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
Monday, September 28, 2009
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
Monday, September 14, 2009
Life Is Like a Box of (Tainted) Chocolates
I can’t help but to be concerned…
“Aly Diabate, who is from Mali, was eleven years old when he was lured in Mali by a slave trader to go work on an Ivorian farm. The locater told him that not only would he receive a bicycle, but he could also help his parents with the $150 he would earn. However life on the cocoa farm of "Le Gros" (or "Big Man") was nothing like Aly had imagined. He and the other workers had to work from six in the morning to about 6:30 at night on the cocoa fields. Since Aly was only about four feet tall, the bags of cocoa beans were taller than him. To be able to carry and transport the bags, other people would have to place the bags onto his head for him. Because the bags were so heavy, he had trouble carrying them and always fell down. The farmer would beat him until he stood back up and lifted the bag again. Aly was beaten the most because the farmer accused him of never working hard enough. The little boy still has the scars left from the bike chains and cocoa tree branches that Le Gros used. He and the other slaves were not fed well either. They had to subsist on a few burnt bananas.”… (-http://www1.american.edu/ted/chocolate-slave.htm)
I don’t know about you, but I have felt pretty disgusted with the ‘news’ being portrayed and broadcast in our country. The above paragraph is real. Human trafficking takes place under our noses each and every day while thousands upon thousands of children are abducted and/or tricked into slavery and others are actually sold to laborers by their own parents for extra money… many of these children are as young as 4 and 5 years old.
Working from dusk until dawn, these children perform brutal labor under horrific conditions that lead to thousands of deaths a year. Just as well, they are beaten, rarely fed and are locked up each night like wild animals to prevent escape. Not to mention medical help is nearly nonexistent. What is the purpose for all this, you ask? One word…. Chocolate.
As I watched the news the other day (which I have resorted to rarely doing), all I saw and continue to be broadcast for the world to see are issues such as Michael Jackson, Michael Vick, Brett Favre and this supposed hermaphroditic Olympian (which, yes… I admit IS interesting). My point, however, is that even by watching the news, I feel as if I am being jaded by the actual ‘real’ issues plaguing the world. Sure, hearing about the death of Michael Jackson and the return of Brett Favre both in one year is attention-grabbing… but only for a moment. It seems the media has made American’s so incredibly naïve to what is REALLY going on the world that most people don’t even have a clue about these concentration-camp-like environments that people and people’s children right at this moment are living and fighting to survive in. Look at your children, or any child you love dearly, and imagine them at 5 years old harvesting cocoa beans so more developed countries can pay a pretty penny to indulge in products they worked themselves to death to produce for us. Imagine these children we love being fed next to nothing and having to survive often-times off corn paste for their only meals.
Cote d'Ivoire is a country that is historically known for their dependence on being economically stable through their reliance on exports. Particularly the cocoa bean. Because cocoa is an unstable commodity due to ever-changing market prices, local farmers are constantly on the look-out for ways to cut labor fees… even at the cost of a life. Presently, Cote d'Ivoire leads the world in cocoa bean exports by 43%, and the U.S. alone spends over $13 BILLION dollars per year on chocolate and is the leading importer of cocoa beans in the WORLD. Try that on for size next time you take a bit of that Hershey bar!
Although we are alone but one person, there are little things that each of us can do that will collectively help such a horrific cause. Think of that $13 billion dollars we spend per year on chocolate; if each of us chose not to purchase chocolate from those companies who are supporting Cote d’lvoire by receiving exports from them. Think if each of us chose to only to buy our chocolate bars and confections from companies who support only traffik-free chocolate. It would ultimately force bigger companies Cadbury's, Ben and Jerry's, Hershey’s, Godiva, Kraft, Nestle, See's, Toblerone, Guittard…. And the list goes on!) to rethink their options in regards to purchasing, and it would force local farmers in Cote d’lvoire to rethink their harsh and inhumane policies as their profits decline.
It is estimated that only a measly 1% of chocolate exported in the world is Fair Trade (child-labor free). I find that absolutely astonishing and repulsive that the United States of America who in no way, shape or form ‘supports’ slavery would be a chief importer of such commodities. Imagine if this 1% (with the help of all of us) could rise to 10%, or 20%, or 50%! By, instead, supporting companies such as Dunkin Donuts, Fred Meyer, H E B, Wild Oats, Whole Foods, Starbucks, Safeway (includes Tom Thumb), Target, and Trader Joe's (who all use Fair Trade chocolate), we can make a hefty contribution in helping to put an end to child-labor in the chocolate industry. It wouldn’t take hardly any effort on our behalf, and each of these places can be of easy convenience to most of us. It’s the little things in life that sometimes make the biggest impact. Sure, single-handedly we aren’t quite as capable as we could be united, but if we all did our part to create a unity, there is far more hope than if we just sit back and let this happen. Look for the logo of the third party certifier, Trans-Fair Company, on chocolate products to assure that no child labor was involved in production. Organic chocolate, as well, is considered Fair Trade as it isn’t produced or manufactured in areas prevailing in child labor.
Although I have brought up a very important cause that deserves our attention, this is by no means the only or biggest issue plaguing the world today. All around us and no where near us are issues that are putting the lives of large populations at risk and are, in turn, putting the future of the world in jeopardy. While we sit here complaining of our ‘long’ day of work while our children are safe, sound, unharmed and fed in their cozy beds, thousands upon thousands of other children and families are being plagued with malnourishment, slavery, abuse and torture, no work or being worked to death, and no roof over their heads. There are yet others who are suffering from disease, illness, and/or injury with no help or no cure. Others, still, are fighting overseas for our freedom, separated from family, friends, children and relatives. Not to mention issues affecting us globally such as global warming, the war on oil, the economy, wars between countries, energy conservation, healthcare, etc. Open your eyes to your surroundings and look outside the box that has been neatly packaged for your viewing pleasure. There are so many things we can do on our own to help in little ways with these issues and as I mentioned above, it doesn’t take much effort to support even just one of these concerns.
Pick a cause you believe in and stand by it. Do small things that don’t make time to make a difference. Turn off the electricity when you aren’t using it. Don’t litter. Recycle. Walk locally for a cause you believe in. Give blood. Donate clothes or a little money to a cause. Ride your bike or commute more often. Don’t smoke. Exercise. Educate someone else on something you are passionate about. Buy organic food. Don’t eat Cadbury Cream Eggs….
The list goes on! But my point is that the world is going to spin regardless of what we do to it. It will keep turning and time will keep ticking away, counting down to eternity. But HOW well and efficiently Earth’s counterparts act is in our hands. The more we let time slip away without taking action, the more we will have to worry about in the future. Instead of investing your time into worrying how Michael Jackson ‘really’ died, pay attention to the issues below the surface that are plaguing so many thousands and millions of people. Be proactive and take a few minutes of your time to be grateful for the life you are living and help support those who aren’t as fortunate. Life doesn’t have to be a selfish endeavor and I can guarantee you that the time invested into making small contributions will come around full circle. Without being said, being selfless in the act of giving is always self-gratifying. There is truly nothing more humbling and awe-inspiring than giving without expectations. Try it for yourself and see if you don’t feel just a little bit better about your day and yourSELF. We are all capable of doing great things. Or… let me rephrase that: We are all capable of doing greatER things. And we should live up to that potential not only by taking care of ourselves, but by taking care of the world and those around us.
With that being said, our main prerogative in forming Connect To Fitness is to give those of you the opportunity to be helped, to help others, and to give back to the community. We wanted to form a network where healthcare providers, professionals and those aspiring to be either/or have an outlet where they are able to band together in helping to make the industry and the world more efficient TOGETHER. There is a ton we can do on our own, but with the help of others and with each other, we can accomplish even more by being better, faster and stronger in our endeavors. Take advantage of this amazing opportunity that is right at your disposal.
Open your eyes and let in the light the next time you watch the watered-down news played over and over again and each time you long to pick up that Hershey Bar. Don’t shield yourself and open your heart and mind to looking beneath the surface. Many people need our help and what we do here and now dictates the future of you, me, them… and the world.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.” -H.E. Luccock
“If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” -Antoine de Saint-Exupery
“Cooperation is the thorough conviction that nobody can get there unless everybody gets there.” -Virginia Burden
“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” –Winston Churchill
“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” –Mother Theresa
“Aly Diabate, who is from Mali, was eleven years old when he was lured in Mali by a slave trader to go work on an Ivorian farm. The locater told him that not only would he receive a bicycle, but he could also help his parents with the $150 he would earn. However life on the cocoa farm of "Le Gros" (or "Big Man") was nothing like Aly had imagined. He and the other workers had to work from six in the morning to about 6:30 at night on the cocoa fields. Since Aly was only about four feet tall, the bags of cocoa beans were taller than him. To be able to carry and transport the bags, other people would have to place the bags onto his head for him. Because the bags were so heavy, he had trouble carrying them and always fell down. The farmer would beat him until he stood back up and lifted the bag again. Aly was beaten the most because the farmer accused him of never working hard enough. The little boy still has the scars left from the bike chains and cocoa tree branches that Le Gros used. He and the other slaves were not fed well either. They had to subsist on a few burnt bananas.”… (-http://www1.american.edu/ted/chocolate-slave.htm)
I don’t know about you, but I have felt pretty disgusted with the ‘news’ being portrayed and broadcast in our country. The above paragraph is real. Human trafficking takes place under our noses each and every day while thousands upon thousands of children are abducted and/or tricked into slavery and others are actually sold to laborers by their own parents for extra money… many of these children are as young as 4 and 5 years old.
Working from dusk until dawn, these children perform brutal labor under horrific conditions that lead to thousands of deaths a year. Just as well, they are beaten, rarely fed and are locked up each night like wild animals to prevent escape. Not to mention medical help is nearly nonexistent. What is the purpose for all this, you ask? One word…. Chocolate.
As I watched the news the other day (which I have resorted to rarely doing), all I saw and continue to be broadcast for the world to see are issues such as Michael Jackson, Michael Vick, Brett Favre and this supposed hermaphroditic Olympian (which, yes… I admit IS interesting). My point, however, is that even by watching the news, I feel as if I am being jaded by the actual ‘real’ issues plaguing the world. Sure, hearing about the death of Michael Jackson and the return of Brett Favre both in one year is attention-grabbing… but only for a moment. It seems the media has made American’s so incredibly naïve to what is REALLY going on the world that most people don’t even have a clue about these concentration-camp-like environments that people and people’s children right at this moment are living and fighting to survive in. Look at your children, or any child you love dearly, and imagine them at 5 years old harvesting cocoa beans so more developed countries can pay a pretty penny to indulge in products they worked themselves to death to produce for us. Imagine these children we love being fed next to nothing and having to survive often-times off corn paste for their only meals.
Cote d'Ivoire is a country that is historically known for their dependence on being economically stable through their reliance on exports. Particularly the cocoa bean. Because cocoa is an unstable commodity due to ever-changing market prices, local farmers are constantly on the look-out for ways to cut labor fees… even at the cost of a life. Presently, Cote d'Ivoire leads the world in cocoa bean exports by 43%, and the U.S. alone spends over $13 BILLION dollars per year on chocolate and is the leading importer of cocoa beans in the WORLD. Try that on for size next time you take a bit of that Hershey bar!
Although we are alone but one person, there are little things that each of us can do that will collectively help such a horrific cause. Think of that $13 billion dollars we spend per year on chocolate; if each of us chose not to purchase chocolate from those companies who are supporting Cote d’lvoire by receiving exports from them. Think if each of us chose to only to buy our chocolate bars and confections from companies who support only traffik-free chocolate. It would ultimately force bigger companies Cadbury's, Ben and Jerry's, Hershey’s, Godiva, Kraft, Nestle, See's, Toblerone, Guittard…. And the list goes on!) to rethink their options in regards to purchasing, and it would force local farmers in Cote d’lvoire to rethink their harsh and inhumane policies as their profits decline.
It is estimated that only a measly 1% of chocolate exported in the world is Fair Trade (child-labor free). I find that absolutely astonishing and repulsive that the United States of America who in no way, shape or form ‘supports’ slavery would be a chief importer of such commodities. Imagine if this 1% (with the help of all of us) could rise to 10%, or 20%, or 50%! By, instead, supporting companies such as Dunkin Donuts, Fred Meyer, H E B, Wild Oats, Whole Foods, Starbucks, Safeway (includes Tom Thumb), Target, and Trader Joe's (who all use Fair Trade chocolate), we can make a hefty contribution in helping to put an end to child-labor in the chocolate industry. It wouldn’t take hardly any effort on our behalf, and each of these places can be of easy convenience to most of us. It’s the little things in life that sometimes make the biggest impact. Sure, single-handedly we aren’t quite as capable as we could be united, but if we all did our part to create a unity, there is far more hope than if we just sit back and let this happen. Look for the logo of the third party certifier, Trans-Fair Company, on chocolate products to assure that no child labor was involved in production. Organic chocolate, as well, is considered Fair Trade as it isn’t produced or manufactured in areas prevailing in child labor.
Although I have brought up a very important cause that deserves our attention, this is by no means the only or biggest issue plaguing the world today. All around us and no where near us are issues that are putting the lives of large populations at risk and are, in turn, putting the future of the world in jeopardy. While we sit here complaining of our ‘long’ day of work while our children are safe, sound, unharmed and fed in their cozy beds, thousands upon thousands of other children and families are being plagued with malnourishment, slavery, abuse and torture, no work or being worked to death, and no roof over their heads. There are yet others who are suffering from disease, illness, and/or injury with no help or no cure. Others, still, are fighting overseas for our freedom, separated from family, friends, children and relatives. Not to mention issues affecting us globally such as global warming, the war on oil, the economy, wars between countries, energy conservation, healthcare, etc. Open your eyes to your surroundings and look outside the box that has been neatly packaged for your viewing pleasure. There are so many things we can do on our own to help in little ways with these issues and as I mentioned above, it doesn’t take much effort to support even just one of these concerns.
Pick a cause you believe in and stand by it. Do small things that don’t make time to make a difference. Turn off the electricity when you aren’t using it. Don’t litter. Recycle. Walk locally for a cause you believe in. Give blood. Donate clothes or a little money to a cause. Ride your bike or commute more often. Don’t smoke. Exercise. Educate someone else on something you are passionate about. Buy organic food. Don’t eat Cadbury Cream Eggs….
The list goes on! But my point is that the world is going to spin regardless of what we do to it. It will keep turning and time will keep ticking away, counting down to eternity. But HOW well and efficiently Earth’s counterparts act is in our hands. The more we let time slip away without taking action, the more we will have to worry about in the future. Instead of investing your time into worrying how Michael Jackson ‘really’ died, pay attention to the issues below the surface that are plaguing so many thousands and millions of people. Be proactive and take a few minutes of your time to be grateful for the life you are living and help support those who aren’t as fortunate. Life doesn’t have to be a selfish endeavor and I can guarantee you that the time invested into making small contributions will come around full circle. Without being said, being selfless in the act of giving is always self-gratifying. There is truly nothing more humbling and awe-inspiring than giving without expectations. Try it for yourself and see if you don’t feel just a little bit better about your day and yourSELF. We are all capable of doing great things. Or… let me rephrase that: We are all capable of doing greatER things. And we should live up to that potential not only by taking care of ourselves, but by taking care of the world and those around us.
With that being said, our main prerogative in forming Connect To Fitness is to give those of you the opportunity to be helped, to help others, and to give back to the community. We wanted to form a network where healthcare providers, professionals and those aspiring to be either/or have an outlet where they are able to band together in helping to make the industry and the world more efficient TOGETHER. There is a ton we can do on our own, but with the help of others and with each other, we can accomplish even more by being better, faster and stronger in our endeavors. Take advantage of this amazing opportunity that is right at your disposal.
Open your eyes and let in the light the next time you watch the watered-down news played over and over again and each time you long to pick up that Hershey Bar. Don’t shield yourself and open your heart and mind to looking beneath the surface. Many people need our help and what we do here and now dictates the future of you, me, them… and the world.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.” -H.E. Luccock
“If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” -Antoine de Saint-Exupery
“Cooperation is the thorough conviction that nobody can get there unless everybody gets there.” -Virginia Burden
“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” –Winston Churchill
“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” –Mother Theresa
Monday, September 7, 2009
Always Looking Up
“Why the long face?”, I asked the guest walking into the fitness facility who was looking down and who also appeared distraught.
To this, the guest sighed and replied, “Well… I had to work today (…pause… looking at me as if this explains everything…), THEN I realized I forgot my sneakers and had to go ALL the way home (…another pause… waiting for the world to pause in astonishment and pity…), THEN when I went home to get my sneakers I got talked into picking up my daughter from her tennis lesson (…pause… the Earth shatters into a million pieces…), THEN after I picked her up I had to go ALL the way BACK home to drop her off before coming to the gym (…one last pause… waiting for my reaction…).”
Throughout the duration of this conversation, I couldn’t help but NOT feel pity or sympathy for this person after being informed of the ‘misfortunes’ they had experienced. Now, before you question where this is going and ask “Why?” I felt this way; I want to share with you another event that happened on the same exact day…
I was just leaving the gym and I noticed in passing a middle-aged man sitting on the lat-pulldown machine who smiled and waved at me in my hurried frenzy to leave and get going with the rest of my day. Being in ‘the zone’, I almost didn’t see him, but had managed to look up just in time after turning off my IPOD. I stopped mid-stride, waved back, and walked over to greet him.
“Hi! How are you?”, I asked as I reached my hand out to shake his.
As I got closer and right before he answered, I realized this man was wheelchair-bound and disabled (and very likely completely paralyzed) from the waist down.
“I am doing just wonderful, my dear,” he exclaimed, “as it is always a great day when you wake up and realize you are alive!”
Right at this moment I thought to myself, ‘Why is it that the consensus I am being exposed to appears to be that the people who have the most to be grateful for are the ones who always have their chins down, while so many of the most inspirational people I meet are in dispositions that not many people could endure?’.
Now, I’m not stereotyping everyone as I have seen first-hand the exact opposite scenario happen as well. I guess just having gone through one extreme to the next within such a short time-frame with two totally different people in two entirely different ‘predicaments’, it had caused my cranium to consider this thought and to think about how often we all come in contact with similar situations on a daily basis.
Think back on the last occasion where you made acquaintances with numerous people in one day or at one time, and think about the responses you received from each person you introduced yourself to or reacquainted yourself with. What were the most common responses to your acknowledgement and how did the energy of each person affect you, personally?
In my own experiences, I have found that addressing individuals with a pessimistic outlook tend to subconsciously rub off to a certain degree. You might not be in a bad mood, necessarily, after talking with this person, but negativity can definitely try pretty hard to chip away at positive energy. The same can be said in communicating with a person who appears to be on top of the world. Contact with them is generally infectious as well and they are able to influence optimism to those around them. I can tell you right now, that the day I came in contact with those two individuals, I experienced this phenomenon to the fullest. Not to say the individual expressing their ‘problems’ at work brought me down, but I did find myself thinking negative thoughts about why he isn’t grateful for all he DOES have. Especially after meeting such a delightful man that same day who (in my opinion) had way more reasons to frown then most people I know, yet he was wearing the biggest smile I had seen all day… and he had given me one as well. Imagine that! We can actually induce others with feelings that reflect our emotions just simply by giving a negative response through our body language and responses to others. Powerful thought, huh?
While sitting and having a fantastic meeting with a great friend (who just also happens to be an amazing professional in the healthcare industry), Lifan Hung, she brought up an awesome ‘exercise’ that we should all think about trying. For the sake of this article, I am going to call it ‘Always Looking Up’…
For an ENTIRE day… I dare you to greet EVERY single person you come in contact by saying something positive. Even if your whole day has been based around mishaps and calamity and you feel so stressed that you can hardly contain yourself, and regardless of how the person on the other end responds… Just breathe… smile… and say something infectiously positive to each person you see for that day. I can absolutely guarantee you that not only will you make another person’s day more worthwhile, but you will also create and embellish a strong, empowering, and positive affirmation within yourself as well. Just try it. Just for a day and be cognizant of how you feel and how others you interact with react to your optimism. It might just be so infectious that you decide to use it everyday!
Just as well, when I was around ages 15-16, I can remember a time when I was headed into a convenience store. Walking to the door, I heard footsteps behind me, so I opened the doors in front of me, turned, and held them open for the individual who was a few steps behind me. Surprised, the man stopped for a moment, hesitated, and said, “Oh!... Well… thanks!”. He then continued forward and into the store. Following behind, I grabbed what I was looking for and (ironically) was now standing behind the same man I had held the door for in line. After he checked out and left, I checked out myself and headed to the door where it was opened from the outside. Caught off guard and putting my spare change in my purse, it was my turn to pause at this unexpected gesture.
Walking through the doors and looking up, I saw the familiar face of a man returning a favor peer out and as I treaded forward, he kindly said, “I wanted to ‘thank-you’ for your kindness earlier.”
“Why is that?”, I asked, confused.
To which he said, “I have been really down lately… and I mean REALLY down. And no one has given me the time of day. I don’t know why I’m telling you this,” he said under his breath, “but today it got to the point where I wanted to end my life. Thank you for helping me remember how good it feels to smile.”
Speechless, I said, “You’re welcome.”, and with a tip of his hat he walked away… with his chin held high.
To say this event didn’t change my life would be an absolute lie. I never really told anyone about this incident as it just didn’t feel appropriate until now. After that moment and to this day, I take careful prominence in making sure to say ‘Hello’ to (most) anyone I encounter and to be as friendly as possible to the people around me. You just never know what your actions might mean to someone. Each person has a unique story and each person, as an individual, is dealing with specific problems, issues and stresses that affect each person to a different degree. Never judge a book by its cover and never underestimate or take for granted the power of spoken word. You have no idea what each person you encounter on a daily basis is going through behind closed doors, and what a kind comment or acknowledgement might do to make someone’s day better… or their life.
I dare you, Faithful Reader, to set all worries, stresses, ‘problems’ and issues aside and devote an entire day to optimism. The more you speak of positivity, the more you will act on it and the more you will infect those around you with the same kindness you exert yourself. Don’t be one of those people who allows a leaky faucet ruin their day. Instead, look at the things that you are grateful for. Stop and smell the roses and notice the little things in life that bring a smile to your face. Learn that the glass is always full… but only if we let it be. Remember that ‘perception is reality’ and that by changing your thoughts, you can change all that surrounds you.
And lastly, oh lastly, don’t ever wait for perfection, but praise and commend progress. By appreciating the small steps leading to the big result, you can gain a better appreciation and understanding of yourself and your life in a way that someone being handed something will never be able to identify with. By changing your thoughts, you can change your life… or someone else’s.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“If you haven't any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.” -Bob Hope
“Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.” -Quoted in P.S. I Love You, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” -Plato
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” -Leo Buscaglia
“To give and then not feel that one has given is the very best of all ways of giving.” -Max Beerbohm
To this, the guest sighed and replied, “Well… I had to work today (…pause… looking at me as if this explains everything…), THEN I realized I forgot my sneakers and had to go ALL the way home (…another pause… waiting for the world to pause in astonishment and pity…), THEN when I went home to get my sneakers I got talked into picking up my daughter from her tennis lesson (…pause… the Earth shatters into a million pieces…), THEN after I picked her up I had to go ALL the way BACK home to drop her off before coming to the gym (…one last pause… waiting for my reaction…).”
Throughout the duration of this conversation, I couldn’t help but NOT feel pity or sympathy for this person after being informed of the ‘misfortunes’ they had experienced. Now, before you question where this is going and ask “Why?” I felt this way; I want to share with you another event that happened on the same exact day…
I was just leaving the gym and I noticed in passing a middle-aged man sitting on the lat-pulldown machine who smiled and waved at me in my hurried frenzy to leave and get going with the rest of my day. Being in ‘the zone’, I almost didn’t see him, but had managed to look up just in time after turning off my IPOD. I stopped mid-stride, waved back, and walked over to greet him.
“Hi! How are you?”, I asked as I reached my hand out to shake his.
As I got closer and right before he answered, I realized this man was wheelchair-bound and disabled (and very likely completely paralyzed) from the waist down.
“I am doing just wonderful, my dear,” he exclaimed, “as it is always a great day when you wake up and realize you are alive!”
Right at this moment I thought to myself, ‘Why is it that the consensus I am being exposed to appears to be that the people who have the most to be grateful for are the ones who always have their chins down, while so many of the most inspirational people I meet are in dispositions that not many people could endure?’.
Now, I’m not stereotyping everyone as I have seen first-hand the exact opposite scenario happen as well. I guess just having gone through one extreme to the next within such a short time-frame with two totally different people in two entirely different ‘predicaments’, it had caused my cranium to consider this thought and to think about how often we all come in contact with similar situations on a daily basis.
Think back on the last occasion where you made acquaintances with numerous people in one day or at one time, and think about the responses you received from each person you introduced yourself to or reacquainted yourself with. What were the most common responses to your acknowledgement and how did the energy of each person affect you, personally?
In my own experiences, I have found that addressing individuals with a pessimistic outlook tend to subconsciously rub off to a certain degree. You might not be in a bad mood, necessarily, after talking with this person, but negativity can definitely try pretty hard to chip away at positive energy. The same can be said in communicating with a person who appears to be on top of the world. Contact with them is generally infectious as well and they are able to influence optimism to those around them. I can tell you right now, that the day I came in contact with those two individuals, I experienced this phenomenon to the fullest. Not to say the individual expressing their ‘problems’ at work brought me down, but I did find myself thinking negative thoughts about why he isn’t grateful for all he DOES have. Especially after meeting such a delightful man that same day who (in my opinion) had way more reasons to frown then most people I know, yet he was wearing the biggest smile I had seen all day… and he had given me one as well. Imagine that! We can actually induce others with feelings that reflect our emotions just simply by giving a negative response through our body language and responses to others. Powerful thought, huh?
While sitting and having a fantastic meeting with a great friend (who just also happens to be an amazing professional in the healthcare industry), Lifan Hung, she brought up an awesome ‘exercise’ that we should all think about trying. For the sake of this article, I am going to call it ‘Always Looking Up’…
For an ENTIRE day… I dare you to greet EVERY single person you come in contact by saying something positive. Even if your whole day has been based around mishaps and calamity and you feel so stressed that you can hardly contain yourself, and regardless of how the person on the other end responds… Just breathe… smile… and say something infectiously positive to each person you see for that day. I can absolutely guarantee you that not only will you make another person’s day more worthwhile, but you will also create and embellish a strong, empowering, and positive affirmation within yourself as well. Just try it. Just for a day and be cognizant of how you feel and how others you interact with react to your optimism. It might just be so infectious that you decide to use it everyday!
Just as well, when I was around ages 15-16, I can remember a time when I was headed into a convenience store. Walking to the door, I heard footsteps behind me, so I opened the doors in front of me, turned, and held them open for the individual who was a few steps behind me. Surprised, the man stopped for a moment, hesitated, and said, “Oh!... Well… thanks!”. He then continued forward and into the store. Following behind, I grabbed what I was looking for and (ironically) was now standing behind the same man I had held the door for in line. After he checked out and left, I checked out myself and headed to the door where it was opened from the outside. Caught off guard and putting my spare change in my purse, it was my turn to pause at this unexpected gesture.
Walking through the doors and looking up, I saw the familiar face of a man returning a favor peer out and as I treaded forward, he kindly said, “I wanted to ‘thank-you’ for your kindness earlier.”
“Why is that?”, I asked, confused.
To which he said, “I have been really down lately… and I mean REALLY down. And no one has given me the time of day. I don’t know why I’m telling you this,” he said under his breath, “but today it got to the point where I wanted to end my life. Thank you for helping me remember how good it feels to smile.”
Speechless, I said, “You’re welcome.”, and with a tip of his hat he walked away… with his chin held high.
To say this event didn’t change my life would be an absolute lie. I never really told anyone about this incident as it just didn’t feel appropriate until now. After that moment and to this day, I take careful prominence in making sure to say ‘Hello’ to (most) anyone I encounter and to be as friendly as possible to the people around me. You just never know what your actions might mean to someone. Each person has a unique story and each person, as an individual, is dealing with specific problems, issues and stresses that affect each person to a different degree. Never judge a book by its cover and never underestimate or take for granted the power of spoken word. You have no idea what each person you encounter on a daily basis is going through behind closed doors, and what a kind comment or acknowledgement might do to make someone’s day better… or their life.
I dare you, Faithful Reader, to set all worries, stresses, ‘problems’ and issues aside and devote an entire day to optimism. The more you speak of positivity, the more you will act on it and the more you will infect those around you with the same kindness you exert yourself. Don’t be one of those people who allows a leaky faucet ruin their day. Instead, look at the things that you are grateful for. Stop and smell the roses and notice the little things in life that bring a smile to your face. Learn that the glass is always full… but only if we let it be. Remember that ‘perception is reality’ and that by changing your thoughts, you can change all that surrounds you.
And lastly, oh lastly, don’t ever wait for perfection, but praise and commend progress. By appreciating the small steps leading to the big result, you can gain a better appreciation and understanding of yourself and your life in a way that someone being handed something will never be able to identify with. By changing your thoughts, you can change your life… or someone else’s.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“If you haven't any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.” -Bob Hope
“Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.” -Quoted in P.S. I Love You, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” -Plato
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” -Leo Buscaglia
“To give and then not feel that one has given is the very best of all ways of giving.” -Max Beerbohm
Monday, August 31, 2009
A 'Dam' Good Time In Boulder City
Travelling down the 215 and relying on MapQuest to guide me to my destination, I began to feel as if I was in a new world as I approached Boulder City. Squinting at my handwritten directions and proceeding to squint up ahead, I noticed that the blurry street sign in the distance resembled from afar what I was searching so intently for: Buchanan Blvd which would then lead me to Adam’s Blvd. The excitement was bubbling inside me so much while I traversed that all I could think about was the fact that I was about to experience my first Connect To Fitness event in the breath-taking Boulder City.
I arrived at 801 Adams Blvd (not without the help of Darian Parker, of course, who totally should take over the roll of MapQuest in the future), put my car into park and took a nice, deep breath of realization. I looked back at the past few months of my life living in Las Vegas, and just smiled as I became reminiscent of the progression I have watched unravel before my very own eyes in regards to my life and my career. In this moment, a passing thought crossed my mind of having been to Boulder City in my first weeks as an official resident of Las Vegas. Darian and I had come down to meet with Marcie Gibson who gave us her enthusiastic consent in holding an event for Connect To Fitness at one of the recreation centers located within the city. At the time I didn’t think that day could come soon enough! Well… here I was. Back in Boulder City. Back in action. And back with CTF.
Having arrived early and having been greeted by Darian (who arrived EXTRA early), I grabbed my belongings out of my car as Darian graciously took hold of the giant cooler filled to the brim with Tropical Smoothies out of my backseat. He told me in advance that I was going to love what I saw as I walked into the facility, but I still wasn’t prepared for what I was getting myself into. Before we walked into the doors of the facility, I could see people setting up tables through the sun-tainted windows, which were obviously trying to blind me. As I proceeded through the doors, my mind immediately reverted back in time to elementary school gym class while growing up in my small hometown. The sense of ‘home’ it instills within you and consumes you with is enough to give you goosebumps and to make you want to move in. Possibly forever.
After laying my things down atop the piano placed (ever-so-randomly and yet so perfectly) in the refreshment room, I really began to absorb my surroundings. In the square room were three long tables (loaded with colorful confetti!) lining the front and side walls, and a few fold-out chairs just like being back in school. As I traversed through the main lobby and into the gymnasium, I could already see the cones, basketballs, footballs, and tennis balls all stationed accordingly around the perimeter of the basketball court (as Tina said: not quite a whole basketball court, but bigger than a half court). I couldn’t believe it. I stared in awe, and looked at Darian and made some kind of predictable and excited exclamation that I still heard echoing five minutes after I made my outburst. “This is incredible!!!”, I believe were my words. The old brick walls without windows and painted an off-white/yellow color, the padded mats lining the walls for protection, and the oddly-modern, shiny, wood ceilings that were perfectly out of place. I. Loved. It.
We walked back out to the lobby and began to set up the front table in which we had our sign-in sheet, nametags and markers, and where we also laid out our Connect To Fitness donation box in which we are using to assimilate money for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, which is the cause we have been actively involved with the past few months.
As Darian and I caught up a bit and basked in this incredible environment, Marcie Gibson (who supervises the main Fitness Center in Boulder City and who is incredibly active within her community) and a couple friends pulled up and popped the lid of the truck and out poured never-ending food. There was a HUGE fruit tray as well as an equally proportioned vegetable tray, there was a varied cheese tray, a big bag of dark, plump grapes, crackers of all kinds, cookies, and an enormous tray of veggie and cheese wraps that weighed as much as I do. Oh… and don’t forget the smoothies.
Shortly after having arrived myself, the always delightful and inspiring Heather Doane arrived with Crayola Markers, construction paper and, of course, folder to keep it all in. We were in mission mode. Quickly (but creatively) constructing signs detailing the games we had set up in the gym, we caught up for a bit and finished setting everything up. Just as we were finishing, Charles and Hannah Ware arrived with yet another cooler; this time loaded with bottled water and all varieties of Vitamin Water. He also came bearing gifts, as the Professional Fitness Institute always donates amazing prizes for our event giveaways. Shortly after that, more guests began arriving and within no time flat the echoes heard in the gym were reverberating all throughout the building. It was fantastic to see the familiar and faithful faces of those who are continually at each event supporting CTF, networking and enjoying each other’s company and it was just as awesome to get acquainted with the new faces from both the Vegas Valley as well as Boulder City. There were some really incredible people who arrived and it was great to mingle and make connections with each person who walked through the door.
Besides the array of amazing food we had to share, the other main attraction was the ‘game room’, where Darian and Marcie meticulously set up some fun games where guests could pay to play, as well as donate, money to our cause at the same time. We had a basketball free-throw contest, a tennis-ball toss, and a football throw where you had to manage to throw a football into a plastic bin in the front of the gymnasium. As people began piling in, it was extremely reminiscent of gym class and being a kid again, and it had a sort of carnival feel to it that was just awesome. As people played the games, others were shouting encouragement from the sidelines inbetween conversation or between snacking. It was really inspiring to see and it was fun watching the ‘crowd’ cheer the players on as they focused intently on making each toss or free throw. As I made my rounds in greeting everyone, I admit I couldn’t help but to snack myself each time I’d walk by the table. The food was immaculate and plentiful and we had an ample amount (and then some!) for the guests to stack mile-high plates.
About an hour into the event, we had our first prize giveaway, which came from Advantage Fitness Products (AFP), which was an awesome Travel-Trainer (if you don’t own or know of this great product and you are a trainer, you should definitely check it out!). The winner of this prize is always shocked at how awesome it is once they receive it, and it’s always a joy to see the faces of the winners. Another fifteen minutes went by and we gave out the last two prizes, donated by the Professional Fitness Institute (PFI), which consisted of two PFI logo backpacks loaded with more great accolades inside. It’s always a treat, as well, to give such great prizes to such great people.
After the final prize giveaway and after everyone was done playing games in the gymnasium, we began to tear everything down as people slowly began filing out the doors. We folded and stacked all the chairs and tables, put away the gym equipment and set the building up exactly how it was before we arrived. All the leftover food was happily carried away by guests and staff members and you could see and hear people were exchanging business cards and information before leaving.
As I was looking around towards the end, I took in another deep breath and just smiled to myself as another successful event had just taken place. The work that goes on behind-the-scenes is often time-consuming and a lot of work, but always, ALWAYS worth it. It has been our great fortune to have the opportunity to meet with so many amazing individuals on a monthly and daily basis through CTF and each month, and each day, there just seems to be more people reaching out and getting involved. I stood there and thought about the last week as well in which I have had the amazing opportunity of meeting with some absolutely fantastic professionals in the health, wellness and fitness industry who expressed interest in contributing for the CTF Magazine publication out in 2010. Words cannot even begin to explain the inspiration I received from these individuals as well as the excitement for having them on the CTF team. So many of my own dreams have come true as a result of CTF and it’s such a great feeling when you view and help other people reach their own dreams and aspirations through the organization as well. If you haven’t yet become an active member, now is a great time to join in as we are truly growing by leaps and bounds and the opportunities for professionals that we have to offer are growing as well. The gratitude from knowing we are helping to contribute to job-placement is just incredible and we are currently establishing a system that will be even more efficient at this process.
As I looked around and my mind travelled back to the hear and now, I picked up my belongings (and my twelve thousand Ziplock bags), and carried them out to my car while Charles rolled out the cooler of the few leftover smoothies. As I said ‘Goodbye’ to the rest of the CTF staff and remaining friends, I felt overwhelmed with great fortune as the event replayed itself in my mind and I was able to just sit in my car and let the gratitude wash over me.
As I drove out back towards Adam’s Blvd., I caught a glimpse of Marcie was pulling her car over, and getting out of her vehicle to pick up a sign on the side of the road that had fallen down. It reminded me just how big-hearted so many of the people are that I have met and how people who are passionate about being in this profession are typically the ones to do not just the big things in life to make the world a better place, but the little things as well, such as picking up a fallen sign off the side of the road. I couldn’t imagine being a better industry and surrounding myself with better people. Having moved out to Vegas, one thing I can attest for is the amount of positive energy so many people in this industry possess.
Thank you to all who came out, donated, and showed support for both CTF and Making Strides For Breast Cancer. Thank you as well for our amazing sponsors, both AFT and PFI for donating some amazing products to share with those at the event. We raised a significant amount of money with your help, and just as I mentioned above, it’s these little things that help create a balance in life and which help to improve and impact other’s lives around you. I hope that you will also join us in walking for this cause in October and that you will continue to hold our hands through this journey we like to call Connect To Fitness.
As I drove away from Boulder City, I once again came back to reality and began to plan in my mind for the rest of my evening, as well as for what lies ahead. All the while, I was filled with the feeling of accomplishment which in turn led me to reaffirm my ‘belief’ into ‘knowledge’ that anything we set our minds to in life is possible. Because it is.
Thank you again, Faithful Reader and Follower, and until next time…
“When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.”
-William A Ward
“One of the things I keep learning is that the secret of being happy is doing things for other people.” - Dick Gregory
“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” - John Andrew Holmes Jr., American writer and minister
I arrived at 801 Adams Blvd (not without the help of Darian Parker, of course, who totally should take over the roll of MapQuest in the future), put my car into park and took a nice, deep breath of realization. I looked back at the past few months of my life living in Las Vegas, and just smiled as I became reminiscent of the progression I have watched unravel before my very own eyes in regards to my life and my career. In this moment, a passing thought crossed my mind of having been to Boulder City in my first weeks as an official resident of Las Vegas. Darian and I had come down to meet with Marcie Gibson who gave us her enthusiastic consent in holding an event for Connect To Fitness at one of the recreation centers located within the city. At the time I didn’t think that day could come soon enough! Well… here I was. Back in Boulder City. Back in action. And back with CTF.
Having arrived early and having been greeted by Darian (who arrived EXTRA early), I grabbed my belongings out of my car as Darian graciously took hold of the giant cooler filled to the brim with Tropical Smoothies out of my backseat. He told me in advance that I was going to love what I saw as I walked into the facility, but I still wasn’t prepared for what I was getting myself into. Before we walked into the doors of the facility, I could see people setting up tables through the sun-tainted windows, which were obviously trying to blind me. As I proceeded through the doors, my mind immediately reverted back in time to elementary school gym class while growing up in my small hometown. The sense of ‘home’ it instills within you and consumes you with is enough to give you goosebumps and to make you want to move in. Possibly forever.
After laying my things down atop the piano placed (ever-so-randomly and yet so perfectly) in the refreshment room, I really began to absorb my surroundings. In the square room were three long tables (loaded with colorful confetti!) lining the front and side walls, and a few fold-out chairs just like being back in school. As I traversed through the main lobby and into the gymnasium, I could already see the cones, basketballs, footballs, and tennis balls all stationed accordingly around the perimeter of the basketball court (as Tina said: not quite a whole basketball court, but bigger than a half court). I couldn’t believe it. I stared in awe, and looked at Darian and made some kind of predictable and excited exclamation that I still heard echoing five minutes after I made my outburst. “This is incredible!!!”, I believe were my words. The old brick walls without windows and painted an off-white/yellow color, the padded mats lining the walls for protection, and the oddly-modern, shiny, wood ceilings that were perfectly out of place. I. Loved. It.
We walked back out to the lobby and began to set up the front table in which we had our sign-in sheet, nametags and markers, and where we also laid out our Connect To Fitness donation box in which we are using to assimilate money for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, which is the cause we have been actively involved with the past few months.
As Darian and I caught up a bit and basked in this incredible environment, Marcie Gibson (who supervises the main Fitness Center in Boulder City and who is incredibly active within her community) and a couple friends pulled up and popped the lid of the truck and out poured never-ending food. There was a HUGE fruit tray as well as an equally proportioned vegetable tray, there was a varied cheese tray, a big bag of dark, plump grapes, crackers of all kinds, cookies, and an enormous tray of veggie and cheese wraps that weighed as much as I do. Oh… and don’t forget the smoothies.
Shortly after having arrived myself, the always delightful and inspiring Heather Doane arrived with Crayola Markers, construction paper and, of course, folder to keep it all in. We were in mission mode. Quickly (but creatively) constructing signs detailing the games we had set up in the gym, we caught up for a bit and finished setting everything up. Just as we were finishing, Charles and Hannah Ware arrived with yet another cooler; this time loaded with bottled water and all varieties of Vitamin Water. He also came bearing gifts, as the Professional Fitness Institute always donates amazing prizes for our event giveaways. Shortly after that, more guests began arriving and within no time flat the echoes heard in the gym were reverberating all throughout the building. It was fantastic to see the familiar and faithful faces of those who are continually at each event supporting CTF, networking and enjoying each other’s company and it was just as awesome to get acquainted with the new faces from both the Vegas Valley as well as Boulder City. There were some really incredible people who arrived and it was great to mingle and make connections with each person who walked through the door.
Besides the array of amazing food we had to share, the other main attraction was the ‘game room’, where Darian and Marcie meticulously set up some fun games where guests could pay to play, as well as donate, money to our cause at the same time. We had a basketball free-throw contest, a tennis-ball toss, and a football throw where you had to manage to throw a football into a plastic bin in the front of the gymnasium. As people began piling in, it was extremely reminiscent of gym class and being a kid again, and it had a sort of carnival feel to it that was just awesome. As people played the games, others were shouting encouragement from the sidelines inbetween conversation or between snacking. It was really inspiring to see and it was fun watching the ‘crowd’ cheer the players on as they focused intently on making each toss or free throw. As I made my rounds in greeting everyone, I admit I couldn’t help but to snack myself each time I’d walk by the table. The food was immaculate and plentiful and we had an ample amount (and then some!) for the guests to stack mile-high plates.
About an hour into the event, we had our first prize giveaway, which came from Advantage Fitness Products (AFP), which was an awesome Travel-Trainer (if you don’t own or know of this great product and you are a trainer, you should definitely check it out!). The winner of this prize is always shocked at how awesome it is once they receive it, and it’s always a joy to see the faces of the winners. Another fifteen minutes went by and we gave out the last two prizes, donated by the Professional Fitness Institute (PFI), which consisted of two PFI logo backpacks loaded with more great accolades inside. It’s always a treat, as well, to give such great prizes to such great people.
After the final prize giveaway and after everyone was done playing games in the gymnasium, we began to tear everything down as people slowly began filing out the doors. We folded and stacked all the chairs and tables, put away the gym equipment and set the building up exactly how it was before we arrived. All the leftover food was happily carried away by guests and staff members and you could see and hear people were exchanging business cards and information before leaving.
As I was looking around towards the end, I took in another deep breath and just smiled to myself as another successful event had just taken place. The work that goes on behind-the-scenes is often time-consuming and a lot of work, but always, ALWAYS worth it. It has been our great fortune to have the opportunity to meet with so many amazing individuals on a monthly and daily basis through CTF and each month, and each day, there just seems to be more people reaching out and getting involved. I stood there and thought about the last week as well in which I have had the amazing opportunity of meeting with some absolutely fantastic professionals in the health, wellness and fitness industry who expressed interest in contributing for the CTF Magazine publication out in 2010. Words cannot even begin to explain the inspiration I received from these individuals as well as the excitement for having them on the CTF team. So many of my own dreams have come true as a result of CTF and it’s such a great feeling when you view and help other people reach their own dreams and aspirations through the organization as well. If you haven’t yet become an active member, now is a great time to join in as we are truly growing by leaps and bounds and the opportunities for professionals that we have to offer are growing as well. The gratitude from knowing we are helping to contribute to job-placement is just incredible and we are currently establishing a system that will be even more efficient at this process.
As I looked around and my mind travelled back to the hear and now, I picked up my belongings (and my twelve thousand Ziplock bags), and carried them out to my car while Charles rolled out the cooler of the few leftover smoothies. As I said ‘Goodbye’ to the rest of the CTF staff and remaining friends, I felt overwhelmed with great fortune as the event replayed itself in my mind and I was able to just sit in my car and let the gratitude wash over me.
As I drove out back towards Adam’s Blvd., I caught a glimpse of Marcie was pulling her car over, and getting out of her vehicle to pick up a sign on the side of the road that had fallen down. It reminded me just how big-hearted so many of the people are that I have met and how people who are passionate about being in this profession are typically the ones to do not just the big things in life to make the world a better place, but the little things as well, such as picking up a fallen sign off the side of the road. I couldn’t imagine being a better industry and surrounding myself with better people. Having moved out to Vegas, one thing I can attest for is the amount of positive energy so many people in this industry possess.
Thank you to all who came out, donated, and showed support for both CTF and Making Strides For Breast Cancer. Thank you as well for our amazing sponsors, both AFT and PFI for donating some amazing products to share with those at the event. We raised a significant amount of money with your help, and just as I mentioned above, it’s these little things that help create a balance in life and which help to improve and impact other’s lives around you. I hope that you will also join us in walking for this cause in October and that you will continue to hold our hands through this journey we like to call Connect To Fitness.
As I drove away from Boulder City, I once again came back to reality and began to plan in my mind for the rest of my evening, as well as for what lies ahead. All the while, I was filled with the feeling of accomplishment which in turn led me to reaffirm my ‘belief’ into ‘knowledge’ that anything we set our minds to in life is possible. Because it is.
Thank you again, Faithful Reader and Follower, and until next time…
“When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.”
-William A Ward
“One of the things I keep learning is that the secret of being happy is doing things for other people.” - Dick Gregory
“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” - John Andrew Holmes Jr., American writer and minister
Monday, August 24, 2009
Dear John Cloud of Time Magazine...
Dear John Cloud,
Upon just recently reading your article in Time Magazine entitled, “Why Exercise Won’t Make You Thin” (http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1914857,00.html), I wanted to give you a sincere reply as this is a subject that I am extremely passionate about. Whether or not your article was made deliberately to cause a stir of controversy, I don’t know and I don’t care. I just can’t find it within myself to stay quiet any longer.
Being in the fitness industry prior to going to school, having went to school to become a personal trainer, having worked with and having been mentored by some of the most recognized, decorated, successful, and educated professionals in the world, having trained clients of my own, and being loyal to training myself, I can tell you first hand that if there is anything I have learned about the state of today’s people, it’s that, collectively,they need to move a LOT more and eat a LOT less.
Having introduced myself, I would therefore like to ask you what your contribution to the fitness industry has been as far as education, hands-on experience, professionalism, as well as your own training? I ask this for a number of reasons, the first being to get to know you a little better and second being I don’t believe you have had any formal training nor do I believe that you understand the science underlying the art of weight loss and of the body itself. How do I know this? Well, for one; you inquired in your article about whether, “…exercise turn fat to muscle, and doesn't muscle process excess calories more efficiently than fat does?”. If you would have done just a little bit more research, you would have found, Mr. Cloud, that it is impossible for muscle to turn to fat, or vice versa, as fat and muscle are two entirely different types of tissue. Everyone has both fat cells and muscle cells, and it isn’t a matter of transforming one into the other, but it is a matter of shrinking and growing these different tissue types to transform your body composition. This is something that can be accomplished by both moving your body and by feeding your body not only the right amount of food, but the right types of food. I was embarrassed reading your article for your own sake and am just sick that you would impede on an industry you have no business being involved in.
What many people fail to realize is that being ‘healthy’ isn’t just a term used synonymously with a quick-fix without effort, rather it is a combined effort of being healthy from the inside-out; from your brain and how you feel mentally, to your mouth and digestive system and what you are putting in it each day, to your body and how your training program is designed to help benefit your specific and individual needs physically. Being ‘healthy’ is not in style just for bikini or wedding season. Rather, it is a life-long commitment just like a marriage or any other lasting relationship between two people. It is something you need to be dedicated to and something that can’t be accomplished without all the correct elements in place. As a country, fitness and wellness has become completely commercialized and so many of us are deceived into thinking that if we all eat a certain (and similar) way and if we all move in a certain (or similar) way then we will see fast (and similar) progress in ‘6 minutes or less!’. Folks... this isn’t reality and the truth is that each of our bodies are as individual as our fingerprints in what we need to attain our own optimal health. Our features inside are as unique as the features we possess on the outside, and although you touched on this briefly, Mr. Cloud, I don’t believe you and I are delivering the same message to the public on the specifics of this topic.
Just as each human body is as one-of-a-kind as our own fingerprints, so are our specific needs for our specific fitness, wellness and health goals. You mention how vigorous exercise may not be for everyone, and certainly this is a valid and respectable point to mention as you are correct in your statement. Depending on your specific goals, vigorous exercise may NOT be the best possible answer for your body and for attaining these goals, especially if you have any contraindications permitting you from performing high intensity training or if you just simply don't need it for your personal needs. To optimize weight loss in a healthy and efficient manner, you have to incorporate not JUST clean eating or JUST exercise or JUST having a clean mental plate, but all three of these aspects meshed together to create a combined effort of life-long commitment. What controls the body controls the mind, and what controls the mind controls the body. Exercise is not a cure for negative eating habits and patterns. You can train all you want, but if you aren’t receiving the proper nutrients needed for your body to function correctly, you are still going to either plateau, maintain, or (most often) gain weight. With all the junk and processed food we have at our disposal these days, it’s no wonder people aren’t losing weight! The simple science of weight loss first involves a caloric deficit combined with movement. The calories you are expending each day, or your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), have, have, HAVE to be more than what you are taking in through food, or reaching your fitness goals of weight loss will be next to impossible.
In your article, you mentioned how obese people actually burn more calories per day than an average person who isn’t overweight might burn. Reverting back to TDEE… A person’s total daily energy expenditure is the sum of your basal metabolic rate (BMR), the calories you expend processing and digesting the food you consume, and the calories burned through activity level. The first two variables aren’t subject to too much manipulation as they are, on average, pretty standard in people of similar weight and size. Energy expenditure through physical activity (or lack of, in many cases) is extremely variable and the generally the easiest controlled of the three components that make up TDEE. Scientifically speaking, heavier people burn more calories than lighter people when doing the same work as it takes more energy to fuel and move a heavier body, no matter WHAT the activity may be. This doesn’t cultivate that overweight and obese people are ‘exercising’ any more than average or lighter people, this is just a variable that is proportionate to body weight and size. So, you were essentially correct in your 'findings', Mr. Cloud, but your presentation on the matter was vague and you used this to take advantage of your audience in misguiding them by not explaining the science behind your observation and claim.
‘Exercise’ in itself is a term in which people, like yourself, cringe upon hearing. The word itself is partly deceiving because it has been used synonymously with training in a gym or something similar, and not everyone enjoys training in that environment. It creates a narrow pathway and a sour taste in the mouth of most people and they aren’t able to open their eyes a broader standpoint that all this word essentially is referring to is ‘movement’. As a population, we in no way, shape, or form move as much as we once did. Humans report (as you mentioned) that they are moving ‘more than ever’ and that they are meeting the recommended daily guidelines established by such organizations as ACSM, NSCA and many other accredited organizations. The fact of the matter, plain and simple, is that as life and technology fuse together, we are not moving like our ancestors did, and people tend to over-report their activity levels to begin with. You claim you would be better off not going to the gym and taking up leisure activities and incorporating short bursts of activity into your day whether it be taking the stairs, walking more, etc. Have you actually TRIED doing this or incorporating this into your life? Unless we miraculously have technology stripped from our everyday lives (right down to our vehicles), we will never again, as a human race, acquire the same energy output that our ancestors did way back when no matter HOW many stairs we climb or parking lots we walk. We are a population that is now accustomed to sitting whenever possible and getting up only to sit down once again. I mean, think about it… We (humans) are the only animals on the planet that have managed to change our environment. We have established a convenient world where food can be replenished and where we can rely on technology to do most of our dirty work for us. Sure, we can (and should!) incorporate other daily activities into our lives besides our daily workout at the gym. We should definitely take stairs and walk from here to there. But my point is that we just need to collectively get up and just move no matter where you are going or what you are doing! Every little bit of activity counts and the more calories we burn… the better.
Just as well, I mentioned above that exercise does NOT undue poor eating and nutrition habits. In your case, you claim that it’s because of exercise that you aren’t losing your gut. Have you thought about what your gut might look like if you were to stop exercising?... It appears you are in a maintenance stage as you aren’t gaining or losing any weight, but that you aren’t fusing together the proper elements of an all-around lifestyle change, including the mental, physical and emotional aspects. Clean eating is a tremendous part of weight loss, just as well as eating the right portion sizes, nutrients and nutrient timing, number of meals, and so on. Have you gone or considered seeing a registered dietitian or nutritionist? Part of the problem we are facing today is that we are stuffing our faces with processed garbage, artificial flavors, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, trans fats, white everything (table salt, sugar, flour, etc…), artificial sugars and sugar substitutes, non-organic food and food products plagued with hormones, pesticides and other harmful chemicals, and the list goes on!!! What we fail to realize is that these substances weren’t made to be consumed by the human body and when we are constantly feeding ourselves these substances; our bodies aren't accustomed to digesting these substances and guess what? It stores them. That’s right. Many of them DON’T digest. Try that one on for size. In a world of processed everything and anything, we are basically the guinea pigs of these food companies luring us and feeding us this garbage. If you were to eat clean and keep up your weekly training regiment, I have no doubts that you would see more progress than you are now. Maybe start by asking yourself if you are eating good, quality food and if you are getting the proper nutrients, fiber and servings needed for weight loss to supplement your training. Are you drinking enough water and how many meals are you consuming? It also wouldn’t hurt to seek out advice from a professional who could analyze your dietary intake and give you some helpful suggestions on how to eat right.
Just as well, in your ‘findings’ you say that exercise induces appetite, when in fact just the opposite has been proven to be true (found in studies done by Les Mills, University of Michigan’s School of Kinesiology, NSCA, etc…). Exercise actually suppresses appetite hormones during and after training and can actually help lead to weight loss if managed properly. When managing your diet for weight loss, it is of dire importance that you are eating the right foods for your body and at the right times. If you aren’t, then you aren’t going to lose weight the way you want and you aren’t going to see results even though you are training.
All in all, this article was extremely disappointing as the whole reason why our country and this world are in such a bad state is because of these same reasons you are advocating. As a country, we need to move more, eat better and be more cognizant of our mental state and how we are managing our stress and stress levels. We are no longer living like our ancestors and we have to (sadly) look and search for ways to incorporate activity into our lives and we also have to search high and low for good, quality food that we can feel safe about putting into our systems. Weight loss isn’t an easy task and there are many, many other elements involved in the process. As you can see, life without the caloric expenditure of the past and without clean eating has led us to become the most unhealthy country in the world. And decidedly so. If you look at less established, less industrialized and less commercialized countries where the people rely on the land and hard work through constant labor, they are far better off then we are. They are treating their bodies exactly as nature intended for them to. In America and in other advanced countries, we have the 'luxury' of sitting back and letting technology take the ropes for us in completing our daily tasks. We don’t use our minds or bodies as we used to, yet we eat more food then ever before. The body is very adaptable, but not very fast and efficient at evolving. It takes the human race over 100,000 years to evolve and we are forcing ourselves to go against the grain of Mother Nature by evolving in a way that we aren’t able to quite get a grasp on and handle efficiently.
We are more than capable of making changes, even if we start off small, and you, Mr. Cloud, are no different. Invest some time into learning more about the subject you are committing to sabotage and realize that you are taking the easy way out by looking for a quick fix. You have made yourself the poster-child for what's wrong with our country and the way we think (and what we THINK we know) about health. Dedicate your life to incorporating all aspects of health and fitness into each day with the help of qualified professionals, and you will begin to see the results you are lacking. Many people other than yourself simply aren’t educated on these subjects and therefore have troubles making decisions of their own as they have no prior knowledge to give them a solid base for their assumptions. Stand for something, Mr. Cloud, but stand for something that will help to benefit the world, not something that will give just another excuse to keep ‘sitting’ around waiting for something to happen. That solution will never and has never paid off and it’s not going to start now.
To help prevent a lot of these misconceptions Mr. Cloud so diligently reported on, Connect To Fitness is in the works of establishing a magazine made for and made by professionals and aspiring professionals who can deliver the knowledge they have attained through education, experience, hard work, and through their own misconceptions that have helped them to thrive in this industry. It is being created with the intentions to showcase and feature the best of the best in the Las Vegas Valley and will keep you up to date with a variety of subjects ranging from business to inspiration, to mental exercise to nutrition, to fitness and exercise. It will also spotlight different professionals and different facilities in the area that deserve recognition and will also include job postings and classifieds. We are currently looking to bring together a solid team and I am pleased to say that I couldn’t be happier with the select people who are already on board. You are definitely in for a treat and we want to reach out to you, Faithful Reader, in getting the word out about the opportunity to work with CTF in creating this valuable resource that will provide a wealth of knowledge to you and the public. Ideally, each professional will have a designated topic that they will be designated to report on for each issue, and they will be responsible for creating their articles and columns. CTF is going to work hard to bring you the best of the best with the promise to deliver legitimate, accurate and beneficial information from those who specialize in it. The featured professionals can benefit as well by getting their names out and by sharing their knowledge and experiences with those who desire to learn from those who know best. There is a need for quality information as millions of people read things like Time Magazine and receive deceitful information from people like Mr. Cloud. This needs to be prevented and the truth needs to be exposed.
Join us, Faithful Reader, as we take the next step in our journey to become a better organization for you and for the industry. Let’s help each other to build a solid foundation that can’t be touched and that we can rightfully call, Connect To Fitness. And Mr. Cloud, would you please take (another) seat, and quit your whining?
(If interested in contributing, please contact me directly on Blogspot, Facebook, Myspace, or by email: Epfitness@gmail.com or ConnectToFitness.gmail.com)
Until next week, Faithful Reader…
“Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.” –Buddah
“A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools.” –Spanish proverb
“Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.” -Mark Twain
Upon just recently reading your article in Time Magazine entitled, “Why Exercise Won’t Make You Thin” (http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1914857,00.html), I wanted to give you a sincere reply as this is a subject that I am extremely passionate about. Whether or not your article was made deliberately to cause a stir of controversy, I don’t know and I don’t care. I just can’t find it within myself to stay quiet any longer.
Being in the fitness industry prior to going to school, having went to school to become a personal trainer, having worked with and having been mentored by some of the most recognized, decorated, successful, and educated professionals in the world, having trained clients of my own, and being loyal to training myself, I can tell you first hand that if there is anything I have learned about the state of today’s people, it’s that, collectively,they need to move a LOT more and eat a LOT less.
Having introduced myself, I would therefore like to ask you what your contribution to the fitness industry has been as far as education, hands-on experience, professionalism, as well as your own training? I ask this for a number of reasons, the first being to get to know you a little better and second being I don’t believe you have had any formal training nor do I believe that you understand the science underlying the art of weight loss and of the body itself. How do I know this? Well, for one; you inquired in your article about whether, “…exercise turn fat to muscle, and doesn't muscle process excess calories more efficiently than fat does?”. If you would have done just a little bit more research, you would have found, Mr. Cloud, that it is impossible for muscle to turn to fat, or vice versa, as fat and muscle are two entirely different types of tissue. Everyone has both fat cells and muscle cells, and it isn’t a matter of transforming one into the other, but it is a matter of shrinking and growing these different tissue types to transform your body composition. This is something that can be accomplished by both moving your body and by feeding your body not only the right amount of food, but the right types of food. I was embarrassed reading your article for your own sake and am just sick that you would impede on an industry you have no business being involved in.
What many people fail to realize is that being ‘healthy’ isn’t just a term used synonymously with a quick-fix without effort, rather it is a combined effort of being healthy from the inside-out; from your brain and how you feel mentally, to your mouth and digestive system and what you are putting in it each day, to your body and how your training program is designed to help benefit your specific and individual needs physically. Being ‘healthy’ is not in style just for bikini or wedding season. Rather, it is a life-long commitment just like a marriage or any other lasting relationship between two people. It is something you need to be dedicated to and something that can’t be accomplished without all the correct elements in place. As a country, fitness and wellness has become completely commercialized and so many of us are deceived into thinking that if we all eat a certain (and similar) way and if we all move in a certain (or similar) way then we will see fast (and similar) progress in ‘6 minutes or less!’. Folks... this isn’t reality and the truth is that each of our bodies are as individual as our fingerprints in what we need to attain our own optimal health. Our features inside are as unique as the features we possess on the outside, and although you touched on this briefly, Mr. Cloud, I don’t believe you and I are delivering the same message to the public on the specifics of this topic.
Just as each human body is as one-of-a-kind as our own fingerprints, so are our specific needs for our specific fitness, wellness and health goals. You mention how vigorous exercise may not be for everyone, and certainly this is a valid and respectable point to mention as you are correct in your statement. Depending on your specific goals, vigorous exercise may NOT be the best possible answer for your body and for attaining these goals, especially if you have any contraindications permitting you from performing high intensity training or if you just simply don't need it for your personal needs. To optimize weight loss in a healthy and efficient manner, you have to incorporate not JUST clean eating or JUST exercise or JUST having a clean mental plate, but all three of these aspects meshed together to create a combined effort of life-long commitment. What controls the body controls the mind, and what controls the mind controls the body. Exercise is not a cure for negative eating habits and patterns. You can train all you want, but if you aren’t receiving the proper nutrients needed for your body to function correctly, you are still going to either plateau, maintain, or (most often) gain weight. With all the junk and processed food we have at our disposal these days, it’s no wonder people aren’t losing weight! The simple science of weight loss first involves a caloric deficit combined with movement. The calories you are expending each day, or your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), have, have, HAVE to be more than what you are taking in through food, or reaching your fitness goals of weight loss will be next to impossible.
In your article, you mentioned how obese people actually burn more calories per day than an average person who isn’t overweight might burn. Reverting back to TDEE… A person’s total daily energy expenditure is the sum of your basal metabolic rate (BMR), the calories you expend processing and digesting the food you consume, and the calories burned through activity level. The first two variables aren’t subject to too much manipulation as they are, on average, pretty standard in people of similar weight and size. Energy expenditure through physical activity (or lack of, in many cases) is extremely variable and the generally the easiest controlled of the three components that make up TDEE. Scientifically speaking, heavier people burn more calories than lighter people when doing the same work as it takes more energy to fuel and move a heavier body, no matter WHAT the activity may be. This doesn’t cultivate that overweight and obese people are ‘exercising’ any more than average or lighter people, this is just a variable that is proportionate to body weight and size. So, you were essentially correct in your 'findings', Mr. Cloud, but your presentation on the matter was vague and you used this to take advantage of your audience in misguiding them by not explaining the science behind your observation and claim.
‘Exercise’ in itself is a term in which people, like yourself, cringe upon hearing. The word itself is partly deceiving because it has been used synonymously with training in a gym or something similar, and not everyone enjoys training in that environment. It creates a narrow pathway and a sour taste in the mouth of most people and they aren’t able to open their eyes a broader standpoint that all this word essentially is referring to is ‘movement’. As a population, we in no way, shape, or form move as much as we once did. Humans report (as you mentioned) that they are moving ‘more than ever’ and that they are meeting the recommended daily guidelines established by such organizations as ACSM, NSCA and many other accredited organizations. The fact of the matter, plain and simple, is that as life and technology fuse together, we are not moving like our ancestors did, and people tend to over-report their activity levels to begin with. You claim you would be better off not going to the gym and taking up leisure activities and incorporating short bursts of activity into your day whether it be taking the stairs, walking more, etc. Have you actually TRIED doing this or incorporating this into your life? Unless we miraculously have technology stripped from our everyday lives (right down to our vehicles), we will never again, as a human race, acquire the same energy output that our ancestors did way back when no matter HOW many stairs we climb or parking lots we walk. We are a population that is now accustomed to sitting whenever possible and getting up only to sit down once again. I mean, think about it… We (humans) are the only animals on the planet that have managed to change our environment. We have established a convenient world where food can be replenished and where we can rely on technology to do most of our dirty work for us. Sure, we can (and should!) incorporate other daily activities into our lives besides our daily workout at the gym. We should definitely take stairs and walk from here to there. But my point is that we just need to collectively get up and just move no matter where you are going or what you are doing! Every little bit of activity counts and the more calories we burn… the better.
Just as well, I mentioned above that exercise does NOT undue poor eating and nutrition habits. In your case, you claim that it’s because of exercise that you aren’t losing your gut. Have you thought about what your gut might look like if you were to stop exercising?... It appears you are in a maintenance stage as you aren’t gaining or losing any weight, but that you aren’t fusing together the proper elements of an all-around lifestyle change, including the mental, physical and emotional aspects. Clean eating is a tremendous part of weight loss, just as well as eating the right portion sizes, nutrients and nutrient timing, number of meals, and so on. Have you gone or considered seeing a registered dietitian or nutritionist? Part of the problem we are facing today is that we are stuffing our faces with processed garbage, artificial flavors, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, trans fats, white everything (table salt, sugar, flour, etc…), artificial sugars and sugar substitutes, non-organic food and food products plagued with hormones, pesticides and other harmful chemicals, and the list goes on!!! What we fail to realize is that these substances weren’t made to be consumed by the human body and when we are constantly feeding ourselves these substances; our bodies aren't accustomed to digesting these substances and guess what? It stores them. That’s right. Many of them DON’T digest. Try that one on for size. In a world of processed everything and anything, we are basically the guinea pigs of these food companies luring us and feeding us this garbage. If you were to eat clean and keep up your weekly training regiment, I have no doubts that you would see more progress than you are now. Maybe start by asking yourself if you are eating good, quality food and if you are getting the proper nutrients, fiber and servings needed for weight loss to supplement your training. Are you drinking enough water and how many meals are you consuming? It also wouldn’t hurt to seek out advice from a professional who could analyze your dietary intake and give you some helpful suggestions on how to eat right.
Just as well, in your ‘findings’ you say that exercise induces appetite, when in fact just the opposite has been proven to be true (found in studies done by Les Mills, University of Michigan’s School of Kinesiology, NSCA, etc…). Exercise actually suppresses appetite hormones during and after training and can actually help lead to weight loss if managed properly. When managing your diet for weight loss, it is of dire importance that you are eating the right foods for your body and at the right times. If you aren’t, then you aren’t going to lose weight the way you want and you aren’t going to see results even though you are training.
All in all, this article was extremely disappointing as the whole reason why our country and this world are in such a bad state is because of these same reasons you are advocating. As a country, we need to move more, eat better and be more cognizant of our mental state and how we are managing our stress and stress levels. We are no longer living like our ancestors and we have to (sadly) look and search for ways to incorporate activity into our lives and we also have to search high and low for good, quality food that we can feel safe about putting into our systems. Weight loss isn’t an easy task and there are many, many other elements involved in the process. As you can see, life without the caloric expenditure of the past and without clean eating has led us to become the most unhealthy country in the world. And decidedly so. If you look at less established, less industrialized and less commercialized countries where the people rely on the land and hard work through constant labor, they are far better off then we are. They are treating their bodies exactly as nature intended for them to. In America and in other advanced countries, we have the 'luxury' of sitting back and letting technology take the ropes for us in completing our daily tasks. We don’t use our minds or bodies as we used to, yet we eat more food then ever before. The body is very adaptable, but not very fast and efficient at evolving. It takes the human race over 100,000 years to evolve and we are forcing ourselves to go against the grain of Mother Nature by evolving in a way that we aren’t able to quite get a grasp on and handle efficiently.
We are more than capable of making changes, even if we start off small, and you, Mr. Cloud, are no different. Invest some time into learning more about the subject you are committing to sabotage and realize that you are taking the easy way out by looking for a quick fix. You have made yourself the poster-child for what's wrong with our country and the way we think (and what we THINK we know) about health. Dedicate your life to incorporating all aspects of health and fitness into each day with the help of qualified professionals, and you will begin to see the results you are lacking. Many people other than yourself simply aren’t educated on these subjects and therefore have troubles making decisions of their own as they have no prior knowledge to give them a solid base for their assumptions. Stand for something, Mr. Cloud, but stand for something that will help to benefit the world, not something that will give just another excuse to keep ‘sitting’ around waiting for something to happen. That solution will never and has never paid off and it’s not going to start now.
To help prevent a lot of these misconceptions Mr. Cloud so diligently reported on, Connect To Fitness is in the works of establishing a magazine made for and made by professionals and aspiring professionals who can deliver the knowledge they have attained through education, experience, hard work, and through their own misconceptions that have helped them to thrive in this industry. It is being created with the intentions to showcase and feature the best of the best in the Las Vegas Valley and will keep you up to date with a variety of subjects ranging from business to inspiration, to mental exercise to nutrition, to fitness and exercise. It will also spotlight different professionals and different facilities in the area that deserve recognition and will also include job postings and classifieds. We are currently looking to bring together a solid team and I am pleased to say that I couldn’t be happier with the select people who are already on board. You are definitely in for a treat and we want to reach out to you, Faithful Reader, in getting the word out about the opportunity to work with CTF in creating this valuable resource that will provide a wealth of knowledge to you and the public. Ideally, each professional will have a designated topic that they will be designated to report on for each issue, and they will be responsible for creating their articles and columns. CTF is going to work hard to bring you the best of the best with the promise to deliver legitimate, accurate and beneficial information from those who specialize in it. The featured professionals can benefit as well by getting their names out and by sharing their knowledge and experiences with those who desire to learn from those who know best. There is a need for quality information as millions of people read things like Time Magazine and receive deceitful information from people like Mr. Cloud. This needs to be prevented and the truth needs to be exposed.
Join us, Faithful Reader, as we take the next step in our journey to become a better organization for you and for the industry. Let’s help each other to build a solid foundation that can’t be touched and that we can rightfully call, Connect To Fitness. And Mr. Cloud, would you please take (another) seat, and quit your whining?
(If interested in contributing, please contact me directly on Blogspot, Facebook, Myspace, or by email: Epfitness@gmail.com or ConnectToFitness.gmail.com)
Until next week, Faithful Reader…
“Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.” –Buddah
“A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools.” –Spanish proverb
“Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.” -Mark Twain
Monday, August 17, 2009
Aha!
What would you consider to be your ‘Aha!’ moment in life? Reflect for just a moment on what event or series of events lead you to where you presently are right now. What caused that moment and where would you be without it?
After completing yet another amazing, inspirational, and life-changing and monthly Boot Camp at the Professional Fitness Institute, I had an ‘Aha’ moment myself when I took a step back and reminisced how I was in the shoes of each of the remarkable students who I had the honor of spending time with this past week. I realized that just over a year ago, I was going through my own transformation without a clue of what really lied ahead for me and what destiny had laying on the table for me all along. I looked back and thought how I would have rolled my eyes and laughed had someone told me where I would be a year later.
During the week while talking to two of my best friends and brilliant coworkers, Kristina Lindquist and Alex Chavez, we got into a discussion on a book Tina highly recommended about leadership and success and what it is that might cause someone to be a leader. Interestingly enough, one of the major contributions to success is nothing short of how a person reacts to their own ‘Aha’ moment, or crucible.
In life, each person has single (or multiple) moments that come periodically every once and a while that challenge us to think on our toes and to react quickly. Most of these moments can make or break us and it’s up to us to ‘respond’ instead of ‘react’ on a whim. When the unexpected happens to us, it can be difficult if not impossible to look at it as a possible opportunity as most of the time we are caught off guard and may not notice the subliminal message behind whatever has occurred. But it is these moments that may or may not ultimately defy us as individuals and success stories. When we choose to react to these moments instead of stepping back, weighing our options, and thinking about how to respond, we are unintentionally choosing to pass up a possible life-changing/-altering moment in time.
Think about a moment when you reacted on impulse to a circumstance that affected you deeply, whether it was emotional, physical, spiritual or mental. Think about how you felt at that moment and how tousled and jumbled your thoughts were. Was the final result a positive or negative reaction? It is our natural instinct, as humans, to react to any external or internal stimuli that may put us into an extreme emotional positive or negative state. It is during these times when our ‘fight or flight’ hormones take over and our judgment and may be impaired. It is also during these times when we typically make a negative or ‘wrong’ decision as a result of not thinking things through completely. When we choose to ‘react’ instead of ‘respond’ to our crucibles, we are setting ourselves up to possibly miss a great opportunity or prospect. If we can take the time out to step back, notice when these situations arise and take a second to actually think about and ponder what is happening, we are giving ourselves the option to respond and make a resolution that will benefit us instead of put us into a disposition.
In this classic example of reaction versus response, reflect on an instance when you were so incredibly upset at the world or at a certain person and instead of taking time to sit and gather your thoughts, you begin taking out all your stress on the first person you cross paths with. How did that situation pan out? More likely than not, it was something you fully regretted after it was over because you acted completely on impulse and you weren’t ‘being yourself’. Is this ringing a bell? Sure… maybe this isn’t your ‘crucible’ per-se, but is a common denominator that frequently happens as a result of a negative reaction. A crucible can be any number of things from an unexpected opportunity, to a chance meeting with someone you can benefit from, to randomly being in the right place at the right time, to even something as simple as stepping out of your box and trying something new… and liking it. Each of these elements can be obscured in emotions and disguised as distractions, but in reality, these are the things in life we need to grasp hold of and take a moment to analyze for they could have a tremendous effect on our future and our lives as we know it. How you choose to react or respond can have either a positive or negative impact on the situation as a whole.
So, what does this ‘aha’ moment stuff have to do with success, achievement, etc… you ask? Well, a lot, actually. While many people don’t see the door opening in front of them when these situations arise, a few others can essentially use the ‘glass half full’ philosophy and find a small window of opportunity, even in situations when the outcome appears grim or even ‘impossible’. It could be a moment of clarity, a moment of inspiration or even a moment that changes your life. What these people do versus most people is they find the one positive aspect of a situation and they grasp hold of it without letting go. When things aren’t optimal, it can be difficult to remain and stay positive or have hope. It is much easier to dwell on something bad then it is to change it by doing something about it.
One of my own (many) crucibles happened right here in Las Vegas during my externship at the Professional Fitness Institute. In a time when the economy was really beginning to crack it’s whip on our country, all I could think about was how much I didn’t just want, but NEEDED to be effective in my career. I had put so much work and effort into passing one of (if not THE) most difficult exam in the personal training world and I had the most amazing training possible from both the gym I worked at (the Pennbriar Athletic Club) and an amazing privately owned personal training (only) studio that helped me discover how to apply my knowledge into practical experience (Power Personal Training), I still felt that there was an element of my life that was missing. I was happy and content, but not complete. By nature, I am not a person who enjoys being ‘comfortable’ as I have watched many people bask in their comfort and never aspire for anything more. So, naturally, I needed that ‘something more’, but felt at a loss as to where to find it. Having rarely ever left my small hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania, I wasn’t expecting my solution to be so far away.
So, last July, I came out and my ‘crucible’ presented itself to me in the form of a select few individuals who gave me the best experience I had ever had in my entire lifetime. It was one of those things where you just know it was meant to be. The central void in my solar plexus was suddenly filled to the top and spilling over in the time I spent in Vegas, and as my time here dwindled I knew I had to return home. And I did. But I returned home even more ambitious and knew that against all odds, I was going to move to Las Vegas. I realized so heavily while I was out here that what I, personally, desire above all else in this world is to have an impact on as many people’s lives as I possibly can, and I realized that I just simply wasn’t able to reach enough people back home. In learning about the declining health status and the growing epidemics plaguing the nation and the world, I just couldn’t sit back and watch it happen. It wasn’t even an option. When I discovered the need for great professionals (and not just great professionals, but great FEMALE professionals) in the industry, it became physically, mentally and emotionally impossible for me to not desire with all my heart to help contribute to filling this gap. The ‘Aha’ bug had hit me, and it hit me hard. How was I going to get the word out? It was so strange how overpowering this desire was and it was only getting stronger by the day. I found my calling, but I was living 3,000 miles away from my destiny. I felt that my potential to grow in my chosen industry was stunted by residing in such a small town. Coming to Las Vegas helped me realize the potential of living in a huge city with limitless opportunity and room to grow. In the months that followed after my return home, I hit a few brick walls that I knew could make or break me and I decided to make a conscious effort to analyze every situation and take careful time to positively respond to them and not negatively react. The bumps in the road were extremely intense and Life truly did it’s best in trying to push me down and keep me down. But the thing that helped me push through wasn’t the fact that I was able to internally digest and recognize a life-changing opportunity that I wanted so greatly; it was the fact that I decided to run full-speed ahead to what I wanted and desired without putting a limitation on what I, or anyone else, deemed ‘possible’. When you are able to picture something so clearly in your mind time after time, it no longer is surrounded by boundaries. I took my ‘Aha’ moment and I decided to make it drive my aspiration forward. In going home, the temptation lied in just packing up and coming out post-haste… The problem at hand was that if I would have reacted impulsively to this stimulus, I knew I wouldn’t have been prepared for the long-haul. So, although it wasn’t by any means easy, I took the next 8 months to game-plan and find the most effective time and way to make a successful move. In planning for anything long-term, the best thing we can do is not jump into something impulsively without looking at all the consequences and repercussions that may arise.
Albert Einstein, himself, had his own ‘Aha Moment’ before he discovered the equivalence principle, which was a foundation for his General Theory of Relativity. Einstein, whom at the time was 28, was working a dead-end job completely unrelated to physics as a patent examiner when one day a random thought came to his mind, “…if a person were in free-fall, he or she would not feel their own weight…”. This thought spawned one of the greatest theories of all time. This thought was also later described by Einstein as, “the happiest thought in my life.”
If Einstein had decided to let this thought pass by without taking time to process it and to put into action a way to make it applicable to life, who KNOWS where we would be! Every person in the world has had crucibles happen to them throughout their lives. Leaders and people of success aren’t the ones who take a look around them and contently wait for things to happen. They are the ones who search for that window of opportunity, no matter how small, and do the things that others either fear doing, haven’t thought of doing, or aren’t doing.
In a final example, I want you, Faithful Reader, to realize the potential you have right at your disposal in creating your own crucible. An innovation in itself, Connect To Fitness was an ‘idea’ thought up by a man who was able to recognize the state of the health, wellness and fitness industry, and who was willing to step up the plate to do something about it. CTF President, Dr. Darian Parker, had an enormous idea that seemed crazy enough to work. So, did he sit back and wait for something to happen or for someone else to step up to the plate? No. He took a significant amount of time to find out how to respond to this idea he just couldn’t shake. And it was designed for you, Faithful Reader, to be able to channel and create your own crucibles and ‘Aha’s’ into reality. Envision your ideal future exactly how you want it to be and ask yourself what you are doing right now to turn it into reality. Nothing has to be ideal in life, and nothing is impossible if we can just believe in ourselves, our potential and in our ideas. If everyone believed only in the impossible, life as we know it would cease to exist. Connect To Fitness has been making incredible strides in connecting professionals from all over the Vegas Valley together for one common cause: To improve this industry in every facet. Just as I always say, ‘There is no such thing as a self made man.’ This couldn’t ring more true and we are going to great lengths in proving this each day. If you haven’t yet come to one of our events, you are truly missing out on a great opportunity to meet with the people of your area who share like interests and goals and also in getting to see and visit different locations and facilities around Vegas that are making strides as well. The events are a blast and it has been an honor to meet with so many amazing professionals who are motivated to see through their crucibles to the end. There has never been a more crucial time in the health, wellness, and fitness profession to unite and give rise to something so big that the world will have no choice but to listen. It’s up to you to take that initiative, that one step forward. Get out of your comfort zone and set your sights on the change you wish you see in this world. Become those thoughts and ideas and let them propel you forward. Alone, we are only one voice, one idea. Together, we are a million voices strong and unstoppable.
How would your life look years down the road if you decided to take that leap of faith into pursuing and ‘responding’ to your crucible(s)? Alone, we are only one voice, one idea. But together, we are a million voices strong and unstoppable.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” –Steve Jobs
“Discovery consists of seeing what everybody else has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.” -Albert von Szent-Gyorgy
“The human body has two ends on it: one to create with and one to sit on. Sometimes people get their ends reversed. When this happens they need a kick in the seat of their pants.” –Roger von Oech
After completing yet another amazing, inspirational, and life-changing and monthly Boot Camp at the Professional Fitness Institute, I had an ‘Aha’ moment myself when I took a step back and reminisced how I was in the shoes of each of the remarkable students who I had the honor of spending time with this past week. I realized that just over a year ago, I was going through my own transformation without a clue of what really lied ahead for me and what destiny had laying on the table for me all along. I looked back and thought how I would have rolled my eyes and laughed had someone told me where I would be a year later.
During the week while talking to two of my best friends and brilliant coworkers, Kristina Lindquist and Alex Chavez, we got into a discussion on a book Tina highly recommended about leadership and success and what it is that might cause someone to be a leader. Interestingly enough, one of the major contributions to success is nothing short of how a person reacts to their own ‘Aha’ moment, or crucible.
In life, each person has single (or multiple) moments that come periodically every once and a while that challenge us to think on our toes and to react quickly. Most of these moments can make or break us and it’s up to us to ‘respond’ instead of ‘react’ on a whim. When the unexpected happens to us, it can be difficult if not impossible to look at it as a possible opportunity as most of the time we are caught off guard and may not notice the subliminal message behind whatever has occurred. But it is these moments that may or may not ultimately defy us as individuals and success stories. When we choose to react to these moments instead of stepping back, weighing our options, and thinking about how to respond, we are unintentionally choosing to pass up a possible life-changing/-altering moment in time.
Think about a moment when you reacted on impulse to a circumstance that affected you deeply, whether it was emotional, physical, spiritual or mental. Think about how you felt at that moment and how tousled and jumbled your thoughts were. Was the final result a positive or negative reaction? It is our natural instinct, as humans, to react to any external or internal stimuli that may put us into an extreme emotional positive or negative state. It is during these times when our ‘fight or flight’ hormones take over and our judgment and may be impaired. It is also during these times when we typically make a negative or ‘wrong’ decision as a result of not thinking things through completely. When we choose to ‘react’ instead of ‘respond’ to our crucibles, we are setting ourselves up to possibly miss a great opportunity or prospect. If we can take the time out to step back, notice when these situations arise and take a second to actually think about and ponder what is happening, we are giving ourselves the option to respond and make a resolution that will benefit us instead of put us into a disposition.
In this classic example of reaction versus response, reflect on an instance when you were so incredibly upset at the world or at a certain person and instead of taking time to sit and gather your thoughts, you begin taking out all your stress on the first person you cross paths with. How did that situation pan out? More likely than not, it was something you fully regretted after it was over because you acted completely on impulse and you weren’t ‘being yourself’. Is this ringing a bell? Sure… maybe this isn’t your ‘crucible’ per-se, but is a common denominator that frequently happens as a result of a negative reaction. A crucible can be any number of things from an unexpected opportunity, to a chance meeting with someone you can benefit from, to randomly being in the right place at the right time, to even something as simple as stepping out of your box and trying something new… and liking it. Each of these elements can be obscured in emotions and disguised as distractions, but in reality, these are the things in life we need to grasp hold of and take a moment to analyze for they could have a tremendous effect on our future and our lives as we know it. How you choose to react or respond can have either a positive or negative impact on the situation as a whole.
So, what does this ‘aha’ moment stuff have to do with success, achievement, etc… you ask? Well, a lot, actually. While many people don’t see the door opening in front of them when these situations arise, a few others can essentially use the ‘glass half full’ philosophy and find a small window of opportunity, even in situations when the outcome appears grim or even ‘impossible’. It could be a moment of clarity, a moment of inspiration or even a moment that changes your life. What these people do versus most people is they find the one positive aspect of a situation and they grasp hold of it without letting go. When things aren’t optimal, it can be difficult to remain and stay positive or have hope. It is much easier to dwell on something bad then it is to change it by doing something about it.
One of my own (many) crucibles happened right here in Las Vegas during my externship at the Professional Fitness Institute. In a time when the economy was really beginning to crack it’s whip on our country, all I could think about was how much I didn’t just want, but NEEDED to be effective in my career. I had put so much work and effort into passing one of (if not THE) most difficult exam in the personal training world and I had the most amazing training possible from both the gym I worked at (the Pennbriar Athletic Club) and an amazing privately owned personal training (only) studio that helped me discover how to apply my knowledge into practical experience (Power Personal Training), I still felt that there was an element of my life that was missing. I was happy and content, but not complete. By nature, I am not a person who enjoys being ‘comfortable’ as I have watched many people bask in their comfort and never aspire for anything more. So, naturally, I needed that ‘something more’, but felt at a loss as to where to find it. Having rarely ever left my small hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania, I wasn’t expecting my solution to be so far away.
So, last July, I came out and my ‘crucible’ presented itself to me in the form of a select few individuals who gave me the best experience I had ever had in my entire lifetime. It was one of those things where you just know it was meant to be. The central void in my solar plexus was suddenly filled to the top and spilling over in the time I spent in Vegas, and as my time here dwindled I knew I had to return home. And I did. But I returned home even more ambitious and knew that against all odds, I was going to move to Las Vegas. I realized so heavily while I was out here that what I, personally, desire above all else in this world is to have an impact on as many people’s lives as I possibly can, and I realized that I just simply wasn’t able to reach enough people back home. In learning about the declining health status and the growing epidemics plaguing the nation and the world, I just couldn’t sit back and watch it happen. It wasn’t even an option. When I discovered the need for great professionals (and not just great professionals, but great FEMALE professionals) in the industry, it became physically, mentally and emotionally impossible for me to not desire with all my heart to help contribute to filling this gap. The ‘Aha’ bug had hit me, and it hit me hard. How was I going to get the word out? It was so strange how overpowering this desire was and it was only getting stronger by the day. I found my calling, but I was living 3,000 miles away from my destiny. I felt that my potential to grow in my chosen industry was stunted by residing in such a small town. Coming to Las Vegas helped me realize the potential of living in a huge city with limitless opportunity and room to grow. In the months that followed after my return home, I hit a few brick walls that I knew could make or break me and I decided to make a conscious effort to analyze every situation and take careful time to positively respond to them and not negatively react. The bumps in the road were extremely intense and Life truly did it’s best in trying to push me down and keep me down. But the thing that helped me push through wasn’t the fact that I was able to internally digest and recognize a life-changing opportunity that I wanted so greatly; it was the fact that I decided to run full-speed ahead to what I wanted and desired without putting a limitation on what I, or anyone else, deemed ‘possible’. When you are able to picture something so clearly in your mind time after time, it no longer is surrounded by boundaries. I took my ‘Aha’ moment and I decided to make it drive my aspiration forward. In going home, the temptation lied in just packing up and coming out post-haste… The problem at hand was that if I would have reacted impulsively to this stimulus, I knew I wouldn’t have been prepared for the long-haul. So, although it wasn’t by any means easy, I took the next 8 months to game-plan and find the most effective time and way to make a successful move. In planning for anything long-term, the best thing we can do is not jump into something impulsively without looking at all the consequences and repercussions that may arise.
Albert Einstein, himself, had his own ‘Aha Moment’ before he discovered the equivalence principle, which was a foundation for his General Theory of Relativity. Einstein, whom at the time was 28, was working a dead-end job completely unrelated to physics as a patent examiner when one day a random thought came to his mind, “…if a person were in free-fall, he or she would not feel their own weight…”. This thought spawned one of the greatest theories of all time. This thought was also later described by Einstein as, “the happiest thought in my life.”
If Einstein had decided to let this thought pass by without taking time to process it and to put into action a way to make it applicable to life, who KNOWS where we would be! Every person in the world has had crucibles happen to them throughout their lives. Leaders and people of success aren’t the ones who take a look around them and contently wait for things to happen. They are the ones who search for that window of opportunity, no matter how small, and do the things that others either fear doing, haven’t thought of doing, or aren’t doing.
In a final example, I want you, Faithful Reader, to realize the potential you have right at your disposal in creating your own crucible. An innovation in itself, Connect To Fitness was an ‘idea’ thought up by a man who was able to recognize the state of the health, wellness and fitness industry, and who was willing to step up the plate to do something about it. CTF President, Dr. Darian Parker, had an enormous idea that seemed crazy enough to work. So, did he sit back and wait for something to happen or for someone else to step up to the plate? No. He took a significant amount of time to find out how to respond to this idea he just couldn’t shake. And it was designed for you, Faithful Reader, to be able to channel and create your own crucibles and ‘Aha’s’ into reality. Envision your ideal future exactly how you want it to be and ask yourself what you are doing right now to turn it into reality. Nothing has to be ideal in life, and nothing is impossible if we can just believe in ourselves, our potential and in our ideas. If everyone believed only in the impossible, life as we know it would cease to exist. Connect To Fitness has been making incredible strides in connecting professionals from all over the Vegas Valley together for one common cause: To improve this industry in every facet. Just as I always say, ‘There is no such thing as a self made man.’ This couldn’t ring more true and we are going to great lengths in proving this each day. If you haven’t yet come to one of our events, you are truly missing out on a great opportunity to meet with the people of your area who share like interests and goals and also in getting to see and visit different locations and facilities around Vegas that are making strides as well. The events are a blast and it has been an honor to meet with so many amazing professionals who are motivated to see through their crucibles to the end. There has never been a more crucial time in the health, wellness, and fitness profession to unite and give rise to something so big that the world will have no choice but to listen. It’s up to you to take that initiative, that one step forward. Get out of your comfort zone and set your sights on the change you wish you see in this world. Become those thoughts and ideas and let them propel you forward. Alone, we are only one voice, one idea. Together, we are a million voices strong and unstoppable.
How would your life look years down the road if you decided to take that leap of faith into pursuing and ‘responding’ to your crucible(s)? Alone, we are only one voice, one idea. But together, we are a million voices strong and unstoppable.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” –Steve Jobs
“Discovery consists of seeing what everybody else has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.” -Albert von Szent-Gyorgy
“The human body has two ends on it: one to create with and one to sit on. Sometimes people get their ends reversed. When this happens they need a kick in the seat of their pants.” –Roger von Oech
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