want to be physically and/or mentally. If they were completely satisfied with themselves, they wouldn’t be seeking US for help. With that said, we already can assume there are things the client is unhappy with. Of course, you want to find this out as well as it is exactly what you need to know to design your program for them and how to work around their problem areas, however, think about how beneficial it would ALSO be to know what the client liked about him/herself. You would always have that positive feedback to revert back to and embellish upon with and for the client, and by getting them to admit something they are happy about, they can learn to recognize and be proud of their positive attributes and the things that make them special and really start getting acclimated to positive reinforcement. Understand again: Your clients aren’t coming to you because they are satisfied. They want and need you to help them make the life changes that they aren’t happy about and that they feel need improvement. They don’t call it ‘Personal’ Training for nothing. The journey our clients are on can be tremendously overwhelming and emotional, and when we work for hours each week with the people who seek our expertise, we need to help them embrace both the good and the bad. We need to encourage them and let them know they are special. We need to point out both the bad AND the good and help them to see the glass as half full so they can keep pressing forward no matter how difficult the circumstances may be. We need to motivate and coach them through the execution of their entire session, and we need to believe in them and get them to believe in themselves. You are their inspiration!
I see it all the time in those ‘trainers’ who have no business being in this type of industry. They neglect the mental component and aspect of training. Fitness, health and wellness is a universal, personal and emotional thing for all of us, and it is something that everyone in the world can relate to regardless of race, age, gender, religion, etc. Try this on for size… What is the one and only event held in the world where the entire GLOBAL POPULATION gets together to participate in and watch as ONE? The Olympics! Coincidence? I think not. It is the sole event where the entire world can forget about war, prejudism, terrorism, etc., and just be together. Pretty remarkable, huh? Let’s not take this for granted when we are training clients, and let’s realize they are on a remarkable journey themselves and that that journey is and is going to be emotional, life-changing, and unforgettable. And YOU are the one who they have chosen to be by their side throughout the duration of this journey. To help them to see themselves in a positive light and enforce and encourage them to believe in themselves.
So, let’s work on this together. I challenge you, Faithful Reader, to open up a notebook and list everything you love about yourself. And do this with all things aside. This is your own journey and self discovery and we also need some positive reinforcement once and a while to keep us going. Don’t be surprised by your modesty and embrace what it is that makes you special as an individual. Be able to look in the mirror each day and love the things that make you who you are. Feel and become familiar with your own emotions and keep them close with you during each session. Create the example you wish for others to follow.
Reverting back to that fateful day in school… Taking a deep breath, I hesitated as the tip of my pencil hovered over the spaces where my words were supposed to be encrypted. I thought to myself, “You know what, Emma? How is your confidence going to be convincing to those around you if you aren’t even convinced yourself?” So, right then and there, I didn’t just write the one thing I loved most, but I threw in the towel and created a whole LIST. As I wrote, I realized that even my ‘imperfections’ gave me character. The scar on my left knee cap that never went away after I fell off my bike in kindergarten… Hey! I completely forgot about that story! I realized that even the things I considered to be ‘flawed’, were actually reminders of things that made me who I am today, and they also prompted me to remember that I am still on a journey just like the people I train. Although our journeys may have different goals and stories behind them, we are all still together in the journey toward self-improvement (Whatever that may entail for each person on an individual basis).
Embracing what we love is just as, if not more, important than stating and recognizing what we don’t. On our journey to help others bask in this light, keep the list you created close to your heart and refer to it during each of the hours you dedicate to helping another person. The environment you work in and live is a direct reflection of your own attitude and expectations… Let the mirror do all the talking for you.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“The human understanding is like a false mirror, which, receiving rays irregularly distorts and discolors the nature of things by mingling its own nature with it.” –Francis Bacon, Sr
“It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.” -Author Unknown
“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within.” -Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
“I've spent most of my life walking under that hovering cloud, jealousy, whose acid raindrops blurred my vision and burned holes in my heart. Once I learned to use the umbrella of confidence, the skies cleared up for me and the sunshine called joy became my faithful companion.” -Astrid Alauda
While I was in school, I was really into an exercise psychology book that presented endless ways on how to appropriately approach clients and athletes on a mental level to help them achieve an optimal mindset for performance as well as everyday life. Within the pages of the book, there were numerous sample questionnaires to be filled out by the applicant that could help the trainer, coach, etc… get a better idea of where this person stands on a mental level. Curious, I decided it would be in my own best interest to take the questionnaires as it was part of my studies and something I should experience myself before ever implementing (not to mention I was kind of curious as well…). One of the questions I came across was the question, “What is your favorite thing about yourself?”. To my own surprise, I found myself stopped in my tracks as I actually had to think of what the answer might be! “Well,” I thought, “I guess I kind of like my eyelashes, but as my favorite?... And then I sort of like my skin tone and complexion, but not with all these summer tan lines and that one zit that won’t seem to go away… but WAIT… Do I maybe have a decent physique?... Maybe, but I’m not where I’d like to be.” Sigh…. Why was this so difficult?
Weirdly enough (and I’m sure you have heard it all before), we are our own worst critics. Because we get to spend 24 hours a day with and in our bodies, we get to know every single ‘flaw’, every single ‘imperfection’, and every single thing that could be made better ‘If only…”. We are competitive by human nature and evolution created us to aspire to be a better mate than the person standing next to us. The truly ironic part is that no matter how much we want to be the person standing next to us or on that magazine cover, this opportunity will never arise. We will never be somebody else and we should never want to. Each person has their own individual characteristics of which makes them stand out and special. Each person has their own quirks, their own room for improvements. If we were all the same or if we all spent our lives trying to be someone else, we would never truly be recognized for our own unique qualities, talents, personalities and looks.
One of my best friends and my co-worker, Kristina Lindquist, made a comment one day at our Health Profile Institute Certification Course that really resonated with me deeply and I never forgot it. She expressed that one of the first things she asks a new client isn’t “What are you trying to improve?”, or “What is it you are unhappy with?”, but she asks the question of, “What do you love most about yourself?”. I found this interesting and could completely resound with why this question could possibly be extremely meaningful in a first exchange with a new client. Think about it; We already spend so much time critiquing and criticizing ourselves for our flaws, for our blemishes, for all the things that make us unique. Rarely does a person spend time relishing the things that they love or picking out the certain characteristics about themselves that are positive attributes. As a trainer myself, I found this deeply regarding as personal training in general is based on self-improvement and in really channeling into the things the client wants and needs to improve mentally, physically, emotionally and (sometimes) spiritually. Oftentimes, we face extreme circumstances of clients who are physically disabled, overweight, mentally broken down and/or stressed, on loads of medication, diseased, and just overall not where they want to be physically and/or mentally. If they were completely satisfied with themselves, they wouldn’t be seeking US for help. With that said, we already can assume there are things the client is unhappy with. Of course, you want to find this out as well as it is exactly what you need to know to design your program for them and how to work around their problem areas, however, think about how beneficial it would ALSO be to know what the client liked about him/herself. You would always have that positive feedback to revert back to and embellish upon with and for the client, and by getting them to admit something they are happy about, they can learn to recognize and be proud of their positive attributes and the things that make them special and really start getting acclimated to positive reinforcement. Understand again: Your clients aren’t coming to you because they are satisfied. They want and need you to help them make the life changes that they aren’t happy about and that they feel need improvement. They don’t call it ‘Personal’ Training for nothing. The journey our clients are on can be tremendously overwhelming and emotional, and when we work for hours each week with the people who seek our expertise, we need to help them embrace both the good and the bad. We need to encourage them and let them know they are special. We need to point out both the bad AND the good and help them to see the glass as half full so they can keep pressing forward no matter how difficult the circumstances may be. We need to motivate and coach them through the execution of their entire session, and we need to believe in them and get them to believe in themselves. You are their inspiration!
I see it all the time in those ‘trainers’ who have no business being in this type of industry. They neglect the mental component and aspect of training. Fitness, health and wellness is a universal, personal and emotional thing for all of us, and it is something that everyone in the world can relate to regardless of race, age, gender, religion, etc. Try this on for size… What is the one and only event held in the world where the entire GLOBAL POPULATION gets together to participate in and watch as ONE? The Olympics! Coincidence? I think not. It is the sole event where the entire world can forget about war, prejudism, terrorism, etc., and just be together. Pretty remarkable, huh? Let’s not take this for granted when we are training clients, and let’s realize they are on a remarkable journey themselves and that that journey is and is going to be emotional, life-changing, and unforgettable. And YOU are the one who they have chosen to be by their side throughout the duration of this journey. To help them to see themselves in a positive light and enforce and encourage them to believe in themselves.
So, let’s work on this together. I challenge you, Faithful Reader, to open up a notebook and list everything you love about yourself. And do this with all things aside. This is your own journey and self discovery and we also need some positive reinforcement once and a while to keep us going. Don’t be surprised by your modesty and embrace what it is that makes you special as an individual. Be able to look in the mirror each day and love the things that make you who you are. Feel and become familiar with your own emotions and keep them close with you during each session. Create the example you wish for others to follow.
Reverting back to that fateful day in school… Taking a deep breath, I hesitated as the tip of my pencil hovered over the spaces where my words were supposed to be encrypted. I thought to myself, “You know what, Emma? How is your confidence going to be convincing to those around you if you aren’t even convinced yourself?” So, right then and there, I didn’t just write the one thing I loved most, but I threw in the towel and created a whole LIST. As I wrote, I realized that even my ‘imperfections’ gave me character. The scar on my left knee cap that never went away after I fell off my bike in kindergarten… Hey! I completely forgot about that story! I realized that even the things I considered to be ‘flawed’, were actually reminders of things that made me who I am today, and they also prompted me to remember that I am still on a journey just like the people I train. Although our journeys may have different goals and stories behind them, we are all still together in the journey toward self-improvement (Whatever that may entail for each person on an individual basis).
Embracing what we love is just as, if not more, important than stating and recognizing what we don’t. On our journey to help others bask in this light, keep the list you created close to your heart and refer to it during each of the hours you dedicate to helping another person. The environment you work in and live is a direct reflection of your own attitude and expectations… Let the mirror do all the talking for you.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“The human understanding is like a false mirror, which, receiving rays irregularly distorts and discolors the nature of things by mingling its own nature with it.” –Francis Bacon, Sr
“It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.” -Author Unknown
“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within.” -Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
“I've spent most of my life walking under that hovering cloud, jealousy, whose acid raindrops blurred my vision and burned holes in my heart. Once I learned to use the umbrella of confidence, the skies cleared up for me and the sunshine called joy became my faithful companion.” -Astrid Alauda
Monday, October 19, 2009
Acting On a New 'Idea'
Reading my Mapquest directions, I drove out of The Ridges in gorgeous Summerlin after leaving work early prepared to locate yet another facility around town, down a road less travelled. Each and every day we are all struck with opportunities, crossroads, and forks in the road that divert our attention to doors that are either just cracked or fully open. It is up to us, and us alone, to not fear walking through these doors to see what may lie on the other side.
I find that the drive to each Connect To Fitness Event is a time in which reflection and reminiscence take over the moment. I typically don’t listen to music on my way (which is REALLY rare), and I just let my mind wander as I sit back with the Las Vegas air streaming through my hair, sunshine on my skin and really just take some time to recap how I got from Point A to Point B. It never ceases to amaze me what a little careful planning without searching can do.
Have you ever went to tell someone something important only to completely forget until later what the heck you were going to say when all is said and done? Or have you ever walked into a room with the intention to get or do something, and the intention itself escapes you until you leave the room and are on your way once again? Well… Life isn’t much different in this regard. Throughout life, I always felt an insatiable need for something I was constantly searching for. High and low, it seemed that the only doors I allowed myself to see were the ones I physically opened myself. There was always a missing link to the puzzle that seemed to escape me no matter how much time I spent looking for it. Whether it was relationships, which path to take for my future, or how to get from one point to the next, the answer just never seemed to be anywhere I looked!
As I drove out of the luxurious Ridges in Summerlin after an awesome day of work at Club Ridges, I hopped on the highway and ventured to my own unexpected reality of a dream come true with Connect To Fitness. I thought back to the day shortly after I had moved out here when Darian sat me down and talked to me about this ‘idea’ he had called Connect To Fitness and about the involvement he envisioned me having. At the time, I was star-struck to begin with as the ‘idea’ really wasn’t anything I had ever heard of prior to that conversation, and I just felt so faithful about the bottom line of the mission and with my position in the organization. I never in my wildest dreams would have guessed just HOW involved I would be in this awesome idea.
As I came to, I realized that I was almost to The Hara Center (http://useyourhara.com/), where our event was being held. Holding my hand-written directions (I admit to not having a printer…), I pulled up into the parking lot and noticed that most of the businesses in the same building were closed, yet the parking lot was reasonably full with vehicles. I got out and saw I had arrived at the same time as Troy Meier, my Fitness Director at Dragon Ridge Tennis and Athletic Center, and I greeted him as we walked toward the same destination. Just as we began walking in the wrong direction, out comes Darian from the doors of Hara’s to lead us in the right direction with his always enthusiastic and welcoming salutations. So, to the doors of Hara’s we went!
On my way to the door, I realized the irony as I got closer as the door was standing wide open awaiting a new and unexpected adventure. All I had to do was simply walk through it. As I entered inside, I was welcomed this time by Darian’s amazing wife, Michelle, who was handing out all the creative handouts the staff at Hara’s put together including a ‘favorite recipe’ card, a health quiz to complete and hand in for raffle tickets (and extra shots at our prize give-away!) as well as some information on Hara’s class schedules, pricing, and an entire itinerary for the event (not to mention the awesome bright orange ‘Hara’ pen that everyone received to fill out the paperwork!). As I thanked Michelle, I peeled my eyes away from the pen (it was a pretty cool pen!), and looked up. To my surprise (sort of) and astonishment (again… sort of), the room was already filled with people and there was already conversations and networking happening throughout the room. The packed parking lot was definitely due to this event! Not only that, but there was actually a line waiting to sign into the event. It was definitely something to smile about.
When you first walk into the Hara Center, you are immediately greeted to the left by the awesome front desk staff are just so kind, friendly and approachable. Over to the right, you can purchase any number of workout clothes and activewear to feed your frenzy, and for the event, any attendees received 25% off their entire purchase! Moving to the back of the room, you notice how awesome the ambiance is created to suit the studio through the use of color with tans, oranges, deep reds and a touch of yellow. As you cross through the rest of the room showcasing their activewear, you can be sure that your eyes will not be bored with your surroundings. Towards the back of the room, you could find the cooler set up by Charles Ware of PFI loaded with both bottled water and Vitamin Water, and on the far left was an entire table set up loaded with food. From ground turkey burgers, lettuce, tomato and whole wheat pitas, to healthy chips and pita chips with hummus dip, there was something for everyone (and it was all incredible!).
Moving into the room in the back, this same ambiance is carried to create a really zen-like atmosphere and you immediately notice the large mirrors and the bars attached to the ceiling to help assist the massage therapists with their Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy Massages. Ashiatsu is a really neat alternative to traditional massage therapy as the bars are held by the therapist’s hands throughout the duration of the massage, and the therapist actually use their feet as hands to provide a deeper, less painful and more beneficial massage overall. The bars are used for balance and gravitational assistance, which is pretty impressive! Their bodywork menu also includes foot massages, Swedish, Sports, Injury, Deep Tissue, Myofascial Release, and Prenatal as well as Ashi-Thai massages. You don’t want to miss out on their treatments, and if you need a great reference or testimonial from a trustworthy individual, look no further than Dr. Darian Parker, who went back to Hara’s with his wife the following day to receive a treatment.
The gift of Hara’s doesn’t stop giving either. You can take any number of their innovative group exercise fitness and/or dance classes, (listen to this, personal trainers…) you can rent out their studio with clients for only $25.00/hour, and you can purchase a membership to Hara’s where you will receive generous and discounted benefits and perks to make your experience even more grandiose each time you visit.
For the sake of the event, we were fortunate enough to have Arthur Hsu and Haley Hollander at the event presenting live demos of and with their TRX Suspension Training Systems, which they conveniently hung on the massage bars on the ceiling. If you aren’t familiar with the TRX System (once again: to all you health and fitness gurus!), it is definitely something to become familiar with as they are becoming more prevalent in the industry and it is a ‘trend’ that looks like it’s going to be around for a long time to come. Arthur demonstrated a full-body workout and had the attention of everyone in at the event. After the demo, he was able to work one-on-one with many of the guests who expressed specific interest in this innovative training style.
After the TRX demo, Darian and I announced the winners of the first prize giveaway (which is always one of our favorite parts of the events), and, as always, we had some amazing prizes donated from some of our fantastic sponsors. We had some amazing prizes ranging from a Travel Trainer from Scott Lenz at AFP, a couple Professional Fitness Institute backpacks stuffed to the max as usual from Charles Ware and the PFI staff, free personal training from Tracy at Studio 222, and many more.
As I wandered around after the prize giveaway, mingling with familiar and new faces, I once again let my mind just take in the moment and I felt so proud to be a part of this amazing journey. To think this all started as an ‘idea’! I thought about how much more fulfilling the lives of others would be if they were to just walk through these ‘doors’ that approach them everyday. Think to yourself once again about a time (and everyone has had at least one of these times) when you see someone else ‘commercializing’ on an idea that you ‘came up with’. Have you ever watched an infomercial, or read a magazine and saw that someone else ‘stole’ an idea you came up with years ago? Well, you can’t take credit for this endeavor as you weren’t the one who took the opportunity to make it a reality. For those of us who put those ideas in the backs of our minds, we can’t claim it as our own as we weren’t the ones who walked through that door that was wide open. Rather, we sat back until someone else walked through the door first. This is a common venture that happens to people everyday, and the more people I meet and the older I get, I realize how rare these people are who are willing to step through a door without someone else entering first. I am proud to say that Darian Parker is one of these rare exceptions and he is able to see his dreams and goals stretch so distant in the future that it’s actually difficult sometimes to fathom his ‘ideas’. He leads by a great example, and (as the numbers from the events show) more and more people are catching on and walking through those same doors themselves to take that risk of being a part of something monumental. With him, there is no such thing as an ‘idea’. It is all a reality that is going to happen, and it is an example that we should all follow in our own lives so life doesn’t pass us by and leave us with closed doors.
As I made my way around the room, gabbing and snapping photos, the next demonstration was scheduled to begin before I even realized it. Three women from MOKSHA and Bikram Yoga by Biram Yoga SW (located right in the same building!) came in to demonstrate a snip-it of what you could expect to get if you were to attend one of their Bikram yoga classes. If you aren’t familiar with Bikram, it’s yoga in extreme heat of between 98-102 degrees (at least with this particular studio. Temperatures do fluctuate depending upon where you take it), and it readily allows for better and more lax movement from the body being heated as well as a more detoxifying experience as the added sweat and perspiration during class removes and releases everyday toxins out of our pores and body more easily. If you are into yoga and haven’t yet experienced the benefits of Bikram, give it shot and see for yourself how great your body feels afterwards.
Once again, after this demonstration, Darian and I had our second prize giveaway which included another bag from PFI, towels and gym bags donated from our awesome TRX representatives, as well as some awesome prizes from Hara’s themselves including a large bag loaded with gifts, a free 60 minute massage, and an entire year membership to their facility. The prize giveaways are always so humbling and it is just the best feeling to give to others and to see the facial expressions of those whose ticket number is called. There is nothing better than giving to others, as it always comes around full circle.
As the event tapered down, we began our final announcements regarding our final events of the year in the month of November and let everyone know that November 7th, we are having an event at Kaizen Crossfit (http://www.kaizencrossfit.com/) at 4:30pm (RSVP asap as space is limited!), as well as our final event of the year which will take place at REI in Boca Park (http://www.rei.com/) the following Saturday the 14th of November from 4:00-7:00pm. Both events will be jam-packed with surprises and things you don’t want to miss, so please RSVP to both events asap to Darian Parker, Heather Doane or myself or email the CTF staff at Connecttofitness@gmail.com to reserve your spot!
As the event tapered down and guests began filing out, Darian, Heather and I were all smiles after another successful event came to an end. As we, also, filed out the doors after the final guests left, we exchanged our ‘goodbyes’ and all went our separate ways.
The ride home was as serene as the ride to the event as the event replayed in my mind the entire ride home. While listening and dancing to Miley Cyrus’s song “Party in the USA”, I smiled as I came to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a ‘bad’ idea. With that said and done… Wouldn’t your ideas be so much more appealing coupled with an action?
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“Ideas can be life-changing. Sometimes all you need to open the door is just one more good idea.” -Jim Rohn
“If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it.” -Albert Einstein
“A pile of rocks ceases to be a rock when somebody contemplates it with the idea of a cathedral in mind.” -Antoine de Saint-Exupery
“Everyone who's ever taken a shower has an idea. It's the person who gets out of the shower, dries off and does something about it who makes a difference.” -Nolan Bushnell
I find that the drive to each Connect To Fitness Event is a time in which reflection and reminiscence take over the moment. I typically don’t listen to music on my way (which is REALLY rare), and I just let my mind wander as I sit back with the Las Vegas air streaming through my hair, sunshine on my skin and really just take some time to recap how I got from Point A to Point B. It never ceases to amaze me what a little careful planning without searching can do.
Have you ever went to tell someone something important only to completely forget until later what the heck you were going to say when all is said and done? Or have you ever walked into a room with the intention to get or do something, and the intention itself escapes you until you leave the room and are on your way once again? Well… Life isn’t much different in this regard. Throughout life, I always felt an insatiable need for something I was constantly searching for. High and low, it seemed that the only doors I allowed myself to see were the ones I physically opened myself. There was always a missing link to the puzzle that seemed to escape me no matter how much time I spent looking for it. Whether it was relationships, which path to take for my future, or how to get from one point to the next, the answer just never seemed to be anywhere I looked!
As I drove out of the luxurious Ridges in Summerlin after an awesome day of work at Club Ridges, I hopped on the highway and ventured to my own unexpected reality of a dream come true with Connect To Fitness. I thought back to the day shortly after I had moved out here when Darian sat me down and talked to me about this ‘idea’ he had called Connect To Fitness and about the involvement he envisioned me having. At the time, I was star-struck to begin with as the ‘idea’ really wasn’t anything I had ever heard of prior to that conversation, and I just felt so faithful about the bottom line of the mission and with my position in the organization. I never in my wildest dreams would have guessed just HOW involved I would be in this awesome idea.
As I came to, I realized that I was almost to The Hara Center (http://useyourhara.com/), where our event was being held. Holding my hand-written directions (I admit to not having a printer…), I pulled up into the parking lot and noticed that most of the businesses in the same building were closed, yet the parking lot was reasonably full with vehicles. I got out and saw I had arrived at the same time as Troy Meier, my Fitness Director at Dragon Ridge Tennis and Athletic Center, and I greeted him as we walked toward the same destination. Just as we began walking in the wrong direction, out comes Darian from the doors of Hara’s to lead us in the right direction with his always enthusiastic and welcoming salutations. So, to the doors of Hara’s we went!
On my way to the door, I realized the irony as I got closer as the door was standing wide open awaiting a new and unexpected adventure. All I had to do was simply walk through it. As I entered inside, I was welcomed this time by Darian’s amazing wife, Michelle, who was handing out all the creative handouts the staff at Hara’s put together including a ‘favorite recipe’ card, a health quiz to complete and hand in for raffle tickets (and extra shots at our prize give-away!) as well as some information on Hara’s class schedules, pricing, and an entire itinerary for the event (not to mention the awesome bright orange ‘Hara’ pen that everyone received to fill out the paperwork!). As I thanked Michelle, I peeled my eyes away from the pen (it was a pretty cool pen!), and looked up. To my surprise (sort of) and astonishment (again… sort of), the room was already filled with people and there was already conversations and networking happening throughout the room. The packed parking lot was definitely due to this event! Not only that, but there was actually a line waiting to sign into the event. It was definitely something to smile about.
When you first walk into the Hara Center, you are immediately greeted to the left by the awesome front desk staff are just so kind, friendly and approachable. Over to the right, you can purchase any number of workout clothes and activewear to feed your frenzy, and for the event, any attendees received 25% off their entire purchase! Moving to the back of the room, you notice how awesome the ambiance is created to suit the studio through the use of color with tans, oranges, deep reds and a touch of yellow. As you cross through the rest of the room showcasing their activewear, you can be sure that your eyes will not be bored with your surroundings. Towards the back of the room, you could find the cooler set up by Charles Ware of PFI loaded with both bottled water and Vitamin Water, and on the far left was an entire table set up loaded with food. From ground turkey burgers, lettuce, tomato and whole wheat pitas, to healthy chips and pita chips with hummus dip, there was something for everyone (and it was all incredible!).
Moving into the room in the back, this same ambiance is carried to create a really zen-like atmosphere and you immediately notice the large mirrors and the bars attached to the ceiling to help assist the massage therapists with their Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy Massages. Ashiatsu is a really neat alternative to traditional massage therapy as the bars are held by the therapist’s hands throughout the duration of the massage, and the therapist actually use their feet as hands to provide a deeper, less painful and more beneficial massage overall. The bars are used for balance and gravitational assistance, which is pretty impressive! Their bodywork menu also includes foot massages, Swedish, Sports, Injury, Deep Tissue, Myofascial Release, and Prenatal as well as Ashi-Thai massages. You don’t want to miss out on their treatments, and if you need a great reference or testimonial from a trustworthy individual, look no further than Dr. Darian Parker, who went back to Hara’s with his wife the following day to receive a treatment.
The gift of Hara’s doesn’t stop giving either. You can take any number of their innovative group exercise fitness and/or dance classes, (listen to this, personal trainers…) you can rent out their studio with clients for only $25.00/hour, and you can purchase a membership to Hara’s where you will receive generous and discounted benefits and perks to make your experience even more grandiose each time you visit.
For the sake of the event, we were fortunate enough to have Arthur Hsu and Haley Hollander at the event presenting live demos of and with their TRX Suspension Training Systems, which they conveniently hung on the massage bars on the ceiling. If you aren’t familiar with the TRX System (once again: to all you health and fitness gurus!), it is definitely something to become familiar with as they are becoming more prevalent in the industry and it is a ‘trend’ that looks like it’s going to be around for a long time to come. Arthur demonstrated a full-body workout and had the attention of everyone in at the event. After the demo, he was able to work one-on-one with many of the guests who expressed specific interest in this innovative training style.
After the TRX demo, Darian and I announced the winners of the first prize giveaway (which is always one of our favorite parts of the events), and, as always, we had some amazing prizes donated from some of our fantastic sponsors. We had some amazing prizes ranging from a Travel Trainer from Scott Lenz at AFP, a couple Professional Fitness Institute backpacks stuffed to the max as usual from Charles Ware and the PFI staff, free personal training from Tracy at Studio 222, and many more.
As I wandered around after the prize giveaway, mingling with familiar and new faces, I once again let my mind just take in the moment and I felt so proud to be a part of this amazing journey. To think this all started as an ‘idea’! I thought about how much more fulfilling the lives of others would be if they were to just walk through these ‘doors’ that approach them everyday. Think to yourself once again about a time (and everyone has had at least one of these times) when you see someone else ‘commercializing’ on an idea that you ‘came up with’. Have you ever watched an infomercial, or read a magazine and saw that someone else ‘stole’ an idea you came up with years ago? Well, you can’t take credit for this endeavor as you weren’t the one who took the opportunity to make it a reality. For those of us who put those ideas in the backs of our minds, we can’t claim it as our own as we weren’t the ones who walked through that door that was wide open. Rather, we sat back until someone else walked through the door first. This is a common venture that happens to people everyday, and the more people I meet and the older I get, I realize how rare these people are who are willing to step through a door without someone else entering first. I am proud to say that Darian Parker is one of these rare exceptions and he is able to see his dreams and goals stretch so distant in the future that it’s actually difficult sometimes to fathom his ‘ideas’. He leads by a great example, and (as the numbers from the events show) more and more people are catching on and walking through those same doors themselves to take that risk of being a part of something monumental. With him, there is no such thing as an ‘idea’. It is all a reality that is going to happen, and it is an example that we should all follow in our own lives so life doesn’t pass us by and leave us with closed doors.
As I made my way around the room, gabbing and snapping photos, the next demonstration was scheduled to begin before I even realized it. Three women from MOKSHA and Bikram Yoga by Biram Yoga SW (located right in the same building!) came in to demonstrate a snip-it of what you could expect to get if you were to attend one of their Bikram yoga classes. If you aren’t familiar with Bikram, it’s yoga in extreme heat of between 98-102 degrees (at least with this particular studio. Temperatures do fluctuate depending upon where you take it), and it readily allows for better and more lax movement from the body being heated as well as a more detoxifying experience as the added sweat and perspiration during class removes and releases everyday toxins out of our pores and body more easily. If you are into yoga and haven’t yet experienced the benefits of Bikram, give it shot and see for yourself how great your body feels afterwards.
Once again, after this demonstration, Darian and I had our second prize giveaway which included another bag from PFI, towels and gym bags donated from our awesome TRX representatives, as well as some awesome prizes from Hara’s themselves including a large bag loaded with gifts, a free 60 minute massage, and an entire year membership to their facility. The prize giveaways are always so humbling and it is just the best feeling to give to others and to see the facial expressions of those whose ticket number is called. There is nothing better than giving to others, as it always comes around full circle.
As the event tapered down, we began our final announcements regarding our final events of the year in the month of November and let everyone know that November 7th, we are having an event at Kaizen Crossfit (http://www.kaizencrossfit.com/) at 4:30pm (RSVP asap as space is limited!), as well as our final event of the year which will take place at REI in Boca Park (http://www.rei.com/) the following Saturday the 14th of November from 4:00-7:00pm. Both events will be jam-packed with surprises and things you don’t want to miss, so please RSVP to both events asap to Darian Parker, Heather Doane or myself or email the CTF staff at Connecttofitness@gmail.com to reserve your spot!
As the event tapered down and guests began filing out, Darian, Heather and I were all smiles after another successful event came to an end. As we, also, filed out the doors after the final guests left, we exchanged our ‘goodbyes’ and all went our separate ways.
The ride home was as serene as the ride to the event as the event replayed in my mind the entire ride home. While listening and dancing to Miley Cyrus’s song “Party in the USA”, I smiled as I came to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a ‘bad’ idea. With that said and done… Wouldn’t your ideas be so much more appealing coupled with an action?
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“Ideas can be life-changing. Sometimes all you need to open the door is just one more good idea.” -Jim Rohn
“If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it.” -Albert Einstein
“A pile of rocks ceases to be a rock when somebody contemplates it with the idea of a cathedral in mind.” -Antoine de Saint-Exupery
“Everyone who's ever taken a shower has an idea. It's the person who gets out of the shower, dries off and does something about it who makes a difference.” -Nolan Bushnell
Monday, October 5, 2009
You're Only As...?...As the Company You Keep
Batman. Superman. The President. Your teacher or ‘invisible’ friend. Michael Jordan. Your Mom. Your Dad, brother. Your sister… Who was your ideal role model growing up, and what qualities did they possess that inspired you? Better yet… How did you emulate that inspiration, with which you desired to become, to help foster the person you are today?
Being so heavily involved in an industry where your career rests not on the best way to benefit yourself, but how you can channel your gift of giving in lieu of helping and benefitting others, it is virtually impossible to not experience the greatest inspiration and gratitude each and every day. The honor of meeting so many amazing professionals who so selflessly profess such immense passion toward their dedication of giving all they can tender to make the lives of those around them a better place is enough to bring tears to your eyes. The immeasurable graciousness I have had the honor of observing each day has made it impossible to not desire to be a better person and to follow in their footsteps by reaching out to grasp as many desperate hands as possible. To say I am not exposed to many ‘role models’ would be an absolute lie, as I can easily say it is no accident that I have made the conscious decision, effort and choice to surround myself with those people whom I look up to and wish to emulate someday in my own life and career.
A difficult lesson to learn, where the solution is often easier said than done, is that we are only as good as the company we keep. Who we choose to surround ourselves with often says more about us to others than what we may actually be doing alone in our spare time. To put it in perspective, think about it for yourself… If you meet a person whom you think you’ll grow to enjoy, yet all the people they choose to associate with have bad intentions and aren’t the best influences, isn’t it natural to directly correlate those associations into your first impressions of this person? Would you not assume that maybe this person has similar attributes as the people they keep close? Hypothetically speaking, would you surround yourself with people who have qualities in which you didn’t stand by or believe in? Probably not, as you would be more apt to let those into your life-space who share similar beliefs and goals as yourself to enhance and compliment you and your life. With that said and done, is it not safe to assume that this correlation is no accident?
Let’s take it a step further in another example: Consider wanting to improve your skills in any given sport. What would benefit you more? Practicing with someone who plays worse than you, or with someone who is at least twice as good as you? The answer is obvious, right? Well, life isn’t much different when you step back and take in the big picture. When you surround yourself with people who strive for greatness, are at least twice as successful as you may be and who stand by the same beliefs, passions and goals as you, it can be easier to ultimately get to where you want to be in life. You will have an experienced pair of footsteps to follow in each day and, more often than not, you can take up extensive short-cuts through the words of wisdom given by these individuals to help get to your destination much more efficiently than having to learn the hard way. With the help of someone who has been in your shoes and who reached success, you have the opportunity to learn from these individuals the lessons they had to learn the hard way, or lessons passed down to them from THEIR mentors or role models. It is, essentially, one of the most valuable things you can do to get from point A to point B, and beyond. We always have to remember and keep in mind that there is truly no such thing as a self-made man. And those who think they can and will do it solely on their own will have an almost impossible journey to succumb to. Regardless of whether the influence of another human being was studied up close and personal by physically being around the person and having access to direct communication with them in this point in time, or whether the method used to learn was indirect and from afar through studying autobiographies, latest research, articles, books, TV appearances, magazines, interviews, etc. done with that person, you are still being ‘mentored’ from afar as you are basing your own experiences off this other individual’s present, past and future practices and experiences. Who better to learn from than those people who have been in your position and who understand what you are going through and what you WILL go through in the future? If you are still in disbelief about this fact, I want you to ask yourself how you went through each stage of life growing up… Did you really depend on no one to teach you how to say and write the alphabet? Who taught you how to ride your first two-wheeler? How did you learn the English language and how did you later pass chemistry? And of your talent playing the piano? What about how you want to raise your own children? You see; we live through life learning through others examples, experiences and words. It’s no mistake that this method has helped us get to where we are right now and that it will continue to help us grow in the future. We all have had inspiration to help us grow, and we have all had to depend on others in some fashion or degree to help get us there. With that said and done, is it no wonder that discontinuing this proven method would be foolish? When you get right down to it, this is something we have ALL proven effective and we can ALL attest that it works… So why stop now?
In my life everyday, I am always encouraging those around me to reach out and grasp the hands of those they look up to and those who are willing to help (and I am telling you… you will very, very rarely, if EVER, find an unwilling hand if you are genuine and stand by your good intentions and inquiries). Meeting good people and holding on to good people are two key things to aspire to do on a daily basis. I, for one, know I wouldn’t be in this exact moment right now had I not tried to reach out to the people I met and immediately looked up to. The greatest successes of my life so far I can dedicate to the many individuals who helped me to see to the ‘impossible’ and who raised the bar so I could fly higher. I always, always advocate this to those around me and will continue to do so for however long I am granted this amazing opportunity to help have an impact on the people I meet as I climb my own ladders, steps and pillars.
Just this past week, while talking with a co-worker about this very subject, I expressed my complete admiration for a world-renowned fitness, wellness and health professional that I have invested a great deal of time into studying over the course of my career who has had a tremendous impact on me as a professional without even knowing it. I went on and on about this admiration until she stopped me and said, “So… Have you contacted him to tell him this?”, and I completely stopped in my tracks. “No.” I said, and right then I had a really strange and inspiring epiphany that I hadn’t even thought of prior. Here I was advocating to everyone around me about reaching out and staying in contact with the people they admire most and I wasn’t even fully living my own example. Granted, the people I have personally met and reached out to I have stuck by like glue and I will continue to do so for the duration of my life and career, but what about the people you admire that you don’t have the convenience of meeting on a daily basis? How do you possibly connect with someone who seems as out of reach and up the chain as Spiderman himself? I thought to myself, “Is it possible that I am putting a limitation on myself with something that may be so seemingly simple to achieve?”… “Hmm… Where’s the loophole?”.
That night, I wrote my own role model a long message via internet expressing my admiration, my epiphany, and how delighted I would be to meet him if the opportunity could ever (even in the slightest) be possible. Sure enough, the very next day I received a gracious letter in return expressing many thanks, kind comments and a phone number to call since he doesn’t reside in Vegas. Wow. Words to begin a connection through conversation. I couldn’t (and still can’t) describe my excitement regarding the matter and how immensely uncomplicated it was to just simply reach out and, if nothing else, let somebody know how they have influenced you. Rarely will you find someone who isn’t happy to continue to make a greater difference than they have already. Almost always, the people who have gone to the top and beyond realized the point I am making in the article and acted on it. More often than not, these same people who received so much help will also be the first ones to continue following in their mentor’s shoes by helping others who look up to them.
Giving is a precious (and contagious) gift that tends to go full circle in the long run. If you fear taking the chance to reach out thinking you won’t get anywhere, try this thought on for size: In knowing no man is ‘self-made’ and that success breeds success through example, hard work, repetition and so forth, remember that your ‘idols’ have worked so hard to emulate their own idols, and therefore have seen the true value of what ‘giving’ can accomplish. This, in turn, will lead them to continue following the cycle originally led by the people they looked up to, and they will, therefore, be the first ones to take a step down to help you take a step up. It is such a simple concept that I believe we read into a little too much when the answer was already evident to begin with. What do you have to lose when reaching out and what’s the worst that could happen? As I always, always say and will continue to say: Don’t be afraid to try something new or to take a risk. We are given this one amazing life to live to the fullest and to live by being the best we can with what we have. We might not have everything or all the answers, but most of the time we can find someone or a few people who might be able to teach us a thing or two or at least guide us in the right direction to find what it is we are striving for. Life is too short as it is. If you can take a short-cut or two here and there, take advantage of the opportunity and give it back in return when the right time comes along.
One of the greatest benefits of surrounding yourself with the people you admire most, and people who have captured your attention in regards to where they are at in life, is the amazing prospect of learning something new each day. When you are encased in a circle of people who are at or below your level, you have no room to grow and no hopes to aspire to reach. You will never learn how to progress through the different stages of your career and you will never have a willing hand reaching down from above to grasp ahold of you and lift you higher. You will be just as successful as the company you keep.
In my short time here in Las Vegas, I have had the incredible opportunity of reaching out to so many wonderful and inspiring professionals from all over the Valley through working at a few different facilities around the city as well as through my work in Connect To Fitness. Each week, I am being introduced to some of the most awe-inspiring people I have ever had the honor of meeting and I can say without guilt and with complete honesty that the quality of my life has done nothing but improve by the day. When you are constantly encompassed by your dreams, goals and the people who are willing to bring you up past your ‘limitations’, your life as you know it will change immensely… for the better. Get out and strive to meet the people who will help You reach your quality of life, Faithful Reader, and see how rapidly the transformation begins!
In this one life, we are only given a short chance to make a change, a difference and an influence. Let those who inspire you lead you to your goals and aspirations through example and approach and follow them without fear or discontent. In a world where so many people need our help, is it no wonder we should willingly extend our hand to reach out and make the most of our time here together?
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“Very few men are wise by their own counsel, or learned by their own teaching. For he that was only taught by himself had a fool for his master.” –Ben Johnson
“No matter how lofty you are in your department, the responsibility for what your lowliest assistant is doing is yours.” -Bessie Lowland James
“The most important single influence in the life of a person is another person... who is worthy of emulation.” -Paul D. Shafer
“I think it's an honor to be a role model to one person or maybe more than that. If you are given a chance to be a role model, I think you should always take it because you can influence a person's life in a positive light, and that's what I want to do. That's what it's all about.” –Tiger Woods
Being so heavily involved in an industry where your career rests not on the best way to benefit yourself, but how you can channel your gift of giving in lieu of helping and benefitting others, it is virtually impossible to not experience the greatest inspiration and gratitude each and every day. The honor of meeting so many amazing professionals who so selflessly profess such immense passion toward their dedication of giving all they can tender to make the lives of those around them a better place is enough to bring tears to your eyes. The immeasurable graciousness I have had the honor of observing each day has made it impossible to not desire to be a better person and to follow in their footsteps by reaching out to grasp as many desperate hands as possible. To say I am not exposed to many ‘role models’ would be an absolute lie, as I can easily say it is no accident that I have made the conscious decision, effort and choice to surround myself with those people whom I look up to and wish to emulate someday in my own life and career.
A difficult lesson to learn, where the solution is often easier said than done, is that we are only as good as the company we keep. Who we choose to surround ourselves with often says more about us to others than what we may actually be doing alone in our spare time. To put it in perspective, think about it for yourself… If you meet a person whom you think you’ll grow to enjoy, yet all the people they choose to associate with have bad intentions and aren’t the best influences, isn’t it natural to directly correlate those associations into your first impressions of this person? Would you not assume that maybe this person has similar attributes as the people they keep close? Hypothetically speaking, would you surround yourself with people who have qualities in which you didn’t stand by or believe in? Probably not, as you would be more apt to let those into your life-space who share similar beliefs and goals as yourself to enhance and compliment you and your life. With that said and done, is it not safe to assume that this correlation is no accident?
Let’s take it a step further in another example: Consider wanting to improve your skills in any given sport. What would benefit you more? Practicing with someone who plays worse than you, or with someone who is at least twice as good as you? The answer is obvious, right? Well, life isn’t much different when you step back and take in the big picture. When you surround yourself with people who strive for greatness, are at least twice as successful as you may be and who stand by the same beliefs, passions and goals as you, it can be easier to ultimately get to where you want to be in life. You will have an experienced pair of footsteps to follow in each day and, more often than not, you can take up extensive short-cuts through the words of wisdom given by these individuals to help get to your destination much more efficiently than having to learn the hard way. With the help of someone who has been in your shoes and who reached success, you have the opportunity to learn from these individuals the lessons they had to learn the hard way, or lessons passed down to them from THEIR mentors or role models. It is, essentially, one of the most valuable things you can do to get from point A to point B, and beyond. We always have to remember and keep in mind that there is truly no such thing as a self-made man. And those who think they can and will do it solely on their own will have an almost impossible journey to succumb to. Regardless of whether the influence of another human being was studied up close and personal by physically being around the person and having access to direct communication with them in this point in time, or whether the method used to learn was indirect and from afar through studying autobiographies, latest research, articles, books, TV appearances, magazines, interviews, etc. done with that person, you are still being ‘mentored’ from afar as you are basing your own experiences off this other individual’s present, past and future practices and experiences. Who better to learn from than those people who have been in your position and who understand what you are going through and what you WILL go through in the future? If you are still in disbelief about this fact, I want you to ask yourself how you went through each stage of life growing up… Did you really depend on no one to teach you how to say and write the alphabet? Who taught you how to ride your first two-wheeler? How did you learn the English language and how did you later pass chemistry? And of your talent playing the piano? What about how you want to raise your own children? You see; we live through life learning through others examples, experiences and words. It’s no mistake that this method has helped us get to where we are right now and that it will continue to help us grow in the future. We all have had inspiration to help us grow, and we have all had to depend on others in some fashion or degree to help get us there. With that said and done, is it no wonder that discontinuing this proven method would be foolish? When you get right down to it, this is something we have ALL proven effective and we can ALL attest that it works… So why stop now?
In my life everyday, I am always encouraging those around me to reach out and grasp the hands of those they look up to and those who are willing to help (and I am telling you… you will very, very rarely, if EVER, find an unwilling hand if you are genuine and stand by your good intentions and inquiries). Meeting good people and holding on to good people are two key things to aspire to do on a daily basis. I, for one, know I wouldn’t be in this exact moment right now had I not tried to reach out to the people I met and immediately looked up to. The greatest successes of my life so far I can dedicate to the many individuals who helped me to see to the ‘impossible’ and who raised the bar so I could fly higher. I always, always advocate this to those around me and will continue to do so for however long I am granted this amazing opportunity to help have an impact on the people I meet as I climb my own ladders, steps and pillars.
Just this past week, while talking with a co-worker about this very subject, I expressed my complete admiration for a world-renowned fitness, wellness and health professional that I have invested a great deal of time into studying over the course of my career who has had a tremendous impact on me as a professional without even knowing it. I went on and on about this admiration until she stopped me and said, “So… Have you contacted him to tell him this?”, and I completely stopped in my tracks. “No.” I said, and right then I had a really strange and inspiring epiphany that I hadn’t even thought of prior. Here I was advocating to everyone around me about reaching out and staying in contact with the people they admire most and I wasn’t even fully living my own example. Granted, the people I have personally met and reached out to I have stuck by like glue and I will continue to do so for the duration of my life and career, but what about the people you admire that you don’t have the convenience of meeting on a daily basis? How do you possibly connect with someone who seems as out of reach and up the chain as Spiderman himself? I thought to myself, “Is it possible that I am putting a limitation on myself with something that may be so seemingly simple to achieve?”… “Hmm… Where’s the loophole?”.
That night, I wrote my own role model a long message via internet expressing my admiration, my epiphany, and how delighted I would be to meet him if the opportunity could ever (even in the slightest) be possible. Sure enough, the very next day I received a gracious letter in return expressing many thanks, kind comments and a phone number to call since he doesn’t reside in Vegas. Wow. Words to begin a connection through conversation. I couldn’t (and still can’t) describe my excitement regarding the matter and how immensely uncomplicated it was to just simply reach out and, if nothing else, let somebody know how they have influenced you. Rarely will you find someone who isn’t happy to continue to make a greater difference than they have already. Almost always, the people who have gone to the top and beyond realized the point I am making in the article and acted on it. More often than not, these same people who received so much help will also be the first ones to continue following in their mentor’s shoes by helping others who look up to them.
Giving is a precious (and contagious) gift that tends to go full circle in the long run. If you fear taking the chance to reach out thinking you won’t get anywhere, try this thought on for size: In knowing no man is ‘self-made’ and that success breeds success through example, hard work, repetition and so forth, remember that your ‘idols’ have worked so hard to emulate their own idols, and therefore have seen the true value of what ‘giving’ can accomplish. This, in turn, will lead them to continue following the cycle originally led by the people they looked up to, and they will, therefore, be the first ones to take a step down to help you take a step up. It is such a simple concept that I believe we read into a little too much when the answer was already evident to begin with. What do you have to lose when reaching out and what’s the worst that could happen? As I always, always say and will continue to say: Don’t be afraid to try something new or to take a risk. We are given this one amazing life to live to the fullest and to live by being the best we can with what we have. We might not have everything or all the answers, but most of the time we can find someone or a few people who might be able to teach us a thing or two or at least guide us in the right direction to find what it is we are striving for. Life is too short as it is. If you can take a short-cut or two here and there, take advantage of the opportunity and give it back in return when the right time comes along.
One of the greatest benefits of surrounding yourself with the people you admire most, and people who have captured your attention in regards to where they are at in life, is the amazing prospect of learning something new each day. When you are encased in a circle of people who are at or below your level, you have no room to grow and no hopes to aspire to reach. You will never learn how to progress through the different stages of your career and you will never have a willing hand reaching down from above to grasp ahold of you and lift you higher. You will be just as successful as the company you keep.
In my short time here in Las Vegas, I have had the incredible opportunity of reaching out to so many wonderful and inspiring professionals from all over the Valley through working at a few different facilities around the city as well as through my work in Connect To Fitness. Each week, I am being introduced to some of the most awe-inspiring people I have ever had the honor of meeting and I can say without guilt and with complete honesty that the quality of my life has done nothing but improve by the day. When you are constantly encompassed by your dreams, goals and the people who are willing to bring you up past your ‘limitations’, your life as you know it will change immensely… for the better. Get out and strive to meet the people who will help You reach your quality of life, Faithful Reader, and see how rapidly the transformation begins!
In this one life, we are only given a short chance to make a change, a difference and an influence. Let those who inspire you lead you to your goals and aspirations through example and approach and follow them without fear or discontent. In a world where so many people need our help, is it no wonder we should willingly extend our hand to reach out and make the most of our time here together?
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“Very few men are wise by their own counsel, or learned by their own teaching. For he that was only taught by himself had a fool for his master.” –Ben Johnson
“No matter how lofty you are in your department, the responsibility for what your lowliest assistant is doing is yours.” -Bessie Lowland James
“The most important single influence in the life of a person is another person... who is worthy of emulation.” -Paul D. Shafer
“I think it's an honor to be a role model to one person or maybe more than that. If you are given a chance to be a role model, I think you should always take it because you can influence a person's life in a positive light, and that's what I want to do. That's what it's all about.” –Tiger Woods
Monday, September 28, 2009
Regret Me Not
Stop for just a moment and look back on the past 24 hours of your life. Evaluate all your actions, your motives, your decisions, your accomplishments and what you may have put off until tomorrow. Ask yourself, “How am I going to feel tomorrow about today?”
Think about today as a day you can never return to and in tomorrow as a day too late. As decisions are made in a day’s time and throughout your life, take time to ask yourself how you will proceed to feel about your decision 5, 10, 20 or even 50 years down the road. We are all given the gift of living in the moment, and it is our choice and our choice alone, that will dictate what our future beholds and what will defy who we are and who we become.
Upon recently having a great conversation with someone I love deeply about life and about events (both fortunate and unfortunate) that have helped to create the mold to which we both exist, the thought occurred, “If a person is at one with who they are and can say with an honest heart that they are proud of who they have become, then can ‘regret’ in its truest form be said to exist?”… I stopped to look at my own life right in the midst of the conversation and couldn’t help but smile to myself in where my own journey took me. Being an ‘un’believer in the act of ‘regret’ to begin with, I began to consider all the tragedy and misfortunes (in or out of my control) that have happened in spite of myself and in spite of what I may have been striving for and began pondering the subject matter further…
By feeling regret for past or present actions or inactions, it places a mental boundary on where you are today and where you are striving to go tomorrow. You are never fully able to progress past that point in time, and you stay locked in what ‘could have been’ instead of what ‘is’ or ‘could be’ as a result of that particular situation. To feel as if you are pressed between two thick walls of regret that are holding you back from moving forward will cause you to do just that… stay idle.
Feelings, in general, are involuntary. What does this mean, you ask? Well, have you ever said to yourself or to someone else that someone or something is the cause of or to blame for your happiness, sadness, anger, disposition… etc? To put it in perspective; although these people, places or things may have had an impact on you and may influence your feelings, we are the only ones who are capable of extracting these feelings and bringing them to life both physically and mentally. It can be difficult to realize, but we voluntarily make a conscious decision to choose our emotions and to choose how we are going to react to any given situation. These situations can make endless attempts at penetrating through our surfaces and walls of protection, but only we can let them in and only we can allow their influences to impart on our mental and physical well-being.
It’s easier said than done, but it is important to realize this fact in every circumstance you encounter as you have every right to oppose the emotions of any external force that may wish to inflict regret over you. Those who are stuck in regret constantly use these emotions as an excuse to not accept what has happened or is happening and they create a wall (or ‘boundary’, if you will) that prevents them from being able to access the ability to grow from the situation. Think about it… What if we all made a conscious effort to choose our emotions and what we let get to us, instead of impulsively reacting to a scenario? By realizing that we are what we choose to be and by taking the time to listen for the ‘reason’ in each situation, we can then take what happened and assess the stipulation to work out in our favor. In all that we do, there is always a lesson to be learned and a way to grow physically and emotionally to benefit our present and future. Without the negative and bad aspects of life, we could never learn to recognize and appreciate the positive or good things. Without sadness or despair, we wouldn’t know just how wonderful a dusting of happiness could feel.
One of the things I have learned about regrets is, simply, not to have them. I view regret not only as a negative connotation, but also as a burden, or weight, that stays centered on our lives and won’t budge. As I was conversing with my loved one and taking all this in, I was once again reminded of why I regret nothing that has ever happened to me. Sure, I will be the first to admit that I have made some mistakes as big as my accomplishments, and that have I allowed other people more time than they deserved to treat me just as bad as I knew I should be treated good. I know I have caused hurt to others and I know I’m not perfect. But, that’s not the point. By stepping back and looking at exactly where my feet are planted in the sand at this very moment in time, I can look at all these events and know that I wouldn’t be standing in this very spot right now if even one of them hadn’t occurred. In the midst of all the hurt, pain and suffering I may have encountered on my life path, I can now say I have never been happier and that I know the worst is over as I have lived and learned and know I am now in complete control of my destiny. I also know that the people whom I have affected and the people who have affected me wouldn’t be where they were if not for the interactions we had together, whether bad or good. And you can even look at it a step further in that the people associated with THOSE people wouldn’t be where they are at either had such events never occurred. It is quite a humbling and mind-boggling concept to take in and grasp when you really allow yourself to get submerged in the theory.
Reminiscing upon certain events of my past, I remember, sitting back and just wondering, ‘Why? Why me?” I remember thinking that I would never get through the situation and that life definitely would never be the same. I can remember wishing so deeply and profoundly that I would give anything to go back and alter what had happened. The truth is, time will never stop ticking, and life will never stand still for anyone. Just as well, we can never return to a moment despite what the outcome is. Apart from what we choose to do, or what others choose to do, need not matter. Pick your feet up, lift your chin, and let each moment influence you to do better next time, to not make the same mistake again, to be proud and rejoice, to take it all in and savor it, to become a better person as a result, or to thank the person next to you for helping you discover something new about yourself. If you cannot return to change something from your past, there is no point in wasting precious time wishing for the impossible. Nothing from this moment on is impossible and why should we expend more time generating more possible regrets by regretting what we ‘should have done’. This is like an alcoholic who is so depressed about being an alcoholic (and all the issues that come along with it…) that he goes out to drink his sorrows away each night. Now, does this make any sense when you look at it from this perspective? Didn’t think so. So, WHY spend your time wallowing in what ‘could have been’, when you could be using that valuable time (you will later regret wasting) to do something productive that CAN be done?
Simply, life is too short as it is. Life isn’t forever and each moment is here, gone, and in the history books. The story of your life is exactly what you make of it each day. It is written based off your perceptions, your realities, your emotions and your burdens and regrets.
Live and learn and make the best of each day as one day your time will stop ticking all together. Make memories, not regrets and let your life aspire to greatness with each passing event. How will YOUR today look from tomorrow’s standpoint? Your future begins with You.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
"Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets." -Author Unknown, from Dreams
“Make the most of your regrets; never smother your sorrow, but tend and cherish it till it comes to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh.” -Henry David Thoreau
“Forget regret, or life is yours to miss.” –Johnathan Larson
“Regret for time wasted can become a power for good in the time that remains, if we will only stop the waste and the idle, useless regretting.” –Arthur Brisbane
Think about today as a day you can never return to and in tomorrow as a day too late. As decisions are made in a day’s time and throughout your life, take time to ask yourself how you will proceed to feel about your decision 5, 10, 20 or even 50 years down the road. We are all given the gift of living in the moment, and it is our choice and our choice alone, that will dictate what our future beholds and what will defy who we are and who we become.
Upon recently having a great conversation with someone I love deeply about life and about events (both fortunate and unfortunate) that have helped to create the mold to which we both exist, the thought occurred, “If a person is at one with who they are and can say with an honest heart that they are proud of who they have become, then can ‘regret’ in its truest form be said to exist?”… I stopped to look at my own life right in the midst of the conversation and couldn’t help but smile to myself in where my own journey took me. Being an ‘un’believer in the act of ‘regret’ to begin with, I began to consider all the tragedy and misfortunes (in or out of my control) that have happened in spite of myself and in spite of what I may have been striving for and began pondering the subject matter further…
By feeling regret for past or present actions or inactions, it places a mental boundary on where you are today and where you are striving to go tomorrow. You are never fully able to progress past that point in time, and you stay locked in what ‘could have been’ instead of what ‘is’ or ‘could be’ as a result of that particular situation. To feel as if you are pressed between two thick walls of regret that are holding you back from moving forward will cause you to do just that… stay idle.
Feelings, in general, are involuntary. What does this mean, you ask? Well, have you ever said to yourself or to someone else that someone or something is the cause of or to blame for your happiness, sadness, anger, disposition… etc? To put it in perspective; although these people, places or things may have had an impact on you and may influence your feelings, we are the only ones who are capable of extracting these feelings and bringing them to life both physically and mentally. It can be difficult to realize, but we voluntarily make a conscious decision to choose our emotions and to choose how we are going to react to any given situation. These situations can make endless attempts at penetrating through our surfaces and walls of protection, but only we can let them in and only we can allow their influences to impart on our mental and physical well-being.
It’s easier said than done, but it is important to realize this fact in every circumstance you encounter as you have every right to oppose the emotions of any external force that may wish to inflict regret over you. Those who are stuck in regret constantly use these emotions as an excuse to not accept what has happened or is happening and they create a wall (or ‘boundary’, if you will) that prevents them from being able to access the ability to grow from the situation. Think about it… What if we all made a conscious effort to choose our emotions and what we let get to us, instead of impulsively reacting to a scenario? By realizing that we are what we choose to be and by taking the time to listen for the ‘reason’ in each situation, we can then take what happened and assess the stipulation to work out in our favor. In all that we do, there is always a lesson to be learned and a way to grow physically and emotionally to benefit our present and future. Without the negative and bad aspects of life, we could never learn to recognize and appreciate the positive or good things. Without sadness or despair, we wouldn’t know just how wonderful a dusting of happiness could feel.
One of the things I have learned about regrets is, simply, not to have them. I view regret not only as a negative connotation, but also as a burden, or weight, that stays centered on our lives and won’t budge. As I was conversing with my loved one and taking all this in, I was once again reminded of why I regret nothing that has ever happened to me. Sure, I will be the first to admit that I have made some mistakes as big as my accomplishments, and that have I allowed other people more time than they deserved to treat me just as bad as I knew I should be treated good. I know I have caused hurt to others and I know I’m not perfect. But, that’s not the point. By stepping back and looking at exactly where my feet are planted in the sand at this very moment in time, I can look at all these events and know that I wouldn’t be standing in this very spot right now if even one of them hadn’t occurred. In the midst of all the hurt, pain and suffering I may have encountered on my life path, I can now say I have never been happier and that I know the worst is over as I have lived and learned and know I am now in complete control of my destiny. I also know that the people whom I have affected and the people who have affected me wouldn’t be where they were if not for the interactions we had together, whether bad or good. And you can even look at it a step further in that the people associated with THOSE people wouldn’t be where they are at either had such events never occurred. It is quite a humbling and mind-boggling concept to take in and grasp when you really allow yourself to get submerged in the theory.
Reminiscing upon certain events of my past, I remember, sitting back and just wondering, ‘Why? Why me?” I remember thinking that I would never get through the situation and that life definitely would never be the same. I can remember wishing so deeply and profoundly that I would give anything to go back and alter what had happened. The truth is, time will never stop ticking, and life will never stand still for anyone. Just as well, we can never return to a moment despite what the outcome is. Apart from what we choose to do, or what others choose to do, need not matter. Pick your feet up, lift your chin, and let each moment influence you to do better next time, to not make the same mistake again, to be proud and rejoice, to take it all in and savor it, to become a better person as a result, or to thank the person next to you for helping you discover something new about yourself. If you cannot return to change something from your past, there is no point in wasting precious time wishing for the impossible. Nothing from this moment on is impossible and why should we expend more time generating more possible regrets by regretting what we ‘should have done’. This is like an alcoholic who is so depressed about being an alcoholic (and all the issues that come along with it…) that he goes out to drink his sorrows away each night. Now, does this make any sense when you look at it from this perspective? Didn’t think so. So, WHY spend your time wallowing in what ‘could have been’, when you could be using that valuable time (you will later regret wasting) to do something productive that CAN be done?
Simply, life is too short as it is. Life isn’t forever and each moment is here, gone, and in the history books. The story of your life is exactly what you make of it each day. It is written based off your perceptions, your realities, your emotions and your burdens and regrets.
Live and learn and make the best of each day as one day your time will stop ticking all together. Make memories, not regrets and let your life aspire to greatness with each passing event. How will YOUR today look from tomorrow’s standpoint? Your future begins with You.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
"Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets." -Author Unknown, from Dreams
“Make the most of your regrets; never smother your sorrow, but tend and cherish it till it comes to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh.” -Henry David Thoreau
“Forget regret, or life is yours to miss.” –Johnathan Larson
“Regret for time wasted can become a power for good in the time that remains, if we will only stop the waste and the idle, useless regretting.” –Arthur Brisbane
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sustain and Make Green Your Health and Your Life
Did you know?...
Most people use 50-70 gallons of water every day in their homes?
Or that:
American households spend over $1,000 annually on electricity?
Or how about:
Cars release 98 tons of fossil fuels into the air for every gallon of gas?
Energy is a facet of our lives that most of us don’t think twice about. As we hear, learn and read about the simple ways to help the environment by conserving energy, the simple fact is that most of us will not act on the advice given unless it comes down to be affected personally. And ladies and gentlemen… that time isn’t too far off in the distance.
Walking into Studio 222 Personal Training Centers here in Las Vegas (right on the corner of W Flamingo and Durango), for our September Health Fair and Connect To Fitness Event you would never know just by looking all the work that went into making this amazing facility environmentally friendly and as green as grass. As owner and innovator of this ‘green’ facility, James Wong went above and beyond to make his facility sustainable to the environment, and it’s definitely getting noticed.
With the biggest turn-out yet at one of our events, there was much to rejoice about at James’s studio. Having just picked up an entire cooler filled to the brim with smoothies donated from the Tropical Smoothie Café, I walked in (fashionably late due to a mishap) and was just astonished at the amount of people who filled the modest space of the private training studio. As I walked into the lobby, dragging the cooler behind me, I noticed food plates stacked with delectable yet healthy food options placed all around the studio. Right away my mind reverted to James’s Registered Dietician, Angelique Marquez, who has a really fascinating and alternative approach to the art of nutrition (if you don’t know her… do yourself a favor and GET to know her). So, needless to say, I grabbed a plate and took advantage of the quinoa dish she had prepared (which was aMAZing).
After laying my belongings down, my eyes diverted to the familiar faces of my colleagues, coworkers and friends from both the Professional Fitness Institute and Club Ridges as well as to the many new faces that were first-time CTF guests. James’s 3,300 sq. ft. studio was filled with activity, conversation, laughter and networking and I overheard and was a part of a great many conversations based around job connections. It was definitely a productive few hours!
With three prize giveaways amounting easily to a couple thousand dollars, we had one each hour, on the hour, Darian and myself had a blast handing out the generous prizes donated by many of our sponsors (including PFI and Lulu Lemon), Red Rock, Hara, and, of course, James’s amazing employees. Half hour and hour massages were given away via Lifan at Bodywork LV as well as two vouchers good for three FREE personal training sessions with personal trainer, Tracy. Also given away was a free nutrition consultation with Angelique, a free yoga class with Studio 222’s Registered Yoga Teacher David Oliphant (who is just incredible), $200.00 worth of free clothing from Lulu Lemon as well as two bags stuffed with goodies from PFI. The raffles are always one of my favorite parts of our events as it’s so humbling to see the faces of the prize recipients! As James took the floor during our first giveaway, he explained how he was able to be so successful in establishing a ‘green’ facility. Per his introduction and his website (www.studio222lasvegas.com), James went on to explain how he used repurposed wood in building his foundations, how he created (out of a refurbished and broken cooler) a large cabinet with reach-in bins for clients and guests to leave their belongings while training, how the mats under the workout equipment is made of recycled rubber, how he uses Earth-friendly cleaning products and how the paints he used in his facility are non-toxic and low in VOC’s. James also rarely turns on the overhead lights in the ceiling unless it’s too dark outside to see, and he tries never to use the air conditioning and instead relies on a few ceiling fans to cool the place down. Although he may have initially invested a little more in the beginning to ensure a sustainable environment, the financial payoff has been immensely successful for James in the long-run.
Snapping photos and mingling myself, I walked over to Lifan Hung, (an amazing friend, professional and person), and snapped a photo of her with a few guests and professionals at the event. Lifan is a Licensed Massage Therapist who also specializes in Kinesio Taping, which is a technique used to give your joints and muscles stability using your body’s own natural healing processes without affecting circulation or range of motion. If you were to watch the Olympics or any professional sports, you will see its prevalence within the athletic population. It’s a really neat and unfortunately uncommon technique that Lifan has given rise to making available to the Las Vegas community.
Walking around further, I couldn’t help but to stop and admire the amazing facility created by James. With minimal exercise modalities typically found in ‘typical’ gyms, James’s trainers utilize numerous functional training modalities within the studio. You will see functional trainers, a TRX Suspension Training System, a heavy bag and gloves, yoga mats (and a great instructor!), resistance bands, stability and Bosu balls, wobble boards, kettlebells, dumbbells, and many other practical and functional equipment not characteristic of many other facilities. The clients at 222 have the option of being exposed to many different aspects of their fitness and it isn’t common for almost every client to jump into a yoga session during their week of training, or to take time out to learn some boxing. The awesome thing is that James understands that fitness isn’t one dimensional and that you can progress more efficiently when you incorporate and put focus on every dimension of fitness including balance, coordination, strength, flexibility and so on. The diversity within the staff is very accommodating for helping clients reach their maximum potential. This studio is particularly neat to scope out as a trainer as there are so many tools to utilize and play with!
As the event progressed, the crowd continued to grow as the food slowly began to dwindle. Thanks to Angelique and Metro Pizza (who made a menu of appetizers specific to the needs of the event), everyone had the option of sampling some amazing and healthy dishes with all the flavor and no guilt! As I continued to make my way through socializing with the guests, I came across a couple familiar faces whom I hadn’t previously had the honor of meeting… the Sin City Socialites (GET to know these two girls. They are amazing.)! After coming into Studio 222 to do one of their infamous ‘reviews’, the Socialites returned to make a cameo at our event and were just a delight! If you haven’t read their review on 222, check them out on Blogspot (http://sinctysocialite.blogspot.com/)!
After socializing with the Socialites, I noticed some yoga action going on in one of the corners of the studio as David, the yoga instructor, was giving demonstrations to attendees of the event! How spectacular! David is amazing at his craft and specializes in hatha yoga in particular. He actually teaches the performers of Las Vegas’s amazing and popular show Le Reve. He is also teaches at other various venues in town and does private consulting with clients as well. You can learn more about David by visiting his website (www.yogawithdavid.com).
Over on the cardio equipment behind me was Jake Sanders, who was on a stationary bike that is actually interactive like a video game. To keep exercisers interested, you can watch the screen in front of you and race the computer, yourself, or (if you have another bike on hand) another person! I guarantee you won’t find this at any chain fitness facilities! As everyone crowded around Jake (who was having fun racing in his dressy street clothes), James carefully instructed and cheered him on along with the rest of the people looking over Jake’s shoulder. I smiled to myself as it is always such a great feeling to see others having so much fun and enjoying themselves.
Up to the front was a station set up by Adam Goodman, who was reaching out and letting people know about a great company he works for called Melaleuca (http://www.melaleuca.com/). Melaleuca is an all natural, organic based company which prides itself on being environmentally friendly in each of it’s products. James currently utilizes cleaning products from this company as well to enhance the sustainability of his facility.
With so much going on, it was a wonder that we got so much accomplished in three hours! After the third prize-giveaway, Darian made a final thank-you announcement addressed to everyone and, of course, kept the party entertaining by dancing right in the middle of the studio!
If you have yet to come experience an event, you should absolutely do yourself a favor and jump on board with CTF. Always a fantastic time and always progressing and striving for greatness on new levels, Connect To Fitness has successfully become the premier networking group for fitness, wellness and health professionals in the Las Vegas Valley. Yesterday, alone, spawned job connections and opportunities between a good number of guests who attended the event. I, alone, experienced a couple, which I am really excited to share with you in the future!
Thank you to all who attended and to all of our supporters and sponsors who have been with us since the beginning of our journey. The event at Studio 222 is proof of our growing success and following and we would love for you to join in as we continue our involvement in taking steps forward to make the world a better place and to connect the right people together to accomplish common goals.
The Earth around us can be sustained and helped so easily by the little things we can do to make a difference in creating a sustainable environment. On the flipside, the people who live in this world can also benefit immensely from the small changes we, as professionals, can make together to enhance our careers to, therefore, enhance the lives of those who need us. Don’t just stand there… get up, get out and make a difference.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“There's so much pollution in the air now that if it weren't for our lungs there'd be no place to put it all.” -Robert Orben
“Modern technology,
Owes ecology,
An apology.” -Alan M. Eddison
“Because we don't think about future generations, they will never forget us.” -Henrik Tikkanen
“The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun.” -Ralph Nader, quoted in Linda Botts, ed., Loose Talk, 1980
Most people use 50-70 gallons of water every day in their homes?
Or that:
American households spend over $1,000 annually on electricity?
Or how about:
Cars release 98 tons of fossil fuels into the air for every gallon of gas?
Energy is a facet of our lives that most of us don’t think twice about. As we hear, learn and read about the simple ways to help the environment by conserving energy, the simple fact is that most of us will not act on the advice given unless it comes down to be affected personally. And ladies and gentlemen… that time isn’t too far off in the distance.
Walking into Studio 222 Personal Training Centers here in Las Vegas (right on the corner of W Flamingo and Durango), for our September Health Fair and Connect To Fitness Event you would never know just by looking all the work that went into making this amazing facility environmentally friendly and as green as grass. As owner and innovator of this ‘green’ facility, James Wong went above and beyond to make his facility sustainable to the environment, and it’s definitely getting noticed.
With the biggest turn-out yet at one of our events, there was much to rejoice about at James’s studio. Having just picked up an entire cooler filled to the brim with smoothies donated from the Tropical Smoothie Café, I walked in (fashionably late due to a mishap) and was just astonished at the amount of people who filled the modest space of the private training studio. As I walked into the lobby, dragging the cooler behind me, I noticed food plates stacked with delectable yet healthy food options placed all around the studio. Right away my mind reverted to James’s Registered Dietician, Angelique Marquez, who has a really fascinating and alternative approach to the art of nutrition (if you don’t know her… do yourself a favor and GET to know her). So, needless to say, I grabbed a plate and took advantage of the quinoa dish she had prepared (which was aMAZing).
After laying my belongings down, my eyes diverted to the familiar faces of my colleagues, coworkers and friends from both the Professional Fitness Institute and Club Ridges as well as to the many new faces that were first-time CTF guests. James’s 3,300 sq. ft. studio was filled with activity, conversation, laughter and networking and I overheard and was a part of a great many conversations based around job connections. It was definitely a productive few hours!
With three prize giveaways amounting easily to a couple thousand dollars, we had one each hour, on the hour, Darian and myself had a blast handing out the generous prizes donated by many of our sponsors (including PFI and Lulu Lemon), Red Rock, Hara, and, of course, James’s amazing employees. Half hour and hour massages were given away via Lifan at Bodywork LV as well as two vouchers good for three FREE personal training sessions with personal trainer, Tracy. Also given away was a free nutrition consultation with Angelique, a free yoga class with Studio 222’s Registered Yoga Teacher David Oliphant (who is just incredible), $200.00 worth of free clothing from Lulu Lemon as well as two bags stuffed with goodies from PFI. The raffles are always one of my favorite parts of our events as it’s so humbling to see the faces of the prize recipients! As James took the floor during our first giveaway, he explained how he was able to be so successful in establishing a ‘green’ facility. Per his introduction and his website (www.studio222lasvegas.com), James went on to explain how he used repurposed wood in building his foundations, how he created (out of a refurbished and broken cooler) a large cabinet with reach-in bins for clients and guests to leave their belongings while training, how the mats under the workout equipment is made of recycled rubber, how he uses Earth-friendly cleaning products and how the paints he used in his facility are non-toxic and low in VOC’s. James also rarely turns on the overhead lights in the ceiling unless it’s too dark outside to see, and he tries never to use the air conditioning and instead relies on a few ceiling fans to cool the place down. Although he may have initially invested a little more in the beginning to ensure a sustainable environment, the financial payoff has been immensely successful for James in the long-run.
Snapping photos and mingling myself, I walked over to Lifan Hung, (an amazing friend, professional and person), and snapped a photo of her with a few guests and professionals at the event. Lifan is a Licensed Massage Therapist who also specializes in Kinesio Taping, which is a technique used to give your joints and muscles stability using your body’s own natural healing processes without affecting circulation or range of motion. If you were to watch the Olympics or any professional sports, you will see its prevalence within the athletic population. It’s a really neat and unfortunately uncommon technique that Lifan has given rise to making available to the Las Vegas community.
Walking around further, I couldn’t help but to stop and admire the amazing facility created by James. With minimal exercise modalities typically found in ‘typical’ gyms, James’s trainers utilize numerous functional training modalities within the studio. You will see functional trainers, a TRX Suspension Training System, a heavy bag and gloves, yoga mats (and a great instructor!), resistance bands, stability and Bosu balls, wobble boards, kettlebells, dumbbells, and many other practical and functional equipment not characteristic of many other facilities. The clients at 222 have the option of being exposed to many different aspects of their fitness and it isn’t common for almost every client to jump into a yoga session during their week of training, or to take time out to learn some boxing. The awesome thing is that James understands that fitness isn’t one dimensional and that you can progress more efficiently when you incorporate and put focus on every dimension of fitness including balance, coordination, strength, flexibility and so on. The diversity within the staff is very accommodating for helping clients reach their maximum potential. This studio is particularly neat to scope out as a trainer as there are so many tools to utilize and play with!
As the event progressed, the crowd continued to grow as the food slowly began to dwindle. Thanks to Angelique and Metro Pizza (who made a menu of appetizers specific to the needs of the event), everyone had the option of sampling some amazing and healthy dishes with all the flavor and no guilt! As I continued to make my way through socializing with the guests, I came across a couple familiar faces whom I hadn’t previously had the honor of meeting… the Sin City Socialites (GET to know these two girls. They are amazing.)! After coming into Studio 222 to do one of their infamous ‘reviews’, the Socialites returned to make a cameo at our event and were just a delight! If you haven’t read their review on 222, check them out on Blogspot (http://sinctysocialite.blogspot.com/)!
After socializing with the Socialites, I noticed some yoga action going on in one of the corners of the studio as David, the yoga instructor, was giving demonstrations to attendees of the event! How spectacular! David is amazing at his craft and specializes in hatha yoga in particular. He actually teaches the performers of Las Vegas’s amazing and popular show Le Reve. He is also teaches at other various venues in town and does private consulting with clients as well. You can learn more about David by visiting his website (www.yogawithdavid.com).
Over on the cardio equipment behind me was Jake Sanders, who was on a stationary bike that is actually interactive like a video game. To keep exercisers interested, you can watch the screen in front of you and race the computer, yourself, or (if you have another bike on hand) another person! I guarantee you won’t find this at any chain fitness facilities! As everyone crowded around Jake (who was having fun racing in his dressy street clothes), James carefully instructed and cheered him on along with the rest of the people looking over Jake’s shoulder. I smiled to myself as it is always such a great feeling to see others having so much fun and enjoying themselves.
Up to the front was a station set up by Adam Goodman, who was reaching out and letting people know about a great company he works for called Melaleuca (http://www.melaleuca.com/). Melaleuca is an all natural, organic based company which prides itself on being environmentally friendly in each of it’s products. James currently utilizes cleaning products from this company as well to enhance the sustainability of his facility.
With so much going on, it was a wonder that we got so much accomplished in three hours! After the third prize-giveaway, Darian made a final thank-you announcement addressed to everyone and, of course, kept the party entertaining by dancing right in the middle of the studio!
If you have yet to come experience an event, you should absolutely do yourself a favor and jump on board with CTF. Always a fantastic time and always progressing and striving for greatness on new levels, Connect To Fitness has successfully become the premier networking group for fitness, wellness and health professionals in the Las Vegas Valley. Yesterday, alone, spawned job connections and opportunities between a good number of guests who attended the event. I, alone, experienced a couple, which I am really excited to share with you in the future!
Thank you to all who attended and to all of our supporters and sponsors who have been with us since the beginning of our journey. The event at Studio 222 is proof of our growing success and following and we would love for you to join in as we continue our involvement in taking steps forward to make the world a better place and to connect the right people together to accomplish common goals.
The Earth around us can be sustained and helped so easily by the little things we can do to make a difference in creating a sustainable environment. On the flipside, the people who live in this world can also benefit immensely from the small changes we, as professionals, can make together to enhance our careers to, therefore, enhance the lives of those who need us. Don’t just stand there… get up, get out and make a difference.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“There's so much pollution in the air now that if it weren't for our lungs there'd be no place to put it all.” -Robert Orben
“Modern technology,
Owes ecology,
An apology.” -Alan M. Eddison
“Because we don't think about future generations, they will never forget us.” -Henrik Tikkanen
“The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun.” -Ralph Nader, quoted in Linda Botts, ed., Loose Talk, 1980
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