Enjoy Your Life: Change Your Point of View

"Two men look out through the same bars: One sees the mud, and one sees the stars."- Frederick Langbridge, A Cluster of Quiet Thoughts

If you’ve placed second in a writing contest, will you jump for joy and push for better results the next time or will you be discouraged and find an excuse not to join again?

In life, you are always filled with choices. You may opt to have a pessimist’s view and live a self-defeated life or you may decide to take the optimist’s route and take a challenging and fulfilling life.

So why nurture an optimist’s point of view? And why now?

Well, optimism has been linked to positive mood and good morale; to academic, athletic, military, occupational and political success; to popularity; to good health and even to long life and freedom from trauma.

On the other hand, the rates of depression and pessimism have never been higher. It affects middle-aged adults the same way it hits younger people. The mean age of onset has gone from 30 to 15. It is no longer a middle-aged housewife’s disorder but also a teen-ager’s disorder’ as well.

Here’s how optimists are in action and researches that back up why it really pays to be an optimist:

Optimists expect the best so they enjoy it

The defining characteristic of pessimists is that they tend to believe bad events, which will last a long time and undermine everything they do, are their own fault.

The truth is optimists are confronted with the same hard knocks of this world. What differs is the way they explain their misfortune—it’s the opposite way. They tend to believe defeat is just a temporary setback, that its causes are confined to this one case.

Optimists tend to focus on and plan for the ‘problem’ at hand. They use ‘positive reinterpretation.’ In other words, they most likely reinterpret a negative experience in a way that helps them learn and grow. Such people are unfazed by bad situation, they perceive it is a challenge and try harder.

They won’t say “things will never get better,” “If I failed once, it will happen again” and “If I experience misfortune in one part of my life, then it will happen in my whole life.”

Positive expectancies of optimists also predict better reactions during transitions to new environments, sudden tragedies and unlikely turn of events. If they fall, they will stand up. They see opportunities instead of obstacles.

People respond positively to optimists

Optimists are proactive and less dependent on others for their happiness. They find no need to control or manipulate people. They usually draw people towards them. Their optimistic view of the world can be contagious and influence those they are with.

Optimism seems a socially desirable trait in all communities. Those who share optimism are generally accepted while those who spread gloom, panic and hysteria are treated unfavorably.

In life, these people often win elections; get voted most congenial and sought for advice.

When the going gets tough, optimists get tougher

Optimists typically maintain higher levels of subjective well-being during times of stress than do people who are less optimistic. In contrast, pessimists are likely to react to stressful events by denying that they exist or by avoiding dealing with problems. Pessimists are more likely to quit trying when difficulties arise.

They persevere. They just don’t give up easily, they are also known for their patience. Inching their way a step closer to that goal or elusive dream.

Optimists are healthier and live longer

Medical research has justified that simple pleasures and a positive outlook can cause a measurable increase in the body’s ability to fight disease.

Optimists’ health is unusually good. They age well, much freer than most people from the usual physical ills of middle age. And they get to outlive those prone to negative thoughts.

So why not be an optimist today? And think positively towards a more fulfilled life.

Why not look forward to success in all your endeavors? Why not be resilient? Like everybody else you are bound to hit lows sometimes but don’t just stay there. Carry yourself out of the mud and improve your chances of getting back on the right track. And why not inspire others to remove their dark-colored glasses and see life in the bright side?

Encourage someone you know who needs to change their life to visit our site and get an encouragement message each day that will help them turn their life around fast.

See you later

Ron

Energy Healing 101: Pranic, Tantric, and Reiki

You have probably come across exotic-sounding terms such as “chakra”, “prana”, “aura”, and “tantra” in your course of reading books on spirituality, sex, and healing in the New Age literature section of the bookstore. But what’s the real scoop behind these exotic vocabularies?

Are All Energy Healings the Same?

Chakra or energy center is a term used in Pranic healing, an ancient Hindu system of energy healing. “Prana” means life energy. “Aura” is another terminology traced to Pranic healing. Aura is a non-physical body that consists of energy, which exists along with our physical body. The aura that covers our body is said to have seven layers pertaining to the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of an individual as manifested by energy. Studying the color and thickness of auras give ideas on the state of health of individuals. Six colors are associated with aura and interpreted into six personalities. These colors are all present in an individual but one or two are more pronounced.
    Green – ambitious achiever
    Blue – spiritual peacemaker
    White – unconventional chameleon
    Red – activist
    Orange – creative communicator
    Violet - psychic

Although Tantra is popularly associated with the peculiar practice of sex and spirituality, it is another method of energy healing. It comes from the word “tan” which means to spread or expand. The concept of connectedness is a recurring theme in Tantric writings on sex and spirituality. As a method of healing, spirituality and sex figure prominently. It is presupposed that the union of man and woman can reach spiritual levels during orgasm, which removes the body and mind off collected impurities. These impurities being negative energies can in turn manifest as physical illnesses.

Unlike Pranic and Tantric healings, which have Hindu origins, Reiki originated from Japan. It is relatively younger than Pranic and Tantric healings having been rediscovered in the early 1900’s. Reiki stands for universal energy, an energy brought forth by higher intelligence. Students of Reiki are taught how to tap this energy to heal physical, emotional, and mental illnesses.

Although Pranic, Tantra, and Reiki are all systems of energy healing, they differ in the type of energy tapped for healing: life energy, sexual energy, and universal energy respectively.

The concepts of the connectedness of mind, body, and spirit; the connection of individuals to all living and nonliving things around them and to the universe; and how energy impacts physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being are some of the salient similarities of these three healing methods.

Why Do People Turn to Energy Healing?

Pranic, Tantric, and Reiki are considered alternative methods of healing. In spite of the availability and relative accessibility of modern medicine, how come more and more people are being drawned to them? Here are some possible reasons:
   
· Energy healing worked where modern medicine failed.

For several reasons both explainable and unexplainable, modern medical treatment failed to heal ailments and conditions in several if not many persons. Research or data may not be able to support this statement. But for the families of the dying as well as for the dying patient, they would take the risk of using alternative methods ranging from herbals and organics, faith healers, witch doctors, and New Age healing techniques just to be get well.

· People perceive modern medicine to be isolating.

Medical treatments are oftentimes focused on the disease and its causative agent, which can make a patient feel isolated and treated like a mere host of the disease. Although recent developments in hospital practice are gradually promoting the holistic treatment of a patient, the perception still persists. Unlike in energy healing, since energy and spirituality are intimately linked, the patient feels that all aspects of his health are being attended to.

· Energy healing is non-obtrusive and natural thus it is safer.

Repeated surgical procedures are physically and emotionally traumatic for most patients. It is but a logical and attractive option to both patient and families to look for less stressful health interventions. Moreover, with the rising popularity of New Age religions, going natural is the way to go.

· Energy healing is a good way of relieving stress.

Meditation is part and parcel of energy healing methods and this is an added come-on for highly stressed people. Moreover, sophisticated equipment is not required thus it becomes all the more convenient for students and future students of energy healing.

The battle between alternative healing and mainstream medicine continues as both present the benefits of their approach. But in the final analysis, what matters is the restoration of good health.  

Personally although I believe in the concept of using internal energy forces for healing of my body I have found prayer in a Christian context to give far better and long lasting results. One of the major problems I find within the New Age movement is the emphasis on short term feelings and how you feel is influenced by what energy is being given out by the position of a star millions of years away or spirits in another world connected to dead people. The bible states very strongly that this communication with the spirit world is prohibitted and dangerous.

Nevertheless I am totally convinced that we do need to have some energy that is created within us by beliefs in ourself as being a valuable resource and will continue to promote that as a way of life.

See you later

Ron

Discipline and Commitment—Two Important Motivational Accessories to a Healthier Life

Motivation—if you don’t have it, accomplishing anything seems doubtful to impossible; if you do have it, at its best, it can seem like anything is possible. You need some degree of motivation in daily life, even for things as simple as getting out of bed in the morning.

Commitment runs along the same lines.  Trying to accomplish anything without commitment makes the accomplishment cold and joyless. Lack of discipline in any endeavor leaves you rootless and confused. 

A healthy, long, and vigorous life certainly takes discipline and commitment.  You certainly can’t live your life eating banana cream pie for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and expect to be healthy and vibrant in your later years. You may love banana cream pie; it may be your secret passion, but if you are motivated and committed to a healthy lifestyle, summoning up the discipline to push the pie away won’t be as heartbreakingly hard.

Putting your ambitions into words makes it easier to summon the discipline and commitment needed to achieve them.  Writing them down on paper may make them feel more real to you.  Sit back and visualize what you desire and describe it in words.   Do you want to be around, strong and vital, when your children are grown and start to have children of your own?  Do you want to reverse what seems the genetic pattern of your family’s heart problems? Do you simply want to look smashingly lean and wear your clothes well? All are lifelong commitments and ones that require strong commitment and the discipline to see it through.

What will you need to do to accomplish these goals?  Does something need to happen before you can begin, such as losing weight or stopping smoking? Here is where discipline is learned and utilized. You will definitely see just how committed you are to your goal and learn exactly how much commitment is needed.

Even if you feel tremendously committed, the will to succeed will be thoroughly tested.  That’s why they call it willpower! You may want with all your heart to be as slim and elegant as Angelina Jolie, but there are banana cream pies calling your name! The simple fact is discipline needs to be exercised before it can be the formidable friend you need. As a little green wise man in Star Wars once said, “Do or do not. There is no try.” That means exactly what it says; you will either conquer your temptations or not.  Those who have quitted smoking know exactly what that means.  You may chew nicotine gum or wear a patch or use some other kind of aid, simply, you either will or will not put the cigarette in your mouth. Slowly, heartbreakingly slowly, the overwhelming urge will decrease until one day you will find that the urge will still be there, but now it is manageable.

Losing weight is much more difficult because whereas with smoking, where you refrain from any kind of tobacco, you need to eat several times every day.  That kind of commitment and dedication needs to be on hand all the time. The trouble is, your brain and taste buds remember in vivid detail what a piece of chocolate cake or a bag of potato chips taste like, and they are reminding you in a demanding way.  Here’s where your discipline and commitment are needed big time.

The only entity that can control your impulses is you.  This can be an incredibly empowering or profoundly depressing fact.

 But, again, the only entity that can choose which reaction is you. Discipline and commitment, though hard won, will help you choose which path you follow.

See you later

Ron

MOTIVATION, THE HEART OF SELF IMPROVEMENT

Pain may sometimes be the reason why people change. Getting flunked grades make us realize that we need to study. Debts remind us of our inability to look for a source of income. Being humiliated gives us the ‘push’ to speak up and fight for ourselves to save our face from the next embarrassments. It may be a bitter experience, a friend’s tragic story, a great movie, or an inspiring book that will help us get up and get just the right amount of motivation we need in order to improve ourselves.

With the countless negativities the world brings about, how do we keep motivated? Try on the tips I prepared from A to Z…

A - Achieve your dreams. Avoid negative people, things and places. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

B - Believe in your self, and in what you can do.

C – Consider things on every angle and aspect. Motivation comes from determination. To be able to understand life, you should feel the sun from both sides.

D – Don’t give up and don’t give in. Thomas Edison failed once, twice, more than thrice before he came up with his invention and perfected the incandescent light bulb. Make motivation as your steering wheel.

E – Enjoy. Work as if you don’t need money. Dance as if nobody’s watching. Love as if you never cried. Learn as if you’ll live forever. Motivation takes place when people are happy.

F – Family and Friends – are life’s greatest ‘F’ treasures. Don’t loose sight of them.

G – Give more than what is enough. Where does motivation and self improvement take place at work? At home? At school? When you exert extra effort in doing things.

H – Hang on to your dreams. They may dangle in there for a moment, but these little stars will be your driving force.

I – Ignore those who try to destroy you. Don’t let other people to get the best of you. Stay out of toxic people – the kind of friends who hates to hear about your success.

J – Just be yourself. The key to success is to be yourself. And the key to failure is to try to please everyone.

K – keep trying no matter how hard life may seem. When a person is motivated, eventually he sees a harsh life finally clearing out, paving the way to self improvement.
L – Learn to love your self. Now isn’t that easy?

M – Make things happen. Motivation is when your dreams are put into work clothes.

N – Never lie, cheat or steal. Always play a fair game.

O – Open your eyes. People should learn the horse attitude and horse sense. They see things in 2 ways – how they want things to be, and how they should be.

P – Practice makes perfect. Practice is about motivation. It lets us learn repertoire and ways on how can we recover from our mistakes.

Q – Quitters never win. And winners never quit. So, choose your fate – are you going to be a quitter? Or a winner?

R – Ready yourself. Motivation is also about preparation. We must hear the little voice within us telling us to get started before others will get on their feet and try to push us around. Remember, it wasn’t raining when Noah build the ark.

S – Stop procrastinating.

T – Take control of your life. Discipline or self control jives synonymously with motivation. Both are key factors in self improvement.

U – Understand others. If you know very well how to talk, you should also learn how to listen. Yearn to understand first, and to be understood the second.

V – Visualize it. Motivation without vision is like a boat on a dry land.

W – Want it more than anything. Dreaming means believing. And to believe is something that is rooted out from the roots of motivation and self improvement.

X – X Factor is what will make you different from the others. When you are motivated, you tend to put on “extras” on your life like extra time for family, extra help at work, extra care for friends, and so on.

Y – You are unique. No one in this world looks, acts, or talks like you. Value your life and existence, because you’re just going to spend it once.

Z – Zero in on your dreams and go for it!!!

Handy Hints to Help Shape Up Your Body Image for Success

Carrying extra weight can lead to many problems–not only with your health, but with your self-esteem as well.  Whether you have 15 pounds to lose or 50 pounds to lose, your body image can suffer severely when you feel that you do not look your best. Losing weight and following a good fitness and exercise routine can help you with your self-confidence and your body image.  This is often very difficult for many people to conquer.  How do you have a better self-image when you are in the process of losing large amounts of weight? Here are some tips to help shape up your body image so that you feel more comfortable with yourself and are more motivated to reach your weight-loss goals.

Look your best, feel your best:

It should go without saying that people who feel that they look good are the ones that convey a positive self confidence and body image.  Even people who are overweight can look great when they are confident about who they are.  Even if you are in the midst of losing large amounts of weight, you can still look your best when you look your best you feel your best. Just because you are overweight does not mean that you cannot enjoy all that life has to offer.  Do not neglect your looks or feel that you are undeserving.  Have your nails done. Get a new haircut.  Have your hair highlighted or permed. Go out and buy a new outfit that is flattering to your figure.  When you look good, then you feel good, and you will be more motivated to do everything it takes to shape up and get fit.

Find a picture of yourself looking your best:

Go through your old family photo albums to find a picture of yourself when you think you looked your best.  Perhaps it is because you were at your ideal weight or, you had a great haircut or a fabulous pair of shoes.  Take this picture out of the photo album and put it where you can look at it.  This is who you are, and this is who you want to be.  Even if you have gained 30 or 40 pounds since that picture was taken, you have what it takes to shape your body image and to look like that again.  All it takes is a little self-confidence and motivation on your part.  Remember that the person that you want to be is in there and you just need to work to find that person again.

Reward yourself for reaching your goals:

When you are trying to lose weight or to follow fitness program, you need to have some sort of reward system in place.  This will help you stick to your goals a little better and will give you something to look forward to when you reach these goals.  Of course, when you diet, your reward should never be related to food. Don’t even think about treating yourself to a banana spilt after all that hard work!  However, there are other things in which you can do to reward yourself.  How about buying that new purse that you have been looking at? Or how about treating yourself to a relaxing bubble bath or enjoying the newest movie that you have wanted to see? When you feel you have accomplished something, your image of yourself is better, and you have more confidence to continue with your goals.

Your body image is important.

When you have a positive outlook on life and feel good about your body and who you are, you will certainly stay more motivated to reach your final goals. Never let a poor self image get in your way!

See you later

Ron

Male Motivation for a Healthier Weight Loss Plan

Weight loss is difficult for everyone, and researchers have recently noted that men and women each face specific challenges when it comes to finding a road to viable weight loss. Although women tend to have a more difficult time in losing weight, men also face challenges. Here are some ideas for keeping up your motivation and striving for a healthier weight loss plan.

Team Up With a Buddy to Retain Maximum Motivation

One of the best ways to make sure you can sustain the kind of long term motivation that is necessary in order for a healthier weight loss plan is to team up with a fitness buddy. Teaming up with an exercise partner is a great way to stay motivated for the long haul. Specifically, teaming up with an exercise partner forces you to make a commitment. So when you don’t feel like doing exercise, you will hopefully be motivated by the knowledge that someone is depending on you.

Turn Exercise Into a Social Event

This is related to the idea of teaming up with an exercise partner. If you can manage to turn your exercise sessions into a social event, you know that you will be set up for the long haul. What can you do to make exercise fun? Choose a sport or activity that you enjoy and get ready to invite your friends over. Organize sports activities and invite interested parties to join you in a friendly game of football, softball, a round of golf, or whatever else you happen to be interested in. This is a great way to exercise and have fun while doing it. Just make sure that you don’t compromise your progress by splurging on pizza and beer afterwards.

Join the Muscle Bound Crowd at the Gym

Joining a gym may seem like an obvious choice, but there is a reason so many men dominate the gyms. For men, a small dose of competition is all that is necessary in order to stay motivated. A health club or gym may be all that is necessary in order to stay motivated. Lifting weights is an important part of bone health, although it should only be one component of your health and fitness regime. Take advantage of the variety and different machines offered by a professional gym.

Don’t Know How to Exercise? Find Someone Who Does

Have you been out of the exercise game for so long that you are not sure if you still remember how to stay in shape? If sounds familiar, you may want to consider finding a qualified professional trainer who can lead you through the sets that you need to do in order to get into shape. Most health clubs and gyms offer professional trainers. Take advantage of this and you will not need to muster your own motivation—your professional trainer will provide enough motivation for the two of you.

Take Up a New Sport or Fitness Activity to Stay Motivated

Variety is the spice of life, they say, and nowhere is this truer than when it comes to exercising. In order to stay motivated, you will want to find a number of physical activities that you truly enjoy. Also, make a mental note of all the sports you have always wanted to try, but have not yet gotten to. Have you always wanted to try boxing? What about tennis? Or maybe you have always wanted to try playing golf.

Get together with friends who are also interested and get started in tennis, golf, or whatever catches your eye. This is a great way to keep your workout fresh and interesting.

See you later

Ron

Important Ways to Motivate your Child to Exercise

Grandparents can remember when children’s TV programming came on television roughly at the time the sun came down during the winter months.  There was no such thing as a cartoon or kid’s channel.  That meant that if you didn’t want to stay inside (which made it a lot easier for someone to ask if you had homework) you were outside.  There were a few precious hours to play a game of ball or freeze tag; you could be on the neighbor’s patio learning the words and creating dance steps from the new Beatle’s song; or you could be practicing skate boarding or your big brother’s five speed bike (with or without his approval).

In other words, kids got a bunch of exercise because there really wasn’t much else to do.  The combination of outside stimuli and frenetic childhood energy just naturally had kids whooping and hollering until that first streetlight came on and it was time to come in.

Nobody had to tell us that the outdoors was fun; but for a multitude of reasons modern children haven’t gotten that message.  How, then, can today’s parents motivate their children to exercise?

The time to start your children exercising is before they can walk!  Put them on your back and show them you enjoy the outdoors; point out birds and cats and other interesting features of the neighborhood. Whistle and hop a little bit (babies like hopping) and give them the fun feeling of a body in motion and the idea that being outside is a fun place to be.  When they begin to walk, take them out to practice. If you have a bike, put them on the back for fun rides.  As the child gets older, supply them with some fun stuff to do.  This doesn’t have to be expensive; a tire hanging from a tree could suffice.  Also important is to furnish them with a nice, welcoming lawn, if possible.

Make exercising a fun family activity!  Start early by trooping the whole family out for a walk around the block for no reason except it’s nice to walk.  Be silly and sing at the top of your voice if you want (soon your children will be mortified if you do so, so take advantage now). Go hiking, swimming, and kicking around whatever nature is near to you.

Speaking of nature, while teaching your kids that the outside is not radioactive is also a good time to teach, or to let them discover, that nature is to be protected and respected.

Encourage any aspect of the outdoors they might be interested in, be it fuzzy caterpillars, birds, or animal tracks. This will also encourage them to be out and active.

Sports are another fine way to encourage exercise. Have family or neighborhood softball or whiffleball games.  Take your kid out to have a catch. Go to school games to encourage your child to strive, if that is his nature.  Even if your kid is a born spectator, that’s all right; he’s outside, jumping up and down, and yelling for his team.   

Perhaps you have noticed my drift, which is: it’s hard to get your kids up and motivated about exercise if you’re not.  Sitting on the couch and telling them to go out in the fresh air and run around may not sound as if you really mean it. If all of a sudden you decide that your kids are not fit enough and need to exercise, it will probably sound like one of mom or dad’s wild hairs that will go away in time if ignored long enough.

Taking your kids out and kicking a ball around outside not only tells the kids that you like the outside and exercise, it tells them that you like them too, and that spending time with them is something you enjoy.

See you later

Ron

Getting Real about Weight — How to Choose Realistic Goals for Yourself

It is said that when a man looks in the mirror, he sees himself as better-looking than he really is; when a woman looks in the mirror, she see herself as worse-looking than she really is.  There are also reports of grammar-school aged girls of normal weight who see themselves as overweight and refuse to eat.

Forty years or so since the Women’s Movement, the most primal of woman’s rights, the right to be judged on the woman herself — regardless of fashion or outside influences, seems to have not progressed much farther than to name the problem.  Some would say that that progress is amazing in its scope.  There are also people that say all of these theories are so much hot air.

How, then, is getting real about weight supposed to be accomplished?  Your grandmother says that you look like you’re starving; your brother still calls you by his childhood nickname for you that he based upon the width of your sit-upon.  The answer is that no one but you can choose realistic goals for weight or body shape. 

How do you begin to form these realistic goals?  It will take some truthful examination between your hopes, dreams, and personal tastes and the practical outside world.

Say, for example, that in your heart of hearts you would love to be the thin, wispy type like Kate Moss or Wynona Ryder.  In the practical outside world, you feel hypoglycemic unless you’ve had a substantial breakfast and a midmorning snack.  Bidding a fond farewell to the wispy image for the sake of your health is the only sane response.

You can, however, use dieting and exercise regimens to realize a healthy slimness. Girls with what used to be euphemistically called an hourglass figure (that means you have larger breasts, hips, and rear end) can’t do that much to change the body image they were born with.  Again, diet and exercise can help you be as healthy and slim as possible, but realizing that you have value far and above your proportions is the way to go.  You may know a high school best friend that was similarly formed, and when she finally got out of baggy sweatshirts and discovered v-neck shirts and belts that emphasized her small waist, she could not believe the response she received; not only from guys, but girls who couldn’t believe the change in her confidence and personality.   

Other factors than body appearance may have to be addressed in choosing realistic goals for your weight, because there are those who could give a toss what they see in the mirror and could give two tosses about what the outside world might have to say about their bodies. Eating a healthy diet and getting healthy exercise is getting real enough.

These days, some women have more physically demanding jobs than in times past; emergency med techs, fire and police departments have many women in their ranks. A woman engaged in this kind of strenuous activity might be able to eat more calories and can be, by definition, more physically fit.  Changing jobs or getting older may call for reappraisal as time goes by.

For, there will be for all of you the time when middle age can change the body in ways you may not expect.  You will suddenly realize you are gaining weight on the same amount of food you have always eaten.  There may appear several inches around your middle you can’t exercise away as easily as before.  Many women have a hard time recognizing that fact, but that is part of getting real about weight, and once that is realized, maintaining a healthy body and happy life.

A personal note to women in particular

Don’t let fashion dictate your shape. Go for something that will be you not what you think others are seeing. Personally I would prefer to see a woman who was comfortable with herself and feeling healthy than someone who was struggling to maintain a size zero shape.

See you later

Ron

Fresh Perspectives – Mixing Up your Workout Keeps Exercise Interesting

If you have a set exercise regime and you are frustrated with it or are starting to feel as though you want to skip it more often than you feel actively like doing it, it might be time to come up with a new exercise calendar.  Anyone who keeps one schedule for working out is bound to, sooner or later, fall into the feeling that the exercise routine is a stale one.  If you find yourself feeling that way at some points, you should consider an exercise makeover.  If you are not feeling frustrated or bored with your routine, but your routine is a definite routine, you might consider mixing up your workouts anyway in order to avoid developing that feeling at some point in the future.

Beyond Psychology

The above-mentioned reason for alternating one’s workouts is only the tip of the iceberg.  In addition to keeping things interesting for you psychologically, your muscles will also benefit from a little variety in your workout calendar.  When your body always experiences the same workout, your body becomes accustomed to the movements and the stress level.  You might have already heard that interval training on the treadmill is more effective than keeping a steady pace for a half hour.  It’s for the same reason that a varied workout calendar produces better muscular results than a routine workout that never changes.

In addition to helping work the largest percentage of muscle groups, there is also the benefit to the heart that comes from varying one’s stress level and activities inducing that stress level.  Interval training is good for the heart; alternating between low levels of cardiovascular intensity and higher levels of intensity will give your heart the best benefit.  Whether you’re working out for weight loss or for cardiovascular health, varying your workout will produce positive results.

Types of Exercise

An ideal workout regimen will include some cardiovascular exercise and some exercise that is weight-bearing and working muscles to fatigue.  It’s for this reason that the ideal workout regime includes some running or similar cardiovascular activity as well as some more muscular work such as weight lifting.  Another great option for slower types of exercise that really work muscles are something like ballet or yoga.  With today’s selection of DVD workouts, it is possible to do the New York City Ballet workout on one day, yoga the next and go running on the third day.  Those who stick with the same workout day after day are bound to ‘master’ the program and it will become no longer challenging.  In addition, the person generally gets bored with it.

Exercise Boredom

The options are, quite literally, endless.  If you have kids, organize a game of tag.  You’re sure to have a blast with your kids and not only get some exercise yourself, but your kids will also get some exercise too.  If you enjoy walking, add walks to your daily routine.  Whether you walk to work or take your dog out for walks, walking is one of the best ways to get exercise.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator, and don’t drive around parking lots looking for the closest possible parking spot.  When you are in two shops five blocks from each other, walk between them and then walk back to your car.  Not only will you get more exercise, you might even enjoy seeing the sights around you instead of fighting traffic.

One thing is sure, and that’s that exercise boredom is very real, but there are also very real ways to beat it.  Follow your gut when it comes to knowing which activities will wow you and which ones will bore you.  Make the ones you engage in a long one so that you can alternate activities to keep every day a little different from yesterday.

See you later

Ron

Life is About Choices and the Decisions We Make

Life is like a road. There are long and short roads; smooth and rocky roads; crooked and straight paths. In our life many roads would come our way as we journey through life. There are roads that lead to a life of single blessedness, marriage, and religious vocation. There are also roads that lead to fame and fortune on one hand, or isolation and poverty on the other. There are roads to happiness as there are roads to sadness, roads towards victory and jubilation, and roads leading to defeat and disappointment.

Just like any road, there are corners, detours, and crossroads in life. Perhaps the most perplexing road that you would encounter is a crossroad. With four roads to choose from and with limited knowledge on where they would go, which road will you take? What is the guarantee that we would choose the right one along the way? Would you take any road, or just stay where you are: in front of a crossroad?

There are no guarantees we will make the right choice.

You do not really know where a road will lead you until you take it. There are no guarantees. This is one of the most important things you need to realize about life. Nobody said that choosing to do the right thing all the time would always lead you to happiness. Loving someone with all your heart does not guarantee that it would be returned. Gaining fame and fortune does not guarantee happiness. Accepting a good word from an influential superior to cut your trip short up the career ladder is not always bad, especially if you are highly qualified and competent.  There are too many possible outcomes, which your really cannot control. The only thing you have power over is the decisions that you will make, and how you would act and react to different situations.

Wrong decisions are always at hindsight.

Had you known that you were making a wrong decision, would you have gone along with it? Perhaps not, why would you choose a certain path when you know it would get you lost? Why make a certain decision if you knew from the very beginning that it is not the right one. It is only after you have made a decision and reflected on it that you realize its soundness. If the consequences or outcomes are good for you, then you have decided correctly. Otherwise, your decision was wrong.

Take the risk: decide.

Since life offers no guarantee and you would never know that your decision would be wrong until you have made it, then you might as well take the risk and decide. It is definitely better than keeping yourself in limbo. Although it is true that one wrong turn could get you lost, it could also be that such a turn could be an opportunity for an adventure, moreover open more roads. It is all a matter of perspective. You have the choice between being a lost traveller or an accidental tourist of life.  But take caution that you do not make decisions haphazardly. Taking risks is not about being careless and stupid. Here are some pointers that could help you choose the best option in the face of life’s crossroads:

Get as many information as you can about your situation.

You cannot find the confidence to decide when you know so little about what you are faced with. Just like any news reporter, ask the 5 W’s: what, who, when, where, and why. What is the situation? Who are the people involved? When did this happen? Where is this leading? Why are you in this situation? These are just some of the possible questions to ask to know more about your situation. This is important. Oftentimes, the reason for indecision is the lack of information about a situation.

Identify and create options.

What options do the situation give you? Sometimes the options are few, but sometimes they are numerous. But what do you do when you think that the situation offers no options? This is the time that you create your own. Make your creative mind work. From the most simplistic to the most complicated, entertain all ideas. Do not shoot anything down when an idea comes to your head. Sometimes the most outrageous idea could prove to be the right one in the end. You can ask a friend to help you identify options and even make more options if you encounter some difficulty, but make sure that you make the decision yourself in the end.

Weigh the pros and cons of every option.

Assess each option by looking at the advantages and disadvantages it offers you. In this way, you get more insights about the consequences of such an option.

Trust yourself and make that decision.

Now that you have assessed your options, it is now time to trust yourself. Remember that there are no guarantees and wrong decisions are always at hindsight.  So choose… decide… believe that you are choosing the best option at this point in time.

Now that you have made a decision, be ready to face its consequences: good and bad. It may take you to a place of promise or to a land of problems. But the important thing is that you have chosen to live your life instead of remaining a bystander or a passive audience to your own life. Whether it is the right decision or not, only time can tell. But do not regret it whatever the outcome. Instead, learn from it and remember that you always have the chance to make better decisions in the future.

The fact you made a decision is a great thing. 98% of the adult will not make a decision and act on it. The 2% who do will succeed in life as they have the courage to take control of how they are going to live. The other 98% would rather spend their life complaining that life is horrible and nothing works for them.

Are you a winner in life?  Do you want to be? Well now you know you need to do something.

What are you waiting for? Don’t just sit there reading and wishing start to do it now!

See you later

Ron