However, good habits need to be established first. Beyond that, sometimes life has other plans, and no matter how good our intentions we cannot manage to so easily do what is needed to keep our ideal level of wellness. When this is the case, it is up to us to do what we need to get back on track. This is when effort becomes more of a challenge. This is when we are tempted to fall back into bad habits, or worse, find excuses to NOT push on, because it seems so much easier. In the short run it may even BE easier. But ultimately we will see that we benefit more from continued effort.

So how do we avoid excuses? The simple answer is: Don’t make them. Unfortunately, we may be making excuses without even realizing it. Avoiding excuses first requires RECOGNIZING them.  And there lies the true challenge for some. This particular challenge is one I personally face all too often. These are some of the tricks I have learned that keep excuses at bay:

• KNOW LIMITS – If we push past our limits, we will find our effort to be beyond us. This can easily become a reason not to continue. Instead of giving up, just lower our effort to what we can do.  If we do not overshoot, our limits will grow.
• LEARN PATIENCE – This goes hand in hand with understanding limits. Like it or not, sometimes achieving our goals will not happen as fast as we would like. Without patience we might constantly push too far beyond those limits, ultimately giving ourselves the excuse of constant failure. Allowing ourselves to succeed in smaller doses may take longer … but we WILL continue.
• UNDERSTAND THAT LIFE HAPPENS – No matter how much we think we have control over our lives, some things are beyond our control. This is a simple fact of life. Whether it be due to some ailment that befalls us, or because circumstances interfere with our efforts, sometimes we simply cannot proceed as planned. This can easily become an excuse to not try again. Don’t give up. Adapt.
• BE FLEXIBLE – This is really a summation of the previous three points. When we find things don’t quite work in one way, try another. It could mean no trying as hard, or maybe changing our schedule. I could mean finding alternative methods. If we lock ourselves to a certain path, a blockage on the path becomes an easy excuse not to continue. Just find a detour, or a new path altogether.
• FOCUS ON WHAT WE CAN DO – This may be the most important point. If we keep encountering reasons that we CANNOT do something, we stand in our own way. Focus on what we CAN do, and we will continually make forward progress. We will also find that the CANNOTS become a smaller and smaller list.

Whatever paths we find ourselves on as we journey through life, how (or even IF) we proceed along them is determined by our own choices. We will encounter obstacles, but how we respond to those obstacles is also our choice.  We can let the obstacles become an excuse to give up, or we can find a way to continue DESPITE such excuses. Only by continuing will we find our destinations. Beware excuses!

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I am taking up two personal challenges, one focused on the physical body, one on the emotional and spiritual bodies, thus holistically exercising as is the ideal. I am sharing them here because that is the whole point of this site , and to encourage others to take up the challenges as well. Heal ourselves, heal the world.

Physical challenge:

THE 28 DAY PLANK CHALLENGE

This is simple to do (the form is anyway), and takes very little time, but it can have a tremendous effect. A strong core is essential to good health. It is not about having six-pack abs. That is essentially a sales gimmick. The core also includes the lower back and the glutes, and is fundamental part of balance, posture, flexibility, and internal functions such as digestion. In short a strong core will lead to a strong EVERYTHING. It is a good place to start for those who do NOT exercise enough, for by strengthening the core we make other exercise that much easier. I started today. I challenge you to do the same! Click the above link for details!

Non-physical challenge:

30 DAY  COMPASSION IT CHALLENGE

This may be the more difficult challenge for some. It is also, in some ways, a more important challenge, for it is focused on not just our personal growth, but that of our communities as well. It is “a step-by-step approach to cultivating compassion over the span of one month”. Its purpose is to expand our own capacity for compassion, as well as sharing the concept with others. In a world where compassion often seems wanting, this type of challenge is not only ideal, but necessary. If you believe we need more compassion in lives, TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE! And encourage your friends to as well. Once again, click on the link above for details!

Let’s see how well we can improve our own health and that of the global community together!!

The post Challenging myself … challenging YOU! first appeared on thrumyeyes.

In terms of my personal growth, my activity has been much less physical than may be ideal, but I still have been very active, and I am seeing improvement. I have been focused on forwarding some of dreams, which often (at the moment at least) has me sitting long hours in front of a computer screen. Not the most healthy of activities in some ways, but we adapt.

I don’t get a lot of formal exercise these days, for several reasons. The primary one is I really don’t LIKE routine exercise. But still my fitness improves. How do I manage it? This is what works for me …

DIET

• Chew slower and longer.
• Don’t have seconds.
• Make sure I eat because I am truly hungry, not just bored (or emotionally disturbed).
• Mostly eat what I NEED, not what I WANT.
• That said, feed any cravings so they get satisfied quickly, instead of growing.

EXERCISE

• Stretch frequently, even if only small stretches.
• Walk and play with the dog frequently (I have to admit having a needy dog has some benefits).
• Don’t use “crutches”. In other words, make EVERY movement work for me. For instance, don’t use a railing to walk up and down stairs if I don’t need it.
• Focus on form and correctness of action. Am I sitting with a healthy posture? Walking? Are my movements conducive to a healthy body or potentially destructive in the long run?

SPIRITUAL / EMOTIONAL HEALTH

• Focus fully on what I am doing NOW (all of the above helps this focus).
• Remember that we define our own meaning in life.
• Don’t take things so seriously. Find the bright side. If I can’t find it, I create it.
• Negativity happens. Don’t focus on it. Let it pass through.

Improving our health does not require grand gestures. I just requires living consciously and well. Exercise programs and diets may speed up the process, but they will basically have only temporary results unless our habits change as we do them. It is often the small changes that are the most telling, for if we can consitently shift these … the whole pattern will change as well. Essentially, self-awareness is as important as hard work. Both are required for true healthy living.

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No limit is written in stone. Growth is partially successfully expanding limits. That said, though, limits need to be respected … they can only be pushed so far and/or so fast. One of my personal weaknesses, one that I think I share with many, is impatience. While I am not afraid to put work into positive change, I all too often expect it to happen much faster than reasonable, and when it doesn’t I lose motivation and focus. This can cause difficulties in all aspects of life, especially if I let it continue unchecked. Practicing patience is perhaps one of my greatest challenges.

Change takes time. The very definition of time reflects this … time is essentially a series of events in which change occurs. The passage of time requires change, and change requires the passage of time. How much time depends on what we are changing, and the mechanics involved. When it comes to health and well-being, no positive change happens instantaneously. Physical fitness takes time and effort. It simply cannot happen overnight.

The same is true for changing habits. This also applies to spiritual growth. The challenge for the impatient is when the change happens so slowly that it is practically imperceptible. This happens to all of us. Sometimes we reach plateaus, or maybe we are simply not pushing ourselves hard enough, but there will be periods when we put a lot of effort in with no apparent results. Those who thrive on routine might not be as bothered by this, but those of us who want things “now!” will find this irritating at best, and an actual effort stopper at worst.

So how do we deal with this, especially if we are impatient? Remember the simple fact that nothing worth achieving happens without effort … which includes the passage of time. If the seeming lack of progress causes us to want to stop, then maybe we need to shift gears for a bit (or possibly try a different approach altogether). But don’t give up! While putting the effort in may SEEM futile, NO effort is guaranteed failure. This is something I need to constantly remember myself. Keep on plugging, and when the change we seek actually occurs we might be pleasantly surprised. Even if not, it WILL come, unless we give up.

The post Patience is a … necessity first appeared on thrumyeyes.

But we can support them.

One of my personal challenges, and one that I find many share, is that I find it very difficult to maintain any kind of regular exercise program. I truly do not like regimented exercise and routine, even if I DO like being physically active. Since my current life is more stagnant than active, I am hard pressed to maintain optimum physical health, mostly from a severe lack of motivation. As anyone who has ever formally exercised can well attest, it takes no time at all to fall OUT of our personal ideal(annoying considering how long it takes to get INTO it) … making it even harder to start up again. Yet while I find it difficult to motivate myself just for me, I seem to have no problem getting motivated for a cause, or when specifically challenged. And lucky me, both have appeared before me.

Push ups are a very good all-purpose exercise. Regular push ups can do wonders for building energy and strength, and are generally a good exercise to include in any exercise routine. They can even have more power when doing them also brings awareness to a challenge that many of our fellow humans face … one that sadly has been forced upon them by the machinations of others. In this instance I speak of Veterans who suffer from PTSD … those whom the past won’t let go.  All too many of them find the only answer to their particular challenge is suicide, and this can not be tolerated. No one should be used by others to the point that they no longer feel their life has value. 22KILL is an organization devoted to bringing veterans the support of the community that uses them so hard, One of the methods they use to gather awareness is the 22 push up challenge that many may have encountered on social media. I was challenged to do 22 push ups for 22 days, with the caveat that I capture it on video and post it each day, and push the challenge on. So I am partaking. My first attempt is below. I realize how out of “shape” I have become as I start this, and thus will benefit myself as well.

Part of the process asks that we challenge others each day as well. Since I am trying to remove social networking from my diet, I am instead going to issue a blanket challenge to any who are willing to take it. Can you honor yourself AND our veterans?

I DARE YOU!!

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Being a healer at heart, I created this site. However, in my own search for balance I have managed to neglect many of my own needs. How can I hope to be helpful to others if I cannot even help myself with full effectiveness. So once again I re-image my intent, and see where it takes me … and if others can also learn from my mistakes, all the better. I have not been all that helpful in the lifetime of this site, but this does not mean it is of no benefit, or that it will never be. So I will continue to share about my own journey to well-being, and who knows where it might lead.

Allowing the negativity that is rampant in the world to invade my defenses has resulted in a listlessness and lack of focus in my life. I keep finding myself railing at my perceived failings in others, forgetting that not only is it not my place to judge them, but also not my journey to travel. I am responsible for me and me alone. I cannot tell others how to live, nor can I tell them what is right and what is wrong. All I can do, and all I have the RIGHT to do, is live my own life to the best of my abilities, and share the lessons I learn along the way for any who wish to learn the same lessons.

I have realized that my current focus needs to be to let the anger and negativity drain out of my system.  Hopefully, I will share the steps I take here, and maybe others can find inspiration for their own paths in my choices … even if by doing the opposite of what I do. How do I plan to remove the negativity? By remembering balance.

It all needs to start with the body again. It is a demonstrable fact that one of the best antidepressants is physical exercise. It is not really about what exercise … just the fact of regular exercise. So my first step is to do physical activities on a more regular basis. The second step is to become re-acquainted with myself. I need to enhance my own awareness, not only of my body, but  my own motivations and thinking. The reality is one cannot achieve balance without self-awareness. This is true both in the kinesthetic view of balance as well as the metaphysical version. Awareness is really the key. I need to restore my awareness of ME.

This is all rather enigmatic, and really does not say much. I don’t have a specific schedule of activities, because that is not how I operate. I will take each day as it comes, and practice embracing the day to the best of my abilities. In the process, I expect to regain comfort in my own body, as well as the ability to smile by choice again. To some, this is all philosophical psycho-babble. Others might see the sense in what I am saying, and still others may just be curious about what will happen. I won’t personally know until I have taken the journey. I will still share information that I find of use along the way, though it may just as well be what I have failed at. If my journey aids another in any way, then I have added to my own sense of balance. Nothing attempted is ever truly a waste … even if the attempt seemingly failed.

The post Returning to self first appeared on thrumyeyes.

So the first step to creating healthy habits may actually be to recognize what our goals truly are. We need to separate fact from fiction, and realize what we are and are not capable of achieving. Here’s a few tips that have worked for me.

• THE SPECIFIC DIET IS KEY – Diets may work for a while, but the ONLY way to control weight is commitment to a healthy lifestyle. We constantly see images of how this person or that lost mega weight on THIS or THAT diet. But the reality is it is NOT the diet that did the trick, but the commitment to losing the weight that did. The diet is just the tool that helped reach the goal.
• COUNTING CALORIES IS IMPORTANT – This too is a bit of a myth. A calorie is basically a unit of heat, and when we are told the caloric content of something, it is an indication of how much heat will break that something down to its component parts. Unless it is manufactured (and manufactured food is already a scary enough thought), the caloric count is at best an estimate. Similarly, every body is different, thus will burn calories at different rates determined by many different factors, not the least the level of activity. So saying a specific caloric intake is correct for all is totally unrealistic. One needs to determine it for each individual. similarly, the amount of calories expended in activity is also at best an estimate. So the simple rule is this … to gain weight caloric intake must be greater than calories burned off, to maintain weight they must be the same, and to LOSE weight the intake must be less than what is burned off. Instead of focusing on a number, just adjust our level of activity to the amount of food we take in according to our goals.
• SCALES ARE HELPFUL – Ignore the scale! The simple fact is muscle weighs more than fat. If we are actually losing fat but gaining muscle, we might INCREASE our weight. So the best bet is to ignore the scale altogether and find other methods to track progress
• THERE IS AN IDEAL BODY – This is the ultimate lie. Male or female, there is no perfect configuration. We need to find the body that fits US, and not try to obtain one that is totally unrealistic because someone else tells us it is the ideal. Advertising is all about manipulation, and rarely about truth. But we are also often mislead by those intending to motivate and help. The truth is not everyone will get the same results even if they practice the exact same habits. To expect that is to assume we are all exactly the same. And that is clearly not the case.

This list could go on, but the basic message here is we need to stop letting the rest of the world determine who we should be, and determine for ourselves what OUR ideal is. If it is not obvious at first, then maybe we need to set smaller goals until the ideal US is revealed to US. Be the best ME, instead of trying to be the best THEM. That is the only truly achievable goal.

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If you are here on this site, something caught your attention. But, unless you already know me, you might at this point be wondering: “Who IS this guy, and why would I want anything from him? I mean, what is so special about him anyway?” I guess a good place to start would be for me to tell y’all a little bit about me, so you know what you might be getting into here.

So what IS so special about me? The truth be told, absolutely nothing. I am no more special than anyone else. I am just a guy trying his best to live a good and productive life. I have followed a different path than many, not settling for the typical 9 to 5, married with 2.5 children and a pet lifestyle, but I am still just a guy. I have spent my life looking for my purpose in the world, trying many things and not really finding a good fit. In the process I have managed to see a fair bit of the world, and maybe even lived what to others may seem like an adventurous lifestyle. I have made many mistakes, and (hopefully) learned from most of them. Like I said, just another guy.

I have always been a fairly active person … some would say a bit foolhardy even. When I was younger, like so many, I pushed the limits of my body frequently without taking into account possible future consequences. My youthful exuberance stayed with me, even as my body started that inevitable thing called aging, which meant it often could not keep up with my intent. Then that thing called life started getting in the way, and the next thing I knew I was a middle-aged couch potato with way to many extra pounds, a serious lack of motivation, and worse yet very little energy to pursue any goals whatsoever (even if I could figure out what my goals were).

In recent years, due to both choices I have made, and circumstances not completely in my control, I have found myself basically income-less and effectively living in a cave. Far from homeless, but not exactly an active member of society either. After some deep self-exploration, I decided it was time to start actually LIVING again. I reconnected with the world through the unlikely avenue of blogging (I now have ten plus this one … and I am involved with a couple of others). Things I (re?)learned about myself:

1. What I value most is helping people.
2. I need to start pursuing this again.
3. Ultimately, this means taking care of myself first.

Being the nomadic type person I am, I do not do well with gyms and too regular exercise. I have rarely found anything I could stick with for any length of time. I have explored many avenues for increasing my health and well-being, some more successful than others. They have brought me in a circle, back to a new beginning, and that is where I am now. I am reinventing myself every day, and hope the process may have some meaning for others as well. So I share my journey to health in life and we can see where it takes me together.

That is me in a nutshell. If you would like to learn more, feel free to check out one of my other blogs, or simple send me a note directly. I promise I won’t try to sell you anything unless you want me to haha. But I am always willing to make new friends!

For more information on my many other projects, feel free to visit Learning The Way(kind of my organize myself website).

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Today is #1000Speak Day, a day when a thousand plus voices will try an experiment in POSITIVE energy for a change. These voices will shout to the world the power and joy that is compassion, and with every person they touch, the world will grow slightly brighter … at least for a day. I am one of those voices, but because I have a whole collection of blogs, I am posting SEVERAL offerings … each focused on that blog’s purpose. Everyone has their own story to tell; their own ideals to share; their own hopes for a better world. All worth reading (click on the link if you are interested).  I explored WHAT compassion is on another post, but here I want to explore how it is to be achieved.

The simple answer is compassion needs to start with ourselves.

Why do we exercise? Why do we try to improve ourselves in oh so many possible ways? There are many answers for these questions, and each of us have to find our own. But all too often the reason is because we thinks we are not up to some unrealistic ideal created by others. We don’t look like that photo-shopped model. We don’t act like the perfect person on that scripted television show. We don’t have the things that THAT commercial defines as making us worthy. And this is just the effects of media overload. Add to it the opinions of those closest to us … is it any wonder we don’t know who we are looking at in the mirror?

If we cannot have compassion for ourselves; for our own “weaknesses” and “failings”, how can we expect to have it for others. Even more importantly, do we feel enough compassion for ourselves to recognize that maybe they are NOT weaknesses or failings? Simple who we are? Maybe sometimes CHANGING is not the answer, but accepting instead. Then if we do choose to change, it is for the right reasons.

So how do we strengthen our own compassion for OURSELVES? Here’s a thought. A simple

exercise that too many will actually find not so simple. When you wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and note what you see. What are your initial reactions? Positive? Negative? If they are positive, you are already ahead of the game. If they are negative … well that just needs to change. Note the reaction, then look yourself IN THE EYE and TELL yourself that reaction is wrong. Call yourself by name, and firmly tell yourself that you are beautiful as you are, that you love yourself. And say this at least 5 times. For some this simple trick may actually be very difficult, but if you can make yourself love YOURSELF properly, simply by CONVINCING yourself … then imagine how your perspective about others will change if you chose.

Compassion starts with ourselves. Healing the world starts with healing ourselves.

The post Try the mirror first #1000Speak first appeared on thrumyeyes.

However I started my journey, thanks in part to these exercise programs and the motivation creating this site provided (even if the financial benefits never manifested). As often happens, the journey itself changed from what I originally envisioned. It has become more of a walk-about, focused on not just my physical health but my mental and spiritual health as well. It has become eye-opening for me. My ideals have not changed, nor my goal to help others. But my need to fit into a society I really don’t respect is diminishing. As a result, I have been remodeling my life … including the digital one. This project (and others I have started) is not ending, but it is changing. I am no longer considering this an attempt at revenue while helping others, Rather it is simply me sharing what I am learning along the way to maybe help others in THEIR journeys. I have other blogs devoted to my creative side and my beliefs. This one is here simply to help myself and others create a healthier life. So I still offer my services to any who might desire it, as a resource for information, a motivator, or simply a friend. I ask for nothing in return other than you take enough from what I share to create a happier and healthier YOU, to be the best YOU you can be.

This has become an aspect of a redefined purpose, falling under the title Taochild Inc. I know this is definitely a business sounding name, and in a way it is because capitalist or no, we live in a capitalist system so survival requires some sort of income. But the reality is is is just a new life model for myself, pulling all the pieces of my past together to create the me I want to be. In the process, I hope to help others find their own paths along the way. This is my reintroduction, complete with a new logo:

I hope to share useful information about health topics, including exercise, diet, and techniques for improving emotional and spiritual health. I am not claiming any sort of expertise, just sharing what I am learning in my own journey for self improvement. So welcome back to those who have been here before, and nice to have you for any new visitors. As always, feedback is quite welcome!

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