Want to subscribe? Click here to send us your email address. We'll notify you when the newsletter is published each month!

Letter From The Editor

Every time I think the world (and those of us in it) is going as fast as it can possibly go, the speed turns up another notch. Have you noticed it too? While I enjoy living life at a fairly rigorous rate, it is important to not go so fast that you get caught in a speed trap.

The speed traps I’m talking about are those details that may get overlooked or assumed that come back to bite you because you assumed they were handled… put to rest… or someone else’s responsibility. Think about it this way:

• You take off for a 1200 mile road trip and you are so eager and focused on getting to your destination that you assume the car is gassed up, the tire pressures have been checked, the oil has been changed, and your spare tire is onboard.
• Then some 200 miles down the road your trip comes to a screeching halt… the gas tank is empty, the oil ran dry, your tire blows, or you were moving so fast that you weren’t watching your speed and now you see red flashing lights chasing you down the highway.
• You get busted because, while you had the big-picture of your final destination in mind, you didn’t tend to the details. Yicks!

Do you see how life can catch up with us in the same way? Don’t get caught not being present to the details… better yet, get present to the details and you won’t have to worry about getting caught!!! Give up assuming and slow down long enough to make sure life is going along as you want it, and also enjoy the trip!

My dad once told me:

When you clean a window, clean the corners first. The center will take care of itself.

Words of wisdom we can all live by!

Clay S. Nelson

Are you afflicted with… The Super-Hero Syndrome?

We’ve entered a time of year when life takes on a whole new intensity. Schools are officially in session, we’re gearing up for fourth quarter at work and for what it brings to our personal lives as well. Fields are being harvested and apple orchards are open for business and in full swing, fall sports leagues are chugging along, and if you are like many, many people you may be feeling like you have been branded with a giant “S” on your chest. Yes, you very well may have the Super-Hero Syndrome!

You know what I’m talking about:

Getting up in the morning, getting yourself and the family ready for their day, working all day, attending a charitable board meeting, having dinner, coaching your child’s little league team, working on homework with the kids, mowing the lawn, getting the kids in bed, giving the dog a bath, getting organized for the next day, making sure you have clean socks, collapsing in bed somewhere around midnight, and then starting all over again early the next morning tired and used up!!

You believe that you have to be all things to all people, and if you could swing from place to place like Spiderman, that would be perfectly alright. However, we can’t! So, why don’t we instead look around at where and from whom we could ask for help?

In order to cure the Super-Hero Syndrome:

Ask for help. Yes, it is that easy!! Think about it: How can anyone help you if they have no idea you need it? You can’t possibly expect the people around you to read your mind and to know what help you need. Heck, most Super-Heroes move so fast that most everyone around them concentrates on staying out of their way for fear of getting blasted by the “hero’s” cosmic rays. Therefore, if you need help you’ve got to slow down and ask for it!!

Remember: No matter how sure of your super-powers you are, they can be weakened. Superman has kryptonite, Spiderman is afflicted at times by a pure lack of confidence, and those of us who are mere human-beings are afflicted with humanity, meaning if we could get to where we’re going by ourselves, we’d be there already!

So ask for the help you need, when you need it!! It is that simple.

Getting in Shape… Staying in Shape

Getting in shape AND staying in shape is difficult for many of us. Cookies, licorice, soda, dinner rolls, pastries, dip and chips, brownies, french fries, popsicles, bacon, cakes… all of these things call to us as we walk through the grocery store aisles. So how do we turn a blind-eye to the rocky-road ice cream calling to us from the freezer aisle?

Very simply put, in order to get in shape and stay in shape, you have to get committed to being in shape. That commitment alone will help quiet the voices screaming from the grocery store shelves “you know you want me!” Add a plan and accountability to that commitment and you’ve got all you need to have the level of physical fitness you desire.

Do you need some extra incentive? Think about these benefits of getting and staying in shape:

• increased muscle strength
• weight loss
• more energy
• less stressed
• greater endurance
• better sleep
• more confidence
• overall improved sense of well-being

Now, despite all of the benefits of getting in shape, making healthy choices and exercising regularly is not always easy. So here are some things that will help you to stay the course:

1. Choose an activity you enjoy.
2. Set goals and make sure they are realistic!
3. Don't get discouraged if you don't see immediate results.
4. Find a partner for a little motivation and socialization – hire a coach.
5. Listen to your body – don’t over do!
6. Do more than one type of exercise – you won’t get nearly as bored!
7. Last but not least, stay present to the fact that the state of your physical well-being has a direct impact on the quality of every other facet of your life. It impacts your relationships, your business, the amount of fun you are able to have, and the difference you can make!

So eat right, take your vitamins, and exercise regularly. Watch how your life changes, your mental attitude improves, and your physical energy level begins to meet and even exceed what you need to live the life you say you want to live. Go ahead… set the world on fire. I dare you!

Want to subscribe? Click here to send us your email address. We'll notify you when the newsletter is published each month!