Month: January 2023

I write about “well-centered fitness.” As an exercise physiologist and an exercise science professor by profession, I consider health—and the prospect of universal health (vs. “universal health care”)—to be a bio-mechanical-psycho-social construct (for more about this tune into The Aging Well Podcast for Episode 73 which airs on March 5^th). Well-centered fitness, for anyone new to this blog, involves the balance of the Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social dimensions of wellness. Most will not contest the importance of Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social wellness. I have, however, been told that “I am an atheist and don’t think there is a spiritual component to wellness.” I have also seen many who believe that their Spiritual well-centeredness rests in their religious faith and practice.

Spiritual well-centeredness is for all. Indeed, true Spiritual well-centeredness has no dependence on one’s belief in a god. It is defined simply as a belief that there is something “greater than self.” It is my experience that religion (that is the construct of religion as a shared system of beliefs and practices that tends to separate us) limits one’s Spiritual well-centeredness. Christianity, for example, is increasingly divided—Protestant, Catholic (Roman, Eastern, Orthodox, etc.), non-denominational, Baptist, Methodists, etc. Jesus, however, defined religion as caring for the “widowed and the fatherless” (James 1:27)—that is to care for something other than self. Religion also defines God. I have come to name the god who I believe in as “God” (like the use of “Lord” in the English translations of the Old Testament of the Christian Bible). The use of “God” signifies a god/God who transcend my comprehension and is Universal. It signifies that God who is defined as love, is the God of Creation (the Creation of the Book of Genesis and the God who emerges as one seeks to understand the science of Creation and the Universe), and the God who unites us all (Alpha to Omega) through the energy and forces that are revealed but not wholly understood by quantum physics. I use God to remind me that my beliefs are limited, and my Spiritual understanding is incomplete. I profess God to remind myself that I am not the center of the Universe and that my actions (and inactions) have consequences that ripple through time and space. It reminds me that my faith is inadequate (and often self-serving). Spiritual well-centeredness is kaizen (constant self-improvement) for the sake of others. It is a belief that “all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28)—the good of the infinite Universe/Creation. It is also grattitude (the attitude of gratitude).

Does one need to be religious or believe in a god/God to be Spiritually well-centered no. I personally believe, however, that God exists as the asymptote of well-centered fitness (and that includes the Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social dimensions, as well as the Spiritual). I find that God is at the center of my “best today” and “better tomorrow.”

As one who professes to be a follower of Jesus and thus “Christian”, I believe Spiritual well-centeredness is defined by the two great commandments—to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-40). When we see this as a Universal commandment, we see it transcends religion and religious practice. Even an atheist (who can transcend “self”), then, can be “Spiritual.”

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento.

Kaizen is the Japanese word for continuous improvement.  It is a theme that is central to “well-centered fitness.” It is a personal philosophy.

I have posted less frequently to this blog than I have in the past because I am cohosting a podcast (“The Aging Well Podcast”) with a former student. We initiated the podcast as a way of informing others (and ourselves) about self-improvement and aging with an attitude of kaizen.

It is my son’s final year of high school wrestling. After a bit of a disruption following a car accident his junior season, be is back on track and improving every time he steps on the mat. There is a saying in wrestling that there are no losers, “there are only winners and learners.” It is one of the many life-lessons from the sport. (It is my hope that my son will continue to wrestle in college, as he has yet to peak physically, as well as technically—and I just enjoy watching his pursuit of success.) I am inspired by his attitude. The goal is to get on the podium at state. Every match until the last is a learning opportunity.

Some will tell us that we peak early in life and that aging is just a downhill slide. I call “bull****!” Yes, we will be our strongest and fastest in our earlier years, but performance (especially physical performance) is relative—what are our peers doing? And for most, who never pursued the pinnacle of athletic performance, there is likely some room remaining for improvement. Challenged by my high school wrestlers who I am coaching in strength and conditioning, I recently surprised them (and myself) when I deadlifted 385 pounds cold (without a warmup)—something I don’t think I could have done in my 20s. (I think I could have pulled more that day.) I turn 60 in April. I don’t want to stop.

Beyond the physical, there should be no peak in our growth Spiritually, Intellectually, Emotionally, and Socially. Kaizen. We may have failures along the way (failure is, of course, part of the growth process), and we must be smarter in how we manage the overload (remember that growth requires a stimulus, and the stimulus follows the physiological principle of progressive overload—i.e., for a body system to adapt, it must be stressed to a level greater than that to which it is accustomed).

Kaizen is an attitude. It is a fruit of grattitude. It is the asymptote of success.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!!

We have a Christmas tradition. (It is more of my Christmas tradition.) We do a couple of puzzles—ideally difficult puzzles—over the holiday break. We try to find puzzles of places we have visited (this year, it was Glacier National Park) and/or the most difficult puzzles we can find (my dad still curses the red glass apple on a black background I gave him years ago). This year it was a puzzle from the movie Elf. More specifically, it was a collage of Buddy Elf’s (i.e., Will Ferrell’s) faces. (I realized that Will Ferrell’s eyes never change. Only the shape of his mouth.)

I always start puzzles by laying out the boarder. The pieces of this puzzle were not interlocking and the image on the puzzle box cut off the boarder images. I had to put the boarder together not knowing if the image on the box was even the image of the puzzle. And, of course, the boarder kept breaking apart (the pieces did not interlock, remember).

I approach puzzles systematically. I decided to remove all pieces that did not have facial features. This was, in part, to make room on the table to slide the boarder around—the boarder that broke apart every time you would move it. This also permitted us to tackle the puzzle one face at a time—one Will Ferrell stare at a time.

Live is like a Will Ferrell puzzle. (I can’t help but hear that sentence in the voice of Forrest Gump as I write it.) We must approach it one challenge (one opportunity) at a time.

As we begin a new year, it may start a confusing mess like the Elf puzzle. If we take it one “piece” at a time—one challenge/opportunity at a time—we will manage. Start with a goal. Devise a plan. Attack the goal strategically.

I believe whole-heartedly that our lives are interconnected (like the pieces of the puzzle—and more or less interlocking) and Purposeful. Don’t discount the events of the year—good or bad. Know that all things work together for the greater good.

I wish all who read this (and those who don’t) a blessed and growth-filled 2023—and beyond.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow!

Carpe momento!! (Carpe annum!!)