Working Out versus Length of Life

I just had a thought. I know, that's what this blog is for - my thoughts. But this came out of nowhere! Hold on, I'll share...

Everything you read and all the research shows that active people live longer lives. And not just longer, but more fulfilling lives b/c quality of life matters and no one wants to live longer but be miserable or be in pain or not be able to really enjoy themselves. So the research says to move more in order to live longer and healthier.

I love this! I love this b/c I love working out. I love running myself to the limits of my perceived endurance. I love seeing how much faster I can sprint in the water each time I push off the wall. I love lifting weights and watching my muscles contract while I lift the 12th rep with heavier weights or feel the perceived fatigue set in after the 20th rep w/ lighter weights. I love being sore the next day or two b/c that reminds me that I worked hard and did something fun and exciting!

But, as a personal trainer, I know that I'm probably in the minority of people who actually, genuinely love all these experiences and feelings. I mean, that's why I'm employed, right?! So the thought I had today was in relation to the majority of people who do not live for that paragraph of fun above. 

>>> They move and exercise b/c the research and doctors say they should in order to live longer. But they don't really enjoy it. They may enjoy and benefit from the long-term effects of living longer and healthier. So my question is...

* If you are doing something NOW in order to enjoy the benefit MUCH LATER, how much effort do you put into it? 

* How much stock do you place in the thing you are doing NOW that it will actually help you LATER? 

I'm guessing that lots of people are going through the motions and not really benefiting from exercise. They are taking slow, short walks b/c they were told to move more. Then they are sitting for longer periods of sedentary time b/c they believe they "worked out" for the day and can now enjoy themselves. They "earned it". I've seen clients use one third of their range of motion b/c they don't realize they can go farther. They lift the lightest weights possible b/c they have decided it's all they can do. But, with a little effort, they can move their arm all the way up to their ear. They can bend their knees into a 90 degree angle. They can bicep curl an 8# weight instead of a 3#. It's a matter of perception and desire.

My favorite thing about this blog is the rambling I do, haha. And then I realize I'm rambling and draw it all to a conclusion. The conclusion here is that we need to decide for ourselves what we want. Do we want a little extra effort NOW in order to hopefully have a healthier and longer life LATER? Or do we want to do nothing NOW and see how it goes LATER? 

* Find what you love and enjoy. 

* Do what you love and enjoy. 

*** And do it 100%. Commit to working out for a better future. Or don't. It's your time and your effort.

(But don't waste your time and the fitness instructors'/personal trainer's time only giving a 10% effort.)

Stepping down from my soap box for a moment  :)

This World...This Country...Wow...

I am not writing a lot tonight and probably no one will read this b/c I'm not planning to share it. But here goes anyway!

This World...

Everyone complains about the USA but you know what? The rest of the world is just as fucked up. There are still wars going on we've forgotten about (remember Ukraine?? How do you think they're holding up over there being invaded by another country???) There is still poverty and dictators and natural disasters. We are not the only country struggling and our struggles are solvable if we choose.

This Country...

We are being taken over a dictator-wanna-be. People who voted for this orange-faced selfish bastard are getting exactly what they deserved. People who didn't vote for him are getting a few years of total shit. We will survive but we need to remember that. It's FOUR years, people. Even if Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk are still alive in 4 years, they can't run again...Wait, you mean Mr. Musk wasn't an elected official? He's not our vice president? I'm confused. Why are these 2 always photographed together? Why do they dominate the news headlines? Who is our vice president?

I actually do know who is vice president but only b/c I asked someone a week ago. Then he appeared in my news feed as he treated Mr. Zellenski like a child. How embarrassing to be an American right now. But it's only for 4 years. We will prevail.

Wow...

I cannot comprehend what is going on in some people's minds these days. How is it OK to pull someone over, yell at them for no given reason, drag them from their car, and take them to some holding facility??? I have so many questions about this and other things going on in the world. Where did human decency go? Where did respect for others go? Where did innocent until proven guilty go? Why do you think a fellow living being who isn't the same skin color as you or speak the same language as you or pray to the same imaginary being as you is not worthy of respect? Are they not also human? Do they not also have people they love and care for in their lives? Are they hurting you? Are they stealing from you? Please! What the actual fuck???? Treat humans like humans! 

One More Thing...

Why does anyone need more than a million dollars? What the fuck are you going to do with all that money? If it's not help others, then fucking go jump off a god damn bridge you selfish fuck. There is so much wasted money around the world. I just want someone to explain why they need more money than they can possibly live on in 2 lifetimes! I'll give you 2 life times in case you're trying to save money for your kids. But then shouldn't they also be saving for their kids? If each generation helped the others before and after us, money would be shared, resources would be shared, ALL people could live in a home without going hungry, with a solid education, and job choices for all. The hoarding has got to stop! The hatred has to end! It gets you NOWHERE. It help NO ONE. It doesn't even really help the people who are doing the hating! Don't you like things? Don't you smile ever at something that isn't someone else's demise? And if you don't WHY THE FUCK NOT? What is wrong wrong with your mind of compassion??

And honestly, what is wrong w/ me for thinking there should be equality in the world and compassion for living beings...We live in Samsara, I should spread my compassion and expect nothing from anyone else.

The End.

September 11th, 2023...

 Today is the anniversary of one of the worst days in American history for my generation. Today is the anniversary of the twin towers falling to terrorist-takeovers. Today is the day I hope everyone will remember, but for a variety of reasons. And today is the day I realized it saddens me that not every school talks about this day. And I still can't talk about it without tears.

I asked my daughter what they did at her school to remember this day in history. She said they did nothing. She said there was no talk about and she didn't even realize the day until the end of the school day when someone said the date. I know that the city of Indianapolis was having 3 different memorials downtown at 8:30, 9:30, and 10:30 am. I know that NYC was having a few different memorials and lighting ceremonies. I know that 90+ new names (I think) were being added to the memorial in NYC as people who had died since the attacks as a result of illnesses they acquired by helping to save people in the buildings. But my daughter's school did nothing. And I am saddened by that.

I saw a series on Hulu that was actually created in 2021 and I wasn't going to watch it. I'm not ready. But, I hit play on it anyway while I waited for my daughter to call me up to tuck her into bed. I saw less than 5 minutes of this show and was in tears. I CANNOT WATCH THIS YET. I am NOT READY.

I don't think I have PTSD. I'm not trying to get a diagnosis or sympathy or even an encouraging word by posting this. I'm just trying to remember and make sure others remember. Here's why I think 9/11 is important:

#1 - this was the first time in a VERY LONG TIME that America came together. Yes, unfortunately we bonded over hate, but we bonded. We came together as a country, ignoring Republican versus Democrat. Most (and I know it was not all) races came together to grieve or fight or both. We felt like a united front against the enemy. People supported one another in their loss, fear, or grieving and we felt connected. We felt like America should feel.

#2 - for a solid week I watched TV footage of the attacks and the aftermath, the searching and the helping. I cried, I hugged my cats, I called, texted, or emailed my family who lived in Pittsburgh, Charlotte, and NYC. I went to work, and did it all again the next night. I donated everything I had to give to the first responders in NYC. I tried to sign up for the military but was rejected due to medical reasons. I felt so passionately about helping our country restore it's strength and community that I was willing to do almost anything to help. This was how many people reacted and it should be acknowledged that we were grieving as a country, struggling to come back, fighting against hate, and working together. Damn, it was hard.

#3 - George W. did the best he could to fight against this. At the time, America was searching for something to make the world right again. And President Bush did what he believed would help us out. Not everyone agrees it was the right decision. Not everyone thinks he acted appropriately. No one can agree on what should have happened next but can we please agree that he did SOMETHING? He was grieving and reeling from the shock like everyone else and he stepped up to act. I applaud that and it should be remembered.

#4 - regardless of their political affiliation, regardless of their sex, gender, sexual preference, race, etc we lost AMERICANS. Hundreds of Americans who were at work, going to work, getting coffee, sitting in meetings, chatting over the water cooler, flying home to family or away from family to work, flying to a holiday, working the flights. We lost them b/c of  some stupid terrorist attack! Some idiots who thought we deserved to die! WTF?! No one deserves that!!! We should remember all these people who lost their lives that day through no fault of their own. WE SHOULD REMEMBER.

#5 - EVERY school should have some kind of  acknowledgement that this is an important day. We don't need a national holiday, but we do need a moment of silence or a discussion about the monuments in major cities around the country. We should remember the families who are missing members b/c of this day. We should remember that at the end of the day, we are all Americans and everyone grieved or responded in their own way. None of it is right or wrong. It's simply a reaction.

I don't know which year I'll be able to watch footage or talk about this without tears filling my eyes. I don't know if I'll ever be able to go to the Memorial in NYC. But I know I will never forget that day. And I will always remember everyone who lost their lives or their loved ones and hold them in my heart. I get very frustrated at this country, but I will always strive to love all Americans and all living beings...

Why More Isn't Always Better

 #runningsucksbutidoitanyway

You read that right. Running sucks. But sometimes it's really fun. And sometimes it clears my mind. But other times it just sucks. Until I'm done. And then my mindset determines if it was a good run or not. It's all a mindgame, like every other endurance sport.

But I digress, here's why More isn't always Better...

Back in Sept. I saw a challenge from Athletic Annex: 

100Days - 100 Miles!

Oh that's a challenge I can get behind! Last year I did the Dumpster Fire run challenge where we had to run 20 miles in 20 days for the Dumpster Fire that was the year 2020. No problem. In fact, one of my clients did it with me. There were a few days where we would skip but we'd make up for it the next day so after 20 days we both had run 20 miles. What's 5x this amount?? I can do it! So I signed up in the facebook group, set my calendar reminder, and Sept. 22nd started a 100 day running streak. Here's how it went:

Week 1 - I knew I had wanted to do at least a mile every day and probably only 3 days a week of something longer (2-4 miles). Sept. was still warm so I was able to run outside and feel good. I did do some longer runs with quite a few 2-2.5 mile runs and even a couple 4 miles in there! I was feeling pretty good.

The first 25 days - I definitely had some days that were dragging but for the most part I felt pretty good overall on my runs. I would have some slower days that I turned into intervals...I had a terrible treadmill day on a stormy afternoon...but I kept at it. I posted that we were 1/4 of the way through and felt really good about it!

Halfway there - my pace on a mile run had really gotten fast! Never in my life have I run a mile faster than 9 min. and I did an 8:46 one day!! So I would start feeling good about this and then remember that when I race it's always a minimum of 3 miles so I should focus on longer runs more often. These mostly felt terrible. Especially as the weather started to get colder and I had to layer up more or run inside. I stuck it out for much longer this year than ever before running outside, though, so I should be happy about that. And again, my short one mile pace was impressive for me!

Just over halfway until about day 90 - things really started to get tough. There was never a day I didn't want to run, but there were many days I went into it with the mindset of, "it's only a mile. 9-10 minutes and you're done. Just get it done." Nearly every time I pushed myself to layer, use the "hot feet" my mom got me, and run in a coat outside I would finish a mile under 9 minutes. Finally, with a few weeks left I finished a treadmill mile at 8:52. Yes, treadmills are super hard for me! I can't figure out why I can't go faster but it really took a toll on my mental ability to run longer or faster indoors.

But again, I was struggling with the idea that I needed more longer runs. Just being fast for a short time wasn't helping me in the long term. I was fine with one mile on days I would cycle but even some swim days left me feeling like I needed a longer run (not b/c my body felt like it needed more but b/c my mind was telling me Tri season would require more). Strength training days were flexible b/c if I knew I was going to do a lot of legs then I'd be fine with one mile. But if I had planned more of an upper body class I felt I should at least do 2 miles. It's all so ridiculous, and I KNOW this. But here's the catch

"I had set a goal to run every day for 100 days and I'll be damned if I don't finish it."

This was MORE than I had ever done before. But I have a friend who has run at least 30 minutes a day every day for nearly 800 days! What was 100?? It should be super easy. I mean, I know it's a lot, but I wanted to keep pushing myself to finish it out. I wanted to show that I could do more and I would be better for it.

The Last 10 Days - first of all I miscalculated and thought I had 10 days left when I really had 11.  I figured this out with 7 days left, thinking it was 6. And at this point I was about ready to call it. I had never dreaded running as much as I did each day of the last 10 days. The weather was horrible, wet, and cold so these were all indoor track or treadmill runs except for Christmas Eve and Christmas. Each run seemed to be slower than the last, no matter how short I decided to make it. Even my outdoor Christmas runs were above 9 minutes (Christmas Eve trail mile was just over 10!). My legs were killing me about 1/4 quarter mile into each run. I was trying to do much less strength training to save my legs for my daily run but it didn't seem to matter. My mom got a Peloton and I was so excited to run with the instructors but still found it incredibly difficult to not just keep running but to maintain the recommended pace. The discouragement I felt as my times started to get worse was so frustrating. I had clearly peaked somewhere around day 65 or 70 and by the last 15-20 runs I was just holding on. 

--> More was not better. It was making me worse: Making me a slower runner; making me feel old; making me wonder if I needed more to eat (or less b/c some days my stomach felt super full after just a snack!) I hated it. I don't like to rush time but I found myself saying, "only a few more days until Dec. is done!" I truly was not running for enjoyment anymore.

And here I now sit, writing this blog entry on January 1st, 2022. I can honestly say I did not miss running today! I completed a 100 day run streak and all I wanted to do today was swim. So I did! And my legs were tired but it felt good to be in the water. I am not planning any swim, cycling, run, or strength challenges. More is NOT always better and that's OK.

*** May I remember and carry this wisdom with me into the
new year!!  :)

Swim Update...and Other Stuff

I was just rereading some of my posts on this blog and back in Dec. I told the world my goal to knock off 2 minutes from my 500m open water swim. I am happy to report that as of Feb. I had knocked off 14 seconds from my 550y swim!

Then COVID19 closed my pools and it was too cold to swim outside for months.
I'm exactly back where I was last summer...Damnit and eff it all.

My favorite tri (Tri Indy) just opened up for registration and it's in 2.5 weeks. I know I will not finish under 1.5 hours so I'm debating if I want to do it at all. I did sign up for one in Aug. (the final Eagle Creek Series one) and for some reason I'm OK not beating that time. But Tri Indy - that will just crush me if I do badly. I don't know what the difference is other than it will be my 3rd time doing it and I feel like I should be better by this time. I have the best suit so transitions should be faster. My cycling is ever-so-slightly faster but that really depends on the day. My swim is exactly where it was last year so forget making any progress there...And just like last year, as I make progress on the bike I lose progress on the run to the point where I feel like I'm dying most runs and today I was so damn slow the 3rd mile was 10:59! WTF?!?! I've never been THAT slow!

I am not sure what is holding me back b/c last week I announced to the Atomic Betty world that my new goal this year, instead of beating time, was to just have a lot of fun. So why can't I feel like Tri Indy will be fun? I love swimming in the canal! The bike and run are mostly flat so easier than Eagle Creek. I really think it's just my damn mental game.

And this is literally one of the worst blog posts I've written. It's just all about me and my messed up mind when it comes to competition! So sorry...of course, since very few people actually read my blog, maybe I'm not sorry, haha!
If you've read this far, thank you! I hope you see that if you're struggling w/ your mental game, you are not alone. BTW, if you are mentally struggling with anything, please call your doctor or health care provider. And if you are contemplating suicide, please, please call 800-273-TALK(8255)

***********************************************************************************OH WOW, I can't believe I didn't publish this! I started it back in July (weirdly it says it was published July 9th but I don't think I actually published it...Anyway! here is the final word on how my Tri season went:

So back when I wrote this I was feeling defeated about Tri Indy. Since then I randomly decided to do a tri in June at Eagle Creek. Now I never do the June race b/c it's usually too cold but 2 things prompted me to give this one a try #1 - the weather had been in the high 80's and I LOVE warmer weather! and #2, I won a wetsuit last off-season and figured the water would be wetsuit legal (it usually is in June) and what a better way to try out a wetsuit in a race than a race I had never done before and didn't care about the results.

Here's where it gets fun! Morning of the race I am all packed with my gear including my wetsuit. I'm so excited to have a fun race and wear a wetsuit! I show up and find out the water temp is 80...um what?! That's 2 degrees warmer than wetsuit legal!! So now I have lost half the reason I'm doing this race, but so have a lot of Atomic Betties and I'm only training for more sprint tri's whereas they are training for Oly and Ironman distances.

OK this was going to be a quick blog update which has quickly turned long! I ended up getting 5th or 6th in that race. 

But the point of this blog is Tri Indy. So...I show up at Tri Indy having trained the previous week in 90+ degree temps. I was loving it and hoping my nerves didn't get the best of me during this race. The day before the weather just dropped in temp and I didn't know how that would effect the water temps. The canal is not deep or wide so I figured whatever the temp had been (76!) would have warmed up all week. So I didn't bring my wetsuit...And Murphy's Law holds true all the time. It was fucking wetsuit legal!!! But I hadn't  brought mine I guess I was going to freeze and my dream of Top 4  would not happen this year.

*** Since I clearly can't finish this blog (it's now Jan. 1st, 2022!) I'll cut to the chase - 

The water did NOT feel warm at all but I was not the only person wetsuit-less so that made me feel a bit better. Plus, I had brought clothing options for after the swim including longer socks if needed, pants if needed, and a long sleeve shirt. I figured I'd see how I felt after the swim, not worry about transition time, and just get it done! Here's how it ended:

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!?!?! I wanted a Top 5 and finished 3rd!!!!!!!!!!! I also beat my previous time and finished under an hour and a half! I won that sweet pint glass you see and a bottle opener, to boot! (And you can see I decided just to go with the long socks. This was a great decision b/c so many people called out to me during and after the race that it was extra motivating. I love the Tri community!)

So, I went on to do the Aug. Eagle Creek sprint tri and I finished 2nd in my age group! This lovely and tough lady beat me by about 10 minutes, which is pretty much the average for how much she's beat me in the past. I'm totally OK with that b/c that's a lot of time to take off!

And that was how my Tri season ended for 2021. I did get a bid for Nationals and chose not to go for a variety of reasons. But after these two amazing finishes, if I get a bid next year (and I should), I am going! :)

What. The. Fuck. Has. Happened. To. Our. Sanity?

This is not my style. But I'm doing it anyway. Here goes nothing!

What the g** d*** F*** is wrong with some people?!?! How can ANYONE support a leader who stands there and says he will not concede??? He says it’s theft. He is encouraging armed people to attack unarmed people (if you don’t know where this came from, it’s from the LIVE VIDEO I just watched on the BBC NEWS) by saying he wants to see what they are going to do. He continues to call everyone else liars. How many fucking liars are there, Mr. Trump?? Is everyone but you and your ignorant few liars? At some point you concede. At some point you say, majority rules and I was not in the majority. 

And if not, I cannot wait to see you ESCORTED off the premises bc you will be trespassing!

—> Eff You, Mr. Trump!!!!

COVID-19 and how to survive...(not physically, mentally!)

“A life full of enthusiasm, hope and contributions through one's own talent is a life well lived.”
Kimberly Day

Yes! This! As we are all cooped up and having to rely on technology to communicate, socialize, and stay informed, take some time to hone in on your talents. Are you using them to your full potential? Are you using them to lift up people? Do you know your talents? That’s sometimes the most difficult question.
I think we all walk around in this life knowing what we enjoy and what we want to be good at. But it’s not always what our talents are. There are many people (I hope) like me who had no idea what we were good at until later in life. I thought I was good at reading and comprehending. I thought I was good at psychology and understanding people. There was a time I thought I could be good at chemistry (definitely not in my brain capacity!)
I never knew I was good at working out, understanding how the human body works, and motivating people. But there came a point in my life when I switched over careers from counseling to fitness professional out of necessity and suddenly I was being told things like, “great workout tonight!”, “thanks for making us laugh so we didn’t realize how hard we were working!”, and “thanks to you I’ve lost 10# and look forward to working out!”.
What?! Thanks to me? But all I did was write a workout, explain how to do things, tell you that yes, you can lift those weights or stay with me b/c we can run this pace, and give high fives after it’s done! But, ok. You’re welcome! :)

There’s a saying that if you love what you do you will never work a day in your life. Well that’s not really true. I love fitness and working out. But it is still work to write workouts for classes and people and personalize things for my clients. And it’s not always my favorite part of the job. But I do love it. I love seeing people come back for more. I love having people ask for more cardio bc the 10 minute blocks I’ve been doing in class have become too easy. I love when someone says, “do you see definition in my arms? B/c I think I see a muscle coming in...” and YES, I see that bicep also! That’s the power of dedication to your body and you!

So, over the years, I have found my talents. My talent is motivating people. My talent is understanding how the human body works and using that knowledge to help my clients. I am good at what I do and I hope to keep using it to help others. With the shut down of the world, I love that I can use YouTube to create videos, email workouts to people, and be there if someone is struggling. Even if I’m just there as a voice on the other end of the phone, I will be there. I am considering making a challenge for my personal training clients. It will be virtual and on the honor system but I think it will help some stay motivated so everyone doesn’t slip back in their training. This is how I hope to use my talents at this time. When we are all isolated, I want to connect people. I want to motivate people. I want to help people stay healthy and strong.

How do you plan to use your talents?

What I missed by not being on facebook...

We are living in a world dominated by social media and electronics. And it drives me crazy! I, like many people, am guilty of checking social media much the same way we used to check our mailboxes or answering machines (millennials and younger, an answering machines was something that was attached to your land line telephone and would record a message from someone when you weren't home to answer the phone, ha!). But for some people, checking social media is much more serious than our old mailboxes. We've lost the ability to have delayed gratification. That immediate gratification when you post something and 5 people "like" it right away is so satisfying. Can you imagine waiting over a week for a letter from a loved one overseas? I remember those days.They weren't that long ago. Sometimes I miss those days. I love a comment from a friend from Ireland on a social media post, but I love a piece of paper with a note written on it that flew across the ocean just for me. Being able to hold a physical piece of paper that someone you love also held adds to the connection between the two of you. Now that I'm writing about this, I realize how much I miss things like that...

But the whole reason I decided to write about social media and electronics is b/c I have been off facbeook for nearly a week. And the weird thing is, I only miss one thing! I miss my fitness community. I was going to check it tonight but started to log on, saw I had 71 notifications, and decided I didn't want to take time to go through all of those right now! I'll do it tomorrow and that will bring me to one full week without facebook. The only other time I've gone this long was when I was on vacation. And trust me, this week has NOT been a vacation! The reason I have been off is b/c I've been so busy with work and family stuff that I haven't had time. I will have time tomorrow.

There's a part of me that is itching to know what's been going on w/ Lebert Fitness (I need to see the February leg workout that puts all the month's exercises together!). I'll be posting a video to share these exercises and put my own spin on them so watch my YouTube channel for that! I'll be so curious to see how many Atomic Betty posts I've missed. How many more runs from my friends have I missed? Are there any discount codes for races I plan to do that have been posted? How far did Jane Anne swim in the ocean this week? She did say she was going to start back in the ocean in Feb, ha! Finally, did the results of the indoor tri I did w/ my daughter get posted to facebook? I haven't seen them on the website and I'm dying to know how we did!

Yes, out of the 71+ notifications I have, I only miss a handful. This makes me feel better about my social media and electronics usage. I don't feel attached, just curious what's happening in the fitness world. If I could get this info somewhere else I probably would. I could then look at facebook as my mailbox and have more patience waiting for those "letters" from far away. Think about what you use facebook for the most. What would you miss? Would you be able to resist checking multiple times a day? I would like to encourage everyone to take a week off. Or limit your checking to two or three times a week. Build up that delayed gratification again and revel in the simple pleasures of getting "mail" from someone who you don't see every day. Let me know how it goes!

Good luck!

The Off Season...and a workout for all!

As you probably know, I am a triathlete. And it's currently the off-season for me. So I've been trying to figure out what to do, training-wise...

Off-season training? Off-season fun? 

Off-season break? Off-season extras?

This, I'm sure, is a struggle for many triathletes. We spend so much time each year training and preparing for our races. Towards the end of the season, we get excited for the off-season. It will soon be over for a while and we can have some extra free time, we can rest our bodies, we can strength train to be stronger for next year, etc.

--- But at the same time, just a few weeks into the off-season, I begin to feel lost. What should I do today? Run? Cycle? Swim? Wait, I don't have to do all this all the time...And shouldn't I be strength training? It's a struggle to wean down a bit.

So this year I set a big goal - I want to work on improving my swim and dropping time. I figured this way I'll meet my goal of finishing a sprint tri under an hour and a half next year. If I can just drop 2 minutes from the 500m swim I'll easily finish under an hour and a half! Here's how I'm doing it:

* I'm swimming at least two times a week.

* I've attended one swim clinic this fall and have another planned for the spring.

* I'm talking to  friends who are former swimmers to get workouts that will help me improve my time.

* I've created land workouts to target the muscles I'll need to improve my swimming (check out one of those here - https://youtu.be/Szu9aaa92Uk ).

Outside of all of this, I am trying to run once a week, as I have in previous off-seasons. I will get back to cycling once a week in a few weeks as well. And I strength train at least once a week. However, I frequently end up at home after a long day and realize I didn't have time to run, cycle, swim, or strength train! So I throw together a quick 20-30 minute cardio workout which includes a little strength as well.

I say all of this for two reasons:

#1 - to put this goal out into the world wide web and make it official.

#2 - to have an excuse to share one of my favorite home workouts!

For a quick, fun, and effective cardio workout, here's what you need:

One set of Lebert Equalizers (EQ's)

One timer

Optional music

Set your timer for one minute sets. Each minute you will do a different exercise. After 10 minutes, you can take a 30 second rest, or keep going, depending on how you are feeling. After a few weeks you should be able to go through the entire workout without any rests. Here are the exercises:

1 - agility ladder over the EQ's

2 - jumping jacks w/ a shoulder press w/ the EQ

3 - mountain climbers

4- knees to elbows

5 - playground swing through using the EQ's

Repeat 1-5

6 - side to side over the EQ on the ground

7 - End jumps

8 - jumping lizards (Spiderman mountain climbers) w/ EQ's

9 - running man on the EQ's

10 - burpees

Repeat 6-10

3 minutes jump rope

1 minute push ups on a bosu

If you are a triathlete and have a fun workout that you do in the off-season, please share it below or email it to me at jlo74@aol.com. I love to try new workouts and if it's a good one, it might just be spotlighted in another blog or YouTube video  ;)

Thanks for checking in, everyone. I'm sure at some point I'll update you on my swim goal and you know there will be more random blogs coming your way soon!

PS, if you want/need a set of EQ's, follow this link https://lebertfitness.com/?ref=JennyOC and use coupon code JENNYOWENSCRIPE  for 15% off  :)

Thoughts of a triathlete

I just spent the last hour and 10 minutes watching a bunch of people cross the finish line of the Chattanooga Ironman race and it was so exciting! Earlier today I watched the Colts lose (not so exciting...) and earlier this week I watched the Packers lose (not a great ending to that game either). I personally knew one person and was connected via a fabulous group of fellow triathletes to 3 other women who were racing in TN. Maybe that's why it was so exciting - that I actually knew someone. But I found myself tearing up over people I'd never heard of before they crossed the finish line.
--> Why?
It's a 16.5 hour race covering 2.5 miles swimming, 116 miles cycling, and 23 miles running. These distances are incredibly longer than I've ever done. They are intimidating distances, especially on the bike! I know I could swim that far, for sure if the current is with me, as it was with today's athletes. I'm sure I could run/walk a marathon. But could I actually cycle for 116 miles??? I struggle to get through my long cycle training days when I'm doing 18-20 miles and there's nothing else happening on those days! These men and women are inspiring, motivating, and beautiful.

Tonight I sat on my couch and cheered for my new friend Joyce. She finished with plenty of time to spare and smiled and waved as she crossed the finish line. How amazing!!!!!!!
Then I saw a few different couples finish together - holding hands as they crossed the finish line. That's a lot of togetherness so they must really enjoy each other's company (and also, must not have kids!) I teared up as a son ran out to meet his mom. The son had been an athlete until an injury sidelined him and his mom said she'd take over the role. And just like that she completed an Ironman race! Wow!!! And then there was the last of the 4 Atomic Betties to finish. I've never met Nicole but I was clenching my fists and biting my nails waiting for her to cross the finish line. 6 minutes left, the announcer said. Is Nicole going to make it?! 4 minutes to go...I don't know how fast she usually runs but she has got to pick up the pace and get there! 1 minute, 15 seconds left...OMG Nicole, get here!!! With just under a minute to go the announcer calls out, Nicole Beck from IN and I just start to cheer and wipe tears away b/c I know she has given this her all. She has been swimming, cycling, and running ALL DAY and at that moment there is nothing more important or awe-inspiring than to finish and be called an IRONMAN. These people are amazing. I can't find the correct words to use!

There's a level of crazy found in all triathletes, I think. Why do we enjoy spending hours training? Why do we enjoy pushing ourselves to our personal limits? What is our motivation? I think these are questions we can try to answer but at the end of the day, we just enjoy the challenge and the accomplishment. I don't actually enjoy all the training but I do love the feeling at the end of a good day. I push b/c I am always amazed at my limits. My motivation is always something different, depending on the day or the race. I find something to keep myself going and just remind myself of that each day. Sometimes it's to push faster and beat yesterday's time. Sometimes it's just to get some miles done. Sometimes it's just a reminder that if I stick w/ my training plan I won't die during the race! We all have our motivational factors and we use those to keep going. And we are a bit crazy, I think. There's no real reason to decide to spend hours racing in 3 different disciplines throughout one race. There are no instinctual reasons (no need to outrun lions in our lives; no need to out-swim dolphins or sharks) and there's no functional reason to train for these (no need take a bike instead of a car or bus in today's society).
--- So I believe we do it for the challenge.
--- I'm convinced we do it for the adrenaline.
--- And we do it for the crazy.

*** WAY TO GO CHATTANOOGA IRONMANS!!!!! ***

Mental health, Millennials, and Football

This morning I read an article through the NFL app. It was perfect. I tried to share it on my FB feed. I couldn't get FB to edit who I wanted to see it (public, not just my friends) and it went back to the NFL app. The article was not to be found again!! I was so frustrated...
So here I am writing my own darn article!

Over the past year I've decided that Millennials are getting something right - they are taking care of themselves. I've written about different generations before and what each generation thinks of the other. But over the past 3-4 years I've worked w/ and for more millennials than throughout the rest of my life. At first I was  shocked to see their attitude of working only 40 hours a week in a salaried job. I looked at this as lazy or uncommitted to their career. Here I was, a girl working her ass off in every single job I'd ever had, salaried or not (although I don't work over my paid hours in an hourly job, that's just stupid) and it never occurred to me to stop working a salaried job at 40 hours. You work until the work is done. DONE. It's called  "work ethic" and I felt these younger people didn't have that. I could actually go on about my frustrations of unfairness, lack of work ethic, being rewarded for not working hard, etc.but that's not the point of this blog so I'll step away, take a deep breath, and move on!

Today my perspective has changed a bit. I am in the unique position to not have to work 40 hours a week b/c I am part of a two-income family. We aren't super wealthy but we can afford our house, food, clothes, vacations, my Jeep, his Mustang, swim club, piano and drum lessons, and quite a bit more simply b/c we are frugal and smart w/ our money. Being in this position has allowed me to take more time for me. I compete in triathlons and spend hours each week during the season training. It's MY time. I LOVE it. I encourage my daughter to find things she loves and pursue them. She's an artist, loves math, loves swimming, and seems to have musical talent as well. I encourage it all as part of living well.

Then I began to realize that millennials are doing the same thing. Many do live at home for longer than "normal" but they're saving money and enjoying themselves. While their "work ethic" isn't the same as mine, I have come to the conclusion that it's healthier. Either employers are more lenient with them or they are more efficient w/ their time, typically the work gets done on time. They are not working themselves to the bone or overly stressed. I am willing to bet their generation will have fewer heart attacks than previous ones b/c they are taking better care of their health. Their Physical and Mental health...

Which brings me to the original thought this blog was based on - Andrew Luck. He's a Millennial. He's a retired professional football player at age 29. He's honest w/ himself, his team, and his fans. And he got booed for this. And is being critised by loads of people. And we wonder why people suffer depression, why anxiety is a growing concern, and why people take their own lives. This man has been in physical pain and unable to do his job to the best of his ability. He's a team player who couldn't be in the thick of things w/ his team due to injury and doctors orders. He is a player w/ a lot of integrity, maturity, and brains. I mean he went to Stanford, for goodness sake! And when he decided enough was enough, the timing wasn't great. But you could see it in him - it was either he step back and save himself, or he stayed and would lose himself.

Instead of booing, fans should have waited to hear him. Instead of leaking the news given in confidence, whoever let it out should have held onto it until Andrew had a chance to make the official announcement. (I 'm not sure it would have gotten a better reaction, but I bet he would have felt better about it. Honestly,though, that's neither here nor there.) The point is, he used his Millennial wisdom to make a healthy decision and should be praised for this. To watch him give his statement last night I was reminded of the things we teach in Youth Mental Health First Aid. Yes, he was happy on the sidelines during the game. But much like someone who has finally decided to kill themselves, he knew the worst was behind him. This caused his mood to shift. He would soon get some healing time w/ his wife and upcoming baby. His speech mirrored a person who had become hollow inside and was just trying to stay alive. Our society makes it a very difficult thing to recognise when you need help, Some people are saying it took courage. Some people are calling it weak. I call it being human and knowing your limits. We all have breaking points. How many of you reading this have ever quit a job? Quit a project? Quit a sport? Quit a diet? We are humans who live long lives and at some point we'll find something that we cannot endure. And we'll quit it. When it comes to a person's health, physical and mental, sometimes that's all we have.

So at the end of the day, I in no way fault Andrew for retiring when he did. We don't know the whole story - did he talk about this w/ Irsay over the summer? How long has he been thinking about this decision? Does it even matter? He's going to get the help and rest he so desperately needs to be able to fully function as a teammate. And that's all that matters to him and his teams. So support him, support others, show compassion, and behave like a Millennial!

Multi-tasking or Single-pointed focus

So this morning I had plenty of time to do a meditation before work and it was wonderful! However, as I started my meditation I had a thought about how peaceful meditation is when you find that single-pointed focus. Whether that focus be on my breath or imagined light building in my mind given by the Buddhas, or the person/people I'm imagining as perfectly happy and free from suffering it doesn't matter. It's the fact that everything is calm, peaceful and there's only one thought going on. The single-pointed focus makes everything else pale in comparison, fade away into the background or wherever it goes, and the swirling thoughts that are usually floating around me fade away. Yes, these thoughts that I'm writing about were floating through my mind and I allowed them pass by, thinking to myself that they'll come back and I can blog about them later! Sure enough, 16 hours later, those thoughts are back and here I am blogging.

So here's the thing about this single-pointed focus - I used to be amazing at it as a kid! My mom always said that when I was watching Sesame St. there could be bombs going off around me and I'd never notice.
Flash forward to my teen years and I found it difficult to study in complete silence. I needed background noise to stay focused. I could have the TV on or the radio, or even the noise of other kids in Prep, it didn't matter. My single-pointed focus was gone.
Then, as an adult, it became a source of pride that I could multi-task. The more things you could focus on at once, the more efficient you were. Right? Carrying on a conversation while cleaning - easy. Planning a lesson while talking to a client and scheduling the day? Definitely a bonus! Sending emails is nearly always done while doing other tasks. That's what makes someone a hard and efficient worker, right?!

I'm not so sure now. Since beginning to more fully understand the peace that comes with single-pointed focus, I'm starting to question the effectiveness of multi-tasking. I remember reading somewhere a few years ago about a study that showed how employees who were not good at multi-tasking were actually more efficient and effective employees, while those who were always doing 2 or 3 tasks at once took longer to complete each task and had more errors in the tasks.
So I started noticing myself...I usually have the TV on and am doing work in the evenings. I definitely get more work completed in a quicker fashion on nights I decide to keep the TV off. Then, I am able to more fully appreciate and enjoy the shows I'm watching if I'm not also working during watching. It seems like my childhood ability to tune everything out except a TV show has returned. And I quite enjoy it!

So I start to wonder if this is a personal thing or universal. I'd be curious to see how many people are more efficient when not multi-tasking and how many actually strongly benefit from multi-tasking. Do other people feel more peaceful, more accomplished when they focus on one thing and work to completion? Or do people like to have check off multiple tasks at once to feel accomplishment?
Or is it just me w/ a little kid's ability to tune out the world and focus on one single thing? I sure hope I'm not the only one!

OM AH HUM

THIS World

Just for a moment I want you to think about this world. This world in which we live...

A planet unlike the rest in our solar system.
A solar system so expansive we can't even begin to imagine the space beyond.
A solar system filled with other planets, all circling the same burning hunk of material.
A planet w/ salt water and fresh water.
A planet with trees, forests, tundras, deserts, ice lands, tropical climates and dry climates.
A massive rock with living beings so numerous we haven't even found them all.
A planet with plants that you can eat for nourishment and others that will kill you.
An atmosphere filled with the exact correct amount of gases to keep all these completely different living beings alive.
A planet where you can theoretically see all of this in one day but the majority of living beings rarely, if ever, see more than their small section of the land or water.

Each day every living being wakes up on Earth.
Every living being seeks nourishment for the day.
Every living being takes in O2 or CO2 (forgive my ignorance here) or whatever gas they need to survive.
Every living being requires rest to do it all again the next day.

It's quite amazing that we have what we have to survive. Furthermore, we humans (and I'm guessing some animals as well) have adapted to create more things that we don't need but rather want to survive. And we continue to survive, create, thrive, and build on each other's successes and creations. We, as a species, are always looking to improve and build on what we have. Sometimes we do make things better. Sometimes we make things more interesting. Sometimes we mess up a good thing. But we never stop. We continue to seek more from this amazing world in which we are housed.

Now, bring yourself back to where you are sitting and reading this. How do you feel? Contemplate that for a moment.
Small?
Powerful?
Insignificant?
Creative?
Happy?
Fearful?
Lonely?
Loved?
Useless?
Important?

It really doesn't matter how you feel. What matters is that we are all in this together. Each human reading this has needs, wants, and feelings. Each human reading this is breathing the same air as the other living beings on the land.

Each human reading this is an important part of this world. 

For without each human, and each living being, it wouldn't be THIS world.

Friday Night Lights

Have you ever rewatched a TV series that you know you loved but then when you rewatch it you realize how much more powerful it really is? Maybe it's that whole thing about watching something more than once to truly see everything it had to offer. Maybe it's being in a different place in your life. Maybe it's realizing your daughter isn't too far away from the age of many of the main characters. Whatever it is, Friday Night Lights is hitting me in the feels this week.
I've been binge watching it all summer. I started b/c it was summer and there was no football to watch. So what better thing to do but watch a show about football?! And so it began...

I'm 4 seasons in...Coach Taylor is now coaching the East Dillon Lions. His daughter has fallen in love and had her heart broken by the cutest, most sweet guy in TV football land. Landry has finally begun to move on from Tara. Riggins continues to try. His name should be Try rather Tim. Who doesn't love Tim Riggins and want him to succeed???

And my mind wanders to real life - I want my daughter to go away for college simply to see the world and see what it has to offer. But I'm watching Julie check out colleges that are hours from home and watching Tami Taylor take her to visit...Suddenly I start to feel lonely without Emer around. She's 8 years away from moving away from me! What the heck am I thinking about?! It's such a conundrum trying to raise an only daughter. Yes, she should see the world. Yes, she should realize there is SO MUCH MORE THAN INDIANA. But yes, she is important to me! And I don't want to lose her! But I want her to find the right place for her. I am literally ready to move wherever she goes to college when the time is here but I'm #1 - not sure she believes me and #2 - not sure that's the right thing to do to help her. How do people encourage their kids to explore the world without losing them??? So difficult...and ridiculously inspired by a TV show, ha!

And then there are the kids she'll be going to school w/ who don't have her supportive family. How the heck do they ever get out of Indiana?! I wish I could help each one of them. I wish I could be the parent to every student who doesn't have a supportive parent. I wish I could be the friend to every parent who is trying to support their student but doesn't know how. I was a guidance counselor so I can help! Just ask me! Every student deserves the best opportunity suited to him/ her.

At the end of the day, this show is about opportunity - hope - love - being your best self - and Texas football.

One final thought - you know you're getting old when you stop relating to the young people on shows and start relating to their parents.
SIGH...

Unexpected Accomplishment

This past weekend I accomplished something I wasn't even sure I wanted to accomplish until earlier this year. Back in February or March I had set a goal, kind of as a joke and kind of just to see people's reactions. I started throwing out the idea that I might do a sprint triathlon. In order to see if it might be possible, I started taking Cycle classes. (For years I've had one knee that sticks in the bent position while cycling. It's very painful when I force it to straighten out!)
After a couple of weeks of suffering through Cycle classes I got my knee to relax and stop sticking. I love swimming so that wouldn't be an issue. I'd run 5K and 5 miles races in the past and had already started running the indoor track (my usual end of winter routine) so that was good. It was just a matter of putting it all together, I figured. Yea, I could do this. Why not?!

So I started telling people I was thinking about doing a Sprint Tri. Oh the reactions were not at all what I expected!
* Hubby rolled his eyes (to be expected since he gets tired of me training for things over the summer)
* Daughter said, "OK". Then was just a little surprised when I told her what was involved.
* My dad wanted to know when it was so he could make sure to be there. Wow, really!?
* My brother told my mom he was impressed. This really threw me for a loop!
* Random participants in my class turned their noses up that I would be swimming in the canal. (That's why I picked the one I did!) But then would ask me along the way how training was going.
* A woman who interviewed me for a job was thrilled to hear I had that goal. OK, we just met, but sure put it on your calendar!

Around April I really needed to decide if I was for real or just carrying this joke on a bit longer. I was starting to get a lot of people involved!

May - OK I'm really doing this. Time to sign up! It took me another 3 weeks to get organized and remember to sign up when I had a credit card handy. But on June 18th, I finally did it. I plunked down a bunch of money to voluntarily swim 500 meters in the Indianapolis canal, cycle 20k around the city, and run 5k between the zoo and IUPUI.
> That's a completely sane thing to do, right?
> That's a necessary thing to spend money on, yes?!
> Training up to 2 hours a day is normal, agreed??

I spent Spring and Summer following a 12-week plan I created based on two other plans I found online. It wasn't too bad. I haven't worked out on a more consistent basis since junior high school cheerleading. Six days a week I was doing something. Workouts ranged from 30 minute runs to 2 hour brick workouts. I made the swims longer than necessary b/c I just loved those days. I enlisted a couple of friends to train w/ me and they all lasted 1 day. I was on my own.
But I didn't mind. I found I treasured my time on my own. I don't usually enjoy running and yet those weren't the most difficult days at first. The bike was the worst. I know people thought I was joking when I told them my slow times, but I was working my butt off to get faster! Later in the summer a wonderful woman in my water fitness classes offered to lend me her bike. Wow what a difference! Suddenly, cycling wasn't as hard as running and my run days took over as the most difficult.
Brick days - doesn't that sound intimidating? But I was excited for the first one. I hadn't yet paid my money and wanted to see if I could even get off a bike and start running right away. It was one of my best runs! That sealed the deal for me - there was no turning back now.

At this point I started reaching out to friends who have done sprint and full tris. I was told to sign up for Above Average swimming ability (really? Are you sure??) I was given pointers on how to make the transitions faster. I was encouraged. I was uplifted. I was excited!!!

By July 29th I was Ready. I always go into a race with the mindset that I've done all I could do and whatever happens happens.
> I wanted to finish under 2 hours.
> My hubby said to be fast b/c I've been training so hard.
> My dad said the goal is to finish.

I was feeling somewhere in between finish and fast.

...

From the moment I jumped in that canal (to the joyous sound of my daughter yelling, "Go Mom!!") I stayed focused: Swim consistent; Don't run over that guy but Do try to get around him; Don't speed up just b/c someone else is catching up; Remember you have 20K on a bike and 5K on your feet left to go; Use those arms...

I climbed up the steps, gave my awesome family a fist pump as I ran off to my bike! Goggles & cap off; Shorts, socks, shoes, helmet on; Quick drink of water; Here we go!
Throughout the course of the bike route I passed 2 people. Countless people passed me! I knew they would but I didn't care b/c I was so much stronger at swimming. My friends had been right about Above Average Swimming and being passed on the bike wasn't nearly as scary as I had anticipated. Again the thoughts of consistency ran through my mind. I pushed harder but my legs felt good. I had trained for this. I had done much longer brick workouts than this. I. Was. Strong.

Once off the bike, I ran/walked my jiggly legs back to my spot: Re-hung the bike (why did this take the longest time of all???), Off with the helmet; Quick drink of water; Go run!

My mantra while running is "one foot in front of the other". I usually find someone I can follow to push a little without killing myself 2 miles in. In the beginning I had a guy with a cool American Flag on his bandana. But he stopped to walk...then passed me again...stopped to walk...passed me...stopped one more time...passed one final time and I never saw him again...That's OK. I kept steady and strong. I was actually doing this!
I came around the bend and thought, "Where do I sprint? At what point do I have enough energy left to sprint me across with finish line without dying just before it?" I smiled at my dad who was videotaping me around the corner - and I took off!

I crossed that Finish Line in 1 HOUR, 31 MINUTES, 32.9 SECONDS!!!!!

...

I've never felt stronger in my life. Everyone says you will get hooked once you enter the world of tri's. I hadn't doubted them but I hadn't expected to be seeking out a second race the same summer as my first! That's probably not going to happen, simply due to schedules. But I can safely say you will see me again on the Sprint Tri race circuit. I'm planning 2 next summer. And I can't wait!!!

Insignificant...

We live in an insignificant time. Don't you think?

...

Donald Trump - Kim Jong Un - Russia - Peace - Families - Democratic Republic of Congo - AIDS - LGBTQ - Christianity - Mexican Border Wall - China

...

Now take yourself back about 242 years. Do you know what was happening? Do some math...think about it...If that's too difficult to figure out, go back about 66 million years...Pretend you're a pterytacle...

...

Now come back to 2018. "Look around, look around...how lucky we are to be alive right now", Hamilton, the musical. Do you feel this way? I know I do.

66 million years ago, a comet or asteroid was striking the earth, subsequently killing nearly every living being on our planet.

242 years ago we had just told England to "eff off" and let us live our own lives.

Earlier this summer we praised the President of the United States for meeting with a dictator that the previous president had either met with or considered meeting with (clearly I don't follow politics!) but had also been highly criticized for doing so.

Yet, we still have people in this country working their butts off to pay bills, get medical care for their children, drive home without being stopped by a police office, living their lives as if no one cares if they live or die. Someone does... someone cares...

At this point in history, it's difficult to realize but there is actually still love in the world and people who care for each other person on the planet...And nothing that's happening hasn't already happened in some other time in history. It's all pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of time.

Living in an "Over" Society

We live in an "Over" society, or "Over" world, these days, don't you think? This is a term I'd love to see coined and used commonly to try to eliminate the "over"ness of our culture. But since I'm just one blogger w/ a super small following, I doubt I ever hear anyone else use this term! Regardless of whether or not this becomes a household term, I'd still like to explain the "over" part of our society and see what you think of the idea.

First, it would be very single-minded and ignorant of me to claim we live in an "over" world. This would imply that everyone in the world lived the way people in western countries do. I know for a fact the rest of the world is different, filled with a massive variety of cultures, ways of living, vices, etc. So let it be known that the term "over" society reflects the western cultures of America and most of Europe.

Now, onto the explanation!

We Overanalyze everything: every system put in place, every process at a workplace, every type of instruction, every decision made is revised, revisited, analysed again and again.. What happened to if it's not broke don't fix it? I'm not saying we shouldn't change, but change for the sake of change, is ridiculous and this is what happens a lot. When people over-analyse, they forget to move forward. Instead, it's just reinventing the wheel.

We Overstep boundaries without knowledge. More and more people share their opinion with the world. An opinion which is based on no knowledge or intelligence, simply a feeling or gut response. That's fine; it's our rights as humans to hold opinions based on whatever we want to base the opinion on. However, it's when that opinion is shared as a FACT that is oversteps a boundary. Social media and blogging allow people to feel important and share their unfounded opinions. A facebook post or a blog might get shared on social media and suddenly an average person has overstepped the boundary of common sense and is coming off as an expert. I know you've seen people who "know" the best essential oils to cure scarlet fever! We've all read that bananas, or eggs, or cows milk, or (insert the most recent opinion you've heard here) are killing us. Why do we think that having an opinion suddenly makes us medical professionals or fitness professionals, etc.? It's actually insulting to those of us who have studied one of these professions and actually knows what we are talking about!

We Overshare - showing every step of every struggle you are going through is no longer "something we don't discuss in public". Instead it is praised and rewarded! The more feedback and "prayers" you can get from friends on social media, the more a person tends to over-share. It's a terrible cycle of self indulgence. But do we really want to see the rash your kid got or hear how badly you've been treated by the same jerk again? Remember "overstepping boundaries"? Perhaps this has grown b/c so many people overshare in search of an answer that a professional should be giving them...

We Over-do - we take on too much; we fall too deeply into an idea and we struggle to find moderation. Trying to lose weight? How many diets take it to the extreme?! And people jump on board until they either give up b/c it's too restrictive or they haven't seen success b/c it's not actually healthy at all. Diet didn't work so let's try exercise! But instead of saying, "I haven't worked out in year so maybe I should take it easy". people lean towards, "Sure I'll go to the gym 5 days a week for 2 hours each day! However, that lasts maybe 4 days and then feeling like failure sets in and people quit. How about the politically obsessed? Technology obsessed? Any obsession leads to over-doing it which leads to burn out which leads to unhappiness...

We over eat - obesity! need I say more?

We over expect - throw ourselves into a plan and expect results immediately. No results = no satisfaction. On the flip side, we expect others to do over and above what they are supposed to do or are capable of doing. Expectation not met = no satisfaction. People have limits. People need time to learn. This goes both for projects we take on and projects we oversee (hey, another "over"!)

We over-react! - why do people jump on a bandwagon without thinking? Slow down! Take a breath! Research and form an intelligent opinion! We also see this when people start to get angry - it can escalate very quickly if we're not careful.

Do you see now what I mean by living in an "Over" society? It's gone beyond first world problems and into a whole new dimension of over-ness. Sigh...

Our National Anthem

I just spent the last couple of days learning about the United States' national anthem. We're going through a ton of turmoil in this country and it was the perfect time for me to learn a bit about our history. In fact, it wouldn't hurt the rest of the country to revisit the time of Francis Scott Key & the War of 1812.
I wonder how many people know that the national anthem was written about seeing our flag through the smoke & dawn of a night filled w/ battle against the British. Do people realize that had we lost this battle we wouldn't have a country today?
The protests going on involving sitting or kneeling for the anthem don't make a whole lot of sense when you know how we arrived at this song becoming our anthem. But, it is people's right to protest. And we gained these rights through battles like the War of 1812. So, I actually understand the people protesting the protesters less then the protesters themselves.
All that being said, I think the most interesting fact to me is that the battle in Baltimore was supported by every type of American. There are accounts of men & women helping to prepare for the British invasion. There were a significant number of African Americans fighting at Fort McHenry. People from all over the area came to help with the battle either as military or militia or average citizens helping to protect Baltimore any way they knew how. Every type of person pitched in. And as a result, we defeated the British, saved America, & celebrated w/ a new flag & song.
These two symbols  - the flag and the National Anthem - were a result of a country united. And today they are pulling us apart. What a shame we don't study & celebrate history...

Spiritual Refocusing...

Just a short thought tonight...b/c I needed a bit of a reminder to stay focused...I practice New Kadampa Buddhism and lately I haven't been able to get to my meditations as often as I should. I've been trying to read a book for the past 6 months or so but I tend to re-read sections and never get finished w/ it! So tonight I spent some time reading notes from the past few years' classes, just to get a quick refresher.
I go to classes and read books to learn more. But, in all honesty, I never seem to learn anything new! The spiritual practice of meditating and finding inner peace is so basic and should be simplistic. But of course, if it truly was simplistic then we'd all find inner peace, all live in harmony caring about one another, and all be patient and kind to everyone we meet. World peace would be a reality we could all enjoy!
Alas, this is not the case. Instead, we are filled with delusions that cause us to stray from our inner peace and compassion and cause us to see things through our emotional filters. Every note I turned to in my trusty notebook reminded me to take time to meditate and refocus on compassion for others. The notes reminded me to cherish others, removing self-cherishing from my life. I was reminded of the difference between love and attachment (this one is a big struggle for me!). I re-discovered practicing patience. It is amazing how I can read books, I can sit in classes, yet I forget the basics of Buddhism in an instant!

Meditation is amazing. It truly does refocus my mind on cherishing others, learning to let things and people go that I've become attached to, and helps me find that much-needed and enjoyed inner peace. 

Everything I do, I do it for...me

Something interesting was stated on HBO's "The Leftovers" this past week. Matt is a preacher who comes in contact with another man who refers to himself as "God". In the course of a conversation between the two of them, Matt says everything he's done has been for Him. God's response is intriguing...thought-provoking...phenomenal. He states:
"Everything you've done you've done b/c you thought I was watching. B/c you thought I was judging. I wasn't. I'm not.You haven't done anything for me. You did it for yourself."

Wow.

So I'm sitting here trying to figure out what I want to say about this. I couldn't let such a statement go without commenting on it b/c it's so powerful and true! Let's dissect it...
People who believe in God believe that He's always watching them. He will immediately see if a child gets in trouble in school; He will see if a woman lies to a friend; He will see if a man cheats on a test; He will see everything people do, whether it's good or bad!
People who believe in God believe that they will be judged upon their death. This judgement will send them to Heaven or Hell. For every bad thing someone does, God will make a mark. For every good thing someone does, God will make a mark. Upon death these marks add up and determine the person's fate.
With this in mind, you can see how every action then is a direct result of someone doing something for THEMSELVES. No one wants to go to Hell. Who would want that?

Other spiritual practices have similar judgements with similar outcomes, though not necessarily from a god. For example, Buddhists believe that our karma determines our next lives. We work to build merit so as to eliminate negative karma from our past and help build positive karma in the present. More positive karma leads to a greater likelihood of a higher rebirth. Who wouldn't want that? (And yes, that's the simplified version!)

So it really comes down to a fear of the unknown and protection for ourselves from that unknown. Everything we do...we do for ourselves...