Halloween is over, which means the countdown to the holiday season is officially on.

     The holiday season is full of fun, food, parties, connecting with loved ones and of course – presents! It is also a time of late nights, stress, worry and unfortunately for many people, sickness and burn-out.

     Having observed my patients and practice members go through 19 holiday seasons, I have become aware of some patterns that drastically effect people’s health and well-being during this time of year. The most obvious trend we see is that we look after far more acute crisis patients during the holidays – and no, it is not from shoveling snow.

     I have also observed the behaviours that lead to either a healthy holiday or a crash and burn holiday. Typically, those behaviours start now.

     So, how do you set yourself up for success this holiday season. It really is very simple.

     In the fall, most people are busier than they are during the summer. It is for that reason they ‘fall’ back into a routine. Some people use that routine to include things that add to their health. They structure a healthy diet, schedule 4 workouts a week and meditate on their noon hour. They see a health practitioner like me regularly – not because they are messed up, but to care for and enhance the function of their spine and nervous system. In other words, it is part of their routine to things that ADD to their overall level of health.

     On the other side of the aisle, people use the ‘busy’ness of the fall as an excuse to not do the things that keep them healthy. They eat more fast food as they rush around, skip the gym due to a hectic schedule and generally get lost in the overwhelm of life.

     We have all been there, so we all know how that pattern ends, don’t we? CRISIS. We get sick, develop headaches, throw our back out…or worse. Fortunately, or unfortunately, most people are pretty tough, so the crash typically ends up happening sometime around or during the holidays.

     There is some good news here, though. The first is that you are reading this now and have time to get yourself on the right track if you start right away. Ask yourself what you can schedule into your life that will ADD to your health in a positive way (not the same as treating a problem)? What habits can you tweak so that you will be healthier in 6 weeks than you are today?

     The other half of the good news is that even if you do find yourself in the midst of a crisis (pain, sickness, burn-out), know that the purpose of that crisis is to interrupt the life you have been living to create a change. Knowing this you can use the crisis as a wake-up call to get back on track as opposed to just treating the symptoms (secondary conditions) and going back to what created the problem in the first place.

     Perhaps the most obvious difference between healthy and unhealthy people is that the former focus on building health while the latter focus on treating symptoms. Having worked with thousands of people over the last 20 years there is no question that the people who get the best results with Neurospinal Optimization are those who use it on a regular basis as a way to enhance their health, well-being, and performance.

     Don’t fall victim to the challenging side of the holiday season. Take control and get better, not worse this year. It will be a great gift to both yourself and your loved ones.

Thorin Gault, D.C.

In the hierarchy of health, each approach produces a different set of results. The key to success is knowing which set of results you desire and then applying to corresponding strategy.

In the first 2 articles (which can be accessed at Part 1 and Part 2)of the series we looked at Symptom Treatment and Addressing the Cause. While these approaches do produce vastly different outcomes, what they share is that they are both reactive – meaning that they wait for problems to arise before taking any action.

The next two approaches in the Hierarchy of Health make the shift to proactive strategies. In my opinion, this is the most important shift a person can make when it comes to their health and the healthiest people I know spend most of their energy and time being proactive. The reason being proactive is so important is that it is much less costly (in time, energy, stress, and money) than being reactive, and the benefits are exponentially greater.

Most people are familiar with the idea of being proactive when it comes to other areas of their lives. We get oil changes and tune-ups for our automobiles BEFORE problems arise. Why? Because it is a much less costly way to operate AND it gives us the best chance to have a smoothly running ride!

Other examples of being proactive is purchasing insurance for our homes and cars, having a security system, having financial investments, fertilizing and over seeding a healthy lawn, eating healthy food, and regular dental visits, among many others.

The first proactive approach on the Hierarchy of Health is preventative and what we call Protection. Protection typically (but not always) begins after we have had a problem, did the work to Address the Cause, and choose to take regular steps to protect themselves from the problem returning. If I don’t want my car to break down, stranding my family and I on the side of the road until expensive repairs are carried out, I will schedule regular maintenance appointments to prevent such an occurrence.

After a health crisis such as a heart attack or a battle with cancer many people who had been reactive their whole lives will ‘see the light,’ and take steps such as exercising, eating a better diet, and maybe taking up meditation to protect themselves from future issues.

The benefit of Protection is two-fold. First it is WAY more convenient and less painful than dealing with one problem after another. Changing your oil every 6 months is much easier than having your engine replaced. The second benefit is that your overall level of health will improve and stay that way for the long term. You may eat a better diet to prevent a heart attack, but it also enhances your general health and well-being across many domains for a lifetime. In effect, you are raising the standards for your own health and committed to maintaining that standard.

At Nexus Chiropractic, once we have Addressed the Cause during the Initial Phase of Care, we offer a couple of proactive options – one being Protection. While they are completely optional, most people choose one of these plans. Why? They are convenient, easy, and they just make sense.

Take a moment to evaluate where in your life you are reactive and where you are proactive. Where can you shift to becoming even more proactive? How will being more proactive benefit your health and life in both the short and long-term?

A great way to start becoming proactive is to attend one of our special presentations at Nexus. They take place most months and cover a variety of topics to help you take control of your health. See the schedule at Nexus or phone the office for details.

Thorin Gault, D.C.

Part 4 – Holistic vs. Isolated

In the last two articles, we looked at principles lived by the minority of our society that are truly healthy. The first was that they focus on building health as opposed to fighting symptoms and disease. The second was that they seek to enhance awareness instead of sedating.

This article delves into the third principle of healthy people, which is that they see things in a holistic way as opposed to an isolated way.

Holistic is defined as, ‘characterized by comprehension of the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole.’

What this means from the perspective of health, is that something happening in one part of our bodies is impacting, and being impacted by other parts of our bodies, and even lives.

I learned this very early in my chiropractic practice, almost 18 years ago. At the time I was practicing a very mechanical technique that understood that the spine was an integrated whole. So, I took full spine x-rays on almost all my patients. What I noticed was that very often, when someone would come in with low back trouble, their low back would look good on the x-ray, but their neck was messed up. The opposite was also true.

What this means is that where we have a problem (secondary condition or symptom) is not necessarily where the problem is. This also means that it is important to assess and address the entire system HOLISTICALLY in order to create a solution.

If you have light bulbs burning out too quickly in your house and appliances shorting out, you could go around replacing the parts, OR you could have an electrician go down to the electrical box and address what is more likely to be the main problem.

Unfortunately, many common health care approaches spend too much time replacing light bulbs and not enough time seeing the big picture. In this case changing light bulbs just delays the inevitable.

A holistic approach to health also involves a lot more than just the physical/mechanical. Healthy people look to their lifestyle and observe how it affects their physical health and perhaps plays a role in their symptoms and diseases.

In my chiropractic practice, it is my observation that as people become healthier, they can see the connection between their symptoms and their diet, emotional state, mental state and even how they are doing spiritually. With this awareness comes the ability to change much more effortlessly.

Research shows us that one of the most accurate predictors of back pain is how satisfied people are in their jobs, financial situation, and relationships. There is a neurological explanation for this beyond the scope of this article but when was the last time you considered how what you were feeling inside may be impacting your physical health?

Healthy people understand this and look to all aspects of their lives when faced with a health problem. When someone with back pain not only addresses what is happening with their spine and nervous system but also assesses what they are eating, how they are moving, their emotional state, their interactions with others, and even assess if they are on the correct path in life, not only does it drastically improve their chances of recovery, it also improves the overall quality of their lives. Isn’t that what we truly want, anyway?

The care at Nexus is set up and delivered in a holistic way. We assess the entire spine and nervous system because we know that a symptom in one part of the body is usually not solely caused by that spot, but by stress on the entire system. We teach our patients specific exercises that increases their somatic – or body – awareness. We give presentations that teach patients how to care for their spine and nervous system at home.

While I am no psychotherapist, I often point out how what is showing up in a person’s spine may be connected to what is happening mentally and emotionally in their lives. The state of the spine and nervous system also leave clues about how a person can best go about making the necessary changes in their lives.

So, where in your health and life have you been too caught up in the isolated parts? Where have you been running around the house changing light bulbs, when the electrical system really needed to be updated?

Now, how can you assess and address this in a more holistic manner?

Keep it up! See you next article.

Thorin Gault, D.C.

I am at the point in my life where men my age start to experience the dreaded ‘mid-life crisis.’ While I have not run out and purchased a red sports car, I have noticed that what I value has changed.

The two material possessions I have been most excited about recently were a pair of Red Wing boots and a pair of selvedge blue jeans. Maybe not as cool as a Corvette, but better in my opinion.

What do these boots and jeans have in common – other than going great together? I chose both of these items because I knew they would get better with age and wear.

Did they cost more money initially than most of their competitors? Did they require a longer and less comfortable ‘breaking in’ period? Do they require more involved and time consuming care and maintenance? The answer to all of those questions is yes, and it is worth every penny and hour spent.

It is worth it because in the long run they will last longer, be of higher quality, and actually get BETTER with each year that passes.

I think we can apply the same concepts to our life and health. One of my pet peeves is listening to folks my age and older resigned to the fact that they are getting old and that their health and physical performance are – and will continue to – decline. One does not have to look too far to find evidence showing that this is ABSOLUTELY not inevitable.

Celebrities such as Laird Hamilton and his wife Gabby Reece are perfect examples of what is possible with the correct approach to life. I compete in Masters (old timers) weightlifting internationally, and there is no shortage of men and women who leave you inspired and in awe.

So, how do you do it? How do you age like a fine wine in such a way that you can’t wait to see what the product of the next year will be? Simply, treat yourself like a pair of Red Wing boots!

First, you must start out with great materials. With boots, that is simple – you just pay for the good stuff. For many people and their health and physical body, this can be a bit more of a challenge initially. Perhaps years of trauma, stress, bad habits and good old wear and tear have left you feeling broken down. That’s ok, things just need to be cleaned up a little.

Depending on how hard the past has been on you, a variable period of REALLY fixing your diet and lifestyle, smart exercise and balancing your structure and function is required.

In my Neurospinal Optimization chiropractic office I refer to this as Cleaning your Windshield. The structure and function of the spine and nervous system are abnormal enough that it is like driving a car with caked, muddy windshield – causing you to constantly bump into things and

create more damage. Before get to move you forward (aging like a fine wine), we must clean the windshield.

In my experience, the best way for most people to do this is under the supervision of a professional, whether it be a chiropractor, physical trainer, naturopath, nutritionist, psychotherapist, or a combination of several.

The next step is care and maintenance. Once the windshield is clean and the major damage is fixed, we can start moving forward, but the car must still be cared for and we need to make sure the mud on the windshield doesn’t cake up again. Cleaning my boots on a regular basis, rubbing them with hydrating cream and applying leather protector are essential. Would I do that with a cheap pair I was planning on replacing next season? Of course not. I want to pass these boots on to one of my sons, so I do the work!

At Nexus, most of our patients continue to see us periodically after their windshield is cleaned for this reason. They are less dependent on care at this point, but choose it stay on the right track an move smoothly down the road.

The final phase goes hand in hand with care and maintenance. That is Refinement and Optimization. In life we call this wisdom. Because the windshield is clear and the vehicle is well taken care of, we are now free to explore all of the amazing places in life. Even though we may not be able to run around expending energy non-stop like when we were 19 years old, we are actually getting healthier because we are more aware of what we need and wiser in all of our choices.

My boots are getting better over time because each wear is molding them to my feet and movements. Because they are of high quality material and I put the time and sweat into their care they are free to become wiser with wear and tear.

The most fulfilling part of my job is working with people on THIS path – and it doesn’t matter the actual age. I see eighty year olds getting more out of their life and health than ever and I see the same thing with some 20 year olds. It is never too early, and it is never too late to start aging like a fine wine.

Put First Things First

In the last article we took a peak at the 3^rd Habit of Healthy People, by describing the 4 Quadrants of time – or life – management. We also learned that the most effective (healthy) people in any endeavor spend most of their time, energy, and focus on Quadrant II activities. Quadrant II activities are those that are important to reaching our desired goals, yet are not urgent.

When we spend most of our time in Quadrant II, we are both highly effective and protect ourselves from most crises (Quadrant I activities). When it comes to our health, most people spend much of their time doing unimportant or even harmful things and then end up dealing with one crisis after another. The healthiest people in the world focus most of their effort doing health building activities such as exercising, eating well, getting fresh air and using services such as Neurospinal Optimization chiropractic on a regular, preventative or protective basis.

In this article we will stick with Habit 3 and learn how to be sure that we effectively plan those Quadrant II activities in order to be as healthy as possible. Again, these strategies do not only work for health and while health is the focus of this series, please feel free to apply this to every area of your life.

The best way to organize your life is around the roles you play on a weekly basis. We all have several roles that require weekly – if not daily – attention. Since Canadians claim that health is one of their top priorities, I am assuming that Health should be one of those roles.

Make a list of the roles you must address on a weekly basis. Some will be personal and some will be professional. Most people will have somewhere between 5 and 9 roles. Some of my examples are: Personal Health, Family Man/Woman, Competitive Weightlifter, Nexus manager, Nexus chiropractor, Personal Development.

Once you have defined your roles, write down some long term goals for each. What RESULTS do you want to see in 3 months, 1 year, 10 years? This will start to give you an idea as to what direction you are headed.

Now comes the most important part. Each week, for each role write down goals for the coming 7 days. When it comes to Health it may be as simple as eliminating gluten from your diet and working out 4 times for 30 minutes. For family it may be planning a great birthday party for your child. Remember to keep it RESULTS oriented.

Once you have a list of goals for each role, start plugging activities into your weekly schedule book. Be aware of how many activities and how much time is being spent in each quadrant and refine as you see fit. If at first you have quite a bit of crisis, that is ok as long as you are making progress towards QII.

To make your job easier, I highly recommend having a planner or schedule where you can see the entire week in one view. There is a blank sample in Stephen R. Covey’s book and you can also order planners from Franklin-Covey’s website.

I also recommend setting time aside when you will do your planning for the upcoming week. Either Fridays before you leave work, or Sunday afternoons seem to works best for most.

Please take some time to do this life-changing homework. Our next article will move from focusing just on ourselves to including others in our plans to become even more effective and healthy.

Don’t forget that Clear Day is coming up April 12! Still some room if you would like to attend.

While I had planned to move on to a different topic, I had an interesting conversation last week that prompted this article. I think that looking at this example of weight-loss may aid in helping many people shift their focus when it comes to their health and therefore avoid being doomed in that area.

I was speaking to a friend (who is extremely fit) at the gym who was telling me about their sister. The sister has been over-weight and unhealthy her whole life and had really struggled with weight-loss. My friend was very happy to report that her sister had begun a group program (which I am not criticizing here) focused on weight loss and had made more progress than she had in a long time. The program included exercise and coaching on diet – both great things for your health.

After acknowledging her success and asking a few more questions, I said to my friend, “The thing is that if a person is solely focused on weight-loss…they are completely doomed (only I used a harsher word than doomed).” My friend’s jaw dropped and I could tell that she thought I was a bit crazy!

Here is the thing. If the sole focus is weight-loss (and I am not saying that it is in this program), what is the best possible outcome for this person? That’s right, to lose the targeted amount of weight. Total success would be reaching the target weight. Most people won’t get there but the ultra-successful and most dedicated likely will.

What now? What happens after all of that weight that had been a cause of suffering in her life is gone? Now she has to focus her efforts in keeping it off! The elephant is still in the room and now she won’t even have the motivation of the pain of being fat to keep her in line. Even though she is now thin, she will still be controlled by the weight that she does not want to put back on. This is suffering and this is a lifetime of doom – unless she can learn to shift her focus.

I completely acknowledge the power and value of starting the journey using weight-loss as a motivator to get you started. However, if this focus does not change quickly, it results in the yo-yo doom we see so many people struggle with.

What if the focus instead shifted to having amazing and sustainable energy and vitality? That focus could certainly include weight-loss, but would provide so much more. How about to age gracefully so I can lift weights with my grandchildren? Do you see how weight-loss creates a prison, where a shift in focus creates freedom?

I see the same dilemma in health care. People focus on being pain or symptom free. First of all, some pain is a necessary part of life and being completely pain free for any length of time is impossible so you are failure before you even start!

Also, pain and symptoms are always SECONDARY to something else (like being overweight is secondary to something else) and focusing on what is secondary won’t help you address what is PRIMARY. Fighting pain leads you to a lifetime of fighting pain. It will never end. DOOM.

Instead, why not focus on creating great health, performing and functioning well and expressing life to the fullest. Will you have less pain if you do that? Very likely and when symptoms do inevitably show up, you won’t care so much.

In our office, we focus on Neurospinal Optimization. As the spine and nervous system are optimized a whole host of secondary conditions improve or disappear – often some conditions that the patient did not even tell me about.

I encourage you to implement this way of thinking and living to any and every important part of your life. Parenting, relationships, finances, career, etc. Life is too short to live in our own self imposed prisons and it is a lot more fun to be free.

If you would like to learn more about how we help people in a fun and comfortable setting, you are welcome to attend one of our Introductory Presentations on select Monday and Tuesday evenings. Phone the office for details.

While we are on the topic of weight loss, check out this interesting article and pictures comparing the average man’s body in different countries around the world by clicking HERE.

Karma can be a funny thing. At this time last week my plan was to write the article I am working on right now – about how I stay healthy while so many people are walking around (or laying in bed) with colds or the flu. Guess what happened? I woke up that morning with a fever, a sore throat, runny nose and a body that ached all over. I had the flu! Couldn’t very well write that article, could I?

So, I got my boys ready for school, dropped them off and when I got home – feeling like hell – I wrapped myself in warm clothes, climbed under a mountain of blankets and slept for 2 hours.  When I awoke I felt as good as new and went on to have a productive day. That was my experience with the ‘2 hour’ flu!

When I share this story with people they think it is impossible. I can tell you that this has been my experience from time to time. What has allowed me to bounce back so quickly from these illnesses is exactly what can help you to stay healthy this fall and winter while the people around you falter.

First, let me say that the reason I experienced those symptoms in the first place is that I had not been following my own advice. I had spent the weekend eating not the best diet. I had also been very busy working on some new projects and looking after my boys solo as my wife was working out of town. I was not sleeping well or enough. In a nutshell, I just wasn’t taking proper care of myself. Why is this important? Connecting my lifestyle with my ‘sickness’ allowed me to stop, pull up my socks and get it together. Here is what I do to stay healthy at this time of year.

Minimize Sugar and Grains. This is one of the most important steps in staying healthy at any time of year. Sugar and grains have a detrimental effect on the immune system and leave us susceptible to colds and the flu. They also lead to systemic inflammation, acidic pH levels, weight gain and chronic disease. Most of your diet should consist of grass fed meat, organic eggs and fresh fruits and vegetables. I buy most of my meat locally from Peasant’s Craft Farms.

Supplement with Vitamin D3. Most northerners are deficient in vit. D – especially when the weather gets colder and our skin is not exposed to lots of sunlight. Optimal vit. D levels are essential to a strong immune system (among many other benefits). If you are wary of supplementation, have your levels checked by your GP or naturopath. Vit. D is inexpensive and we carry an excellent product that my family personally uses.

Get High Quality Sleep. I am not a believer in many of the current sleep recommendations. It is my belief that if you are living a healthy lifestyle you probably do not require as much sleep as the average person. That being said, sleeping WELL is crucial to being healthy and strong. I find regular exercise to be the most important factor in sleeping well. Having a pre-bedtime ritual, dealing with stress, and certain supplements may assist also. Whatever it takes, make sure you are getting a good night’s rest.

Fish Oil. After vit. D, this is my favourite supplement. Our western diet has thrown our Omega-6 :3 ratios way off course. I believe everyone should be supplementing with a high quality fish oil supplement.  Quality is extremely important to avoid heavy metal contamination. There are several places to get good fish oil and we carry an excellent brand.

Get Entrained. This is the cornerstone of my healthy lifestyle and the reason I drive to Gatineau every  Wednesday for 2 NSA entrainments. Physical, mental and emotional stresses affect us all, and if they become locked as defense posture or physiology our immune system will become compromised. NSA is the best way I know of to not only release this tension, but use it to transform our body and health. NSA also helps me to sleep well, exercise more effectively and has been shown to help people make better lifestyle choices. For me, Network care is the piece of the puzzle that makes all others fit together perfectly.

Don’t treat symptoms. I know this sounds strange. Last week, what if I had taken some cold medication to lessen my sore throat and runny nose, taken a pain killer for my body aches, and an anti-pyretic to bring down my fever? Sure, I could have gone about my day as planned, but what would the ultimate outcome have been? No, I listened to my body and responded in a way that maximized its’ ability to heal. What seemed like a miracle recovery was just a result of listening to my symptoms instead of attacking them. Try it out and see what happens.

Obviously there are many others things you can do to be and stay healthy and I recommend you research them on your own. Starting with these 6 steps will have a major impact on your health and help you to avoid being one of the masses suffering this season.

I know it has been some time since the last installment of these articles – and I do NOT apologize! I have just returned from my family summer holiday and one of the ways I have learned to more effectively win the game of my life is to fully take regular holidays BEFORE I feel like I need them.

So, this week let us look at the 3^rd and final solution to YOU winning the game of YOUR life – Structures for Success! We know that successful and happy people set up their lives so that the game is winnable, exciting and effortless. Their schedules and rules for living fully support their awareness and behaviours (see the previous 2 articles). These people surround themselves with people who help them to consistently move forward. They also tend to live PROactively instead of REactively.

One of the most important structures we keep is our time schedule (if you don’t control your time it will certainly control you)! People winning the game of life plan their weeks ahead of time. This includes meals, exercise sessions and down time. Perhaps the biggest difference between successful people and the rest is that they know to schedule time for themselves FIRST (are you listening, moms)! This allows them to be much more effective and productive in everything else they do.

Another crucial – and often overlooked – structure is our physical body. We may not be aware of it, but something as simple as our posture tells the rest of the world so much about us before we even speak. Research shows that poor posture reflects a poor level of general health and well-being. It is also associated with less than ideal emotional states that other people sense whether we are trying to fake it or not. As a chiropractor who has seen thousands of people over the past 12 years it is obvious that optimal posture is essential to a healthy body and mind.

It would help anyone wishing to win the game of their life to consult with a doctor or health professional with the technology to measure and monitor posture over time and understands that posture is as much about our inner experience as our external expression.

Another structure essential to winning the game of life is our relationships. I know, some of you are saying oh sh*@! More than anything else in life, relationships define who we are. We also know that the relationship we have with our own bodies will reflect the relationships we have with others. Be sure to structure your life in a way that nurtures your most important relationships. Remember to focus your efforts on creating growth in relationships, not disaster control.

The magic of the solutions of Awareness, Behaviour and Structure is putting them all together. When we do this effectively, winning the game of life truly becomes effortless and fun. I invite you to now go back over the last 3 articles and commit to making at least some of this real. Start small, build the muscles, and then watch your life take off!

Next week we will conclude this series of articles with a guide to finding the right doctors, coaches and facilitators to help you accelerate the winning of the game of life.

« If you have an important point to make, don’t try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. »
W. Churchill

Solution #2 – Behaviour!

In the last article we discovered that the people who are winning the game of life are different from those who are not in 3 main areas. These are our solutions to winning the game from now on. The solutions are: Awareness, Behaviour, and Structures. We looked more closely at awareness and gave you ideas to shift your awareness immediately.

This article will examine the behaviours that will set you on the path to winning the game of your life.

How to ACT like a Winner

We know that people who are winning the game of life act and behave differently than those who do not. This is obvious. The first characteristic of their actions is that their behaviours are consciously chosen. They create their own reality as opposed to wait for circumstance to dictate. Also very important, these individuals tend to focus almost all of their action on what they Want, instead of moving away from what they don’t want. Instead of seeking LESS pain, they will take action to create MORE health, vitality, mobility, or strength. Do you see the difference?

Start with the End in Mind

Winners of the game of life also understand that winning is a process and each action they take builds on the next. They make choices with the end in mind understanding that what may seem like a quick fix may hurt them in the long run. They ask, “How will this affect me in 5, 10, 20 years?” How many times have you taken a drug or undergone a procedure for temporary relief, knowing (or maybe ignoring) it was hurting your overall health? How about a little white lie in a relationship? Maybe a credit card purchase that made you feel good at the moment but you are still paying for today?

Start winning your game of life by focusing almost all of your time, energy, and money on actions that consistently increase your health and well-being in all areas of your life.

You ARE what you DIGEST

Winning the game of life also requires action in specific areas. Winning certainly requires great nutrition, however the most successful know that eating high quality food is not enough. You must be able to Digest the great food in order to be of full benefit. This means have balanced enzymes, gut flora and a properly functioning nervous system. It is also crucial to be able to listen to your body regarding food as we are built a bit different.

Move to Win

Daily activity is also essential to winning the game of life. Again, we are all a bit different so including a body awareness discipline is important in knowing what is right for you. Also be sure to include activities that get you out in the fresh air and sunshine.

When you Rest – Be sure you are Resting.

Proper rest is just as important as activity. Most people – while inactive – never truly rest because their body remains in fight or flight mode even when their day is done (and TV makes this worse). Techniques such as NSA and meditation can help you to break this stress pattern so you can truly rest and regenerate. Be sure to include family and friends in your leisure time as well.

Contribute

Perhaps the best way to win the game of life is to use your actions to contribute to others. Contribution is one of only 2 ways humans can be truly and sustainably fulfilled. Make contribution (small or large) a part of your goals and daily schedule and watch your happiness soar.

Grow

The other way humans are truly fulfilled is to grow! This means learning new things and improving and refining skills that are important to you. If you don’t already, find an activity you are passionate about and commit to getting better at it – for life. I recently competed against a 64 year old man in weightlifting. Yes, he finished last, but he was happy because he works on getting better every day!

We all have the same 24 hours in a day – some people create a great life with their 24 hours and others, not so much. It is never too late to make your 24 hours a day epic. Start today by looking at everything you do in a day and a week and asking yourself how you can create an even better present and future. Make decisions like someone who is winning the game of life, and soon you will find that you are one of them.

« Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. »
Da Vinci

I recently returned from a weeklong holiday in Cuba with my family. We stayed at an all inclusive resort for the wedding of my wife’s cousin.  Just before we left I read an article posted by my friend and weightlifting coach, Tyler Touchette about his own trip to Cuba. It was called Pigs at the Trough and can be viewed by clicking HERE. I always enjoy Tyler’s candid and passionate articles and in this one he highlighted the gluttony of our wealthy North American ways and how perhaps we are worse off than the resource poor Cubans who are happy, hard-working and always ready to serve.

Agree to Disagree

This having been my first trip to Cuba, I arrived with Tyler’s article in mind. I must say that while my experience matched Tyler’s in many ways, I left with a very different outlook on how happy and hardworking the Cubans truly were. Since we have a mutual respect that allows us to agree to disagree I thought I would share the lessons I learned on the trip.

First, I must say that our trips were not identical. Yes, we both stayed in high end all-inclusive resorts. Like Tyler I was in bed early every night except one. I walked on the beach and worked out every day. I read lots and I ate mostly food that was good for my body. I did treat myself however, drank some drinks and was surrounded by family for most of the trip. I also did not get to experience Havana as our location would have required a minimum overnight stay away from my family.

People are People

The main lesson I learned – and this is a lesson I have learned in all of my travels – is that people are people. Regardless of where we are from or what the politics of our country are, we all have the same needs and desires. Some of us are jerks about it and some of us are saints. This is true of both Cubans and Canadians and I witnessed all of these combinations during my week.

Part of this lesson was also that when I was able to relate to the resort workers as human beings instead of Cubans I tended to see more of the saintliness. Isn’t this true of everyone? Tyler has an incredible ability to see people as just that which is my guess why he had such a great experience with the locals he met. Having labelled the tourists as people he is around everyday perhaps brought out more of the jerks in them.

New Perspective – New Wisdom

The next lesson I learned was one of perspective. It is so valuable to encounter people who live differently from us. The contrast certainly highlighted how gluttonous we can be and how caught up we can become with money, possessions and my own favourite – addiction to a constant flow of information. This perspective really forces us question what it is we really need and want. This is a great thing.

On the other hand, I left feeling lucky for what I have and where come from. Money, possessions and abundance do not make us unhappy – becoming obsessed with them does. Smiling at rude tourists hoping for a dollar (that Fidel takes 75 cents of) hardly seems like freedom to me.

There are no Free Lunches

Finally, I learned that nothing is free. The gym attendant that I came to know fairly well (I was usually the only one there) loved to boast about how university education was “free” in Cuba. He had a masters degree and his job was to watch me workout. This to me is a cost that I certainly would not be willing to pay. Perhaps calling it free made him feel better about the fact that his obvious knowledge and intellect were being wasted. Somehow I doubt this is what Che gave his life for.

This reminded me of how Canadians proudly boast about our “free” healthcare as they watch their health decline while paying huge tax bills for the privelidge. If we stopped calling it “free” would we be willing to live with the cost?

I apologize (a little) for this being a rant responding to a rant. I think the take home message is to recognize that while we don’t all live the same way, we still really are all the same. When we can learn to relate to people this way it opens the door to us being able to learn so much about ourselves and in doing so, choose a different path if necessary. Vacations are a great tool to doing so, but are not the only way.

Start really listening to people. Anybody and everybody. Dive into their worlds. Then make every choice you make about your own life a conscious one. Take nothing for granted and know that every ounce of energy you invest is important.

Thorin Gault, D.C

« If an educational act is to be efficacious, it will be only that one which tends to help toward the complete unfolding of life. To be thus helpful it is necessary rigorously to avoid the arrest of spontaneous movements and the imposition of arbitrary tasks. »
Maria Montessori