_ The human body has an innate need to maintain a relatively constant internal environment and has an amazing ability to maintain this equilibrium.  Every cell, organ and system in the body relies on a stable environment to function and this is accomplished through a number of pre-programmed feedback mechanisms and every system in the body contributes to this “homeostatic” environment.  Receptors throughout the body sense changes in our internal and external environment and send messages to the brain; it responds by telling the appropriate organs to restore equilibrium.  Body temperature, pH, blood sugar, blood pressure, the list goes on and on. 

That’s our inner workings, and it's bloody amazing!

It’s that time of year where we become introspective and begin to set goals and challenges for ourselves (I loathe the term “Resolutions” so avoid using it).  Lose weight.  Run more.  Run farther.  Eat better.  Look better.   Feel better.  Quit this.  Decrease that.  These are great (although in most cases I ask the question “why did you wait until now to start?”)

I was leaving the gym the other day, dressed in my “standard" winter attire of shorts and sneakers (albeit I did have my winter jacket on).  As I was brushing a rather generous dumping of snow off my car I got talking to a lady in the parking lot who was rather excited about the snowfall.  I explained that I didn’t share this excitement, passing it off as me not being “a winter person” and sharing the excuse that I grew up overseas.  As soon as I jumped in my car it hit me and I said to myself, “you f’in dumbass, THAT WAS 18 YEARS AGO!!”

Over the years I’ve talked to a lot of people about change.  Where they’ve come from and where they want to go.  I’ve talked goal-setting and game plans.  I’ve monitored and followed up on their progress.   And amidst these interactions I’ve noticed something – the same thing I caught myself doing the other day - we spend a lot of time and energy focusing on who we were and what we used to do. 

“I used to be this”.  “I used to do that”.  “I used to eat this”.  That’s great!  My question... who are you RIGHT  NOW?  What are you doing RIGHT NOW and is this in sync’ with who you want to be and what you want to achieve? 

You are not defined by your past!

Yeah, you’ve probably learned some valuable lessons along the way – hold onto these and use them as you forge ahead! 

You might not wanna go back to where you were – so don’t!  Set your sights on the road in front of you and follow your plan to get there (if you don’t have a plan – make one)

You might be in a better position than you were (“better shape”, skinnier, happier) – be proud of this dammit!  But don’t get caught using this as an excuse or justification for straying from your current plan to achieve the goals you’ve set (if you don’t have a plan – see above).

The past guides our choices – it doesn’t make our choices for us.  Fixating on the past is like traveling with baggage – the lighter you pack, the easier the journey.

Unlike the inner workings of our body, we do not want to achieve a state of equilibrium.  We want change.  We strive to become better, healthier, happier people (I hope).

Newton's First Law of Motion states “a body at rest will remain at rest unless an outside force acts on it, and a body in motion at a constant velocity will remain in motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an outside force” (argh... physics).

Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

In order for us to experience the change that we are looking for we have to do SOMETHING, and we have to do something DIFFERENT than we’ve done before.  We need to create an environment of change.  We need to put our bodies under some form of “stress” in order to create this change, much like a diamond is formed from a lump of coal under very high pressure (barf).


Suggestions:

Take ownership.   Reset your scales to today’s values.  Today is your starting point.  Take the lessons you’ve learned from your progress to date and past journeys and use these to plan for your future and stop looking over your shoulder (and as you proceed down your Road of Achievement, don’t forget to reset the scales again – you’re not gonna be the person you are today!)

_ Does Christmas leave you exhausted and needing a vacation?  Longing to take a break from people, food, family, stores, the car, the TV, pretty much life in general? 

Why is that?  It’s supposed to be a break isn’t it?

We’ve been exposed to Christmas “shit” since September - before Halloween, before Remembrance Day (that’s a whole other topic of conversation).   We’ve had this pressure and deadline mounting for 3 months by the time The Big Day rolls around.  

Buy, buy, buy.  Go, go, go.  Eat eat eat.  Drink drink drink.  Happy happy joy joy!  ‘Tis the season. 

Gifts for wives, husbands, kids, cousins, grandparents, friends, co-workers, bosses, teachers, clients, the postman  – pretty much anyone you can think of right?!  Then there are the functions and the food (see my previous blog on Restraint around the holidays).  The obligations put on us (and that we put on ourselves) are endless and heaven forbid we forget a card or a gift or say “No!” to attending a party or dodge the treat tray at work or skip a second serving lest we offend someone.

TIME OUT!

I get the whole “Spirit of the Season” thing, but somewhere along the way this spirit has became a little possessed!   Look back over the last few years – when was the last time you took some time and did something just for YOU over Christmas (and that doesn’t mean Christmas shopping)?  

GASP!!!  

I know!  It sounds so selfish doesn’t it?  Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that people turn into Scrooge and become rude, but seriously folks... WTF??   What’s so wrong with saying, “Sorry Johnny, I’m not going to be able to make your party” or “Thank you, this is delicious but I’m not going to have another piece”.  Really?  Does this decision to abstain revoke our “friend status”? (I guess it might on Facebook)

We lose control of ourselves out of obligation to others.  Reluctant to be deemed “non-Christmassy” or hurt someone’s feelings, we lose sight of the goals that we’ve set out for ourselves and have strived hard to achieve all year long.  And when the dust settles, we’re left standing there, looking like we’ve just been beat with a Nerf bat!

Unfortunately life is not a team sport.  We have family and friends to support us through tough times but ultimately successes and failures fall on our shoulders.  We’re the ones who don’t give ourselves credit where credit is due and we’re the ones who beat ourselves up the worst.  And if family and friends are truly there to support us, they should understand if we Just Say No... shouldn’t they?

As that magical day rapidly approaches, and all pistons begin to fire, do yourself a favour and take a few minutes just for you.  You deserve it after all.  It is a holiday!  Remember your goals and the things that YOU want to achieve and have strived towards throughout the year. 

Suggestions:

1.       If the stress of the Season is accumulating, allow yourself a few periodic moments of non-Christmas activity.

2.       Just like you would for a doctor’s appointment, set aside some time for YOU.  Get a massage.  Go for a walk.  Grab a workout.  If you don’t want to leave the house, find a quiet corner, unplug the phone and read a book.  Listen to some music.  Take a nap.

3.       Be true to yourself and what your priorities are.  You may have to adjust some of your regular habits in order to make a compromise but forsaking them altogether will only set you back.

4.       Save some of your Christmas cheer for the rest of the year.  We become too caught up with the Hallmark Calendar of Celebrations and forget that we can hold on to the “Spirit of the Season” and be Merry the other 11 months of the year too! 

5.       Enjoy the holiday for what it truly means to you.... no one else can enjoy it for you!

_ I had absolutely no intention of writing anything until the weekend, and even then I had only been toying with the idea of writing a proper introductory blog as I kind of got right into the heavy stuff on my first post.  You know, a blog to let potential readers get to know a little bit about me and what the purpose of these ramblings might be.  Then I landed upon two YouTube videos which got me thinkin’... FUCK I HATE WHINERS!  (sorry Mom)

Okay, there!  The elephant’s out of the room.  Any of my clients who read my first, and now this blog have just been waiting for me to drop an F-bomb – it’s a bit of a thing with me.

This first video was a preview for a book by Dr. Lee Lipsenthal entitled “Enjoy Every Sandwich”.  Dr. Lipsenthal was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in July 2009 and after a subsequent recurrence accepted his diagnosis, illness, and treatment.  He discovered that rather than fear, the realization of his own mortality actually brought out a calm reflection, one which enabled him to provide insight, aptly portrayed in the title of his book, he advises us to “Find the joy in the simplicity of life”.  I know... a bit heavy!

The second video was much lighter - a clip of Michael J. Fox playing Johnny B. Goode (yup, a re-enactment of Back To The Future, complete with red guitar) at his recent charity benefit held last Saturday (November 12th).

So... just how the heck did these two videos elicit that emphatic statement noted above?

Here’s two men, whose lives are dramatically affected by medical conditions.  How easy would it be for either of these men to pack it in, to simply say, “why bother, I’m dying”, or “I don’t think I can, I kinda got the shakes today”?  “Hmmm, I just don’t feel up to it today”?  No one would think twice.  Yet they’re not.  They’re at peace, they’re thoughtful, they’re raising our awareness, they’re helping, and they’re LIVING.  Even in death and sickness these two men are living - excuse free!!.

How many of us...  how many people do we know are so consumed with excuses, rationalizations and justifications for their own suckiness that they can’t get out of their own damn way?  We search for any reason possible to justify our complacency, “I’m tired”, “I’m just really busy”, “You have no idea how difficult it is”, “Something just came up”, "But they're not doing it" (referring to someone else's lack of action). 

STOP IT ALREADY... seriously! 

Take a look around you.  For the most part we’re pretty damn fortunate (if you disagree, listen to the news).  Most of us have our health (and a choice of whether we take care of it or not).  We have a roof over our head, food to put on our table (and a choice of what to buy), and a cozy bed to climb in to at night.  The basics, right?  Choices, right?

Either we choose to get up off our asses and pursue our dreams and goals, or sit their drowning in our sea of excuses.  You pick! 

"Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure." 
~Don Wilder and Bill Rechin

 
Suggestions

1/ W.I.N. – What’s Important NOW!  De-clutter your life and focus on the things that will really make a positive impact in your life RIGHT NOW!

2/ Lose the “buts” and “can’ts”.  Any explanation that begins with “But...” is simply an excuse, and “I can’t” just means that you don’t want to badly enough.  Lose them!  Remove these words from your vocabulary.  Either you want to or you don’t!

ONE LIFE!  ONE CHANCE!  NO EXCUSES!

(check this video out if you're still in doubt)

And maybe, just maybe embedded somewhere in this blog post is the intro I had thought about writing.  Maybe this explains that amidst my profanity and no bullshit approach there’s a simple desire to see people make a change in their lives and in turn, for them to help others.