High Hopes

I’m going. No, wait. Turn back! Go now. Freeze! That’s squirrel-thought. You’ve seen them, those cute,  bushy-tailed creatures that waiver between coming and going in the center of the street, paralyzed in the face of danger. What are they thinking? Why don’t they just keep going?

They’re like us sometimes. Fear can paralyze us when we need to make big decisions, tackle the unknown, or try a potentially dangerous endeavor. What motivates a squirrel to risk life and limb to want to cross the road?  

Speaking of mammals, what about those Navy SEALs? Every so often, we hear tales of how our military elite accomplish a dangerous assignment. Their training involves grueling calisthenics, strength exercises, and underwater feats designed to push a solider past the fear factor and the limits of ordinary people. What drives a person to want Navy SEAL status and what can we learn from their incredible efforts? Have a listen:

                                                      https://youtu.be/AzDFaa4npys 

Are you motivated? There are goals you’ve placed on the back burner. Maybe now’s the time to reach for them. Be brave, go for it! Your effort will take commitment, confidence, mental toughness, and support. Who will you lean on to help see you through?    




Modified from 1/2012

Jump In

When the temperature reached about fifty degrees this weekend, I spotted someone entering a store wearing flip flops. Unusual situations catch our attention, like the person I saw begin an exercise workout in a warm thigh length coat. Sometimes situations seem so alarming that we feel obligated to intervene, other times we conjure up excuses for not getting involved for fear of overstepping boundaries. And sometimes, we just don’t care. What do you think about this?

                                      https://youtu.be/o59RGN80_9Q

Social experiments are pulse checks for how we’re doing as a society. It’s good when we see an unusual situation and pause to check on another person’s well-being or step up to correct an issue. What’s the last situation you ignored when you should have jumped in and sorted things out?      

         

Break Every Chain

If Killer’s lose—run! Killer, a dog with brown lion-like fur, roamed and ruled my childhood community. On most days he stayed chained up in his backyard, but once in a while we’d hear, “Here comes Killer!”  That’s when the dog would race into the nearby playground and send us scrambling for safety. Staying on the swings was a mistake. The triple level rocket sliding board became the ultimate safe spot, if you could reach it. I don’t think Killer ever planned to chase us. His killer instincts probably kicked in once he saw youngsters scattering, screaming, and running for higher ground. I never heard about Killer biting anyone, but I’m not sure about this gang’s attack record:

                                         http://youtu.be/uclnGYBuTW8

Judging by the number of videos on the web, lots of people live with the fear of an animal, a person, or a particular situation. Too often our fears overshadow our sunniest days, trapping us into thinking they’re insurmountable. How do you deal with your biggest fears?   

 

The Insanity Continues

My new DVD workout seemed insane at first, but after tackling a few sessions it wasn’t as exhausting as in the beginning. Oh, it’s still a great cardio challenge, but much less intimidating. The interesting part about experiences that spill outside the parameters of our initial expectations is this: once we eliminate the element of surprise, we see things differently. This video will surprise and puzzle you:

                                        http://youtu.be/EMcjt3HUcOc

Is that insanity or what? The scene happened in Devil’s Pool at the Victoria waterfalls in Zambia.  Despite the fear, it looked like everyone had fun. The question is: Why didn't they go swirling over the edge? I investigated and I discovered that a natural rock wall located at the water’s edge prevents swimmers from falling several hundred feet to their deaths—forget about rock walls, it still looks dangerous to me. I’m no daredevil, so I don’t see myself jumping into Devil’s Pool. Many people have an innate need to stare death in the face, push past their fears, and go for what seems inconceivable. It’ a new year, what seemingly impossible—some may say insane—activities do you plan to accomplish in 2013?    

  

A Braver New World

I’m going. No, wait. Turn back! Go now. Freeze! That’s squirrel-thought. You’ve seen them, those cute,  bushy-tailed creatures that waiver between coming and going in the center of the street, paralyzed in the face of danger. What are they thinking? Why don’t they just keep going?

They’re not unlike us sometimes. Fear can paralyze us when we need to make big decisions, tackle the unknown or try a potentially dangerous endeavor. What motivates a squirrel to risk life and limb to want to cross the road?  

Speaking of mammals, what about those Navy SEALs? If you read the news, you know how our military elite accomplished at least two dangerous assignments during the last several months. Their training involves grueling calisthenics, strength exercises and underwater feats designed to push a solider past the fear factor and the limits of ordinary people. What drives a person to want Navy SEAL status and what can we learn from their incredible efforts? Have a listen:

Are you fired up yet? I know there are dreams you’ve placed on the back burner. Maybe now’s the time to go for them! Reaching your goals will take commitment, confidence, mental toughness, support from your inner circle, and a solid plan. Be brave, the world is your oyster! What ultimate dream do you want to achieve?