.reflect it.

Reflection or introspection is the self-observation and reporting of conscious inner thoughts, desires and sensations.
When our group traveled half way around the world, we had no idea that we would be changed forever. We never knew that the power of the visual we were going to experience would touch us and impact our souls.
To travel anywhere is a gift. To travel with friends is reward. To travel, experience, contribute to others well-being and even change people can only be explained as a beautiful moment in one’s personal growth.
As many say, ‘we must look where we have come to know where we are going’ - rings true. Don’t be in too much of a hurry to miss all those moments and be sure to take the time to get back to that place.
Maybe it’s a place where you have the feeling that you crave – peace or your definition of z.e.n. – whatever your picture of that is, hold on to it – don’t lose your dinosaur and be sure you are getting your piece…
Asia is a wonderful place – the sights, the smells, the feeling, the history, the culture...the whole package is just there, waiting to be opened by you - along with so many other places – Asia holds many treasures…
We were there just over one month ago and of course the group has been talking about a reunion ever since we got back. With busy schedules and our western ways in the way, it took a bit of effort, but the stage was set – we all could make it except for one (who is still in Mexico)
The night began with drinks at our meeting place (thanks Kim!) we were then instantly transported back to Cambodia via traditional appetizers followed by what seemed to be an endless flow of authentically prepared mains with visually stunning presentations and aromatically dazzling experiences…
Now the wine was amazing too, but what stuck with me was the way the smell just lifted us back instantly to that place. We spent the night laughing from retold stories and awing at over 1000 carefully chosen photographs. Wow – what a night…
Thanks to everyone who contributed and made that event so special.

Another observation was how magical it was to be transported back to a place or moment in time when a certain feeling was so strong. No matter what it was, it was right back there staring at you.
Whether you can remember off the top of your head right now or not – get into your hard drive – cue up some photos or hit random on a playlist – give your soul a little jumpstart and get back to that place which may have given you some inspiration…get ready, this may be a nice little nudge to get you back on track or refocused on your task at hand.
Regardless – thank those who have been there for you and be sure to schedule an adventure within the next month – you’ll thank yourself!

Finding a Balance!

How do we find a way to balance our lifestyle?

How do you find the time to spend equal time in each of our spheres when perhaps one sphere is more demanding than the others?

Through out this year you will come across different situations that pull you in multiple directions. Demands will be brought down on you and it is up to you on how you balance these demands.

For example:
Professional: programs being completed, organizing an event, or working 40hrs+
Personal: new relationships or spending time with family/ friends
Physical: training for a marathon or triathlon.

Certain spheres take precedence over our lives, however it is up to us to make sure we have pieces of all our spheres in our lives. Each of us needs to create a balance lifestyle or you will become run down and overworked. It is important as well not to spread yourself too thinly. Personally, I have done this multiple of times because I have wanted to do everything. Unfortunately, when this has happened I have in some shape or form disappointed someone or myself.

I strongly believe that having balance in your lifestyle requires planning ahead. Do not take on too much at one time but spread yourself equally through out the spheres and you will be a much happier, non-stressed individual.

Quitting

The other night, I came home from work and started watching The Larry King Show on CNN. Larry was talking with the trainers from the hit weight loss reality series The Biggest Loser about their experiences on the show. Together they are responsible for whipping contestants into shape.

Jillian Michaels, is a fitness expert who has gained prominence as a trainer on the weight loss reality series along with Bob Harper. Jillian is also a trainer in the Australian version of the show. Each episode depicts the drama of how overweight, out-of-shape contenders transform their bodies, their health and ultimately their lives with proper diet and nutrition.

Overall, Jillian Michaels has the best win/loss records of all trainers on every America and Australian season of The Biggest Loser in which she has participated. Excluding America’s season 3 (she was absent from that season), in every America season she took part in (as well as Australia’s Biggest Loser Season 1); she has always had one of her contestants win the competition.

I think it is because of her attitude. I had the chance to watch a clip from the show with Jillian coaching a contestant, in which the contestant was being pushed to their limits, and yelled, ‘I can’t go on.’ Jillian stood toe-to-toe with said contestant, and replied, ‘Tell me that you are going to quit, but don’t tell me that you can’t.’

There's only one thing that can guarantee our failure, and that’s if we quit. We have a choice in our success. Learned helplessness is the giving-up reaction, the quitting response that follows from the belief that whatever you do doesn't matter - make it matter, you're worth it.

Are you Drinking Enough Water?

I just got off the phone with my friend who is a nutrition expert and she insists that 80% of the country is walking around dehydrated, which is supported by scientific research. We drink too much coffee, juice, coffee and sodas which contain either caffeine or sugar. This causes us to lose body water. So, the question is simple: drink water. Being in a gym we promote a healthy lifestyle and this includes drinking a minimum of 8 glasses of water each day. Quite frankly, a majority people drink far less than the minimum and to make things worse coffee and fruit juices are the majority choice of fluid which enters the body throughout the day. As professionals we must constantly be educating the people in our lives about the importance of water; however it is very important to be aware how water plays a role within the organs of our body.

Here are some basic stats:

-Blood is 83% water
- Muscles are 75% water

-Brain is 74 % water

- Bone is 22% water.

Without sufficient amounts of water in our body, we are running on a low tank of gas and thus it prevents our body from digesting vitamins and nutrients effectively. Also, water plays a huge role in detoxifying the liver and kidney. So if you want to feel better and start functioning better in daily life, DRINK MORE WATER.

Other Health Benefits of Water

-Improve Your Energy
-Increase Your Mental and Physical Performance
-Remove Toxins & Waste Products from your body
-Keeps Skin Healthy and Glowing
-Help You Lose Weight
-Reduce Headaches
-Allow for proper Digestion
-Help to keep you more Alkaline.

Fool Me Once...

I hate two things a great deal:

a) Being a hypocrite

b) Being wrong

In order to avoid the first, I try to practice what I preach as often as possible, and never consciously ask someone to do something I haven't done, or would never do, myself.

In order to avoid the second, I try to do my research and know what I'm talking about before I speak up - this includes putting my ego aside when someone knows more/better than me.

That being said, a little back story:

When Vancouver was bidding on the Olympics, I was right there cheering them on. I thought that the arguments about the money being better spent, for example, was short-sighted nonsense (still do) - in the words of a former YMCA C.E.O. (a non-profit organization), "...you need to spend money, to make money". BC needed an economic stimulus, and having lived in Calgary during the '88 Olympics, I saw front and center what effect they could have.

However, a friend of mine who had just moved out from Alberta gave me the first argument that actually gave me pause - he said that Alberta's Olympics were successful because the people of the province had long been lead by a government that basically took the attitude "You made your bed, you lie in it". BC, on the other hand, was used to an attitude of "What, you're in trouble? Just wait, I'll loan you money that isn't there to bail you out!". For this reason, he felt that the Olympics were destined for trouble in BC, because inevitably they would run into trouble, the government would bail them out, BC would relive the '76 Montreal Olympics and wind up paying off debt for 30 plus years. And while I did, indeed, pause at this, at the same time I thought "No, that would never happen".

I hate being wrong.

~Guy

Let’s face it…

What do you use it for?
There are many ways, but we don’t want to promote the wrong thing now do we…
We must remember that we never know who is watching.
Personally, I held off for ever – The last thing I needed was a site where people could keep track of me. Not looking to be in the lime light or have my moves recorded.
But then a light was cast down and was invited to look at it in another form…the ultimate network and marketing tool…until it falls into the great tool graveyard…
So we tightened up our focus and now are delivering a clean product for the opportunity of an exponential amount of participants to view. It ridiculous how infectious it can be….the hours must slip away on some. But don’t let yourself fall into that trap…
Remove the booze shots – clean your wall – constrict your shared information so you can funnel towards our common goal.
No need to post that shot from Saturday night’s fest, how about that one from Sunday morning adventure with those who facilitate your reinvention…
After all, what do you choose to portray? What’s your vision?

NO DRAMA

This past week at the West Van facility our hot water boiler exploded in our staff room. When we arrived at 5:30am on Thursday morning, we were greeted with 3 inches of water all over our gym floor, bathrooms, back office and staff room. Matt had received the call at 3:30am and had been working on the situation since then. As each coach arrived, we analyzed the situation, realized what needed to be done and everyone got to work, no questions asked. This is what makes this situation unique. I believe that with any other company, it would have been a completely different situation. Coworkers would have been assessing the situation instead of getting to work, there would have been complaints, negative attitudes and probably the facility would have closed for the day. However the West Van team came together in the early hours of Thursday morning and got to work. There was NO DRAMA. We came together and we did whatever it took to get us back running as fast as possible. We actually had a double training session going on at 6am, with the creativity of Richard Alm leading an amazing session all on the spinner bikes.

Our “No Drama” mentality for this situation was to be carried on with our conversations with our customers. We explained the situation and guaranteed that they would receive a great work out. As coaches we had to be creative with our sessions, we had to not blow the situation out of proportion and be able to keep our facility running as smoothly as possible.

Yesterday, Kris sent the West Van team an email asking if anyone was free at 6:30pm to come in and put our gym back together. The whole team minus 3 coaches came to help out last night. We arrived to our gym with the fans still blowing the floor dry, the mats and equipment out of place and the floors covered with pieces of dry wall. We came together again and within 2 hours we had the facility ready for business. The renovation company was amazed by our work effort, our team work, our and our NO DRAM mentality. Not to mention we had a blast working together, loud rap/hip hop music playing with coaches displaying there best ‘gangster’ dance moves, lots of laughter and jokes between all of us.

The situation could have been a lot worse if we had had a different mentality, if we had let ciaos run its course, if we had complained instead of just got to work.

We all learned a great deal from this, however the biggest lesson to take from this is the “NO DRAMA” attitude When something disastrous happens, take that mentality and you will be amazed by the things your will accomplish