Month: May 2017

“When you go to the mountains, you see them and you admire them. In a sense, they give you a challenge, and you try to express that challenge by climbing them.” Sir Edmund Hillary

What is challenging you?  Who is that person who is doing something really awesome that your wish you could do?  What is holding you back?

Heard the expression, “making a mountain out of a molehill”?  It is usually meant to express that we are making a big deal out of something minor.  What if we put a little twist on this and made it something to be sought after?  Suppose we want to make a mountain out of a molehill.  Molehills are minor annoyances.  In fact, any time I have found a molehill in my yard, it was more of a hole.  Mountains, the other hand, are majestic and awesome.  They are to be beheld.  Mountains are to be conquered.  They beckon to be climbed, according to Sir Edmond Hillary.  So, climb ‘em!

Find your molehill and make it a mountain.  Find what gives you a challenge and climb!

Life is too grand to be viewed as a molehill.  No opportunity is so small.  Go.  Admire. Receive the challenge.  Climb!

Carpe momento!

The greatest gift in life is who you become as a result of it.

I often find inspiration in the sport of wrestling—especially long after my lackluster high school career has ended.  Recently, Women’s Wrestling: Breaking the Stereotype* shared this meme:

“Wrestling isn’t easy.  Nor should it be.  For the greatest gift this sport will give is who you will become as a result of it.”

True of wrestling.  Even more true of life.  I am a firm believer that life is a path to Purpose.  Things happen that shape us—and those around us.  I am who I am—I am becoming who I am becoming—because of this life that I have been blessed to experience.  The good.  The bad.  The ugly.  Everything has shaped me.  Life is shaping me.  The more I realize this—the more I acknowledge this—the happier I am.  I am increasingly content and satisfied in life knowing that I am deserving of nothing but the recipient of all that I need.  I am blessed because I acknowledge that I am blessed.

My wants and dreams are simple—“be your best today; be better tomorrow”.  I desire this for myself.  I desire it for my children and wife—for all the lives that I touch.  There is nothing more I want.  Life is giving me the greatest gift.

Carpe momento!

*www.facebook.com/Womens-Wrestling-Breaking-the-Stereotype-216065635458807/?pnref=story

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.

Not all inspiration has to be serious.  Indeed, I prefer the lighter side of life.  I have loved Monty Python since my teen years, and little has changed in this regard.  Going forward, I want to keep laughing.  Life will have its share of gristle.  “When you’re chewing on life’s gristle, don’t grumble, give a whistle!”

I dare anyone to read the lyrics that follow and not smile.  Maybe you will even sing along.

Life demands that we don’t take ourselves too seriously.  We mustn’t forget to “laugh and smile and dance and sing.”

Laughter is healthy.  Laughter is the best medicine, as Reader’s Digest showed us for years.  Norman Cousins told us that “hearty laughter is a good way to jog internally without having to go outdoors.”

When life deals a blow, call it a “flesh wound”.  Smile.  When life is difficult, “just purse your lips and whistle”.  What can it hurt?

Mattie Stepanek taught me to “remember to play after every storm”.  Indeed, when possible, I always try to play in the storm.

Carpe momento!

“Cheer up, Brian. You know what they say.
Some things in life are bad,
They can really make you mad.
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you’re chewing on life’s gristle,
Don’t grumble, give a whistle!
And this’ll help things turn out for the best
And

Always look on the bright side of life!

Always look on the bright side of life
If life seems jolly rotten,
There’s something you’ve forgotten!
And that’s to laugh and smile and dance and sing,

When you’re feeling in the dumps,
Don’t be silly chumps,
Just purse your lips and whistle — that’s the thing!
And always look on the bright side of life

Come on!

Always look on the bright side of life

For life is quite absurd,
And death’s the final word.
You must always face the curtain with a bow!
Forget about your sin — give the audience a grin,
Enjoy it, it’s the last chance anyhow!

So always look on the bright side of death!
Just before you draw your terminal breath.
Life’s a piece of shit,
When you look at it.

Life’s a laugh and death’s a joke, it’s true,
You’ll see it’s all a show,
Keep ’em laughing as you go.
Just remember that the last laugh is on you!

And always look on the bright side of life

Always look on the bright side of life

Come on guys, cheer up

Always look on the bright side of life

Always look on the bright side of life

Worse things happen at sea you know

Always look on the bright side of life

I mean, what have you got to lose?
you know, you come from nothing
you’re going back to nothing
what have you lost? Nothing!

Always look on the bright side of life”

Lyrics: Eric Idle © BMG Rights Management US, LLC

Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ryanwunsch/14331924701

“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.”—Wilma Rudolph

What are the limits to human potential?  Recently, Eliud Kipchoge, a 32-year-old Kenyan runner, ran the 26.2-mile marathon distance in 2:00:25.  The run was on the Formula One track in Monza, Italy and is not an official world record, but…WOW!  The pace necessary to run a 2-hour marathon is 4:34.5 per mile.  Kipchoge averaged 4:35.7.

It is amazing to think that that on May 6, 1954 (coincidentally, I am writing this on May 6th) Roger Bannister ran the first sub-four-minute mile.  Today, a mere 63 years later, athletes are approaching this pace for a full marathon!  It is utterly amazing.

The limits of human performance continue to fascinate me as a physiologist.  “Can’t” is a useless word.  Surely, we are coming ever-closer to the limits of the human potential, but no sooner do we say this than someone comes along and does the “impossible”.

We must not allow ourselves to be limited to the possibilities of today’s standard.  We must continually seek to move the perceived asymptote of our potential.  I wrote recently about eliminating the box that contains us (See “Think Outside the Box”).  We have to see beyond the limits of our perception.  We get to imagine possibilities that seem to the ordinary to be out of reach.  We get to be (extra)ordinary—and beyond.

How are you and I limiting ourselves, today?  Remove the limitation and seek the impossible.  Eliud Kipochoge shot for the 4:34.5 per mile pace and fell short.  He still ran 26.2 miles faster than anyone.  In Roger Bannister’s day, the 4-minute mile was “impossible”.  Bannister demonstrated that “Can’t” never does anything.  Kipochoge demonstrated that we can continue to rebel against the impossible.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow!

Carpe momento!

“Darkness is always at the mercy of light. If you want to be rid of darkness, light a lamp.”–Shane Hipps

Light and darkness are often depicted as opposites.  The same is so with love and hate.  In fact, these are not opposites.  Darkness is the absence of light.  Hate is the absence of love.  To rid the world of darkness, add light.  To vanquish hatred, love.  These are so simple, yet we struggle with these truths.

Our world is increasingly polarized—us versus them.  I am right.  You are wrong.  I am very open to the idea that I am wrong.  Indeed, I know full well that I am ignorant, even in the areas in which I have greater knowledge.  The vastness of the Universe.  The eternal nature of God.  These are all too big for my simple mind to contain.  To grow one must accept that there in room to grow.  The way of Truth is the way of Light.  Let it in and in drives out the darkness.  To try to work against the darkness is like pushing against the wind.

There is always room for light.  A small amount of light allows us to see, but it is only when the fullness of light enters the room that we can see clearly.

The light in the room, however, must be balanced.  Otherwise, parts of the room remain in the shadows.

We have a house that was built in the ‘90s with recessed lighting.  It (the lighting) is horrible!  It never sufficiently lights the room.  We either sit in shadows, or we must light area lamps to add to the ceiling light.  It is never sufficient.  We can keep adding light, but the room is never quite full.

This is the concept of Spiritual “well-centeredness”.  Religion adds light to our Spiritual lives, but, alone, it is wholly inadequate and often focused in small areas of our lives.  Small acts of love and self-centeredness have a seemingly small effect until united with the Universal acts of others.  Love drives out hate.  Knowledge drives out ignorance.  Truth conquers fear.  Life overcomes death.

My light, albeit small and insignificant, is illuminates the darkness.  Its effect is only seen when it is joined by the light of others.

Being (extra)ordinary comes from the desire to be that small light that adds all that it is able to the greater Universe.  Be your best (light) today; be better (brighter) tomorrow!

Carpe momento!

“Sometimes when you get disappointment it makes you stronger.”—David Rudisha

I write about my kids quite often.  What can I say?  I am a proud father.  I am most proud when I see the response of my children to defeat or “failure”.  My son has surprised me more than a few times with his level of maturity and tenacity.  This week was no exception.

We were pretty confident that he would make his select lacrosse team as a goalie.  They were to take only two goalies, and only two showed up for the Saturday practice/tryout.  There were three goalies on Sunday, but with his performances this season, we felt certain that he would be selected.  We learned on Monday that he did not.

My stomach sank when I got the news.  I was certain that he would be devastated.  I considered what I would say for my entire commute home from work.  Well, apparently, the things I have been saying to my children over the last 11 years have registered.  As it was, I didn’t have to say much.  He told me that he was disappointed, but pointed out that the alternates get to practice with the select team.  He had determined that he would go to every practice and “show the coaches”.  What an attitude!

When we are disappointed, we have two choices—always, we have choices!  We can 1) quit, or 2) we can step up and prove our detractors wrong.  In life, after all, there are only winners and learners.  We are disappointed more often than we win.  Thus, we are (or should be) learners.  We take what we get, and we grow.  No complaining, just more effort to get better.

I was afraid that my son might lose interest in playing goalie.  Instead, he insisted that he wanted to be in the cage the next game.  Indeed, I saw a bit more determination in his eyes that game.  Yeah, I am a proud father.

Whatever our circumstances, we have an opportunity to rise up and show the world what it is missing.  So, let’s do this!

Carpe momento!

Food Blues

I am an old-school country music fan and a fan of Bobby Bare.  Among my favorites is ‘Food Blues’.  Now, I have not resigned myself to “beer, whiskey, women and sweet red wine”, yet, but the song inspires me to worry a little less about what I eat and to eat for health with the perspective of enjoyment, as well.

I am wrapping up a bit of a “recomp-ing” (body recompositioning, i.e., trying to gains some muscle and lose some fat to hit a specific goal by the end of the month).  I am close to the goal.  I’d be closer, if I chose to be strict with my eating—meal plans, more careful calorie and macro counting, and no beer or wine—but I am doing fine.  After this end date, I just want to be more conscious of my eating but remain relaxed about it too.

We can get very stressed about our food.  Almost daily, I see an article about the “5 foods you should never eat” or the “5 foods you should always eat” (it is always 3 or 5 things!).  Now there are some foods to avoid, but we don’t have to go overboard.  There is some truth to the waiter’s advice at Rosie’s, even 37 years after Bobby Bare recorded the song, but worry will likely lead to a speedier death.

So, as I begin my 55th year, I will continue to be conscious of the foods I eat, but not let it overwhelm me.  I’ll make good choices, overall, but I will all room for some less than good choices.  I’ll be fine. Push come to shove, I’ll just remember that “he did not mention beer, whiskey, women (i.e., the lovely wife) and sweet red wine”!

Carpe momento

“I was waitin’ in Rosie’s Restaurant
When the waiter came up and said what do you want
I looked at the menu and it looked so nice
Till he said lemme give you some advice.

He said spaghetti and potatoes got too much starch
Pork chops and sausage are bad for your heart
There’s hormones in chicken and beef and veal
Bowl of ravioli is a dead man’s meal.

Bread got preservatives there’s nitrites in ham
Artificial coloring in jellies and jam
Stay away from donuts run away from pie
Pepperoni pizza is a sure way to die.

Sugar rots your teeth and makes you put on weight
But artificial sweetener’s got cyclamates
Eggs got cholesterol, there’s fat in cheese
Coffee ruins your kidneys and so does tea.

Fish got mercury, red meat is poison
Salt’s gonna send your blood pressure risin’
Hot dogs and bologna got deadly red dyes
Vegetables and fruits are sprayed with pesticides.

So I said what can I eat that’s gonna make me last
He said a small drink of water in a sterilized glass
And then he stopped and he thought for a minute
And said never mind the water, there’s carcinogenics in it.

So I got up from the table and walked out in the street
Realizin’ there was nothin’ I could eat
I ain’t eaten for a month and I’m feeling fine
‘Cause he did not mention beer, whiskey, women and sweet red wine…”

(Lyrics by Shel Silverstein)

 

We Will Rock You/We are the Champions.

How can I not include these two song on my list of songs that inspire me going into my 55^th year?  For those of us old enough to remember 45s, we remember always playing the A and B sides of this record in sequence.  The songs always take me back to wrestling my freshman year in high school against Upper St. Clair.  They foolishly tried to psych us out by playing these two songs as we arrived in the gymnasium.  It backfired on them, of course!

Even my 11-year-old song cranks up the volume to these songs.  They inspire.  The get the adrenaline pumping.  It is on my workout mix not only for the workout, but to motivate me for the day to come.

I expect success in the coming year.  Time to rock it out and be my best!

Carpe momento!

“Buddy you’re a boy make a big noise
Playin’ in the street gonna be a big man some day
You got mud on yo’ face
You big disgrace
Kickin’ your can all over the place
Singin’

We will we will rock you
We will we will rock you

Buddy you’re a young man hard man
Shouting in the street gonna take on the world some day
You got blood on yo’ face
You big disgrace
Wavin’ your banner all over the place

We will we will rock you
Sing it
We will we will rock you

Buddy you’re an old man poor man
Pleadin’ with your eyes gonna make
You some peace some day
You got mud on your face
Big disgrace
Somebody betta put you back into your place

We will we will rock you
Sing it
We will we will rock you
Everybody
We will we will rock you
We will we will rock you
Alright

I’ve paid my dues
Time after time.
I’ve done my sentence
But committed no crime.
And bad mistakes ‒
I’ve made a few.
I’ve had my share of sand kicked in my face
But I’ve come through.

(And I need just go on and on, and on, and on)

We are the champions, my friends,
And we’ll keep on fighting ’til the end.
We are the champions.
We are the champions.
No time for losers
‘Cause we are the champions of the world.

I’ve taken my bows
And my curtain calls.
You brought me fame and fortune, and everything that goes with it.
I thank you all.
But it’s been no bed of roses,
No pleasure cruise.
I consider it a challenge before the whole human race,
And I ain’t gonna lose.

(And I need just go on and on, and on, and on)

We are the champions, my friends,
And we’ll keep on fighting ’til the end.
We are the champions.
We are the champions.
No time for losers
‘Cause we are the champions of the world.

We are the champions, my friends,
And we’ll keep on fighting ’til the end.
We are the champions.
We are the champions.
No time for losers
‘Cause we are the champions.”

(Lyrics by Brian May & Freddie Mercury)

My wife and I were discussing regret and repentance.  Certainly, we all have done things in life that we wish we had not done—and things we should have done.  Unfortunately, we cannot undo what is done.  Thus, we live with our actions and/or inactions.

I have come to a point in life where I don’t have any regrets.  No denial here, and by no means am I free of mistakes and bad decisions.  I regret nothing, however.

The word, “regret”, has its origin in the Old French and Middle English words for ‘to bemoan the dead’.  In other words, it represents an act of mourning for something that cannot be changed.  Dead, after all, is dead.  It has occurred to me that regret is not an action, it is a reaction.  When we make a mistake, or do something “regrettable”, we have a choice.  We can continue to relive the mistake—to bemoan the dead—or we can move forward and grow.  The latter is repentance.  Regret is reliving the past over and over.  It has no benefit.  Repentance is change.  It is growth.

Regret is to hope, in vain, for a do-over–a “Mulligan”–that can never happen.  Regret is not emotionally “well-centered”.  Regret stagnates growth and holds us forever in the pool of our own tears and self-loathing.  In many cases, regret only occurs when we get caught in our regrettable act.  We often regret getting caught in our action or being found out as the source of ones hurt.  Regret is many things, but it is not repentance.

I am thinking about a lot of things as I enter into my 55^th year.  All things positive.  I have no room for regrets as I move forward.  Yes, I am sorry for things done and undone in the past, but these are in the past.  The parties affected have long since moved on.  Decisions—good or bad—have led me to where I am and the path I am taking.  I dare not change a thing.  I just hope to not repeat that mistakes of the past.  I want to be my best today and be better tomorrow. 

Carpe momento!

“Fear is stupid. So are regrets.”—Marilyn Monroe

Image: https://www.go-oregon.com/OR-Arch-Cape-Sunset/

Eye of the Tiger.

What can I say?  I am a sucker for the music from the Rocky movies.  Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” possibly leads the pack.  It is a mainstay of my daily workout mix.  How can it not motivate?  Taking chances.  Going the distance.  Fighting to keep dreams alive.  Rising up.  Staying hungry.  Surviving.  This is life!  This is the pursuit of an (extra)ordinary success!

I love this song and the effect it has on me.  Whether I am working out or just going through my day, this song releases the adrenaline and gets the heart pumping.  At 5 AM, it is (almost) as good as coffee.

It is the thrill of the fight.  It is true that few of us are stepping into the ring with Clubber Lang.  Metaphorically, however, we step into the ring of life everyday—“rising up to the challenge of our rival”.  Carpe momento!

“Rising up, back on the street
Did my time, took my chances
Went the distance, now I’m back on my feet
Just a man and his will to survive

So many times it happens too fast
You trade your passion for glory
Don’t lose your grip on the dreams of the past
You must fight just to keep them alive

It’s the eye of the tiger
It’s the thrill of the fight
Rising up to the challenge of our rival
And the last known survivor
Stalks his prey in the night
And he’s watching us all with the eye of the tiger

Face to face, out in the heat
Hanging tough, staying hungry
They stack the odds still we take to the street
For the kill with the skill to survive

It’s the eye of the tiger
It’s the thrill of the fight
Rising up to the challenge of our rival
And the last known survivor
Stalks his prey in the night
And he’s watching us all with the eye of the tiger

Rising up, straight to the top
Had the guts, got the glory
Went the distance, now I’m not gonna stop
Just a man and his will to survive

It’s the eye of the tiger
It’s the thrill of the fight
Rising up to the challenge of our rival
And the last known survivor
Stalks his prey in the night
And he’s watching us all with the eye of the tiger

The eye of the tiger
The eye of the tiger
The eye of the tiger
The eye of the tiger”

(Written by Frank Sullivan, Jim Peterik, Copyright © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.)