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Instantly Improve Your Day
David Henslee • January 12, 2020
Things not going so great today? Want things to be better 60 seconds from now?
Try this:
You’re taking the time to read this, so just slow down. Lean back for a minute and close your eyes. Now, breathe deeply. Draw your breath way down into the bottom of your lungs. Now, just relax and exhale slowly. As you’re doing this, I want you to visualize the face of someone whom you cherish. Or, a place you have been that gives you a feeling of being warm, safe, secure…relaxed.
Keep breathing deeply……..eyes still closed.
Finally, think of one thing for which you are thankful; something or someone who enriches your life—makes you better. Consciously be thankful for that someone or something just for a few seconds.
Being quiet, breathing deeply, and having an attitude of thankfulness lower your blood pressure, decrease your heart rate, inhibit the release of stress hormones and can brighten your world a little.
Not a bad investment of one minute.
David Henslee, P.T., NBC-HWC
This morning, I have been going back and looking over some of the things I have written; some as far back as 2001. Tips on training, how to build muscle, the best diet and exercise routines to lose weight, improve lactic acid thresholds…you name it. That stuff remains relevant today. There is some really good information there. And, most of it, I tried. I am my own favorite guinea pig. But, as I went back and read those articles, something hit me in the face like a wet sock: I’m not 47. I’m almost 67, and to do some of those workout routines would kill me, or at least increase my risk of injury. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still vital. But, my physical impairments and a few (managed) health conditions are beginning to hem me in a little more than I would like. I am, in horse racing parlance, rounding the turn for home. The turn for home , or final turn in a horse race, is also a common source of trouble for incompetent jockeys. This is the turn where horses begin to make their winning moves. If they get blocked or lack running room while getting ready to move, this can prevent them from winning the race. Horse Race Handicapping: Trouble on the Turns I love this description. The turn for home is the place in a horse race that begins to point the horses toward the “home straight.” Every moment, every move of the horses prior to that point determines the likelihood of a successful finish. A winning move in the turn for home can dramatically improve the chances of a win. But the turn for home is NOT the END of the race. The jockeys don’t just pull up and coast. That would mean disaster for sure. They keep their horses running at full tilt down the home straight and make the moves that can put them in The Winner’s Circle. The ultimate goal in any race. So, readers of a certain age, as we round the turn for home are we positioning ourselves for The Winner’s Circle? We don’t know how long our home straight is, but we must KEEP ON RUNNING. The race is different at this stage of life, for sure. But, it’s a great place to be in spite of the bumps and bruises of the early race. We have to mind some things: our diets need to be a little cleaner, our exercise habits need to be better. How we stand, how we move, how we breathe, how we love, how we THINK—all of these things and more—position us in “the turn for home” for a great run down the final straight. Let’s all finish well. There’s a huge party waiting for us in The Winner’s Circle.
“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” -Socrates
“…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” (Philippians 4:8) These quotes from the New Testament of the Holy Bible may be, by some, dismissed as out of hand. It IS Christian doctrine, after all, and not everyone is a Christian. But, take the scripture references away; pretend that you read this in the editorial section of The Saturday Evening Post. This is a true statement. True for Christians. True for Muslims. True for Jews. True for agnostics. True for atheists. The point I am attempting to make is this: how you think determines in large part how you act, how you feel, and how you behave toward others. We all kinda have “tapes” playing in our heads most of the time. (When I’m quiet, I have music in my brain. I can’t help it. That’s just the way it is….) What is on that tape (your thoughts) matters. If you dwell on the bad things in your life like the car that cut you off in traffic, or the slow service at the restaurant—you name it—then your attitude and your actions will reflect it. You’ll be in a perpetually bad mood and that’s not good for anybody. Let it go. Instead, replace those cranky thoughts with some good ones: whatever is pure, lovely, worthy of praise. That’s where you need to be. Is there someone out there whom you cherish? Think of them. Did someone do an uncommon kindness for you? Remember that fondly. Maybe give them a call and let them know that what they did made a difference to you. If you can make a habit of this type of thinking, your whole world can change. And, then, you can have a positive impact on the people around you. That’s good for everybody. - David Henslee, P.T., CWC
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david@hensleewellness.com