Here they are -- the Top Ten Healthy Thoughts of the year. Thanks to all of you who took the time to vote.
10. "Truth doesn't need protection, it needs expression."
Lou Corletto, D.C.
9. "Struggle ends where commitment begins."
Sumner Davenport
8. "The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough."
Professor Randy Pausch
A Dying Professor's Last Lecture.
7. "I hate gettin' old."
"Then quit gettin' old!"
A conversation I overheard at the gym
6. "What you wish to experience, provide for another."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
5. "Love is the great miracle cure. Loving ourselves works miracles in our lives."
Louise Hay
4. "What humans can be, they must be."
Abraham Maslow
3. "If your spirit is willing, you body will follow."
A triathlete I ran with during the Grand Columbian Triathlon.
2. "You are a being of beauty and perfection!"
My personal favorite
1. "There is only one journey: going inside yourself."
Rainer Maria Rilke
Others receiving votes:
"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."
John "The Penguin" Bingham
"We stand tallest while reaching for our dreams."
Inside a greeting card.
"Your dreams are your real job."
Joyce Spizer
"The future is not someplace we are going to, but one we are creating."
Deborah James
"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attracions."
Albert Einstein
Do not worry whether you have strength enough for the journey.
It is on the journey that you will find the strength.
"One regret, dear world, that I am determined not to have when I am lying on my deathbed is that I did not kiss you enough."
Hafiz
Additionally, although I didn't ask for a vote on the best link or video of the year, one reader cast a vote for "Best Video." Great idea! I'll keep that in mind for next year. This year's winner, by a margin of a single vote, is Mountain Wingsuit.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Welcome the Light!
"Life is a celebration of awakenings, of new beginnings, and wonderful surprises that enlighten the soul."
Author unknown
Today (Saturday) we celebrate the Winter Solstice. Although Mother Earth is still sleeping under a soft blanket of winter snow, we now welcome the lengthening days and increasing light in our lives.
So, how did I celebrate?
I was honored to join friends old and new and participate in a sweat lodge. The lodge is an insulated dome within a tipi where a dozen of us sat shoulder to shoulder in a circle as the fire keeper delivered hot rocks into the shallow pit in the center of the lodge. After delivering the rocks, she closed the entrance, leaving us in complete darkness except for the glow of the red-hot rocks which had spent the last couple of hours heating up in the sacred fire. Dry sage was sprinkled onto the hot rocks, followed by ladle after ladle of water. The resulting steamy heat is aromatic, and intense!
A sweat lodge is physically and mentally challenging, and deeply spiritually purifying. In the lodge -- the womb of the Mother -- we offer prayers to honor our Mother, Spirit and each other. As we sweat we shed that which no longer serves, awaken our inherent beauty and perfection, and allow our inner light to shine more brilliantly than ever before. Emerging from the lodge represents a new beginning in our lives. For me, among other things, I embrace this as an opportunity to become ever more committed to serving you as a healer, writer and speaker.
And whether you celebrated the solstice or not, pause to consider how today might be a new beginning for you, too...
Author unknown
Today (Saturday) we celebrate the Winter Solstice. Although Mother Earth is still sleeping under a soft blanket of winter snow, we now welcome the lengthening days and increasing light in our lives.
So, how did I celebrate?
I was honored to join friends old and new and participate in a sweat lodge. The lodge is an insulated dome within a tipi where a dozen of us sat shoulder to shoulder in a circle as the fire keeper delivered hot rocks into the shallow pit in the center of the lodge. After delivering the rocks, she closed the entrance, leaving us in complete darkness except for the glow of the red-hot rocks which had spent the last couple of hours heating up in the sacred fire. Dry sage was sprinkled onto the hot rocks, followed by ladle after ladle of water. The resulting steamy heat is aromatic, and intense!
A sweat lodge is physically and mentally challenging, and deeply spiritually purifying. In the lodge -- the womb of the Mother -- we offer prayers to honor our Mother, Spirit and each other. As we sweat we shed that which no longer serves, awaken our inherent beauty and perfection, and allow our inner light to shine more brilliantly than ever before. Emerging from the lodge represents a new beginning in our lives. For me, among other things, I embrace this as an opportunity to become ever more committed to serving you as a healer, writer and speaker.
And whether you celebrated the solstice or not, pause to consider how today might be a new beginning for you, too...
Saturday, December 15, 2007
The Life of Your Dreams
"The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams."
Oprah Winfrey
(Thanks, Mary Jo)
Here's an interesting thing. When I first typed this up and went back to proofread it, I found a typo that was so cool I was tempted to not correct it. What I originally wrote was, "...to love the life of your dreams." Was that typo just a clumsy-fingered accident...or maybe my subconscious mind slyly sneaking out the message that I really wanted to convey? Hmmm...
Either way, you get the point. Life itself can be the most thrilling adventure of all, but only if you're pursuing your dreams. Like these guys.
(Thanks for the video, Marsha.)
Oprah Winfrey
(Thanks, Mary Jo)
Here's an interesting thing. When I first typed this up and went back to proofread it, I found a typo that was so cool I was tempted to not correct it. What I originally wrote was, "...to love the life of your dreams." Was that typo just a clumsy-fingered accident...or maybe my subconscious mind slyly sneaking out the message that I really wanted to convey? Hmmm...
Either way, you get the point. Life itself can be the most thrilling adventure of all, but only if you're pursuing your dreams. Like these guys.
(Thanks for the video, Marsha.)
Healthy Toughts for Body, Mind and Spirit - 2007
Listed below are all of this year's previous Healthy Thoughts. Please vote for your favorites by posting a comment below, or by sending me an email at TurnOnLife@juno.com. I'll post the "Top 10 Greatest Hits" on December 30.
Enjoy!
"People living deeply have no fear of death."
Anais Nin
"I have a dream ..."
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"Progress consists largely of learning to apply laws and truths that have always existed."
John Allan May
"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attracions."
Albert Einstein
"One regret, dear world, that I am determined not to have when I am lying on my deathbed is that I did not kiss you enough."
Hafiz
"Truth doesn't need protection, it needs expression."
Lou Corletto, D.C.
"Nature and creativity obey the same laws to the same end.
Life."
Robert Redford
"He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything."
Arabian proverb
"The future is not someplace we are going to, but one we are creating."
Deborah James
"What you wish to experience, provide for another."
The Dalai Lama
"I hate gettin' old."
"Then quit gettin' old!"
A conversation I overheard at the gym
The Paradoxical Commandments of Leadership
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest men with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs, but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.
Kent M. Keith (This is the original, historically accurate version)
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."
Calvin Coolidge
Do not worry whether you have strength enough for the journey.
It is on the journey that you will find the strength.
"If I am through learning, I am through.
John Wooden
"Reason often makes mistakes, but conscience never does."
Josh Billings
"As your consciousness expands, so will your level of expectation. Keep asking yourself, 'am I selling myself short?' Most of us are."
John R. Spannuth
"Your dreams are your real job."
Joyce Spizer
"Sustained happiness stems from being and becoming, not acquiring and possessing. Happiness is a byproduct of living life to the fullest."
Steve Siebold
"Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstances."
Bruce Barton
"We fear to know the fearsome and unsavory aspects of ourselves, but we fear even more to know the Godlike in ourselves."
Abraham Maslow
"...to succeed at anything, the success must come gently, with a great deal of effort but with no stress or obsession."
Carlos Castaneda
"Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple."
C. W. Ceram
"Repeat anything long enough and it will start to become you."
Tom Hopkins
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So...get on your way!"
Dr. Seuss
"You can!"
Dick and Rick Hoyt
"The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become."
Charles Dubois
"None of us can change our yesterdays but all of us can change our tomorrows."
Colin Powell
"Love is the great miracle cure. Loving ourselves works miracles in our lives."
Louise Hay
"Point two fingers, not one."
Alix Bryan
P.E.A.C.E. Scooter
"We attract back to us the world we perceive. It's like being in school and getting to choose your own grades. Why not give yourself an A? Many people are giving themselves a C when the universe would gladly give them an A."
Steve Siebold
"The miracle isn't that I finished.
The miracle is that I had the courage to start."
John "The Penguin" Bingham
"We stand tallest while reaching for our dreams."
Inside a greeting card.
"Accuse not Nature, she hath done her part.
Do thou but thine."
John Milton
"You are a being of beauty and perfection!"
Doctor Mark William Cochran
"To succeed you must first organize your life to do so."
Elinor Fish
"If your spirit is willing, you body will follow."A fellow triathlete I ran with during a race in September.
"You weren't an accident. You weren't mass produced. You aren't an assembly-line product. You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on the Earth by the Master Craftsman."
Max Lucado
"This very moment is a seed from which the flowers of tomorrow's happiness grow."
Margaret Lindsey
"There is only one journey: going inside yourself."
Rainer Maria Rilke
"I run because it gives me amnesia."
An ad for running shoes (I think).
"The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough.
Professor Randy Pausch
A Dying Professor's Last Lecture.
"I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious, and happy!"
Jerilyn Whitaker
"Be driven by your vision or you'll be taken for a ride in someone else's!"
Craig Valentine
1999 World Champion of Public Speaking
"Struggle ends where commitment begins."
Sumner Davenport
"Pur-r-r pur-r-r..."
My cat, Mochi
"Gratitude grows when we give it away."
Inside a Thanksgiving card
"What humans can be, they must be."
Abraham Maslow
"People are unreasonable, illogical, and self- centered.
Love them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulerior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you.
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building someone could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
Give the world the best you have and and it may never be enough.
Give the world your best anyway."
Often attributed to Mother Teresa
Enjoy!
"People living deeply have no fear of death."
Anais Nin
"I have a dream ..."
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"Progress consists largely of learning to apply laws and truths that have always existed."
John Allan May
"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attracions."
Albert Einstein
"One regret, dear world, that I am determined not to have when I am lying on my deathbed is that I did not kiss you enough."
Hafiz
"Truth doesn't need protection, it needs expression."
Lou Corletto, D.C.
"Nature and creativity obey the same laws to the same end.
Life."
Robert Redford
"He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything."
Arabian proverb
"The future is not someplace we are going to, but one we are creating."
Deborah James
"What you wish to experience, provide for another."
The Dalai Lama
"I hate gettin' old."
"Then quit gettin' old!"
A conversation I overheard at the gym
The Paradoxical Commandments of Leadership
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest men with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs, but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.
Kent M. Keith (This is the original, historically accurate version)
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."
Calvin Coolidge
Do not worry whether you have strength enough for the journey.
It is on the journey that you will find the strength.
"If I am through learning, I am through.
John Wooden
"Reason often makes mistakes, but conscience never does."
Josh Billings
"As your consciousness expands, so will your level of expectation. Keep asking yourself, 'am I selling myself short?' Most of us are."
John R. Spannuth
"Your dreams are your real job."
Joyce Spizer
"Sustained happiness stems from being and becoming, not acquiring and possessing. Happiness is a byproduct of living life to the fullest."
Steve Siebold
"Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstances."
Bruce Barton
"We fear to know the fearsome and unsavory aspects of ourselves, but we fear even more to know the Godlike in ourselves."
Abraham Maslow
"...to succeed at anything, the success must come gently, with a great deal of effort but with no stress or obsession."
Carlos Castaneda
"Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple."
C. W. Ceram
"Repeat anything long enough and it will start to become you."
Tom Hopkins
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So...get on your way!"
Dr. Seuss
"You can!"
Dick and Rick Hoyt
"The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become."
Charles Dubois
"None of us can change our yesterdays but all of us can change our tomorrows."
Colin Powell
"Love is the great miracle cure. Loving ourselves works miracles in our lives."
Louise Hay
"Point two fingers, not one."
Alix Bryan
P.E.A.C.E. Scooter
"We attract back to us the world we perceive. It's like being in school and getting to choose your own grades. Why not give yourself an A? Many people are giving themselves a C when the universe would gladly give them an A."
Steve Siebold
"The miracle isn't that I finished.
The miracle is that I had the courage to start."
John "The Penguin" Bingham
"We stand tallest while reaching for our dreams."
Inside a greeting card.
"Accuse not Nature, she hath done her part.
Do thou but thine."
John Milton
"You are a being of beauty and perfection!"
Doctor Mark William Cochran
"To succeed you must first organize your life to do so."
Elinor Fish
"If your spirit is willing, you body will follow."A fellow triathlete I ran with during a race in September.
"You weren't an accident. You weren't mass produced. You aren't an assembly-line product. You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on the Earth by the Master Craftsman."
Max Lucado
"This very moment is a seed from which the flowers of tomorrow's happiness grow."
Margaret Lindsey
"There is only one journey: going inside yourself."
Rainer Maria Rilke
"I run because it gives me amnesia."
An ad for running shoes (I think).
"The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough.
Professor Randy Pausch
A Dying Professor's Last Lecture.
"I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious, and happy!"
Jerilyn Whitaker
"Be driven by your vision or you'll be taken for a ride in someone else's!"
Craig Valentine
1999 World Champion of Public Speaking
"Struggle ends where commitment begins."
Sumner Davenport
"Pur-r-r pur-r-r..."
My cat, Mochi
"Gratitude grows when we give it away."
Inside a Thanksgiving card
"What humans can be, they must be."
Abraham Maslow
"People are unreasonable, illogical, and self- centered.
Love them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulerior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you.
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building someone could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
Give the world the best you have and and it may never be enough.
Give the world your best anyway."
Often attributed to Mother Teresa
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Anyway...
"People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you.
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building someone could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.
Give the world your best anyway."
Often attributed to Mother Teresa**
This reminds me of when I was about 5 or 6 years old and my Mom told me to wash my hands. I asked her why and pointed out that my hands were just going to get dirty again, anyway. I'll never forget her reply: "Well then, why eat lunch? You're just going to get hungry again, anyway."
Can't argue with Mom's wisdom.
Take a look at all of the excuses above, including my excuse for not washng my hands. They all have one thing in common. Can you see what that one thing is?
They're all TRUE!
But they're still just excuses.
** Note: I used a slightly different version of this quote for my Healthy Thought back on March 25th of this year. This quote is usually attributed to Mother Teresa, but was originally written in 1969 as The Paradoxical Commandments of Leadership by Kent M. Keith, a 19 year old sophomore at Harvard. Mother Teresa is known to have had the quote hanging on the wall of her children's home in Calcutta.
To learn more about The Paradoxical Commandments, and to read the original version, click here.
Love them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you.
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building someone could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.
Give the world your best anyway."
Often attributed to Mother Teresa**
This reminds me of when I was about 5 or 6 years old and my Mom told me to wash my hands. I asked her why and pointed out that my hands were just going to get dirty again, anyway. I'll never forget her reply: "Well then, why eat lunch? You're just going to get hungry again, anyway."
Can't argue with Mom's wisdom.
Take a look at all of the excuses above, including my excuse for not washng my hands. They all have one thing in common. Can you see what that one thing is?
They're all TRUE!
But they're still just excuses.
** Note: I used a slightly different version of this quote for my Healthy Thought back on March 25th of this year. This quote is usually attributed to Mother Teresa, but was originally written in 1969 as The Paradoxical Commandments of Leadership by Kent M. Keith, a 19 year old sophomore at Harvard. Mother Teresa is known to have had the quote hanging on the wall of her children's home in Calcutta.
To learn more about The Paradoxical Commandments, and to read the original version, click here.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Are You Ready to be Extraordinary?
We all have the extraordinary coded within us, waiting to be released.
Jean Houston
Are you ready to do something extraordinary?
Well, no need to wait. You already are extraordinary! All you have to do is reveal your extraordinariness. It's the gift that you have been given to share with the rest of us. Revealing it may take a little (or a lot) of work. You may not even know what it is yet. Even if you think you know...who knows...there may still be something waiting inside of you yet to be discovered. If you continue focusing on maximizing your human potential, your extraordianry gifts will reveal themselves at the perfect time and place.
Visit this link to watch a very short video of a unique (REALLY unique) and extraordinary talent.
Jean Houston
Are you ready to do something extraordinary?
Well, no need to wait. You already are extraordinary! All you have to do is reveal your extraordinariness. It's the gift that you have been given to share with the rest of us. Revealing it may take a little (or a lot) of work. You may not even know what it is yet. Even if you think you know...who knows...there may still be something waiting inside of you yet to be discovered. If you continue focusing on maximizing your human potential, your extraordianry gifts will reveal themselves at the perfect time and place.
Visit this link to watch a very short video of a unique (REALLY unique) and extraordinary talent.
Friday, November 23, 2007
It's Your Duty to be Awesome.
"What humans can be, they must be."
Abraham Maslow
This is one of the most important -- and most challenging -- thoughts I've sent you. This one is not for everybody. If you're ready to really stretch yourself, read on.
This thought suggests that we all have a duty to realize our fullest human potential, not just for ourselves, but for everyone else. That's a tall order, because none of us can even begin to fathom how great our own potential is.
"So," you ask, "how do I go about maximizing this vast and wondrous potential of mine?"
First, simply recognize that your potential is awesome. Awesome! Then figure out what your passion is...what is most important to you...what you really believe in. Commit to that.
It will be challenging and often scary. But you'll never become all that you can be by hiding in your comfort zone.
This video will motivate you.
Abraham Maslow
This is one of the most important -- and most challenging -- thoughts I've sent you. This one is not for everybody. If you're ready to really stretch yourself, read on.
This thought suggests that we all have a duty to realize our fullest human potential, not just for ourselves, but for everyone else. That's a tall order, because none of us can even begin to fathom how great our own potential is.
"So," you ask, "how do I go about maximizing this vast and wondrous potential of mine?"
First, simply recognize that your potential is awesome. Awesome! Then figure out what your passion is...what is most important to you...what you really believe in. Commit to that.
It will be challenging and often scary. But you'll never become all that you can be by hiding in your comfort zone.
This video will motivate you.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Thank you!
"Gratitude grows when we give it away."
From a Thanksgiving card I received the other day.
I am deeply grateful to all of you for who you are and what you do.
Thanksgiving trivia factoid: Americans eat more pizza on the day before Thanksgiving than on any other day of the year. I was so excited to hear that that swung by Papa Murphy's and grabbed a couple of pizzas on the way home this evening.
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!
From a Thanksgiving card I received the other day.
I am deeply grateful to all of you for who you are and what you do.
Thanksgiving trivia factoid: Americans eat more pizza on the day before Thanksgiving than on any other day of the year. I was so excited to hear that that swung by Papa Murphy's and grabbed a couple of pizzas on the way home this evening.
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Pur-r-r pur-r-r...
"Pur-r-r-r, pur-r-r-r."
My cat, Mochi
Mochi is more than just a treasured friend; he’s also my Guru.
As I was sitting in front of my computer screen scanning my collection of profound quotes for just the right pearl to share with you this week, I became aware of Mochi curled up on my lap (his favorite place), purring away. He was the picture of peace, love and contentment. As I tuned in to his soft purring, my cares drifted away and a feeling of bliss came over me. I closed my eyes, turned off my thinking mind and became aware of the true beauty of the world surrounding me – Mochi’s purring, the whispering of the wind, the music of the rain on my window. I sat for quite awhile enjoying it and reconnecting with what life really means.
Then I told Mochi, “Hey dude, you get the quote this week.” He said, “pur-r-r-r, pur-r-r-r.”
The most beautiful, profound messages are always the simplest. And often, they’re the most obvious, yet the ones we completely overlook. Take a moment right now to look around, listen, open your heart and learn from the beautiful wisdom that surrounds you in this very moment.
My cat, Mochi
Mochi is more than just a treasured friend; he’s also my Guru.
As I was sitting in front of my computer screen scanning my collection of profound quotes for just the right pearl to share with you this week, I became aware of Mochi curled up on my lap (his favorite place), purring away. He was the picture of peace, love and contentment. As I tuned in to his soft purring, my cares drifted away and a feeling of bliss came over me. I closed my eyes, turned off my thinking mind and became aware of the true beauty of the world surrounding me – Mochi’s purring, the whispering of the wind, the music of the rain on my window. I sat for quite awhile enjoying it and reconnecting with what life really means.
Then I told Mochi, “Hey dude, you get the quote this week.” He said, “pur-r-r-r, pur-r-r-r.”
The most beautiful, profound messages are always the simplest. And often, they’re the most obvious, yet the ones we completely overlook. Take a moment right now to look around, listen, open your heart and learn from the beautiful wisdom that surrounds you in this very moment.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Life Is a Muddy Trail!
"Struggle ends where commitment begins."
Sumner Davenport
Do you want to know why I love life so much? Because it's like running a long, muddy trail in nasty weather.
Today I went on a trail run to Cable Peak, a rather obscure, out-of-the way peak south of Post Falls, Idaho. In trail running vernacular, my run today can only be described as "epic," meaning that I ran into a whole lot of challenges that I wasn't expecting and took just a tad longer than planned. (Well, okay, more than a tad.) I ran through pea soup fog, got rained, hailed and snowed on, slipped and slid up and down steep hills, and took a wrong turn up a long steep climb that turned my planned 13 mile trek into almost a 15 miler. Oh, and by the way, I also got to enjoy some sun breaks, views that took my breath away and a close encounter with a moose. And of course, there was the reward of bagging a new peak! It was a lot more fun than pounding predictable pavement.
Just like life, there were twists, turns, grueling climbs and unexpected obstacles right along with fun, adventure, stunning beauty and the deep sense of satisfaction that comes with reaching a challenging milestone. And just like life, it was exhilirating!
Through it all, I remained commited to reaching the summit of Cable Peak. The trip up the mountain was tough, but it wasn't a struggle. The challenges I faced are the very reasons I love trail running -- and life! -- so much.
Sumner Davenport
Do you want to know why I love life so much? Because it's like running a long, muddy trail in nasty weather.
Today I went on a trail run to Cable Peak, a rather obscure, out-of-the way peak south of Post Falls, Idaho. In trail running vernacular, my run today can only be described as "epic," meaning that I ran into a whole lot of challenges that I wasn't expecting and took just a tad longer than planned. (Well, okay, more than a tad.) I ran through pea soup fog, got rained, hailed and snowed on, slipped and slid up and down steep hills, and took a wrong turn up a long steep climb that turned my planned 13 mile trek into almost a 15 miler. Oh, and by the way, I also got to enjoy some sun breaks, views that took my breath away and a close encounter with a moose. And of course, there was the reward of bagging a new peak! It was a lot more fun than pounding predictable pavement.
Just like life, there were twists, turns, grueling climbs and unexpected obstacles right along with fun, adventure, stunning beauty and the deep sense of satisfaction that comes with reaching a challenging milestone. And just like life, it was exhilirating!
Through it all, I remained commited to reaching the summit of Cable Peak. The trip up the mountain was tough, but it wasn't a struggle. The challenges I faced are the very reasons I love trail running -- and life! -- so much.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Follow Your Own Vision
"Be driven by your vision or you'll be taken for a ride in someone else's."
Craig Valentine
1999 World Champion of Public Speaking
Wanna go for a wild ride...?
Last weekend at a Toastmasters conference I had the privilege of hearing a couple of awesome presentations by my friend Craig Valentine, the 1999 World Champion of Public Speaking. Needless to say, Craig is quite an inspiring, entertaining...and visionary...speaker.
(Visit Craig's website at http://www.TheCommunicationFactory.com)
The quote above really clicked with me. I've been pursuing my own vision for several years now. That vision is to facilitate a change in the way people perceive and approach their health and their lives. Rather than only be concerned with solving problems, I teach people to focus on maximizing their own infinite human potential. A key part of this vision is to help people reconnect with the simple and powerful gifts that Nature has given us to remain healthy, and to continue to grow, evolve and thrive.
My vision drives everything I do. And it's a powerful vision! If you have been reading this blog you know that it has--quite unexpectedly--steered me onto the path of endurance training. It's a transformation in my life that I can only describe as breathtaking! Not only is this transformation a great personal triumph; more importantly, it has become a new vehicle to allow me to serve. (See next week's post for some musings on service...) Now I can stand up and say, "I'm living proof. If this is possible for me, just imagine what's possible for you!" This wonderful transformation happened for me only because I stayed true to my vision.
The key message here is: If you want to go on the most exciting ride of your life, follow your own vision!
Craig Valentine
1999 World Champion of Public Speaking
Wanna go for a wild ride...?
Last weekend at a Toastmasters conference I had the privilege of hearing a couple of awesome presentations by my friend Craig Valentine, the 1999 World Champion of Public Speaking. Needless to say, Craig is quite an inspiring, entertaining...and visionary...speaker.
(Visit Craig's website at http://www.TheCommunicationFactory.com)
The quote above really clicked with me. I've been pursuing my own vision for several years now. That vision is to facilitate a change in the way people perceive and approach their health and their lives. Rather than only be concerned with solving problems, I teach people to focus on maximizing their own infinite human potential. A key part of this vision is to help people reconnect with the simple and powerful gifts that Nature has given us to remain healthy, and to continue to grow, evolve and thrive.
My vision drives everything I do. And it's a powerful vision! If you have been reading this blog you know that it has--quite unexpectedly--steered me onto the path of endurance training. It's a transformation in my life that I can only describe as breathtaking! Not only is this transformation a great personal triumph; more importantly, it has become a new vehicle to allow me to serve. (See next week's post for some musings on service...) Now I can stand up and say, "I'm living proof. If this is possible for me, just imagine what's possible for you!" This wonderful transformation happened for me only because I stayed true to my vision.
The key message here is: If you want to go on the most exciting ride of your life, follow your own vision!
Friday, October 26, 2007
An Unfathomable Gift!
"I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving,
harmonious, and happy!"
Jerilyn Whitaker
You have been given a wonderful gift. Have you opened it yet?
I received this quote from my friend Jerilyn in response to my Healthy Thought a couple of weeks ago. It really struck a chord with me because I had just run my first marathon earlier that same day, and I was definitely feeling whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious, and happy. (Heavy on the strong and happy; throw in a little bit of sore.)
The Spokane Marathon was my third major event on my quest to run Ironman Coeur d'Alene next June. Every time I finish one of these races it's an emotional and exhilirating experience for me. I remember the many years of pain I've been through, and the times when I could only watch others do such things. I didn't even wish that I could do them; it wasn't even in the realm of possibility for me. And now, here I am -- a marathoner! The healing power of the human body (your human body) is truly unfathomable!
Your inherent and breathtaking potential will continue to amaze you as you allow it to unfold. It's the greatest gift you will ever receive. So go ahead...start opening it!
harmonious, and happy!"
Jerilyn Whitaker
You have been given a wonderful gift. Have you opened it yet?
I received this quote from my friend Jerilyn in response to my Healthy Thought a couple of weeks ago. It really struck a chord with me because I had just run my first marathon earlier that same day, and I was definitely feeling whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious, and happy. (Heavy on the strong and happy; throw in a little bit of sore.)
The Spokane Marathon was my third major event on my quest to run Ironman Coeur d'Alene next June. Every time I finish one of these races it's an emotional and exhilirating experience for me. I remember the many years of pain I've been through, and the times when I could only watch others do such things. I didn't even wish that I could do them; it wasn't even in the realm of possibility for me. And now, here I am -- a marathoner! The healing power of the human body (your human body) is truly unfathomable!
Your inherent and breathtaking potential will continue to amaze you as you allow it to unfold. It's the greatest gift you will ever receive. So go ahead...start opening it!
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Brick Walls
"The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the
brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how
badly we want something. The brick walls are there to
stop the people who don't want it badly enough."
Professor Randy Pausch
A Dying Professor's Last Lecture.
See an inspiring four minute video highlighting Professor Pausch's lecture at this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQtwEKlUutA
brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how
badly we want something. The brick walls are there to
stop the people who don't want it badly enough."
Professor Randy Pausch
A Dying Professor's Last Lecture.
See an inspiring four minute video highlighting Professor Pausch's lecture at this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQtwEKlUutA
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Amnesia...I Highly Recommend It!
"I run because it gives me amnesia."
An ad for running shoes (I think) that I saw a few months ago.
Ah...nothing beats a good case of amnesia. The ad I refer to above goes on to say that running clears your mind by letting you forget about stresses and pressures of the day. Great idea!
If you're not enjoying a relaxing bout of amnesia every day, give it a try. You don't have to go running if that's not your thing. Do something you enjoy--gardening, dancing, weightlifting, shooting hoops--whatever you love to do.
Just do it. Don't forget!
An ad for running shoes (I think) that I saw a few months ago.
Ah...nothing beats a good case of amnesia. The ad I refer to above goes on to say that running clears your mind by letting you forget about stresses and pressures of the day. Great idea!
If you're not enjoying a relaxing bout of amnesia every day, give it a try. You don't have to go running if that's not your thing. Do something you enjoy--gardening, dancing, weightlifting, shooting hoops--whatever you love to do.
Just do it. Don't forget!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
The Grandest Adventure!
There is only one journey: going inside yourself.
Rainer Maria Rilke
Go inside...deeper..deeper...
The inward journey is the grandest adventure of all. You will travel through valleys that are deep, dark and cold, and climb to vistas that will take your breath away. The path will have long, smooth straightaways as well as treacherous curves and bone jarring rough spots. You will be thrilled, terrified, joyful, sad, surprised, agitated and peaceful. And on the journey you will discover treasures you never knew existed--treasures the likes of which you can't find anywhere else. In fact, you've already found some, haven't you? There is much more waiting to be discovered.
Have a great trip!
Rainer Maria Rilke
Go inside...deeper..deeper...
The inward journey is the grandest adventure of all. You will travel through valleys that are deep, dark and cold, and climb to vistas that will take your breath away. The path will have long, smooth straightaways as well as treacherous curves and bone jarring rough spots. You will be thrilled, terrified, joyful, sad, surprised, agitated and peaceful. And on the journey you will discover treasures you never knew existed--treasures the likes of which you can't find anywhere else. In fact, you've already found some, haven't you? There is much more waiting to be discovered.
Have a great trip!
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Your Future Rests on This Very Moment...
This very moment is a seed from which the flowers of tomorrow's happiness grow.
Margaret Lindsey
I remember the very moment when my life began to turn around. Although I didn't realize it at the time, it was the moment that I began the transformation from crippled arthritic to Ironman.
At that moment I happened to be bent over in pain from my latest arthritic flare-up and I wasn't feeling especially enlightened. I was a student in Chiropractic college and was in to see my student doctor for an adjustment. He dutifully asked me to rate my pain on a scale from 1 to 10. I had always obliged him, but this time I refused. It was time to quit worrying about pain and start focusing on my human potential. At that moment, clouds didn't spontaneously roll back and no beam of light illuminated me from the heavens above. Music didn't play and angels didn't sing. (Well, maybe they did, but I didn't see or hear any of it.) I limped out of the adjusting room in as much pain as when I hobbled in. But an important internal shift had taken place. I had reached a cross roads and chose the path toward light and away from darkness. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could become an endurance athlete. But here I am, with my first half iron triathlon under my belt, my first marathon two weeks away, and my first full Ironman less than 8 months away. (That's right, fellow triathletes; it's coming up fast!)
Human potential--your human potential--is breathtaking! In this moment, right now, choose to always empower your potential, not your problems. You'll be amazed by what happens in your life.
Margaret Lindsey
I remember the very moment when my life began to turn around. Although I didn't realize it at the time, it was the moment that I began the transformation from crippled arthritic to Ironman.
At that moment I happened to be bent over in pain from my latest arthritic flare-up and I wasn't feeling especially enlightened. I was a student in Chiropractic college and was in to see my student doctor for an adjustment. He dutifully asked me to rate my pain on a scale from 1 to 10. I had always obliged him, but this time I refused. It was time to quit worrying about pain and start focusing on my human potential. At that moment, clouds didn't spontaneously roll back and no beam of light illuminated me from the heavens above. Music didn't play and angels didn't sing. (Well, maybe they did, but I didn't see or hear any of it.) I limped out of the adjusting room in as much pain as when I hobbled in. But an important internal shift had taken place. I had reached a cross roads and chose the path toward light and away from darkness. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could become an endurance athlete. But here I am, with my first half iron triathlon under my belt, my first marathon two weeks away, and my first full Ironman less than 8 months away. (That's right, fellow triathletes; it's coming up fast!)
Human potential--your human potential--is breathtaking! In this moment, right now, choose to always empower your potential, not your problems. You'll be amazed by what happens in your life.
Friday, September 21, 2007
You are Uniquely Beautiful and Perfect!
"You weren't an accident. You weren't mass produced.
You aren't an assembly-line product.
You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on the Earth by the Master Craftsman."
Max Lucado
See I’m not the only one saying it. Max Lucado is basically saying that you are a being of beauty and perfection.
Another way of putting it is that you are a uniquely beautiful and perfect expression of the Divine. As you travel your life's path you reveal more and more of that beauty and perfection...to the world and to yourself. Each adventure on your journey brings more of you to light.
The most beautiful person you can be is you, expressing your beauty and perfection, and offering yourself and humanity the divine gifts that have been entrusted to you to share.
You aren't an assembly-line product.
You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on the Earth by the Master Craftsman."
Max Lucado
See I’m not the only one saying it. Max Lucado is basically saying that you are a being of beauty and perfection.
Another way of putting it is that you are a uniquely beautiful and perfect expression of the Divine. As you travel your life's path you reveal more and more of that beauty and perfection...to the world and to yourself. Each adventure on your journey brings more of you to light.
The most beautiful person you can be is you, expressing your beauty and perfection, and offering yourself and humanity the divine gifts that have been entrusted to you to share.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Strength of spirit!
"If your spirit is willing, your body will follow."
A fellow triathlete I was running with in my race today.
A fellow triathlete I was running with in my race today.
Boy, I am a seriously dedicated blogger! Today I ran my first half ironman-distance triathlon--1.2 mile swim, 57 mile bike (triathletes: no, that's not a typo; it was 57 miles), 13.1 mile run. It was the longest endurance event I've ever run, and let me tell you, it was my spirit that carried my body the last four miles or so. And it's definitely my spirit that has me on the internet posting this blog when all I want to do is curl up and get some sleep. Anything for my readers!
As for the quote--for several miles near the end of the race I was running (well, jogging) with another triathlete. We were both offering each other moral support in the final, most greuling miles. There's not really much I can say to add to what she said. The greatest achievements are the product of a strong and willing spirit. Enough said!
To my tri friends who have competed in the Grand Columbian triathlon, I know you're probably curious about the bike course. There's a huge, brush fire burning out of control near the course so the race director chose to alter the course in the interest of safety. The new course added an extra mile. Yes, we still went up "the big one." The bummer is that we didn't get to ride across the Grand Coulee dam. The other bummer is that we had a very hilly run course. But it was fun; they put on a great race here. Good for the spirit!
Now I hope I can get up from my seat...
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Organize Your Life For Health!
If you're like me, one of your biggest challenges is finding the time for everything, even the time for living a healthy life. I hear laments like these every day:
"I've really been slacking on my exercise lately...just can't seem to find the time."
"By the time I'm done at work I'm too tired to go home and cook dinner. I just swing through the drive-through."
"Sorry I haven't made it in for an adjustment for awhile. You know how it is...work...kids..."
"Sleep? Who has time for sleep?"
Make Good Health Part of Your Plan!
Time is a constant juggling act, no doubt about it. The problem for many people is that they just don't plan time for the things they need to do to live a healthy life. Everyone just rolls through the day meeting their obligations to everybody else and then tries to fit healthy activities into whatever time is left over. But there's never any time left over.
We're all busy but with just a little bit of forethought, it's really not that hard to fit good health into your schedule. The key is just to make a plan.
OK, Mark; how do you do it?
Here are some examples:
Today (Saturday) a Toastmasters speech contest and a wedding celebration (congratulations Ethan and Shannon!) made it a particularly eventful day and I knew going in that I wasn't going to be able to go for my usual Saturday run. But tomorrow, the first thing I'm going to do is go for a bike ride--before I get tied up with email, before I mow my shaggy lawn, before I sit down to write the article that's already overdue, before anything. There's a good chance that something will fall by the wayside tomorrow, but it won't be my health!
On Tuesdays I don't open my Cafe of Life until 3 PM. The first half of the day is business time--phone calls, networking, things like that. I also see my Chiropractor at 1:30 every Tuesday. I have meetings every Tuesday at 11:00 and everyone just knows that by 1:15, I'm outta there. Period. Non-negotiable. Same thing at 9:00 Thursday morning. Weekly massage...don't even think of asking me to schedule anything else. After my massage, Thursday becomes my writing day.
And every evening, even when I get home late, I've made the commitment always to take the time to prepare fresh veggies with dinner. It really doesn't take that long--maybe 10 minutes to steam some broccoli--less to lightly saute a bunch of spinach. It would probably take at least that long to detour to a fast food joint.
A little bit of organizing goes a long way toward living a life of vibrant health.
I welcome your comments and recommendations on how to organize your life to succeed at staying healthy...
"I've really been slacking on my exercise lately...just can't seem to find the time."
"By the time I'm done at work I'm too tired to go home and cook dinner. I just swing through the drive-through."
"Sorry I haven't made it in for an adjustment for awhile. You know how it is...work...kids..."
"Sleep? Who has time for sleep?"
Make Good Health Part of Your Plan!
Time is a constant juggling act, no doubt about it. The problem for many people is that they just don't plan time for the things they need to do to live a healthy life. Everyone just rolls through the day meeting their obligations to everybody else and then tries to fit healthy activities into whatever time is left over. But there's never any time left over.
We're all busy but with just a little bit of forethought, it's really not that hard to fit good health into your schedule. The key is just to make a plan.
OK, Mark; how do you do it?
Here are some examples:
Today (Saturday) a Toastmasters speech contest and a wedding celebration (congratulations Ethan and Shannon!) made it a particularly eventful day and I knew going in that I wasn't going to be able to go for my usual Saturday run. But tomorrow, the first thing I'm going to do is go for a bike ride--before I get tied up with email, before I mow my shaggy lawn, before I sit down to write the article that's already overdue, before anything. There's a good chance that something will fall by the wayside tomorrow, but it won't be my health!
On Tuesdays I don't open my Cafe of Life until 3 PM. The first half of the day is business time--phone calls, networking, things like that. I also see my Chiropractor at 1:30 every Tuesday. I have meetings every Tuesday at 11:00 and everyone just knows that by 1:15, I'm outta there. Period. Non-negotiable. Same thing at 9:00 Thursday morning. Weekly massage...don't even think of asking me to schedule anything else. After my massage, Thursday becomes my writing day.
And every evening, even when I get home late, I've made the commitment always to take the time to prepare fresh veggies with dinner. It really doesn't take that long--maybe 10 minutes to steam some broccoli--less to lightly saute a bunch of spinach. It would probably take at least that long to detour to a fast food joint.
A little bit of organizing goes a long way toward living a life of vibrant health.
I welcome your comments and recommendations on how to organize your life to succeed at staying healthy...
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Beauty and Perfection!
When I tell you that you are a being of beauty and perfection, what I mean is that you were born with a powerful and wondrous life force within you. You always have 100% of that life force. Any pain, symptoms or disease you experience are simply the result of factors that interfere with the expression of that life force. The key to vibrant health is to maximize your life expression. It’s that simple.
Many people flatly reject the idea that they are beings of beauty and perfection. With crossed arms and cocked eyebrows they ask me, “So, if I’m so perfect -- if I have all this life force inside of me, then why do I hurt? Why am I sick?”
In my wellness seminars I use two pinecones to illustrate the concept. One of the pinecones is fresh and new. I marvel aloud at the natural artistry of its color and symmetry. The second pinecone is cracked and faded, and not nearly as attractive as the first. Grasping the top of the fresh cone between my thumb and forefinger, I point out that the gravitational force of the earth is operating at 100%, everywhere, at all times. I then ask, “So if gravity is so perfect, why doesn’t this pinecone fall to the ground?” Well, anyone can answer that; I am holding it up. In other words, my hand is interfering with gravity’s ability to fully express itself on the pinecone and pull it to the ground. When I let go, the pinecone falls. Every single time. The dangling pinecone is a vivid illustration of what can happen with life force. When something interferes with the expression of our life force we get hung up with pain and disease. When we remove the interference we are free.
I continue the pinecone example by explaining that the pinecone is the flower of the tree. As the cone grows on the tree, seeds develop inside of it. When the seeds mature, the pinecone blossoms and the seeds flutter away on the breeze. When a seed falls to the ground it will absorb water, nutrients from the soil and radiant energy from the sun. In time it will germinate and grow into a beautiful, magnificent, vibrant pine tree.
Even as the pinecone fades and becomes brittle, the seeds retain their life force, sometimes for decades to come. In the early pages of her inspiring book, The Sequoia Seed, Karen Wright describes how the largest living being on our planet, the majestic Sequoia tree, begins life “as a tiny seed smaller than a flake of oatmeal.” She goes on to tell us, “Its egg-sized cone can lie undisturbed on the forest floor for fifty years before surrendering its seeds.”
When one of these seeds finally makes its way into the soil, what happens? It will germinate and grow into a majestic Sequoia. As long as a seed has life remaining within it, it has 100% percent of the potential for vibrance that a seed from the newest, freshest pinecone has.
Therein lies the important lesson for us humans:
Many people flatly reject the idea that they are beings of beauty and perfection. With crossed arms and cocked eyebrows they ask me, “So, if I’m so perfect -- if I have all this life force inside of me, then why do I hurt? Why am I sick?”
In my wellness seminars I use two pinecones to illustrate the concept. One of the pinecones is fresh and new. I marvel aloud at the natural artistry of its color and symmetry. The second pinecone is cracked and faded, and not nearly as attractive as the first. Grasping the top of the fresh cone between my thumb and forefinger, I point out that the gravitational force of the earth is operating at 100%, everywhere, at all times. I then ask, “So if gravity is so perfect, why doesn’t this pinecone fall to the ground?” Well, anyone can answer that; I am holding it up. In other words, my hand is interfering with gravity’s ability to fully express itself on the pinecone and pull it to the ground. When I let go, the pinecone falls. Every single time. The dangling pinecone is a vivid illustration of what can happen with life force. When something interferes with the expression of our life force we get hung up with pain and disease. When we remove the interference we are free.
I continue the pinecone example by explaining that the pinecone is the flower of the tree. As the cone grows on the tree, seeds develop inside of it. When the seeds mature, the pinecone blossoms and the seeds flutter away on the breeze. When a seed falls to the ground it will absorb water, nutrients from the soil and radiant energy from the sun. In time it will germinate and grow into a beautiful, magnificent, vibrant pine tree.
Even as the pinecone fades and becomes brittle, the seeds retain their life force, sometimes for decades to come. In the early pages of her inspiring book, The Sequoia Seed, Karen Wright describes how the largest living being on our planet, the majestic Sequoia tree, begins life “as a tiny seed smaller than a flake of oatmeal.” She goes on to tell us, “Its egg-sized cone can lie undisturbed on the forest floor for fifty years before surrendering its seeds.”
When one of these seeds finally makes its way into the soil, what happens? It will germinate and grow into a majestic Sequoia. As long as a seed has life remaining within it, it has 100% percent of the potential for vibrance that a seed from the newest, freshest pinecone has.
Therein lies the important lesson for us humans:
The frailest, sickest person in the world is as completely alive
as the strongest, and has the same potential to enjoy vibrant health.
as the strongest, and has the same potential to enjoy vibrant health.
The only difference between a sick person and a healthy one is that the healthy person is expressing more life. Nature intended for life—your life—to be robust and vibrant. So let there be no doubt…
You are a being of beauty and perfection!
You are a being of beauty and perfection!
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