Our Wheel Of Life

The following is a repost of a very popular article I wrote back in June of 2006. It bears repeating and I hope that you enjoy reading it once again.

"Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony."
- Thomas Merton

I listened to a friend of mine, Dean Sweetman, speak about the areas of one's life which need to be tended to in order to have a full and balanced life. These areas are different aspects of our existence. Some of you may know of these, some may not. It is quite possible that you are quite good in one and quite bad in another. But understanding and then acting upon all of them is the important thing, achieving balance is the goal.

There are six areas one must focus on in order to first get your life in order, second to get your life moving in a positive direction and lastly to achieve even greater potential in life. He describes these as the six spokes of life. Think of them as the spokes on the wheel of your life. Without all of them, the wheel can not turn freely.

Your heart and mind is at the hub of this wheel with an ability to change each spoke. As the hub of this wheel, you must tend to each spoke with care and understanding of its importance. The six spokes we speak of here are;

• Financial and Career
• Social and Cultural
• Spiritual and Moral
• Family and Home
• Mental and Emotional
• Physical and Health

Over the next couple of days I'll speak to each of these. It is my belief that a 'full wheel' can take you places. If one or two spokes are gone, in disrepair, the wheel is not complete. It can not take you places in a broken state.

Yet a wheel with all of the spokes can move you. As each spoke improves, the wheel can gain momentum. Accelerating you to a great life is what can happen by understanding these six keys areas of life.

"Everyone is meant to have a great life. Your circumstance should not deter you from experiencing it." - Dean Sweetman

Stay inspired my friends!

Staying Physically Fit

"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” - Unknown Author

This last two spokes of a well-rounded wheel follow with the mental and physical aspects of our life. All spokes together create a wheel that allows us to achieve a greater life.

Mental and Emotional

The greeting is simple and most people pass on it without giving much thought to it. The act of someone asking, "how are you?" Do you stop and ask yourself that question? Do you really know how you are feeling or simply passing through time.

Every so often you need to sit back and examine your own mental and emotional state. Think about whether or not you've yelled at someone while driving. The stress level sometimes builds on us and our emotions can boil to the surface. Relieving the stress will help you to control your emotions. Don't let your emotions rule your life.

Find ways to ease back and relax from time to time. Then think about where your mind is at. If your emotions and mental state are tipping in a bad way, then the other parts of your life are effected. You don't perform nearly as well and life just seems to 'get in the way'. Work on this part of your life and if need be, get help. There is nothing wrong with seeking assistance to work out this area of 'you'.

Physical and Health

The last time you walked up a flight of stairs, were you breathing heavily? Can you do some of the same things you did a year ago when it comes to physical movement? Your ability to maintain health is directly related to how much physical activity you maintain. This year, my wife and I are participating in the Peachtree Roadrace. A 10K Run that of course we will walk along with most of the other 55,000 other runners/walkers.

Staying physically fit will help you keep your health longer in life. You will feel better and more able to function at a higher peak. All of us can use a bit more exercise and many find it difficult to find the time. It is certainly easier to sleep in or simply collapse on the couch after a long day at work.

If we work only partly as hard on our physical health as we do our job, the benefits would be tremendous. A quick walk around the block before or after work. Eating an apple for a snack instead of that candy bar. One less beer and maybe more water to drink is doable. Starting small will gradually build you up.

To do the things you want to do in life, being physically able to matters an awful lot. We as humans tend to think we are invincible but time and age do catch up with us. So if you are not happy with your current level of physical health, start doing something. Maybe you already work out, are you ready to take your health and fitness to the next level? There will be sacrifice of some sort to achieve fitness goals. Start with achievable goals, ones that are just out of reach. Then start today even if you haven't worked it all out yet. You'll feel better for it.

On Wednesday I'll provide a diagram of the six spokes that you can print out. Each spoke will contain a scale that you can rate yourself on. Then take it upon yourself to work on these areas of your life. Get the wheel in motion to a greater life for you and those around you.

Life Spokes One & Two

“When you take charge of your life, there is no longer need to ask permission of other people or society at large. When you ask permission, you give someone veto power over your life.”
- Abert F. Geoffrey

The first two spokes of ones life have to do with your money and your life withing society. Each are described here. As noted in my previous article, ther are six spokes the complete the wheel of your life. All must be in working order for your life to move forward and achieve greatness.

Financial and Career

So just how much do you enjoy your job. Myself, I love getting up and going to work each day. The people I work with and the type of work I do is great. Everyday I feel like I am contributing something to the company and I get paid a decent wage.

In your life, can you say the same thing? If not, then change needs to happen and it is up to you to do so. What you do for a living, how much you enjoy it and the money you earn performing your job function are all related. One effects the other - if you are not happy, you likely are not performing well which means you don't earn as much.

If you are earning, are you giving back part of your money to society. Maybe to your church, to a charitable organization close to you or maybe directly to others in need. By giving of your money, you will feel better about yourself. It also creates in different ways a return of goodness to you as well. But you say you don't have much money, then start small. Maybe five dollars or ten.

So create your own destiny within your finances and career. Don't spend more then you make as debt is a serious problem. Adjust your budget and spending habits to the level of your earnings. Doing so means you will have less financial stress, feel better and perform better at work. Your performance goes up and most likely your earning.

Social and Cultural

Do you have friends in your life? A recent CBS NEWS Health Watch story indicates that "...most people's circle of confidants is on average about one person smaller now. The percentage of people who say they have no one to confide in has reached about 25%." All of us need those one or two close confidants. People that the article refers to as a "discussion network" — people you reach out to for help, advice, or just as a sounding board. In the new research, they say the network is important because it shapes "the kinds of people we become."

How do you develop these friendships? By having a life outside of work that allows you to draw back and recharge. It also rounds you out better as a person, to be in tune with what is happening in the world around you. You can better effect the world around you when you understand it and engage in it.

Be a part of the world around you - make changes to strengthen these areas of your life.

Roll On Easier

I have spoken previously of a method that you can use to measure your life. It is called the Wheel Of Life and I was introduced to it by a friend of mine, Dean Sweetman. You can search the web and will likely find many sources that came from Buddhist traditions.

There are other forms both complicated and intriguing that you may find as well. The one taught to me is simple in form and in understanding. A wheel with six spokes that when perfectly round will allow your life to move easily. As an out of round wheel is hard to turn and slows you down, that particular part of your life needs to be worked on.

In previous articles I wrote of these spokes and I'm pleased that Dean is working this into a whole series. It is my hope that he creates a book so that he can offer it to others. But don't think it is a 'pump you up' motivational event full of heart pounding excitement. No, the idea is just a simple way for you to look at your life, to keep it in balance and to help you provide measurement of how well your life is going.

The great thing about it comes from self evaluation, measuring yourself in such a manner that honesty inside you must come forth. When you visually see the six spokes and connect the dots, the shape that takes form may be a football. Footballs when they bounce are unpredictable and never roll straight. A three-legged starfish shape may appear and three points do not roll all that well. Or even a flat-tire shape. You begin rolling but then hit the flat spot on the tire, you struggle again to get moving.

As you view the shape of your life, visually you can see what it is that slows you down each time. And when you do find a deficiency in your life, fix it now. If not, as you attempt to roll through life that area of the wheel will return.

As I'm writing this, don't envision me in a monks robe with candles spread about and chanting. It is a functional method that helps me honestly look at my life. It helps me to smooth out the rough edges and to expand my life.

Expand and improve your life, roll on easier.

Enjoying Your Job

"Desire! That’s the one secret of every man’s career. Not education. Not being born with hidden talents. Desire."
 – Bobby Unser

I have previously written about a concept in which your life is a wheel with six spokes. There spokes essentially six areas of our lives we must focus on in order to first get our life in order, second to get our life moving in a positive direction and lastly to achieve our greatest potential in life.

One of these is referred to as the Financial and Career spoke of life. The career aspect of our life has a large influence upon our finances and other areas of life. It may seem like an obvious statement to make, but many people simply don't get it.

I have been blessed for nearly 30 years with a job I both enjoy and have been successful in. It is a job I enjoy getting up early in the morning for and one in which I'm happy enough to put in long hours for. The people, the work and the pay make it a very rewarding experience.

It was not that way in the beginning.

My career began at a small family owned office equipment dealer in Lincoln, Nebraska. To say I am thankful to them for giving me the opportunity is a grand understatement. When I was young and needed work, they took a risk and hired me. I learned quite a bit regarding both my trade and work ethics.

But I never liked the job and for six years my dissatisfaction grew.

So there it was, I did not like the job, the pay was low and all I could do was complain about my situation. One thing I had going for me was a great mentor. An older co-worker named Paul Meyer was a shining example of a mentor who encouraged me to change. He kept telling me that to sit and complain was probably the most unproductive thing a person could do.

Doing nothing meant the issue apparently wasn't very important.

Change is what needed to occur and I began a journey which would lead me to opportunity. I began learning about the computer industry. Remember this happened before the internet took hold so it required research in the library. And do not forget that libraries still exist today. So even if you do not have the internet, a library is open to all and has much of the same information.

Information is a powerful thing in your life.

I also talked with people about the industry and what was needed to get into it. I watched and observed people in the industry. How they dressed, how they conducted themselves and what they did on a daily basis.

I started to position myself for change.

It did not come easy. I sent twenty-five resumes to large companies and received twenty-five "thank you for your interest" responses. Discouragement nearly took hold, but you keep after it and keep telling yourself it will happen. As my wife Laura says, "an awful lot of 'self-talk' with encouraging statements is something everyone needs to learn more of."

Then one day, out of the blue I received a phone call from a large computer company looking to hire. They asked "would you be interested?" Of course I was interested and ultimately there were decisions which had to be made regarding acceptance of a job.

But I had positioned myself to be ready when opportunity crossed my path.

If you are not happy in your job, the chances of succeeding financially in it are slim. Even if the money is great but you are miserable, all other aspects of your life are diminished. To not enjoy your work and complain about it daily hurts you and those around you.

If so, then it is time to get your career life spoke back in balance.

There are many sources of information to get you started. There are various articles available at Publications.US.Gov which give pointers on doing just that. Even many of the job search engines on the internet will provide helpful advice. Again, information is key to successfully transitioning to a new job and if considering a career change.

For those who enjoy your jobs, you already have one of the keys to a better life.

My advice is to enjoy what you do for a living as it will consume nearly 40 years of your life. Perform your job well and enjoy it. It was Martin Luther King Jr. who wrote, “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”

Even the street sweeper will have a great life if he enjoys that which he does.

Enjoy your work and strive to do it well.

Your life will be better for it.

Stay inspired my friends!

Barrenness of a Busy Life

"Beware the barrenness of a busy life." - Socrates

Like a crazy graph showing the ups and downs of the stock market, my daily work routine can be slow or busy with excruciating deadlines. Like most people, not only do I sometimes have too much on my plate, but I have way too many plates. And I can spin multiple plates with the best of them.

I was so good at it that I managed to lose touch with so much.

So much that I divorced several years back. So much that I lost touch with my sons. So much that I lost touch with my friends. So much that I lost touch with my faith.

"Beware the barrenness of a busy life."

I speak about this in my book Changed Lives. I write about how life can change so much when you lose balance and life begins to spin out of control. What I thought was filling up my life was actually destroying it; slowly and very methodically.

My obsessive compulsive disorder nature was driving me to perfect everything in my work life, that I neglected many other parts.

I have since repaired those parts of my life and reconnected.

I married a wonderful woman and gained four wonderful daughters. I work to improve and maintain the relationship I cherish with my sons. I have reconnected with friends from the past. I have also been reconnected to my faith for several years now.

I work to maintain balance within my life; as much balance as one can aspire to.

Spiritual & Moral, Marriage & Family, Mental & Emotional, 

Physical & Health, Social & Cultural, Financial & Career

Six Spokes Of Life

"Beware the barrenness of a busy life."

Certainly I have not perfected it and probably never will. But I am cognizant of it and will continue to work at it. And like that stock chart, I have to watch it and gauge when my busy schedule is creating barrenness in my life.

This is something I recommend to each of you as well.

Find a way to balance life so that you don't wake up one morning to an empty world. You can spin those plates, tote that bale, pull that barge, but remember there will always be plates, bales and barges. Your life is the one and only one you get.

So beware the barrenness of a busy life.

And stay inspired my friends!

What Secret

Recent articles have started to surface regarding the 'power of positive thinking' life style and beliefs of people. Most of these have come about due to a book and subsequent new movie called "The Secret". It is a movie that some have described as "a movie so powerful that it can change the course of your life." There are those with an opinion of differing belief about living a more positive life.

The book itself teaches that the "principle explains that we create our own circumstances by the choices we make in life. And the choices we make are fueled by our thoughts—which means our thoughts are the most powerful things we have here on earth." The argument against the book is that it is simply a form of 'new-age' hucksterism.

I have a tend to agree with some of the arguments regarding the material. There seems to be a bit of 'over-commercialism' and 'marketing hype' going on. Heck, I myself tend to become a bit 'flowery' in my own writings but I try not to let it overshadow the basic message. I also don't agree completely with all of the teachings but I would allow you the time to read and judge for yourself. I believe there is a place to find common ground in its message.

This means striking a balance between both ends of the opinion scale. To take advice on the merits of common sense and reality. There are many things that I say in my own writings that are wrapped into the ideas contained in Rhonda Byrne's book (The Secret). She has a much bigger stage to speak from at this point but my own stage is available to those seeking something more as well. It is up to you, the reader, to choose the source which best speaks to you.

When you are searching for a change in life, being positive about your life is not a bad thing. It comes in all different shapes and forms. The basic principle for me is if you are a more positive and happier person regardless of present circumstance; others will be more apt to come into your world. A simple human truth is that we much prefer to be around happy people as opposed to cranky ones.

And in the bigger world, cranky people come in many different levels of success. The same way happy people do...successful or not we can learn from those we chose to be around. Opportunity will seem to gravitate towards happier people. The only reason I can surmise is that a happy person is more apt to see the opportunity as possibility. While the cranky person will find reason not to involve themselves.

As for 'The Secret' itself, is it really a secret? Not really but it is a pretty good title to capture the attention of millions of people. It is a good book that I do think you can learn lessons from for a better life. It can help you bring balance to the six spokes of your life. Learn from many different sources, for it is in the search of betterment of your life that reveal to you that which truly makes you happy.

Do You Believe?

In many polls, most show that nearly 90% believe in the existence of God in one form or another. It is a subject that can spark tremendous debate and also cause others to scornfully reject those that speak openly about it. Those that regularly read my articles will note that I have faith in God. But I keep the writings secular in nature, although the real meaning of secular was distorted to mean "distance from, or lack of, religion". But the word serves its purpose and I'll use it here.

The fact remains that I am driven or influenced by my choices in life, one of which is religion. Most everyone that is reading this has some form of religious background or experience. There is also in most everyone's life the idea of being spiritual. The term spiritual is a synonym of religious so on one hand you may say they are the same. Yet others deem the two very distinct and different.

So I don't wish to debate the two here but to say that being spiritual is very important in keeping your life well balanced. Being spiritual and moral is one of the six spokes of your life. Now don't shy away, I'm not going to start preaching religion. There are others better suited to do that. My aim is more simple, to let you know that part of your life requires a set of personal values.

Have you thought about what it is you believe in or don't believe in? This encompasses not just religion but things relating to money, job, sex and politics are all items to consider. If you don't know where you stand, how will you know how to conduct yourself. If you are spiritual in nature, then you likely believe in the idea that some higher form or power exists. And if that higher power exists for you, then you most likely have some level of values to live by.

Can you be both religious and spiritual at the same time? My belief is yes, because one does not have to believe in a narrow doctrine of one religion or another, but in the idea of larger possibilities within the context of my religious faith. It provides a grounding for me, gives me values to live by and to treat others. It is in establishing a spiritual belief under which your values can be drawn and acted upon.

Patricia Megregian is quoted as saying, "Spirituality is where people find meaning in their life. It's something higher than themselves, though not necessarily attached to religion." Keeping this part of your life well tended will improve your life. Tend to it as often as you can to keep your life in balance.

Your Values and Family Life

Continuing with my series on the six spokes to a great life, spokes three and four. "Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life." - Buddha

Spiritual and Moral

In your life, have you determined what your personal values are in life? I mean really sat down one day and thought about what it is you believe or don't believe in. Things relating to money, job, sex, politics and religion are areas filled with vast ranges of spiritual and moral possibility. Where do you stand on these?

As it was spoken to me, "are you living up to those personal values?" If you take your place in values relating to religion and God is important to you, do your values reflect your beliefs? The same can be asked of your job. Does the way you conduct yourself at work conflict or fall in line with your religious thoughts.

This area of life can be complicated and so many aspects are woven together. But if you work to establish simple values and then apply them to other areas of your life, it can work out. I'm not talking about 'imposing' your beliefs on others. I'm talking about having beliefs or values and striving to live by them. It isn't easy and at the same time you need to have an open ear to others. Have spiritual life that helps you establish your morals. It will strengthen this part of your life.

Family and Home

Recently I had the opportunity to see a movie called CLICK that tells the story of a man whose life is wrapped up in his job. His belief being that if he pours more energy into his job, it will provide more opportunity for his family. Sadly, he gets all that he wants for his family yet loses much of what he had 'with' his family.

Many of us will tend to work very hard in our jobs. Work harder, make more money, your family can have more. I for one was very much like this and some hard lessons were learned. Your family needs more then your success and added income. They need your time and your presence.

Do you spend enough time with your spouse, watching your kids grow, talking about life to them and about them? Your kids will watch and learn from what you do. They will either grow away from you or become like you. It is a difficult balance to maintain when the pressures of your job or business demand so much of you. But try not to short change this part of your life. To wake up one day and wish things had been different is difficult to deal with.

Make a change now and spend extra time talking to your spouse, to your kids and just being there. As the movie indicated, don't be on 'auto-pilot'. Engage yourself in this wonderful part of life called family.

Fitness

The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports launched its Adult Fitness Test in May of 2008. I am one of those that missed this announcement as I am certainly not one that does a very good job of watching my own fitness. I tend to focus on other parts of my life and find it difficult to balance out those Six Spokes of Life.

So recently I was reading the October issue of Readers Digest and found a pretty simple and easy guide to measure yourself as an adult. I found that I'm not close to these particular and simple tests. Yet I'm setting a goal for myself to achieve these.

You will see they don't take expensive equipment or gym memberships to achieve them. So we will see how I do and how long it takes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Test: Push-ups
The Goal:
Women (on knees): 33 without stopping,
Men: 40 without stopping
Tips to Boost Your Score (gradually, to prevent injury): Work your chest and triceps three days a week. Vary the push-ups by doing them on an incline or decline, or do some chest flies or chair dips, says personal trainer Kelli Calabrese, author of Feminine, Firm & Fit.

The Test: 1.5-mile run
The Goal:
Women: under 12 minutes,
Men: under 10 minutes
Tips to Boost Your Score (gradually, to prevent injury): Walk/run three times a week, and do non-impact activities like swimming or cycling on the other days. Add a day of interval training (going faster than your normal pace with periods at a much slower pace).

The Test: Half sit-ups
The Goal:
Women: 60 in a minute,
Men: 65 in a minute
Tips to Boost Your Score (gradually, to prevent injury): Do a variety of abdominal exercises three days a week. "Core strength is so important because it improves posture, can reduce back pain, and may help stop a fall as we age," Calabrese says.

The Test: Sit and reach
The Goal:
Women: 9 inches beyond heels,
Men: 8 inches beyond heels
Tips to Boost Your Score (gradually, to prevent injury): After warming up, Calabrese says, increase flexibility by doing the yoga pose downward dog: Position your body in an inverted V, with your hands and feet on the ground and your butt in the air.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But why get fit? Will it add years, days or just minutes to the length of my life?

The point in my mind is not how much longer one might live by being more physically fit. What it will do is make all of your years of living that much better. One can live to be 85 years of age, but if you are so unfit that walking six steps is a struggle for the last 30 of those years, then the quality of those 85 years just isn't very good.

So try to achieve the goals above; try to join the President's Council and take the Adult Fitness Test. Enjoy a more fit life; enjoy life!
_

Beyond Your Iceberg

“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” ~Helen Keller

On April 10, 1912, the largest ship ever at that time, left Southampton, England on her maiden voyage to New York City. It was a magical and wonderous ship that was last seen by those on shore when it departed its final European stop of Cobh, Ireland. This sleek ship was to achieve a record setting six-day trip across the Atlantic Ocean.

On the night of April 14, 1912 at 11:40pm, the ship struck a massive iceberg. In only three hours the entire ship had sunk. What was thought to be the safest ship, the RMS Titanic became completely submerged about 2:45 AM on the morning of April 15, 1912.

Of the 2,228 people on board; 1,343 were passengers and 885 were crew members. There were only enough lifeboats on board the ship to hold 1,178 people. A number of the lifeboats were lowered at less than full capacity, resulting in a significantly smaller survivor number.

The exact number of survivors tends to vary, however the most common reported number is 705. Which means 1517 people lost their life on the Titanic. And with this tragedy, lives upon lives were changed forever. All because of a single iceberg floating on the currents of a vast ocean.

Each of us go through life, constantly on the lookout for any icebergs that may cross our paths. Watching for an obstacle or event that could impact our lives is a part of being prepared. Yet somehow, every once in a while, the tip of the iceberg slips by our cautious view.

And then it happens to us; job loss, relationship dissolves, an accident or sickness and worse yet death of a loved one. The level of unexpected circumstances vary like the size of an iceberg that lay beneath the water line. All events that may have been unavoidable even if you did see it coming. Your 'unsinkable' life has just been put into crisis.

So you can't avoid some of the unavoidable, but you can prepare yourself. In the case of the Titantic, there were only enough lifeboats to accomodate half of the ships people on board. But your ship is the safest and unsinkable. Being prepared for what life will send your way is the best thing you can do.

Job loss; keeping yourself connected to a network of people and up-to-date in skills will give you a head start on the next job. The competition for that new job will be intense, but you will have the tools to recover as opposed to sinking.

Relationship dissolves; keeping yourself connected to a network of people and maintaining a sense of self worth. The emotional pain will still occur, but you will have the tools to recover as opposed to sinking.

Accident or sickness; keeping yourself connected to a network of people and healthy ahead of time. The recovery will still take place but being healthy to start improves your overall ability to rebound.

Death of a loved one; the hardest one to give advice on because it varies widely on its effect as well as cutting so deep on a personal level. Yet keeping yourself connected to a network of people and having a strong faith will give you greater strength then you might imagine.

Each 'iceberg' we encounter is overcome by having this network of people. The ones who will drop what they are doing and be there for you. Each 'iceberg' event has in some way a corresponding spoke of life that will get us through the moment. With all of these spokes well-balanced, we will sail much easier past the iceberg and onto recovery.

The 'icebergs' are out there floating on the currents of life and when we encounter them we can be prepared to handle them. We can be one of the survivors that are 'unsinkable'. We will sail further in life.

Stay inspired my friends.

Growing Happiness

"The positive effect of kindness on the immune system and on the increased production of serotonin in the brain has been proven in research studies. Serotonin is a naturally occurring substance in the body that makes us feel more comfortable, peaceful, and even blissful. In fact, the role of most anti-depressants is to stimulate the production of serotonin chemically, helping to ease depression.

Research has shown that a simple act of kindness directed toward another improves the functioning of the immune system and stimulates the production of serotonin in both the recipient of the kindness and the person extending the kindness. Even more amazing is that persons observing the act of kindness have similar beneficial results.

Imagine this! Kindness extended, received, or observed beneficially impacts the physical health and feelings of everyone involved! " ~ Wayne Dyer

So one may ask, 'where do I get this serotonin stuff?" Well, serotonin is naturally produced within the Pineal gland deep in the center brain. As adults, we possess only 5 to 10 mg of serotonin, 90 % of which is in the intestine and the rest in blood platelets and the brain.

One of its roles is to be a neurotransmitter, a sort of relay station that allows the many functions in our bodies (control of appetite, sleep, memory and learning, temperature regulation, mood, behaviour, cardiovascular function, muscle contraction, endocrine regulation and depression) all to function properly.

But how do you get more? Well, it is found that the most effective way of raising levels of serotonin is with vigorous exercise. Studies conducted show levels increase when we increase our level of physical activity. This is the safest way of increasing serotonin levels as well as the many other benefits result from regular exercise.

Your serotonin levels can also be controlled through the diet. A diet deficient in omega-3 fatty acids may lower brain levels of serotonin and cause depression. Complex carbohydrates raise the level of tryptophan in the brain resulting in a calming effect. Vitamin C is also required for the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin.

There is a connection to happiness that has been found as well. Serotonin is key to our feelings of happiness and very important for our emotions because it helps defend against both anxiety and depression.

Happiness itself does not produce or increase the production of serotonin, but it can trigger increased levels of serotonin. Without serotonin, there would be no happiness. But understanding how your happiness can improve your attitude, which in turn changes much of your outlook on life in general.

As I wouldn't pretend to be a doctor, I encourage you to read more. Find out about your health and body. What makes it function, what things cause your physical and mental well being to be in a better state. It is part of tending to all six spokes of life. Find a way to chart your life and all of the parts within it.

And to start, be happy!

Sail Past Your Icebergs

R.M.S. Titanic leaving Cobh from Jamie McGinlay

“Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation.” ― Robert H. Schuller

On April 10, 1912, the largest ship ever at that time, left Southampton, England on her maiden voyage to New York City. It was a magical and wondrous ship that was last seen by those on shore when it departed its final European stop of Cobh, Ireland. This sleek ship was to achieve a record setting six-day trip across the Atlantic Ocean.

On the night of April 14, 1912 at 11:40pm, the ship struck a massive iceberg. In only three hours the entire ship had sunk. What was thought to be the safest ship, the RMS Titanic became completely submerged about 2:45 AM on the morning of April 15, 1912.

Of the 2,228 people on board; 1,343 were passengers and 885 were crew members. There were only enough lifeboats on board the ship to hold 1,178 people. A number of the lifeboats were lowered at less than full capacity, resulting in a significantly small survivor number.

The exact number of survivors tends to vary, however the most common reported number is 705. Which means 1517 people lost their life on the Titanic. And with this tragedy, lives upon lives were changed forever. All because of a single iceberg floating on the currents of a vast ocean.

Each of us go through life, constantly on the lookout for any icebergs that may cross our paths. Watching for an obstacle or event that could impact our lives is a part of being prepared. Yet somehow, every once in a while, the tip of the iceberg slips by our cautious view.

And then it happens to us; job loss, relationship dissolves, an accident or sickness and worse yet death of a loved one. The level of unexpected circumstances vary like the size of an iceberg that lay beneath the water line. All events that may have been unavoidable even if you did see it coming. Your 'unsinkable' life has just been put into crisis.

You can't avoid some of the unavoidable, but you can prepare. In the case of the Titanic, there were only enough lifeboats to accommodate half of the ships people on board. Your ship is the safest and unsinkable. But being prepared for what life will send your way is the best thing you can do.

Job loss; keeping yourself connected to a network of people and up-to-date in skills will give you a head start on the next job. The competition for that new job will be intense, but you will have the tools to recover as opposed to sinking.

Relationship dissolves; keeping yourself connected to a network of people and maintaining a sense of self worth. The emotional pain will still occur, but you will have the tools to recover as opposed to sinking.

Accident or sickness; keeping yourself connected to a network of people and healthy ahead of time. The recovery will still take place but being healthy to start improves your overall ability to rebound.

Death of a loved one; the hardest one to give advice on because it varies widely on its effect as well as cutting so deep on a personal level. Yet keeping yourself connected to a network of people and having a strong faith will give you greater strength than you might imagine.

Each 'iceberg' we encounter is eased by having this network of people. The ones that will drop what they are doing and be there for you. Each 'iceberg' event has in some way a corresponding spoke of life that will see us through. When all of these spokes are well-balanced, the more balanced we will be to recover.

The 'icebergs' are out there floating on the currents of life and when we encounter them we can be prepared to handle them. We can be one of the survivors that are 'unsinkable'. We will sail further in life.

Stay inspired my friends!

Balancing Your Life

Back in July I wrote about thinking of your life as divided into six spokes on a wheel. In Chart Your Life, there must be balance among these areas of your life. In doing so, a 'well-rounded' wheel or 'life' rolls much easier, gains momentum and is efficient. Your life benefits from having all six areas in tune. But it takes work to achieve this balance.

Those six areas of life are;

• Physical and Health
• Mental and Emotional
• Spiritual and Moral
• Family and Home
• Social and Cultural
• Financial and Career

Recently I wrote about the area of your physical well-being and health. In coming articles I will write about each of the spokes. Giving you my take on them and giving you the opportunity to make a decision for your life.

“If we put the emphasis upon the right things, if we live the life that is worth while and then fail, we will survive all disasters, we will out-live all misfortune. We should be so well balanced and symmetrical, that nothing which could ever happen could throw us off our center, so that no matter what misfortune should overtake us, there would still be a whole magnificent man or woman left after being stripped of everything else.” - Orison Swett Marden

Chart Your Life

The diagram is for you to print out and rate yourself on the six areas of your life. The wheel is patterned after one put out by Leadership Management, Inc. in 1991. It is a good way to start yourself on a path to a greater life.

It is simple enough to use as there are nine pegs on each spoke. The peg closest to the center or hub (YOU) is equal to one. The next one out equals two, so on and so forth with the last peg equaling nine. Place an 'x' on the peg at which you believe this part of your life is at. Do this for each spoke of the wheel.

This is not a contest but a way of comparing each spoke within your life. You will notice there is no number ten peg. Ten is commonly associated with being perfect and as a person that is growing and understands how life is, we know we'll never be perfect. We can be very good at things and strive for greatness - but it is balance among all of the spokes that is important.

When you have finished, look over each of the spokes and see which ones need work. The low marked ones are where you start. Just start is what you want to do to bring balance into life. As you balance out these areas of your life - and remember it is to have balance, not that all spokes have to be nines - things will work better. One part of your life can pick up for the other should you experience a down turn in another.

A great life is yours to have - balance out your life and experience it.

Sleep

Man Sleeping by Rabulist

"When I woke up this morning a friend asked me, "Did you sleep good?" I said "No, I made a few mistakes." ~Steven Wright

Amusing as the quote above seems, but sleep is probably one of the more important things you do in life. The Harvard Medical School of Sleep Medicine indicates that there are various theories as to "Why do we sleep", although science has made tremendous strides in discovering what happens during sleep and what mechanisms in the body control the cycles of sleep and wakefulness that help define our lives.

So having flown overnight from Atlanta to London, I asked myself "how well did I sleep?" My answer was, "well enough, but I did make a few mistakes." One was in keeping the headphones on a bit too loud albeit on classical music. You see my sleep patterns on a plane are mostly consciousness interrupted by several moments of unconsciousness.

It is almost as if I'm in a wakening dream state. I can hear what is going on around me, I shuffle in my 12" wide faux leather covered aluminum seat, and I drift in and out. This I call a good night's sleep on a plane. Those moments of unconsciousness added together make up my sleep. The other parts I call dozing and are additive to the whole sleep process for me.

Now why would I write about sleeping at all? Is there really a point to all of this?

For me, sleep is a very under rated activity to the human population. We tend to under estimate its power to keep us healthy and strong during the day. Without sleep, over time we do deteriorate both in how well we function and in how well we feel. Much like eating, it helps to sustain our body over the course of time.

The importance of sleep and why I write about it today is in taking care of yourself. In order to be good at what you do during the waking hours, you need sleep as much as you need exercise, good nutrition, and all of the other balance of the "six spokes" of your life.

Now ask yourself, "did I sleep good last night?"

Healthy Heart

"According to the American Heart Association, about 785,000 Americans have an initial heart attack and another 470,000 have a recurrent heart attack each year." -Centers for Disease Control

It takes years and habits to clog your arteries but it takes only minutes for death to occur from it. Yes, I'm talking about taking care of yourself. Health is one of the Six Spokes we have in life that has to have attention paid to it.

The symptoms of Coronary Heart Disease occur when a substance called plaque builds up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart (called coronary arteries). Plaque is made up of cholesterol deposits, which can accumulate in your arteries. When this happens, your arteries can narrow over time.

Plaque buildup can cause angina, the most common symptom of CAD. This condition causes chest pain or discomfort because the heart muscle doesn't get enough blood. Over time, CAD can weaken the heart muscle. This may lead to heart failure, a serious condition where the heart can't pump blood the way that it should. An irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, can also develop.

It can get ugly, it can make your life miserable, it can make your life go away. Pay attention to your health, pay attention to your heart. The picture above might make your stomach turn a little bit. But that is what can happen inside the myriad of arteries and veins that traverse our body.

When the big ones near your heart get clogged, the heart weakens and as the heart goes, so goes the rest of the body. I have seen it first hand in watching my father battle it and win. I have seen it first hand through losing a brother to it.

Do I stand here and implore you to pay attention to your heart health? Does it sound like I'm harping upon you to do so? Do I watch my own heart health?

YES - YES - YES

Stay around for a while, don't let yourself fall to a preventable disease. I'll pester you from time to time and by all means feel free to pester me about it.