Month: July 2023

“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”—Albert Schweitzer

I write this blog, frankly, for myself. It is quite often driven by my own need for motivation and correction in my life. We all need to have our inner spirit attended to. My desire is that, in sharing the thoughts and stories that fuel my inner fire, I might in some small way rekindle the fire in some others.

Anyone who has gone camping and/or attended a bonfire knows that a fire needs fuel and needs regular care to be maintained. Our inner fire is no different. It needs fuel. It needs to be stoked from time to time. We can keep the fire stoked by….

Associating with people who support, encourage, inspire, and motivate us.

Reading the works of inspirational writers and thinkers.

Seeking out stories of inspirational persons.

Journaling—writing down or thoughts and aspirations.

Having a goal mindset.

Meditation—envisioning that which we most want in life.

Failing (i.e., striving beyond our current capabilities).

Being the kindling for others.

Etc.

Search out motivation and be a motivator. Encourage others and you will be encouraged. Know that if your inner fire can go out from time to time so, then, can the fire of those you encounter. Sometimes, sharing what little energy we have left is just what we need to be reenergized.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!!

“Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.” – Roy T. Bennett

What does carpe momento mean? Of course, it is the Latin phrase for “seize the moment,” but its meaning runs deeper. It is an attitude of life. It is a challenge. It is a state of Emotional well-centeredness.

Life moves forward. It moves forward with the push of the past and the pull of the future. Where is moves depends upon the decisions we make in the moment. I often say (my students might say, “too often”) that “opportunity costs.” The expense of an opportunity is determined in the moment—carpe momento. We have and make decisions based on our fears and/or our dreams. The actions we take—and the outcomes of these actions—are the results of these decisions. Ultimately, we are responsible for our decisions, actions, and, hence, circumstances.

“Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.”―Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

Jim Rohn famously said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” This statement has often been paraphrased:

“You become like the five people you spend the most time with. Choose carefully.” – Unknown

Similarly, others have commented on the effect of our closest relationships….

“Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.” – Oprah Winfrey

“Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.” – Unknown

“The quality of your life is in direct proportion to the quality of your relationships.” – Tony Robbins

“Surround yourself with those who see greatness within you, even when you don’t see it yourself.” – Edmund Lee

“Associate with those who will make a better man of you. Welcome those whom you yourself can improve.” – Seneca

“Your network is your net worth.” – Porter Gale

Look around. Are the people with whom you are associating bringing you up or down? What is the impact you are having on others. Are you/they self-centered or other-centered? (I am speaking to myself, as well, in this posting.)

We succeed in life by reaching up and reaching down. This is to say that we must both seek guidance, inspiration, and mentorship from those who are more accomplished or experienced (reaching up) and offer support, guidance, and mentorship to others who may be in need (reaching down). Seek out role models, mentors, and individuals who can provide guidance, knowledge, and inspiration to help us grow, learn, and progress on our own journey. Likewise, extend a hand to those who may need support, guidance, or mentorship. We must share our knowledge, experiences, and gifts to enrich and empower others. We get nowhere on our own.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

In promoting well-centered fitness, I often focus on personal growth and self-improvement (kaizen). However, it is also critical to recognize that our journey towards holistic well-being is influenced not only by our individual choices but also by the intergenerational transmission of habits, values, and knowledge. Understanding the impact of intergenerational transmission on our well-centered fitness can offer valuable insights and inspire intentional actions for personal and collective growth.

There is a balance to be struck between reflection and vision. I titled this post “Don’t Look Back” because I am a fan of the song and the band, Boston. It might more appropriately be titled, “Don’t Look Back With Regret; Look Forward With Purpose.” After all, we are where we are and who we are because of our personal and family history (“Choose your parents wisely.”—Per Olaf Åstrand). We are shaped by (every) event of the past. This truly a bio-mechanical-psycho-social construct.

So, we can look back to better understand who we are. We must also look back with grattitude because we are a product of history.

Most importantly, we must examine the present and make decisions that positively impact our future and the future of generations to come. Carpe momento.

We have the power to break unhealthy patterns, habits, and beliefs. We must embrace positive influences and release the negatives (forgive). We promote well-centered fitness by sharing wisdom and knowledge. We benefit from the wisdom, experiences, and lessons (good and bad) from the past—our personal past and the past of older individuals/generations. We learn and grow through intergenerational relationships (meaning we can learn a thing or two from those younger than us, as well as older). Consider the impact of your actions and choices on future generation. Accept that the path you are on has brought you to where you need to be in this moment to lead you to your Purpose. Contribute to a positive intergenerational legacy.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!!

“Every experience in life, everything with which we have come in contact in life, is a chisel which has been cutting away at our life statue, molding, modifying, shaping it. We are part of all we have met. Everything we have seen, heard, felt or thought has had its hand in molding us, shaping us.”—Orison Swett Marden

There is a Universal connectedness that ties us and our experiences together. I have often asked and been asked the question: “If you could go back in time and change one event in your life, what would you change?” I am convinced that the correct answer is—and always is—“nothing.”

The above quote by Orison Swett Marden underscores this. Hard as it is sometimes, I regularly remind myself that the experiences and relationships I am making and have made are shaping who I am becoming for God’s Purposes. The same can be said for my children. We might not like experiences and events from our past, but to change them in the least would have a significant impact on who and where we are in this moment. It would have effects that would ripple through the Universe in ways that we cannot conceive. This brings us to this moment in time. Carpe momento. What we choose to do in the circumstances to which the past has brought us is in our control. We are not pawns or victims. We choose the path opportunity takes us. This is why I frequently use the phrase “opportunity costs.” Our lives are a series of decisions. The next decision is the one that matters most in moment. Past decisions are done and cannot be changed. They brought us here for the moment at hand and the path ahead.

Grattitude (gratitude + attitude; an attitude of gratitude) is essential for understanding the past, living well in the moment, and (re)directing our path forward. Be grateful for the events and experiences of the past as they have shaped who and where you are. If you are not satisfied in your current circumstances (and who among us should be totally satisfied?), realize that our Creator is not finished yet.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

James Allen, author of As a Man Thinketh, is one of my favorite inspirational writers. He was a British philosophical writer who lived from 1864-1912. He is perhaps one we can credit for the modern self-help movement. I certainly credit him for many of my thoughts on “well-centered fitness.” In this post, I share some of his most inspirational quotes.

“A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.”

“The outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state… Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are.”

“Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil.”

“The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn, the bird waits in the egg, and in the highest vision of the soul, a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities.”

“The vision that you glorify in your mind, the ideal that you enthrone in your heart – this you will build your life by, and this you will become.”

“Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom. It is the result of long and patient effort in self-control. Its presence is an indication of ripened experience and of a more than ordinary knowledge of the laws and operations of thought.”

Feel free to reflect and meditate on these as you seek to….

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!