Various folks have said in the past months that they are struggling to find out who they are and where they are going.  What does that have to do with CrossFit?  Nothing, directly.  But they do have things in common in that what we are doing at CrossFit Champions is more than just providing a place to work out.  At CrossFit Champions we are working toward helping you be healthy and fit in body.  They really all do tie in together.  Nothing in life is perfect and the best of intentions do not ensure a happy ending.  Cliche’s could easily fill in the remainder of this post but I’ll go with what has thus far helped me.

• Forgive yourself.  We are so quick to beat ourselves up for every little transgression and so slow to let them go.  Treat yourself like you would treat someone else. If you’re an unforgiving turd to other people maybe you need to make some serious changes in your thinking.
• Focus on today and make it the best you can.  I don’t mean mother or father of the year type of over blown expectations and accomplishments.  If you can’t possibly maintain that energy all the time then you’re over doing today.
• Have your list of things to do, but pare it back to reasonable and realistic accomplishments. You are not going to finish your degree today but you could sign up to take a class.  A single class.
• Ignore that over achiever that you’re always comparing yourself to.  You don’t know how they’re really doing what they’re doing and what they’re giving up in order to be that person.  You also don’t know who is looking at your life and feeling that they are falling short.  You can’t control anything or anyone but yourself.  That’s the beginning and the end of it.
• Decide who you are and be that person.  It is as simple as that.  Decide what you believe, what your morals are, what kind of person you want your child to have in their life as a role model and then be that person.  No excuses.  No justifications.  Know who you are and what you stand for and then live it.  Seriously.  That’s it.
• You do not live in a vacuum.  What you do has repercussions on other people.  Be a positive.  If you’re a negative, you need to fix it.
• Cut your losses on negative relationships.  You can’t be healthy if you are stuck in a negative relationship whether that relationship is with a neighbor, friend or family member.

Psychology and counseling heads in two general directions in dealing with life’s issues.  One direction is where you delve into every past problem, failure and wrong you’ve done and that have been done to you.  Lots of things you can’t control.  The other, in general, focuses just on moving forward with not much looking backward.  To each their own but you can’t move forward by constantly looking backward.  Who you are today, however, is a result of experiences and decisions you’ve made in the past so it can’t be ignored.   Again, with the experiences and lessons from your past guiding your decisions today, decide the person you want to be and then just do it as the stress of indecision is exhausting mentally and physically and can only hurt your overall health.   And if you need help making heads or tails of your life then get help from a qualified person.  In the end, though, it is only you who have to live with the decisions.  Make them livable and go forward.  You can do it!

The girls and I got Sock Monkeys and decided to name them after fruits that match their color schemes (I didn’t realize Sock Monkeys came in different colors but they do.)  My monkey is pink, red and brown striped.  I’m stumped as a name for her.  If I had gotten the green themed one I could have called her Apple a la Ms. Paltrow but I didn’t.  I suppose I could go with Apple but when I picture an apple I picture a green one.  In my quest for a fruit inspired name I googled purple fruits (Mia’s monkey is purple) and came across this website —> producepedia.com It’s awesome!  There are several ways to search out info on the various fruits and vegetables…with pictures!  I’m visual and tactile and long lists of names of things mean nothing to me.  I need some type of sensation to go with that word.  This website is perfect except that it’s built for California.

Anyway, we narrowed the list down (off of a wikipedia list) to the berry family and she’s now named Olallie.  I like odd.  Obviously.

Okay…I follow Norcal’s blog as well as Robb Wolf’s blog for the excellent, entertaining and informative articles but this one totally cracked me up due to the picture.

I originally read the post on Google Reader where there was no pic.  Wow!  Look what I’d have missed.  Again…wow.

From a favorite book I just finished re-reading this morning, Life Expectancy.

“My parents didn’t raise me to ask God for blessings or benefits.  For guidance, yes.  For the strength to do the right thing, yes.  Not for a winning lottery number, not for love or health, or happiness.  Prayer is not a gimme list; God isn’t Santa Claus.”

“…I believe that without asking, we are given all we need.  We must have the wit and wisdom to recognize the strengths and tools at our command, and find the courage to do what must be done.”

The wit and wisdom and sincerity with which Dean Koontz writes his characters makes them favorites and worth the time to read and re-read.  Quick-witted and fun and sarcastic without the need to make another person feel lesser so that they can be more would describe, I think, all of Koontz’s main characters.  Mr. Koontz and his wife are high on that list of people I’d love to have a conversation and dinner with.

Amen.

I got an email last week sometime from Amazon.com touting their many different ab-improving products at discount prices and that got me to thinking as I clicked through pics of ab toners and chairs and rockets…I want to come up with an infomercial product at least once in my life.

Think of it!

An amazing way to twist off pounds (Red XL Abdominal Exerciser ) or flex your muscles all day while you do other productive things with your time (Vibro Toning Belt)!   There are ab machines that simulate riding a horse but without the horsey smells and outside stuff.  I, personally, think a person is missing out by not riding a real horse but in a side by side cost comparison the OSIM uGallop Complete Core Exerciser is the hands down cheaper way to go.

It wouldn’t have to be an exercise product.  It could be something that helps turn someone with two left feet into a better dancer or a pack rat into an organizational wonder.  Or better yet, a way for that pack rat to make a million organizing their stuff and learning how to help other pack rats organize their own stuff.  The list is endless!  See why this is such an exciting idea?!

Anyone, anywhere (with a credit card and phone/internet connection) could find what’s missing, fix what’s broken or otherwise make their life complete with my product!  In three easy payments.  How exciting!