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'Tis the Season to Give (of yourself)

If you want to be successful at anything you do, it will help you to first be a successful human.  And just what is that? I believe becoming a successful human means being there for other people; no time is better spent than that spent in the giving of yourself to others.  Success does not mean happiness, success means doing the right thing. The rewards of doing the right thing are usually much deeper and painful. The greatest happiness comes from feeling and expressing our love for other people, and particularly our families. If you think about it, we love most those who we serve most, whether it be children, employees, friends or our communities. And this means that we can bring about a greater love for one another, though a life of simple, but meaningful selfless life.

When we fail our friends and neighbors, and even the stranger down the way, through our vanity, selfishness, greed, envy, fear, indifference, or complacency; when we fail to even know about, or acknowledge someone’s suffering, which is in obvious sight, much less attempt to ease it, the world is truly made a darker place. There are so many people in need, who quietly are hovering near edges of emotional bankruptcy. Life is dynamic, and it can be sticky & ugly.  We are called to be a light or to ‘give’ light to this dark world.

Giving is the key to all success in all applications of human life. Giving is not a physical action; giving is a philosophy, and a way of living life. There are endless opportunities to give the smallest things that cost us nothing, but mean the world to other people. Money and time are not the only things we can give. We can give others appreciation, patience, compassion, courtesy, kindness, dependability, friendship, forgiveness, gratitude, honesty, loyalty, respect, tolerance and of course love.

While Jesus was on this earth, he gave so much of Himself. He poured His life into others so they might experience life.  As John 10:10 says, He came to give us life, and to have life more abundantly.

Not only during this season, but through-out your life, I want to throw out a challenge to us all, self included: Slow down enough to see others’ needs and respond by giving to that need. 

www.ryancook.net

What do your kids watch on TV?

The local news did an interview w/ our MOP's (mother's of preschooler's) group at GJFA about what they let there kids watch on tv.

Here is the interview for your viewing pleasure....

If you are receiving this in an RSS email feed and can not view the video, log onto www.ryancook.net to view.

100 Year Grid

(Special thanks to Pastor Craig Groeschel for the following perspective.)

When I’m tempted to complain, it’s very helpful to run my potential complaint through the grid of 100 years.

Size up the situation, consider the ramifications, and ask honestly:
Will this matter in a hundred years?

If the answer is no, let it go.
If it’s yes, do something about it.
Either way, complaining is not an option.

The majority of the things I complain about are related to my temporary comfort, not eternal realities.  There’s no need complaining about something that will have no impact in 3 weeks.  A lot of the things I complain about won’t even matter 3 minutes from now.

Will it matter in a hundred years?  Probably not.

So why waste a complaint?  You’ve got more enduring work to do.

www.ryancook.net

Think Like an Exerciser

Snagged this blog from my buddy Adrian's site: Life.Health.Wellness. This is pretty good, worth a read if you are on the fence about exercising, this may help give you that extra push.... enjoy!  

If you’re trying to lose weight or stick to a consistent exercise program, what you may notice is how many things stand in the way of your goals. How are you supposed to exercise when you have to meet with a client, run the kids to the dentist, cut the grass, go to church, watch your favorite TV show and take out the trash? What you may not realize is that fitting in exercise is a matter of how you think and not what’s on your schedule. Thinking like an exerciser can increase your odds of success and put you in the right frame of mind for making the choice to exercise.

1. Look for opportunities, not excuses. While a non-exerciser may look at situations like traveling or working late as reasons to skip their workouts, exercisers actually seek out ways to exercise, even if it seems impossible.
 Imagine a non-exerciser and an exerciser on a business trip:
The Non-Exerciser packs their workout clothes, thinking, "Maybe if I get a break, I’ll squeeze in a workout." My husband, a frequent flyer, says what that translates to is, "I’m bringing my workout clothes so I’ll feel good about myself, but I’ll never actually wear them."
The Exerciser packs their workout clothes, thinking, "I have meetings all day, so I’ll get up extra early and get in a short workout beforehand." There’s no ‘maybe’ about it, even if it means working out at a time that isn’t comfortable.
What the exerciser knows is that they have to commit to their workouts, even if their schedule works against them. The exerciser is willing to make the effort, even if it means a workout session that isn’t ideal.
How to Think Like an Exerciser: 


•               Act as if exercise is a priority. Is exercise an afterthought? Something you only do when everything goes as planned? If so, practice putting it at the top of your to-do list. How would you plan your day if you knew you had to work everything else around your workouts? Just changing how you think about exercise can change whether actually do it.
Act as if everything counts. New or non-exercisers often think they have to do a certain type of workout (e.g., lung-busting workouts that last for three hours) for it to ‘count.’ Exercisers count everything, whether it’s a few jumping jacks or pushups in a hotel room or taking a brisk walk during a lunch break.

•               Plan ahead. Rather than waiting for the perfect time to exercise, work with the schedule you already have. Even if you can only find 10 minutes, you’ll burn calories and improve your health much more than if you didn’t move at all.

2. View exercise as a necessity rather than an indulgence. Another difference between how exercisers and non-exercisers think is how they perceive exercise. A non-exerciser may see it as a chore, something that takes away from the rest of her day. An exerciser, on the other hands, looks at her workouts as a necessity – something she needs to make her day better.
Imagine an exerciser and a non-exerciser facing an unexpected visit from a mother-in-law:
The Non-Exerciser panics and thinks, "There’s no way I can exercise if she’s coming. How will I have the time to iron the sheets, drink a bottle of wine and scrub the floors with a toothbrush?"

The Exerciser panics and thinks, "I will never get my guilt-deflectors working if I don’t exercise. I better squeeze in a quick run and, if the house isn’t clean enough, I’ll just start a small fire to distract her."

How to Think Like an Exerciser

•               Think of exercise as your energy source. Believe it or not, taking time out to exercise can actually give you more energy and focus for your day.

•               Take advantage of your workout time. When you have a busy day or an unexpected visitor, your workout time may be the only quiet time you get. Taking a walk or run will give your mind, and stress levels, a break and you’ll be better prepared for what’s to come.

•               Learn how to motivate yourself. Exercisers find motivation rather than waiting for it to happen. If you've got a lot to do, use that as an impetus to get moving. The stronger you are and the more endurance you have, the more you can get done.

3. Find ways to move all day long. Non-exercisers and exercisers alike tend to spend a lot of time sitting each day, but many exercisers find ways to be active above and beyond their regular exercise routines. Whether it's taking more walks, parking at the end of the parking lot or taking the stairs at work, exercisers know that any movement can generate more energy and momentum.

Imagine an exerciser and a non-exerciser facing a flight delay:

The Non-Exerciser stays at the gate, thinking, "I better save my strength to fight the other passengers for overhead bin space. I already have my eye on that woman and her giant suitcase."

The Exerciser grabs their bag and starts walking, thinking, "I'm going to be on that plane for at least two hours and probably squished in the middle seat between two linebackers. Better get a walk in while I can."

How to Think Like an Exerciser

•               Stand up. Sitting can actually shut down your metabolism. Stand up whenever you can – while on the phone, watching TV, opening your mail or taking a break from work.

•               Invent reasons to move. Leave something in your car and take the stairs to get it. Make a rule that you have to walk around the parking lot at work three times before you can go in. Sit on an exercise ball when you're at the computer or watching TV. Eventually, these movements become habits and, before you know it, you're moving more than you're sitting.

•               Wear a pedometer. Pedometers can actually increase activity, motivating you to walk more just to see how many steps you can take.

4. Look at Exercise as a tool for getting what you want. Exercisers know that working out isn't just for weight loss, but a tool they can use to find balance, more time for the things they enjoy and a way to keep up with life with fewer injuries, illnesses and other things that keep them from functioning at their best.

Imagine an exerciser and a non-exerciser with a tight, aching back after a long day at work:

The Non-Exerciser is exhausted and decides to skip their planned workout, thinking, "My back hurts, so I probably shouldn't exercise. I'll just go home and put my feet up, which will allow my husband to attend to my needs more easily."

The Exerciser is exhausted, but decides to go through with his workout, thinking, "My back hurts from sitting for too many hours and my butt is starting to look a lot like my office chair. A workout will loosen things up and keep me from completely falling apart."

How to Think Like an Exerciser

•               View exercise as a timesaver. While you may see exercise as something that takes away from your time, it can actually save you time in the long run. A little exercise every day can help manage aches and pain, fatigue and offer protection from more serious illnesses like diabetes and cancer. If your schedule is overloaded, wouldn't you rather spend a little time each day exercising rather than hours in a doctor's waiting room, a hospital or in line for a prescription you might be able to avoid?

•               View exercise as a sanity-saver. Exercise is one of the few activities you can do that can increase your confidence, boost your mood and make you feel good about yourself all at the same time. It can also help manage symptoms of depression and anxiety. If you have trouble getting started, think about how you'll feel at the end of your workout.

•               View exercise as a body-saver. If you have an aching back or tight shoulder muscles, you may mistakenly think you need more rest, when what your body craves is movement. In fact, exercise is a great way to manage and prevent back pain along with the other aches and pains that happen when we sit for hours at a time.

Shifting your thinking from a non-exerciser's point of view to an exerciser's point of view isn't easy. It requires looking at your daily tasks and choices with a different attitude and an eye toward your overall goals in life -- feeling good, having more energy and getting satisfaction out of your accomplishments. Fitting in exercise isn't just a function of weight loss, but a way to improve your overall quality of life. Changing how you think may be your first step in changing how live for the better.

www.ryancook.net