Learning From Others

Often the people in our lives are our greatest teachers. Some say that we attract precisely the people we need in our lives to learn what we have to learn.

We learn from them not only directly-oh, so that's how to do it-but also by negative example-oh, so that's how NOT to do it. We learn from them by having to stretch ourselves in new ways-to assert ourselves finally, maybe, to avoid being run over by someone. Or to be more patient and tolerant of mistakes. When we see our interactions as opportunities for growth, we can by happier with them and with ourselves.

The list of what we might be learning is endless and different for each one of us. But today, I'd like you to contemplate these two questions: From whom must I learn to receive? From whom (or what) must I learn to protect myself? Take note and stay open. :)

Ryan, M.J. Instant Health and Happiness. Pg. 219.
Thanks Mom!

DEDICATE THIS DAY-EXTENDED VERSION

LIFE COMES FULL CIRCLE...
The adventure of life is to LEARN. The purpose of life is to GROW. The nature of life is to CHANGE. The challenge of life is to OVERCOME. The essence of life is to CARE. The opportunity of life is to LOVE. The secret of life is to DARE. The beauty of life is to GIVE.

OUR ACTIONS GIVE LIFE STRENGTH...

Each of us has a life filled with choices, and sometimes you can make a choice that can help someone you love or someone you don't even know. Each moment of your life is so special...and the people that are in those moments and in your life are there for a reason. A purpose is always fulfilled in each of those moments and will remain constant for life.

Giving to others/helping others gives us more than we give away. Everything you do matters. Every move you make, every action you take...MATTERS. 

How far forward does someone need to go in your life to show the difference you make and the difference you could make? You, me, everyone have been created in order that we might make a difference...that we might fulfill our purpose. We have within us the power to change someone's life, to help someone in need, and to give our life meaning/purpose. Do you have the courage to experience life through the needs and eyes of another?

YOUR LIFE...AND WHAT YOU DO WITH IT TODAY...MATTERS FOREVER.

EVERYONE HAS THEIR SOMETHING...

When situations present themselves do we act on them or look the other way? Everyone has something to give, even if it is a small something...it is still something. I believe it is the small things that help build the bigger things. The bigger things would not be possible without the smaller things. 

I believe deep down, everyone wants to feel they can give something that will help someone in need. It is amazing to see the process extend itself into a big chain reaction that has the power to bring so many people together to help make a difference.

DEDICATE THIS DAY:

I was reading one of my favorite books the other day and I came across a part in the book titled, "DEDICATE THIS DAY." The premise of it is that you dedicate a day to someone who is in need through expressions of love, kindess, and compassion. One of the greatest gifts you can give someone who is in need is kindness. True kindness lies within the act of giving without the expectation of something in return. Tokens of love provides clarity, the opening, and the grace for miracles to happen.

So I have decided to dedicate this day, August 24th to Elizabeth Yturralde-Cameron and her battle with cancer. Elizabeth is an amazing 13-year old girl with a such a powerful smile and such a fighting spirit. Her heart is strong and bright and it radiates everything around her. She is an absolute inspiration to so many people. 

My birthday wish on this day is for people to please take the time to read Elizabeth Yturralde-Cameron's story. A brave 13-year old girl and her battle with cancer. Please share her story with others (it's amazing how far our vibrations can go and spread). But most importantly, realize that every day offers us countless opportunities to love and help someone in need.

ELIZABETH'S FIGHT...

Be there for Elizabeth by helping in her battle with cancer. Support and donate to her fight. Whatever amount you choose to donate big or small it all adds up in the end. Anything is better than nothing...and it truly is not about the amount it is about taking the time to see the reality a what a young girl is facing . By offering support, you will help her to feel and stay strong when she feels weak. You help remind her that her and her life do matter. You may help build up her strength and confidence during the lowest moments of her journey. By your support, you may restore her faith again if it has been lost for a moment. Your actions may help contribute to her finding an inner peace again. There is definitely an amazing process that unfolds, and if you pay attention you will begin to reveal the true meaning of life and what we should really be doing...and that is helping one another.

When life shows us a 13-year old girl with a fighting spirit facing one of the most challenging obstacle she has had to face so far, we must help in someway. We must truly understand the full message and believe anything and everything becomes possible. I love this quote: "Once a heart opens to the other side, it can never completely shut again."

BE A WELL OF STRENGTH, HOPE, AND LOVE for someone who is in the face of a serious illness. Acts of kindness makes wishes come true and miracles unfold. You may be given a gift to witness things go from an obstacle to a miracle and knowing somehow the miracle will show up on the other side of the obstacle. Help me fulfill my birthday prayers and wishes today. We must give Elizabeth's story a voice and wings to fly. Please spread this young girl's story with your friends and try offer support if you can. 

DOFITNESS GIFT...

I am a big believer that tragedy and unfair situations do bring out the goodness in people. I believe that we live in this world to overcome our own struggles-to learn from them, to be more kind to others, to be more loving, and to offer our unique gifts at the RIGHT MOMENT IN TIME AND THE RIGHT WAY.  We all have the power to make a difference, the opportunity to help someone heal and win, and to help bring hope back that will end up helping 15 children by helping and starting with one. 

With all that being said and on behalf of Dofitness Studio, I want to challenge people to step it up. Don't think...JUST DO! So for every amount donated to Elizabeth's fight, Dofitness will match that amount and offer free personal training sessions, an awesome ab challenge program, a customized program design for your specific needs, or nutritional tips- recipes- eating regimens to help you reach your goals. 

If/When you donate, 1.) Please put your full name in the appropriate boxes. 2.) There is a place where you can leave a message that will appear under your name. The message you will type in for this Dofitness Giveaway is "FIGHTING SPIRIT." 3) Contact me by email with your name, your age, and your contact information. My email address is dofitness@gmail.com. You will then be contacted, and you will be set up for your first appointment with love. :)

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to message me on facebook or email me at the above address. I hope you will help me fulfill my birthday prayers and wishes today and help this amazing 13-year old sweet girl named Elizabeth and her journey into the realities of cancer.

ELIZABETH'S SUPPORT PAGE...

http://www.gofundme.com/teamelizabethc

I have put the link above for Elizabeth's support page, if you are interested in getting more information and/or making a donation. 
This wonderful support site was created by an awesome and very selfless family friend, Holly Nystrom Warnol. She has done an amazing job and has filled Elizabeth's page with tons of detailed information, pictures, special messages to help Elizabeth stay strong, post messages from Elizabeth's family, provides encouragement for people to help and pray for this family...and of course, don't let me forget all the countless updates she makes on this page. Awesome person with such a big heart.  

My thoughts and prayers continue strong for Elizabeth and her family and friends. KEEP FIGHTING AND WIN.

MY THOUGHTS FOR TODAY...

Pay attention to the cracks. Most things have cracks, that is how light gets in. Never lose hope!
"Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark."
Grace dissolves every challenge we face. What is real in this life IS A LOVE THAT ENDURES. 
SMILE BIG TODAY and have a wonderful day!

The MOON and JUPITER with the CLOUDS in the NIGHT SKY

This video was taken on Thursday, December 20, 2013 at 1:45 a.m. (cst). I just wanted to share this wonderful moment of interaction between the Moon and Jupiter with the Clouds of the Night Sky. Thanks for checking out this video. I hope you enjoy it.

BEAUTY AND BIZARRE

This Unusual Image Of The Moon Was Captured On December 15, 2013 at 6:28 p.m.(cst). After reviewing and sorting through all of my pictures I was completely shocked by this image of the moon. I believe there is more to life than we can see...things we can not see with our own eyes and things that we may not be able to comprehend. I believe the unusual, the mysterious is what makes life truly so interesting.

Researchers have claimed that the human eye can not see most of the things that exist around us, but a camera can reveal so much more than we can imagine. I must agree with this. I have seen so many wonderful and unusual things in the last three years that have completely amazed me. This image has so much symbolism from the different colors present to the ring that shines on only one side of the moon, and to the rarest of them all...the little butterflies, fairies, winged objects, or what I like to see them as...LITTLE ANGELS appearing in different colors all throughout the photo.

This image took me back to all the stories I heard of what the children saw during the tragic Joplin Tornado...the butterfly people (little angels) that helped them and saved them from harms way. Anyway, I hope you find the image beautiful and bizarre as I did. Thanks for checking it out.

BEST Break Dancer Ever!

I did a blog entry back in September 2012 about an inspiring guy who was born with polio and has been considered one of the best break dancer ever. Here is a recap about a guy named B-boy Junior, whose real name is Bosila Banya. He was born in Zaire, Central Africa and was born with polio. Polio (poliomyelitis) is a viral illness that damages nerves that control muscles, resulting in muscle weakness. In severe illnesses, a person can lose the ability to move both arms and legs (paralysis) and may be unable to breathe without help.

As a child, he always was on his hands performing tricks to impress friends and family. He moved to France when he was 5 and in 1997 he saw a TV show about break dancing. It was then that he realized that was what he wanted to do. Even though B-boy Junior's leg has polio, he pursued break dancing with dedication and was mentored by Jeff and Rudy (Top-Notch Break dancers). In 2001, he joined the wanted posse crew that soon gained popularity around the world.

He has since then won many battles and is considered to be the be the best break dancer in the world. He has accomplished his goal and dream of break dancing despite his handicap. Anyone has the ability to being the best that they can be...everyone is challenged in different ways. It is up to YOU to do what you want to do. Believe in YOU and your dreams. Don't ever give up on YOU. With hard work, dedication, determination anything is possible. So my challenge to YOU is to do something you have always wanted to do and DO IT! 

Check out this video of B-boy Junior and see the amazing strength and power he shows doing something he loves to do...BREAK DANCE! Hope you enjoy.

It Doesn't Have To Be Hard

Where did so many of us get the idea if we are too happy, something terrible is going to happen? We can't enjoy ourselves, can't let out guard down because we think that being hyper vigilant will protect us. It's magical thinking to believe that we can ward off disaster by not being too happy.

As the great philosopher Epictetus reminds us, "When considering the future, remember that all situations unfold as they do regardless of how we feel about them." We can exercise caution and care, we can plan and scheme, but to a great extent, life unfolds on a grander scale than all our scheming. Worry will do nothing to change the outcome.

It doesn't have to be hard. It's OK if it is easy.

Ryan, M.J. Instant Health and Happiness. Pg. 315.

Open Your Mind To Every Possibility

I think that it is so important that you refuse to allow yourself to have low expectations about what you are capable of doing, creating, and knowing. It is important that you understand what really lives inside you. It is like an imaginary candle flame within you that burns so brightly REGARDLESS of what goes before you. And it's this inner flame that represents the idea that you are capable of manifesting miracles in your life.

We have all had our share of experiences were we had to overcome something that was considered impossible or some type of spontaneous healing. It is through these experiences that each of us at one point or time end up going through a complete reversal of personality. It is important to understand that we must have a sense of self. A mind that is open to everything , which means being peaceful, radiating love, practicing forgiveness, being generous, respecting all life, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, visualizing yourself as capable of doing anything that you can conceive of in your MIND and HEART.

We all have this unique gift that lives inside each and every one of us. We possess so much strength and the beauty of miracles is all around us, BUT we must truly believe and know it within ourselves. It is important that you understand that what you think about expands ("As a man thinketh, so is he"). If your thoughts are filled with doubt and your mind is closed, unfortunately you will of necessity act upon those closed-minded doubts. BUT, if you should decide to have a mind that is open to everything, then you will act upon that inner energy, and you'll be the creator as well as the recipient of MIRACLES wherever you are.

In order to grow and have an open mind to EVERYTHING, you must open yourself up to the spiritual ideas of all people, and listen with an open mind to crazy schemes and ideas that at first seem to be outrageous. If someone suggests that natural herbs can lower cholesterol or that levitation is possible, IT IS OKAY TO LISTEN AND BE CURIOUS. Most of us must let go of attachments to what we have been trained to believe. Open your mind to all possibilities , because whether you believe something is possible or impossible, EITHER WAY YOU WILL BE RIGHT. That is what is so SPECIAL! It is your agreement with reality and all that is possible that determines what you'll become. If you are convinced that you will never lose those 10 pounds of weight or you will never become that fit person who will run that marathon, you will act upon that inner conviction that prevents you from manifesting what you would really like to do.

So have fun with an open mind and believe that anything and everything is possible. Never close yourself off to the possibilities of what this life can offer you or what you can do for this life. Understand that what you do with your life or how you want to perceive it is your choice. But I believe that if you choose to open your mind to everything in life, you will be granted the miracle of opportunities.


"I'm passionately involved in life: I love its change, its color, its movement. To be alive, to be able to see, to walk, to have houses, music, paintings-it's all a miracle."
-Arthur Rubinstein


Dyer, Wayne. Secrets for Success& Inner Peace. p.11-13.

A REAL TRUE PASSION

"There are no shortcuts. I have always believed in leading with action." 

-Michael Jordan

This weekend I was reading a book written by Michael Jordan and it reminded me of why I have always liked him. Sure we all know what he was capable of doing on the basketball court and so that is a given, BUT it has been deeper than that for me...it is his story, his thought process (his mind-set), his work ethic. In his book, he shared a lot of his emotions, thoughts, and feelings not only with the game of basketball but in life. I want to share with you some of the main highlights of his beliefs and how it may help you overcome challenges in everything you do. Or it may give you an understanding of why it is important to stay true to your beliefs/desires/dreams.

He begins by stating that it wasn't about celebrating the results as much as it was about understanding the process that produced those results.  I think that is an amazing sentence.  Some of us get caught up in the destination of our success rather than our journey.  He believes that this process is pure...leading and staying true-AUTHENTIC- to those fundamental values that flowed downstream from his parents and later Coach Dean Smith.  We all have a foundation that our parents have provided us and we all get tested and challenged...it is knowing where you came from and being strong enough to endure any obstacles.  

In his second chapter, EARNED, he discusses that in today's world, players receive the rewards before they prove their worth. "If you look around, you will see that it happens in a lot of places, not just sports."-MJ.  Jordan explains that back in his day, there were no expectations for him.  Yes, he was third pick in the NBA draft and received a contract with a lot of money at the time.  BUT, he stresses that no one expected him to become the player he became. Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Julius Erving were the stars in 1984. No rookie was expected to come into the league and challenge the status of veteran stars. So he didn't have to be concerned with trying to live up to the expectations. "What I did on the floor drove the marketing, not the other way around. The Jordan Brand was driven by what I did every night playing the game."-MJ

It comes down to earning your success and appreciating it at the end of the day. When you are in the gym, you need to work hard to earn every pound you lose or to perform better.  He says, "I had to earn what came to me and I never knew any other way."  To me that is a blessing in disguise.  I remember when I was playing basketball and believed that if I practiced everyday and worked hard (dedicating myself and not giving up), I would earn and achieve the goals I set for myself.

Jordan states that when his playing started providing him with rewards, he wanted to prove that he deserved them. He states, "I never felt the desire to rest on what I had accomplished. I never felt like I deserved to drive a Bentley when I got my first contract or live in a mansion. Those things might be symbols of success to some people, but there are a lot of people who confuse symbols with actual success.  Real quick, I want you to think about this paragraph and see how it applies to you in your everyday life. We are all rewarded when we work hard and accomplish something...but what do you do after you receive that reward? Do you stop working hard? Do you believe once you receive that reward that there is no where else to go? 

 I have seen this process so many times in  personal training. For example, here is a person who works so hard to lose the weight...they dedicate themselves to the training and nutrition program. They stay consistent and they don't give in to temptation.  By the end, they have accomplished their goal.  They have lost the weight, they have increased their fitness level, they have inspired the people around them to get in better shape, their confidence level increases, they have more energy, they feel good about themselves...all these things are the rewards they receive from their success.  And then they stop! They stop the process that has given them so much!  They don't appreciate the rewards that their success provided them.  

THE WORDS THAT JORDAN LIVES BY ARE BY HIS HIGH SCHOOL COACH, CLIFTON "POP" HERRING, "IT'S HARD, BUT IT'S FAIR."

You should never settle and you should always want to be challenged.  I told someone today...if it (training at a high intensity) was so easy...everyone would be doing it and sticking with it. And if it was so easy, you wouldn't appreciate it.  You should embrace your hard work and your dedication in the gym.  "Nothing of Value comes without being earned."-MJ  

Jordan states, "I practiced hard everyday because I wanted every one of my teammates to know what I expected out of myself. If I took a day off, then I knew they would, too." Work hard in the gym...YOU SET THE TONE! BE THE EXAMPLE! BE A LEADER!

He states that great leaders are those who lead by example first. People respond to what they see.  And isn't that the truth, say you try on a pair of jeans that you haven't been able to fit into...and they fit and you look at yourself in the mirror, what do you do then? You feel joy and happiness...and your response is to finally wear those jeans tomorrow.  YOU DID IT!  YOU EARNED IT! 

Have a passion for what you are doing and work hard. If you have a passion, then you are going to be challenged every day to give your best. These are the words that Delores Jordan (mom) instilled into Michael.  And these are the words I want you to remember when you are in the weight room or just living your life.  Apply yourself and NEVER doubt what you can do!

Jordan, M. Driven Within. Pgs. 8-13, 17.  

Be Brave

"I can easily adapt to all that life throws at me."  

Try to understand that backing down from your position IF LIFE GIVES YOU REASON TO DO SO is a sign of STRENGTH not WEAKNESS.  Think of and surround yourself with purple today...this will help you think of higher things. Inspire others with your direct action.

Open A Little Miracle

A little miracle is a burst of unexpected happiness. It comes out of the blue to delight us with a complete unexpected and unanticipated moment . Rainbows are little miracles. So is a catch-up call from someone you haven't heard from in years. One little miracle go as followed: "I rode my bike up to the top of the mountain and there, in the field in front of me, were thousand of dragonflies!" Today, watch for a little miracle. You just never know where it might be or what miracle is happening right in front of your eyes. :) Pay Attention To Everything Around YOU! 

Ryan, M.J. Instant Health and Happiness. Pg. 239.

The Oak Tree

SOMETHING SPECIAL TO ME

A mighty wind blew night and day.

It stole the oak tree's leaves away,

Then snapped its boughs

and pulled its bark

until the oak was tired and stark.

But still the oak tree held its ground

while other trees fell all around...

The weary wind gave up and spoke,

"How can you still be standing, Oak?"

The oak tree said, "I know that you

can break each branch of mine in two,

carry each leaf away,

shake my limbs, and make me sway.

But I have roots stretched in the earth,

growing stronger since my birth.

You'll never touch them, for you see,

they are the deepest part of me.

Until today, I wasn't sure

of just how much I could endure.

But now I've found, with thanks to you,

I'm stronger than I ever knew."

So now, try to remember that you're stronger than any problem you encounter or any disappointment life will bring.

Thinking of you, believing in you, caring for you.