Blog Archives

Be prepared...be successful!

2/20/2015

Ok folks, I have to bring this up because it is driving me crazy!
Well,before I get on any kind of "soap box" I want to begin by stating how important preparing yourself is ...for anything!
If you wish to improve your health, or get a new job, or shovel your driveway or even go to the store to buy groceries it is absolutely beneficial to prepare yourself.
Now preparation can look different for different situations-it can be as simple as putting on a coat and gloves to go outside on a cold day to creating an intricate, multifaceted business proposal for a major corporation.
What ever it might look like, preparation is key!
As we "prepare" for situations one should try to look at all possible contingents from simple to complex. In other words plan for the unexpected. Now we might miss a little detail here or there and that's ok mistakes happen and we have to learn some how.
However, like I mentioned in my last blog entry if you "lead" with your head you increase your chances of success and minimize "belly flops".
Now here comes the soap box....I mentioned putting on your coat and gloves earlier...why are people so stupid..(judgement, I know) when it comes to preparing for cold weather? It seems like people more and more don't seem to either want to prepare or believe they need to prepare for cold weather. For example, I was coming out of the gym today, the temperature was a whopping 3 degrees-with windchill it felt more like -20- and I saw a friend coming into the gym wearing flip flops and a bathing suit. Oh, he was wearing a coat...AND flips flops and a bathing suit! I asked him if he knew it was cold out-his response-"oh, it's just a 30 second walk from the parking lot". But what about the time spent walking to your cold car which has been sitting out all night in the extreme weather and sitting in it until the car finals warms up? REALLY??! This is coming from a 50+ year old man!!! From my teenage son, maybe-but even he knows (begrudgingly) he should dress appropriately.
Another example..I'm watching the evening news, they are doing a story on how different schools decide whether or not they should have a delay or close schools because of the extreme cold. The footage they are showing are of kids standing at there bus stops in the cold and one of them is only wearing a sweatshirt, no gloves, no hat and the temp is only -2 to about 2 above-REALLY??!
I guess people don't realize in weather that cold , exposed skin can get frostbitten in 30 minutes or less? Being ill-prepared in extreme weather not only can set up extremes like frost bite but your body is also working extremely hard to maintain normal functions-it is getting tired and therefore more susceptible to colds and illness. No, cold does not make you sick but a tired body is more susceptible to the bacteria
and viruses that do.
Also think about the possibility that you might have to be out in the cold longer than anticipated-an accident, a car breaks down, you fall and get seriously hurt, traffic delays your ride, a fire or fire drill puts you outside until the "all clear" sounds...any number of things can happen. Now don't think I am alarmist...I am not...but I was a boy scout....there motto...BE PREPARED.
Why let ego, machismo, laziness and yes even stupidity prevent you from taking a few extra seconds to put on "clothing" that will allow you to deal with the elements as effectively as possible?
Lead with your head...responsibly...and set your self up for success not "belly flops"!
Remember...
You are the difference!!!

Use your head...your body will follow

2/5/2015

Have you ever thought about the connection between your head and the rest of your body? And I don't mean the real easy one- that your brain-which controls EVERYTHING- is located in your skull! Did I mention, it controls EVERYTHING!
I mean have you ever thought, when you try to get healthy( in any and all ways) and you have tried everything and nothing seems to work, why those things didn't work? Have you ever thought maybe mentally you weren't ready to get healthy or willing to create an effective health plan or mentally blocking successful healthy thoughts!? Maybe things you were trying were not "true" to who you were?
Let me put it another way .... Do you remember when you first learned to dive? What happened the first few times? Did your stomach learn what a "belly flop" was?
One of the first things I tell kids when I teach them to dive -is to keep your head down/tuck you chin to your chest and keep it there until you hit the water. Well of course they want to see the water as they go in and they inevitably pick up there heads, and walla-instant belly flop!
Why do you think this happens?
I'm glad you asked, I would be happy to tell you!
Putting it simply...YOUR BODY FOLLOWS YOUR HEAD.
With your chin tucked to your chest until hitting the water your body curves into the water(almost flipping when you are in the water). When the head is raised up that causes the body to straighten out and...WHAP -belly flop central!
Your health is the same way. If your head is full of doubt or ineffective thoughts or confusion your body will be full of those things as well. If your attitude is not what is usually is or your social settings/circles are waning or your feeling lost because your are not centered/grounded in your spiritual self then your body will suffer the consequences. All these attitudes, feelings and "wanings" are all developed in your head. They start in the recesses of your brain and work themselves into every cell of your body!
So when you are setting goals to improve your health-in any way- don't you think it would be important to create and or utilize tools that will allow your head to lead in a direction
your body wants and needs to follow?!
Drop the self doubt-have confidence in you; stop keeping up with the Jones's-compete with only who you see in the mirror;treat your friends and coworkers and people you meet on the street with respect; have faith in you and in your core beliefs.
All these things start in your brain, so infuse every cell in your body with thoughts and attitudes that allow for great health- and not belly flops!
Remember,,,
YOU ARE THE DIFFERENCE!!

Author

Tom has a BS in Exercise Science and has had the fortune to work and observe people in the sports, fitness and physical rehabilitation realms for over 30 years. With experience as a coach, trainer, instructor, and actor his insights are honest, personal, educated, sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant but always enlightening. Take a gander and enjoy.