Click Once for You

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Fotolia_42187727_webBusiness Insider reported that in the first quarter of 2014, 198 million U.S. consumers purchased something online, and that’s according to comScore’s quarterly State of Retail report. That translates to 78% of the U.S. population age 15 and above. With all of this purchasing power at your fingertips, let’s discuss your dream concept for a few moments. You’ve imagined how incredible it would be if you could order your workout online. According to your innovative idea, this is how it would work: You pay someone else to exercise for you.  I love this part. You are permitted to choose the individual who you would like to perform the work for you. Is it conceivable that you could peruse the profiles of exercise-aholics who are advertising their services? Well, apparently you seem to think that there would be a lengthy list of gym rats eager to connect with you for a price. Imagine all the options available at your fingertips. Click for an hour of Kick-boxing tonight. Click for 45 minutes of strength training tomorrow. Click for 30 minutes of treadmill work and 30 minutes of cycling the following day. Click on the option for viewing the workout in real-time. This is great, isn’t it. You can watch your guinea pig  sweat through a workout of your choice.

Of course, this only scratches the surface as exercise is but one of the components at the core of a more abundant life. Therefore, to combat your personal health and wellness woes we must expand your ingenious new approach. If you think an online physical fitness purchase is worth your time, then I suggest that you also click on the nutrition link. This will take you to a menu where, once again, you may pick a lucky winner who will eat a healthy D.I.E.T. for you. How could anyone pass on this? Is any price too steep to pay to enable another person to consume all of those vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, etc. that, frankly, you’d just rather pass on in favor of your current staples. Now you never have to worry about cheating on your D.I.E.T. With just a simple click, your concerns are a thing of the past. Let someone else carry your burden. If you’ve ever pondered what it would be like to adhere to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, now you can better understand how these, and a myriad of other ways to eat, affect the human body. Through the efforts of your health hero, that self-sacrificing saint who will do what you are unable or unwilling to do for yourself, you can see incredible results. The best part is that all of this is guaranteed.

But, there is more! Choose the amount of rest you would like your superman or woman to receive. Why not let someone else log those hours of zzz’s so that you can have more time in the day to do whatever you desire? This program is so awesome.  Your personal health account is credited with points for each order you place. When you accumulate a specified number of points, you’ll receive a special bonus. In fact, if you act right now, you’ll receive your first complimentary gift. Just place an order for one fitness routine, one meal, and one night’s sleep and you will get to choose one hour’s worth of relaxation or de-stressing for free! Yes, you heard that correctly. Free, zip, zero, nada! Who will be the beneficiary of your initial order? Give the gift of peace of mind or peace of conscience. Choose from meditation, reading, prayer, a massage, a bath in Epsom salts, a magnetic therapy session, a dip in a hot tub/whirlpool just to name a few. Does it get any better than this?

As fun as it may be for a brief moment to have a laugh concerning some futuristic, hands-off health program, let’s be honest. A commitment is required. With your head, your heart, and your whole soul, you must be “all in” with this one. “Seek the wisdom that will untie the knot. Seek the path that demands your whole being.”--Rumi  In the end, nothing less will satisfy your deepest longing for a real and lasting transformation. No mortal man or woman can voluntarily perform a vicarious act on your behalf that would meet the requirements necessary for your happiness. No sacrifice or benevolent gesture by a hired participant can pay the price that you alone must offer up for the salvation of your body. No trainer or hand-picked substitute from a line-up on a crazy website can do the work for you. To cleanse yourself of past health transgressions, there will be suffering involved. But, in the grand scheme of things, you’ll see that the pain is part of your growth. “Always be a work in progress.”–Emily Lillian   This takes time. Yet with faith, you can repent of your wellness misdeeds and come unto a newness of life. Yes, you must be born again! Marvel not that this is so. “Change starts with you. But, it doesn’t start until you do.”–Zig Ziglar   Once you begin, everything can start clicking!  Perhaps, you want to start by purchasing a new workout outfit or two. Maybe, you will decide it’s time to place that food order. How about a new pillow or mattress? Well, as one of the millions who shop online, you know what to do. Just, click it and the fun begins!

YOU CAN BE RECLAIMED!

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mom's roses

A few months ago, I finally did something which was important to me. This particular something I had been wrestling with in my mind for several years. In anticipation of the sale of the house in which I grew up, I had been planning on taking care of some unfinished business. When Mom passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in the summer of 2011, she left behind a wonderful legacy in the form of five children and three grandchildren. Family meant everything to Mom. “All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”–Abraham Lincoln  As I have shared previously, Mom loved to spend time in the kitchen. Of the many ways to demonstrate her love for us, surely her cooking was near the top of a long list. But, Mom was multi-talented. She had a degree in interior decorating. She sacrificed much of this passion so that we were always well taken care of at any point in our lives. But instead of becoming permanently lost, Mom’s creativity simply branched out. I mean literally out, as in outside. No, she did not share Dad’s enthusiasm for walking or bicycling. If it can be said that anyone was born with a green thumb, that someone would be my mom. What she willingly surrendered indoors she made up for a hundred fold outside. Mom’s rose gardens were a magnificent sight to behold. They didn’t just adorn the front yard for all passers-by to see, but they extended all the way around the sides of the house into the backyard and including behind the garage. They were everywhere the eye could behold. And, yes, they were beautiful.

After nearly three and a half years of pondering a massive undertaking, I discovered that I had left myself with precious little time for action. I had always hoped to transplant as many of the roses to our home as would be possible. It appeared that my procrastination had been very costly. Worse than the delay, was the realization that no one had cared for them since Mom died. Though not purposeful in nature, the obvious neglect had nonetheless caused severe damage. I was terrified that it was irreparable. Life gets busy. Often, we put things on the back burner. Too often, that is precisely where they sit, day after day, hoping for another glance, even another chance.

Imagine my disappointment when I finally commenced “operation transplant”, only to find a heap of lifelessness. With desperation, I cleaned out the gardens looking for any sign that would give me hope that this endeavor would prove fruitful. I cleared away leaves, and pulled weeds, and cut through vines to uncover what remained of the roses. I frantically dug here a little, there a little, and everywhere. You would never believe what breath-taking beauty had once emanated from this current landscape. What remained of the roses, from their stems, branches, and roots was nothing worth writing home about. Despite their condition, I figured I would attempt to salvage a few.

As I made the short twenty minute drive from my parent’s old house to my humble abode, I was overcome with emotion “Why, why did I not do this earlier?” Have you ever felt that even your best efforts were in vain? I almost convinced myself that this attempt was completely pointless. The excitement for this great adventure which had literally consumed my heart and mind had gone south. For a brief moment, I actually gave up. In anger I cried out in disgust at the mess in my car created by the pathetic looking remnants of my Mom’s rose bushes. I took out my frustration on them. I was racked with guilt. After all, was I not partially to blame for their condition? Notwithstanding my defeatist attitude, I made it safely home and was determined to follow through with the plan. As silly or stupid as it may have appeared to someone watching, I put them in the ground. What else was I going to do? I’d come this far.

How easy would it have been for me to say, “That’s it. I’m finished!” Well, it would have been very easy to do nothing more. I could have just shrugged my shoulders, thrown up my hands, and left the barren roses to die another death. However, a voice inside of me whispered to keep going. Given my inexperience, I wasn’t exactly sure where to go from there or how to proceed. After significant pondering and reflection, an answer came to me. “Do the things which you have seen me do.” I searched my memories. I did recall watching Mom, the great care-taker of all the roses, do some simple things. “Out of small things proceeds that which is great.”So, I nurtured them. I loved them as my mom had loved them for many years. Every day I did something for the benefit of the roses. I never let a day go by wherein I did not perform a task, however insignificant it might have been, for the well-being of those plants. I made their rehabilitation part of my daily routine. Time passed. I didn’t notice any changes, but I stuck to the plan. Before too long, I had to acknowledge that something good was happening. Though my eyes could not detect any difference in the roses, I perceived that the real change was occurring in me.

Strangely, I began to enjoy this daily routine. I was no longer simply going through the motions. The monotony of the same daily ritual in my garden was transforming into time that I actually treasured. I began to have hope once again. My faith increased that my work would be rewarded as I diligently did those things Mom had done. It struck me one day that my mom had acquired her skills from my grandmother. She wasn’t born in a garden knowing all things. She learned line upon line, precept upon precept. It is the prescribed manner in which we must all be schooled in this life. I’d like to say that I was physically present when the first shade of green appeared in the roses, but I was not. Yet, as I look back on it, it seemed to occur overnight. Miraculously, there was now life where there had been none. Though I had experienced discouragement and depression due to my procrastination, “my joy was now as exquisite as had been my pain.” The roses had been reclaimed. In time, their beauty was restored. Today, I can share that beauty with others as Mom had done with so many people in the old neighborhood.

The lesson is timeless. Don’t ever give up on yourself. There is always hope that you can regain control of your health. You may not reclaim the fullness of your former glory in this lifetime, but you can be redeemed. Your beauty can still shine through those years of neglect. “However late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you think you have made or talents you don’t think you have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love.”–Jeffrey R. Holland “Do something today that your future self will thank you for!”–unknown  Delaying any further will be detrimental to you and your posterity. What legacy do you wish to leave behind?

It’s Up to You

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“Some golfers lie awake at night and brood over what went wrong. I’d rather think of what went right. It doesn’t take as long.”-Dick Emons  The prognosis has hit you extremely hard, hasn’t it? I did my very best to break the news to you in a kind and compassionate manner. I can understand that you are deeply disappointed. In truth, this could not have been a complete surprise. Please, recall the description of your personal performance on the course: “I am horrible!” You’ve been struggling mightily with your golf game for many years. Did you actually think that I could wave a magic wand and your sick swing would be miraculously healed? Even if I possessed that power, I would never use it. It would defeat one of the grand purposes for life itself. We need to struggle. We must feel the utter hopelessness. If we are to know the marvelous feeling of exquisite joy, we must be prepared to accept the despair. We cannot know one without the other.
In the middle of my summary explanation regarding the pre-swing transformation that would be required as part of your individualized plan for improvement, do you remember what you asked me? It was very telling. “Can’t I do what I’ve been doing and just change the grip a little?” I realized at that moment you were going to make this harder than it has to be. I answered your question with a question of my own. “How good did you say that you wanted to become?” You responded, “really good.” One cannot achieve that “really good” status by picking and choosing which essential  principles to apply and which ones to ignore. One must practice strict obedience to all of the fundamental commandments of the golf set-up if he or she is to attain that exalted level of play which is most desirable of all. There are many ways to hit a golf ball poorly. Too numerous are they that I cannot even begin to list them. There is but one way to the top. Its path is always upward. Slipping and losing ground along the way is to be expected. Doubt, at times, is natural. However, the goal hasn’t changed. So, my directions will remain constant as will my encouragement. Knowing why you left the course in the first place and came to me and, now, knowing what it takes to return to the wondrous golfing paradise with a glorified game to display, it should be very clear that this transformative experience is a prerequisite.
Can we consider Tiger Wood’s golf over the past two years as perhaps the prime example of determination and perseverance? I will not do what millions of others have and be critical of his decisions. His goals have not changed. His performances during tournament play have been disappointing. Until recently, there hadn’t been much evidence that a change was coming. Being the eternal optimist that I am, I believe that Tiger can win again. The current reconstruction of his golf swing has taken longer than most people seem to think it should. Why? Well, evidently changing for the better and staying changed is such an easy concept. Hey, that’s news to me. His struggles have occurred with the entire golf world watching. The anguish of soul that will be part of repenting of your golf sins will occur with no one watching. That will not make it ant easier, just different.  I trust him when he says that he is working hard to turn things around. I trust that he is doing the right things to resurrect his game. I respect that. If you can devote just a little time each day to the treatment plan which I have proposed, I promise that your game will no longer be deathly sick. But, you cannot throw in the towel before you’ve even given this a chance. Oh, how many times have we heard it said: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” So, for your own sanity, I plead with you to be wise. Someday, you will regret holding on to your stubbornness and pride. You, alone, hold the power to releasing the demons which have been haunting your entire golf being. Despite the fact that you did not like my counsel, you have, nonetheless, heard it. The next step is to heed it! If you chose to ignore it, your game will surely perish in flames. Unfortunately, I have seen this happen before. It is so sad because it is avoidable. I cannot put a timetable on how long your transformation might take nor can Tiger Woods set a precise date for his reformation. Will Tiger do it? Probably. Will you have the courage to endure the struggle that lies ahead? Will you demonstrate the patience with yourself that will be required? “Success depends almost entirely on how effectively you learn to manage the game’s two ultimate adversaries, the course and yourself.”-Jack Nicklaus Will you make it to the promised land of rolling hills and lush green fairways? I don’t know, but I would love to greet you there and say, “Well done, my good and faithful student!” Consider on the happy state of those who have persevered.

Lessons Learned from my Dad

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I have three brothers and one sister. Some of my earliest recollections as a boy are of my Dad’s preoccupation with walking.“Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far.”-Thomas Jefferson  As if they had been specifically directed to him, my Dad took these words to heart. The only thing that my Dad despised more than his own automobile was the existence of other vehicles. He would habitually park as far away as possible from our intended destination. He would then make the pronouncement, “We’re here”. As my siblings and I learned early on, this statement simply implied that it was time to hoof it!
My Dad’s parents lived about thirty minutes east of Columbus. I can still remember those wonderful Autumn weekends visiting Grandma and Grandpa. We were in grade school when we first started to attend Ohio State football games. Grandma had been a big fan of legendary coach Woody Hayes. Well, my Dad had a master plan for avoiding the traffic and getting in some serious walking. He would park our car at the Ohio State Fairgrounds, a short 2.5 to 3-mile hike to the football stadium. Good grief! “Health is the thing that makes you feel that now is the best time of the year.”- Franklin Pierce Adams  The Fall months may very well be the perfect time in Ohio for any recreational sport. Yet, in the ignorance of our youth we never considered the beauty all around us as we pushed our bodies to their limit to keep up. Though often tired, frequently hungry, and seemingly unfit for the journey we nevertheless exercised faith in his plan. Dad instilled in us an understanding of the principle of endurance. Simply put, you just have to continue on the way no matter what. We had faith in his knowledge regarding where we were headed. Even though we could not see the end from the beginning, he knew the way. He’s always known the way. So, we followed. Dad would lead the trek with his long, powerful strides. Interestingly, he would always take a different route. We didn’t realize it at the time, but there was a method to his madness. He knew every street and back alley in the Columbus area. “True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body. The two are ever united.”-Wilhelm von Humboldt. Dad was learning everything he could about his surroundings each time he put his feet to work on the pavement. It would be accurate to describe Dad as a human GPS. Somehow, we were never lost even if it appeared that way. Dad had developed an ability to listen to his inner compass. He used to study maps intensely and was not afraid to blaze a new trail. If you happen to find yourself off the beaten path somewhere in the Buckeye state, just call Dad. He’ll lead you home. That is his ultimate goal. “Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.”-John F. Kennedy  In truth, we thought he was nuts! (Not just the Buckeye type, either.) But not many people can match some of Dad’s accomplishments. He has set foot and, yes, walked in 49 of the 50 states in this great country. His personal GPS performed miracles everywhere he ventured. He was a voracious reader. He once said that he wanted to know a little bit about everything. I can testify to the fact that he accomplished that task. I’ve never met another person so well versed on all things A thru Z.
There is no doubt in my mind that Dad’s love for being outside fueled his brain. In turn, the varied subject matter which he read filled him with enthusiasm to go out into the world and explore. He has always had a great desire to meet new people. He loves to share the many things he has learned with others. I am grateful that he shared his love for exercise with me. He never had to verbalize his feelings regarding walking. By his wonderful example, he taught me of its importance. I’ve been trying to walk in his giant footsteps for years. I have a lot of walking to do to catch up with Dad and even more reading. Dad taught my siblings and I about time and health. These two most precious of assets are barely acknowledged or fully appreciated while we mere mortals walk with ease through life. It seems that only when our hourglass has almost emptied its contents and when the body is depleted of its energy and resources that we pay them their due attention.
Mom passed away over four years ago. I am so thankful that Dad’s will to endure is as strong as ever. The lessons he continues to teach me are invaluable. “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”-Jim Rohn  Though he has slowed down his pace considerably, my Dad is still my idol. If a bridge had ever been built from California to Hawaii, my Dad would have walked the 2,400 miles to visit that last state in the Union. His feet were made for walking, and that is just what they’ve always done!

What is a Workout?

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I dare say that I think you could use a little refresher course. You may pontificate all you want regarding your preferred manner of exercise. In fact, you may extol the wondrous benefits of your favorite routine until you are blue in the face. However, I will stand my ground on this debate. I don’t mean to sound condescending, but I believe that you need to be enlightened. That  narrow-minded approach that you’ve clung to for twenty-five years has been detrimental to your physical well-being. And for goodness sake, there is absolutely no need to mock those who don’t choose your methodology. In the great big world of fitness, there is no singular activity that trumps all others. Subscribing to this philosophy leaves you woefully grasping for answers at this stage of your life.  How so? Well,  it’s time for a reality check. How many years have flown by since you last regularly participated in any exercise? So, it’s safe to say that you’ve missed more than a couple of workouts! Remind me again just how old are you now? Not exactly a spring chicken anymore are you? How about you rehearse that lengthy list of injuries with me once more. So, will you admit that you have limitations? This, my friend, is a reality of life. That stale, old way of viewing exercise has to be discarded for you to make progress in your journey.  Demonstrate pure conviction, yes, even stubbornness about achieving your gols, but grow in knowledge and flexibilty regarding your methods! While your previous exercise history is something that I like to be informed of when we first meet, I would prefer that you leave those ancient gym memories where they belong–in the past. It is my intention to clarify this terrible misconception that has plagued you for far too long. Since it is clear that you don’t really understand what constitutes a workout, let’s begin by defining it. 
 
“A workout is 25 percent perspiration and 75 percent determination. Stated another way, it is one part physical exertion and three parts self-discipline. Doing it is easy once you get started! A workout makes you better today than you were yesterday. It strengthens the body, relaxes the mind, and toughens the spirit. When you work out regularly, your problems diminish and your confidence grows. A workout is a personal triumph over laziness and procrastination. It is the badge of a winner–the mark of an organized, goal-oriented person who has taken charge of his or her own destiny! A workout is a wise use of time and an investment in excellence. It is a way of preparing for life’s challenges and proving to yourself that you have what it takes to do what is necessary. A workout is a key that helps unlock the door to opportunity and success. Hidden within each of us is an extraordinary force. Physical and mental fitness are the triggers that can release it. A workout is a form of rebirth! When you finish a good workout, you don’t simply feel better, you feel better about yourself!”-George Allen 
Do you know what it feels like to be reborn? It is liberating. It is breaking the chains of that which has bound you. A workout is awesome! Can we agree to begin with a cleansing of the mindset that dismissed anything but the usage of  free weights in Olympic style lifting? Biking, hiking, swimming, walking, yoga, Pilates, dancing, water aerobics, any group exercise class, circuit training, resistance training with bands or machines all qualify as excellent forms of working out. Of course, there are too many options to list them all. Age, in and of itself, is not a limiting factor. It does not automatically disqualify anyone from full participation in a specific fitness-related activity. But my assessment of your needs at present is spot on. In my gym, and under my guidance, you shall not do that which I deem to be both counterproductive and dangerous. An unrealistic view of one’s current physical conditioning can often lead to a desire to engage in high-risk exercise. A depressing self-analysis will often lead to doing nothing at all. So, we will exercise patience and take a much more balanced approach. Furthermore, your time is precious. Even if you could workout as you purportedly used to, the simple truth is that you do have the luxury of extra hours in a day to be a gym rat. So, I promise to make the best use of our time together.  Show me  just how determined you are today. We already know how much you sweat! Prove me wrong. “Believing in your goal is the most powerful weapon you have. No matter how tough it seems, if you believe in it, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.”-Andrew Gerard In six months, a year, or two years perhaps you will be able to turn back the clock. I’d love to see you lifting as you once did especially if that is something you truly wish to do. I ask that you trust me. You are not ready. So, we are not just going to sit around and wait are we? Remember that “life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”-Albert Einstein  That, my friend, is exactly what I shall help you do–keep moving in the right direction!