Tag: boost energy

Three Steps to Make Things Happen

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What are your goals and dreams for your life?

What do you want to do, be or have before you kick the bucket?

Did you know that many people have no idea? If you were to ask
them, “What are your most important goals?”, they would have
trouble answering you.

Hence the saying that most people spend more time planning their
vacations than they spend planning their lives.

Establishing goals and planning for the type of life you want is
so important. Human beings are goal-striving organisms.

If you doubt this, think about a baby just learning how to walk.
The baby is driven to master this new skill. She could be content
to continue crawling, because her parents will still pick her up
and carry her to wherever she needs to be.

But the baby is driven to learn how to walk, to be able to go when
and where she wants to. She may fall down a lot, but that doesn’t
stop her. She is fixated.

She also has support from her environment. Her parents and other
adults around her encourage her. They look at her with that gaze
of positive expectancy. They know that, despite the falls and
setbacks, she will indeed learn how to walk.

Just like that baby, you too need a goal or goals to strive for.
A worthy goal helps keep you on track. It gives you positive
expectation and hope that your life will get better.

However, before you begin to run full speed ahead toward your
goals, take a few minutes to plan and reflect. Put the power of
your imagination and your emotions to work for you.

(1)IMAGINATION. Imagine yourself after you have accomplished
your goal. How does it look? How does it feel? Imagine the
possibilities.

(2) FAITH. Believe it can happen. More importantly, believe it
can happen for YOU! As the Bible says, “Faith is the substance
of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Provide
yourself with that positive expectancy, that certainty the
parent has when helping the baby learn how to walk.

(3) ACTION. Here’s where the rubber meets the road. Get going
and make your dreams happen! Take the small initial steps that
serve to correct your course toward the direction you wish to
go. Small course corrections today can mean major changes in
your life tomorrow.

Keep on track. Get back on track when you mess up. There’s
plenty of time and space for you to do what you need and want
to do.

BONUS STEP: IMAGINATION. Yes, back to imagination. Every day,
use that image of goal achievement – what you will be like
and how you will feel once you achieve your goal – to keep
you going.

Remember: each day, each discipline, each new thing learned
builds on the others, propelling you towards your goals and
dreams.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Improve Your Energy with Proper Posture

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Correct, upright posture is essential to maximizing your energy.

The spine is the major conductor of nerve messages.  Its health is
critical to the proper functioning of the organs. That’s why I
included exercises that help relax and lengthen the spine and
supporting musculature in the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise
Course, Volume 1; Invigorate and Rejuvenate.

A straight, elongated spine supported by strong, limber
musculature is critical to boosting your energy levels.

Most people have the opposite: a weak, compressed spine surrounded
by chronically tight, even painful, muscles. In fact, it’s been
reported that 80 percent of us will suffer from lower back pain at
some point in our lives.

One of the easiest and simplest ways to improve your posture is to
visualize that your sternum (breastbone) is on a string that is
hanging straight down from the ceiling.

Look and feel how you are sitting or standing right now. Are you a
little slouched or hunched?  Are your shoulders rolled forward? Is
your head inclined forward?

Now imagine that a string is attached to your sternum and an
invisible someone hidden in the ceiling is pulling the string
straight up.  What happens?  If you do this correctly, your
sternum lifts, your chest sticks out a bit, your shoulders
naturally rotate back, and your back straightens.

You should be vigilant about your posture, whether sitting or
standing. It’s so easy to slump or hunch, especially when you are
tired.

I particularly have to watch myself when I am clacking away on the
computre. I have trained myself to periodically check and adjust
my posture.

On the days when I don’t do this, I find that my shoulders, neck
and back are stiff.

We were watching the Eastern Conference hockey playoffs last
night between the Bruins and the Lightning. (Since my Caps are
out of things, I am rooting for the Bruins.)

Every game in the playoffs is hard-fought and action-packed.
Hockey players are among the best conditioned athletes. However,
toward the end of games, you will see some of them hunched over,
sticks on knees, as they gasp for breath.

You see this in other sports as well. Basektball comes to mind.
Toward the end of the game, as they become more fatigued, many
players will bend forward and put their hands on their knees
during any break in the action.

I did this same thing plenty of times when I played hoops.

Ironically, when you hunch over like this, it’s not really
helping you supply extra air into your lungs.

You’ll do much better if you bend forward from the hips, so your
back is straight, and push up from your arms to elongate your
spine. Then you can breathe more deeply into your lower back.

In fact, this is a great exercise to do if you have lower back
pain or tightness. Breathe into the area of pain or tightness
and feel it slowly, gradually relaxing with each breathing
cycle.

Back to the posture thing: I never really thought about it until
I had a martial arts instructor who wouldn’t let us hunch over
and touch our knees.

He was traditional in his approach – to say the least – and could
sometimes be hard core. He basically said that we should train as
we would fight.

Would we stop in the middle of a fight and hunch over, panting,
showing our opponent that we were exhausted?

Of course not! We would stand up straight, chest out, and act
like we were just getting started.

And you know what? Not assuming a posture of fatigue, but
holding onto a posture of energy – actually works!

I discovered first hand that your posture can directly influence
your energy levels. From that time ’til today, whenever I am
training hard and getting tired, I stand up straight, walk around
a bit, perhaps swing my arms or do neck circles to loosen up my
traps and shoulders.

I try to avoid putting my hands on my knees and doing the
hunch over, gasping for breath kind of thing.

Try this for yourself. Next time you are getting really winded or
tired when exercising, or engaging in robust physical activity,
stand up straight and slowly, gradually bring your breath under
control.

You can use this “posture approach” in your daily activities.

For example, if you are getting fatigued toward the end of the
day, or you just carried in some bags of groceries (up stairs
no less) and are winded.

Because your posture is good, you will able to breathe more
deeply and replenish the oxygen you need. More subjectively,
you’ll feel stronger. You can recover and continue your day with
renewed energy and focus.

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Save Yourself From the Scrap Heap

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“Many men and women go to the human scrap heap….They have not
known just how to pump the human bellows – the lungs; get energy
out of every ounce of fuel, keep their arteries and veins clean,
kidneys and liver from being poisoned.”

That’s a quote from an old book on breathing.

Even in the “old days”, when the importance of breathing for good
health was more widely accepted, the doctor who wrote this book
felt compelled to do so. He was concerned about the diseases and
conditions he observed in his patients, as well as the people
around him.

Today, it seems like we are even more removed from the natural
healing and invigorating results of proper breathing.

I think a lot of this has to do with the advent of modern medicine,
and all the wonderful medications and drugs that have been
developed.

Coming down with a cold? First action for many people is to take
medicine to help tamp down the symptoms.

Got a headache? Take two aspirin, or extra strength this or that.

There’s even a headache product you roll on your forehead, like
deodorant. Not sure how it works, but the commercials sure are
funny.

I’m very grateful for the wonder drugs and medicines that help
relieve our illnesses, whether acute or chronic. They have reduced
much suffering and helped alleviate much pain and discomfort.

But they have also caused us to forget about our own natural
instincts and intuitions..to move away from more natural methods
of handling illness and pain.

They tend to make us focus on the symptoms, and treat those,
rather than determine the cause of the symptoms and take care
of that.

If you have headaches on a regular basis, taking aspirin or
Tylenol may help you get through your day. But you better be
concerned about what is causing those headaches, and what you
can do to prevent them.

One chronic illness that hits home with me is asthma. When I
was first diagnosed, I was totally into the “give me medicine,
and more medicine, until this thing is controlled”.

Problem was, the more medicines I took, the worse my health
became.

Mortality rates from asthma are increasing in modern times,
compared to times when they did not have asthma medications.

Why is that?

Given all the fancy medicines used to treat asthma, shouldn’t
mortality rates be declining? What did the oldtimers know, and
do, that we don’t?

One thing they knew about was the importance of deep breathing,
and regularly practicing proper breathing and getting lots of
fresh air.

Seems simple, but it’s true: you can live longer and live
better by knowing how to breathe properly.

Learning – and regularly performing – proper breathing is almost
an art in itself. But it’s actually not hard to do.

It just takes a little time and patience. But it’s time well
invested.

No scrap heap for you!

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/

P.S. Get a crash course in proper breathing and how to breathe
completely and fully with the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy
Exercise Course, Volume I. You’ll relax and rejuvenate, and feel
more calm and in control, within minutes. For more details, click
here.

P.P.S. AND – To build better lung power, stamina and vitality,
try the second volume of the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy
Exercise Course: The Dynamic Energy Routine. Right now, you can
acquire  BOTH volumes for one special price. Click here
for more details.
Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

One of the Most Efficient Ways to Train

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This was first published as the article  One of the Most Efficient Ways to Train on Technorati.

There are as many ways and methods of training as there are
coaches, trainers and fitness gurus — or so it seems sometimes.

So many methods and systems, often contradicting each other. So
many of them marketing-driven, meaning their proponents have to (at
least publicly) claim that their way is the “best and only way” to
train.

In my experience, you can – and should – take advantage of different
methods and approaches to developing your endurance, strength, and
flexibility. This is the intelligent way to go after superior
levels of fitness and health. To paraphrase Bruce Lee: “Take the
most useful and discard what doesn’t work for you”.

Plus, there is a lot to be said for injecting some variety into
your workouts.  Not only does this keep your body constantly
guessing and adapting – which is one of the goals of training – it
also keeps you fresh mentally. It’s one of the “secrets” that can
help you truly enjoy your fitness program, rather than viewing it
as a necessary evil.

Here’s one training method that has been around for a long time,
is proven, and is widely accepted: Interval Training.

I highly recommend it, especially if you are a busy, time-starved
person who seeks maximum results from minimum time invested. (And
aren’t we all interested in this anyways?) It’s the fastest way to
achieve significant changes in your body composition…meaning,
putting on lean muscle and taking off fat.

Unfortunately, not enough people take advantage of this excellent
way to train.

Interval Training involves working hard for a short period of time,
followed by either a complete rest or a slower pace of the target
activity. For example, you run at a good clip for five minutes (the
work interval), then run more slowly or walk for five minutes
(the rest interval). That’s one set.

Another type of interval:  Run up a hill, sprint, or do a
high-intensity level on the stationary bike for 90 seconds…then
rest for 90 seconds. Rinse and repeat 4 to 8 times, and you have
a powerhouse of a workout – in only about 20 to 24 minutes!

I think people shy away from Interval Training because they
associate it with highly intense levels of effort, and think
it is too tough for them to do. This can be about the most
intense form of training. Sprinting up hills repeatedly, with
short rests between sprints, will fry your butt very quickly.

But the truth is, intervals can be used successfully by anyone,
no matter your present level of fitness.

The key is to set the intensity and duration of your work interval
at a level sufficient to push yourself — but not push yourself
over the edge.

Just about every activity I can think of lends itself to interval
training. It just takes a little creativity.

For example, strength training is naturally interval in nature.
You perform sets of repetitions of exercises, interspersed with
rest periods.

Walking and running are also naturals for intervals. Simply walk
or run faster for a period of time, interspersed with periods of
walking or running more slowly.

Certain breathing exercises are interval in nature. Typically,
each exercise is done for a certain number of repetitions.  You
pause briefly (rest interval) and move on to the next one. Also,
breathing floods your system with oxygen, creating immediate
surges in energy levels and metabolism.

For example, the Dynamic Energy Exercise approach I teach helps
you breathe more deeply and naturally, expand your chest and
strengthen the muscles and support structures that are critical
to healthy breathing and powerful lungs. These exercises get you
workin, huffin and puffin – and are all done in a standing position
that is accessible to just about anyone. (Go to the Best Breathing
Exercises website for more information.)

And that’s how you know you are performing your intervals at
the proper level of intensity: you should be huffing and puffing
by the end.

If you want to lose weight and/or put on lean mass, be sure to
leverage Interval Training in your fitness program for faster
results.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
http://www.BestBreathingexercises.com/

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

A Few Ways to Cultivate Positive Energy for Better Performance

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The impact of positive energy on performance in remarkable.

Researchers at Berkeley have found that positive experience alters
brain size, IQ, and learning ability. Children of average
abilities, but high self-esteem, often perform better in school
than more intelligent kids with low self-esteem.

Positive energy can affect your physical performance as well.

Researchers have measured differences in strength and endurance
between subjects who tested higher for positive energy and
optimism.

But how do you cultivate and increase your own levels of positive
energy?

Many people think that positive thinking is the key. If you are
a “glass is half full” (rather than half-empty) type of person,
you are thought to be a more positive and optimistic person.

I think this simplifies things a bit too much. Overall, I’m an
optimistic person…but I have my moments of doubt and negativity
once in awhile too. And I know a few people who see the negative
in just about everything…but surprise me with their refreshingly
upbeat responses whenever a crisis hits.

At any rate, the description I like best is attributed to Winston
Churchill, who said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every
opportunity. An optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

You can approach the cultivation of positive energy in different
ways.

For many people, their religious and spiritual beliefs, and
accompanying rituals, help instill optimism and energy.

For others, reading or listening to self-development literature
or CDs, and working on self image and thinking positively the
majority of the time, help  them cultivate more energy.

For others, throwing themselves into a worthwhile cause and
helping others stirs positive feelings and leaves them energized.

But there is a less appreciated way to automatically and naturally
cultivate more positive energy: your breathing.

You see, sometimes the other methods can fail you. Some days
you just don’t feel positive, aren’t able to truly think positive,
and have just about had it with all the crap going on.

If you care about your performance at work, or as a parent,
spouse or friend, you want to get out of this negative state
as quickly as possible. (Although I have to say, some people
seem to enjoy being in a negative state most of the time.)

When you aren’t positive mentally or emotionally, you can always
get yourself back into a positive energy state with a few minutes
of deep breathing.

If you’re having trouble “seeing the bright side”, and your regular
methods aren’t quite getting you back to a positive energy state, try
some deep breathing.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Is “Move It or Lose It” Really True?

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Staying active and exercising on a regular basis is one of the keys
to maintaining and enhancing your energy levels.

It also helps you be more productive. The time you take for
exercise, even if only 20 to 30 minutes, can return as much as two
additional hours of productivity to your day.

As you get older, you have to continually work on building and
maintaining your vital capacity, the ability of your lungs, heart,
and muscles to do their jobs efficiently and effectively.

Vital capacity naturally diminishes as you get older, unless you
do something about it. If you’ve been inactive for any length of
time, you have even more incentiveto build yourself up, because
you’re starting from a lower level.

From my experience training clients, I’ve found out that many
people shy away from conventional exercise programs. They think
they are in such bad shape that they will injure themselves, or
not be able to perform at a decent level.

They also sometimes dread the thought of working out at a gym.
They think everyone else will be in shape. They worry that they
will not know which exercises to do or how to use the machines or
weights.

For some people, the issue of time is paramount. They just aren’t
sure they can fit regular exercise into their schedules.

If you think you’re not yet capable of conventional exercise…OR
if you are intelligent enough to know you should start out slow,
you can get started today with the exercises in the Secret Power
of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume 1: Invigorate and
Rejuvenate.

The exercises in this course open up the breathing spaces of the
body. They stretch, extend and work out all the kinks along your
entire spine, a critical source of energy. And they help you easily
and effortlessly loosen up your body, from calf to neck.

The movements in this course provide an excellent way to prepare
your body and “re-introduce” yourself to exercising.

If you’re usually tired, often worn out, or chronically fatigued,
you may have some sort of block on your internal energy. Imagine
what a profound change will occur, in your body and spirit, when
all circuits are open and your energy is flowing.

Whatever you do, the important thing is to get moving, even if it’s
only for 15 or 20 minutes each day. Build some type of activity
into your daily routine. Make sure you incorporate deep breathing
into whatever you are doing.

Within a few days, you’ll feel better, have more energy, and enjoy
a more positive outlook.

You Can Do It!

Karen
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Touch Base

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My parents recently visited us for a long weekend.

Even though they are on the East Coast and we are in Texas, we
try to see them once a quarter.

They’re not so much interested in seeing me. It’s their first
grandson, Miguel, who is the big draw. They are always amazed and
delighted at all the new things their grandson is doing.

The big progression since they saw him at Christmas: how well
he is reading.

Yes, kids in kindergarten read now. It’s fascinating how quickly
they develop this skill once they get started. We encourage Miguel
to read a lot, in all different subject areas. He reads to us and
we read to him.

Very cool!

On the not so cool side: my parents were also amazed and dismayed
at some of the new words Miguel has picked up from classmates
and friends. You know, the ones who have older brothers or sisters
and therefore learn these “not-so-good” words from their siblings?

And then repeat them because they are getting a reaction?

If you have kids, or are close to family members’ or friends’ kids,
you sort of lose track of all the changes going on. You see them
every day, so the changes don’t register with you as much as with
someone who sees the child infrequently.

And boy, do they change! The growth is amazing.

This got me to thinking about how much I had changed since I last
saw my folks. Had I learned much more that was new and helpful?
Had I improved much, or at all. Had I made meaningful progress
toward my goals?

It’s a good idea to “touch base” with yourself on a regular
basis,  perhaps weekly, at least monthly — and assess how you
have changed.

One of your goals as an adult should be to keep that childlike
curiosity and wonderment that makes the world so interesting, so
alive. It’s the best way I know to get out of — make that stay
out of — the emotional and psychic ruts we are all prone to fall
into.

If you are trying to lose weight and get in shape, have you made
progress in your workouts? Progress on the scale, or in your
measurements? Are you making better food choices now than you
were a month ago?

How about your health – either physical or mental? Have you
taken steps, no matter how small, to improve your breathing
skills, which help you cope with and improve a health issue and 
better manage stress or anxiety?

Have you learned something new and exciting about a subject that
interests you? Have you learned something new about your spouse,
significant other, or good friend?

Making the commitment to measure yourself, in any and all ways
that make sense to you, is an important step toward achieving
lasting change and improvement.

It provides you with the impetus you need to make the choices
that move you forward. It helps you keep your goals and desires
front and center, so you think about them everyday. In turn,
this means you will be more likely to do something about your
goals every day.

Touching base also helps because it places an emphasis on
process, not just results.

In other words, if you are having difficulty achieving your goal,
or you are making slower progress than you expected, you may
get down on yourself, or even think about – heaven forbid! –
giving up on your goal.

Don’t do that! Instead, re-focus on your process: on the activities
you are doing each day to move you towards your goal.

Give yourself a gold star each day you do something positive
that moves you in the direction of your goal.

The great motivational and business leader, Earl Nightingale,
said that you are a success when you are making progress toward
meaningful, worthwhile goals.

See yourself as the success you are! Give yourself credit for
setting your sights higher, for taking on big goals and
challenges, and for not quitting.

I’ve found that one of the most powerful habits you can cultivate
is a daily health and fitness routine. Performing deep breathing
exercises (like the ones I teach you in the Secret Power of
Dynamic Energy Exercise Course ), or
doing calisthenics and stretching, or going for a daily walk or
run, is a life-enhancing, life-extending routine you will never
regret getting into.

I highly recommend performing deep breathing exercises first thing
in the morning. It’s a wonderfully energizing way to begin each
day. And you’ll continue to benefit throughout the day.

You won’t have to worry about “fitting it in later”.

And when you “touch base” at the end of the week, you’ll know
you are making progress toward your health and fitness goals.

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
http://www.BestBreathingexercises.com/
Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Here’s a Simple But Powerful Type of Breathing

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In today’s tip I will share with you a very simple but powerful
type of breathing which is wonderful for detoxifying the body,
clearing out your lungs, and making your breathing easier. 

Before we get started….

Did you know that each of your lungs is about the size of a
football. Or about the size of your hand, if you hold your hand
open. Because of the rich branching pattern inside, they have the
surface area of an entire football field! And they transfer oxygen
into your body, and wastes out of your body, with amazing
efficiency.

This is one reason why learning how to cultivate your breath can
be such a worthwhile endeavor. Just a small, incremental improvement
in your breathing can have tremendous results in terms of your
energy, mood and health!

So here we go. This exercise called the Cleansing Breath.

Actually, there are several breathing techniques or methods that
are referred to as “Cleansing Breath”. This is just one of them.
But I like this one the best. It’s  an adaptation of an exercise
I teach in the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course,
Volume II: The Dynamic Energy Routine.

Here’s how you do it:

(1) Inhale a full, deep breath through your nose;

(2) Retain the air for a few seconds;

(3) Pucker up your lips as if for a whistle; then exhale a little
air through the opening. You should exhale sharply, with plenty
of vigor.

(4) Stop for a few seconds, holding your breath. Then exhale a
little more air. Repeat until you have exhaled all the air you
were holding.

Breathing in this way for only two to three cycles can really
refresh and invigorate you. Use it anytime you are feeling
lethargic or a bit under the weather.

It’s also a wonderful detoxifier — not just physically, but
emotionally and mentally as well.

Next time you are upset at someone or something, try three to
five repetitions of this exercise. You are literally “blowing
off some steam” when you do it.

I wager you’ll feel much better and will be able to move on
with your day without the emotional distraction or baggage.

One important point: this is a tough technique to do when you
are exercising. However, the same basic approach can be used
to help you recover and replenish your energy during physical
activity.

Simply blow out more of your air in the first, sharp exhalation.

In other words, inhale through your nose, then blow out the
air through your pursed (or puckered) lips, kind of like you
are trying to blow up a balloon.

Make sure your exhale is short and sharp. Don’t worry about
exhaling all the air. In fact, when you are exercising, it is
better to retain some measure of air in your lungs.

Think of it as cycling through inhalations and exhalations,
while always keeping a reserve.

If you are getting excessively short of breath or fatigued when
exercising, try this “sharp exhale” version of the cleansing
breath. It really helps you regain control over your breathing,
so you can continue with your activity.

Have a great weekend, my friend!

You Can Do It!

Karen
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com/

P.S. If you are interested in breathing more fully and
effortlessly…in building up your lungs and stamina…naturally
strengthening your internal organs and hyper-charging your
immune system…then you will want to check out the Secret Power
of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume II: The Dynamic Energy
Routine. This program can have a transformative effect on your
breathing and overall health and energy. Yet it’s easy to learn a
nd do on a regular basis.

For more details, head over to the Best Breathing Exercises website.

 
Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Carpe Diem

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Spring isn’t quite sprung yet…but it’s beginning to emerge.

The longer days, the increased energy and warmth from the sun as
it tracks higher and higher across the sky, the first green shoots
from dormant plants and trees….provide us with that sense of
anticipation of good things to come.

This morning, after I did my breathing and energy exercises
outdoors in the fresh air and early morning sunshine, I found
myself thinking about a common and frequent cycle in our lives:
that of renewal or recovery from some failure, circumstance, or
lack of action on our part.

I’m sure you have had the experience of starting some project, or
setting some goal for yourself. You start off very enthusiastic
and committed to taking action.

After awhile, you may lose steam. You become less enthusiastic, or
an event or series of events throw you off course. You begin to
drift and not apply much, if any, energy to your goal or project.

You may get angry with yourself. You may feel sick and tired of
your present condition.

So you start anew. And you begin again with positive expectations
and enthusiasm.

Even if you’ve experienced this start – stop – start cycle, over
and over again, don’t give up hope. Don’t stop beginning again.

There’s no law or unwritten rule that says you can only try
something so many times, then you have to stop. You can try as
many times as you want, or need, to attain success.

I think this is an important message right about this time of
year, when your enhthusiasm and follow through on your important
goals may be waning a bit.

Several weeks ago, my son Miguel and I watched a documentary on
the great football coach, Vince Lombardi. We’ve all heard or read
so many Lombardi quotes over the years. But there was one moment
in the  program that I found fascinating.

After a stunning defeat, when the Packers lost a Super Bowl game
they were favored to dominate, Lombardi responded to reporters’
requests for a comment by saying, “We didn’t get beat. We just
ran out of time.”

Don’t let your enthusiasm wane either.

As you start toward your goal again, you may be saying the right
things and doing the right things. But, in the back of your mind,
a little voice may be saying, “Here we go again. We feel great
about this new beginning, but just wait a little while. This too
will fizzle out.” I know all about it, because I’ve heard this
voice of doubt from time to time.

Here’s my advice: ignore that voice.

Enjoy your new beginning. Allow yourself to be enthusiastic about
this fresh start. Because who knows, this time it may “stick”.

My high school class motto was, “Today is the first day of the
rest of your life.” It’s a well-known quote. I always thought it
was a little corny, but…I remembered it all these years, so it
must have resonated somewhere in my psyche.

One of my friends has modified it to, “Today could be the LAST
day of the rest of your life.” He claims he is not being cynical.
Rather, he is emphasizing the “Carpe Diem” – Seize the Day –
message within the quote.

Each day can be a day of renewal. So seize it with enthusiasm
and gusto. Enjoy your “fresh start”.

You Can Do It!

Karen
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. If you’re looking for a fresh start in your quest to get
in shape or improve your health, and you’re ready to leave behind
the frustration of unsatisfactory results…then try the Secret
Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, volume 2: The Dynamic
Energy Routine. By following each section of the course, one at
a time, you will experience an amazing renewal of energy, stamina
and health. Claim your copy today at Best Breathing Exercises.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Taking Stock Before I Hit the Cattle Car

kvanness01

I’m sitting here on the waterfront in Miami, enjoying a libation
and some lunch before I have to head over to the airport.

Conference is over….meetings and presentations went fabulous.
Time to relax a bit before I have to submit myself to the “friendly
skies”.

I cringe thinking about the travel ahead of me, the security
process where I disrobe, the lining up like cattle, the potential
(indeed probable delays). However, at the end of the day I will be
home with my family. The thought of that gives me a boost.

As I’ve been sitting here in a relaxed and expansive mood,
picking up the energy from the negative ions stirred up by the
water, I’ve just completed a little drill I do at least once a
month.

I reviewed all of my goals for this year and compared where I am
– right now – in relation to each goal.

I occurs to me that we are less than one month away from the
vernal equinox — the point at which our days and nights are equal
in length.

(At least, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. Apologies
to all of you “down under”.)

I love this time of year because the days are starting to get
longer. The sun is coming up a little earlier, staying out a little
later, and hitting its zenith in the sky a little higher, each
day.

This is the time of year that people who suffer from SAD —
Seasonal Affective Disorder — can really hit rock bottom. As the
saying goes, “It’s darkest right before the dawn”. If you can hold
on for another month or so, you should be fine. Get outside and get
some sunshine on your face as often as you can.

The lengthening days serve as a reminder that we are moving into
the final month of the first quarter. The year is moving along as
always.

Am I moving along toward my goals as planned?

Take a moment to reflect on your goals for this year. Some may be
bigger and require more effort than others. Some you may have
already achieved.

Pat yourself on the back for those you have achieved, or are on
target for. And renew your focus on those you are running behind
on, or haven’t done anything about.

The most common goal at the beginning of each year is that of
losing weight and getting in shape.

Just about everyone I speak with wants to do better, look better
and feel better.

From my experience working with people, right now is the time of
year when many people’s weight loss or fitness programs have hit
a wall — usually a large brick wall.

Talk to any gym owner, and he or she will tell you that the
massive crowds present in January have started to dwindle.

Only two months into it, and most people have folded.

If this describes you, take heart. It’s common. And it doesn’t
mean defeat — not for you.

Many people just sort of give up at this point. Be one of the ones
who doesn’t give up. If what you were doing didn’t work for you,
take some time to figure out why.

Maybe you tried to do too much, too soon. Maybe you were following
the wrong program. Or perhaps it just didn’t excite you enough to
want to stick with it. If what you’re doing ain’t working….or if
you never really got started to begin with….then start fresh right
now. Today is a new day. Focus on your goal, focus on your plan
for what you will do to achieve it, and get going.

You Can Do It!

Karen
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Even if weight loss isn’t one of your priorities for this year,
I bet that improving your fitness and health ranks right up there.
If so, be sure to leverage the programs offered at the Best Breathing
Exercises web site (http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com). Its not
too late to feel better, be better, and do better in 2011.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011