Our world is bursting at the seams with new technologies attempting to help us communicate with one another, yet it seems that the average human being is losing their ability to be social.  Interesting, isn’t it?  I grew up in the age of AOL and AIM where you could chat with your friends over the internet using a confounding new language full of LOL’s and TTYL’s.  I don’t actually believe I have ever said LOL and meant it in the presence of an actual human being; and if I ever do, I give you full permission to punch me in the jejunum.

It makes my brother laugh when I have to ask him what language he is speaking when he texts or tweets me.  It just makes me feel old.  I think I will experiment with this new youth language.  Instead of telling my wife “I love you”, I will just say 143.  She will probably respond with “XME?” (XME= excuse me).   People think doctor’s handwriting is hard to read and understand now, just wait until they start texting patients their diagnoses and test results in abbreviations.  I’m sure it will be much better!  “XME, IAAD & u hv NADT.”  All you will think is “OMG, wat da heck iz NADT?” (IAAD =I am a doctor, u= you, hv= have, NADT =not a darn thing, wat=what, da= the, heck=heck, iz= is).

This world is an amazing place and technology has made it even better.  How much better is always up for debate, but don’t let your technology get in the way of a good old fashioned face-to-face conversation or phone call.  We’ve all substituted a quick text so we don’t actually have to speak with that person. It happens. Heck I am certain I have texted/been texted by a person in the same room as myself.  Weird, I know.  I am about as certain saying that text talk is a great way to communicate as I am in saying the couch will be a nice place to sleep after I try the “143″ instead of saying I love you to my wife.

Communicate people! Sit in front a friend/family member…..even Skype!  The face-to-face contact will mean so much more, I guarantee it.  Don’t lose the ability to be social. It is what separates us from the animals.  Actually some animals are much more social than we are, probably due to the fact that they don’t have thumbs to text with.  Go be social. TYVM & HAND. (Thank you very much and have a nice day).

Yes those are all real abbreviations, the internet told me so.

I worked out and conditioned myself regularly; 4-5 times a week, 20-30 minutes a session.  I knew that wasn’t going to increase.  In fact I knew that getting my workouts in were going to be tough and there were going to be days I would be too tired from not sleeping the night before.

So I looked at my food intake and said “But I eat healthy.  How can I make better choices here?”  Then I really took a look at what I fueled my body with and noticed I really could do better.  I’m a firm believer in the 80/20 rules  - eat well 80% of the time and enjoy the other 20%.

I was going to clean up my 80% even more so than what I was already doing.

My 3 changes:

1. Consume way more fruits than I’ve ever consumed in my life.

2. Consume way more vegetables than I’ve ever consumed in my life.

3. Slightly reduced the amount of meat in my diet – replaced by all the fruits and vegetables.

The Results:

Only 6 weeks after I have made these 3 changes to my food intake, I have dropped 2.3% body fat.  Doesn’t sound like much I know, but I was already at 8.6%.  I didn’t have much to lose in the first place and, get this, I wasn’t even trying to lose it.

Think about it:  I made 3 changes to an already healthy food intake and made massive gains.

You say you eat healthy, but where can you make 3 small little changes to the 80% of your food intake?

Would you say that having a good group of individuals around you is important?  No, not the 873 “friends” you have on Facebook or the 49 people following your Tweets saying how bored you are.  Those do not count.  You must have face to face contact with people in order for them to be in the running for your support group.

Parents and other family, spouses, co-workers, workout partners, etc. are vital to your success whether you want them to be or not.  I have been married to my beautiful wife (I hope she is reading) for the better part of the year and we have been together for about eight years.  In this time I have learned the easy, as well as the hard way how vital support from someone close is.  From little things like getting small tasks done to larger things such as emotional support can make the world of difference in tough times.

A good group of friends can do wonders as well.  They will lift you up and sometimes more importantly, knock you off your pedestal when you get a little overconfident.  They are there for you when life gets tough and can enlighten you with different points of view.  A Facebook “friend” just gives you an opportunity to look at their pictures of their kids or some rant on how annoyed they are.

Knowing that other people can and will have such an influence on your life should give you reason to pause and reflect on the type of people you keep around.  More importantly, you should humbly acknowledge that others do have such an ability to influence you.  Jim Rohn said “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Look at the five people you spend your time with and ask:

• What are these people’s top priorities?
• Do they do things that conflict with my values?
• Do they make a good 5 layer dip?

Be modest and wise enough to realize you are the sum of your parts and that includes your support system of family, friends, and coworkers.  You don’t and cannot successfully navigate your life Solo unless your first name is Han (couldn’t resist the bad Star Wars joke there).  If you did, who would bring the dip?

So I see this sign and it makes me laugh, then think, then laugh a little harder.  The “Top Rated Restrooms” sign caught my attention largely in part due to my 7th grade level sense of humor.  When I paused to think on the irony of the word “Humble” right above a declaration that can be seen as a boast or brag, I began thinking of why humility is such an essential part the human condition.

Why is humility important to you?  Better yet, why should it be important to you?  I thought of a few reasons that might help.

1.) Being humble allows you to truly know yourself. You are able to acknowledge your strengths and possibly more important, your weaknesses.  We all have them and being able to know what they are allows you to see what to work on, thus helping you improve upon them.  Don’t look at this as though you have to downplay your strengths because by no means should you ever do that.  Take your strengths and use them as a driving force in your life and allow yourself time to improve on your deficiencies.

2.) Being humble allows you to recognize the fact that you did not get where you are in life all by yourself. There might be times you believe you had but that is never the case.  Each relationship and experience we have in life shapes us as human beings and alters us even if it is just a little bit.  Our families, friends, coworkers, and even the person who cuts you off on the freeway during rush hour has an effect on you! Removing yourself as the sole person to take blame or earn praise will further open you to accolades that were previously non-existent.

3.) Being humble can prevent the fall.  Ancient Greeks used to reference “Hubris” or the concept of pride.  Their stories were full of examples of individuals exhibiting Hubris followed by a negative experience or downfall.  The ownership and display of Hubris leads the individual to make enemies and become less aware of the growing toxic environment around them leading to their impending doom! Okay maybe not doom but there was a negative effect to their prideful boasting.  “Pride goes before destruction” (Prov. 16:18).

4.) Being humble brings you closer to God.  “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” ( 1 Peter 5:5).  When we are truly humble, we see ourselves as what we are, and that is children of God.  Jesus humbled himself entirely by becoming one of us, and he is the perfect example of what it is to be truly obedient and show humility in the face of God.  If you question yourself in this area of life, look through the good book and see how you compare.

5.) Without humility you have nothing! Humility is the starting blocks and without it you can’t run the race.  By knowing yourself and removing pride you become open and exposed to the world.  How can you take on the world and its trials when you are hiding behind a facade of pride?  Easy answer: you can’t.

You have just taken a cannonball of reality to your wall of pride.  I have been Santa Anna bombarding the Alamo walls, exposing you to yourself.  Take a good look at how pride can shackle you and a little humility will free you as you move toward successful.  Remember it is okay to like to be successful and excited about it, just don’t  eat only caviar, escargot or other luxury foods.  Humble pie might not always taste great but it’s healthier for you!

In the early 1980’s in Philadelphia, Mississippi, there was an incredibly gifted High School running back named Marcus Dupree.  Many people had never heard of his story until ESPN’s series “30 on 30”.  It’s an incredibly sad and yet uplifting story of “The Best That Never Was”

Marcus was the top recruited HS football player in 1981. His high school coach, Joe Wood, answered more than 100 phone calls a day from colleges wanting Marcus play for them.  Even his family was heavily recruited, in order to help Marcus choose one school over another.  Many promises were being given along with a lot of cash and gifts.  After much contemplation Marcus choose Oklahoma University, much to the dismay of his family.

Upon his arrival at OU, Marcus soon realized that he was a small fish in a big pond.  He was going to have to earn the starting running back position.  Marcus frequently got into verbal confrontations with the coaching staff, especially head coach Barry Switzer.  He felt that coach Switzer was getting on his case too much. It wasn’t until later in life that he realized that the coach was only trying to get Marcus to become even better.  When he finally got his chance to play he was something special to watch.  Marcus played most of his freshman year.  His sophomore year started off rough.  After a loss to the University of Texas in which he was knocked out of the game, Marcus vanished.  Marcus left that game still feeling the effects of a concussion and not sure if he wanted to play football at OU.  There were many voices in his head including family and friends.  They convinced him not to return to OU.  That decision would haunt him the rest of his life.

Marcus eventually went on to play for the New Orleans Breakers, a team in the USFL.  A close family friend and a man he trusted helped him to negotiate the substantial contract he signed.  This close friend went on to rob Marcus blind.  Later on this lead to severe financial troubles for Marcus. Marcus troubles were just beginning.  Before a game, he had a premonition that something bad was going to happen and nearly decided to sit out.  The team needed him however and Marcus decided to play.  He broke loose a run in typical Marcus Dupree fashion and as he was just to go out of bounds he got hit and went down hard.  Marcus would not get up.  He tore his ACL.  At the time a career ending injury.  Marcus was devastated. Upon his return to the family home in Mississippi Marcus gained about 100 lbs of weight.

About five years later Marcus would finally get his chance to play in the NFL.  He worked hard to shed off the fat he gained during his time off and showed up to the LA Rams training camp in unbelievable shape.  He made the roster and played for two seasons before finally being cut from the team.  The greatest lesson from this story is that “The Best That Never Was”, never gave up!

“The next mile is the only one a person really has to make.” –unknown

November 6^th, 2010

It was a cold, crisp (42 degrees) and windy morning in Pensacola, Florida.  I got up around 3am to start getting ready to head to the race site of my first full Ironman competition.   I knew what lay in store over the next 17 hours of my life, but mentally it was still remained nerve racking.  As I packed up my bags I tried to block that out.  It was going to be a very long day, one that I would never forget…for many reasons…..

I knew what time I was going to leave the condo, I knew the route I was going to drive, and just what time I would arrive at the race site.   As with each of my race preps, I knew precisely what I was going to eat and when, how long it would take me to digest my meal, when I would go to bed and when I would go to the bathroom. I anticipated my travel time to the race in the morning and where I was going to park once I got there. I have learned through trial and error not to leave anything to chance, and for this race I was well prepared.

I set up my transition area, slipped into my wetsuit and headed towards the swim start.   I was ready to get this race underway.  I crouched with one foot in the water and one foot in the sand as the canon sounded off for all 3,000 athletes to hit the water.  The 2.4 mile swim came and went with minor kinks and I was mounting my bike before I knew it.  Cruising along the 112 mile bike route I tried to block out the numbing cold to stay focused on keeping my legs moving and my speed constant.

And then mile 47.

I remember it like it was yesterday, I passed a guy on his LEFT side and a couple seconds later I saw him on my RIGHT side trying to pass me back.  He swerved into my lane and clipped my front tire.  I remember yelling something at him as my bike and its rider hit the pavement and skidded to a stop.  A dead stop.  I looked up to see the guy swerve on his bike and keep going, obviously as fast as he could to avoid seeing what he had done.

As I lay there on the pavement the realization of what had just happened started to sink in.  Over the next 3 hours I went from being an Ironman Finisher to a woman who would be listed on the race results as DNF (did not finish).  No explanation of WHY, just my name and a DNF.  That was a sting I had never experienced and it hurt.  I had broken my pelvis and severely sprained my ankle, with a hard to quantify amount of road rash across my body.  What was hurt more, my ego or my body???

What I experienced over the next 48 hours (and beyond) would be one of life’s greatest lessons.  Like any tragic event (within your own perception), I went through an array of emotions; shock, anger, sadness, and self-pity…but in the end- perseverance.  I was surrounded by enough love and support to choose that path. I decided that I was going to sign up for the next Ironman that was available to me.  Nothing was going to stop me from finishing what I had started!  The next 6 months were not easy, I just kept my end goal in mind and kept working back to health.

Then May 21^st, 2011.

Only this time it was a gorgeous Texas day.  Exactly 11 hours and 58 minutes after the canon sounded I crossed the line of Ironman Texas as a finisher.  Without a doubt one of the most painful experiences of my life, both mentally and physically.  However after crossing that finish line pain was not the feeling overwhelming me, instead it was happiness and pride.  I did that race for myself, to prove that I could overcome anything that was thrown at me.

Life has a way of throwing you obstacles, and I believe your character is measured by how you get through those tribulations.  Each and every one of us has a story like this in our lives. We all have the given ability to persevere…what will you do today to become a better you for tomorrow?

“History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats.”

— B.C. Forbes

“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward.” -Amelia Earhart

What truly is the most difficult in regards to creating change? I can go around and make a lot of decisions to act but then the hard stuff begins which consists of the work and effort that go into making the aforementioned decisions meaningful and worthwhile.

Amelia, I applaud your life achievements and what you stood for but I am going to have to disagree with you here.  I can’t bring myself to disregard the tenacity and mental fortitude that are necessary in order to invoke change in your life.

Decisions determine the path you take but “the rest” takes you down the chosen path, over the rocks and through the obstacles that may get in the way.  Sometimes those rocks are boulders and other times they are merely pebbles but no matter the size you have to be able to get past them.

Your tenacity is what allows you to get things accomplished.  Better yet, your tenacity is what makes you get things accomplished.

Look around and study those who have accomplished great things.  They have an insurmountable will, a determination that is unmatched and unstoppable.  It’s within each of us.  We just have to tap into it.

Maybe Amelia was just downplaying tenacity so she wouldn’t give up the secret to her success.  Perhaps she was just trying to reach her goals before she let others in on her success.  No matter her reasoning, she knew the role her tenacity had in her success.  She was a leader and role model and earned each of her accolades.  If only we could be so “lucky”.

Spring break makes March fun and all, but the NCAA basketball tournament, known as March Madness, makes it great.  March Madness is three weekends of documented decreased productivity at work, high fan excitement, and most importantly the Cinderella story of the underdog.

I highlight the underdogs not only because they are what make the tournament so fun to watch, but because so many people find themselves rooting for the “little guy colleges” that they probably couldn’t locate on a map.  These smaller schools are often overlooked by the higher ranked teams they face.  The media frequently states that these teams can simply enjoy being in the tournament because they “have nothing to lose”.

What is nothing to some is EVERYTHING to others.  Just because they are ranked lower doesn’t mean they don’t want it just as badly as the team they’re up against.

Underdog stories are everywhere; Rudy, Rocky, the 1980 Miracle on Ice, David vs. Goliath, and the cartoon superhero named Underdog are all examples of underdog stories (the dog I am not so sure about, but his name matched).  The movie Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is another, although its historical factuality is debatable.

There is a saying that goes something like “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”  The coaches of long shot teams preach this concept daily.  It is easy for those on top to get complacent and satisfied.  That is why it is crucial to never stop working hard and competing in life to get what and where you want.

Achievement may seem improbable or difficult at times, but it is NEVER impossible.  Your success depends on your mind frame and determination.  Your hard work WILL allow you to achieve your goals and push past your competitors on the hard court of life.  Rudy finally got to play, Rocky beat Apollo Creed, the 1980 US hockey team defeated the more talented Soviets, and (insert your underdog story here).

The underdogs attract our attention and enter our hearts because we can relate to them.  Each of us has been counted out, even by ourselves at times.  Do the unthinkable!  Shock the world!  Better yet, shock yourself and push yourself past what you think you’re capable of.  If you find it to be difficult, just start the Rudy chant in your head.

The world is full of underdog stories.  If you don’t believe me, just turn on some NCAA basketball this weekend to catch a glimpse.

Is the life you're living worth the price your paying for it?

Seriously.  Take a look at your health - your body, face, blood pressure, weight, energy and your ability to simply move.  Are you truly happy with the current state of your physical health?

You can probably say that your physical health doesn't slow you down that much.  If we take a look at most of our jobs, they don't require much physical effort over the course of an 8 hour work day.  It's more mental than physical so you operate at half capacity and can get away with it.

But what if you were attacking your days with just 20 or 30% more energy than you have today?  You see, great performances (pursuing your career, caring for your loved ones, weekend sports, dating your spouse, playing with your kids, improving your health, living a life of purpose) are not about continually expending as much energy as possible.

No.  Great performances are about the ability to expend energy at very high levels for measured periods of time, offset by periods of rest and renewal.  Great performances come from within.  By owning your own change, you become PROactive with your life instead of REactive.  It takes focus.

The problem in the world we live in is that focus, our undivided attention, is under siege.  We have never had so many avenues available to distract ourselves - email, texting, facebook, twitter, blogging, LinkedIn, TV, and on and on the list could go.

The great challenge of our times:  The ability to delay gratification and put aside short term indulgence for long-term, focused value.  Own your own change by starting in a new direction.  Here's what happens when you start a new direction: your self-esteem increases immediately!

Starting in a new direction could be as easy as eating an apple.  An apple a day could make you the healthiest you've ever been as part of the commitment to that new direction.  Nobody has to be around and you don't even have to announce it to the world.  Munch on the first apple and say this is the beginning of a healthy lifestyle that will give me the vitality to do whatever I want for the next 30 years.

Now if you eat an apple the second day, you almost become delirious.  You say "WOW...I'm on my way!"  With just 2 apples?  YES!  "I did it yesterday and I did it again today."  This is proving to yourself, without an audience, that you're in control.  You're on your way to the healthiest you've ever been.

That's how easy it is to change the direction you're traveling.  It's a small, daily journey to change direction.  The choice is yours.  As Gandhi once said "Be the change you want to see in the world."  Don't wait for someone else to take the lead.  Be bold.  Take action.

Own your own change!