So you wake up in the morning with the greatest of intentions. I will get in a work out, I will smile at my children when they spill their breakfast in their car seats and I will NOT honk at the driver who has miscalculated their stop in the crosswalk by little Johnny’s school. You then get out of bed, with a chirp to your step only to find the cat on the kitchen counter eating your husbands dinner leftovers that he failed to clean up. Then, startled, the cat knocks the plate on the floor and shatters. “I will not get upset” is the mantra going through your head. So you calmly and methodically start to pick up the broken pieces as your husband comes to complain about the noise waking him up. “Oh Boy”, you say to yourself and then count to 10. “Sorry dear but the plate I’m sure you mistakenly thought to put in the dish washer got knocked to the ground.” Hmhmhm, thinking to your self, you inconsiderate jerk” but once again pushing that thought out of your head and moving on with the plan of the day to remain calm and enlightened. Just as you talk yourself back from the ledge, little Johnny and tiny Tammy come screaming in for breakfast and fighting with each other. The plans of the day once again getting tested and you haven’t even gotten to brush your teeth yet. At this point, you are thinking about knocking someone else’s teeth out but NO…You are enlightened, you are ZEN, you will deal appropriately. Then the final straw, the last apple to upset the apple cart occurs. Your Prince Charming wants to know why his favorite socks aren’t where he can find them. You close your eyes, take 3 breaths, and whip around like the Wicked Witch of the West and start a borage of tyrannical expletives that make your family look as if they are on a roller coaster. Eyes popping out, mouths gaped open and eyebrows raised to the roof. As you finish your rant you notice a sense of stillness come over you. Unloading the pressure seemed a great idea at the time. Then you see the looks on their faces change. They are upset and their day is now off on the wrong foot. “Why, God, can’t my day go as planned? Why do I not have patience?” Well, my friend, this is the fuel of life. This energy which can manifest in a positive or negative way is what will give life it’s color. It will also be the energy that makes you laugh when your children do a funny dance for you or melt your heart when your husband brings you a single rose and a thanks you for taking care of the family. When these unplanned joys happen in your life, it is the time to take stock of the gifts that we are given. It is the time to remember why we nurture little Johnny and tiny Tammy knowing they will go out into the world and spread kindness and friendship. Their joy will have a contagious effect which will make other people have a better day. So when you want to scream and throw up your hands, take a moment to breath, take a moment to give thanks and take a moment to laugh at yourself and the plans you have made. God, is a funny God and wants us to laugh, even if it’s at our own expense.
Archive for the ‘motivation’ Category
Making Plans…God’s Funny Joke On Humans!
Tuesday, October 4th, 2011Are You Always In The Right Place At The Right Time?
Monday, October 3rd, 2011If you have ever walked into a Starbucks at just the moment when the rest of society walks into Starbucks your answer may be NO! You know you are suppose to be in the office by now and this diversion will cost you BIG TIME!!Your heart drops knowing you’re on a deadline and without the jet fuel of the highest octane available you may drop to the back of the pack as the lions start their hunt.The lions being that laundry list of tasks running through your brain… the project at work, shopping for dinner and the smile that you remind yourself you’re suppose to expose to the rest of the world no matter how frazzled you are feeling. You check your watch, “Why in the hell is that person in the front of the line asking about the Barista’s day? WE DON”T CARE!! Stop chatting, order your soy-milk latte and move on. Some of us have lives to get back to”! Now add caffeine to this disposition and you have the sparks to set off a real forest fire. As you contemplate this exchange, the woman next to you starts to chat…”Oh God” you say to yourself, “I have no interest in idle talk”. She pleasantly says how nice you look today and you start to soften. After a few more minutes you realize you have a friend in common and her sense of humor makes you laugh out loud unexpectedly. It even surprises you. Now you soften a little more and the snaking of the coffee line starts to move along smoothly. As you commune with this woman you feel her good energy and you absorb it like the sun on your skin. You wind up your encounter with this unexpected soul and she orders. “Have a great day she says” walking away and you have a feeling you will. Then you order and the pleasant girl that says “What can I get started for you” about 1000 times a day takes your order. She then does not ask for money. How can this be?”The lady ahead of you paid for your beverage today”. You whip around to say thank you and she has vanished. Your day has been altered for the better. There is kindness and generosity everywhere you look. You leave knowing that this was suppose to happen. You were suppose to slow down your angst a bit today and a wonderf ul encounter has accomplished that for you. You now know that taking a few minutes to ask how a person day is going including the Barista , is a small act of kindness and understanding that we all deserve. I want to invoke a very important concept. Some of you may think it’s bull$#@% but I find it to be true. We are ALWAYS in the right place at the right time. Sometimes the encounters are not positive and sometimes they hurt…but all of them have something in common, they TEACH. If we can listen, if we can accept, if we can just BE, you will find that
everything happens in the time and space it is suppose to. If you can take this to heart you can relieve a tremendous amount of pressure from your life. Then you will be that enlightened soul that touches a person’s heart today by making them laugh unexpectedly and help them feel the sun on their skin . And that, my friends is how we change the world for the better. One encounter at a time!
Self Inflicted Wounds or Self Growth? The Choice Is Yours!
Wednesday, September 28th, 2011Life can be funny and it can be heartbreaking. Recently, I have experienced the
best things that life can offer. Wonderful gatherings of friends, business going
in a positive direction and the satisfaction of helping others with their health
and happiness. But not too long ago, I felt like I was under water. Drowning
really with no life preserver in sight or the good looking life guard that you
dream will come and save you. I felt that I only had my own sorry butt to pull
me out of my emotional mess and I knew my “wounds” were all my own doing. The
constant bickering with myself made me wonder which one of the voices in my head
would win out. For those that know me, you may also have wondered which Wilma
would show up each day…and which one of those little voices would actually
speak out. We all know that putting your foot in your mouth not only leaves a
bad taste (especially if you work out and your socks get sweaty)but being
uncertain of your place in the world and with others is a difficult lesson in
self growth. Digging inside of yourself to see the parts that are not so pretty
and try to find a better path can be exhausting. But I am here to tell you the
work is WORTH it! I have been privileged to experience the gift of others
confiding in me with their struggles, asking for reassurance and trusting that I
have their best interest at heart. As I reflect on the passage of my
self-realization and growth over the last five years I have finally found out
that it wasn’t my own sorry butt that pulled me out of my emotional mess. There
was and is a network of souls that have guided me through and brought me to a
place of light, energy, health and love. These people have been angels, truly in
the best sense of the word. Some I am aware of and some are anonymous. With
their help and living through my self-inflicted exile brought me to a place
where I can give back to others and that has filled my heart in a way that I
never thought would have been possible. As I navigate through this world, I find
that the people in my life are what make this life worth the work. The beautiful
space that has been kindly afforded me is also an abundant source for me to
share with others. Thank you to all of you who continue to help my self-growth
on a daily basis by trusting me to help you. Please know that the realization of
self-growth in itself is a manifestation of self-growth. So when you wake up
each day remember you have a choice. To continue to self-inflict yourself with
emotional wounds or to thrive. Please, please, please choose to THRIVE…The
gift of light that you bring to others will only make you richer in all the most
important ways…and you never know who’s life your saving in the process
because it may truly be your own!
Wilma Young CPT
What Do You Do When Your Feelings Get Hurt? Plot Murder or Eat Ice Cream!
Monday, September 19th, 2011>I never quite have figured out a perfect way to manage the urge to run to
the “bad for me” foods
when something in my day has had a mis-step. The irony is that with an
imperfect world and
imperfect humans there are bound to be some mis-steps in each day. (I, myself leaning toward the devil side of the “angel on
the right shoulder and
devil on the left” scenarios!) Some mis-steps
are like pebbles and
some like Mt Rushmore. But sometimes those pebbles can get in your
“spiritual shoe” and rub
your last nerve. Today I had my feelings hurt, the details of which are
truly insignificant. The
significant part is that I felt a blow to my self-esteem. Now, of course my
head is crashing with the
proper enlightened person’s response to this situation. Telling myself all
the right things. You know,
the things that when your in a good place sounds like pearls of wisdom and
when you are in a bad
place sound like pure crap and you want to tell the messenger to go jump in
a lake ! Then what
happens when you ARE the messeneger? The dilemma sets in and I say to
myself “I think I need
some Cherry Garcia”!
>
>The mental battle ensues and that little voice in your head says “you
really want that ice cream
don’t you?”. You nod like a zombie from a bad B movie and walk in a trance
towards the fridge.
Now I usually safeguard myself by not keeping ice cream and other health
killing foods in my house
but I happen to be staying in a location that several family members share
on weekends. There, in
the frozen tundra, was the inticing culprits. They were half gallon
containers of fat and chemical
laden ice cream with names that sound like a decadent walk through Will
Wonka’s chocolate
factory. Oh, those childhood memories. So I found myself contemplating
this gastronomical
equation. Within seconds I was able to pause and talk mysef down from the
ledge. It was not
because I have extra willpower. No, not at all! It was that I had prepared
for such a mis-step and
had a yummy altenative. It is a homemade trail mix I make with a small
amount of dark chocolate
but moslty nuts, shredded coconut, dried fruit, and a healthy grain cereal.
I keep this gem in the
freezer so that I can give my brain the sensation of dessert and stay on
track. So the good news
is, it gave me the fix I needed but the better news is that I was able
to realize what was
happening before I launched into a feeding frenzy. Now, I know that most
fitness and lifestyle
professionals want us to find out why we need to go to the food for comfort
and I totally concur
with this. It is exactly the reason I was able to talk myself away from the
ice cream because I have
been doing some of the mental and spiritual work needed to make better
choices. But let’s get
real! In this crazy existence there comes a time and a place when we need
to have some comfort
foods, albeit, a reduced version and not fried in batter like at the county
fairs, but still some
comfort. More times than not though, the comfort from a friend or
significant other comiserating
with your current mis-step can do more good than any trail mix or ice cream
could ever think of. I
was fortunate to also have this avenue and I am most grateful for this in
my life. If ever there is a
time to value the sweetness of companionship over the fleeting sensation of
a drug called
SUGAR, the time is now. It’s either that or I am going back to plotting
murder!
Eat. Pray. Love? How Can I? When I Can’t Even Pee Without My Children Being In the Bathroom With Me!
Saturday, September 10th, 2011Our society is full of great women. The type of women that are trying to provide a healthy, happy environment for everyone to thrive in. Nutritious food, lots of love and the occasional attitude adjustment that we all need from time to time. But in a day and age of go, go , go, how do we manage to have time for ourselves like the movie Eat, Pray and Love? We go to the movies and we see Julia Roberts and it sends this positive message but we walk out knowing that applying this to everyday life is almost a fantasy.Much like the Prince Charming on the white horse nonesense that we all eventually figure out is a just a wonderfully simple man that requires clean underwear and food on the table to make him happy! So we contemplate…when is it my turn? When will I be able to feel the peace that will keep me from blowing my horn at the car in front of me for stopping at a green ligh? So I start to pause and realize what is good in my life -call it prayer or meditation- but I find this simple focus can sometimes bring me back from the brink of homocide to a calmer sense of myself. Not easy, I know, I get it. But I want to remind you that you too want, NO, you need clean underwear and food on the table to make you happy too (or a massage, a new pair of shoes or lunch with your girlfriends). Whatever it is, if it brings you calm and inner peace it is important! Your acceptance of the great GOOD that is to be found in the small things in your day is the fuel to keep you on a positive path. The fact that your coffee turned out perfect this morning, or you had a 10 minute chat with a friend who makes you laugh, these are the things that can bring reverence and gratitude to your life. So instead of kicking ourselves becaues we can’t go to India because little Suzy has a soccer tournament every weekend until the end of time, I want you to talk to yourself with kindess and grace. Commit to your life, forgive yourself for your mistakes and remember to mark the day with the smallest of miracles that remind you of how lucky you truly are. How fortunate it is to be in a world where we have choices! Today, choose to live a happy, healthy life and remind the world how beautiful it is to be a woman and a great one at that!
ANGIE LUSTRICK CN, CPT is FINALIST FOR PRESTIGOUS AWARD
Tuesday, August 30th, 2011The ULTIMATE CHEK PROFESSIONAL AWARD is given by Paul Chek of The C.H.E.K Institute based in Vista, CA. CHEK stands for Corrective Holistic Exercise Kinesiology and is a philosophy of lifestyle coaching that has a exceptionally positive impact on client achievements of their personal goals. It awards a CHEK Certified Personal Trainer and Holistic Lifestyle Coach for exceptional successes with clients at a level beyond just physical training but emotional and spiritual coaching as well. Working with cases of brain injury and chronic disease management prove that a holistic approach provides long term success to even the most challenging lives and situations. Angie Lustrick has made it to the final round and is one out of three finalists for this award. On September 2nd, Angie will be giving a presentation about her journey from pre-diabetic to Holistic Lifestyle Practitioner and how that has impacted her clients, her business and her community. The attendees at this 3-day conference in San Diego, CA will ultimately decide the winner but in our book she is already the winner because she has helped so many people move forward to a happier, healthy life. Please send Angie good wishes and look for updates on this positive and wonderful opportunity for her and our Riverside community. This international exposure benefits us all.
Getting Tempted by Bite-Sized Tasty Treats at Starbucks
Friday, April 8th, 2011The newest fad that is popping up is “bite-sized” treats. Not only at Starbucks but many food outlets are tempting you with a bite size portion of the Not-So-Good-For-You items as a way to “up-sell” you while you are at the counter waiting for your coffee or paying for your groceries. Even restaurants are jumping on the calorie train by adding mini appetizers and 100 calorie desserts. The problem is that that an extra 100 calories a day on the average person puts on roughly 10 pounds per year! With these little 200 calorie “land mines” that equals 20 pounds in a year. Plus they really don’t have the nutrition to boost your energy and create the body you want. In fact, all processed foods require additional energy from your body to digest them – making you tired and sluggish. If a food doesn’t come from a recognizable source: a plant, a tree, or an animal – stay away! I have never seen a bread tree, cupcake tree, or candybar tree! Now think of this, if you ate 100 calories LESS per day that would equal a 10 pound weight loss in a year with virtually very little sacrafice. Think about ordering an item you normally eat with cheese, without cheese. Or how about oil and vinegar dressing instead of ranch or Caesar. Maybe use salsa as your condiment instead of sour cream. Minor adjustments lead to great changes and tend to stick with you long term. Personally, I would much rather have this new habit stick to me than those bite-size treats that show through your clothes and tend to stay with you for far too long. So next time you are tempted, think about the 10 LESS pounds that saying NO today will do for you this year!
How Will You Celebrate Valentines Day?
Saturday, February 5th, 2011We’re barely through the New Year’s resolution season and our convictions are
already being tested. The displays of chocolate with the “I Love You” ribbons
are everywhere and cupid is lurking around the corner with an innocent smile but
a devious plan. The message we get is that if you truly love someone you will
shower them with candy treats. Now we all know that dark chocolate (70% or
higher) has positive health benefits in small doses but that is not what is
being pushed. The amount of REAL chocolate in our current marketplace is
deceptively small and in some instances completely non existent. I am hoping
that if we really want to show our loved ones how much we care about them we
will consider different avenues for showing our affection. How about a
subscription to a favorite magazine. (Oxygen magazine is a great choice for you
fitness fans, www.oxygenmag.com)or maybe a massage or pedicure. Mom may
appreciate a day off with her girlfriends to go to lunch while Dad takes care of
the kids. Maybe a movie date or a hike together might do the trick. When you
think of how to show someone how much they mean to you give them something that
will add to their life not take away from it. This year when cupids pulls back
his arrow remember to target your loved one’s health either physically or
emotionally when choosing a gift. Because the best gift of all is a long,
healthy and happy life together!!
“An Ounce of Prevention VS. Pound of Cure”, We’ve All Heard It Before
Wednesday, January 19th, 2011Our brains know this old adage and yet the New Year starts and we are on the
POUND OF CURE track before we know it. We vow to never put a sweet treat in our
mouths again, that we will go to the gym everyday and sweat away our holiday
guilt and we will force ourselves to a smaller size this year even if it kills
us. The truth is, this lasts only a fleeting moment. We already, at mid-January,
see the gym starting to look more like a library rather than a nightclub. I
think we have the best of intentions and truly want to improve our physical
bodies but somehow we think if we aren’t perfect we are wasting our time. I
think this year we need to be smarter. This year we need to take on our health
with the small steps of prevention as opposed to accumulating the massive cure
we try to impose every January. The best investment of ourselves is IN
ourselves. We are our best doctors, therapists and companions. Try a little
kindness towards yourself. Add massage and lunch with a friend to your health
routine. Remember that health is more than how many push ups you can do.
Balancing your life, living to the fullest and showing love to your family and
friends is as important to your health as the exercise!
Be Successful This Year!
Thursday, January 6th, 2011By Scott Drexler
It is the beginning of yet another year and ‘tis the season for New Year’s resolutions. Much like every year the top resolution in America is to lose weight. If you don’t believe me take a gander in your local gym. It is packed with brand new faces all with the same goal. More often than not, the problem with this goal is most people set their goal too high, such as losing 25, 50, or 100 pounds, which often leads to disappointment. Still don’t believe me? In a couple months take another look in that local gym and see how many of those new faces are still there. Chances are they aren’t there because they were not meeting that unrealistic goal they set. The fact that you have already set a goal for yourself is great, but just make sure you are realistic. Instead of focusing on that grand goal, start small, such as taking a walk around the block or not putting any mayonnaise on your favorite sandwich. I am not telling you to completely eliminate these foods you enjoy, but try simplifying things. Trying to make too many changes at once is not smart and not very motivating, (I.E those missing people that were in the gym in the beginning of January). In other words, do not be too hard on yourself, enjoy what you do, do not completely deprive yourself and even treat yourself every now and then. Start small and then eventually that grand resolution of yours will not be a resolution at all, but a result. As the old saying goes “It is the little things that count.”