Choice

Reese Witherspoon, who has never revealed the reasons for her divorce, did reveal that she vowed never to ‘lay blame’ on Ryan Phillippe for their relationship breakdown.

She added to Parade magazine: ‘There are things in my life that are hard to reconcile, like divorce. Sometimes it is very difficult to make sense of how it could possibly happen. Laying blame is so easy.’

‘When you make wrong choices, you have to take responsibility for them, ‘What part of this do I own?’ I struggle to figure out what made me make those choices. All I can hope for is that I’ve learned something from it and won’t make the same choices again.’

Blame is giving your free will and responsibility away to someone or something else. The truth is that we are responsible for our thoughts, feelings, and actions and there is no room for blaming in that equation. If you want to move forward with your life you need to accept responsibility for your life and take all situations into your hands. Who better to solve your life’s travail than you?

Blame is the desire to avoid whatever experience you are going through. If you had peace and equanimity about it, you would simply let it be, and move on, but when there is a desire to avoid the experience, then you must find a reason for it so as to control future experiences to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Any time there is blame; there is always a lack of surrender to an experience. It puts the resolution of your emotional pain into the hands of someone else rather than yourself. Ultimately, you cannot insist that someone else take responsibility for your feelings or actions, only you can make that choice when you are ready.

Choice denotes the act, power or right of selecting alternatives. As good as it feels, initially, to blame others for your disagreements, there’s actually very little you can do to change other people’s behavior. You can, however, concentrate on what you can do to alter the situation, or at least the ways you respond in the future.

Know how to take responsibility for your own choices. Refuse to blame others for your decisions or for your need to make a choice. You and you alone have the privilege of final responsibility for your choices. Take responsibility for the problem. Make the right kind of choices, the kind that will enhance your life rather than diminish it. When you blame others, you give up power to change.

Did you do your homework?

Whenever making a decision in life, I cannot stress how important it is to do your own homework. This goes for anything in life which has a high risk of failure. You do not want to be the victim, simply by not doing your own homework before making a decision; especially when it comes to money. Without doing your own homework, there is only one person really to blame; yourself. This especially holds true if you are thinking about ever investing money in the stock or housing market?

Take this for example: You see an acquaintance from high school at the shopping mall. You have not seen him for over 10 years and he comes up to you and you start talking. He continues to talk about how he is a stock broker and would love to make you money. He introduces to you the latest project he is working on; a gold company based in Mexico which sounds too good to be true. He highly suggests you start up an account with him as this stock is just about to take off. The question is do you listen to him or not? Well, the correct answer is listen to his advice, do your own homework and then make a decision. In all big decisions in life, it is ultimately up to us to make our own decisions, but we must not forget to take advice from people.

What should you look for in this example with the stock broker?

• Where do you know him/her
• How long has he been a stock broker
• What firm does he/she work for
• Research the stock he is promoting and make the calls
• Ask advice from friends or people who know the stock market
• Are you going to lose sleep over this if you lose money
• Do you have extra money to play around with
• Make sure you understand how the stock market works
• Lastly, make sure you believe in the company or product the stock broker is promoting

I can recall a few times in my life where people I did not know well at all, told me about projects he/she was working on or investments which will make me rich. A few times I did my homework and there were a few times where I got literally screwed because I was lazy and did not bother to do my homework and took their advice.

Creatures of Habit

I remember walking through the Quad, on my way to meet a friend for lunch... and I was kind of lost in thought. I looked down at my watch, and realized that I was running late...

The crowd was going nowhere, fast, and I was getting very frustrated because nobody seemed to be in any particular sort of rush - which was just holding me up more and more. Just as I was on the verge of losing my mind, I looked over everyone's heads... and noticed that the reason for the crowd was that each and every one of us was funneling into a single door - a complete bottleneck.

Now, this is not the "a ha" moment... no, that came a couple of seconds later when I further realized that there was an entire wall of doors leading into the Student Union Building, but being the automatons that we were, no one was using any of these other doors - we were ALL waiting to go through that single door.

I mounted my own rebellion - I broke off from the crowd, and opened another door... which was when I said "a ha". As I walked through this door, I looked back over my shoulder and saw that a second stream of people had been created, going through both the original door AND the one that I had opened.

A living and breathing metaphor.

In this age of fear, greed and blind following all I ask is that everyone reading this take just a moment and look to see if there's another door to go through... because I guarantee you'll bring others with you.

~Guy

Keeping ones focus

As the holiday season is upon us, we are so easily distracted and swayed to miss/skip out on our physical path. It’s too easy to hit the snooze button to bypass that early morning run or have a bigger lunch and feel ‘too full’ to hit the gym early evening.

But for those of us that have a destination in the middle or past the holiday season we are kept on track. The best way to combat those dinner parties or feeling like you need to stay and entertain is to have a destination that you are training for.

I was personally reminded about this the other week. I was at a function with some friends, mingling and sampling the appetizers being carried around the venue. Two girls walked up to me and asked me if I was at a Halloween party the previous year dressed as a lumberjack.

‘Well yes I was’ I replied with a smile.
‘Ya, you had to leave early to run a ½ marathon or something…’ she responded…

It hit me that if it hadn’t been for that ½ I had to get up for the next day that I would have stayed out late continued to party it up at that party…

Fast forward 1year. My new commitment is a spin class that I coach on Sundays and another ½ marathon that I am running in a couple weeks. Those are my focuses these days and have been for a while now. I still manage to get out and enjoy my social time, but I have promise to myself to be prepared for my physical obligations.

Just to get you up to speed, Ill miss a workout here and there and do my best to make them up, but for the most part (like 95%) I’m on-point with my training, recovery and it feels great.
We can see it in our customers when they are dialed. Arriving early, nutrition (fuel), stretching (flexibility) and their focus is on the task at hand.

In a week we are leaving for Vietnam and then traveling to Cambodia to run a ½ Marathon and we are seeing it in real time with those that are registered for Cambodia, Honolulu and even the UBC Triathlon.

You know what’s coming…

Destination + commitment = focus
As

Challenge + Adversity = Victory

What are your plans for 2009?

As 2008 comes to end, we start to think about and plan for 2009. Some of us have a set plan in what we want to achieve in 2009 and others are still brainstorming and considering the options that are out there. We work in an environment where we are constantly leading others through example and being role models; the pressure and expectations are there for us to have a plan. Before working at IF, I was never constantly asked or challenged for what my next step is, where do I want to go, or what do I want to achieve. The leaders here are planting a seed and helping me think about what I want to do next, just like we do to our customers.

I think the most important aspect of planning and setting up goals for 2009, is to be realistic. Set achievable and realistic goals so that you can plan and achieve success rather than failure. I feel we get influenced and side tracked by others to do everything and anything, which for some people that is possible but for others they might get too stressed and burned out.

We are all different, we all go along at different paces to achieve our goals and those that achieve their goal faster must not sidetrack us. You should not worry about what others are thinking and you must do what you feel is right. We are surrounded by such a great support system, that we are lucky that we can turn to anyone to help us plan and think about our goals for 2009, where else do we have the opportunity to do that

'V' Formation

In Canada, the geese fly in a V-shaped formation with one side of the 'V' longer than the other. There are scientific and practical explanations for this and we should use this nature's wonder to understand the need for synergy in effective teams.

During the flight, each bird's wings create an uplift for the bird behind it. This enables the entire wedge of geese to fly 71% further than a bird flying alone. By tapping on the collective strength ofindividuals with a common goal and direction, we all stand to benefit.

When a goose starts to leave the formation, it can feel a drag and resistance of a solo flight and will quickly get back into the 'V' formation. The lift and thrust of the flapping birds in front lighten the burden of the birds behind. In the same manner, we can be special and choose to fall out of the line, but it will make our journey to success a much tougher path to travel as we do not enjoy the support of the people around us.

Just like our leaders, the leading goose may feel the strain and pressure in taking charge. When it drops to the back, another goose immediately takes over the helm. In perfect teams, the mindset should not be one of ‘your job’ or ‘my job’ but ‘our jobs.’ The responsibility is shared and each team member should be prepared to cover each other when the need arises.

Geese do not travel in silence and we hear their honking in flight. Maybe it is their merry singing, but it could very well be their way of encouragement to those in front to keep pace. We don't have to go to the extreme of a cheerleading team. However, words of praise, encouragement and support go a long way in raising the morale of our team members.

Can geese fall sick? Yes, they can and when that happens, at least two other geese will follow a sick bird to the ground. They will protect the bird and when it is well again, they travel together to join the rest of the flock. We should not forsake our team members who need our help especially during difficult times.

Which are you - are you the leading goose? The number two who is always able to take over the number one? A noise maker and morale booster? A ready helper? Does your team fly in a 'V' formation in the first place?

A good team is not formed overnight. There must be some form of magnetism that pulls them together - a synergy. Disputes and arguments are common and there is no reason to expect none of that in the teams. Personalities aside, the solution towards harmony is often a process of realignment of duties and tasks.

Yes, we are the Professionals

Let’s face it coming to Innovative Fitness is a luxury bonus which only few people can afford. Many people are suffering or will soon be affected by the economic crisis in some way or another. When financial hardships occur in our lives and money becomes tight, then we start to invest money into the things which are the most important in our lives and drop the things which are a luxury bonus. With the average cost of each personal training session being $70.00, the question is are our customers getting more than what they are paying for. Everybody loves to get more than what they pay for and if a customer cannot justify they are getting what they pay for, then they will either look elsewhere for a better bargain or discontinue the luxury of having a personal training coach.

What can we do as professional training coaches to keep our customers loyal during these challenging times in our economy:

• BE THE PROFESSIONALS!!

• Have customers aware of his/her program so they can see the value of our service. Program = accountability.
• Be on time. Be out on the training floor with a towel ready before the customer arrives. Greet them with a smile and create urgency from the start they walk in through the doors. Give your customer a quick review of their game plan for the hour.
• Energy/Excitement. A Customer is coming to IF to get energized before a long day at work or to build excitement and feel good after a stressful day at work.
• Little Things. The little things is what separates us from other personal training companies. These little things go a long way.

Are you being the professional?

The Gambler

"You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away - and know when to run."

Ahhh, Kenny Rogers. Such a simple metaphor, and yet one that, as leaders, we should pay attention to.

Simplified, what the line says is that we have to know when we should stay in the game, when we need to step aside - and when we need to leave knowing that we've done what we can. As leaders, learning to recognize the trailmarkers for these points is of utmost importance.

With a customer, we can get them to register for an event, we can give them a thorough training program, we can offer them clubs and clinics... but if they are not doing any of these things, then we have to ask ourselves if there's anything else we can do? Do we have one last "bet", or effort - or is it time to "fold"? This doesn't mean we've left entirely - but we're out until the next round.

It's similar with people we've chosen to lead - we need to know when to keep working with them, to keep pushing them, but we also need to know when it's time to stop focusing our energies on something that doesn't offer a return. And, in the long run... we need to know when it's time to move on entirely.

Who knew that Kenny could be so wise?

~Guy

Step by step

We Challenge, we work through Adversity and we experience Victory…simple right?
Well, it’s not always that cut and dry. Sometimes this process takes years – sometimes it's the case of an existing customer who doesn’t want to do an event or someone who hasn’t been directed towards the appropriate destination - we never know what that reality is until we start to dig/push/listen...

But, to be honest, it can be that simple – all it takes is planning

In early September we started talking about the fall running events and of course, promotions and excitement were created. The Fall Classic is one of the bigger runs that end the season. Mid November when the weather is changing and running gloves are necessary. The whole fall road running series potentially sets you up for the Fall Classic is half marathon.

To challenge someone is easy. To follow up and actually execute a-z is not – but our saving grace is that all one must do is plan the route and stay on top of the journey for fine tuning along the way.

It’s not rocket science that we look at; skill-set, commitment levels, potential issues, rehab/prehab progressions and a periodized program…

For Dianne, we ran a handful of times together, she ran on her own a bit, we focused on her weaknesses in the gym and continued to build her confidence around running. It’s not like she couldn’t run, she can push herself quite hard. A 10km wasn’t way out of her realm. The crazy part was that for as long as she’d been with IF, she had never done a 10km. She had completed a 5km run years ago, but didn’t think she could do anything bigger…

Fast forward – She totally rocked the 10km at the Fall Classic – no stopping, no complaining, no problem.
She ended up sprinting to the finish and was absolutely beaming from ear to ear in the end.

Rest up Dianne - we are running a tempo on Thursday and bigger run than that Fall Classic next weekend!

All it took was planning and staying true to the road map...

The best part, just imagine how excited she will be when we run the Cambodia Half together December 7th!

By the way: Josip and his friend raised just over $10,00.00 dollars last Monday night at Remembering to Give!

The Importance of Support

We are fortunate to work in an environment where we are constantly surrounded by supportive people. That is our nature, that is what we do.

Personally, I am extremely lucky to not only work at a place that supports me in everything that I do, but also my parents have and continue to support, watch and cheer in all my activities from sporting events, charity races or functions, and much more. They are always there taking pictures, bringing the extra water and fuel, and being there when I cross that finish line to congratulate me.

I feel that when I was an adolescent, I never fully grasped the concept or appreciated how much my parents did for me, by driving me to all my practices and games, provided me with my equipment, team fees and anything else I would need for each sport. I can’t remember one game or race that they were not at.

Reflecting back on all that they have done for me, I now truly appreciated and am humbled by all their support. I now make a point of thanking them, make sure I spend time with them after my game/race and introduce them to my teammates or fellow racers. I know that I have a unique family, and I am so grateful for them to continue to come out and support me. I know that from the example that my parents have set, that it will make me want to support my family, friends, customers and coworkers in anything that they do.

The importance of supporting a family member, friend, or customer is a matter of being there for that person and them having someone to share their accomplishment with. They may not always thank you for being there but deep down they are so happy that you came and took effort out of your day to be there. Who knows, down the road when you are accomplishing a challenge they will be there for you.

My advice and challenge to you, is to go out and support someone when they least expect it. It will show them that you care, you believe in them and you will be at the finish line waiting to celebrate the victory with them.

The Icing on the Cake

Comedian Jay Leno once said, ‘that anyone who says their marriage is hard work probably isn’t in a very good marriage.’ Marriage isn’t just a state of being. It requires time, thought and attention. It is a million separate actions taken in order to stay with someone, share a life with someone, have a partnership with someone, appreciate and support someone, cultivate love with someone – actions taken consistently over the long haul.

Making a commitment on your wedding day takes one little ‘I do.’ Living the commitment every day takes a lot of doing. In short, just because you know how to get married doesn’t mean you know how to be married.

There’s no faster way to kill love than to blame the other party for not doing what you ought to do for yourself. To be sure, you can be blissfully happy with a partner, but you can’t hold him or her responsible for making and keeping you happy. It’s not fair and it’s not possible. That’s expecting your partner to do it all for you: make you happy, fix you, fulfill you, complete you, define you, and make your life meaningful for you.

It seems that Arnold Schwarzenegger had it right when he met Maria Shriver. After a while together, my future husband said to me, ‘Don’t expect or rely on me to make you happy.’ Well, I thought, isn’t his grasp of the English language adorable. He doesn’t realize what he is saying. Who else is supposed to make me happy, if not him? But he was adamant. ‘You must be happy with yourself first. Be happy with your life separate from what the other person brings to the table.’ This was serious. He told me he would be ‘the icing on the cake, but I shouldn’t expect him to be the whole desert.’

You must work at making your own life and identity. It’s within you to carve out your own future, and create your own destiny. I am happy to say that I am marrying someone who recognizes me as an individual first and foremost and that my life apart from him is as important to me as our life together.

Appreciate the simple things of life

Quite frankly it often takes a tragedy to wake us up and make us re-evaluate our lives. Growing up I can remember always focusing on what I did not have or cannot change at that time, instead of being grateful or happy at what I had.
- I wanted to be bigger.
- I always wished my family had more money.
- In grade 12 I wanted a nicer car.
- Growing up I thought I was always skinny. Then after working out for 10 years I thought I was too stocky.

Writing my personal inventory last year gave me a chance to re-evaluate my life. Realizing that I came close to death 3 times over the course of my 26 years, I began to appreciate the simpler things in life since I had all the essentials to live a great life. Instead of always focusing on the things I cannot change or did not want, I started to regain my thoughts towards the simple things that I did have. I started to think of the people who did care about me, instead of the people who did not. There are some things you cannot change and some things which are obtainable but not through instant gratification. I started to reflect at a deeper level on the things which I am grateful for. A loving family, food on the table each night, a healthy body and mind, supportive friends, a born hard worker, above average intelligence and a career I enjoy. Appreciate each day and the challenges you overcome in life. Appreciate waking up in the morning and being able to eat. Appreciate the simple things in life.

What are you appreciative about today? Think...

Modern Communication

It's funny, actually. I was watching Kung Fu Panda this weekend, and there was a line that I found very poignant: "There is no good news or bad news - there is only news. It is, what we make of it."

Well, this past Saturday I decided to end all questions and make my plan to spend the rest of my life with Sasha public knowledge. Although I had actually already asked her on the Great Wall of China, it seemed time to make it official with a ring.

How does this relate to Kung Fu Panda you ask?

Well, once we told our families, we simply changed our posting on Facebook - and I can't even begin to tell you how many people complained about finding out that way. But the way I see it, imagine if there wasn't a Facebook? How could I possibly let everyone that I want to know that I'm getting married, and not drop the ball and forget someone? Even though the others would have appreciated the phone call, how would that one, two or three other people that I didn't tell feel when they finally did find out?

No, for once I actually appreciate what Facebook has allowed us to do. Instead of running the risk of missing someone, I've actually been able to let everyone know at once... and no one has to feel left out. It's the modern day equivelant of posting it in your local paper under "Announcements" - except a) that came with a cost, b) it went to the entire world, instead of your entire world, and c) not everyone reads the same paper.

So lament, if you will, the direction modern communication has gone - pine for the good old days. I, for one, in an uncharacteristicly optimimistic manner am going to embrace this convenience, and appreciate it for the good that it has brought... at least in this case.

~Guy

Remembering to Give

A couple weeks ago a teammate of ours came to us and shared what he was currently working on. He and a close friend were busy working on a charity night befitting a local group whose sole purpose was to help kids who didn’t have some of the basics that we all take for granted. The Strathcona House provides local east Vancouver kids snacks and afterschool programs. Keeping the kids out of harm’s way and providing an outlet in the form of physical activities and games.
The team jumped at the chance to help out – all we had to do was come out and support the night. Customers rallied too; there were many donations and contributions to help make the night success.
Last night the event took place. A start time of 8pm on the ticket along with an address and the name of the event – Remembering to Give. We were instructed to dress comfortably yet semi formal.
As the night unfolded, many people arrived and filled the space. A funky little at gallery in east van was the donated venue – along with volunteers pouring drinks and serving donated tapas to the crowd. A lounge singer filled the air with rhythm and live music.
A couple hours went by and the music stopped and it was time for a couple speeches – thanking the volunteers and sponsors. A brief moment of silence, to pay respect for our lost soldiers (just in time for Remembrance Day) and many draw prizes to follow.
A couple of us bought a balloon which had a number inside – after we popped it, we found out that we had won a dinner at a local restaurant. This was fabulous – it was a 50$ donation and we received a wonderful gift back for our efforts.
By midnight the Dj’s came out in full force and the night was redefined into a club setting. A couple more drinks and pictures to add to the dancing – fun was being had by all.
The final numbers of monies raised have not been released as of yet – but we will keep you in the loop.
The message in this is simple – all it takes is an idea and some effort to create something that many can benefit from. A little bit of passion and focus is all we need to do anything great.
Don’t let anything stop you from creating your own piece of magic – and if it has the ability to help others, don’t be afraid of sharing and asking for a little help and support. You may just be surprised at what exactly you can produce and how others are keen to be by your side.

This weekend I had the privilege to participate in the Haney to Harrison 100km Relay event. This race started in Haney and made its way through the back roads and Indian reservations all the way to Harrison Hot Springs. The race consisted of 8 stages, ranging from 7km to 15km distances. The team all met at the West Vancouver gym at 5am, to get to the start by 6:45am. We were very fortunate to have MJ drive his ‘European VW 7 seater Van’ so that the team could all be together throughout the race. The race was split into 5 waves, so we started at 6:45am, the fourth wave to go. During the whole race while each individual was running their specific leg, the rest of us would hop into the ‘European Sensation’ Van to follow and cheer the runner. We had about an hour to kill while our teammate were running, so we would make mandatory stops for Starbucks and Tim Horton’s, take photos and give fuel and water to our teammate when needed.

The best part about this race was that it was a team effort. You are individually out there running on your own but you are constantly thinking, ‘I can’t let my team down”. The faster you run, the better the team result would be overall. Having the support van drive up behind you and cheer you on was a huge motivation for you to run faster. This sort of team atmosphere is completely different from that of a team sport. Team sports you are all playing together at the same time but during the H2H you have the responsibility to perform on your stage to not let the team down. This relates to our work environment as well. Yes, we are all training a customer individually but how we deliver our session and follow the systems that are set in place, help towards making our company and our product the best. Everyday, together we work at creating and providing a unique and different experience for our customer so that we can have the reputation of being the best in the industry.

Haney to Harrison put that in perspective for me. Everyone ran their best on his or her specific stage, the atmosphere and team spirit was amazing, and the memories created on this trip were awesome. Thanks to Chelsea, Rob, Josip, Shauna, Justine, MJ and Ashley for making this day happen, from the ‘European sensation’ Van, the run stages, the victory of winning the corporate mixed division and the celebration afterwards, you all played a huge part in making this event unbelievable!

WEST VAN - H2H Champions!

Recogonition

Every person has different reasons for working. The reasons for working are as individual as the person. But, we all work because we obtain something that we need from work. The something obtained from work impacts morale, employee motivation, and the quality of life.

‘There are two things people want more than sex and money - recognition and praise.’ ~ Mary Kay Ash

Recognition is an absolutely crucial element of motivation, and few things are more powerful, or simple, than a genuine 'thank you'. Great leaders know that it's vital that people feel appreciated and valued, so they show their appreciation through celebration of success ­both formally and informally. Recognizing is an act of recognition - it is the process, not the item. Recognition requires an audience.

Employee recognition is not just a nice thing to do for people. Employee recognition is a communication tool that reinforces and rewards the most important outcomes people create for your business. When you recognize people effectively, you reinforce, with your chosen means of recognition, the actions and behaviors you most want to see people repeat.

Many studies on the work place have shown that being recognized for achievements, knowing that one's contributions matter to the organization, and the opportunity for growth and professional development have a considerable impact on employee satisfaction and commitment.

The best leaders are able to promote a culture where their people value themselves, each other, the company and the customers. Everyone understands how his or her work makes a difference. This helps to build a commitment to higher standards where everybody is always looking to do things better.

‘Don't worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.’ ~ Abraham Lincoln

What charismatic qualities do you have?

What makes Barack Obama so charismatic and so likeable to so many people? Over the past few days I have been spending countless hours watching Obama’s speeches and getting inspired by him time after time. The more I watch and listen to him, the more I like him as a person. Watching him speak live; it is evident that his personality seems so natural and is full of confidence. Some people will perceive a person as charismatic while others will not. However, people who are widely accepted as charismatic often share similar behavioral traits.

Obama has a lot of them. Let’s take a look and see if we can learn a few things.

1.) Charasmatic leaders empower people

“I’m asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington… I’m asking you to believe in yours.” - Barack Obama

Take a look at the video below and see how Obama empowers his audience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A-re_G00Mk

2.) Charismatic people inspire confidence

“There’s not a liberal America and a conservative America - there’s the United States of America.” - Barack Obama

Obama has confidence written all over his name. He is calm, collective and cool. When you talk to a person who is confident and charismatic, or ask for advice you will often feel protected and re-assured. You walk away feeling that everything will be ok.

Take a look at his video on 60 minutes and watch how collective and calm he is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHe8N5hL0Wo

3.) Charismatic people use people’s names and physically interact

If you watch the next video, take a look how he interacts with each person he is in contact with. Asking a person their name (or remembering it when you reconnect) is the single best way you can show that you are interested and care about what they are feeling/have to say. Also, watch his eye contact and how comfortable he is around people in the next video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezccUhRA9f4

4.) Charismatic people speak well

“A good compromise, a good piece of legislation, is like a good sentence; or a good piece of music. Everybody can recognize it. They say, ‘Huh. It works. It makes sense.” - Barack Obama

Look at the way Obama speaks and how well he articulates each point. He pauses and never stumbles on his words.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox4Sc-OrZqw

History

Are you all watching this?

As the United States goes through one of it's most significant elections in history (a black man for president, or one of the oldest presidents with the first female vice-president), in the beginning of one of the most significant recessions in the country's history, I keep checking out CNN to see where it all stands... and I realize that I'm watching history take place.

What about the rest of you?

Do you remember when you heard about Tiananmen Square? How about when the Berlin Wall fell, or when Princess Diana was killed during a high speed chase in Paris? What about when Superman (Christopher Reeves) fell off a horse and broke his neck, or when Islamic fundementalists flew planes into the World Trade Center? Or the day that Jim Henson, the creator of the Muppets, died suddenly from a strep infection?

The point is, every day and in every way, history is happening - and all of these events had some sort of effect on your everday life. How greatly it affects you may be different from one person to the next... but they're there. It's a prime example of the aforementioned "butterfly effect" - the only question is, how aware of it are you? Because when you're unaware of the wake of these changes, you have no ability to steer your way through, with, or around them... and you're nothing more than a passenger.

Trust me people. Open your eyes to what's happening around you, and learn how to navigate your ship... before you suddenly find that you're no longer in control of your direction.

Nutrition advice [general]

‘Try to consume the least amount of unhealthy foods on a daily basis'.

If a food you are about to eat does not bring you tangible nutritional value, do not let it interfere with your healthy lifestyle.

“But it’s so hard to eat healthy” – no, it’s not –

Sourcing & prepping healthy foods is as easy as sourcing and prepping unhealthy foods. Your respiratory [lungs] and circulatory [heart] are your body’s engine & protein / carbohydrates and a little fat are your gasoline. Would you fill your car tank with sugar? How well would it run without oil? How far does your car get running on empty? When does your car perform its best? Exactly, so start treating and eating yourself respectfully.

Breakfast is the king and queen of the day! Cannot tell you how many times overweight people confess to not eating breakfast. It is single-handily the most important meal because it provides your fuel for the day. When you don’t eat and then try to work – you’re body goes into safe mode where it stores fat and eats muscle mass to survive. Fuel it up at the beginning of the day when you need the energy and not at the end of the day when you are famished, which may cause you to overeat and then all the calories you just consumed can’t be used, so they are stored – again as fat.

You must eat breakfast and to make it simple – here are some breakfast options to choose from.
1. 2 egg’s, toast with pb, glass of juice & fruits
2. 1 serving of cottage cheese, 1 bowl of dry cereal (no sugary stuff), juice
3. 1 bowl of oatmeal, 2 pieces of toast, 1-2 pieces of fruits.
4. 1 large Smoothy shake [berries, juice, ice and a protein supplement]
5. Yogurt, fruit, 1 bagel with cream cheese, juice or water (this is the only light version)

Your 2nd biggest meal is lunch. Again - providing energy & fuel for when it’s needed most. For all those who just “don’t have time for lunch” buy a Tupperware container, and pack the dinner leftovers for next day’s lunch, or think about 1 of the following options.

1. Soup, sandwich and water – easy to get at any deli for a working person.

2. Salad, salad, salad – with the protein on top (eg: chicken breast)
3. Fish & pasta – again if you are eating out
4. *think about what you would eat for dinner – and eat it for lunch.

Ones smallest meal is dinner and it includes 1 portion of protein (no larger than the palm of your hand), 1 serving of grain & starch and 1 serving of vegetables. Put the following options into your weekly rotation.
1. Fish, rice, vegetable * 2 days
2. Pasta – with fish / beef / chicken element if needed, salad or vegetables included or on the side
3. Steak / red meat, potatoe, and salad
4. Chicken, rice / pasta (side) with vegetables
5. Salad / stirfry – all ingredients in it already – quick & easy.
6. *this rotation includes the weekend
7. off the dinner menu is any fast food outlet, deep fried anything, pizza (unless homemade & thin crust), deserts, etc.
8. for every glass of alcohol you consume – 2 glasses of water please and on that note, at least 6-8 glasses of water every day. With the coffee I’m only imagining we consume (have to get the energy from somewhere if we aren’t properly ingesting it), I could only imagine how dehydrated we are.

Don’t forget about the mid morning and afternoon healthy snacks. We can’t let our fuel get too low – but we mustn’t over fuel and just burn up. We must stoke and load thin layers of fuel between meals to promote an increased metabolism and meet our proper energy needs throughout the day.

Preplan your snacks for success:

1. Fresh fruit

2. Dried fruit (watch the high sugar concentration)

3. Nuts and seeds

4. Power shakes

5. Celery topped with Almond butter

6. Raw vegetables

7. Small salads

Eating habit musts
Get rid of the following from your house [immediately] and do not bring it back into the mix
1. Ice cream
2. Cookies
3. Pastries
4. Any sweet toppings you may pour on things to make them “taste better”
5. Pop
6. Chips
7. Craft dinner
8. Sugar cereals
9. Frozen chips / pizza’s etc
10. And anything else that has zero nutritional value!
In its place we will insert
1. Carrots
2. Celery
3. Apples
4. Oranges
5. Water
6. Rice cakes
7. Popcorn
8. Oat bars
9. Oatmeal
10. Cottage cheese

It can be just that simple...

The NHL season is now in full swing and Vancouverites and devoted Canuck fans are growing close to the team. We congratulate and talk positively of those players performing well, we complain of those veteran players who are not and we get to know the young stars that are just starting on their professional career. Hockey season is here and devoted fans follow the team in every aspect of the game; stats, playing time, goals/assists/points, standings and much more. Commentators, talk show host and fans talk about the game, sometimes as if they have the knowledge to be the coach of the team. If the team does not do well, we complain about the management and coaching staff, the goalie or star player, believing that we know the best solution.

Canuck fans did not know what to expect this season and well, they still don’t. The summer was filled with trades, new management and a significantly brand new team. The team consists of many young, fast, and dedicated players, most of them unknown to any other NHL team. Fans would ask each other who that #42 or #10 is again.

Being a sport enthusiast and a Canuck fan, I enjoy reading and hearing the stories about the team, especially the stories of that ‘underdog’ player, the hardships and adversity that a team or player has to make, always hoping that it will result in a happy ending.

This season, a young player of the Canucks has overcome adversity and hardship. His previous team criticized him for being unfit, constantly injured, not being ‘hockey ready’ and needed more time and devotion to his play and fitness level.

He had a great pre-season with the Canucks but at the end of the day he was sent down to the minors to keep improving. This kid is living out of a suitcase never knowing if he will be sent to another professional team, another minor team or playing for a European hockey team. Every practice and every game he constantly has to prove to his coaches, teammates and himself that he belongs in the NHL. He is a player who has the work ethic and will do what ever it takes to stay.

This player fortunately got a lucky break a couple of weeks ago when the Canucks were short of players due to injuries. Obviously, this player has been on a mental and physically roller coaster… Is he good enough to stay in the NHL? Does he have what it takes? Is he physically ready?

Since being asked up from the minors he has proved himself that he belongs here. He has scored 4 goals and 1 assist in 7 games; he is a member of the power play, and is playing with the top line. Yes, he is still proving himself day in a day out but will he stay when the injured players are ready to play again?

Kyle Wellwood is an inspiration to all young hockey players who are trying to make it. He has worked hard, done what has been asked of him, and is still uncertain if has a secure spot on the team. He has proved to the fans that he can score goals, is a smart player and is physically ready for the NHL.

Wellwood is a prime example of perseverance, hard work, and dedication for the love of a game and is why he is still here working away, waiting for his big break. Even if you are not a hockey fan, you can still use this work ethic in any aspect of your life; sport, relationships or business. The reason why most young successful people do well is because of their work ethic, their drive and their passion to succeed.
“Work Hard, Get Rewarded”