Turn it around!

THERE ARE LOTS OF TURN – AROUNDS…..

OK in business, there is a turnaround where someone steps in/buys it/whatever and takes a failing business, turns it around and makes it profitable  and successful again.

A movie star or rock star might turn around their career that’s been dormant or on the shelf. They can go from ‘has-been’ to overnight sensation in one movie or one album.

Those are more dramatic types of turn-arounds. However, more important turn-arounds are those in our every day lives.

A turn around that you make on your thoughts, on the self-talk you use, on the questions you ask yourself, and on the simple, daily habits you do each and everyday.

Those small things you do or say (or don’t do or say) are sometimes more important than the big turnarounds a celebrity or business person might make.

If you use the compound word “turn around” in a different way, I believe you’ll also have good results.

Here’s what I mean:

if you don’t like something, turn it around. For instance, you might say: “I hate my job.” Not empowering in any way, plus you’re focusing on what you don’t want instead of what you do want, you’re focusing on what isn’t working instead of what works. INSTEAD, say “I want a job that allows me to be creative, work as a team, and collaborate with others to help people…” (or whatever kind of job you want)

Now, when you say that, you’re focusing on what you want and a little more on what works.

To make it even better, turn it around into a question; “Why do I find jobs that make me feel fulfilled?” “Why do I find team members at work that collaborate and allow me to be me?” Why do I find great opportunities that allow me to be creative and productive?” (or whatever you want) This way you’re asking your brain why you have what you want, and it will search for it.

If you ask, “Why do I eat so much junk food?” or “Why can’t I lose any weight?” you can’t turn around your life.

If you ask INSTEAD “Why do I eat healthy?” (and try to come up with at least one answer, then let your brain think about it), You’ll get a better result. You can also ask “Why do I lose weight and still enjoy it?” it might even be fun.

“Why do I find ways each day to lose weight, feel sexy, and have lots of fun?” Is even a better question that will lead to a turn around……

If you ask yourself bad questions, like “Why do I always get the short end of the stick?” or “Why is my boss such a jerk?” Your brain will search for an answer for those questions and also you’ll be focusing on what isn’t working. Turn it around with “Why am I so lucky?” “Why do things always work out for me?” “Why is my boss so understanding and supportive?” – then take a moment and try to find at least one little thing to answer it and leave yourself open for other answers. It gets better and easier.

Turn around the negative things into a positive question?
Turn around sayings what you don’t want into what you do want. Let’s face it, “I hate my job” is just an affirmation that makes life more miserable. If you ask “Why do I like my job?” you’ll focus on the good stuff. Maybe your boss won’t change but when you ask ,’why do I like my job’ your brain will look for what you like about it – maybe you like the desk, maybe you like the one guy in support, maybe you like other things you took for granted.

Turn around your life one little step at a time and incrementally you’ll build momentum.

Here are some other suggestions from Wayne Dyer http://www.waynedyer.com

TAKE THIS PHRASE       and               TURN IT AROUND INTO TO THIS ONE

It will be difficult …. into.…I have the ability to accomplish any task I set my mind to with ease and comfort. (then ask the same thing in a “why” question)

It will take a long time.… into… I have infinite patience when it comes to fulfilling my destiny.

There will be drama…..into….I would rather be loathed for who I am than be loved for who I am not.

I don’t deserve it…..into… I am a Divine creation, a piece of God, therefore I cannot be undeserving.

I can’t afford it…..into…….I am connected to an unlimited source of abundance.

No one will help me…..into …..The right circumstances and the right people are already here and are showing up on time as needed.

I am not smart enough……into …..I am a creation of the Divine mind, all is perfect an I am a genius in my own right.

I’m too old (or not old enough)…..into ….I am an infinite being. The age of my body has no bearing on what I do or who I am.

I don’t have the energy….into…..I feel passionately about my life and this passion fills me with excitement and energy.

It’s my personal history (or my family history)….into…I live in the present moment by being grateful for all of my life experiences as a child until this day.

I’m too busy…..into….. As I unclutter my life, I free myself to answer the callings of my soul.

I am too scared…..into…..I can accomplish anything I put my mind to because I know that I am never alone.

(Remember to ask the same thing in a “why” question)

A small turn around will result in a tsunami of positive changes.

http://www.onewebstrategy.com

My Story, Chapter 1

When I started blogging I told stories about myself – moreso than I have recently. Many people reacted well to that.

I received good feedback. Recently a few of you have asked that I return to that sort of thing.

At the same time I wanted to put my story, or at least part of it, out there. My goal is to share my mistakes, successes and the lessons that I learned. Plus if you see me and how I go through some challenges I’ve had, maybe you will be encouraged through your challenges.

———–

Starting the story is often the toughest part, right?

Do I start telling you about when I thought I might go bankrupt? Do I tell you how great I felt when my daughters were born? When I was promoted in different jobs? When I was self-employed – the freedom, excitement, pride, fear, anxiety? Or do I start talking about “the year” when I was unemployed and we lost 5 family members, they passed-away?

I thought about the many challenges that I’ve faced as an adult – probably similar to things you’ve faced….. I chose to start when I first felt “baptism by fire”, as it was referred to by a family friend.

OK, picture a 20 year old young male. I had been a pretty shy person in grade school, even high school. During my freshmen year at college I was still pretty shy but started to come out of my shell. Now, during my sophomore year, I decided to be a social butterfly. I got a fake ID, I went out, I dated, I had fun. I got to know lots of people at college and at other spots. Lots of road trips were involved. I had my first Spring Break trip to Daytona Beach. Wow, I enjoyed life for a few months. I had lots of fun.

However, you could safely say that I didn’t put much effort into studies and my grades fell hard that year. It was May, school was out, and my parents knew I didn’t do well and although the report card didn’t come home yet, I knew that it wasn’t going to be pretty.

Now, step back for a moment…..My father operated a sales agency in the kitchen cabinet and woodworkers’ industry. He was formerly a cabinetmaker who had a heart attack at age 45. So he became a self-employed sales rep to the same industry. At this time, he was about 58. He was successful, did well and had a nice addition on our home for the home office. I never knew anything of an empty stomach, empty refrigerator, empty pantry or old clothes. However, I didn’t get the name brands and I didn’t live like a rich kid.

Since school let out, I said that I’d take a week off then start working for my dad that summer. (Somehow I thought that I needed a week’s vacation from all the partying at college before I could work.) So I ‘chilled’ for about a week, listening to Ice, Ice, Baby (Vanilla Ice); Blame it on the Rain (Milli Vanilli); Janie’s Got a Gun (Aerosmith); Epic (Faith No More); Without You (Motley Crue); Blaze Of Glory (Jon Bon Jovi), and my favorite of that period, Pink Floyd. Some sweet tunes. I look back, man was I immature.

Monday came and it was time to work. I put in my first day with my dad….. I woke up, didn’t shower, put on the baseball cap and coasted through the day. My mom made us both a big lunch, about 1 hour long; it was going to be a sweet summer. After dinner it was time to cut the grass. We lived on about 30-some acres, about 10 was grass. I think I cut most of it that night on the tractor. My dad was using the push mower to trim around the house and tight spots. I noticed he had a tough time starting it – it was a pull-start – and he was getting frustrated.

Later I finished up, it was getting dark and I came into the house. My mother was out in town running errands. My father was laying in bed – it was perhaps 9pm. He never laid in bed that early – especially with his ‘work clothes’ on. I asked him what happened. He thought that he pulled a muscle starting the mower – his lower left side hurt.

Of course I did the right thing – I went immediately to my room and put on Pink Floyd. My mother came home very soon after, saw him, checked him out and called the ambulance. He was having another heart-attack, she said.

She asked me to go stand by him and talk to him. I did. What was I to say? I tried to joke about something but I could see he was in pain. I told him to try and relax. Easy for me to say.  I recall that he got up at one point or so with dry heaves and other symptoms. It was scarey. This was a serious downer dude.

The ambulance was taking a long time to get to the house. It was before the 911 emergency services named and mapped the roads. Long before GPS. Our address was RD#3 Box 280F. Not much help finding the home.

Through their radio and the dispatcher, they called our house looking for better directions. They went to our neighor’s house about 1/4 mile away. He walked the ambulance back….yes, I said he WALKED the ambulance back to the house.

I recall seeing in the dusk a man walking back our private road – and behind him was an ambulance. I couldn’t believe it….my father was having a heart attack and the ambulance was literally coming to our home at a walker’s pace. It finally arrived, they went upstairs. They came down with my dad on the gurney and they couldn’t get him past our decorative wagon wheels on either side of the sidewalk.

My dad had put these old wagon wheels he found from the old farm on our property there years early. They were in the theme of my parents’ home, I suppose. On this day, they were barriers to my dad’s medical services, perhaps to saving his life. The ambulance guys were gently trying to move the wheels and delicately trying to push them aside. I recall telling one to step back and I kicked it hard, then watched it fall out of the way.

My mom left to go to the hospital. She asked me to stay, wrap up the home and not come into the hospital until the next morning. She called from the hospital later that night and repeated her wish for me to stay there at home as it would be a long week and she needed me fresh. She gave me a list of clothes and items to bring in the next day.

I hung up and noticed that my hands were shaking. I began to tremble all over my body. What the hell was going on? Two weeks ago I was hangin’ with my buds and a few cold brews. One week ago I was chillin’ in my room. Now my dad was possibly dying? A heart attack – again?

I remember suddenly noticing how beautiful the night was outside. I sat out on our screened porch on that early summer’s night. We lived on the edge of the woods and the noises from the trees comforted me. I heard animals, birds, bugs settle in for the night. I heard the quiet noise from Mill Creek. I was alone but didn’t feel loneliness. I couldn’t calm down though…I kept shaking.

I went inside and tried to watch TV but couldn’t do so. I still was trembling. For the first time that I could recall, I went into my parents’ cabinet and got a shot of whiskey, just one, and took it. It calmed me enough that I went to bed and slept.

Continued……………

Sweet thing….? or Toxic?

Not long ago I came across a book (The Belly Fat Cure, by Jorge Cruise) about cutting down my sugar intake and how it affects our energy and health – not just our weight. I’m not talking just cutting back on carbs or loading up on protein and it isn’t just about going on a diet or losing a few pounds. …..

I followed the suggestions in that book and found my energy and health improved greatly. I felt much better. The more I read in other journals the more I learned that sugar may not only be just an obesity / weight issue for all of us but it may really negatively have an impact on heart health and cancer.

There was a recent re-run on 60 Minutes Aug 5th, 2012 of how sugar may be toxic. I recommend that you watch that when you have the time.

Please, for your own health and those around you, watch these clips!

Here are a few short video summaries

Is sugar toxic?

http://www.cbs.com/shows/60_minutes/video/2217403027/preview-is-sugar-toxic-

http://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs_this_morning/video/2218288670/war-on-sugar-is-it-toxic-

Can Sugar affect the heart?

http://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs_evening_news/video/2209309502/can-sugar-affect-the-heart-

Addicted to sugar

http://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs_this_morning/video/1056784979/addicted-to-sugar

How standing and/or walking for 20 minutes can help!

I was listening to NPR and heard this interesting segment about how a little bit of walking, standing can really help you.

from npr.org “Stand Up, Walk Around, Even Just For ’20 Minutes’ 5/9/12

If you’re sitting at a desk reading this article, take a minute and stand up. That’s the latest advice from New York Times Phys Ed columnist Gretchen Reynolds. In her new book, The First 20 Minutes, Reynolds details some of the surprisingly simple ways you can combat the effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

Federal health guidelines recommend 30 minutes of moderate exercise — such as walking or jogging — every single day. But new research shows that even regular exercisers may not be doing enough to counteract the health hazards of sitting down at a desk all day long.

More Health And Exercise Tips

How Revving Up Your Heart Rate, Even A Bit, Pays Off

Getting your rate into your target zone can help you get more out of a workout.

Lighter Weights Can Still Make A Big Fitness Difference

You don’t have to lift heavy weights to build muscles. More reps with lighter weights works.

How To Eat Out Without Putting On The Pounds

A researcher says one secret to keeping the pounds off is eating slowly and savoring each bite.

Even A Little Exercise Can Help Your Heart

Even modest amounts of physical activity reduce the dangers of heart disease, a new study finds.

“Sitting for long periods of time — when you don’t stand up, don’t move at all — tends to cause changes physiologically within your muscles,” says Reynolds. “You stop breaking up fat in your bloodstream, you start getting accumulations of fat … in your liver, your heart and your brain. You get sleepy. You gain weight. You basically are much less healthy than if you’re moving.”

Reynolds recommends standing for two minutes every 20 minutes while desk-bound — even if you can’t move around your office. “That sounds so simple,” she tells Fresh Air‘s Terry Gross. “But that actually has profound consequences. If you can stand up every 20 minutes — even if you do nothing else — you change how your body responds physiologically.”

Studies have shown that frequent standing breaks significantly decrease your chances of getting diabetes, she says. “If you can also walk around your office, you get even more benefits. You will lose weight, you lessen your chance of heart disease, and you will improve your brain. But if you can do nothing else, stand up!”

Reynolds says she’s started standing up every time she answers the telephone. “I bought a music stand, which costs next to nothing, and I can put papers on it,” she explains. “I read standing up. I try and walk down the hall once an hour. I walk outside and turn around and walk back in. That’s enough to break up the physiological changes that sitting otherwise causes.”

Reynolds’ book also details the latest scientific research on running, stretching and hydration techniques. Here are some of the findings:

The First 20 Minutes

Surprising Science Reveals How We Can Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer

by Gretchen Reynolds

To Stretch Or Not To Stretch?:

Research now suggests that stretching before a workout isn’t necessarily a good thing, because it causes the brain to think you’re about to tear those muscles, says Reynolds. “When you stretch and hold a pose, the brain thinks you are about to damage yourself and it then sends out nerve impulses that actually tighten the muscles,” she explains. “… The result is, you’re less ready for activity, not more ready for activity.”

Don’t Skip The Warm-Up: Science suggests that a very easy warmup — a light jog, for example — may be all that most of us need. “What you want to do when you warm up is warm up the tissues,” she says. “You want to get the muscles, the tendons — all of the parts of your body — warm, and the best way to do that is to use those tissues.” Reynolds recommends jogging before a run or an intense sports match.

Running’s Rewards And Risks: Running reduces the risks of heart disease and diabetes, helps maintain your weight and improves brain health. “There’s very good science that running for even 30 minutes or so doubles the number of brain cells in certain portions of the brain related to memory,” says Reynolds. “Running is wonderful for the health of your body.” But the injury rate among runners, she cautions, is extremely high — with as many as 75 percent of runners getting one injury a year. “So running can be very hard on the body at the same time it’s very good for the body,” she says.

Humans Were Made For Walking: Walking may be the single best exercise that exists on the planet, Reynolds says. It’s low-impact and has a relatively low risk for injury. “Walking appears to be what the human body was built for,” she explains. Even 15 minutes will reduce your risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Gretchen Reynolds writes the Phys Ed column for the New York Times.

 Becoming fit and becoming healthier are two different things. “You can become healthy with a much lower amount and a much lower intensity of exercise,” says Reynolds. “A nice easy walk will improve your health. If you make it a little … harder or a little more difficult for you to walk, you will become more fit and you will get more benefits. But even if you just walk lightly, you will be healthier than if you don’t do anything.”