Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second.
~ William James
After I wrote my last post, I was thinking about all the things I wanted to say but kept out so I didn’t write a tome longer than War and Peace. Then it hit me between the eyes a short time later.
One of my great personal struggles is with my weight. I need to lose weight both for my general health and because the additional weight aggravates other health conditions. So for the umpteenth time, I have restarted an exercise program, and shortly after I published Reaching the Summit I was working on an elliptical machine. It was kicking my butt!
I told myself when I started the workout that I was going to go 32 minutes. At the 14 minute mark, my body was screaming “UNCLE!” Every fiber of my being was saying to just quit. I had worked out every weekday for the previous 2 weeks, helping to convince my mind that was telling me it would be okay to call it day even before I reached the half way mark.
Now I would like to tell you that I used my finely tuned positive mental attitude to redirect my thinking and that I pushed right through to make the most out of my workout. Unfortunately, it wasn’t that glorious on my part.
Initially, I was thinking that I needed to at least make it to the halfway mark of my original goal. When I reached the midpoint, I was still in a portion of the programmed work out that had me in the middle of a harder portion of the program. When the programming reached a point that eased slightly, I decided to finish the easier portion as a cool down.
It was at this point that I remembered the quote by William James at the beginning of this article. I had seen it earlier in the day. It has a great message about pushing through difficult times to reach our goals. I also thought about “reaching the summit”.
I knew that I needed to push to reach my summit. I needed to run far enough to get past my first wind to get my second wind.
When I finished my workout, I felt great. I no longer thought about the pain and struggle I had gone through in the middle of the workout. I pushed through my first wind and did find a second wind at the end. If I had not had time constraints, I would have likely lengthened my exercise time.
Imagine that, I went from wanting to quit to wanting to do more than expected.
Today’s Life Lesson is directly from the elliptical machine. There are many times and many opportunities, both big and grand and smaller and less glorious. My workout was not a major life event but if I had quit early, it likely would have made it easier to quit come future workouts. If I had quit, I might have found it easier to quit when trying to reach the summit in other areas of my life. Maybe I don’t push through some of my daily challenges because I would have taught myself that it is okay to give in when things get a little difficult or don’t go the way I want them to go.
Look in your daily life, where are your little summits that you have to face and conquer every day. Look for the bigger summits. Don’t let the obstacles totally shut you down. Find a way over the obstacle. Find a way under it. Find a way to go around an obstacle. Or even find a way through the obstacle. When things get tough, continue to push through until you get to your second wind. Do these things and it will make reaching your summit easier. Reach your summit and I would be willing to bet the journey didn’t seem as bad as it did when you were at the halfway point.
Keep Smilin’!!
Remember, comments are appreciated. Even brutally honest ones. Just keep it clean and civilized.
© 2009 Eddy Seegers, All Rights Reserved
Would you like a speaker at your business, professional, or civic organization meeting? Do you need a seminar or a program speaker? I have programs for most situations or I can tailor a presentation specifically for your group. Email me now for more information. Click_here!!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Reaching the Summit
The struggles of the climb is forgotten in the exhilaration of reaching the summit.
~(This is one version of many quotes of a similar nature.)
This story goes back many years to my days of playing high school football. I played on the varsity team for 3 years. Not saying much since we didn't have a junior varsity team. During my three years we won a grand total of 1, 2, and, then the triumphant senior year, 4 games during my career.
My sophomore year, I was a small player on a small team. I didn't get on the field very much that year. Early on, we played a team that wasn't really a rival but we did play them year after year. Their nickname was the Wildcats.
We played them my sophomore year at their stadium which was right next to their school. In fact, our "dressing room" was a class room. When we left the building to go to the field, we were behind the bleachers filled with their fans. Those fans would turn around and chant, "Cat food, cat, food!" as we made our way to the field. It was made even louder as the chants would echo off the building.
What started as a close game, became a rout by the time it ended, with my school taking one of the worse defeats in its history. After the game, their coach came over to our coach and apologized by saying, "Sorry, I didn't mean to run up the score." It was a little bit of a hollow apology, however, as even when the runts like me got to play against their first team late in the game.
Fast forward to my junior year. The week before we played this team again, our team was playing a game that we should have won. Yes, we only won 2 games that year but there was one week we played a team that we should have beat. Not only did we lose, we played terribly. I don't think I ever saw our coaches as angry as they were at halftime and when the game was over. At the end of the night, our head coach finished his comments with two promises. In preparation for the game against the team that embarrassed us so much the year prior, we were going to work harder than we had ever worked. And then he guaranteed that we would win.
What followed was the toughest, most physical week of my limited athletic career. We practiced the following morning, one of only 2 Saturday practices of my varsity career. We had full blown, hard hitting, full contact practices everyday the following week, including the day before the game. I remember being banged up, worn out, and beaten down. Daily, I questioned my commitment to playing football.
Did I want to play this bad that I put myself through this?
I went through classes during the day dreading the upcoming practice. I went from drill to drill, dreading what was coming next. My teammates seemed to share my desire to stay out of the direction of the coaches’ attention.
Finally, the game night arrived. As hard as the week of practice had been, the game was just as tough. Our opponents were strong, fast, and fired up thinking they had an easy target for another victory. The game was hard-hitting, back and forth, and very low scoring.
With time running out, the other time had the ball. They were driving for what would be the clinching score. At worst, it seemed, they could have run out the clock to assure their victory and our defeat. With around a minute left in the game, one of their players broke through the line and it looked like he was going to run the ball in for the clinching touchdown.
Over 30 years later, after watching sports of all manner at all levels, I am still amazed at what happened next.
One of our players appeared out of what seemed like nowhere and just took the ball away from their player. He proceeded to run 90 yards for a touchdown. We won. We won by 1 point.
It is here that my Life Lesson really begins. At that moment, and for that matter, for the rest of the weekend I don't think there was a player on our team that felt any of the bumps and bruises. Though we gave everything we had on that field, we had energy to burn. I don't think there was a player that did not appreciate the coaches for how they had driven us the week before and prepared us for the game.
The point is this, once we won the game, we did not remember all of the pain that we went through, we just felt the exhilaration of the victory.
We face many difficult times throughout our lives. There are times when we have mountains to climb that seem insurmountable. There are times where we are pushed to our limit and we question our intentions and desires. There are times where we are tempted to simply give up and make the hardship and difficulties end.
However, if we stick with it, if we maintain our focus and commitment, if we keep at it, when we come out on the other side we will discover the joy of victory, or completion, or satisfaction. And more than likely, we will minimize the struggles we faced to get there.
In my last post, I mentioned that my mom is facing a battle with breast cancer. She has already to begun to have to deal with some of the side effects of her treatment. She was told that one medication would make her feel like "every bone in her body was breaking." While it was not quite that bad, it did hit her pretty hard. She has had days where she was barely able to get out of bed and spent most of the day dozing on the couch. She has started to lose her hair. These and other side effects are just some of the battle that she faces.
In the case of my mom, cancer picked the wrong opponent. My mom is a fighter and she is going to beat the Big C. She has good days and some not so good days but I know that Mom is going to be victorious in this battle. And when she does, she will revel in the joy of a healthy life and the struggles will be but a distant memory.
Keep Smilin'!!
© 2009 Eddy Seegers, All Rights Reserved
If you need a motivational/education speaker for a program, seminar, or group gathering, email me for more information. Click_here to contact me.
~(This is one version of many quotes of a similar nature.)
This story goes back many years to my days of playing high school football. I played on the varsity team for 3 years. Not saying much since we didn't have a junior varsity team. During my three years we won a grand total of 1, 2, and, then the triumphant senior year, 4 games during my career.
My sophomore year, I was a small player on a small team. I didn't get on the field very much that year. Early on, we played a team that wasn't really a rival but we did play them year after year. Their nickname was the Wildcats.
We played them my sophomore year at their stadium which was right next to their school. In fact, our "dressing room" was a class room. When we left the building to go to the field, we were behind the bleachers filled with their fans. Those fans would turn around and chant, "Cat food, cat, food!" as we made our way to the field. It was made even louder as the chants would echo off the building.
What started as a close game, became a rout by the time it ended, with my school taking one of the worse defeats in its history. After the game, their coach came over to our coach and apologized by saying, "Sorry, I didn't mean to run up the score." It was a little bit of a hollow apology, however, as even when the runts like me got to play against their first team late in the game.
Fast forward to my junior year. The week before we played this team again, our team was playing a game that we should have won. Yes, we only won 2 games that year but there was one week we played a team that we should have beat. Not only did we lose, we played terribly. I don't think I ever saw our coaches as angry as they were at halftime and when the game was over. At the end of the night, our head coach finished his comments with two promises. In preparation for the game against the team that embarrassed us so much the year prior, we were going to work harder than we had ever worked. And then he guaranteed that we would win.
What followed was the toughest, most physical week of my limited athletic career. We practiced the following morning, one of only 2 Saturday practices of my varsity career. We had full blown, hard hitting, full contact practices everyday the following week, including the day before the game. I remember being banged up, worn out, and beaten down. Daily, I questioned my commitment to playing football.
Did I want to play this bad that I put myself through this?
I went through classes during the day dreading the upcoming practice. I went from drill to drill, dreading what was coming next. My teammates seemed to share my desire to stay out of the direction of the coaches’ attention.
Finally, the game night arrived. As hard as the week of practice had been, the game was just as tough. Our opponents were strong, fast, and fired up thinking they had an easy target for another victory. The game was hard-hitting, back and forth, and very low scoring.
With time running out, the other time had the ball. They were driving for what would be the clinching score. At worst, it seemed, they could have run out the clock to assure their victory and our defeat. With around a minute left in the game, one of their players broke through the line and it looked like he was going to run the ball in for the clinching touchdown.
Over 30 years later, after watching sports of all manner at all levels, I am still amazed at what happened next.
One of our players appeared out of what seemed like nowhere and just took the ball away from their player. He proceeded to run 90 yards for a touchdown. We won. We won by 1 point.
It is here that my Life Lesson really begins. At that moment, and for that matter, for the rest of the weekend I don't think there was a player on our team that felt any of the bumps and bruises. Though we gave everything we had on that field, we had energy to burn. I don't think there was a player that did not appreciate the coaches for how they had driven us the week before and prepared us for the game.
The point is this, once we won the game, we did not remember all of the pain that we went through, we just felt the exhilaration of the victory.
We face many difficult times throughout our lives. There are times when we have mountains to climb that seem insurmountable. There are times where we are pushed to our limit and we question our intentions and desires. There are times where we are tempted to simply give up and make the hardship and difficulties end.
However, if we stick with it, if we maintain our focus and commitment, if we keep at it, when we come out on the other side we will discover the joy of victory, or completion, or satisfaction. And more than likely, we will minimize the struggles we faced to get there.
In my last post, I mentioned that my mom is facing a battle with breast cancer. She has already to begun to have to deal with some of the side effects of her treatment. She was told that one medication would make her feel like "every bone in her body was breaking." While it was not quite that bad, it did hit her pretty hard. She has had days where she was barely able to get out of bed and spent most of the day dozing on the couch. She has started to lose her hair. These and other side effects are just some of the battle that she faces.
In the case of my mom, cancer picked the wrong opponent. My mom is a fighter and she is going to beat the Big C. She has good days and some not so good days but I know that Mom is going to be victorious in this battle. And when she does, she will revel in the joy of a healthy life and the struggles will be but a distant memory.
Keep Smilin'!!
© 2009 Eddy Seegers, All Rights Reserved
If you need a motivational/education speaker for a program, seminar, or group gathering, email me for more information. Click_here to contact me.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Tribute to Mom
All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother. ~Abraham Lincoln
My mom was never a big fan of Mother’s Day. She would say that she would rather be appreciated year ‘round and not just on one special day. I know that much of this was due to the way her mother, my grandmother, behaved in regards to the day. This is part of the reason I am not concerned about my tribute to my mom a few days after Mother’s Day.
This is a tribute to my mom. I will briefly mention some of the things that go back to my youth but I will focus on what she is doing today.
I was a little older before I realized how much money we did NOT have when I was younger. I was thinking back on some of the meals we had that were actually making due with what was available. I remember how I thought a dinner of gravy bread was such a treat when bread and flour was available and inexpensive. Mom had the same winter coat for years and years as well as the same eyeglasses. However, we as kids were never in need.
Mom taking care of us was important but it was also important to my brothers and sisters also. There are some things that are a little more unique and personal to me. The first that comes to my mind is dealing with all of my injuries and ailments. I know that there were health issues when I was younger but the first I can recall was when I broke my thumb on the monkey bars at school in kindergarten. The joke in our family as we moved around was that the first thing Mom and Dad did when we got to our new home was find where the closest emergency room was located. There were broken bones, sprains, stitches, and many various bumps and bruises. Mom was there for shots I hated, casts being put on, crutches being given out, and on, and on, and on.
And through it all she kept a sense of humor and did not become over-protective. There are coaches and school administrators who must have thought she was so uncaring. When I took the hockey stick to the nose, she arrived to pick me up to take me to the doctor laughing, saying I had really “done it big time now.” When the coach was calling to tell her about my broken arm, after hearing who was on the phone, her response was, “What did he break this time?” Through it all, I knew nobody loved me more than my mom.
The other personal touch of love from my mom is part of what led to many of my injuries. As my blog profile states, I am a big sports fan, both playing and watching. Mom, for the most part, did not really care one way or anther about sports. Yet, she was there for every Little League baseball game, every football game, and until I got to Jr. High, I don’t think she missed a sporting event that I was involved with and then it was only because she had 4 kids and couldn’t be everywhere at once. But she worked in the concession stands, joined booster clubs, and she and Dad were the ideal sports parents in that they were totally supportive but not overbearing in the least.
And as for watching sports, I know there were many times she probably would have rather watched something besides football, baseball, basketball or whatever, but she allowed me to watch.
This brings me to my current admiration I have for my Mom. Her and Dad “retired” to a small community in Texas about 3 ½ years ago. I put that in quotes because Mom is busier than ever. Her schedule is enough to wear out a healthy 25 year old.
Due to health issues, Mom started taking a water aerobics class several years ago. Soon after moving to Texas she discovered a Senior Center with a swimming pool. Before you could say, “Surf’s up!” Mom was teaching her own water aerobics class. These aren’t your nursing home, stand in one place and wave your arms classes, her classes are work outs. That was how her instructor led the program so that is how she teaches it.
As Dad began retirement, through his church, he started delivering Meals-on-Wheels on Fridays. He soon discovered that he didn’t do well with retirement so he took a part time job that has moved into more of a full time position. So Mom took over his Meals route. Gradually, she began to fill in on other days when they needed a replacement driver. She was soon doing routes 3 to 4 days a week.
By the way, have I mentioned that before I was born, my mom was a Marine? Yes, she served in the United States Marine Corps. She went through boot camp and beyond. (Dad also served as a Marine.) Mom and Dad joined the local American Legion Post. Of course, my mom jumped in full force and is now the First Vice Commander of the Post, responsible for membership. This is the ideal job for her. I have often said that if Mom was ever in a competition that required a talent, she would blow away her competition by her ability to work a room. No one is a stranger and she will soon find out if they qualify to be a Legion member. If she finds out you qualify, you might as well save time and sign up.
Somewhere along the way, Mom also became involved with the local veteran’s council. It is a non-profit group that focuses on providing free van rides for veterans for doctors and hospital visits. She handles finding and scheduling drivers as needed by the veterans. It can be quite a juggling act but she gets it done.
I am not sure of the name of the organization but Mom is also involved with a program distributing refurbished computers to veterans. This is for any veteran, simply based on need. There are currently a large number of computers and monitors sitting on the floor of her garage.
This lady who gave birth to me is fussy about the work that is done in each of the projects with which she is involved. The work has to be done in a detailed, correct, and timely manner.
As I said earlier, Mom has had a schedule that would a tire a healthy 25 year old.
I have mentioned the term “healthy” a couple of times now. I use that term because Mom was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.
The good news is that her prognosis is very good. She is currently going through a very strong chemo program, facing surgery and then radiation treatment. These means while her prognosis is good, she has a tough fight facing her. Typical of Mom, she plans to slow down, JUST A LITTLE.
Because she is not sure of how she is going to feel on a day-to-day basis, she has temporarily given up on delivering Meals-on-Wheels.
She has also had to temporarily suspend her water aerobics classes. Even if she has the energy, she is not able to get into the water due to her chemo requiring a Port-A-Cath. She has a scar and until it totally heals, the Health Department won’t let her in the water.
She is currently suffering from some exhaustion so it is good that she has slowed, "a little". Mom is still scheduling veterans and drivers, is trying to get computers out to vets, and is working on the yearbook for the American Legion Post.
My Mom, the Energizer Bunny personified.
I am paraphrasing a sign I have seen in offices and construction sites for years but it fits Mom.
Mom has done so much, for so long, with so little, she can now do anything with nothing.
I love my mom. I admire my mom. She is my biggest fan and biggest supporter. She faces a battle but this lady is a fighter. I have no doubt that she is going to come through this process with flying colors and return to a full busy and, for her, fulfilling schedule. To this I say, “GO MOM! I LOVE YOU!” I hope you realize I feel this way everyday.
Keep Smilin!!
© 2009 Eddy Seegers, All Rights Reserved
My mom was never a big fan of Mother’s Day. She would say that she would rather be appreciated year ‘round and not just on one special day. I know that much of this was due to the way her mother, my grandmother, behaved in regards to the day. This is part of the reason I am not concerned about my tribute to my mom a few days after Mother’s Day.
This is a tribute to my mom. I will briefly mention some of the things that go back to my youth but I will focus on what she is doing today.
I was a little older before I realized how much money we did NOT have when I was younger. I was thinking back on some of the meals we had that were actually making due with what was available. I remember how I thought a dinner of gravy bread was such a treat when bread and flour was available and inexpensive. Mom had the same winter coat for years and years as well as the same eyeglasses. However, we as kids were never in need.
Mom taking care of us was important but it was also important to my brothers and sisters also. There are some things that are a little more unique and personal to me. The first that comes to my mind is dealing with all of my injuries and ailments. I know that there were health issues when I was younger but the first I can recall was when I broke my thumb on the monkey bars at school in kindergarten. The joke in our family as we moved around was that the first thing Mom and Dad did when we got to our new home was find where the closest emergency room was located. There were broken bones, sprains, stitches, and many various bumps and bruises. Mom was there for shots I hated, casts being put on, crutches being given out, and on, and on, and on.
And through it all she kept a sense of humor and did not become over-protective. There are coaches and school administrators who must have thought she was so uncaring. When I took the hockey stick to the nose, she arrived to pick me up to take me to the doctor laughing, saying I had really “done it big time now.” When the coach was calling to tell her about my broken arm, after hearing who was on the phone, her response was, “What did he break this time?” Through it all, I knew nobody loved me more than my mom.
The other personal touch of love from my mom is part of what led to many of my injuries. As my blog profile states, I am a big sports fan, both playing and watching. Mom, for the most part, did not really care one way or anther about sports. Yet, she was there for every Little League baseball game, every football game, and until I got to Jr. High, I don’t think she missed a sporting event that I was involved with and then it was only because she had 4 kids and couldn’t be everywhere at once. But she worked in the concession stands, joined booster clubs, and she and Dad were the ideal sports parents in that they were totally supportive but not overbearing in the least.
And as for watching sports, I know there were many times she probably would have rather watched something besides football, baseball, basketball or whatever, but she allowed me to watch.
This brings me to my current admiration I have for my Mom. Her and Dad “retired” to a small community in Texas about 3 ½ years ago. I put that in quotes because Mom is busier than ever. Her schedule is enough to wear out a healthy 25 year old.
Due to health issues, Mom started taking a water aerobics class several years ago. Soon after moving to Texas she discovered a Senior Center with a swimming pool. Before you could say, “Surf’s up!” Mom was teaching her own water aerobics class. These aren’t your nursing home, stand in one place and wave your arms classes, her classes are work outs. That was how her instructor led the program so that is how she teaches it.
As Dad began retirement, through his church, he started delivering Meals-on-Wheels on Fridays. He soon discovered that he didn’t do well with retirement so he took a part time job that has moved into more of a full time position. So Mom took over his Meals route. Gradually, she began to fill in on other days when they needed a replacement driver. She was soon doing routes 3 to 4 days a week.
By the way, have I mentioned that before I was born, my mom was a Marine? Yes, she served in the United States Marine Corps. She went through boot camp and beyond. (Dad also served as a Marine.) Mom and Dad joined the local American Legion Post. Of course, my mom jumped in full force and is now the First Vice Commander of the Post, responsible for membership. This is the ideal job for her. I have often said that if Mom was ever in a competition that required a talent, she would blow away her competition by her ability to work a room. No one is a stranger and she will soon find out if they qualify to be a Legion member. If she finds out you qualify, you might as well save time and sign up.
Somewhere along the way, Mom also became involved with the local veteran’s council. It is a non-profit group that focuses on providing free van rides for veterans for doctors and hospital visits. She handles finding and scheduling drivers as needed by the veterans. It can be quite a juggling act but she gets it done.
I am not sure of the name of the organization but Mom is also involved with a program distributing refurbished computers to veterans. This is for any veteran, simply based on need. There are currently a large number of computers and monitors sitting on the floor of her garage.
This lady who gave birth to me is fussy about the work that is done in each of the projects with which she is involved. The work has to be done in a detailed, correct, and timely manner.
As I said earlier, Mom has had a schedule that would a tire a healthy 25 year old.
I have mentioned the term “healthy” a couple of times now. I use that term because Mom was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.
The good news is that her prognosis is very good. She is currently going through a very strong chemo program, facing surgery and then radiation treatment. These means while her prognosis is good, she has a tough fight facing her. Typical of Mom, she plans to slow down, JUST A LITTLE.
Because she is not sure of how she is going to feel on a day-to-day basis, she has temporarily given up on delivering Meals-on-Wheels.
She has also had to temporarily suspend her water aerobics classes. Even if she has the energy, she is not able to get into the water due to her chemo requiring a Port-A-Cath. She has a scar and until it totally heals, the Health Department won’t let her in the water.
She is currently suffering from some exhaustion so it is good that she has slowed, "a little". Mom is still scheduling veterans and drivers, is trying to get computers out to vets, and is working on the yearbook for the American Legion Post.
My Mom, the Energizer Bunny personified.
I am paraphrasing a sign I have seen in offices and construction sites for years but it fits Mom.
Mom has done so much, for so long, with so little, she can now do anything with nothing.
I love my mom. I admire my mom. She is my biggest fan and biggest supporter. She faces a battle but this lady is a fighter. I have no doubt that she is going to come through this process with flying colors and return to a full busy and, for her, fulfilling schedule. To this I say, “GO MOM! I LOVE YOU!” I hope you realize I feel this way everyday.
Keep Smilin!!
© 2009 Eddy Seegers, All Rights Reserved
Monday, April 20, 2009
Take a Moment
The time to relax is when you don't have time for it. ~Sidney J. Harris
(Taken from worldofquotes.com with much appreciation for providing a resource for my relaxation.)
If ever there was a time when I don't have time to relax, it has been my last few weeks. I realized this when I felt like going to sleep at night was costing me valuable time that I could be using more productively. Never mind that plenty of sleep is a necessary and vital part of a healthy, fun, and fit life, as well as making us (me) more productive.
It is time for me to take some of my own advice and find time to relax. Never mind that I realized last Sunday that it has been weeks since I have sat on the couch in my den.
Starting yesterday, I am taking brief mental vacations during the day everyday. I will take 5 to 10 minutes every morning just after I wake and the same amount of time just before I go to bed to spend in special meditation and prayer.
In the mornings, I am going to focus on the coming day. I am going to consciously set my mind that I am going to be in a good mood and I will have an upbeat attitude no matter what comes my way. I will offer thanks that I am allowed to have another day to live, love, and grow. I am going to ask God to give me the chance to positively affect the lives of those I meet each day.
At night, my focus is going to be on the day that is ending. I am going to release the stresses, pressures, and issues that have tried to get in the way of my happiness. I will go to God with a thankful heart for the opportunities He has given me and a repentant heart asking forgiveness for all the times I have fallen short during the day.
During the day, and this is the part I have not been doing lately, I am going to take brief 2, 3, 4, 0r 5 minute breaks. Do some deep breathing exercises. Do some muscle relaxation exercises. Use some mind clearing techniques to just empty all the junk that fills up inside during the course of the day.
(Taken from worldofquotes.com with much appreciation for providing a resource for my relaxation.)
If ever there was a time when I don't have time to relax, it has been my last few weeks. I realized this when I felt like going to sleep at night was costing me valuable time that I could be using more productively. Never mind that plenty of sleep is a necessary and vital part of a healthy, fun, and fit life, as well as making us (me) more productive.
It is time for me to take some of my own advice and find time to relax. Never mind that I realized last Sunday that it has been weeks since I have sat on the couch in my den.
Starting yesterday, I am taking brief mental vacations during the day everyday. I will take 5 to 10 minutes every morning just after I wake and the same amount of time just before I go to bed to spend in special meditation and prayer.
In the mornings, I am going to focus on the coming day. I am going to consciously set my mind that I am going to be in a good mood and I will have an upbeat attitude no matter what comes my way. I will offer thanks that I am allowed to have another day to live, love, and grow. I am going to ask God to give me the chance to positively affect the lives of those I meet each day.
At night, my focus is going to be on the day that is ending. I am going to release the stresses, pressures, and issues that have tried to get in the way of my happiness. I will go to God with a thankful heart for the opportunities He has given me and a repentant heart asking forgiveness for all the times I have fallen short during the day.
During the day, and this is the part I have not been doing lately, I am going to take brief 2, 3, 4, 0r 5 minute breaks. Do some deep breathing exercises. Do some muscle relaxation exercises. Use some mind clearing techniques to just empty all the junk that fills up inside during the course of the day.
I am going to take a few moments everyday to let my mind wander, give it a chance to get away from all the clutter that is part of my daily life.
There are many serious things happening in my life right now. There are issues in the world that are not to be taken lightly. but at the same time, life is meant to be enjoyed, even savored. We should have a Zest for life. (See my post "Zest" from April 4th.) We all need to take a moment, let our minds take a vacation, if only for a few precious moments so we don't allow the things of day-to-day living to bring us down.
Smile!!
© 2009 Eddy Seegers
Do you need a speaker for a company meeting or seminar? Send me an email to this address: Click_here
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Be Coachable
Those of you who think you know everything annoy those of us who actually do!
If you know me or have followed this blog, you know that I love a good quote. I enjoy sharing the wisdom and wit of others, especially those that have long since passed from this world. It is a way to learn a little about the personality, as well as the genius, of thinkers I will never have an opportunity to meet in this world.
The opening quote to today's post was a popular bumper sticker/sign/poster/office joke from about 20 to 25 years ago. Someday, I will do a post of many of my favorite over-the-top "I am the Greatest" sayings and phrases that I have picked up and used over the years. They are all meant in fun and have been used to get a laugh poke fun, especially within my family. This one makes a good point for a Life Lesson that I had to learn and others have shared with me about how they had to learn it as part of their growing process also.
I am a fairly intelligent person and learning has come easily to me throughout most of my life. I was once on the arrogant side when it came to learning in that I thought if I could receive, process, and regurgitate information easily, everyone else should be able to do so also.
Mathematics have always been something of a second nature to me. I can still often do computations in my head without realizing that I have done them. One of the struggles I had in school when I was learning math was that I was expected to "show my work." My thinking was, "why do I have to do this if I can just look at a problem and write down the answer?" As I advanced into high school algebra and geometry, I learned to reverse engineer problems to show my work. I knew what the answer was but I had to work backwards from the answer to get back to the initial problem. I irritated friends because they would ask how I got an answer and my reply was, "because that is what you do to get the right answer."
It wasn't that I was trying to be rude or unhelpful, but usually I did NOT know how or why, just that is what was needed to get the answer. To me simple, but to others, not so much.
So what does all of this have to do with being coachable?
Quite a bit, actually.
I bombed out at my first attempt at college, very much because I was not coachable. Learning had always come so easily that I had terrible study habits and NO ONE was going to tell me what I needed to do or how I needed to study once I got to college. This was not something that I wanted to hear. I thought I could continue to do the same things that I always done when it came to studying and still get by. And for a couple of classes, it worked. For others, it (and I) failed miserably.
Not being coachable worked against me in my professional career also. I have always considered myself a salesman to some degree or another. I also have an entrepreneurial itch. It hit me that Network Marketing would be a perfect situation for me. The only problem was that I thought I was so smart, I didn't needed to be trained or taught anyone else's system because I am so smart I can come up with a better idea than the person that had already created a wonderful business for them self.* Unfortunately for me, many lost sales and failed business attempts later, I finally learned that I am often not as smart as I believed I was.
On my last post ("Zest"), I talked about following our dreams. However, no one should open a business without some sort of business training. I don't need to open an auto repair shop without knowing anything about auto mechanics, or finances, or how to hire quality help. I would need to learn many things to be able to open an auto shop if that was my dream. That is not to say I can't pursue that dream but I would need to learn much. If I decided that I know how to repair a car better than a master mechanic, my business would almost certainly fail.
My encouragement to you is this: have an open mind. Listen to others, especially those that are "experts" or successful in the area you have an interest. Find a mentor. Take their knowledge to heart. Learn. And grow. Then finally, see where it takes you.
Final note: I also learned how to be a college student. When I went back to school, my GPA was 3.96. The only reason I didn't get 4.0 was because an A- was given a slightly lower numeric value than a plain ol' A. (Sad face on Eddy.) I had 3 classes where I earned an A-. I didn't get extra value for an A+ and I had 4 of those. (Sadder face.) I did make all A's while working a 40+ hour a week job and 16 hours of class time a week. Sometimes it pays to be coachable.
Smile!!
© 2009 Eddy Seegers
*One of the reasons that I was un-coachable as a Network Marketer was that I just felt that there was a better way to do it than what I was being taught. My mistake was that I should have allowed myself to be coached, learned to do it the way that many others had done it to be successful and then searched for the better way I felt must be out there somewhere.
Fortunately, when I realized that I needed to let someone coach me, I found the the new system to go with the company that makes products that have meant a lot to me. I am developing my new web page to tell everyone about that system. (The nice thing is that you will never have to cold call, bug friends, or family if you don't want to.) I will let you know when my web page is up. In the mean time, if you want to learn about the products that have had such a profound affect on my life, Click_Here_Now!
If you know me or have followed this blog, you know that I love a good quote. I enjoy sharing the wisdom and wit of others, especially those that have long since passed from this world. It is a way to learn a little about the personality, as well as the genius, of thinkers I will never have an opportunity to meet in this world.
The opening quote to today's post was a popular bumper sticker/sign/poster/office joke from about 20 to 25 years ago. Someday, I will do a post of many of my favorite over-the-top "I am the Greatest" sayings and phrases that I have picked up and used over the years. They are all meant in fun and have been used to get a laugh poke fun, especially within my family. This one makes a good point for a Life Lesson that I had to learn and others have shared with me about how they had to learn it as part of their growing process also.
I am a fairly intelligent person and learning has come easily to me throughout most of my life. I was once on the arrogant side when it came to learning in that I thought if I could receive, process, and regurgitate information easily, everyone else should be able to do so also.
Mathematics have always been something of a second nature to me. I can still often do computations in my head without realizing that I have done them. One of the struggles I had in school when I was learning math was that I was expected to "show my work." My thinking was, "why do I have to do this if I can just look at a problem and write down the answer?" As I advanced into high school algebra and geometry, I learned to reverse engineer problems to show my work. I knew what the answer was but I had to work backwards from the answer to get back to the initial problem. I irritated friends because they would ask how I got an answer and my reply was, "because that is what you do to get the right answer."
It wasn't that I was trying to be rude or unhelpful, but usually I did NOT know how or why, just that is what was needed to get the answer. To me simple, but to others, not so much.
So what does all of this have to do with being coachable?
Quite a bit, actually.
I bombed out at my first attempt at college, very much because I was not coachable. Learning had always come so easily that I had terrible study habits and NO ONE was going to tell me what I needed to do or how I needed to study once I got to college. This was not something that I wanted to hear. I thought I could continue to do the same things that I always done when it came to studying and still get by. And for a couple of classes, it worked. For others, it (and I) failed miserably.
Not being coachable worked against me in my professional career also. I have always considered myself a salesman to some degree or another. I also have an entrepreneurial itch. It hit me that Network Marketing would be a perfect situation for me. The only problem was that I thought I was so smart, I didn't needed to be trained or taught anyone else's system because I am so smart I can come up with a better idea than the person that had already created a wonderful business for them self.* Unfortunately for me, many lost sales and failed business attempts later, I finally learned that I am often not as smart as I believed I was.
On my last post ("Zest"), I talked about following our dreams. However, no one should open a business without some sort of business training. I don't need to open an auto repair shop without knowing anything about auto mechanics, or finances, or how to hire quality help. I would need to learn many things to be able to open an auto shop if that was my dream. That is not to say I can't pursue that dream but I would need to learn much. If I decided that I know how to repair a car better than a master mechanic, my business would almost certainly fail.
My encouragement to you is this: have an open mind. Listen to others, especially those that are "experts" or successful in the area you have an interest. Find a mentor. Take their knowledge to heart. Learn. And grow. Then finally, see where it takes you.
Final note: I also learned how to be a college student. When I went back to school, my GPA was 3.96. The only reason I didn't get 4.0 was because an A- was given a slightly lower numeric value than a plain ol' A. (Sad face on Eddy.) I had 3 classes where I earned an A-. I didn't get extra value for an A+ and I had 4 of those. (Sadder face.) I did make all A's while working a 40+ hour a week job and 16 hours of class time a week. Sometimes it pays to be coachable.
Smile!!
© 2009 Eddy Seegers
*One of the reasons that I was un-coachable as a Network Marketer was that I just felt that there was a better way to do it than what I was being taught. My mistake was that I should have allowed myself to be coached, learned to do it the way that many others had done it to be successful and then searched for the better way I felt must be out there somewhere.
Fortunately, when I realized that I needed to let someone coach me, I found the the new system to go with the company that makes products that have meant a lot to me. I am developing my new web page to tell everyone about that system. (The nice thing is that you will never have to cold call, bug friends, or family if you don't want to.) I will let you know when my web page is up. In the mean time, if you want to learn about the products that have had such a profound affect on my life, Click_Here_Now!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
A Poem
I occasionally dabble with writing some poetry. I was going through one of my "ideas" notebooks and found the following poem. It appears that I wrote it somewhere around October/November of 2007. I must have been feeling the pressure of the daily grind. Let me know what you think.
The long green blades of springtime grass
Performing for no one as they dance in the breeze.
The wild flowers allow the zephyrs to spread their scent
Putting the random and rare visitor at total ease.
The clouds randomly float silently across the vast expanse above
Providing brief moments of relief from the midday sun.
The leaves of the majestic trees rustle their whispers to one another;
Their secrets safe as they are shared with none.
A place of beauty so rich and complete
Where solitude provides replenishment to the empty soul.
Damaged by the trials and troubles found in the daily sojourn,
Pressures of civilization build and take their toll.
Quiet screams from all of nature.
Peace and tranquility can be found here.
God has created a beautiful masterpiece,
So those that seek Him will be drawn near.
© 2009 Eddy Seegers
The long green blades of springtime grass
Performing for no one as they dance in the breeze.
The wild flowers allow the zephyrs to spread their scent
Putting the random and rare visitor at total ease.
The clouds randomly float silently across the vast expanse above
Providing brief moments of relief from the midday sun.
The leaves of the majestic trees rustle their whispers to one another;
Their secrets safe as they are shared with none.
A place of beauty so rich and complete
Where solitude provides replenishment to the empty soul.
Damaged by the trials and troubles found in the daily sojourn,
Pressures of civilization build and take their toll.
Quiet screams from all of nature.
Peace and tranquility can be found here.
God has created a beautiful masterpiece,
So those that seek Him will be drawn near.
© 2009 Eddy Seegers
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Zest
Live the life you've dreamed. ~Henry David Thoreau
It's better... to die alive than to live dead. ~William Markiewicz
I am an observer of people. I watch people everywhere, in stores and restaurants, in traffic, at work, and just everywhere there are folks to watch. And there is one thing that really bothers me, it is people that just seem to go through life. In other words, they are living dead.
I feel like we all have the chance to "live" their life. My problem is that is seems most people tend to go through life in neutral. People seem to just go through the motions of living life. They don't pay attention to what is going on in the world around them. As I heard someone say, it is like singing along with a song but not paying attention to what the words mean.
A few years ago, Jay Leno had a bit on his show where he would do interviews with men and women on the street and ask them questions about current events. Sean Hannity does the same thing on his radio program still today with a more political slant. What made and makes these bits humorous and somewhat disturbing, is how clueless the people are. These are folks that are walking around and don't know who the president or vice president are. Person after person who don't know current events. Rephrasing what I said earlier, funny but sad.
I am not saying this to suggest that everyone is supposed to discover a cure for diseases or create great inventions. But we all have chance to have a zest for life. There is a great big world out there with an almost infinite number of things to do, see, and experience. My problem is that there are so many people without an interest in doing, seeing, or experiencing anything outside of their everyday lives.
Think back to your senior year in high school. Most of us had big dreams and plans for when we got out of school. However, the real world hit us and instead of pushing through to chase our dreams, we settled for the easier path through life. We stopped trying to live the life about which we had dreamed.
The big solution is more than what is suitable for this article. However, I want to challenge everyone who reads this article. Have a zest for life. Look for something new, something challenging, something beautiful, and something fun everyday. Notice people and things. You may not be able to begin right away to live the life that you have dreamed, but you can start dreaming again. And then start on a path to living the life that you have dreamed.
Smile!!
© 2009 Eddy Seegers
Do you need a speaker for a company meeting or seminar? Send me an email to this address: Click_here
Are you interested in making money while helping others and yourself live a healthier life, check out my site at this link. Health_and_Wealth
It's better... to die alive than to live dead. ~William Markiewicz
I am an observer of people. I watch people everywhere, in stores and restaurants, in traffic, at work, and just everywhere there are folks to watch. And there is one thing that really bothers me, it is people that just seem to go through life. In other words, they are living dead.
I feel like we all have the chance to "live" their life. My problem is that is seems most people tend to go through life in neutral. People seem to just go through the motions of living life. They don't pay attention to what is going on in the world around them. As I heard someone say, it is like singing along with a song but not paying attention to what the words mean.
A few years ago, Jay Leno had a bit on his show where he would do interviews with men and women on the street and ask them questions about current events. Sean Hannity does the same thing on his radio program still today with a more political slant. What made and makes these bits humorous and somewhat disturbing, is how clueless the people are. These are folks that are walking around and don't know who the president or vice president are. Person after person who don't know current events. Rephrasing what I said earlier, funny but sad.
I am not saying this to suggest that everyone is supposed to discover a cure for diseases or create great inventions. But we all have chance to have a zest for life. There is a great big world out there with an almost infinite number of things to do, see, and experience. My problem is that there are so many people without an interest in doing, seeing, or experiencing anything outside of their everyday lives.
Think back to your senior year in high school. Most of us had big dreams and plans for when we got out of school. However, the real world hit us and instead of pushing through to chase our dreams, we settled for the easier path through life. We stopped trying to live the life about which we had dreamed.
The big solution is more than what is suitable for this article. However, I want to challenge everyone who reads this article. Have a zest for life. Look for something new, something challenging, something beautiful, and something fun everyday. Notice people and things. You may not be able to begin right away to live the life that you have dreamed, but you can start dreaming again. And then start on a path to living the life that you have dreamed.
Smile!!
© 2009 Eddy Seegers
Do you need a speaker for a company meeting or seminar? Send me an email to this address: Click_here
Are you interested in making money while helping others and yourself live a healthier life, check out my site at this link. Health_and_Wealth
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