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.