Staying Healthy

The COVID 19 has become part of our vocabulary same as the Freshman 15.  Early on, when it did not seem that we would be quarantining for months on end, we all indulged in sweets, “nosh” and a couple of extra drinks.  After a few months, reality hit that we might not be “returning to normal” all that quickly.  There were shortages of some foods, gym closings and recreational activities severely restricted; The meant that we lost some of the outlets needed to burn off our indulgences.  Streaming services helped to provide entertainment while we sat at home – whoever thought we would reach the day that “trending” reports would include the most popular streaming shows?  While I am still way below that number 19, it was hard not to be caught up in this in some way, shape or form.

For me, lock down meant no commuting to New York City (which included walking), no flying for work or being in front of other people which included no more band practices.  Seems like some new-fangled math: Almost no reading (mental health) + increased Zoom drinking (hello beer belly) + limiting exercises (physical health) = COVID weight gain.  After about three months, it began to dawn on me that things were not moving in the right directions.  Books with titles like “The Slight Edge” and the “Compound Effect” started coming to mind.  The fact that I had taken on slightly less positive habits, the small increment did not seem noticeable, but in a short time, I began to see and feel the difference. 

OK, so I was never one to be confused with a Charles Atlas inspired body nor one who was a participant in sports activities.  However, back in 2016, I wrote a series of blogs where I challenged myself to improve my body, including taking some exposing pictures of myself to lay bare where I started and where I ended up.  Over the year I lost 14 pounds and trimmed my belly back to a thinner waist.  To achieve that goal, I had to be diligent on what I ate, how I exercised, etc.  I did not follow any gimmicks, just changed the way I was living with positive benefits.  Like the old slapstick routine where the comedian does not see the banana peel in front of him, I slipped.  Once my “tuchus” hit the ground, it was time to stand up, re-evaluate what I did (blame is my own), and readjust my life.  This meant better eating habits (aka, drink less beer), exercise in the form of stretching, simple yoga and other (good for the body), adding in meditation (mental health / mindfulness), and reading (mental health / personal development).

Though I doubt I will get down to the weight I was at the end of 2016, while quarantined at home, I do feel better now that I am focused on being healthier as opposed to waiting the pandemic out.  While it is still fun to indulge, moderation and mindfulness of actions still have to be forefront and centered.  What have you done to maintain a healthy perspective and body these few months?

Leaders are Readers

I recently sat with some different teams and asked, “Have any of you read…”  The book I asked about was a business-related parable that came out a few years ago highlighting the need for change, the different types of people confronting the issue of the day and how they react.  The general response I received was blank stares.  Someone stated that it was previously recommended to them, they had the book, but never opened it. 

Years ago, I attended a conference where I had the opportunity to listen to different highly successful speakers.  The topics that they talked about and most of the names have since faded from my memory.  The thing that stayed with me was the one overriding connection that each of the speakers were avid readers; they were proud of the fact, talked about the resourcefulness of education it provided them and the source of mentorship. 

I went from being a non-reader, to someone who read regularly.  I generally read on a Kindle, and have downloaded books from 2011 through the end of 2017, on the average 32 books a year.  This is from someone who did everything to avoid reading.  Reading has helped me learn new things from experts in their fields, provided me insights into certain areas and helped to hone a positive mindset.  When I refer to a book or make a recommendation, those books have had a positive impact on me.

Most have read the classic books on personal development – “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale, “As A Man Thinketh” by James Allen, and “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill, etc.

What books have you read that have inspired you?  What are you currently reading?  What book would you recommend?

The list of books that I have read so far in 2018:

• “Leadership Lessons” by Will Peters
• “The Magic of Thinking Big” by David J Schwatz
• “What is Mindfulness (#whatis)" by Tamara Russell
• “The Go-Giver” by Bob Burg and John David Mann
• “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Spencer Johnson
• “The Cheapskate Next Door” by Jeff Yeager
• “The Complete Sherlock Holmes” by Arthur Conan Doyle
• “Words That Hurt, Words That Heal” by Joseph Telushkin
• “Talent is Never Enough” By John C Maxwell
• “Great Teams” by Don Yaeger
• “The Year of Living Biblically” by A. J. Jacobs
• “The Magic of Believing” by Vic Johnson
• “Dracula” by Bram Stoker
• “The Strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson

On a Personal Note – One Reason Why I Write

“I always wanted to write about my coming to America, where I was able to be successful.”  This quote came from an immigrant that never graduated High School and arrived here without speaking English.  By the time he made the comment above, the accent was gone and he fit into America 100% and  living the American dream.  Early in coming to America, life was hard, and when his father died a few years after arriving, he did what young men (or teens) did, went to work to support his mother and two older sisters.  A strong why, years of hard work, which included working in various industries (bookkeeping, insurance, installment business), being an entrepreneur (various) and finally sales, helped to support his family, grow a family and eventually have a house in the city and one “in the country.”  Upon retirement, he had attained financial freedom and lived the lifestyle he wanted, but never wrote his story. 

This is not a unique story, but one of many, where a legacy (not necessarily financial) is passed on as an oral history, with each successive generation passing on the family values and history through their personal filters.  Writing is not easy.  I remember writing in High School where my imaginative mind often had teachers frowning at the topics I chose.  In college, I had to write essays for history classes, one teacher understood my more creative way of explaining (via analogies) while another teacher sent a test back to me writing that I was “basically a f*@# up.  Needless to say, this did have a negative impact on my earlier life.  While I had some thoughts on writing, these (along with mediocre English grades) banished any thoughts of writing.  When Gab and Bec were little, a friend gave me a journal to write down the things we did as a family – not for myself, but to pass on to the girls when they got older.  The book sat unused on a shelf.  Many years later, as I became an active volunteer, I was asked to write a monthly article.  My creativity seeped into these writings, but now, instead of a critical, focused audience (a teacher), I had a more receptive audience that liked the digressions and creativity (made reading the article enjoyable).

Like any skill, it takes time to develop the skill, practice that skill and see how others use the skill (in my case reading).  We have all met people that say they want to do something, but do not always want to put in the effort to develop the needed skill(s).  The immigrant generations came to this country, where prior to arriving, they believed that the streets were paved with gold, meaning that the United Stated of America was the land of opportunity.  They worked very hard to provide for their families, purchase homes and become pillars in their respective communities.  The person in the story above, my grandfather, would have been 109 had he still been alive.  He was a strong willed man and had few regrets.  Even though Grandpa never wrote out his story, it has become part of our family oral history.  Maybe, by writing with consistency, besides for sharing lessons and experiences, I will be able to impart a piece of my history to our future generations, to live alongside our family oral stories.

Building a Personal Library

I used to dream about the day that I would have a library room in my house for all of the books that I read.  A place to showcase the accomplishment, tout my achievement and, of course, look impressive.  When I originally had this dream, I was not really a reader yet and pretty much only liked the idea of having a library.  Once I started working in New York and commuting in 1996, I began to read to better use the time while sitting on buses and subways back and forth to work.  Library books and crumpled paperback books would hardly fulfill the image I had in my head.  Add to that the fact that I have read only digital books for the past 5 years, that wall of books is now a thin iPad taking up almost no space on a shelf.

What I did not realize at the time, I really just wanted that impressive display.  As I have gotten older, I have come to realize the importance of reading, what that can mean to me personally and the pleasure of reading something I am excited about.  A few years ago, I took an informal survey to see how many books the room full of people read in a year, whether for continuing education, curiosity or for fun.  Keep in mind, my reference point was the number of books that I read and the books that Debbie read.  I was surprised at the results and how little people actually read.  At the time I did this survey, I had already been filled with sayings that leaders are readers and the benefits of an informal education.  In October 2015, the Pew Research Center published the finding that adults over 18 read an average of 12 books a year of the population surveyed.  The midpoint of the results was only 4, and 27% polled had not read a book (printed or audio) in that year.

The physical library was something, as a child, I was impressed with.  But as I aged and matured (OK, that last one might be suspect if you ask my girls), my mindset changed.  The library was to impress others.  I now read for myself.  I read to learn.  I read to educate myself.  I read to understand things better.  I read as an entrance into new areas of knowledge.  I read for fun.  Once I realized the reason I read, I no longer needed the physical library, because, at the end of the day, it would most likely only impress me.  There is an organization called R.I.F., Reading is Fundamental, “…the leading champion for children’s literacy through meaningful research, quality content and equal access to impact all kids with the power of reading.”  We should educated on the importance of reading, not the pain of reading books that are beyond our comprehension or pleasure.

Most importantly, each of us has to find the books that interest us, instead of what interests others.