Whosoever does not perish in death LIVES.” – Lao Tzu
FAMILY – SOCIAL – SELF
DO NOT LOSE YOUR PLACE
“Whosoever does not lose his place” is the man or woman standing tall in their bodies. When we choose responsibility for our health, we seek knowledge of how to best maintain it on each level. To keep our “place” is to admit responsibility for the honor to be as healthy and active participants as possible in this life we’re granted. We “lose our place” by giving power to those ready to sell us what we wish to hear and take money for all the things we don’t need, the quick fixes and band aids that mask healing. We relinquish our own power over duration. “Duration’ means going the distance, but it also means having the strength in reserve all along the way for performance, healing and sharing. We will last when we put ourselves first, and in so doing, “live.”
“Whosoever does not perish in death lives.” Do you know anyone who has died in mind, body or spirit before leaving earth? Those who have lost their will, who have given in to disease and inactivity and therefore, “perished” by choosing not to live fully?
To “not perish in death” means to live in every moment of every day, even if it’s spent reading a book under a tree. Refuse to buy in to disease, thinking science can “fix” you. Medicine should be the last refuge, not the first. Diet pills, invasive surgeries, and the “healthful” fixes that are performed with you in a chair or on a gurney aren not really doing anyone any good except the person performing the “fix.” You stay youthful by doing your filled activities and practices. A baby eats, sleeps, plays, bends and eliminates instinctively when it needs to. At what point did we lose that common sense?
(That is an excerpt from the book “SST Basics.” It is a wonderful explanation of how, why and when to exercise, from our childhood to our demise.) https://www.amazon.com/dp/099077760X
I bet you didn’t know I had this many books out. The training books are older, the poetry books have all been published since March 2020. I will be publishing more as I get to my novels, but first the short story collections. In the meantime, look at some of these, or all of these on Amazon. It’s been a long time since I’d published to this site, but that will change as I’ll be writing here weekly on various topics. Let me know what you think. Thank you.
The link 22 Poems of Love on Amazon. This is the first set of poems I wrote when I was about 22 years old.
The link to Train The Trainer – This was written out of the need to help trainers understand the importance and validity of their job as a coach and trainer to others.
The link to Shock And Awe Muscle – One of the best collections of workouts all based on the 22/11 principle of shocking the muscles and then doing work sets. Awesome!
NO REST FOR THE WICKED. YOU WANT TO LOOK WICKED, QUIT RESTING!
This was out of my notebook from 1986. Some of the references are dated (Calvins!), but the bulk of the information still applies. With fitness, some things never change. Hard work and consistency will always apply to every endeavor, in the gym or in your worklife. Getting fat is easy, getting fit takes work.
The simplest formula; burn more calories than you take in.
Increase exercise, heartrate and activity levels.
Be conscious of what you eat.
Supplement your diet
Avoid the white foodstuffs – sugar, salt, flour
Avoid caffeine
Reduce or cut out cigarettes
Eliminate worthless exercises
Learn relaxation
Keep a positive attitude
Evaluate your progress and adjust according to your goals.
The same questions are being asked at this time of year, when people are planning Florida vacations or getaways, and the snow is melting with the beach creeping into mind.
“Funny how fast it comes on and how slow it goes away.”
How do I get rid of my “hibernation belly?”
What can I do for my billowing buns?
What can I do to button my spring suit?
My Calvin’s couldn’t fit a picture of Brooke between them and me!
How can I win against “the Squeeze?’
Work Baby! There’s no rest for the wicked, so if you want to look wicked, you’d better stop resting. Spring is on its way and if you want to come in like a lion, now is the time to begin. A physical change can only be realized through mental and physical lifestyle adjustments. Patience, dedication, goal setting and optimism are key points.
You must realize that it will take at least one month to get from point A to point B. Set your goal as to how you want to look. Devote yourself to changing and eliminating bad habits for this month and resolve that you will take the time to work towards your goal.
Feel the daily changes happening to your body and your mind and monitor them, using the initial soreness and stiffness as a positive stimulus to carry on. Before you know it, the trial month will be over and you’ll be feeling better than you have in a long time. People will compliment you on your demeanor and appearance, adding confidence to self-esteem because as you are working out you are accomplishing something, every day. Each little victory plants seeds of encouragement which reflect to all areas of your life. A sound mind IS a sound body.
By summer time, fitness will be a part of your vocabulary as well as your lifestyle. New avenues will open up because you’ll want to try familiar, different, and new things that you haven’t done for ages – play basketball, volleyball, play with the kids, go on picnics, walks, yoga, bike rides; you’ll want to see and be seen because it really is a new you.
So don’t resign to sitting back and letting the fat collect until your Cole of California has to be dipped in Mazola in order to get it on. Don’t let the one-size-fits-all drawstring shorts be your size.Think fit, not fat!
Exercise can make every Clark Kent a Superman, or Superwoman. Even a walking regimen followed for 22 days will change anyone’s life drastically.
Reduces The Risk Of Dying Prematurely Active individuals experience a longer
life, as well as an improved quality of life.
Reduces The Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease Exercise strengthens the heart,
vascular system and the respiratory system to help fight against the negative
effects of cardiovascular disease.
Decreases Resting Heart Rate Reduces the daily wear and tear on the heart and
the cardiovascular system.
Improves Heart Efficiency Improves the ability to do daily activities with
less effort and improves the ability to perform at higher intensities with
greater ease.
Keeps Resting Blood Pressure Normal Reduces the stress on the walls of the
veins and the arteries in the vascular system and reduces risk of a coronary
event or stroke.
Decreases Body Fat A favorable change in body composition reduces the risk of
cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity- some major life threatening
diseases.
HDL Cholesterol (Good chol.) Increases and LDL Cholesterol (Bad chol.) Decreases. Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and the occurrence of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
Lowers The Risk Of Developing Diabetes Keeps body fat in control, increases
cellular sensitivity to insulin and helps to regulate blood sugar levels.
Promotes Joint Stability Increases the strength of all connective tissue
making the individual less susceptible to injury. Increases muscular strength.
Assists in the ability to perform daily activities with less effort and
difficulty.
Strengthens Bones Helps to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and reduces the
chance of injury and breaks to bones.
Increases Muscle Mass Your body burns more calories at rest and during
exercise to sustain increased muscle. Improves physique with a more toned
appearance.
Increases Resting Metabolism More calories are required by the body at rest,
which helps with weight management.
Improves Core Strength Develops strong abdominals and back which gives better posture and reduces the chance of back pain.
Improves Back Strength Reduces the incidence and severity of low back pain.
Improves Balance, Coordination and Agility All movements in daily life become
easier and safer as the body has an improved capability of control.
Improves Body Image and Self-esteem Participants experience better mental
health and improved self-image.
Reduces Depression and Anxiety An improved outlook on life makes all
activities more enjoyable.
Assists in Stress Management Everyday life becomes more enjoyable because the
individual has a positive outlet for stress.
Better Sex/ More Sex Appeal Does this really need an explanation?
The Typinski Men: Zachary, Spencer, Tom, Thomas II
Healthy Wellness Habits have 3 areas of Lifestyle activation; Nutrition, Exercise and Sleep; the overriding theme to each aspect is Consistency.
HEALTHY HABITS – NUTRITION
• Choose the best available foods – if given the choice to feast on a steak dinner, do not choose the Denny’s “$6.99 Special with all the Fixins” just because it’s cheap or close to home; treat yourself to the best steak you can find/afford, whether it’s from a traditional steakhouse or your local butcher. If you’re going to treat yourself, treat yourself to the best possible choice. Eat slowly, enjoy it, savor it, appreciate it and look forward to the next time you have a taste for it, but never overeat or make a habit of it.
• Slow down your eating – thoroughly appreciate and enjoy foods and utilize all the nutrients from them; every meal, from the butter on your toast in the morning, to that last sip of almond milk from your cereal bowl at night, should be fully enjoyed. Be grateful and thankful and make sure it offers value to your body and mind.
• Increase your vegetable consumption – especially greens, to increase Vitamin K and magnesium in addition to a broad spectrum of minerals and vitamins (try one of the “green super foods” concentrations to ensure balanced amounts and types of minerals). Many common foods are vitamin fortified, but few are mineral fortified and that’s where our diets are lacking in value. A wide range of greens and colored vegetables will ensure you get adequate amounts of trace minerals which are so sparse in our common diets.
• Eat small portions of a variety of foods – rather than large meals of massive calories and carbohydrates; stay hungry, but never “stuffed”; and resist grazing. Eat snacks from all 3 food groups, an apple, almonds, cheese; to get small doses of protein, carbohydrates and fats throughout the day, so you’re never craving any one food, but eat a little of each, each time. Develop a discipline of eating consistent staple foods – foods that you enjoy and take little preparation, while offering high nutritional value. Always have them available.
• Pay attention to “buzz” foods – Buzz foods, like caffeine, first thing, before anything else gets in the belly, automatically revs the body up so that it’s in a constant state of over-energizing the nervous system; carbs do the same. That constant static runs your system down throughout the day like a low voltage light, unnoticed until you’re burned out. If you’re eating toast with jelly and a cup of coffee, you’re telling your body to get going “now”. It would be better to start slowly, drink lemon water while making eggs or oatmeal and let the body and mind warm up to the day, rather than attacking it like a live electrical wire that’s constantly “humming,” using up energy you think you’re giving it, but actually using energy it has not even made available.
• Be consistent – your body thrives on good food, small portions, often. Give it the best you can on a consistent basis and your metabolism, and pants, will thank you.
HEALTHY HABITS – EXERCISE
MOTIVATION + ABILITY + TRIGGERS = BEHAVIOR – You will be motivated to the degree to which you feel comfortable, capable and competent in the activity and your ability to participate consistently. Do not wait for a catastrophic event to force you to exercise as a live or die alternative – be proactive toward exercise
• How you behave and treat exercise begins with your attitude toward it – a positive motivation, like a new wardrobe or trip, can get you started; but ultimately, you will have to garner the good it’s doing for you into your mantra of getting it done. Pick something you’re capable of accomplishing consistently, and let that be the trigger that fires you into daily action. Notice how you look, feel, think and act, and let those feelings guide you. There will be many days you resent it, but twice as many full of compliments and congratulations on what you’re accomplishing.
• Do what you can – choose sports and activities you have an ability to pursue as well as an affinity toward. See yourself doing them, read how to be better, get a trainer, learn. One client who couldn’t swim, never ran and had no bicycle, wanted to be a triathlete before her 40th birthday. Her attitude and ambition got her to finish two events within a year. Sure, it was work, but with consistent training, a few tears, trepidations and trials she never saw any part of it as being an activity she could not do. She believed, had faith and put one foot in front of the other until she reached the finish line.
• Give yourself measurable goals that add up – so you truly feel you’re accomplishing something – daily walks, weekly workouts, x amount of yard work, exercise classes, gym days, golf or tennis, swimming, sports with children, etc. A good golfer keeps score to constantly be in a state of improvement. Treat your exercise activities with the same attention and take the time to notice and reward the improvements you see.
• Be ready to try something new – Challenge yourself to new classes, workouts, activities. Your body is meant to be in motion. It is not a piece of furniture. It was made to move, it enjoys movement, it thrives and grows and meets the challenges set before it and then remembers past activities so you can build new strengths and try new activities. You lose function when you don’t use functions. The longer you stay away from it, the harder it is to get back to it and the more it goes away which keeps you in a perpetual state of restarting. It’s like swimming backwards, you’re going somewhere, but it’s not where you want to be.
• Be consistent – your body craves it – get through the first 3 or 4 hard days of initiation, and you’ll look forward to it thereafter. There is no reason your workouts cannot be play. Ideas are plentiful, assistance is available, information is abundant, facilities are on every corner. DO NOT HAVE MORE EXCUSES THAN DISCIPLINE!
HEALTHY HABITS – SLEEP
• Get the “best available” sleep – How many times have you slept in a chair, comfortably, when 20 feet away there’s a bed with a $2500 mattress? Why does that happen? It happens when the body is so exhausted it will take anything as an excuse to pass out. How about when you get three hours sleep and you feel terrific, and then you get 10 hours sleep and you feel like crap? This happens because our bodies cycle through sleep in 90 minute cycles. When your body cycles through that time without disturbance or interruption, it gets rested. When it sleeps past those cycles or shorter than those cycles, it is “off.”
• Get a minimum of 6 hours of sound sleep – equal to 4 – 90 minute cycles. Each sleep cycle takes you deeper and deeper into restful sleep. If you are awakened midway through a cycle, you must start all over again, dropping through those levels to get to the deepest state. It literally is “falling asleep”; you are dropping deeper and deeper through the conscious, semi-conscious and unconscious states. If you are awakened within that last 30 minutes of the 90 minute cycle, you will remain in that groggy, half-rested state, trying the rest of the day to gain momentum with physical action when the mental will not cooperate.
• Do not agonize yourself into an anxious state – of “have to get to…” sleep. Try a gratitude approach instead, “this bed feels great…these sheets are so soft…the breeze feels so good…I’m happy for all I was able to accomplish today.” The messages you send your body and mind at the end of the day will influence the type of next day you’ll have; this is your last chance to be positive, regardless of how hard the day was.
• Begin a consistent pattern – of winding down your nights and winding up your days. Babies know how much and when to sleep. How did we forget?
• A sleep pattern is called that for a reason – It’s a pattern that your body is either in rhythm with, or out of sync with. Go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time, even on vacation.
• Use darkness and silence – in going to sleep and in waking each day. These are two of the easiest, yet most beneficial points you can take from this essay. Turn off all phones, pads, light sources except enough to read a book and find your way through the house. This will also improve your eyesight.
• Use the www.SLEEPYTI.ME site – to reset your sleep cycle. It’s a simple .url that asks, “I have to wake up at?” or “I am going to fall asleep at?,” then gives you a 15 minute window in which your body normally takes to fall asleep. It gives you optimum waking times in 90 minute intervals; and the best part is, IT WORKS!
Utilize these healthy habits of consistent Nutrition, Exercise, and Sleep for 21 days to see what a difference they make in your lives.
And last, if you have any questions that I can help with, any motivations or support you need, please email me. Tom@TomTypinski.com
Any suggestions, recipes, insights or information are also welcome and appreciated.Share the Health
Reading from the book, “Become What You Are” by Alan Watts, I found an essay particularly apt to the discipline of physical fitness. This particular essay, amongst this collection of essays, is titled, “The Finger and The Moon.” I’ll attempt to synopsize, but to get the greatest benefit, I suggest finding a copy and reading it in its brief entirety.
“If your destination is the moon, to which you point your finger; don’t dwell on the finger, but focus on the moon.”
So how does this apply to training? Look around your gym and see sho’s really 110% engaged in their activity. Now, look to see how many are distracted by phones or friends or trends. They’re easy to spot. They’re the ones not sweating, the ones who have not progressed an inch over the last 3 months you’ve seen them. They are the ones concerned with how they look to the people not watching them, if their outfits match, if their shoes are new and cool, if anyone notices how hard they’re pretending to workout.
That’s the finger pointing at the moon. They are so involved in the externals of the gym that nothing happens internally. The switch that engages and marries them to the exercise hasn’t been turned on yet.
SEEN HIM?
A man on a stepper has a pile of magazines he’s strewn as he’s perused them; getting neither the benefit from the cardio training, nor learning anything from the pages he’d flipped through, because he couldn’t read and balance at the same time, let alone concentrate on either activity to benefit his mind or body. He grunts and groans but goes so slow that you wonder if it’s he or the machine straining.
HOW ABOUT HER?
A girl lifts dumbbells, far from strenuous or challenging, changing her music mid-set, going through the motions day after day, every lunch hour, continually changing her routines and doing one set of the suggestion she’d seen in an inadequate and incorrect article from a fashion magazine that even gets technique wrong; and another set her co-worker suggests, until time is up and she’d performed what she believes was enough, then changes back to work clothes with not a hair out of place.
THE RARE SIGHTING
Now, see the one moving methodically through a series of sets, undistracted, minimum rest, focused on form, grimacing through a goal of repetitions, only stopping momentarily to return to form, then finishing the set; pausing only for a sip of water or to set up the next exercise. The skin glistens across the definition and separations of chest to shoulders to triceps. The sweat is a badge brandished across the shirt, front and back. Everyone notices, but the concentration and dedication cannot be broken by any sideward glance.
ARE YOU THE FINGER, OR THE MOON?
Which of these three are simply pointing at the moon? Trying everything once but succeeding at nothing, often, haphazardly pointing at something outside themselves; and which is on their way to the moon, confidently, never doubting, but moving systematically forward and not balking at the finger that holds them back rather than moves them forward? Which are you? How does this apply to any and every aspect of your life?
Did you ever want to get away from it all? Just shut the door on all the noise and say, “so long. I want to be alone?” But you can’t afford a chalet in Aspen or a beach house on Malibu, or even the time for that cabin in Grayling. Well, there’s still hope for getting away, found in floatation, or simply, “tanking.” “See you later honey, I’m going to get tanked,” may just be the next catch phrase.
One of the most beautiful locations I’ve found is right here in Michigan at Motor City Float, located in Clawson on 14 Mile near Crooks. The staff are excellent, kind, thoughtful and informed. The rooms are immaculate, quiet and comforting; and the provisions for your shower and post-float are pleasant and available. Enjoy a tea or cookie in the quiet room afterward, and even record your thoughts in their guest journal.
I’ve been floating for 30 years, yes, since “Altered States”, and this is the best place I’ve seen, including my own tank. The rates are good, the packages are fair and fully explained on their website, and after your first float you’ll be figuring out how and when to get to the next one. The more often you go, the sooner your body responds to the “relaxation response,” and thus, more time is spent in creative reverie.
WHAT IS FLOATING?
Floatation is a method of total relaxation which is as simple as lying on your back, just as you do each night. But the benefits found in floating and its far-reaching effects seem too good to be true once you examine its simplicity.
In 11 inches of water, a concentration of 1100 lbs. of pharmaceutical grade epsom salts bobs and floats you atop the 94º (skin temperature) surface like a cork; alleviating physical stress from gravity on your organs, bones, joints and blood vessels; thus, freeing circulation, relieving minor aches, spasms, joint pains and everyday tensions associated with headaches and stress. Your body is relieved of gravity in a minor, yet noticeable way. But that’s only the beginning.
Close the door on the tank and you’ve shut out all mental stimulation by closing off your senses to the world outside. There are no telephones, traffic, questions or demands. Your mind and body are now free to drift off into right brain bliss. The left brain’s logic is shut off because there is nothing to stimulate it; allowing the right, creative brain to open to reveries, insights, creativity and visualizations, and often, epiphanies. A theta brain wave state is reached effortlessly and it is in this state of daydreaming where most “eureka” moments occur.
There are no catches and no formulas. Unlike transcendental meditation, yoga or other forms of mindfulness practice, floating doesn’t need to be learned. It is as natural as was floating in your mother’s womb. In fact, it’s probably as close as you’ll get to going back to the womb. You don’t do, you just are. You may relate this to lying back in a hot tub of bubbles after a trying day, but the similarity ends there; bath water gets cold, gravity still pulls and the phone still rings.
HOW LONG DO YOU FLOAT?
In the tank, time flies by, uninterrupted; 15 minutes can seem like 3 hours or 3 hours can feel like 15 minutes. Images come and go, yet can be held and suspended since there’s nothing to disturb thought patterns and flow. Complete relaxation is reached in a matter of 30 minutes or less. the rest of the time is spent like a child at play, without reference to time, in right brain creative mode. Most floats last an hour, but you can tag on extra time in some locations, at an extra charge.
As the last of the movement from the waves settles into stillness, the first thing you notice is the blackness. No matter how hard you try, you will not see any light. You literally do not know if your eyes are opened or closed. The next thing you notice will be the complete and total silence. Other than your own pulse or breathing, you will hear nothing. You will feel weightless atop the water and perhaps touch off one of the sides of the tank, feeling as if you’ve floated for minutes before reaching the other end. The air filtration system passes cool air over your face, making you feel as if you’re relaxing beneath an open window on the darkest night you’ve never seen.
After you’re done exploring the perimeters of the tank, you’ll slowly feel the relaxation response kick in. This is the state where, in meditation, you feel a stillness in the mind and body as if you’d just taken off a heavy coat. In the tank, you feel what can be explained as a lifting, with the buoyancy of the salt water pushing you up so the edges of the water’s surface meets the outline of your body. Your mind goes through its natural process of thinking, breathing, blinking, searching, but soon settles into the warmth.
WHO FLOATS?
Floating was used for sports and fitness therapy; but now, with a mindfulness and meditation movement making a comeback, this method of “finding bliss” is the guaranteed method for reaching it regularly. The more you float, the less time it takes for the relaxation response to kick in and the sooner you’ll settle in to euphoria.
John Lennon used a float tank during his recording of “Double Fantasy.” The tank has been used in training rooms of Pro football, baseball and Olympic teams for recuperation and visualization; a client told of how he, in his mid-60’s, was able to master German in 10 weeks while listening to audio-suggestion in the tank without any prior knowledge of the language. (Boy, was he ever wrinkled when he got out.)
Even though floating is simple in its application, the unseen, long-term benefits offer everything from building up the immune system to lower susceptibility to disease and infection, recovery from injury, freeing blood flow and relieving stress on joints, tendons, organs and muscles. You can sort out problems or issues one at a time, leaving the tensions and stresses of the outside world to dissolve in the water. And you can also break habits and addictions via auto-suggestion without the need of a hypnotist. The natural release of opiates and hormones happens without trying. And one great side-effect is a decrease of aging due to both relaxation and healing that occurs naturally. Even if your only goal is to relax, floatation guarantees it. So what better way to get away than to lay back and float away?
You already are and have everything you will ever want or need in this life, (but DESIRE all you can). Let’s explain the difference between NEED, WANT & DESIRE.
NEED is something you will never have. It is a possession you can never possess. It’s a state of perpetual lack because it’s a black hole chasm of emptiness that will never be filled.
NEED is the element you will always have and never have enough of. So, as far as you’re concerned, it’s worthless to pursue anything you NEED. As long as you need, you won’t have.
WANT is a passing attraction. It is this car or that stereo, this girl, that address – a constant ebb and flow of possessions and feelings that you could really live without, but know it would be nice to have around.
A WANT is always temporary. Like NEED, you’ll never be without WANT. As much as you try to fill either of them with meaningless, tail-chasing endeavors that take you to an empty box in an forgotten closet, WANT, like NEED, is the second, ugly stepsister to the DESIRE of Cinderella.
WANT is what you needed and no longer care about. To WANT things is only one step up from the bottom feeders of the food chain of NEED. In life, you rarely get what you want, or want what you get.
DESIRE is the crown jewel, the only real jewel amidst the costume crap that rings pretension or impulse.
DESIRE is something you can taste, feel, or see, when no one else can; it sends palpitations through your heart, it stirs emotions in the brain and ingenuity in attaining it.
DESIRE is wanting or needing something passionately. It’s worth dying for. You’ll know desire when you go after something with every thought and action of each day. It pushes you to seek places you’d never imagined, do what you’d never do, be someone so passionately enthralled in the pursuit of that one thing, that to others, your obsession seems ridiculous; yet to you, it’s the pinnacle of your world.
DESIRE is seldom present, but when it arrives, it’s exquisitely evident and impossible to ignore. It roars for attention and is not sated until it’s accomplished or fulfilled. Its reward is uplifting; often the culmination of time, thought, investment, risk and sometimes, outright foolishness.
DESIRE comes, then keeps on coming. It takes prisoners. It coerces, convinces and calls forth forces often reluctant to give in. DESIRE is the good thing, and the only thing in the WANT/NEED/DESIRE triad worth having.
CONSISTENCY -Consistency is a reliable, sturdy, coherent and uniform approach to learning or accomplishing a desired goal.
MORNING RITUAL
Do you have a morning ritual? Do you wake up and go through a certain structured protocol of routines to make your day good from the get-go? What is your routine? How do you start your day? Do you plan your food and clothing the night before? Do you make a list of six things necessary to attend to tomorrow? Do you have your notes, your routes, your contacts and your schedule ready before waking by preparing the prior night? Do you know where your keys, glasses, etc. are? Some people stretch. Some pray. Some meditate. Some go right to the coffee pot turning on every light along the way and race to the next 5 things they did yesterday in a once-again jumbled order.
By having a morning ritual, you will learn how to incorporate certain time-saving methods into the rest of your daily activities; like answering your emails at a certain time, returning phone calls in groups, rather than as each comes in; setting writing, breaks, calendar scheduling and free time so others will learn to respect your space and schedule, and not feel free to traipse through your day with their random thoughts on useless topics. If consistency is key, than concentration on one task at a time is second to achieving success. And of course, include healthful aspects to your days in terms of workouts, walks, quiet time/meditation or reading. By having a plan to work, you can work your plan.
SIX STEPS TO CONSISTENCY
The way to wade through a day successfully is what’s referred to as “The Einstein Approach,” by thinking less about the low value items so you have the time and brain power for the higher value items. Here’s a sample of doing less and accomplishing more:
SATURATE YOUR BRAIN – Have a full glass of water on the counter the night before and down it completely upon awakening, even before the bathroom. The water replenishes the brain and awakens the senses from the eyes to the gut. Enjoy it as you feel it filling your body from lips to stomach. Once you get used to consuming that much water in one draught, you’ll be more likely to do it more often. Start filling your tank from the top down and pay attention to the way it makes you feel.
EXPERIENCE THE DARKNESS – You should know the layout of your home well enough to find your way to a comfortable chair or couch. Let the darkness become light. Notice how your eyes adjust, focus, and accept the available light to allow the contrast of the room to develop like a Polaroid picture. Breathe. If you need a light, use as little as necessary, then turn it off. Do NOT use your phone. Just as you should respect the natural cycle of the days as you head toward bed, avoiding bright light and noise; you must learn to let the day in slowly rather than racing to meet it.
EMBRACE THE SILENCE – Since your daily-do list is done and your clothes and food are thought out, sit down and listen intently to the silence. Refuse to allow the chatter in your head to take precedence. Acknowledge thoughts but send them away like passing birds, until all you hear in your head is the black, dead silence that confirms your head is clear. Feel your breath and its rhythm in your chest and ears. Let that clarity be your companion throughout the rest of your day.
EAT CLEAN – Have something easy, with a high nutritional value, that takes little preparation; like boiled eggs or whole grain toast with almond butter and a glass of almond milk; (which are easy to make and easy to take if you’re still running late). Your metabolism will respond appropriately and be able to assimilate and utilize the foods to help you satisfy your brain and belly for the day ahead. Don’t run on empty.
LOOK GOOD – Old or young, male or female, whatever your job responsibility, look good. Even if you work alone in your basement, look presentable. Be respectable, especially to yourself. Comb your hair, tuck in your shirt, wash your face, brush your teeth, wear clean clothes, appropriate shoes and put a smile on that face. You’ll be surprised at the respect you get, the smiles returned, the amount of power and persuasion you have when you look like you have it together. If all you do is talk on the phone, you’ll notice your countenance will give you a greater sense of authority by being presentable to yourself, first. You don’t have to pretentiously try to impress anyone, just look good. Do the best with what you’ve got, “like your mama taught you.”
BE GRACIOUS – Give gratitude to everyone and everything, from the food you ate to the clothes you wear to the hot water and dry towel on your face – be gracious, be sincere, give thanks. Later in the day, if you meet someone and all you have to give is a handshake or a smile, give. It will return many times over in ways you never imagined.
These 6 simple steps are a regimen that are easy to incorporate. Work on one at a time. When you nail the first, add the second, and so on down the line until all these things come as naturally as if you’d always had them. Start at the end, or in the middle, just start with a routine and discipline that will reward you both on their merits, and on the fact that you went through and did them. But be consistent.
By building a daily system first thing in the morning, you will be inspired to add other consistent regimes to your life, in regard to what you eat and how often; when you work out and how often; paying bills, shopping, and everything from making your bed, to hanging your clothes, to spending time with your family. Consistency is the key to success. Avoid distracting yourself with the things that are not on your list. Make consistency your priority and watch how wonderfully often you accomplish things that used to always seem to be on the back burner, but never done.
Do your ritual on weekends, on vacations, when traveling; to the point where if you don’t do it, you’ll notice something is missing. You can always have water and silence and darkness while being gracious for looking good. And watch the rewards consistently come back to you.
People often ask what one big, monumental, life-changing thing they can do to improve their health, diet, lifestyle, love life, parenting, fitness, etcetera, etcetera. My answer is always, “Start with yourself, then, make the best choice you can with what you presently have available.” The only thing that needs to change is your attitude, your discipline, your habits, and your actions. That applies to a workout, a meal, a goal, a way to help someone, a choice for companionship or simply choosing a book to read or a movie to enjoy. Whatever suits your time, your goals, your abilities, your moods, your finances, and is within grasp, or reachable. Some things require a dedicated timeline and patience. Some are right in front of your face, and can be grasped by simply reaching for them.
With all the self-help seminars, webinars, coaching, classes, boot camps, retreats, podcasts, books, tapes, continuing education, accelerated learning apps, and so-called, self-professed “experts” in every imaginable field, from professional bodybuilding to fly tying, your choices are vast and often questionable, not to mention, confusing. Following intuition, trusting in word-of-mouth referrals and good old-fashioned common sense are still the best barometers to any advice you seek. “Use your head, follow your heart, watch your wallet.”
The best path to mastery is still trial, error, feedback, perseverance and consistency. You must know when to dive deeper, and when to bail out. You must not only have the right tools, but must know the appropriate use of them. And you must ignore the ego when the pursuit doesn’t fit the pursuer. Sometimes you just have to let go of a desire and shelve it with other whims.
NARROW IT DOWN
For every study on the benefits of a certain vitamin, there’s an equal study to counter its significance. For every blueprint to a perfect proposal, a fantastic start-up, or a successful launch, there’s a handful of others who did none of those things, yet, surpassed the success of the said “expert”, by letting faith, persistence and passion lead them blindly to the golden ring.
So what can you do?
Decide what you want.
Learn the process, steps, timeline, methods.
Get help.
Show up.
Act.
People get stuck on what they “can’t” do, without fully attempting to see what they can, whether it’s exercise, diet, job search, building project or lifestyle change. Do what you can. Prove to your mind and body that you’re capable of “something,” then add more things to the list. Failure is a stepping stone, as long as you’re not skydiving.
First and foremost, be your own guinea pig. Try things out on yourself. Try to cut back carbs, or sugar, or soda, or whatever you’re doing that brings more harm than good; before enlisting or enforcing these changes on anyone else. Be the example. Eat better. Sleep better. Act better. Speak better. Read and share information. Learn meditation. Pursue things without the need for an accomplice. Often, at least at first, they’ll hold you back and become your excuse for not doing things. Once they see your serious intent and accomplishments, they’ll ask you “how.” They will then be the willing accomplice.
Small, subtle changes are contagious. Put down the remote and pick up a book prior to bed. Replace coffee with teas, water and pure juices for pop, a walk after a meal instead of dessert. Most of these things relate to diet, but those changes will bring the most results. You’ll feel like sharing the goodness you’ll feel, which will lead to more research on how to continue to enhance your lifestyle.
There’s good reason to criticize or condemn “deadbeat dads” or “absent fathers.” They’ve left a hole in humanity that bleeds both great and terrible humans as a result. An abusive father leaves an even deeper wound. They are examples of what not to follow, but on this day, to pray for; because we need no more of them.
There are fathers who are heroes and legends, who’ve led exemplary lives that inspired and fired up children who needed someone to look up to, to emulate, to follow and believe. We all know someone who fits this ideal.
Then there are fathers, “Dads,” like yours and mine, like you and me, who deserve awards, accolades and riches as much as any other man; but were happy as men being men, doing their “jobs”, taking care of their families, patching the leaks and leading by the example of those of us who know how to fix things, make things, create with our hands and minds and imaginations; men who found joy in watching game after losing game, going to rainy practices, putting toys together at midnight on Christmas Eve, or being “official -quarterback, pitcher, catcher, goalie, etc. for all the neighborhood kids whose Dad’s didn’t give a damn. Those are the dads of the majority.
Men who taught and led and loved as good as they knew how, giving everything they had in time, attention and resources so their kids wouldn’t be without. Those are the dads to applaud and acknowledge on this day of recognition; the regular dad, the everyday dad, the dad who IS a father, not “playing” father; but being a part of all their children’s lives, day in and day out, good and bad, iron hand and soft heart; those dads that know that being one is an honor and a privilege like no other. You dads are the great ones.
I know my 3 sons are my greatest success, treasure, accomplishment and friendships. I know they stand behind me and “have my back.” They trust I’ll straighten them out and I trust they do the same for me. And I know I’m one lucky guy to have such a great love in this life, such strong bonds, such a wealth of memories, such deep seeds that will proliferate long after I’m gone. When they surpass the greatest things you’ve done, you know you’ve done well.
If you’re not the best dad, there’s still time to be a better one. If you’re absent, connect. And if you’re right where you need to be in heart and mind, be grateful, because you’re leaving a legacy that’s probably THE most import component for any time in history; the fact that being a good father means more to any child than ice cream, video games, toys, cars or phones. Give them attention, direction, smiles, hugs and love. Nothing will leave a greater impact. Theres’ nothing more they need to carry into life.
Hug your kid daily Dads, they give you the privilege; and kids, hug your old man, every day that you can, because he gave you the future.
You already are and have everything you will ever want or need in this life, (but DESIRE all you can). Let’s explain the difference between NEED, WANT & DESIRE.
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