Be Yourself

A quote from the book, "I Moved Your Cheese"

"Some of the biggest mistakes (people) make in their lives pertains to the majors they chose and the jobs they pursue. Many of these choices reflect external pressure and expectations, rather than careful evaluation by the (person) of his or her own goals and passions. Sadly, many (people) spend (years), and some a lifetime, pursuing dreams that are not their own."    

-- Deepak Malhotra

90 Todays Better

 Every year from the official first day of spring, March 21, to the official first day of summer, June 21, I go on an intense diet and exercise regimen primarily aimed at being in great summer shape. When I say intense I really just mean focused with more effort and discipline than normal. I am by no means a gym rat and I don’t starve myself to be skinny. I just cross reference what has successfully worked for others then apply my own customizations to fit my body, budget, and lifestyle. It’s been working. I still have clothes from high school that I still wear.

I am an author and my book, It’s Always Today (www.hollawood.com), is about motivation to improve oneself at every opportunity. There’s no better time than Today to at least map out your goal, a strategy for achieving it, and take a small step towards it. So, join me in committing to be the best you possible, one today at a time. In this case I’m referring to physical and internal health. For 90 Days plan to GO HARD. Plan to stay focused and disciplined. Plan to be better.

You Should:

Practice balance – It’s too hard to quit cold turkey on foods or habits you’ve enjoyed for 25+ years. Just cut bad foods and habits by at least 50% until you can eliminate them from your life.

Try new things – Understand that doing things the way you’ve done them have gotten you where you are. If you want something different then try something different. I found this Sauna Suit for $5 at Marshall’s.

Invest in yourself – Most of those exercise contraptions you see on infomercials do actually work. Yes, they are expensive but… if you wait until they run their course you can find them used on craigslist, eBay, the trading post, and yard sales or new at Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Ross, Big Lots, and Ollie’s. I bought this Supreme 90 Day 11-DVD program for $7 at Ross.

Dress the part – The reason bankers wear dress clothes is because when you dress professional, you feel and act professional. Wearing gym clothes can improve your attitude and performance. I used to think those tight compression shirts were for show-offs. I bought one on clearance at Sears and let me tell you that it truly makes a difference. To work effectively they must be tight fitting so if you are shy or just have a problem with that wear them under your loose fitting clothes. There are bargains everywhere like these Champion running shoes on sale for $25 at Target.

Change your smoking – If you smoke, smoke half as much until you quit. If you don’t smoke, start. But…don’t buy the cigarettes. Put away the $4 a day you would normally spend per pack and buy a gym membership, a bike, a Power Tower, an Ab Lounge, etc.

You Should Not:

Make excuses – Keep them to yourself. All of us have challenges. If you want to lose weight and get in shape…Find A Way!

Lie about your actions – You’re only fooling and hindering yourself. No one will stone you for going to Krispy Kreme or skipping a couple of workouts in 90 days. Just know you will have to work extra hard to make it up and burn off those doughnuts.

Overdo it – Yes, you must push yourself past what you can currently do. However, overexertion can cause injuries that will undermine all your efforts.

Try to be someone that you just are not meant to be – Everyone can’t (and shouldn’t) be a size 6. Size is not always an indicator of optimum health. Many slim, outwardly fit people have passed away from conditions commonly regarded as overweight illnesses. Pick a realistic size you wish to be and make it your goal.  

Give up – Perseverance is the key to success. Find a partner, a sponsor, and an auditor to keep you moving forward.

There’re many more do's and don'ts of a healthier lifestyle and we will be discussing a lot of them over the next 90 todays. Getting fit can be fun, hard, expensive, and cheap (and these are not contradictions). Let’s make it a great 90 Todays. Take some before pictures, your measurements, and weight then seal them in an envelope with the date on it. Buy your gym, clothes, shoes, MP3 players, weight lifting gloves, hair scarves, Ben Gay, etc. and let’s get moving.

Finally, you’re probably wondering, what is the workout plan and diet? Well, there is no specific plan. I’ve learned that no matter what someone comes up with, there’ll always be someone who claims it will not work for them. So it’s on you to pick your own plan. Some use P90X, Insanity, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Sweatin’ to the Oldies, Phully Loaded Iso-Abs, Gold’s Gym, YMCA, a personal trainer, or any of many other plans widely available. I normally use Max-OT (www.ast-ss.com) but I will probably use a modified version of it dubbed Lucky 7’s. My diet…A smoothie containing protein, veggies, fruit, oatmeal, and soy milk for breakfast. Salad with avocado, albacore tuna, grilled chicken or salmon for lunch. And a sensible, but enjoyable, dinner which will consist of meat and possibly a sweet potato dish. I’ll post some bargain apparel, exercise equipment, and events soon.

P.S.  I know Spring officially starts 3/20 this leap year, but I’m sticking with my usual 3/21 – 6/21 non-leap year schedule.

Take a Step Back Before Moving Forward

Yes, I wrote about this last January, too, because I just can’t stress how important it is. Please, Please, Please….Back Up Your Files! Don’t do it for me, do it for you. There is no need of forging full steam ahead without securing what you already have. Invest the time and the money into protecting your projects, pictures, music, and any other data that you like having around. If not, you run the risk of never seeing it again. Check around for an external USB hard drive, preferably one that does not need and external power source. Go for a solid-state hard drive if your budget allows. CDs and USB flash drives are cheaper options. Keep your back-up drives in a waterproof and fire resistant container just in case. Depending on your tolerance for sharing your data, online back-up services offer the greatest solution for making sure your files are cared for.

Also, what’s in your wallet? If you looked for your wallet right now only to find that it was lost or stolen, could you recall everything that’s in it? Do you know the policy or membership numbers on your cards? Do you have vital business contacts or discount codes in your wallet? How about a photo that may be the last one in existence? Well I do. But…I have the things that are in my billfold listed and photocopied in a separate secure location just in cast I lose my wallet…AGAIN. It’ll take a little time to get it done but it may cost you more time if you don’t do it now.

Taking this essential step now will prevent you from having to reacquire or recreate your files in the future.

Change Your Entire Life In Just 24 Hours. Read “It’s Always Today,” The Self-Empowerment Handbook. Available in paperback and Kindle formats.

Available online at:

Hollawood Publishing                               www.hollawood.com

Amazon                                                      www.amazon.com

Abe Books                                                  www.abebooks.com

Alibris                                                         www.alibris.com

Barnes and Noble                                       www.barnesandnoble.com  

Better World Books                                    www.betterworldbooks.com 

Books Inc.                                                   www.booksinc.net

Books-A-Million                                         www.booksamillion.com

Powell’s Books                                            www.powells.com

Schuler Books and Music                          www.schulerbooks.com

Now Year’s Resolutions

Nope. Not a typo. It’s always today which means your time is now. Have you had a chance to read “It’s Always Today?” Well if you have then you understand how having clear directions can expedite the achievement of your goals. Setting your GPS (Goal Procurement Strategy) then applying focus, effort, and discipline to the tasks or resolves contained within that strategy is essential for success.

Even luck favors the prepared. I’ve heard it said that New Year’s resolutions are a waste of time since most people are great at starting, mediocre at persevering, and poor at finishing, if quitting doesn’t become a better idea first. This time, scrap the New Year’s resolutions and make your Now Year’s resolutions. Face it; if you can’t start now then waiting until the New Year won’t make much difference. Spend the next 10 days or so setting your GPS. Write out your one year plan for 2012 and your one month plan for January. Go ahead and use January 1^st as your starting point only for ease of record keeping. Live everyday in the now. Review your resolutions, and your budget, often if not daily to maintain your focus. It’s always today. Yesterday this was tomorrow but come New Year’s Day, right now will be last year.

-- Wood Butler, Jr.

P.S. If you haven’t read “It’s Always Today: Change Your Entire Life In Just 24 Hours,” make that a Now Year’s Resolutions as well. It’ll really change your perspective on life. www.hollawood.com/today

Avoiding an Audit?

An IRS audit can be scary. Especially for those who are unprepared or who knowingly have discrepancies and deceitful information on their tax returns. The IRS is a force to be reckoned with. However, there are many who do not fear being audited. These are the people who prepare their taxes timely with honesty and integrity. They keep accurate and detailed records to back their claims. Their paperwork is neatly packaged, labeled and filed where it can be easily accessed upon request. They even have backup copies in a separate secure location just in case something happens to the originals. So when faced with an order to be audited by the IRS, “Bring It On!”

Well…is your life plan prepared for an audit? Of all the things you said you wanted to do, are you prepared to prove you have done them or are at least well on your way? Even if you’ve set your GPS, can you prove your progress? You may have faith in yourself but can others have faith that you are doing what you proclaim. Faith without works is dead. We all need to get to a point where our work can be easily seen and audited. An athlete that wants more money with his contract renewal can’t just say, “I will do better.” He has to show what he has been doing to deserve more money. The team audits his worthiness using his current and previous statistics. No outstanding play, no outstanding pay.

It’s time we step our game up. We all want more, so why not act like it. Show what you know. Prove your moves. Don’t say it if you can’t display it.  Give your very best effort in all you do. Have a good friend audit your plans periodically to keep you honest on your quest for success. The whole purpose of an audit is to make sure things are being done in the correct manner. If changes need to be made, make them and don’t give excuses. Aim to make your life auditable.

-- Wood Butler, Jr.

It’s Always Today! It’s Always Today! It’s Always Today! It’s Always Today!

Have you read it yet? Well…what are you waiting for? Head on over to www.hollawood.com/today and get your copy Today! Read the testimonials. Explore the concepts. Preview a few chapters. Order a few extras as Christmas gifts…Oh yes, Books Make Excellent Christmas Gifts!

Doable Weight Loss Effort

There are thousands of weight loss plans and diet trends available to anyone who doesn’t live under a rock. So why do so many people still struggle with their weight and vital statistics? For starters, most people don’t understand how a body works and even less understand how their body works. I’m no expert but I am a student of life so I explore what I don’t understand and devise a way to effectively apply it to my life.

Weight gain happens when you continually take in more calories, especially calories from fat, than your body can use as fuel or send out as waste. Everyone is different. We have different family genetics, physical abilities and limitations, metabolic rates, and lifestyles. So when it comes to diet and exercise, we need to spend some time exploring ourselves in order to derive what will work best for us. There is no one size fits all weight management plan. There are those who can’t do Tai Bo, P90X, or Insanity workouts. There are those who are allergic to honey, cayenne pepper, and/or lemons for crash dieting. There are those who are diabetic or disabled that can do neither. However, each journey begins with the first step – no matter how small that step may be. Here are some tips to help you start.

Diet

·         Focus on the timing and distribution of your meals. Eating several small meals evenly distributed throughout your day instead of overindulging 2 – 3 times daily boosts your metabolism. Avoid late night eating, especially unhealthy snacking.

·         Keep fluids fresh in your body by hydrating and urinating often. Make water your beverage of choice and drink lots of it. Add a little lemon juice for taste. Avoid sodas and excessive amounts of juice. Alcohol does contain calories. Don’t hold your bladder until the last minute. Go as often as you can or are allowed by your situation.

·         Fresh is best. Choose to eat raw fruits and vegetables and consume them as soon as they are cut to preserve their vitamin potency. Eat hot foods and cold raw foods in separate feedings to aid rapid digestion.

·         Track what goes in and out. Record everything you eat in a journal even if only for a short period of time. This will keep you mindful of the good and bad things you are eating and easily adjust your diet. Track your bowel movements to ensure that your body is discarding its waste regularly.  

Exercise

·         Numbers are relative. Don’t worry about how much weight others can lift or how many repetitions they can do. What they can do is relative to their size, experience, and possibly supplements and/or chemicals.

·         Focus on execution. Doing 10 optimal weight repetitions through your full range of motion with the correct form is worth twice as many bad reps at twice the weight. Also, injuries can result from incorrect execution.

·         Stretching is essential to maintain flexibility and prevent injuries. Stretch before, during, and after exercising. Stretch everyday even if you don’t exercise.

·         Education eliminates fear. There are many myth-conceptions about weight lifting and cardiovascular exercise. Attention Women: Lifting weights will not turn you into He-Man. Attention Men: Sit-ups alone will not turn your keg into a six pack. There are many many more but spend some type researching what you want to achieve from exercising and you won’t be scared to go full steam.

These tips are far from everything. With a little focus, effort and discipline, weight management will become more doable.

-- Wood Butler, Jr.

ATTENTION BLOG FAMILY: My new book "It's Always Today - Change Your Entire Life In Just 24 Hours" will finally be available on 11/11/11 (Veteran's Day). Tell everyone you know and even a few people you don't (you may make a new friend). Also head over to FACEBOOK and hit the "LIKE" button on the support page  www.facebook.com/itsalwaystoday . This is great news!!! Share it wildly!!!

Quality vs Quantity (of Life)

Something hit me recently. What’s so good about life? Calm down, I don’t mean it like that. I’m referring to the rules and standards governing what’s good and not so good in and about life. It hit me when having a conversation with a co-worker about career choices and quality of life.

It started with a comment about the security guard in the parking lot of our office. “I sure would hate to be that guy,” she says. “What a waste of life just sitting in a car all night.” I agree; there are better things you can contribute to the world. I said, “Sounds pretty good to me. Getting paid to play Angry Birds and talk on the phone.” She rebuts, “But he ain’t making no money doing that. Besides, how much Angry Birds can you play?” I said, “That guy is probably saying I’d sure hate to be that guy running back and forth past that window all day.” She then says, “That job don’t pay what this job pays. He ain’t got the cool stuff I got.”

Ok, stop. I immediately switched to my objective inverted perspective. While presumably everything my co-worker said may be true, she really does not know. For all she knows that guy may own that security company and the contract may be very lucrative. He may be single with no kids or pets, living with a roommate in a modest apartment without a car note or any other major bills. That means whatever he earns will go much further than what she earns which is split in many directions. He may be an heir to a fortune but just works the security job for healthcare benefits. And most importantly of all, he may get to go home after 8 hours and enjoy his “cool stuff” whereas my co-worker spends 2 hours commuting and 10 -12 working almost every day. Her family rarely sees him.

So who’s doing good? I would trade every dime my father ever made to have him back. The time he spent working or tired from working long hours that he couldn’t be at my basketball practices, track meets, PTA meetings, science fairs, etc. would have meant more than some “cool stuff”. I am very appreciative for what was provided such as food, clothing, and shelter. I don’t know how much money he made so if he made any more or less I don’t know if I would have noticed. I do know he died before he retired and left all his “cool stuff” to people who didn’t work for it.

Quality of life is not in what you earn or what you have. It’s in what you value and what you do to support and appreciate that. Money comes and goes. Time just goes. Don’t confuse having money or things with having a good quality of life. There are many people who grew up without money, things or even parents who turned out to be some of the most successful and generous contributors to our society. There are also those who grew up having everything and wound up depressed, incarcerated, or committed suicide. Take a moment to find out what’s really important to not only you but to your family and others who need you. You may find that you’re doing too much and it’s still not enough.

-- Wood Butler, Jr.


The release of my new book "It's Always Today - Change Your Entire Life In Just 24 Hours" is next month. Tell all your friends and family to hit the "LIKE" button on the support page  www.facebook.com/itsalwaystoday . Share the good news!!!