“On the road to success, You can be sure of one thing...There is never a crowd on the extra mile.”… Everyone has heard about going the ‘extra’ mile, but what constitutes that little bit of ‘extra’ and how come only certain people are successful in traversing this outer limit most people restrict themselves from?
The difference between going the ‘extra mile’ and ‘not’ really doesn’t take much, and often-times it can constitute something so simple that it will make you wonder why everyone doesn’t implement such things into their everyday lives.
So, what does it mean to go the ‘extra mile’? You can always tell if you have accomplished and traversed this little bit of ‘extra’ because you will have evoked that ‘Wow’ factor in those around you. It might just be something as simple as taking out the trash, or just going out of your way to hold the door for a stranger, but these ‘small’ things in life are usually more meaningful than we realize. Think to yourself about at time recently when someone went out of their way for you. It can be something diminutive or it can be something on a larger scale, but these actions and expressions are usually unexpected and make for a pleasant surprise to those around you.
The most important thing to remember is that doing something a little added and extra shouldn’t be something you should think twice about. Where does this extra mile come from? It comes from you! When passing through each day of your life, your attitude and mindset should always be attuned with this type of thinking, as it will reflect in the way people view you on both a personal and professional level as. Success in any facet of life isn’t attained by being ordinary. It is only by exceeding expectations and standing out that will help you be on the fast track to getting noticed. The fundamental principal in the ‘extra’ mile dynamic is in your prevailing attitude regardless of what the situation has to offer. If you can find the opportunity in any situation, good or bad, to look at the glass half full, that alone will separate you from the rest.
A good example of this is to consider the art and act of customer service. Nowadays, it seems that the emphasis on most businesses is placed more on the visual attraction factor than on the service and customer relations aspect. Think about the last few times you had someone help you or take your order whether it was at a restaurant, shopping center, car repair shop, or fitness facility… How were you greeted? WERE you even greeted? Do you feel you were catered to and that the employee you were in contact with made you feel important? Were there any special touches added to enhance your experience? Did that person go the ‘extra’ mile? More often than not, the answer to all these questions is a big ‘No’. The sad reality of it all is that these days we have grown so accustomed to being treated this way that it is now ‘socially acceptable’ for an experience to lack any customer service or unexpected pleasantries. I, for one, hardly even expect it anymore and I’m sure when you think about it, you’ll feel quite similarly.
Working in the healthcare industry, where the focal point is on providing and bestowing customers, clients, and patients with service, I never cease to be amazed at how the focus very seldom tends to revolve around the customer, client or patient. It seems that so many healthcare ‘providers’ forget that their career rests not on providing themselves, but on the individuals who come to them for help and to improve an aspect of their life that they aren’t knowledgeable about, or can’t and don’t have the motivation to do themselves. The potential client isn’t seeking you for YOU, they are seeking your expertise, your knowledge, your experience, your help, your advice, your answers, your heart, your trust and your willingness to be a provider to them. Never forget why you got into this field as without your clients, patients and customers… there is no work and definitely no ‘career’. If you entered into this field for YOU, turn around right now and exit immediately because this is NOT about you and it never WILL be about you.
A classic example I run into almost everyday (and one you have all heard or seen before) is right at the gym I, myself, train at. Just the other day when I was there (typically, I am there at or around the same times each day and see the same trainers working as well), I saw the ‘Infamous’ trainer I just love to constantly revert back to. Once again, he was with a new client who looked in obvious need of a lifestyle change. She was very overweight and very awkward when it came to how she was training and it was pretty evident working out was completely new and foreign to her. The trainer, on the other hand, could have cared less and found more interest in watching the silent football game highlights replaying on ESPN on TV than in the fact that his client was practically vying for injury with her horrible, uncorrected form and posture, accidental Valsalva maneuver, and inability to lift the too-heavy weight he had handed her. The only time his eyes would divert from the TV or his arms would uncross from across his chest was when his phone would go off and he’d actually LEAVE his client’s side to text or talk. (F.Y.I. to Potential Clients and Faithful Readers: If your trainer EVER finds texting or ESPN more important than you… it is absolutely time for a new trainer.) Just as well, this sad excuse of a ‘trainer’ must have yawned once every five or so minutes. This is just unacceptable and each time I see this happen, I feel my blood pressure rise and the need to rip out my hair is almost unbearable. Although I find it absolutely appalling and atrocious to watch, I also get a tremendous amount of motivation and a reality check as to why I am in this industry and why it’s so important to speak up about these issues. No one deserves to be treated like this and it makes me sick to my stomach that they are sharing the same job title as me and the genuine people around me, and that they are getting a paycheck for treating people this way. I admit, when I am at a gym, I watch what goes on around me and I let it make me a better person, professional and healthcare provider (…and I remind myself to have faith that someday an end will be put to this eventually.) You should too.
Going the extra mile doesn’t have to be something extravagant or something you have to have to go out of your way to do. As you can see in the example above, being ‘extra’ordinary is sometimes as simple as just doing what’s expected of you. Nothing more and nothing less. It’s a sad thing, but the most mediocre and common gestures you wouldn’t normally think twice about are less common than you think these days, and going the extra mile doesn’t have to constitute much in most cases. Simple things like being appreciative or saying ‘Thank You’, smiling or waving, and just carrying a positive attitude are all small things that take absolutely no effort on our behalf to do. Holding a door, helping someone to pick up something they dropped, or just paying attention to your client for an hour of time they are paying you for. Why is this so difficult for some people to do?
On the other side of the spectrum, I have learned to take these events and turn them into appreciation and gratitude for the people who are constantly going the extra mile each and everyday. I meet these people regularly and am surrounded by them on a daily basis as well. I have the honor of working with the most influential, positive and amazing people I could ever hope to meet who consistently give their all to each and every person they come in contact with. These people devote their lives to other helping others and to give and share their talents and experience to the people who seek their expertise in those specific areas. It is truly humbling to be around people who go out on a limb every chance they get to make a difference in the lives of each person they touch. They live by their own example and treat people the way they would like to be treated. They are in this industry for OTHERS and give selflessly in lieu of the people they are dedicated to servicing. These are the true ‘professionals’ in the industry and they are the ones who make themselves stand out simply by doing what is expected and then adding their own special touch. One of my former Fitness Managers was a perfect example of this analogy. An amazing trainer already, his added touch to every session was such a simple gesture that he was specifically known for around the facility. I even was told about this during my initial training. His extra mile?... Waiting for each of his clients before the hour. At the door. Before each session. Then walking them to the door, and opening the door for them proceeding each session. He was always on it, never late, always smiling and always anxious to meet and greet each client when they walked through the door. And I kid you not… He was praised to no end because of this and people actually recognized this about him and spread the word.
Faithful Reader, it doesn’t take a lot to go the ‘extra’ mile, but the sad part is; few of us ever dare to go beyond what is expected of us. Think for yourself about the situations, people and places you have experienced and think about the special touches that you have encountered personally. Now ask yourself how these situations resonated with you. How did you feel after the experience and was it not unforgettable? Would you rather revisit a place that hardly acknowledged you and/or treated you poorly, or one that made you feel like you mattered and that you were important? Well… this is EXACTLY the same for you versus the rest of the world. There are thousands upon thousands of people in your profession right now. Why should people come see you when they can go anywhere else and receive at least mediocre service? How are you going to make yourself stand out?
The difference between going the extra mile and not is pretty small, but that little push can honestly make so much difference in your personal and professional life. In fact… Your career could depend on it. What’s going to separate you from the rest, and are you willing to go down the road less traveled?
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“No one ever attains very eminent success by simply doing what is required of him; it is the amount and excellence of what is over and above the required that determines the greatness of ultimate distinction.” –Charles Francis Adams
“The man who does more than he is paid for will soon be paid for more than he does.” –Napoleon Hill
“Don’t be content with doing only your duty. Do more than your duty. It’s the horse that finishes a neck ahead wins the race.” –Andrew Carnegie
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
You're Only As...?...As the Company You Keep
Batman. Superman. The President. Your teacher or ‘invisible’ friend. Michael Jordan. Your Mom. Your Dad, brother. Your sister… Who was your ideal role model growing up, and what qualities did they possess that inspired you? Better yet… How did you emulate that inspiration, with which you desired to become, to help foster the person you are today?
Being so heavily involved in an industry where your career rests not on the best way to benefit yourself, but how you can channel your gift of giving in lieu of helping and benefitting others, it is virtually impossible to not experience the greatest inspiration and gratitude each and every day. The honor of meeting so many amazing professionals who so selflessly profess such immense passion toward their dedication of giving all they can tender to make the lives of those around them a better place is enough to bring tears to your eyes. The immeasurable graciousness I have had the honor of observing each day has made it impossible to not desire to be a better person and to follow in their footsteps by reaching out to grasp as many desperate hands as possible. To say I am not exposed to many ‘role models’ would be an absolute lie, as I can easily say it is no accident that I have made the conscious decision, effort and choice to surround myself with those people whom I look up to and wish to emulate someday in my own life and career.
A difficult lesson to learn, where the solution is often easier said than done, is that we are only as good as the company we keep. Who we choose to surround ourselves with often says more about us to others than what we may actually be doing alone in our spare time. To put it in perspective, think about it for yourself… If you meet a person whom you think you’ll grow to enjoy, yet all the people they choose to associate with have bad intentions and aren’t the best influences, isn’t it natural to directly correlate those associations into your first impressions of this person? Would you not assume that maybe this person has similar attributes as the people they keep close? Hypothetically speaking, would you surround yourself with people who have qualities in which you didn’t stand by or believe in? Probably not, as you would be more apt to let those into your life-space who share similar beliefs and goals as yourself to enhance and compliment you and your life. With that said and done, is it not safe to assume that this correlation is no accident?
Let’s take it a step further in another example: Consider wanting to improve your skills in any given sport. What would benefit you more? Practicing with someone who plays worse than you, or with someone who is at least twice as good as you? The answer is obvious, right? Well, life isn’t much different when you step back and take in the big picture. When you surround yourself with people who strive for greatness, are at least twice as successful as you may be and who stand by the same beliefs, passions and goals as you, it can be easier to ultimately get to where you want to be in life. You will have an experienced pair of footsteps to follow in each day and, more often than not, you can take up extensive short-cuts through the words of wisdom given by these individuals to help get to your destination much more efficiently than having to learn the hard way. With the help of someone who has been in your shoes and who reached success, you have the opportunity to learn from these individuals the lessons they had to learn the hard way, or lessons passed down to them from THEIR mentors or role models. It is, essentially, one of the most valuable things you can do to get from point A to point B, and beyond. We always have to remember and keep in mind that there is truly no such thing as a self-made man. And those who think they can and will do it solely on their own will have an almost impossible journey to succumb to. Regardless of whether the influence of another human being was studied up close and personal by physically being around the person and having access to direct communication with them in this point in time, or whether the method used to learn was indirect and from afar through studying autobiographies, latest research, articles, books, TV appearances, magazines, interviews, etc. done with that person, you are still being ‘mentored’ from afar as you are basing your own experiences off this other individual’s present, past and future practices and experiences. Who better to learn from than those people who have been in your position and who understand what you are going through and what you WILL go through in the future? If you are still in disbelief about this fact, I want you to ask yourself how you went through each stage of life growing up… Did you really depend on no one to teach you how to say and write the alphabet? Who taught you how to ride your first two-wheeler? How did you learn the English language and how did you later pass chemistry? And of your talent playing the piano? What about how you want to raise your own children? You see; we live through life learning through others examples, experiences and words. It’s no mistake that this method has helped us get to where we are right now and that it will continue to help us grow in the future. We all have had inspiration to help us grow, and we have all had to depend on others in some fashion or degree to help get us there. With that said and done, is it no wonder that discontinuing this proven method would be foolish? When you get right down to it, this is something we have ALL proven effective and we can ALL attest that it works… So why stop now?
In my life everyday, I am always encouraging those around me to reach out and grasp the hands of those they look up to and those who are willing to help (and I am telling you… you will very, very rarely, if EVER, find an unwilling hand if you are genuine and stand by your good intentions and inquiries). Meeting good people and holding on to good people are two key things to aspire to do on a daily basis. I, for one, know I wouldn’t be in this exact moment right now had I not tried to reach out to the people I met and immediately looked up to. The greatest successes of my life so far I can dedicate to the many individuals who helped me to see to the ‘impossible’ and who raised the bar so I could fly higher. I always, always advocate this to those around me and will continue to do so for however long I am granted this amazing opportunity to help have an impact on the people I meet as I climb my own ladders, steps and pillars.
Just this past week, while talking with a co-worker about this very subject, I expressed my complete admiration for a world-renowned fitness, wellness and health professional that I have invested a great deal of time into studying over the course of my career who has had a tremendous impact on me as a professional without even knowing it. I went on and on about this admiration until she stopped me and said, “So… Have you contacted him to tell him this?”, and I completely stopped in my tracks. “No.” I said, and right then I had a really strange and inspiring epiphany that I hadn’t even thought of prior. Here I was advocating to everyone around me about reaching out and staying in contact with the people they admire most and I wasn’t even fully living my own example. Granted, the people I have personally met and reached out to I have stuck by like glue and I will continue to do so for the duration of my life and career, but what about the people you admire that you don’t have the convenience of meeting on a daily basis? How do you possibly connect with someone who seems as out of reach and up the chain as Spiderman himself? I thought to myself, “Is it possible that I am putting a limitation on myself with something that may be so seemingly simple to achieve?”… “Hmm… Where’s the loophole?”.
That night, I wrote my own role model a long message via internet expressing my admiration, my epiphany, and how delighted I would be to meet him if the opportunity could ever (even in the slightest) be possible. Sure enough, the very next day I received a gracious letter in return expressing many thanks, kind comments and a phone number to call since he doesn’t reside in Vegas. Wow. Words to begin a connection through conversation. I couldn’t (and still can’t) describe my excitement regarding the matter and how immensely uncomplicated it was to just simply reach out and, if nothing else, let somebody know how they have influenced you. Rarely will you find someone who isn’t happy to continue to make a greater difference than they have already. Almost always, the people who have gone to the top and beyond realized the point I am making in the article and acted on it. More often than not, these same people who received so much help will also be the first ones to continue following in their mentor’s shoes by helping others who look up to them.
Giving is a precious (and contagious) gift that tends to go full circle in the long run. If you fear taking the chance to reach out thinking you won’t get anywhere, try this thought on for size: In knowing no man is ‘self-made’ and that success breeds success through example, hard work, repetition and so forth, remember that your ‘idols’ have worked so hard to emulate their own idols, and therefore have seen the true value of what ‘giving’ can accomplish. This, in turn, will lead them to continue following the cycle originally led by the people they looked up to, and they will, therefore, be the first ones to take a step down to help you take a step up. It is such a simple concept that I believe we read into a little too much when the answer was already evident to begin with. What do you have to lose when reaching out and what’s the worst that could happen? As I always, always say and will continue to say: Don’t be afraid to try something new or to take a risk. We are given this one amazing life to live to the fullest and to live by being the best we can with what we have. We might not have everything or all the answers, but most of the time we can find someone or a few people who might be able to teach us a thing or two or at least guide us in the right direction to find what it is we are striving for. Life is too short as it is. If you can take a short-cut or two here and there, take advantage of the opportunity and give it back in return when the right time comes along.
One of the greatest benefits of surrounding yourself with the people you admire most, and people who have captured your attention in regards to where they are at in life, is the amazing prospect of learning something new each day. When you are encased in a circle of people who are at or below your level, you have no room to grow and no hopes to aspire to reach. You will never learn how to progress through the different stages of your career and you will never have a willing hand reaching down from above to grasp ahold of you and lift you higher. You will be just as successful as the company you keep.
In my short time here in Las Vegas, I have had the incredible opportunity of reaching out to so many wonderful and inspiring professionals from all over the Valley through working at a few different facilities around the city as well as through my work in Connect To Fitness. Each week, I am being introduced to some of the most awe-inspiring people I have ever had the honor of meeting and I can say without guilt and with complete honesty that the quality of my life has done nothing but improve by the day. When you are constantly encompassed by your dreams, goals and the people who are willing to bring you up past your ‘limitations’, your life as you know it will change immensely… for the better. Get out and strive to meet the people who will help You reach your quality of life, Faithful Reader, and see how rapidly the transformation begins!
In this one life, we are only given a short chance to make a change, a difference and an influence. Let those who inspire you lead you to your goals and aspirations through example and approach and follow them without fear or discontent. In a world where so many people need our help, is it no wonder we should willingly extend our hand to reach out and make the most of our time here together?
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“Very few men are wise by their own counsel, or learned by their own teaching. For he that was only taught by himself had a fool for his master.” –Ben Johnson
“No matter how lofty you are in your department, the responsibility for what your lowliest assistant is doing is yours.” -Bessie Lowland James
“The most important single influence in the life of a person is another person... who is worthy of emulation.” -Paul D. Shafer
“I think it's an honor to be a role model to one person or maybe more than that. If you are given a chance to be a role model, I think you should always take it because you can influence a person's life in a positive light, and that's what I want to do. That's what it's all about.” –Tiger Woods
Being so heavily involved in an industry where your career rests not on the best way to benefit yourself, but how you can channel your gift of giving in lieu of helping and benefitting others, it is virtually impossible to not experience the greatest inspiration and gratitude each and every day. The honor of meeting so many amazing professionals who so selflessly profess such immense passion toward their dedication of giving all they can tender to make the lives of those around them a better place is enough to bring tears to your eyes. The immeasurable graciousness I have had the honor of observing each day has made it impossible to not desire to be a better person and to follow in their footsteps by reaching out to grasp as many desperate hands as possible. To say I am not exposed to many ‘role models’ would be an absolute lie, as I can easily say it is no accident that I have made the conscious decision, effort and choice to surround myself with those people whom I look up to and wish to emulate someday in my own life and career.
A difficult lesson to learn, where the solution is often easier said than done, is that we are only as good as the company we keep. Who we choose to surround ourselves with often says more about us to others than what we may actually be doing alone in our spare time. To put it in perspective, think about it for yourself… If you meet a person whom you think you’ll grow to enjoy, yet all the people they choose to associate with have bad intentions and aren’t the best influences, isn’t it natural to directly correlate those associations into your first impressions of this person? Would you not assume that maybe this person has similar attributes as the people they keep close? Hypothetically speaking, would you surround yourself with people who have qualities in which you didn’t stand by or believe in? Probably not, as you would be more apt to let those into your life-space who share similar beliefs and goals as yourself to enhance and compliment you and your life. With that said and done, is it not safe to assume that this correlation is no accident?
Let’s take it a step further in another example: Consider wanting to improve your skills in any given sport. What would benefit you more? Practicing with someone who plays worse than you, or with someone who is at least twice as good as you? The answer is obvious, right? Well, life isn’t much different when you step back and take in the big picture. When you surround yourself with people who strive for greatness, are at least twice as successful as you may be and who stand by the same beliefs, passions and goals as you, it can be easier to ultimately get to where you want to be in life. You will have an experienced pair of footsteps to follow in each day and, more often than not, you can take up extensive short-cuts through the words of wisdom given by these individuals to help get to your destination much more efficiently than having to learn the hard way. With the help of someone who has been in your shoes and who reached success, you have the opportunity to learn from these individuals the lessons they had to learn the hard way, or lessons passed down to them from THEIR mentors or role models. It is, essentially, one of the most valuable things you can do to get from point A to point B, and beyond. We always have to remember and keep in mind that there is truly no such thing as a self-made man. And those who think they can and will do it solely on their own will have an almost impossible journey to succumb to. Regardless of whether the influence of another human being was studied up close and personal by physically being around the person and having access to direct communication with them in this point in time, or whether the method used to learn was indirect and from afar through studying autobiographies, latest research, articles, books, TV appearances, magazines, interviews, etc. done with that person, you are still being ‘mentored’ from afar as you are basing your own experiences off this other individual’s present, past and future practices and experiences. Who better to learn from than those people who have been in your position and who understand what you are going through and what you WILL go through in the future? If you are still in disbelief about this fact, I want you to ask yourself how you went through each stage of life growing up… Did you really depend on no one to teach you how to say and write the alphabet? Who taught you how to ride your first two-wheeler? How did you learn the English language and how did you later pass chemistry? And of your talent playing the piano? What about how you want to raise your own children? You see; we live through life learning through others examples, experiences and words. It’s no mistake that this method has helped us get to where we are right now and that it will continue to help us grow in the future. We all have had inspiration to help us grow, and we have all had to depend on others in some fashion or degree to help get us there. With that said and done, is it no wonder that discontinuing this proven method would be foolish? When you get right down to it, this is something we have ALL proven effective and we can ALL attest that it works… So why stop now?
In my life everyday, I am always encouraging those around me to reach out and grasp the hands of those they look up to and those who are willing to help (and I am telling you… you will very, very rarely, if EVER, find an unwilling hand if you are genuine and stand by your good intentions and inquiries). Meeting good people and holding on to good people are two key things to aspire to do on a daily basis. I, for one, know I wouldn’t be in this exact moment right now had I not tried to reach out to the people I met and immediately looked up to. The greatest successes of my life so far I can dedicate to the many individuals who helped me to see to the ‘impossible’ and who raised the bar so I could fly higher. I always, always advocate this to those around me and will continue to do so for however long I am granted this amazing opportunity to help have an impact on the people I meet as I climb my own ladders, steps and pillars.
Just this past week, while talking with a co-worker about this very subject, I expressed my complete admiration for a world-renowned fitness, wellness and health professional that I have invested a great deal of time into studying over the course of my career who has had a tremendous impact on me as a professional without even knowing it. I went on and on about this admiration until she stopped me and said, “So… Have you contacted him to tell him this?”, and I completely stopped in my tracks. “No.” I said, and right then I had a really strange and inspiring epiphany that I hadn’t even thought of prior. Here I was advocating to everyone around me about reaching out and staying in contact with the people they admire most and I wasn’t even fully living my own example. Granted, the people I have personally met and reached out to I have stuck by like glue and I will continue to do so for the duration of my life and career, but what about the people you admire that you don’t have the convenience of meeting on a daily basis? How do you possibly connect with someone who seems as out of reach and up the chain as Spiderman himself? I thought to myself, “Is it possible that I am putting a limitation on myself with something that may be so seemingly simple to achieve?”… “Hmm… Where’s the loophole?”.
That night, I wrote my own role model a long message via internet expressing my admiration, my epiphany, and how delighted I would be to meet him if the opportunity could ever (even in the slightest) be possible. Sure enough, the very next day I received a gracious letter in return expressing many thanks, kind comments and a phone number to call since he doesn’t reside in Vegas. Wow. Words to begin a connection through conversation. I couldn’t (and still can’t) describe my excitement regarding the matter and how immensely uncomplicated it was to just simply reach out and, if nothing else, let somebody know how they have influenced you. Rarely will you find someone who isn’t happy to continue to make a greater difference than they have already. Almost always, the people who have gone to the top and beyond realized the point I am making in the article and acted on it. More often than not, these same people who received so much help will also be the first ones to continue following in their mentor’s shoes by helping others who look up to them.
Giving is a precious (and contagious) gift that tends to go full circle in the long run. If you fear taking the chance to reach out thinking you won’t get anywhere, try this thought on for size: In knowing no man is ‘self-made’ and that success breeds success through example, hard work, repetition and so forth, remember that your ‘idols’ have worked so hard to emulate their own idols, and therefore have seen the true value of what ‘giving’ can accomplish. This, in turn, will lead them to continue following the cycle originally led by the people they looked up to, and they will, therefore, be the first ones to take a step down to help you take a step up. It is such a simple concept that I believe we read into a little too much when the answer was already evident to begin with. What do you have to lose when reaching out and what’s the worst that could happen? As I always, always say and will continue to say: Don’t be afraid to try something new or to take a risk. We are given this one amazing life to live to the fullest and to live by being the best we can with what we have. We might not have everything or all the answers, but most of the time we can find someone or a few people who might be able to teach us a thing or two or at least guide us in the right direction to find what it is we are striving for. Life is too short as it is. If you can take a short-cut or two here and there, take advantage of the opportunity and give it back in return when the right time comes along.
One of the greatest benefits of surrounding yourself with the people you admire most, and people who have captured your attention in regards to where they are at in life, is the amazing prospect of learning something new each day. When you are encased in a circle of people who are at or below your level, you have no room to grow and no hopes to aspire to reach. You will never learn how to progress through the different stages of your career and you will never have a willing hand reaching down from above to grasp ahold of you and lift you higher. You will be just as successful as the company you keep.
In my short time here in Las Vegas, I have had the incredible opportunity of reaching out to so many wonderful and inspiring professionals from all over the Valley through working at a few different facilities around the city as well as through my work in Connect To Fitness. Each week, I am being introduced to some of the most awe-inspiring people I have ever had the honor of meeting and I can say without guilt and with complete honesty that the quality of my life has done nothing but improve by the day. When you are constantly encompassed by your dreams, goals and the people who are willing to bring you up past your ‘limitations’, your life as you know it will change immensely… for the better. Get out and strive to meet the people who will help You reach your quality of life, Faithful Reader, and see how rapidly the transformation begins!
In this one life, we are only given a short chance to make a change, a difference and an influence. Let those who inspire you lead you to your goals and aspirations through example and approach and follow them without fear or discontent. In a world where so many people need our help, is it no wonder we should willingly extend our hand to reach out and make the most of our time here together?
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“Very few men are wise by their own counsel, or learned by their own teaching. For he that was only taught by himself had a fool for his master.” –Ben Johnson
“No matter how lofty you are in your department, the responsibility for what your lowliest assistant is doing is yours.” -Bessie Lowland James
“The most important single influence in the life of a person is another person... who is worthy of emulation.” -Paul D. Shafer
“I think it's an honor to be a role model to one person or maybe more than that. If you are given a chance to be a role model, I think you should always take it because you can influence a person's life in a positive light, and that's what I want to do. That's what it's all about.” –Tiger Woods
Monday, September 28, 2009
Regret Me Not
Stop for just a moment and look back on the past 24 hours of your life. Evaluate all your actions, your motives, your decisions, your accomplishments and what you may have put off until tomorrow. Ask yourself, “How am I going to feel tomorrow about today?”
Think about today as a day you can never return to and in tomorrow as a day too late. As decisions are made in a day’s time and throughout your life, take time to ask yourself how you will proceed to feel about your decision 5, 10, 20 or even 50 years down the road. We are all given the gift of living in the moment, and it is our choice and our choice alone, that will dictate what our future beholds and what will defy who we are and who we become.
Upon recently having a great conversation with someone I love deeply about life and about events (both fortunate and unfortunate) that have helped to create the mold to which we both exist, the thought occurred, “If a person is at one with who they are and can say with an honest heart that they are proud of who they have become, then can ‘regret’ in its truest form be said to exist?”… I stopped to look at my own life right in the midst of the conversation and couldn’t help but smile to myself in where my own journey took me. Being an ‘un’believer in the act of ‘regret’ to begin with, I began to consider all the tragedy and misfortunes (in or out of my control) that have happened in spite of myself and in spite of what I may have been striving for and began pondering the subject matter further…
By feeling regret for past or present actions or inactions, it places a mental boundary on where you are today and where you are striving to go tomorrow. You are never fully able to progress past that point in time, and you stay locked in what ‘could have been’ instead of what ‘is’ or ‘could be’ as a result of that particular situation. To feel as if you are pressed between two thick walls of regret that are holding you back from moving forward will cause you to do just that… stay idle.
Feelings, in general, are involuntary. What does this mean, you ask? Well, have you ever said to yourself or to someone else that someone or something is the cause of or to blame for your happiness, sadness, anger, disposition… etc? To put it in perspective; although these people, places or things may have had an impact on you and may influence your feelings, we are the only ones who are capable of extracting these feelings and bringing them to life both physically and mentally. It can be difficult to realize, but we voluntarily make a conscious decision to choose our emotions and to choose how we are going to react to any given situation. These situations can make endless attempts at penetrating through our surfaces and walls of protection, but only we can let them in and only we can allow their influences to impart on our mental and physical well-being.
It’s easier said than done, but it is important to realize this fact in every circumstance you encounter as you have every right to oppose the emotions of any external force that may wish to inflict regret over you. Those who are stuck in regret constantly use these emotions as an excuse to not accept what has happened or is happening and they create a wall (or ‘boundary’, if you will) that prevents them from being able to access the ability to grow from the situation. Think about it… What if we all made a conscious effort to choose our emotions and what we let get to us, instead of impulsively reacting to a scenario? By realizing that we are what we choose to be and by taking the time to listen for the ‘reason’ in each situation, we can then take what happened and assess the stipulation to work out in our favor. In all that we do, there is always a lesson to be learned and a way to grow physically and emotionally to benefit our present and future. Without the negative and bad aspects of life, we could never learn to recognize and appreciate the positive or good things. Without sadness or despair, we wouldn’t know just how wonderful a dusting of happiness could feel.
One of the things I have learned about regrets is, simply, not to have them. I view regret not only as a negative connotation, but also as a burden, or weight, that stays centered on our lives and won’t budge. As I was conversing with my loved one and taking all this in, I was once again reminded of why I regret nothing that has ever happened to me. Sure, I will be the first to admit that I have made some mistakes as big as my accomplishments, and that have I allowed other people more time than they deserved to treat me just as bad as I knew I should be treated good. I know I have caused hurt to others and I know I’m not perfect. But, that’s not the point. By stepping back and looking at exactly where my feet are planted in the sand at this very moment in time, I can look at all these events and know that I wouldn’t be standing in this very spot right now if even one of them hadn’t occurred. In the midst of all the hurt, pain and suffering I may have encountered on my life path, I can now say I have never been happier and that I know the worst is over as I have lived and learned and know I am now in complete control of my destiny. I also know that the people whom I have affected and the people who have affected me wouldn’t be where they were if not for the interactions we had together, whether bad or good. And you can even look at it a step further in that the people associated with THOSE people wouldn’t be where they are at either had such events never occurred. It is quite a humbling and mind-boggling concept to take in and grasp when you really allow yourself to get submerged in the theory.
Reminiscing upon certain events of my past, I remember, sitting back and just wondering, ‘Why? Why me?” I remember thinking that I would never get through the situation and that life definitely would never be the same. I can remember wishing so deeply and profoundly that I would give anything to go back and alter what had happened. The truth is, time will never stop ticking, and life will never stand still for anyone. Just as well, we can never return to a moment despite what the outcome is. Apart from what we choose to do, or what others choose to do, need not matter. Pick your feet up, lift your chin, and let each moment influence you to do better next time, to not make the same mistake again, to be proud and rejoice, to take it all in and savor it, to become a better person as a result, or to thank the person next to you for helping you discover something new about yourself. If you cannot return to change something from your past, there is no point in wasting precious time wishing for the impossible. Nothing from this moment on is impossible and why should we expend more time generating more possible regrets by regretting what we ‘should have done’. This is like an alcoholic who is so depressed about being an alcoholic (and all the issues that come along with it…) that he goes out to drink his sorrows away each night. Now, does this make any sense when you look at it from this perspective? Didn’t think so. So, WHY spend your time wallowing in what ‘could have been’, when you could be using that valuable time (you will later regret wasting) to do something productive that CAN be done?
Simply, life is too short as it is. Life isn’t forever and each moment is here, gone, and in the history books. The story of your life is exactly what you make of it each day. It is written based off your perceptions, your realities, your emotions and your burdens and regrets.
Live and learn and make the best of each day as one day your time will stop ticking all together. Make memories, not regrets and let your life aspire to greatness with each passing event. How will YOUR today look from tomorrow’s standpoint? Your future begins with You.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
"Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets." -Author Unknown, from Dreams
“Make the most of your regrets; never smother your sorrow, but tend and cherish it till it comes to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh.” -Henry David Thoreau
“Forget regret, or life is yours to miss.” –Johnathan Larson
“Regret for time wasted can become a power for good in the time that remains, if we will only stop the waste and the idle, useless regretting.” –Arthur Brisbane
Think about today as a day you can never return to and in tomorrow as a day too late. As decisions are made in a day’s time and throughout your life, take time to ask yourself how you will proceed to feel about your decision 5, 10, 20 or even 50 years down the road. We are all given the gift of living in the moment, and it is our choice and our choice alone, that will dictate what our future beholds and what will defy who we are and who we become.
Upon recently having a great conversation with someone I love deeply about life and about events (both fortunate and unfortunate) that have helped to create the mold to which we both exist, the thought occurred, “If a person is at one with who they are and can say with an honest heart that they are proud of who they have become, then can ‘regret’ in its truest form be said to exist?”… I stopped to look at my own life right in the midst of the conversation and couldn’t help but smile to myself in where my own journey took me. Being an ‘un’believer in the act of ‘regret’ to begin with, I began to consider all the tragedy and misfortunes (in or out of my control) that have happened in spite of myself and in spite of what I may have been striving for and began pondering the subject matter further…
By feeling regret for past or present actions or inactions, it places a mental boundary on where you are today and where you are striving to go tomorrow. You are never fully able to progress past that point in time, and you stay locked in what ‘could have been’ instead of what ‘is’ or ‘could be’ as a result of that particular situation. To feel as if you are pressed between two thick walls of regret that are holding you back from moving forward will cause you to do just that… stay idle.
Feelings, in general, are involuntary. What does this mean, you ask? Well, have you ever said to yourself or to someone else that someone or something is the cause of or to blame for your happiness, sadness, anger, disposition… etc? To put it in perspective; although these people, places or things may have had an impact on you and may influence your feelings, we are the only ones who are capable of extracting these feelings and bringing them to life both physically and mentally. It can be difficult to realize, but we voluntarily make a conscious decision to choose our emotions and to choose how we are going to react to any given situation. These situations can make endless attempts at penetrating through our surfaces and walls of protection, but only we can let them in and only we can allow their influences to impart on our mental and physical well-being.
It’s easier said than done, but it is important to realize this fact in every circumstance you encounter as you have every right to oppose the emotions of any external force that may wish to inflict regret over you. Those who are stuck in regret constantly use these emotions as an excuse to not accept what has happened or is happening and they create a wall (or ‘boundary’, if you will) that prevents them from being able to access the ability to grow from the situation. Think about it… What if we all made a conscious effort to choose our emotions and what we let get to us, instead of impulsively reacting to a scenario? By realizing that we are what we choose to be and by taking the time to listen for the ‘reason’ in each situation, we can then take what happened and assess the stipulation to work out in our favor. In all that we do, there is always a lesson to be learned and a way to grow physically and emotionally to benefit our present and future. Without the negative and bad aspects of life, we could never learn to recognize and appreciate the positive or good things. Without sadness or despair, we wouldn’t know just how wonderful a dusting of happiness could feel.
One of the things I have learned about regrets is, simply, not to have them. I view regret not only as a negative connotation, but also as a burden, or weight, that stays centered on our lives and won’t budge. As I was conversing with my loved one and taking all this in, I was once again reminded of why I regret nothing that has ever happened to me. Sure, I will be the first to admit that I have made some mistakes as big as my accomplishments, and that have I allowed other people more time than they deserved to treat me just as bad as I knew I should be treated good. I know I have caused hurt to others and I know I’m not perfect. But, that’s not the point. By stepping back and looking at exactly where my feet are planted in the sand at this very moment in time, I can look at all these events and know that I wouldn’t be standing in this very spot right now if even one of them hadn’t occurred. In the midst of all the hurt, pain and suffering I may have encountered on my life path, I can now say I have never been happier and that I know the worst is over as I have lived and learned and know I am now in complete control of my destiny. I also know that the people whom I have affected and the people who have affected me wouldn’t be where they were if not for the interactions we had together, whether bad or good. And you can even look at it a step further in that the people associated with THOSE people wouldn’t be where they are at either had such events never occurred. It is quite a humbling and mind-boggling concept to take in and grasp when you really allow yourself to get submerged in the theory.
Reminiscing upon certain events of my past, I remember, sitting back and just wondering, ‘Why? Why me?” I remember thinking that I would never get through the situation and that life definitely would never be the same. I can remember wishing so deeply and profoundly that I would give anything to go back and alter what had happened. The truth is, time will never stop ticking, and life will never stand still for anyone. Just as well, we can never return to a moment despite what the outcome is. Apart from what we choose to do, or what others choose to do, need not matter. Pick your feet up, lift your chin, and let each moment influence you to do better next time, to not make the same mistake again, to be proud and rejoice, to take it all in and savor it, to become a better person as a result, or to thank the person next to you for helping you discover something new about yourself. If you cannot return to change something from your past, there is no point in wasting precious time wishing for the impossible. Nothing from this moment on is impossible and why should we expend more time generating more possible regrets by regretting what we ‘should have done’. This is like an alcoholic who is so depressed about being an alcoholic (and all the issues that come along with it…) that he goes out to drink his sorrows away each night. Now, does this make any sense when you look at it from this perspective? Didn’t think so. So, WHY spend your time wallowing in what ‘could have been’, when you could be using that valuable time (you will later regret wasting) to do something productive that CAN be done?
Simply, life is too short as it is. Life isn’t forever and each moment is here, gone, and in the history books. The story of your life is exactly what you make of it each day. It is written based off your perceptions, your realities, your emotions and your burdens and regrets.
Live and learn and make the best of each day as one day your time will stop ticking all together. Make memories, not regrets and let your life aspire to greatness with each passing event. How will YOUR today look from tomorrow’s standpoint? Your future begins with You.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
"Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets." -Author Unknown, from Dreams
“Make the most of your regrets; never smother your sorrow, but tend and cherish it till it comes to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh.” -Henry David Thoreau
“Forget regret, or life is yours to miss.” –Johnathan Larson
“Regret for time wasted can become a power for good in the time that remains, if we will only stop the waste and the idle, useless regretting.” –Arthur Brisbane
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sustain and Make Green Your Health and Your Life
Did you know?...
Most people use 50-70 gallons of water every day in their homes?
Or that:
American households spend over $1,000 annually on electricity?
Or how about:
Cars release 98 tons of fossil fuels into the air for every gallon of gas?
Energy is a facet of our lives that most of us don’t think twice about. As we hear, learn and read about the simple ways to help the environment by conserving energy, the simple fact is that most of us will not act on the advice given unless it comes down to be affected personally. And ladies and gentlemen… that time isn’t too far off in the distance.
Walking into Studio 222 Personal Training Centers here in Las Vegas (right on the corner of W Flamingo and Durango), for our September Health Fair and Connect To Fitness Event you would never know just by looking all the work that went into making this amazing facility environmentally friendly and as green as grass. As owner and innovator of this ‘green’ facility, James Wong went above and beyond to make his facility sustainable to the environment, and it’s definitely getting noticed.
With the biggest turn-out yet at one of our events, there was much to rejoice about at James’s studio. Having just picked up an entire cooler filled to the brim with smoothies donated from the Tropical Smoothie Café, I walked in (fashionably late due to a mishap) and was just astonished at the amount of people who filled the modest space of the private training studio. As I walked into the lobby, dragging the cooler behind me, I noticed food plates stacked with delectable yet healthy food options placed all around the studio. Right away my mind reverted to James’s Registered Dietician, Angelique Marquez, who has a really fascinating and alternative approach to the art of nutrition (if you don’t know her… do yourself a favor and GET to know her). So, needless to say, I grabbed a plate and took advantage of the quinoa dish she had prepared (which was aMAZing).
After laying my belongings down, my eyes diverted to the familiar faces of my colleagues, coworkers and friends from both the Professional Fitness Institute and Club Ridges as well as to the many new faces that were first-time CTF guests. James’s 3,300 sq. ft. studio was filled with activity, conversation, laughter and networking and I overheard and was a part of a great many conversations based around job connections. It was definitely a productive few hours!
With three prize giveaways amounting easily to a couple thousand dollars, we had one each hour, on the hour, Darian and myself had a blast handing out the generous prizes donated by many of our sponsors (including PFI and Lulu Lemon), Red Rock, Hara, and, of course, James’s amazing employees. Half hour and hour massages were given away via Lifan at Bodywork LV as well as two vouchers good for three FREE personal training sessions with personal trainer, Tracy. Also given away was a free nutrition consultation with Angelique, a free yoga class with Studio 222’s Registered Yoga Teacher David Oliphant (who is just incredible), $200.00 worth of free clothing from Lulu Lemon as well as two bags stuffed with goodies from PFI. The raffles are always one of my favorite parts of our events as it’s so humbling to see the faces of the prize recipients! As James took the floor during our first giveaway, he explained how he was able to be so successful in establishing a ‘green’ facility. Per his introduction and his website (www.studio222lasvegas.com), James went on to explain how he used repurposed wood in building his foundations, how he created (out of a refurbished and broken cooler) a large cabinet with reach-in bins for clients and guests to leave their belongings while training, how the mats under the workout equipment is made of recycled rubber, how he uses Earth-friendly cleaning products and how the paints he used in his facility are non-toxic and low in VOC’s. James also rarely turns on the overhead lights in the ceiling unless it’s too dark outside to see, and he tries never to use the air conditioning and instead relies on a few ceiling fans to cool the place down. Although he may have initially invested a little more in the beginning to ensure a sustainable environment, the financial payoff has been immensely successful for James in the long-run.
Snapping photos and mingling myself, I walked over to Lifan Hung, (an amazing friend, professional and person), and snapped a photo of her with a few guests and professionals at the event. Lifan is a Licensed Massage Therapist who also specializes in Kinesio Taping, which is a technique used to give your joints and muscles stability using your body’s own natural healing processes without affecting circulation or range of motion. If you were to watch the Olympics or any professional sports, you will see its prevalence within the athletic population. It’s a really neat and unfortunately uncommon technique that Lifan has given rise to making available to the Las Vegas community.
Walking around further, I couldn’t help but to stop and admire the amazing facility created by James. With minimal exercise modalities typically found in ‘typical’ gyms, James’s trainers utilize numerous functional training modalities within the studio. You will see functional trainers, a TRX Suspension Training System, a heavy bag and gloves, yoga mats (and a great instructor!), resistance bands, stability and Bosu balls, wobble boards, kettlebells, dumbbells, and many other practical and functional equipment not characteristic of many other facilities. The clients at 222 have the option of being exposed to many different aspects of their fitness and it isn’t common for almost every client to jump into a yoga session during their week of training, or to take time out to learn some boxing. The awesome thing is that James understands that fitness isn’t one dimensional and that you can progress more efficiently when you incorporate and put focus on every dimension of fitness including balance, coordination, strength, flexibility and so on. The diversity within the staff is very accommodating for helping clients reach their maximum potential. This studio is particularly neat to scope out as a trainer as there are so many tools to utilize and play with!
As the event progressed, the crowd continued to grow as the food slowly began to dwindle. Thanks to Angelique and Metro Pizza (who made a menu of appetizers specific to the needs of the event), everyone had the option of sampling some amazing and healthy dishes with all the flavor and no guilt! As I continued to make my way through socializing with the guests, I came across a couple familiar faces whom I hadn’t previously had the honor of meeting… the Sin City Socialites (GET to know these two girls. They are amazing.)! After coming into Studio 222 to do one of their infamous ‘reviews’, the Socialites returned to make a cameo at our event and were just a delight! If you haven’t read their review on 222, check them out on Blogspot (http://sinctysocialite.blogspot.com/)!
After socializing with the Socialites, I noticed some yoga action going on in one of the corners of the studio as David, the yoga instructor, was giving demonstrations to attendees of the event! How spectacular! David is amazing at his craft and specializes in hatha yoga in particular. He actually teaches the performers of Las Vegas’s amazing and popular show Le Reve. He is also teaches at other various venues in town and does private consulting with clients as well. You can learn more about David by visiting his website (www.yogawithdavid.com).
Over on the cardio equipment behind me was Jake Sanders, who was on a stationary bike that is actually interactive like a video game. To keep exercisers interested, you can watch the screen in front of you and race the computer, yourself, or (if you have another bike on hand) another person! I guarantee you won’t find this at any chain fitness facilities! As everyone crowded around Jake (who was having fun racing in his dressy street clothes), James carefully instructed and cheered him on along with the rest of the people looking over Jake’s shoulder. I smiled to myself as it is always such a great feeling to see others having so much fun and enjoying themselves.
Up to the front was a station set up by Adam Goodman, who was reaching out and letting people know about a great company he works for called Melaleuca (http://www.melaleuca.com/). Melaleuca is an all natural, organic based company which prides itself on being environmentally friendly in each of it’s products. James currently utilizes cleaning products from this company as well to enhance the sustainability of his facility.
With so much going on, it was a wonder that we got so much accomplished in three hours! After the third prize-giveaway, Darian made a final thank-you announcement addressed to everyone and, of course, kept the party entertaining by dancing right in the middle of the studio!
If you have yet to come experience an event, you should absolutely do yourself a favor and jump on board with CTF. Always a fantastic time and always progressing and striving for greatness on new levels, Connect To Fitness has successfully become the premier networking group for fitness, wellness and health professionals in the Las Vegas Valley. Yesterday, alone, spawned job connections and opportunities between a good number of guests who attended the event. I, alone, experienced a couple, which I am really excited to share with you in the future!
Thank you to all who attended and to all of our supporters and sponsors who have been with us since the beginning of our journey. The event at Studio 222 is proof of our growing success and following and we would love for you to join in as we continue our involvement in taking steps forward to make the world a better place and to connect the right people together to accomplish common goals.
The Earth around us can be sustained and helped so easily by the little things we can do to make a difference in creating a sustainable environment. On the flipside, the people who live in this world can also benefit immensely from the small changes we, as professionals, can make together to enhance our careers to, therefore, enhance the lives of those who need us. Don’t just stand there… get up, get out and make a difference.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“There's so much pollution in the air now that if it weren't for our lungs there'd be no place to put it all.” -Robert Orben
“Modern technology,
Owes ecology,
An apology.” -Alan M. Eddison
“Because we don't think about future generations, they will never forget us.” -Henrik Tikkanen
“The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun.” -Ralph Nader, quoted in Linda Botts, ed., Loose Talk, 1980
Most people use 50-70 gallons of water every day in their homes?
Or that:
American households spend over $1,000 annually on electricity?
Or how about:
Cars release 98 tons of fossil fuels into the air for every gallon of gas?
Energy is a facet of our lives that most of us don’t think twice about. As we hear, learn and read about the simple ways to help the environment by conserving energy, the simple fact is that most of us will not act on the advice given unless it comes down to be affected personally. And ladies and gentlemen… that time isn’t too far off in the distance.
Walking into Studio 222 Personal Training Centers here in Las Vegas (right on the corner of W Flamingo and Durango), for our September Health Fair and Connect To Fitness Event you would never know just by looking all the work that went into making this amazing facility environmentally friendly and as green as grass. As owner and innovator of this ‘green’ facility, James Wong went above and beyond to make his facility sustainable to the environment, and it’s definitely getting noticed.
With the biggest turn-out yet at one of our events, there was much to rejoice about at James’s studio. Having just picked up an entire cooler filled to the brim with smoothies donated from the Tropical Smoothie Café, I walked in (fashionably late due to a mishap) and was just astonished at the amount of people who filled the modest space of the private training studio. As I walked into the lobby, dragging the cooler behind me, I noticed food plates stacked with delectable yet healthy food options placed all around the studio. Right away my mind reverted to James’s Registered Dietician, Angelique Marquez, who has a really fascinating and alternative approach to the art of nutrition (if you don’t know her… do yourself a favor and GET to know her). So, needless to say, I grabbed a plate and took advantage of the quinoa dish she had prepared (which was aMAZing).
After laying my belongings down, my eyes diverted to the familiar faces of my colleagues, coworkers and friends from both the Professional Fitness Institute and Club Ridges as well as to the many new faces that were first-time CTF guests. James’s 3,300 sq. ft. studio was filled with activity, conversation, laughter and networking and I overheard and was a part of a great many conversations based around job connections. It was definitely a productive few hours!
With three prize giveaways amounting easily to a couple thousand dollars, we had one each hour, on the hour, Darian and myself had a blast handing out the generous prizes donated by many of our sponsors (including PFI and Lulu Lemon), Red Rock, Hara, and, of course, James’s amazing employees. Half hour and hour massages were given away via Lifan at Bodywork LV as well as two vouchers good for three FREE personal training sessions with personal trainer, Tracy. Also given away was a free nutrition consultation with Angelique, a free yoga class with Studio 222’s Registered Yoga Teacher David Oliphant (who is just incredible), $200.00 worth of free clothing from Lulu Lemon as well as two bags stuffed with goodies from PFI. The raffles are always one of my favorite parts of our events as it’s so humbling to see the faces of the prize recipients! As James took the floor during our first giveaway, he explained how he was able to be so successful in establishing a ‘green’ facility. Per his introduction and his website (www.studio222lasvegas.com), James went on to explain how he used repurposed wood in building his foundations, how he created (out of a refurbished and broken cooler) a large cabinet with reach-in bins for clients and guests to leave their belongings while training, how the mats under the workout equipment is made of recycled rubber, how he uses Earth-friendly cleaning products and how the paints he used in his facility are non-toxic and low in VOC’s. James also rarely turns on the overhead lights in the ceiling unless it’s too dark outside to see, and he tries never to use the air conditioning and instead relies on a few ceiling fans to cool the place down. Although he may have initially invested a little more in the beginning to ensure a sustainable environment, the financial payoff has been immensely successful for James in the long-run.
Snapping photos and mingling myself, I walked over to Lifan Hung, (an amazing friend, professional and person), and snapped a photo of her with a few guests and professionals at the event. Lifan is a Licensed Massage Therapist who also specializes in Kinesio Taping, which is a technique used to give your joints and muscles stability using your body’s own natural healing processes without affecting circulation or range of motion. If you were to watch the Olympics or any professional sports, you will see its prevalence within the athletic population. It’s a really neat and unfortunately uncommon technique that Lifan has given rise to making available to the Las Vegas community.
Walking around further, I couldn’t help but to stop and admire the amazing facility created by James. With minimal exercise modalities typically found in ‘typical’ gyms, James’s trainers utilize numerous functional training modalities within the studio. You will see functional trainers, a TRX Suspension Training System, a heavy bag and gloves, yoga mats (and a great instructor!), resistance bands, stability and Bosu balls, wobble boards, kettlebells, dumbbells, and many other practical and functional equipment not characteristic of many other facilities. The clients at 222 have the option of being exposed to many different aspects of their fitness and it isn’t common for almost every client to jump into a yoga session during their week of training, or to take time out to learn some boxing. The awesome thing is that James understands that fitness isn’t one dimensional and that you can progress more efficiently when you incorporate and put focus on every dimension of fitness including balance, coordination, strength, flexibility and so on. The diversity within the staff is very accommodating for helping clients reach their maximum potential. This studio is particularly neat to scope out as a trainer as there are so many tools to utilize and play with!
As the event progressed, the crowd continued to grow as the food slowly began to dwindle. Thanks to Angelique and Metro Pizza (who made a menu of appetizers specific to the needs of the event), everyone had the option of sampling some amazing and healthy dishes with all the flavor and no guilt! As I continued to make my way through socializing with the guests, I came across a couple familiar faces whom I hadn’t previously had the honor of meeting… the Sin City Socialites (GET to know these two girls. They are amazing.)! After coming into Studio 222 to do one of their infamous ‘reviews’, the Socialites returned to make a cameo at our event and were just a delight! If you haven’t read their review on 222, check them out on Blogspot (http://sinctysocialite.blogspot.com/)!
After socializing with the Socialites, I noticed some yoga action going on in one of the corners of the studio as David, the yoga instructor, was giving demonstrations to attendees of the event! How spectacular! David is amazing at his craft and specializes in hatha yoga in particular. He actually teaches the performers of Las Vegas’s amazing and popular show Le Reve. He is also teaches at other various venues in town and does private consulting with clients as well. You can learn more about David by visiting his website (www.yogawithdavid.com).
Over on the cardio equipment behind me was Jake Sanders, who was on a stationary bike that is actually interactive like a video game. To keep exercisers interested, you can watch the screen in front of you and race the computer, yourself, or (if you have another bike on hand) another person! I guarantee you won’t find this at any chain fitness facilities! As everyone crowded around Jake (who was having fun racing in his dressy street clothes), James carefully instructed and cheered him on along with the rest of the people looking over Jake’s shoulder. I smiled to myself as it is always such a great feeling to see others having so much fun and enjoying themselves.
Up to the front was a station set up by Adam Goodman, who was reaching out and letting people know about a great company he works for called Melaleuca (http://www.melaleuca.com/). Melaleuca is an all natural, organic based company which prides itself on being environmentally friendly in each of it’s products. James currently utilizes cleaning products from this company as well to enhance the sustainability of his facility.
With so much going on, it was a wonder that we got so much accomplished in three hours! After the third prize-giveaway, Darian made a final thank-you announcement addressed to everyone and, of course, kept the party entertaining by dancing right in the middle of the studio!
If you have yet to come experience an event, you should absolutely do yourself a favor and jump on board with CTF. Always a fantastic time and always progressing and striving for greatness on new levels, Connect To Fitness has successfully become the premier networking group for fitness, wellness and health professionals in the Las Vegas Valley. Yesterday, alone, spawned job connections and opportunities between a good number of guests who attended the event. I, alone, experienced a couple, which I am really excited to share with you in the future!
Thank you to all who attended and to all of our supporters and sponsors who have been with us since the beginning of our journey. The event at Studio 222 is proof of our growing success and following and we would love for you to join in as we continue our involvement in taking steps forward to make the world a better place and to connect the right people together to accomplish common goals.
The Earth around us can be sustained and helped so easily by the little things we can do to make a difference in creating a sustainable environment. On the flipside, the people who live in this world can also benefit immensely from the small changes we, as professionals, can make together to enhance our careers to, therefore, enhance the lives of those who need us. Don’t just stand there… get up, get out and make a difference.
Until next time, Faithful Reader…
“There's so much pollution in the air now that if it weren't for our lungs there'd be no place to put it all.” -Robert Orben
“Modern technology,
Owes ecology,
An apology.” -Alan M. Eddison
“Because we don't think about future generations, they will never forget us.” -Henrik Tikkanen
“The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun.” -Ralph Nader, quoted in Linda Botts, ed., Loose Talk, 1980
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
