The Power to Choose

We all have the power to choose.
We can choose anything, really: we can choose what to do, what to think and what to Be.
We can choose whether to visualize our workouts as being enjoyable and effective, so that we end up looking forward to doing them.
We can choose whether or not to take a moment and think about all the wonderful things in our lives and feel grateful for them.
We can choose how we look at life and the circumstances we find ourselves in...we can even choose whether or not to view our lives as being something we create for ourselves.

All of this could sound daunting or complicated or even a bit head-in-the-clouds...or it could really be that simple.

Actively choosing to view our lives differently could really be the beginning of creating a new habitual way of thinking. And just think, if how we think ends up influencing the way we experience life...imagine what would happen if you were in the habit of thinking 'how could this go right for me?' rather than 'how might this go wrong?' Do you tend to think in terms of negative outcomes, rather than positive ones? Just noticing that can make a huge difference!

What if we were to start by writing ourselves a little note to put by the alarm clock to remind us to think of one thing we're grateful for, first thing, every morning? Imagine what would happen if we started every day feeling grateful...

The whole point of my little blurb here is to remind myself--and anyone who reads this--that we are all actually quite powerful. We have incredible minds with unlimited potential. You've seen people with incredible minds on TV or read about them in the news...and your mind is no less capable! And it really does not have to be all that complicated: just exercise your power and ability to choose what you think...choose to take a moment to love your life.

Reminders

Everyone needs reminders from time to time.

When it comes to behaviors and turning new behaviors into habits, reminders are crucial. For me, writing this blog was always meant to serve as a reminder--for myself and anyone out there who happens to read it--of just how much power we have to affect and create our lives. Writing a blog takes commitment. It's really not hard, but it's also a little bit scary. I worry that my writing will be messy or awkward; I worry that writing this blog on a regular basis is going to lead to bigger and better things.

And so, about a week ago, I saw a video of a dog rescuing another dog who had been hit by a car. The heroic dog risked his or her own personal safety to cross about 6 lanes of busy highway traffic to drag the other dog to safety. Watching this video touched me. It reminded me of the very real existence of heroism and integrity. It reminded me of the person I strive to Be every day. It reminded me of just how alive I am...and just how alive I have the potential to feel.

I feel passionately moved by the example of that dog. I feel moved to write. I love writing and I just don't do it as often as I would like.

I do, however, have the power to choose to write more.

I have the power to choose to see writing a blog entry as so much less time-consuming than I've imagined it to be. I mean, really, writing this is not going to get in the way of any of the tasks I'd like to accomplish today. In fact, writing this is going to enhance my day because I'm choosing to do something I feel passionate about.

Now I'm going to take it a step further and relate this back to exercise and fitness (because, after all, this blog does claim to be about personal transformation through physical fitness). You see, from the very beginning, if we recognize that our bodies are our vehicle for experiencing this life--our mode of transportation, if you will--then the kind of 'ride' we have very much depends upon how well-tuned our vehicle is.

And then we recognize that our minds can exert tremendous influence over our bodies. Our minds, actually, are in charge of our bodies...and we are in charge of our minds! So how we think and feel end up being incredibly important when it comes to creating our experience of life. Watching the video of the heroic dog reminded me of the person I'm striving to Be. It reminded me of just how alive I feel when I'm Being that. It reminded me of all sorts of things that trigger that feeling of being joyfully alive: traveling, flying on the trapeze, teaching/coaching...and writing!

And so it is that I'm here writing this: I found myself wondering why it is that we numb ourselves with our day-to-day routines, with mindless television or surfing the internet...forgetting what it's like to feel alive. And then it came to me: all we need is a reminder. Little reminders on a regular basis help us to remember what we feel passionate about, what it is to feel alive and joyfully present.

We all need reminders from time to time.

Travel

This blog started as a guide, an accessory, to the BodyMind workout, which is, itself, to be a guide to remembering the connection between your mind and your body. The remembrance of this connection, in turn, empowers you to use this connection as your tool for the creation of the human experience of your own conscious choosing.

And here I am, about to blog about travel.

I´m in Santiago de Compostela, Spain and this little town is the destination for thousands of religious pilgrims as the main Cathedral here is where the Apostle St. James is buried. It seems that people come here from all over the world so that they may visit this site. For many, this is a sacred place.

As part of the process that the BodyMind workout is designed to facilitate, you will likely find your awareness growing: your awareness not only of your body, your mind and the link between them, but of the world around you. What you eat, what you drink...what your put into your body, what you think and what you pay attention to...all that you put into your mind, and ultimately, where you live and how you treat your surroundings...from your home to your planet. All of this enters into your conscious awareness...

..and here is where travel enters into the equation. Travel is an opportunity to be more than just a tourist, it is an opportunity to see more than the world we see everyday...the world that we can so easily forget is not all there is. It is an opportunity to remember that humanity is more than just as we see on the subway on the way to work; it´s more than just what we see on tv. Cultures vary. People are different and yet, somehow the same. We´re all in this together and if we can recognize that what we see as different, others see as normal and if we can see past all of that, we remember that we all really are One.

Travel is an opportunity to see more of the world than just down the street. Ours is a planet filled with remarkable and wondrous beauty. As we stand in awe of the landscapes and the incredible feats of human ingenuity that are the buildings all over the world, it is hard not to feel a great sadness over how we have been treating our environment...and herein lies another opportunity: to remember that we always have a choice.

Travel is an opportunity to experience wonder and beauty and to once again, announce to the entire Universe, through your actions, words and thoughts, I AM this

The love of live music

Live music is one of life's most incredible treasures. Invariably, the performer is up there, in front of the crowd, sharing something deeply personal.

The courage and conviction--and often inexplicable, deep-seated need--to share their music comes with... is fueled by... and is a demonstration of...pure passion.

This passion is felt by all who linger long enough to listen with more than their ears.

So what does this have to do with working out, Whole-istic health and personal transformation?

Listening to live music can be a moving, exhilarating and emotional experience. It leaves you feeling alive... a little bit (or a lot) more open to the wonder and possibilities of life.

Live music reminds you of how exciting it feels to be alive...to be Here, in this moment of Now.

And this, after all, is what this experience is all about: enjoying life.

Listening to live music is enjoyable and leaves you feeling good about life. Becoming physically fit--and mentally fit--is about enabling yourself to enjoy life more.

Do you need to be healthy and fit to enjoy live music? Of course not (well, maybe at least a little bit). But you do have to be physically and mentally healthy and fit to enjoy more of the possibilities that live music leaves you feeling open to.

The Box

All too often, it seems we get caught up in our day-to-day routines. We are, after all, creatures of habit. Getting involved in your day-to-day routine can be a very good thing. It can also lead to stagnation if your day-to-day routine is boring.

So here’s the question: is your day-to-day, week-to-week routine boring?

Think back to a time when you felt truly excited and exhilarated? When was the last time you felt thrilled to be alive? What were you doing?

Chances are you were doing something different; something not normally included in your regular routine.

Recently, I was reminded of the importance of stepping out of your normal routine every now and again. For me, it was a day of circus training: something I feel truly passionate about. Specifically, my wife and I did some private training in hand-balancing and aerial silks. We were in an environment where we were challenged and nurtured at the same time. We were given the opportunity to test our perceptions of our own limits and abilities and we were encouraged to stretch beyond what we were normally doing.

For me, the circus is about blowing away perceived limitations and showcasing human potential and possibility. As I gain experiences that show my capabilities to be beyond what I thought they were, my beliefs about limitation change. My beliefs about my own potential expand. Life becomes different. How I start each day, in terms of my own mindset, changes. I remember the awesome potential and possibilities I have before me and that life can be exciting.

It occurs to me that our normal day-to-day routines may not always include such reminders. This, to me, is tragic.

If we want to experience life as the exciting adventure that it can be, then we need these reminders. The thing is, it is up to each of us to create such reminders for ourselves…because no one else is going to put them there for us.

Our lives are our own responsibility.

So what excites you? Are you doing it on a regular basis? If not, why not?
Life is simply too short not to make it exciting. Start with something small—it’s ok to let a little thing excite you—and step outside of the box that is your daily routine. Remind yourself that you are not defined by the box. Then start making plans to do something bigger, grander. Then do it. Make your life bigger, grander.

It’s scary to consider it, but life can be truly exciting…it’s all up to you.

A proven plan

I’d like to address two points this week.
The first is the topic of personal trainers and whether or not to hire one. This will include a discussion of whether or not you’ll benefit from hiring one.
The second is the question ‘What’s the point of this blog, anyway?’

So you’re thinking of hiring a personal trainer. Or maybe you hadn’t been thinking of hiring a trainer…

In deciding to seriously pursue your fitness goals by making them SMART goals, you have taken action. If you are not already going to the gym or doing some form of activity, NOW is the time to begin.

NOW is the time to also create a plan for your success. Begin thinking of this goal in terms of it being one you will achieve. Not one that you are going to try to achieve or one that you might achieve, but one that you will achieve.

The next question then, is ‘how?’

This is where the personal trainer comes in.

It is the role of the personal trainer to create a plan for you; a plan that will take you from where you are now to where you want to be. This is what they have studied and trained for. They know what needs to be done in order to get you to where you want to go.

The majority of people do not know how to create an exercise plan that is appropriate for their current level of fitness, nor do they know how or when to change it so that they will the most progress. A commonly used analogy is that when your car requires either a tune-up or some major work, you take your car to a mechanic. Mechanics specialize in car repairs and maintenance. Personal trainers specialize in ‘repairs’ and ‘maintenance’ for your body. It follows then, that if you are seeking to improve the functioning of your body, you should see a personal trainer.

In this regard, the question of whether or not to seek out the aid of a personal trainer becomes a no-brainer: if you are serious about achieving your fitness goals and don’t know how to achieve them, then the most effective thing you can do is to find someone who does know. Hire a personal trainer.

The key distinction here is this: do you know how to achieve your fitness goals, or do you just think you know? If your plan is to go to the classes, do some cardio and try to eat less junk, then it’s not going to happen. You don’t actually know how you’re going to achieve your goal and your plan amounts to little more than wandering along without a map, yet still hoping to get there.

Specific goals need a specific plan. This is what personal trainers do.

What personal trainers have to offer you are many things: a proven plan to get you where you want to go, a coach to guide you along the way and the motivation to keep you going. That being said, hiring a personal trainer is not the only option. You could also find a friend who’s already done it—lost the weight, put on the muscle, and/or transformed their health—and find out how they did it. Chances are what worked for them could also work for you.*

(*An important caveat: this is a generality. In some cases, what works for others may not work for you. You, or your friend, may have certain unique health concerns that would necessitate a professional exercise or diet prescription based upon the collaborative efforts of doctors, physiotherapists and/or personal trainers. Check with your doctor before beginning any exercise or diet program.)

The bottom line here is that if you are serious about achieving your goal, you need a plan that’s been proven to work. Working with someone who has already experienced the kind of success you are seeking will ensure you get to where you want to be faster and more efficiently.


Now then, what’s the point to all of this anyway?

Ultimately, this blog is meant to be a resource and support tool for my forthcoming e-Book: The BodyMind Workout. When this book is released later this year, the regular blog postings here will supplement the material contained within the book.
The BodyMind Workout will be a guidebook for Whole-istic fitness and personal transformation. For the premise behind the book, see my first posting: I AM this.

Goal-setting: It's not too late to get SMART

We’re three weeks into the New Year and whether you’ve taken action and started working on your fitness goals or not, now is a good time to take a closer look at your goals. How you set your goals will play a big role in whether you achieve them or not. Goal-setting is a skill and like any skill, it can be learned and improved with practice.

The key to successful goal-setting (which sets you up for goal-achieving) is being SMART about it:

SMART goal-setting breaks down as follows:

S—Specific
M—Measurable
A—Attainable
R—Recorded
T—Time-oriented

You will be far more likely to succeed in achieving your goals if your goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Recorded and Time-oriented.

Let’s look at each one of these factors individually.

S—Specific
You’ve got to make your goals specific. This means taking your ‘lose weight’ goal and turning it into ‘lose 10 lbs.’ or changing ‘build muscle’ into ‘add 5 lbs. of muscle’. ‘Get toned’ turns into ‘Lower bodyfat by 5%’ (for example). The key here is making your goal real enough to engage your mind at the subconscious level. Your subconscious mind can’t—or won’t—get engaged in something vague and nebulous, like ‘lose weight’, but it certainly can get very involved in losing 5 pounds, for example. Specificity ties in with the next part of intelligent goal-setting, measurability.

M—Measurable
Once you make your goal specific, you’ve got to specify some criteria for measurement. This is the best way for you to measure your progress along the way and to determine whether you have reached your goal or not. Having criteria for measurement helps to engage your subconscious mind. Being engaged in achieving your goal on a subconscious level can be very effective.

A—Attainable
One very important consideration when it comes to goal-setting is making your goals realistic. So make sure that your goal is attainable. What qualifies as attainable is very much up to you. The key here is to make your goal a bit of a stretch…but not too much of a stretch: make sure your goal will challenge you, but don’t set yourself up for failure before you begin by setting a goal that your will never achieve.

R—Recorded
When you set a goal for yourself, unless you are not really interested in achieving it (in which case, it is time to really accept how much you really enjoy your current reality), you’ve got to make it real. One very simple, yet very powerful way of doing this is to write it down. Writing your goals down engages your brain in a very different way from simply thinking or speaking about them. In deciding to begin your journey to greater fitness, you have really decided to transform your life. Transforming your life ends up meaning changing some of your habits—be they habits of thought or action. Providing yourself with a written reminder of your commitment—in your journal or planner or beside your calendar—will be very helpful, both as a conscious and subconscious reminder of the progress you make along the way and as a means of organizing your plan for achieving your goal.

T—Time-oriented
Speaking of a plan, your goal needs a timeline. Without a timeline, your specific, measurable, attainable, recorded goal may never be achieved…because you have no timeline for achieving it. A timeline will help spur you into action and is vital for the construction of your plan of action.

Further, having something concrete, like your goals written down in your journal or agenda or beside your calendar, provides a regular conscious and sub-conscious reminder of your goal.

As I mentioned last week, it’s easy enough to get motivated around the start of the New Year: it’s a time to reflect on the past and a time to give thought to the future. Further, at this particular time in our history, we are feeling even more hopeful: now is a time that is pregnant with possibilities. The biggest challenge for many will be maintaining this level of motivation. Remaining committed to your goals is best thought of as being a process. This moment-to-moment process requires some regular nurturing and reinforcement. Setting SMART goals makes them more than just nice ideas or fantasies.

Once you’ve taken the time to put pen to paper and write down your goals, it’s time to come up with a plan. How are you going to achieve your fitness goals for 2009? Does everyone need a personal trainer to help them along the way?

Getting started: Choosing to make a change

It’s a New Year and it’s time for a change. One of the most common New Year’s Resolutions made every year revolves around improving physical fitness. Perhaps it’s losing some weight or perhaps your goal is motivated more by the simple wish to look and feel healthier. Whether you’ve been active for some time now or you’re looking to start exercising for the first time (ever or after years!), it’s time for a change; it’s time for a different approach.

It’s time to look at things differently.

What it really comes down to is that choosing to start exercising means making a lifestyle change. You’ve probably heard this before.

Choosing to begin exercising has the potential to represent far more than just going to the gym for an hour, several times a week. If you want to see any sort of progress, you will need to exercise regularly. You’ll need to develop the habit of exercising.

But there’s more: if you really want to make some progress, you’ll need to change your diet. Changing your diet in the best way, may well mean changing not only what you eat, but when you eat and how.

So it’s got to be exercise and diet. Got it.

Now let’s go deeper. What about your mind? Your mindset going into the New Year is going to make a huge difference in terms of whether you follow through with your Resolutions or not. Recognizing that your mindset is not a one-time decision and that it is a moment-to-moment choosing makes all the difference in the world.

It’s makes intuitive sense: how you think and feel about choosing to be more active are going to be a determining factor when it comes to follow-through. If we look a bit closer at that, I said how you think—which is done with your mind—and how you feel—which is done through your body—that makes the difference. It’s one thing to have a thought that says exercising would be a good idea. It’s quite another to actually get up and do it. Mind and body must work together in order for you to succeed.

I would imagine that many of us are familiar with the highly motivated state of mind that you often find yourself in when you make your New Year’s Resolutions. Go there now: take a moment to think about your fitness goals for this year. Stand up as you do this.

Are your goals realistic? That is, will you be able to achieve your goals if you actually take action?

What are your goals, specifically? For example, if you want to lose weight, how much do you want to lohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifse? (Recognize that 1-2 lbs/week is generally considered healthy weight loss). Get as specific as possible. Put some thought into exactly what this end result will look like to you. Imagine yourself actually achieving your goal. How does that feel?

Now, let’s use that feeling and translate it into action. Getting yourself to the gym or exercise class or DVD the first few times is easy enough. In order to develop the habit of feeling motivated to take action towards your goal on a regular basis, you will initially need regular monitoring. Regular reminders will help you to create this new habit. Remember, a habit of regular exercise is just as much mental as it is physical.

Now is the time to create those reminders. Write down your specific goal—along with your realistic timeline—and post it on the mirror in the bathroom. Write notes to yourself in your daily planner. Put exercise on your to-do list. Put your workout plan on the wall next to your bed or your calendar. Create little reminders wherever you feel you need to in order to nurture your commitment to your goals.

Next week, we’ll look at goal-setting more in-depth and outline more specifically how to set yourself up for success and lasting change.