Lane 8.org

Check It Each Time You See These Machines

Free health Resource from Everyday Health.  This link will provide an easy way to search for drug descriptions and even has an “Ask a Pharmacist” option.

Yesterday was National Prayer Day in the United States, a reminder from a Facebook friend. Wasn’t even aware. So my reply to her was, “Crazy notion, but I start every day on my knees – sort of like Nat’l prayer day, everyday. ”

There are two ways to think about our health.  Every single day.  Once a year.

This morning, at 4:50AM, while deciding what to write here at Lane 8, found a post I had started in August 2009, but had never finished, never posted.

In watching these two videos, it’s clear where my mind was. It was on motivation. Everyday our minds should be on motivation.  Everyday.

Many of you will never be runners. That’s ok.  Never want you to feel like you should be a runner. But I absolutely want you to feel you should do something. Walk, bike, dance, roll, swim, stairs, yoga, gym, ski…. it doesn’t matter, unless it matters to you.

Lane 8 @ 2009 World Championships

Lane 8 at 2009 World Championships in Lahti, Finland.

That’s “Jack”, my son’s Teddy Bear. He has three exactly alike. He got them as gifts years ago.  The collar is actually inscribed “Jack”.

Our son was born in August 2000.  My Dad, Jack Noel, passed on, April 2001.

My Father, and our son, never met.  We were two months away from our trip to Pennsylvania when the phone call came, “They’re giving your dad three days”.

So, “Jack” the bear, has traveled extensively. He’s the one with two torn ears.  The other “Jacks” are in near perfect condition.  Our son was gracious enough to let the “tug-o-war with our yellow Lab” Jack travel.

Find a million ways, gimmicks, tricks – whatever it takes – to stay motivated.  Jack is simply one of them.

It’s easier to exercise and eat sensibly during:

• Youth – the full pressure of job, Family, mortgages is unknown
• Mating season – (once we’ve mated, what’s the motivation?)
• Wake up calls – motivating because of glaring consequences

The reality?  In the big scheme of life, youth lasts say 20 years, then fades quickly.

Humans are born to mate, like all living creatures.  Wake up calls may take a lifetime before they start arriving.

It’s all the other times in our lives that are the real challenge, the real key. Look around people.

Like I suggested a while back, “If aliens found Earth and gave us a pass/fail health grade, what would we get”?

On the drive to Victory Martial Arts “Safety Demonstration” (recruiting) yesterday, I reminded our son there was no expectation that he enroll and take lessons.

All the children participated, even the first timers.  Our son eagerly lined up.  Surprisingly, two of his friends are members there and graciously welcomed him into the atmosphere.

Off to a great start and then somewhere in the middle it got more intense and he felt uncomfortable with his skill level, and returned to the audience with me.

I could not have been more proud.  He tried something.  He did his best.  I didn’t push him, even though I could have.  He’s nine.  How hard do you push yourself?  He’ll get were he needs to go.  Will you?

Maybe today is the day our son finds a physical activity that interests him. He is great on exercising his Mind.  Great with his Spirit. Decent on Money.

Body?  Well, he has a keen understanding of nutrition for a nine-year old. Much better than most adults.

Yesterday, after we pulled away from Twistee Treat, he asked me to call a number.  He said the first ten callers get a free t-shirt.

He passed the flyer up to me in the driver’s seat.  At the stoplight I quickly scanned it.

We were the fourth caller.  So today we go to Victory Martial Arts for a children’s safety demonstration, a t-shirt, and maybe something else.

Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning? Although it may not seem so, it might be a good idea to watch this.  If you don’t have five minutes to spare on a day like today, maybe your life is too complicated.  Alan Jackson sings his beautiful tribute song:

This is why I pray without ceasing that someday soon, we can all live in Peace.

What came first?:

1. The chicken or the egg
2. The ostrich or the chicken
3. Stick your head in the sand
4. Chickensh!t

Does it even matter?  It does if you want to be an example instead of a warning.

“I don’t want to run unless I know I’ve done my best.  And the only way I know how to do that is to run flat out until I have nothing left. Running any other way is Chickenshit”! — Steve Prefontaine

Same goes for life.

Guaranteed Instant Results.  Get real.

Seriously.  We all want them. We all chase them.  There are even people who guarantee them.

But the craziest thing I’ve seen is that there are people who actually believe them.

Just yesterday, Labor Day, had a conversation with a friend and I told him I write these blogs for my son.

Yet perhaps, they are really written to myself.  You probably don’t understand this, but the real audience is me.

I need daily reinforcement that common sense only works if I make it common practice.  Period.

After writing for me and my son, these blogs are written for anyone else who wants to read.  But please don’t expect guaranteed results.

Have you started your commitment yet?

A friend told me he recently ran a 5k, and broke the 10-minute per mile barrier for the first time ever. How cool is that?!

He started “running” a year ago by walking his first 5k.  Eventually, he was able to run short parts of his 5k’s.  Now he runs the entire distance without stopping.

The key for him?  He started slow.  He made progress gradually. He never stopped.

Now his next challenge is to do it for another year, and another year, and another……

But anyway, what about you?  What’s your story?

Whether you know it or not, you’re telling it to everyone you know.

PS.  Dream big.  Get there.  Stay there. Carpe diem, jeff noel