Author: armstrong.wou@gmail.com

The beatitudes expressed in the Bible (Matthew 5:3-10) suggest we be poor in spirit, meek, mournful, hungry and thirsty after justice, merciful, clean of heart, peacemakers, and they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake. None of these are easy things. Nevertheless, they have their rewards (i.e., they come with blessings). We are blessed in these beatitudes in that we enter the kingdom of heaven, possess the land, are comforted, have our fill, obtain mercy, see God, and are called the children of God. Thus, we act such as to bless others and are returned blessing in kind. These are attitudes of being. I often want to spell beatitude with two Ts. (I would have been eliminated from the spelling bee.) I also wish to spell gratitude, likewise, with two Ts (grattitude = attitude of gratitude). Perhaps what we are being called to do in these words in the opening of what is called “the Sermon on the Mount” is to exist (to be) in an attitude of gratitude that reflects in our actions and treatment of others and all of Creation. Imagine such a world!

Perhaps I should expand my mission to change the spelling of gratitude to grattitude. Maybe begin to set our minds and actions on the be-grattitudes? Know that we are blessed when are hearts are right and be grateful for all that life brings us.

Be you best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!!

 

“For what it’s worth, it’s never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you find you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.”–F. Scott Fitzgerald

What is it you are putting off or not doing because you think it is too late. It is never too late to change. It is never too late to start. It is never too late to be who you are meant to be.

Growth always has a starting point, but there is no expiration date on when you can begin. Who you want to be?

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!!

The topic of Purpose has surfaced with increasing frequency in conversations with guests on my podcast. (If you haven’t heard it, check out the Aging Well Podcast. The content dovetails quite well with the topics of well-centered fitness.) Purpose (“Purpose” v. “purpose) seems to be a keystone in longevity and a life well-lived. It is essential to the SPIES dimensions of well-centered fitness and aging well (Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social).

Purpose is not a destination. Rather it is the fuel that drives up on our road of life. It is finding (and living) our why rather than our what. Purpose is what motivates us. Purpose is what gets us out of bed each morning.

I often speak of the importance of physical activity and effective exercise, healthy diet, maintaining a healthy body composition, sleep hygiene, and, of course, not smoking for health and longevity. I have recently added social connectedness to the list. Moreover, I have come to emphasize the sense of Purpose behind each of these. After all, we can be told repeatedly what is good and healthy for us (SPIES), but, until we see the Purpose in doing these things, we will always find our “why not.”

When we recognize our Purpose, we begin to recognize that it isn’t about us. It is about being able to make the greatest possible contribution to society—it is “other-centered.”

A life well-lived isn’t so much about the doing. It is about the doing for…. It is not about the years lived. It is about the impact we have along the way (and realize that, whether you see your life as great or small, you impact far more than you imagine). It is about contributing as much as we can for as long as we can. It is an expression of Purpose.

If you are reading this not knowing your Purpose (what is driving you), take some time to reflect and meditate on the topic. Add kindling to the fire within.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

“Our old skin will become too constricting, too unhealthy, too rigid to support a being who is growing.  So, conscious eldering requires us to become conscious of and to release those aspects of ourselves that, if we hold on to them, will constrict our energy and won’t serve us moving forward.  This includes attitudes, beliefs, attachments to ways of identifying ourselves, stories about who we are, resentments, regrets, and habits.   Equally important, the path of conscious eldering calls us to become conscious of qualities, attitudes, beliefs, gifts and wisdom that are truly our strengths and that can form the foundation for the new beginnings ahead of us.”—Ron Pevny

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to interview Ron Pevney, author of Conscious Living, Conscious Aging, for the Aging Well Podcast. It was actually more of a conversation than an interview. It was a reminder of the power of Purpose—of the importance of Purpose in the pursuit of well-centered fitness. Purpose is the center of well-centered fitness. Growth with Purpose is essential to living well.

When I speak of longevity and health, I often list five, now six pillars or essential lifestyle considerations. These are exercise and physical activity, healthy diet, healthy body composition, sleep hygiene, not smoking, and social connection. I tend to leave it implied that our social connections should be healthy relationships (i.e., spending time with people who foster our Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social growth and well-being). After my conversation with Ron, I realize that I have been omitting a key dimension to social connection, as well as the other pillars of health and longevity—PURPOSE. Purpose (capital ‘P’) gives meaning and motivation to all that we do. This is “conscious growth.”

“It is the belief that our lives, our part in the whole of things, truly matters. Having a profound sense of who we are, where we came from, and where we’re going, we choose to believe that mattering matters. It is thus a mindset—a choice.”—Richard Leider

We are often overly focused on the “what” in life. We forget the “why.” Moreover, we shy away from the “why not.”

Purpose in life is less of a pursuit and more of an intention. It is a choice—a choice that the Universe intends for us. Purpose drives us to….

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

I saw the statement, “Art is more important than Math,” recently in a meme. It caught my attention. Are we really that ignorant these days or have we just become a society that has to be polarized? I am not excited that it would be either.

If I really wanted to be contentious, I would argue that Physical Education is more important than Art or Math. Of course, I would be talking a bit tongue-in-cheek, but I could make a better argument for this than for “Art is more important than Math” or for “Math is more important than Art.” A lack of physical activity in the US is a contributing factor to nearly all disease, after all. In addition, muscle mass and associated muscle activity is especially important for brain oxygenation and neural health. (I can continue.)

The are argument that any academic subject is more important than another is—to be blunt—stupid. Art and Math (and PE) are important to one’s functional development. They are important to societal progress. To ignore one at the expense of the other will be society’s downfall.

Now, if we talk about this statement from a perspective of time spent in each academically, the discussion becomes more nuanced. I have heard people argue that they don’t use the Algebra they were forced to take in school. If that is the case, well…. Let’s just quote Mr. T—“I pity the fool.” We may not use Math in a most direct sense daily—as in sitting down to solve quadratic equations and prove theorems, but we do use numbers (or we hire accountants, I guess). I would argue that we waste time teaching Math poorly and asking kids to solve problems multiple times using a variety of “new math” methods (rather than teaching multiple ways of solving problems and allowing students to figure out the answer in the way that is most appropriate for them). Math, after all, teaches us problem solving skills.

Art is no less important. I can’t preach “well-centered fitness” (Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social wellness) and ignore the importance of Art. Art captures and reinforces the SPIES dimensions. I would argue that we are less whole without Art.

Should artists make the same incomes as mathematicians? This largely depends on their contribution to society. No doubt our compensations in the US (and most of the world) are disordered. Professional athletes make excessive salaries. CEOs take massive bonuses. Celebrities (although they may be regarded as “artists”) can collect huge paychecks. Yes, there are starving artists. There are some who do quite well. Likewise, there are underpaid mathematicians (we sometimes refer to them as teachers or professors). The reality is that few people feel they are paid their worth and “worth” is subjective. The value of art versus the value of math is likewise subjective. Neither is greater or less than the other. It is how we utilize them is what matters.

Educations has for quite some time recognized the importance of the STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Wisely, there has been a shift toward the reference to STEAM, thus adding the Arts. Personally, I believe in a balance—a “liberal education” (and, yes, this includes a Physical Education, as well).

Let’s not argue the importance or relevance of one subject over another. Let’s focus on simply educating our young and preparing them to make a better world for tomorrow.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!!

“In the final analysis, the questions of why bad things happen to good people transmutes itself into some very different questions, no longer asking why something happened, but asking how we will respond, what we intend to do now that it happened.”—Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

One of my favorite scenes in Forrest Gump is when Forrest Gump steps in dog poop and responds, “It happens.”—thus inspiring the bumper sticker, “Sh—happens.”

The concept is that stuff outside of our control is going to happen in our lives. Good or bad. Happy or sad. Stuff happens. “It happens…. Sometimes.” The question should never be “Why?” Instead, we should ask ourselves, “What next?” In addition, the response to the question, “If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be?”, is (should always be) “nothing.” We can’t look back with the hope of change. We can only look forward. We can’t affect the past. We can only affect the moment we are in. Therefore,….

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!!

“My father used to say, ‘I want you to be a good man; I want you to learn how to work. And I want you to be a serious person.’ I grew up with that in my mind.”—Roberto Clemente

This is my first Father’s Day without a father. My dad passed in January. My father-in-law has passed. My grandfathers have long since passed away. I am left to be a father myself.

I don’t have a words of wisdom quote from my father. (If I dig deep enough, I am sure there are many. He was a huge Clemente fan, as was anyone from Pittsburgh in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. So, the above is a worthwhile stand-in.) The first that really comes to mind is “Don’t f*** this up”, spoken after meeting my now wife for the first time. (The language—a word he seldom used—underscored the message.) The wisdoms of my father, however, are ingrained in my very being.

I am now the father of a someday father. I am beginning to see a lot of his grandfather(s) (and father) in him. He recently uttered a “grandpa” (my day) joke—not the kind you just tell, but one that requires opportunity, timing, and subtlety. It slipped by the attention of his mother and his girlfriend, but I caught it. There was an unspoken nod and wink to his Grandpa Armstrong. It was a small thing. Something likely unnoticed by most, but it was strangely meaningful to me, and it warmed my heart. It was an early Father’s Day present that still makes me smile.

I can only hope that the best of me and the father’s before me is passed onto my son and that these are seeds that grow someone who is better. I am learning more and more about epigenetics (i.e., modifications to DNA that determine how genes are turned on and off), but I believe we pass on more than just our DNA to our offspring. We pass on traits that are Spiritual, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social, as well as Physical. This is we see more than the physical characteristics (this reminds me of my dear friend John McGuire, who taught me how we share “the same facial disfigurements” with our fathers) passed on to our children and passed on from our parents.

Father’s Day is a celebration of fathers, of course. It is also a stark reminder to fathers and would-be fathers of the tremendous responsibility that comes with fatherhood. Few (i.e., none) can say that their father was perfect. No matter the parenting we received (or didn’t receive), each is responsible for the father they are or will be for their children.

“Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children” (Proverbs 17:6).

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!!

It is graduation season. It is cause for the celebration of the accomplishments of our young (and in some college situations, our older adults). For some parents—and there are far too many—this season is a reminder of loss and what could have been. Today’s message is for the families that missed out on graduation—proms, sports, concerts, plays, and all the things that high schoolers do. Know that your child is not forgotten. Know that you are loved and that we understand the void in your heart that grows bigger with each missed memory.

We need to remember that for all that brings us joy there are some who celebrate with us despite an emptiness that will never go away. Acknowledge the chair that was not placed, the name that was not called, and the diploma that was not printed.

It is easy to get caught up in our own lives and celebrations and to forget the pain that many parents carried through every school day and missed milestone—and will continue to carry. Let’s not forget these parents and especially the child who missing graduation.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!!

“Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.”—Harold S. Geneen

I almost want to just leave this quote to stand for itself. We live in a world where most do not want to lead and are willing to follow anyone who says what they want to hear. Too often we hear the words and ignore the attitudes and the actions (or inactions as the case may so often be). I don’t know what is the hardest to swallow—that we produce so few qualified leaders or that we don’t seem to care.

We all have our circles in which we are called to lead. Are we stepping up or stepping back? Is our leadership apparent in our actions or are leading merely with our words. The world needs our leadership in action and in attitude (better: in grattitude).

To lead is to serve. It is not to be served.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

“Achievement is not always success, while reputed failure often is. It is honest endeavor, persistent effort to do the best possible under any and all circumstances.”—Orison Swett Marden

Be your best today; be better tomorrow. To be better tomorrow suggest that there is always room to grow. “Success” is an elusive goal—an asymptote. If this is so (and I believe it is), we “fail” more often than we “succeed.”

In exercise science, we talk of “progressive overload”—for a body system to adapt, it must be challenged to a level greater than that to which it is accustomed. Persistent effort. Best today. Better tomorrow.

Achievement comes with progressive challenges. The grind. It is not a gift or an inheritance. It requires “persistent effort to do the best possible under any and all circumstances.”

Expect and accept failure as part of the path to success. Learn from it. Grow from it. Be grateful for it. (Grattitude.) Know that falling forward is still progress.

Pursue success with a sense of Purpose. Work and welcome failure as achievement. Fail today and be better tomorrow.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!