One More Element of the Longevity Experiment

 As much as I love my grass fed steaks and burgers, I'm really turning into a plant-based consumer.  The American diet is mostly fast foods and processed foods with very little attention paid to fruits and veggies.  I've been able to wean myself from all prescription medicine and maintain a healthy blood pressure without those permission slips physicians hand out because we can't control our poor eating habits which I suspect are the culprits when it comes to illness.

My daily regimen of fruits, veggies, nuts, beans, and seeds is getting another boost when my package arrives today from Amazon.  It's quercetin, a plant flavonol.  There is no hard evidence to support claims that this flavonoid benefits the body.  The reason I'm experimenting with it is because longevity scientist, David Sinclair, is experimenting with it on his own body and he thinks he's getting some benefit.  All I can say is the first two molecules on his list from his book, "Lifespan," seem to be aiding me in my own aging process.  I'm feeling stronger than ever.  Like Sinclair's mice on the treadmill, I'm finding that I can run miles and miles without fatigue.  I'll let you know if I notice anything with the next experiment.  Remember to consult your physician first before trying any of these substances I'm experimenting with.  Have a great day.

Why Today Can Be Your Best Day Ever

 There's a reason today can be better than all the days that came before it.  Imagine you're at a construction site.  Take a look at what's going on.  What makes this day better than yesterday?  It's progress.  You are the same way.  Every day you're on this planet you're improving. You're gaining new experiences.  You're getting smarter.  You can handle today better because of everything you learned yesterday.  That includes all your mistakes.  Your goofs are your learning opportunities.  What are you going to build today?  Have a great day.

A Home for Mulligan's Recycle Bin

What are you afraid of?  Is it the unknown?  Could it be failure?  Is it death?  Think about these questions for a moment.  I'm asking because I believe the reason I'm suffering from writer's block is due to fear.  Fear is a potent killer of dreams.  An English Proverb states that one man's trash is another man's treasure.  This may or may not be true of my trash.  What I suspect is that by revealing my trash bin I will make myself vulnerable and that is really scary.  

Rather than burn everything that's in my trash bin, I'm converting it into a recycle bin.  I'm going to share my life raw and unedited.  Don't worry.  I won't ask you to view any of these videos containing my own personal bloopers and blunders.  In fact, if you would rather wait until my edited stories, "Live Long and Prosper," and "The Adventures of Wilson" are released, that's fine.  For those of you willing to sort through my recycle bin in search of hidden treasure, I will share the link to my video stories soon.   Have a great day.

Cumulus Clouds Signal Fair Weather

 

I ate my breakfast on our back patio, my barefoot feet grounded in the new grass springing up while soaking in a view of the fast moving cumulus clouds jetting across the morning sky.  I recall learning about the types of clouds from my dad who often spied things in nature most of us tend to overlook because we're too consumed in our busy lives to notice.  Perhaps that why I'm so drawn to outdoorsy adventures.  There is a certain joy derived from time with nature.  My ten minute gulp of sunshine will be sufficient to liven up my endorphins for the remainder of the day.  I hope you like the photo I snapped.  Have a great day.

MacBook Pro Upgraded

 Uncle Sam can rest easy.  Now that my laptop has been upgraded I can work on my taxes and pay my bill.  I wouldn't have known my last laptop was obsolete until I attempted to download my tax software unsuccessfully.  The error message notifying me that my laptop was no longer supported by Apple sent chills down my spine.  I was fortunate to find a big sale and bit the bullet.  I'm in the process of transferring all my photo memories that were stored on my original laptop.  This is my first post using my new MacBook Pro.  The fingerprint reader is a great feature for signing on quickly.  Most importantly, the system software is now current.  I'm breathing a sigh of relief that the file transfer worked flawlessly.  Now it's time to explore the new bells and whistles.  Have a great day.

Get Grounded to Reduce Stress

When was the last time you removed your shoes and socks and stood in the grass for at least minutes?  If you tell me you're too busy and you don't have time for "standing around and doing nothing," you're the perfect person to ask about giving this activity a try.  Why?  Because getting grounded with the earth is a great way to reduce stress.  I'm fortunate to live in an area where the green grass grows in abundance around this time of the year.  I will be one of "those people" who gets grounded.  Try this for 30 days and see if you notice an improvement in the way you feel.  Have a great day.

Identify Your Time Wasters

 Time is a precious commodity.  No matter what, we lose it, minute by minute.  I never fret about the minutes lost.  What's important to me is how I'm using the time I have right now.  If you don't feel you have enough time to get things done, maybe it's time to identify your time wasters.  Try keeping a log for one week.  Write every activity down.  Once you see how certain habits cut into the valuable time you have, start cutting down on the time wasters and replace them with more meaningful activities.  Have a great day.

MacBook Pro on Life Support

 I knew this day would come.  My beloved MacBook Pro is no longer supported by its creators.  I didn't even know this until last evening when my attempts to upgrade the software were thwarted.  In fact, this laptop I've been using became obsolete about a year ago.  I'm thankful for all the years of service it gave me.  No, it won't go to the graveyard.  Instead, I will use it until it dies for the simple tasks, like writing.  It's time to adopt a little brother with an operating system that can support my tax software that can't even be recognized by my old workhorse.  This will be my last blog message using my old friend and companion.  The new computer will join our household soon.  It's time to discover all the new technology that is waiting for me when the upgrade is complete.  I'm working on a new idea for storytelling.  Have a great day.

Week 2 of Yoga

 Yoga is increasing my level of awareness about how inflexible my body is.  It's also helping me to identify muscles that are underdeveloped.  This is something I want to devote an hour of my time to once a week to help tone my body and increase my flexibility.  The other benefit is increased family time.  I'm happy to discover an activity that we can do together no matter what level of Yoga we happen to be on.  The beginner, like me, can still participate while the more advanced practitioners can push themselves to the level they happen to be on.  Another benefit is that I'm experiencing deeper sleep because my body is in need of repair from all the stretching.  My wife told me she thinks it may help me with my tennis game. I'll let you know about that.  What I do believe is that the better I treat my body, the better it will perform in the game of life.  If you haven't tried Yoga, give it a try.  It's as easy as finding an instructor online from the comfort of your home.  Have a great day.

Do Something Today for Your Future Self

It's too late to go back in the past and make changes.  That's why today is so important.  You don't ever want to look back at this day and have regrets.  Another way to look at this present moment is to visualize yourself at some future point.  That future self will look back on this day with two possible feelings.  One is regret and the other is gratitude.  Your positive actions today open up the door to gratitude.  You may have a more fit body.  Your mind may be in great working condition.  You may find yourself with friends and family.  All of this is possible if you do something today for your future self.  What choices will you make?  Have a great day.

Life Without Permission Slips

 I'm looking forward to my next physical.  I have a feeling my primary care physician is going to be surprised I'm not using any permission slips.  In my opinion, they are simply excuses for poor decisions regarding food choices and/or lifestyle choices that are simply incompatible with optimal living.  

High cholesterol?  Get a permission slip and keep it up.  High blood pressure due to eating foods that cause inflammation?  Get a permission slip.  When the permission slip no longer works, ask for more.  I'm living without them.  I no longer give my body permission to abuse it and cover up the problem with a pill that simply masks my improper behavior.  That includes processed foods.  No excuses.  It's amazing how well the body functions when you eat foods without labels that contain names you can't pronounce.  Give healthy eating a try.  Cancel your permission slips.  Make sure you notify your doctor about your plans so he or she can help you.  Permission slips are a solution but they don't have to be your only solution.  Have a great day.

Celebration Plans are Underway

 If you're struggling to stay on track with your goals, consider implementing some kind of reward system. This works really well for me and it's rather simple.  The idea is to treat yourself along the way.  You can do this daily, weekly, or monthly.  Set up a celebration at the finish line.  I'm working on something special for the retirement of my mortgage.  If I can't cross the finish line, I miss out on the party.  I also miss out on all the benefits that come with achieving this important milestone.  Think of something really special you would like to give yourself for achieving a major accomplishment.  Ponder all the details.  Visualize what that party will look like.  This is really fun.  Give it a try.  Have a great day.

The Baby Steps are Working

 Life is all about continuous improvement.  It's a series of baby steps.  They don't look like much until you add up all the steps you take on your journey to goal attainment.  All I can say is I'm enjoying the journey. I'm relishing in each baby step.  They're working.  I have a long way to go but each step brings me closer to the finish line.  If all you can do today is take one baby step, please take it.  Don't ever give up.  Have a great day.

Understand the Fear Equation

 It's almost impossible to maximize your life when fear is in the equation.  If you recall your algebra days, the idea is to solve x, the unknown.  I like to think of the unknown as an opportunity in your life.  Fear is the invisible variable that hinders you from solving x.  It's up to you to find a way to shrink fear so much that it becomes insignificant.  That's the point where fear no longer plays a role.  Focus on x.  Silence the fears.  Opportunity is the opponent of fear.  The more you seize the opportunity, the better off you will be.

Take a moment and write down a specific goal you have in your life.  Write out the equation.  Is fear present?  If you can see the fear in the equation, you are on your way to solving for the unknown where your goal is waiting to be discovered.  Have a great day.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

 I will cherish fond memories of this day, St. Patrick's Day, all of my life.  My dad was named Patrick.  I have a cousin, Patty, born on this day.  My wife and I were blessed with our daughter on this day, 28 years ago.  Sixteen years ago my business partners and I launched a photo ad magazine/internet company.  Just like my wife's doctor who said a birth on this day was out of the question, our computer guru who invented the software we based our company upon told us it would be virtually impossible to launch on this day.  The timeline was so tight that he had no time to test the software prior to launch.  We went live on nothing but the luck of the Irish and a prayer.

My life has been a series of continuous prayers.  My dad is no longer with us.  He turned St. Patrick's Day into a full month of celebrations during his stint as a bar owner at Mulligan's.  His marketing ideas helped us to have food on the table.  He inspired me to take risks.  Some of them have been successful.  Others turned into valuable lessons.  I've had more than my fair share of luck in my life.  I'm thankful for every blessing.  Happy birthday to all who are celebrating this day including cousin Patty and our daughter.  My dad handed out green keychains shaped like shamrocks to his patrons with the quote, "everyone needs a little luck."  May you feel a bit of that luck today and all days.  Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Family Yoga is Now on the Family Calendar

I discovered the joy of yoga yesterday.  This is our new family activity.  I will do this once a week on my day off.  The rest of the family will add a second session while I'm on the tennis courts.  I thought I was in pretty good shape until I tried to keep up with the rest of the class.  They were much more flexible.  I also found new muscle groups.  I was a bit tipsy on some of the poses but somehow managed to get through the one-hour session.  The bonus for me was finding something the whole family can do.  Who says you can't teach old dogs new tricks?  I have a long way to go to gain flexibility but this is a great start.  Have a great day.

Is This Mother Nature's Reprisal?

It's hard to believe we were so close.  The snow was gone.  The grass was turning green.  We changed our clocks to gain more sunlight at the end of the day.  Spring was so close we could smell the aroma of all the flowers about to bloom.  Then...boom!  Is it a reprisal?  I don't know.  All I can say is the winds are howling.  The snow is back.  The sun is hiding behind a dense layer of clouds.  It's so windy that the snow appears to be blowing horizontally rather than vertically.  That's okay.  I'm going to weather this storm today from home.  I'm happy to have a couple of days off while Mother Nature shows us what I hope is her last verse of Winter.  Have a great day.

The 90% Rule

 I know people who get so frustrated when they're falling short on new goals that they simply give up.  Sound familiar?  I have a solution for you and it may help you to move forward.  It's the 90% rule.  What it means is you don't have to be perfect.  You can strive to get it right nine times out of 10.  Errors are okay.  Falling short doesn't matter.  90% of success is so much better than a total write-off.  Do this daily and you will find that 90% is still an A.  Make this a part of your lifestyle.  It works.  Have a great day.

Find the Connection

 Is something missing in your life?  If you're not sure, look for the danger signs.  Are you excited to get out of bed in the morning?  If yes, you already found your connection.  If not, that's a red flag.  Do you have something to look forward to?  How do you feel at the end of the day?

We all have good days and challenging days.  The one thing I know for sure is that no matter what if I have a sense of purpose (my connection), all days feel like good days.  Outside challenges are simply obstacles.  My connection is what keeps me going, even when the roadblocks seem insurmountable.  Search inside yourself and find something that motivates you to get out of bed in the morning.  Have a great day.

When Bad Things Happen

 Have you ever wondered why bad things happen?  I don't have the answer to the question.  What I do know is that when bad things happen there is good that can come out of it.  The good may be a valuable lesson.  It can also be an opportunity to see something you may not have observed without the bad thing happening.  It may also be a chance to bring people together that you may not have met.

The next thing something bad happens keep an open mind for something good to come of it.  Have a great day.

Is Your Life in Alignment?

 It's really easy to see if your life is in or out of alignment, just like your automobile.  All you have to do is take a look and see the tread wear.  An out of alignment life shows signs that everyone can see.  The good news is this can be adjusted.

If you're noticing signs of uneven wear in your life, decide today is the day you're going to do something to realign yourself.  Heal those broken relationships.  Develop more regular sleep patterns.  Avoid the potholes left by negative people.  Go on regular date nights with your loved one.  Get control of your spending habits.  Decide today that you're going to stop worrying about all the things you cannot control.  Do these things and you will find that your life can be on cruise control.  Have a great day.

Treat Today as a Bonus Day

 There is one thing I hear over and over again from people who are struggling to get things done.  How many times have you heard others say, "I don't have enough time."?  If you find yourself in this category, try a new approach.  Treat today as a bonus day.  You can't recover any lost minutes from previous days.  That's okay.  This is your bonus day, similar to leap year.  It's your day to accomplish your most important tasks.  Bask in this day.  Relish in your completed tasks.  

I actually use this in my own life.  I take it a step further.  In fact, once I survived an auto accident that I sensed was my last day on earth as I knew it, I now believe all my days are bonus days.  It helps to be appreciative of any time you have.  Have a great day.

How to Play Par for the Course

 You're working on a big goal.  It may be losing weight, reducing debt, or getting fit.  You feel like you're making some progress but you want more consistency.  Maybe you would like to add some fun as well.  I have a solution for you.  It's "Par for the Course."  You may be wondering if you want to try something from a guy named Mulligan.  All I can say is that this game I concocted is working for me and I'm finally winning in the debt elimination arena.  This area of my life has been elusive.

I'm going to introduce a more detailed version of the game later.  For now, you can be your own coach.  Take out a sheet of paper and write down your goal.  Next, draw 12 boxes for the next 12 months.  In each box, write what your goal is.  That is your par, just like golf.  As each month passes, write down your actual results, just like the scorecard you see on the golf course.  If you hit your goal, give yourself a par.  If you miss, tally a bogey.  If you exceed your expectations for the month, give yourself a birdie.  Keep playing.  Make it fun.  You can replay the same game next year.  If you're bold, keep two scorecards and work on another goal simultaneously.  

Goal achievement can be fun.  It can also be life-changing.  Let me know how you're doing with your game and your goals.  Have a great day.

It's Presentation Time Today

 One of my teammates and I are presenting today on a conference call at our day job.  We've been asked to share how we are getting along during these unprecedented times.  I'm super excited about this because we are presented to our leaders in our district to offer them a point of view they don't normally experience.  Time to get busy.  Have a great day.

Battle of the Lefties Today

 Today is a rare day in my 45+ years of playing tennis.  I have an opportunity to team up with a fellow leftie to play a competitive match in our Men's 55+ tennis league.  Even rarer, we were both coached by a leftie on Thursday night in preparation for today's battle.  One more thing worthy of note here is that our favorite formation on the deuce side of the court when we're serving is the "Aussie" position where we both line up on the same side of the court.  My partner, a communications professor, hails from Australia.  This is going to be a really fun day.  I'm headed to the Quad Cities for our match.  By the way, the weather is heating up fast.  My hope is that trend continues on the courts today.  Have a great day.

Remove Your Barriers to Your Dream Life

 When trouble strikes, the barriers become most visible.  I know that sick feeling that comes with staring at what appears to be an insurmountable obstacle.  That dream life you desire is on the other side of those barriers.

You possess everything you need to achieve your dream life.  It's in your head.  Today is a great day to convince yourself you are going to win.  Go for it.  You've got this.  Believe.  Have a great day.

How Do You Manage Chaos?

 If you're not in the middle of a storm right now, get ready.  The odds are that some kind of storm will strike you, perhaps when you least expect it.  In my opinion, the likelihood of chaos is close to 100%.  That means you should prepare yourself.  How?  If you expect chaos to visit you, that's the first step.  Preparing yourself mentally is just as important.  One thing that helps me is knowing every storm I've ever faced has passed.  Some quickly.  Some, not so quickly.  But they all disappeared.

If you're seeking solutions, find good friends who can comfort you in the chaos.  Be there for them.  Good friends make a difference.  Set aside time to relax.  Go to bed early.  Avoid negative people.  Seek positive people who know how to weather the storms.  Have a great day.

Are You Winning the Head Games?

There's no doubt about it.  The head games are going to continue until the day you die.  It's a constant struggle to stay ahead.  I believe what's going on in your head is more important than what's going on in the world.  Why?  Because most things in the world are beyond your control.  What's going on in your head is totally within your control.  I like to focus on the things you can control.  

Heads games come down to a battle between you and your mind.  They are like two people.  They both have an attitude.  The world knows who is winning by your actions.  Winning is up to you.  You get to decide.  Forget about tomorrow or the day after.  Put all your energy into today's head games and make sure you win.   A victory today will give you an edge when tomorrow comes.  If you come up short, try again when you wake up in the morning.  Your future self, your friends, and your family will appreciate your head game wins.  Have a great day.

The Birds are Back

 The snow is melting.  The birds are back.  The grass is already turning green.  I'm impressed by Nature's choreography.  What a change this is from the harsh winter we had here in the Midwest.  The beat is picking up now.  I'm ready.  I hope you are as well.  Time to get busy.  Have a great day.

Have You Ever Heard of a Test Cruise?

The first time I heard about test cruises was yesterday.  It's not a new thing.  Think of it as a way for the cruise ship industry to introduce new ships and crew to the world.  Before accepting paying passengers, they look for volunteers to help them with trial runs.  What's changed is COVID-19.  CDC guidelines require new procedures to make cruising safe.  Test cruises are like the real deal absent the fees.  This probably won't happen until December.  All I can say is I put my name in the hat.  If you're willing to be a lab rat for one of the cruise lines, you may receive an awesome travel experience for free.

Here is the link to sign up for a test cruise with the Royal Caribbean.  https://www.porthole.com/heres-how-to-sign-up-for-a-test-cruise. Have a great day.

The 10 Month Countdown to Financial Freedom

 The dream is becoming a reality.  All those bogeys no longer matter.  The past is the past.  All that matters now is the daily effort to reach a goal that has eluded me for decades.  The next ten months will require a focus on the details.  I understand the rules of the game.  Any goal may seem larger than life until you pay attention to little things, like daily sacrifices.  Deferred gratification doesn't have to be about feeling deprived when you consider the amazing rewards that come with accomplishing your goals.

Dave Ramsey says it feels better when you walk on the grass in your backyard and you own the grass.  I look forward to discovering for myself how it feels to own the grass.  The other major goals are becoming more important to me now that I'm in the final stages of "Par for the Course."  I'm realizing how important physical fitness and eating properly will aid me when I'm ready to enter the next stage of my life.  

If you're having trouble achieving your goals, ask yourself why these goals are important to you.  Focus on the why daily to help you stay motivated.  Whatever you do, please don't give up.  I'm really happy I stayed in the game.  I will tell you how it feels to walk on the grass that you own in ten months.  Have a great day.