Adversity is One of Life's Greatest Gifts

**This is an excerpt taken from a book I am writing**

It is not very easy to make the transition from spectator to player. When you are a player you experience a much greater level of emotions. Sometimes these emotions are troubling and other times they are great. I remember very distinctly a situation that seemed terrible at the time, yet it turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me. It was my senior year of high school and I was the starting shortstop for the Varsity baseball team. We had won the District Championship the last 3 years in a row. We were ranked number 1 in the state and 23rd in the nation. I won the Gold Glove Award my sophomore year for my defensive ability. We were now going for our 4th District Championship in a row against our biggest rivals. It was the last inning in a tied game with 2 outs and men on first and second base. The pitch was thrown and a routine ground ball came right at me, It was a play I have made thousands of times before with little effort. I was ready for it and as the ball approached me I picked my glove up too soon and the ball went right between my legs. At that moment, time seemed to slow down. I dropped to my knees and prayed the center fielder would pick up the ball and throw it home in time to catch the runner before he scored but it was too late. The runner scored and we went on to lose the game. I was crushed. I had just let my entire team down and we lost the District Championship.

It was not until that moment that I realized how much my team meant to me and what the game of baseball meant to me. It represented so much more than a ball going between my legs. It taught me how to deal with hardship. I could have chosen to give up and view myself as a failure or I could have chosen to redeem myself. I chose the latter. Although we lost the district championship, we still made it to the regional play-offs. We beat the first team we played and made it to the Regional Championship. We had the chance for a rematch against the team we lost to in the District Championship. We were playing them at their field, on their home turf. The stands were completely packed. This game was one of the biggest rivalries in the state. People were standing around the fence, on roof tops, and anywhere they could in order to get a spot to view this game. It was an exciting game for me because I had a chance to redeem myself. I went out on the field with full confidence and I was on a mission. It was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had the pleasure of participating in. I played the best game of my life.

After the game we were shaking everyone’s hands on the other team and their coach pulled me aside. He had been coaching for about 25 years and has coached some of the most amazing baseball players in the state. Many have gone on to play college and professional baseball. He told me that I played the most amazing defensive game he has ever seen. Later on in the team huddle, my coach gave me the game ball. What made that moment so special to me was that in my four years and 150 games of playing baseball for him, it was the first game ball I had ever seen him give out. We lost the game that evening but it was a personal victory I will carry with me forever. I would have never had that experience if that ball did not go through my legs only a week earlier. I would have never learned how to bounce back from a hardship of that magnitude and in such a powerful way if I was only a spectator in the stands. As a player, you are dealing with much higher risks, however, the rewards increase exponentially. Michael Jordan said, “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

It ultimately comes down to a simple question. Do you want to let life just happen to you and drift whichever way the current takes you, or do you want to create the life of your dreams? For me the answer is obvious, however, you will need to make that decision for yourself. I hope for your sake you decide to be proactive and become a player in your life. I hope you step up with the courage to overcome adversity. I hope you begin to see challenges and hardships for the incredible lessons they have to offer you instead of sitting back and playing the victim. I hope you begin to realize some of the toughest situations, trials, and tribulations you will encounter are gifts that are wrapped in silver lining ready to offer you life lessons that of which have the power to take your life from ordinary to extraordinary.

Be Active! Be Healthy!

Do you ever have those lazy days when you just cannot motivate yourself to get out of bed? You have nothing important to do so you just decide to take a day where you stay in bed, watch movies, and read a good book. The only time you get out of bed is for the occasion snack and maybe to use the bathroom. We all have a day like that once in while. It might be after a really long and stressful week, and we feel that if we take an entire day to do absolutely nothing then we will finish the day energized and ready to conquer the world. Except that is never the case, is it? We never feel more energized after a day like that. We always feel more tired and lethargic. How is that possible? I thought rest was supposed to allow us to recharge our “batteries” and leave us with more energy?

The truth of the matter is movement is what stimulates life! Movement is analogous to a generator that is powered by a windmill. A generator cannot create its own power. Its power comes from the movement of the windmill. Similarly, our energy comes from movement, a large portion of which comes from movement of the spine. Every time we move a joint, we fired the nervous system. Exercise provides us with the avenue to fire up our nervous system and power up our brain. It is what we genetically require to create health and homeostasis in our body.

Exercise does not have to be synonymous with pain and torture. Keep it fun and interesting. Today, I had a great day snorkeling at the beach and walking on the sand. Not only was it an incredibly fun day, but I also got some great exercise in the process. If the gym is not your thing, find something you enjoy doing that adds more movement to your life. Take that dance class you always wanted to attend. Take your spouse for a midnight walk on the beach. Play a game of soccer with your kids. Take up yoga or pilates. Go rollerblading or for a bike ride. Do something to increase movement in your life. It will bring a new level of energy and vitality to your life you never experienced before. Be active! Be healthy!

Is your Circle of Influence building you up or tearing you down?

How many of you have heard the ancient question, ”If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take one thing with you, what would it be?” Most of you have heard this question I hope, unless you have been living under a rock your whole life! I love that question because it really makes you contemplate about what is important to you and where your values stand. I’d like to rephrase the question just a bit. “If you were stranded on a desert island, who are the six people you would want to take with you?” This is not an esoteric question where your answers may range anywhere from Albert Einstein to Jessica Alba. I want to know the six people in your life that you would want to take with you. If these people are not the six people you spend most of your time with, we have a problem. It has been said that we are a reflection of the six people we spend the most time with. Who are your six? Are these people energy vampires or are they empowers? Do they take more from your “vending machine” of energy than they contribute or do they give more than they take? Do they call you to greatness or do they let you settle for mediocre? The ultimate level of your success will largely be determined by your “Circle of Influence.”

I would like to take a moment to acknowledge my “Circle of Influence.” I have to say I have been fortunate to be surrounded by the most amazing people on the face of this planet. This statement is no hyperbole. I truly believe with every fiber of my being that I have attracted and continue to attract some really amazing people into my life. If I am even a small reflection of the quality of people I have in my life, I am humbled to a level of sincere gratitude.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to fill more than eight ounces into an eight-ounce glass. As we finish up with Spring and head into Summer, I encourage you to re-evaluate the inventory of people in your life and schedule a Spring “cleaning.” Spend more time and show gratitude to the people that call you to a level of world-class. Send them a Thank You card or just give them a call and tell them what they mean to you and how much you appreciate them. You will be amazed by the results you will see in all areas of your life including your level of happiness, success, and personal fulfillment.

The key to succeeding in today’s economy!

There is no denying that we are in the midst of difficult economic times. Unemployment is the highest it has been in over a quarter of a century. People’s savings accounts have been wiped out and many other people are struggling to stay afloat. As an employer or employee in today’s economy, it is more important now than ever to create outrageous value in your place of business. We not only must separate ourselves from the many other businesses that are providing the same or similar products or services, but we must do so in a way that demonstrates such an attractive value for our product or service that people cannot help but make it a top priority to purchase it because of the amazing impact it has on their lives. One of the ways I believe we can do that is through a world-class level of customer service. In our office, part of our mission is to create the environment for an exceptional chiropractic experience. Part of that is keeping the energy and attention on our practice members at such a high level that it is unparalleled to anything else in their life. I had an experience lately that demonstrated just how important making people feel remarkably special really is. We had an amazing person join the practice a few weeks ago. She summed up in a couple of sentences everything that we try to create in our office. She said she loved coming to the office because everything about the office experience is so positive and uplifting. She even said she does not mind waiting for her adjustment because she enjoys just sitting in the reception area and watching everyone because the energy and passion is like nothing she has ever seen. Uniting this kind of experience with an outstanding product or service is a winning combination! We live in such a negative world with all of the news, current events, and workplace focused on death, destruction, lack, loss, and negativity. If you can create an exceptional customer experience while creating outrageous value for your product or service, when people ask you how you feel about the current recession the economy seems to be facing, your answer will be: “What recession?”

The magnificence that is YOU!

Do you ever wonder how it is possible for you to maintain, sustain, and improve your health and your life throughout a lifetime? Do you live in awe of the process of life and how nature creates a human being from just two cells? How can you possibly explain the process of two cells differentiating into nerve cells, heart cells, liver cells, muscle cells, and kidney cells and the coordination of all of these systems with each other? How can you explain the process of the nurturing environment a mother creates in her body for a developing fetus, which provides it all of the nutrients, and information for it to develop into a fully functioning human being? Now let’s fast-forward 80-100 years. How do you explain the process of death? At the point of death, what is the difference between the person the moment before they passed away and the moment after they passed away? The biochemistry is the same. The anatomy is the same. So what is the difference? The difference is the intelligence in the universe that is within all of us and controls how we function, heal, digest food, and adapt to our environment is no longer present. The essence of life is no longer flowing through our nervous system and communicating with the rest of our body and telling it how to function. The Major Premise in chiropractic is that there is a Universal Intelligence in all matter and continually gives to it all its properties and actions, thus maintaining it in existence. Within each of us, we have a piece of that intelligence, called Innate Intelligence, that provides us with an unlimited potential to experience an abundant existence filled with great health, energy, and an amazing quality of life. I feel so fortunate to be a chiropractor and work with the very intelligence that animates all living things and affords people the opportunity to live a limitless existence. Marvel in the magnificence that is you. Marvel in the magnificence that is life. It is my mission to tap into this unlimited potential in each and every one of you so that you may experience health, relationships, and life as a whole to your highest level possible. What is your mission? What inspires you? What gets you out of bed every morning and gets you excited to be alive? Leave a comment below. I would love to hear about it!!

When the going gets tough!

No matter how careful and calculated you are, it is impossible to avoid unforeseen challenges and inconvenient events in life. I also contend that life is not about playing it safe or focusing on avoiding challenges and setbacks. Let’s face it, no matter how hard we try to avoid them, they always seem to come up. Life is about playing all out and giving all you have to everything you do. Life is about how powerful you are in confronting, conquering, and adapting to those challenges. A mentor of mine told me “A master prefers what occurs.” In other words, when you become a master of your life, it does not matter what happens to you, because you see an opportunity in everything you face. Some of you may be facing financial challenges in the current state of economic uncertainty in the world. Some of you may be facing a health challenge that seems insurmountable. Some may be overwhelmed and underappreciated at your job or at home with your family. Every one of these situations has a hidden gift for you to grow into a more powerful and better version of yourself. You must be open to seeing it. When we open our minds and our hearts to experience the gifts that every situation has to offer, we start to look at our lives and the world much differently. Embrace change. Become bigger than the challenges you are facing. Live with passion and see the gifts that every situation brings to you!

What is a key ingredient to successful relationships?

So I just finished watching 7 Pounds and I just felt compelled to sit down and write. It was by far the most emotionally pressing movie I have ever seen. Will Smith was brilliant in the movie and the adversity he had to face was seemingly insurmountable for him. I am not going to ruin the movie for those who have not seen it by discussing the details but I am going to comment on what the movie brought out of me. The most powerful thing I got out of the movie is the power of presence and love. More often than I care to admit I get caught up in my own daily struggles and I do not take the time to tell the people who mean the most to me how much I love them. I do not focus on what and who I am so incredibly grateful for in my life. Love is one of those things that is so difficult to describe. A definition can be explained through logic and reason, however, the true essence of love can only be experienced through personal experience. For example, you can explain and describe the action of waves crashing on a deserted moonlit beach, but you never fully appreciate it until you experience it first hand. If I had to explain love, I would describe it as this: Love is the moment, whether for a period in time or a lifetime, where your core values synergize into a “whole is greater than the sum of the parts” experience which results in a paradox of a peaceful calm and a rush of excitement and energy at the same time. At this moment you have a heightened awareness of your senses and there is a deep burning appreciation and gratitude for the beauty of life. This moment can only be achieved through a presence that is so present that it is as if time stops. You are so focused on the moment and all of the experiences it has to offer, it is as if time does not exist. You feel it. The people around you feel it. Your children and your spouse feel it. What would your life look like if you brought more love and presence into everything you do? How would your relationship with your son or daughter or wife or husband look? In this day and age with so many distractions, people are yearning for your presence. Tell an important person in your life today how much you love them. Do it from a place of sincerity and present time consciousness that you have never done before and feel the words as you say them. Do this and watch how your life and the lives around you transform.