The end of the year is crazy for just about everyone. Amid all the shopping and eating though, it's important to "reflect and project".
Thanksgiving was a time to reflect on the all the wonderful things you have to be grateful for - family, friends, health, a job, etc. Many of us overlook our blessings and take things for granted. Don't make this mistake. There are many many less fortunate.
Now, as we approach the final weeks of 2009, it's imperative that we project our vision of what we want 2010 to look like. Will it be a year of accomplishments? I hope so. We'll talk more about goal setting and implementation later, but for now, you need to start thinking of the things you want to achieve in the new year.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Wow
I saw this today and just had to share. I actually got teary-eyed watching this, as weird as that may sound. In today's self-centered society, where an 'every man for himself' attitude is dominant, it's unbelievable and incredibly inspiring to see how giving some people can be, even when they themselves don't have that much.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2009/11/16/cnnheroes.jewel.munoz.cnn
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2009/11/16/cnnheroes.jewel.munoz.cnn
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Behavioral Conditioning
By the time we reach adulthood, we've all been conditioned to behave and think a certain way. We've been conditioned by our parents, our family, our friends, our teachers, the media, our environment - you name it; its had an influence on us.
While this conditioning has many positive benefits and has taught us many important lessons (for example don't cross the street without looking in both directions first), it also paradoxically has the detrimental effect of enforcing an invisible barrier to breaking outside the norm in regards to what is socially acceptable and achievable.
In a day where such a large proportion of people are working at jobs they don't find rewarding, it's sad to see their lives pass by because they believe "it's normal" to have a job to pay the bills. They don't look further or see the limitless possibilities because it's not normal to do so, or others tell them its too risky, or that they'll fail.
Here are two great examples of things that really struck me and made me think about how much all of us have been conditioned.
My daughter and I were in downtown DC. While walking along, she saw a man playing "drums" on plastic buckets mounted on a shopping cart. She noticed that every couple minutes, people walking by would give him money. There must have been a lightbulb turn on in her head that said "I can make money too!". She immediately jumped behind a nearby sidewalk hand railing, grabbed onto the railing as if it were a cage, and started growling and shouting "Come see the savage ferocious caged animal! Only $1!". I LMAO. She saw an opportunity and seized it without worrying about looking silly or failing. I was in awe. That same day she grabbed a flier from a person handing them out on the street and then persisted to try and give it to someone else passing by her, unrelenting in her efforts, not afraid to be rejected.
The second example that was a "whoa" moment for me was at a Carolina Hurricanes game. It was her first hockey game. She saw some of the other big chants and decided to start her own. She originally came up with "Hurricanes Rock!" but I said it sounded too much like "Hurricanes Suck!" and we'd probably get booed out of the stadium, so she went with "Let's go Hurricanes!"
She turned around facing everyone seated behind us and started chanting loudly and saying "Come on people! Cheer!" A few people cheered a couple times, but it quickly died out. As corny as it sounds, it was really inspiring though to see her unbridled enthusiasm and fearless attitude. She wasn't worried about failing or looking dumb. I also found it depressing at the same time, because I saw how us as adults have become so conditioned to not become excited or risk looking silly or stupid or standing out from the crowd.
Unfortunately, it is this exact same attitude that keeps us confined to our comfort zone today, even if we are unhappy or unsatisfied. We are afraid of taking a chance, and would rather remain ensconced in our mundane lives than risk looking foolish or failing. It's sad.
Hopefully some of us will retrace our steps and unlearn some of the limiting or self-defeating attitudes we have. And Heaven forbid we learn how to enjoy life again.
My advice? Hang out around kids - they have the right attitude and know how to have fun!
While this conditioning has many positive benefits and has taught us many important lessons (for example don't cross the street without looking in both directions first), it also paradoxically has the detrimental effect of enforcing an invisible barrier to breaking outside the norm in regards to what is socially acceptable and achievable.
In a day where such a large proportion of people are working at jobs they don't find rewarding, it's sad to see their lives pass by because they believe "it's normal" to have a job to pay the bills. They don't look further or see the limitless possibilities because it's not normal to do so, or others tell them its too risky, or that they'll fail.
Here are two great examples of things that really struck me and made me think about how much all of us have been conditioned.
My daughter and I were in downtown DC. While walking along, she saw a man playing "drums" on plastic buckets mounted on a shopping cart. She noticed that every couple minutes, people walking by would give him money. There must have been a lightbulb turn on in her head that said "I can make money too!". She immediately jumped behind a nearby sidewalk hand railing, grabbed onto the railing as if it were a cage, and started growling and shouting "Come see the savage ferocious caged animal! Only $1!". I LMAO. She saw an opportunity and seized it without worrying about looking silly or failing. I was in awe. That same day she grabbed a flier from a person handing them out on the street and then persisted to try and give it to someone else passing by her, unrelenting in her efforts, not afraid to be rejected.
The second example that was a "whoa" moment for me was at a Carolina Hurricanes game. It was her first hockey game. She saw some of the other big chants and decided to start her own. She originally came up with "Hurricanes Rock!" but I said it sounded too much like "Hurricanes Suck!" and we'd probably get booed out of the stadium, so she went with "Let's go Hurricanes!"
She turned around facing everyone seated behind us and started chanting loudly and saying "Come on people! Cheer!" A few people cheered a couple times, but it quickly died out. As corny as it sounds, it was really inspiring though to see her unbridled enthusiasm and fearless attitude. She wasn't worried about failing or looking dumb. I also found it depressing at the same time, because I saw how us as adults have become so conditioned to not become excited or risk looking silly or stupid or standing out from the crowd.
Unfortunately, it is this exact same attitude that keeps us confined to our comfort zone today, even if we are unhappy or unsatisfied. We are afraid of taking a chance, and would rather remain ensconced in our mundane lives than risk looking foolish or failing. It's sad.
Hopefully some of us will retrace our steps and unlearn some of the limiting or self-defeating attitudes we have. And Heaven forbid we learn how to enjoy life again.
My advice? Hang out around kids - they have the right attitude and know how to have fun!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Here it is!
Hey Guys -
The MuscleMag issue is on the stands now. It actually came out on my birthday which I thought was pretty cool.
The pics came out great and I'm surprised at how many they used - the feature is from page 100-128!
Thanks again to Dante and all the folks at MMI.
The MuscleMag issue is on the stands now. It actually came out on my birthday which I thought was pretty cool.
The pics came out great and I'm surprised at how many they used - the feature is from page 100-128!
Thanks again to Dante and all the folks at MMI.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
In MuscleMag next month!
Hey guys -
You may have remembered me mentioning a photoshoot I did a couple months ago for MuscleMag. Well, it's finally coming out next month! It's a "Big & Ripped" type of Superfeature. I'm psyched to see how it turned out. This month's mag has a pic on the back page previewing next months issue. Here is the pic:
You may have remembered me mentioning a photoshoot I did a couple months ago for MuscleMag. Well, it's finally coming out next month! It's a "Big & Ripped" type of Superfeature. I'm psyched to see how it turned out. This month's mag has a pic on the back page previewing next months issue. Here is the pic:
Whew!
Things have been crazy around here (although I should be used to it by now I guess).
The rehab is going well and it's finally going on the market this week. It's been a great experience and I'm in the process of trying to get another one under contract. The market is slow but hopefully someone will be able to take advantage of the $8000 federal credit and close on it before it expires.
I've attached some before and afters for your enjoyment
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