yoda

For many of us, life becomes mainly a race against the tyranny of our past. We seek transformation in the future as an escape, as salvation, and as proof that we are better than that person in our life mirror. We step onto the roller coaster of personal development and wait for the universe to open its secrets to success. Every now and then we may achieve some victories and we begin to feel that… NOW we’re hitting our stride!

Soon enough we get smacked in the face with the reality that the affirmations and other personal work were not enough. We sink back into the swamp of our limiting beliefs that hold the real Secret of our miserable destiny.

We seek models of transformation that exist outside ourselves and we hope that these can lead us to fame, power, and money. When we get exhausted and thwarted by these pursuits, we surrender to being entertained by those media figures that can help us forget.

Even if we were able to clean the slate of our lives, without an ability to fully experience the present, we will rapidly rebuild the prison of our past. We still have to navigate the world around us. Analyses can be made at the level of environment, behavior, capabilities, beliefs and values, and identity to aid us in making changes in our circumstances. Real transformation takes place at the point we have uncovered our purpose and resolved to fully embrace the present.

We have to stop seeking depth and meaning. We are already deep – deep beyond measure. Real transformation will come with the awareness that the only truth is the truth of the present – where God’s love is strongest. So transform right where you are. The Scylla and Charybdis of past and future will become merely stage directions on your way to the spotlight.

I am a fan of the Paleo Diet (with some occasional Weston A. Price modifications). I’m a fan of sustainable and locally grown produce and the humane treatment of animals. I think it was Wendell Berry who said that, “Eating is an agricultural act.” I am also fascinated by the potential of social media.

A couple of nights ago I was introduced to a fascinating and ethnically diverse mix of healthy eating, social responsibility, fast food, and social media. It came in the package of a new restaurant - 4Food. Their mission “is to De-junk fast food.” The center piece of the menu is the (W)holeburger -- a donut-shaped burger made out of either beef, lamb, pork, salmon, turkey, or vegetable. There are many vegetable options that can be scooped into the center and this is then sealed off by options like Daikon Radish or Kimchi. There are several types of buns, including one that is made out of rice for those who have a gluten sensitivity. If you are avoiding grains altogether, you can have a kebab made out of any of the “donut” centers.

The only potential negative I can see is that the combinations can be be mind-numbing. After sampling the salmon, lamb, beef, along with some root vegetables, hominy salad, and brussel sprouts, I know that next time, I will need to go in with a plan. The combinations tasted like the winning creations in some Food Network Top Chef challenge where the competitors were given the charge: “think Golden Arches meets farmer’s market.” Twitter streaming and the use of ipads are part of the ordering experience.

Located at 286 Madison Avenue (the corner of 40th street), the place has a clean, open look. Stainless steel, IPad ordering, and technology sceeens combine with the 140 million burger combinations.

The food is locally-sourced, the serving materials are all compostable, and they are committed to hiring displaced workers. The confluence of technology and mindful dining make 4food a great classroom for children of all ages.

For me, the place represents possibility, choice, community, and fresh, good-tasting food. I now have a “go-to” place for my Meetup group and my children’s birthdays. I also have somewhere to get fast food when I want to feel like a smarter, more responsible gourmand. Let’s hope they plan to share the secret.

Pushing Back
I sometimes get very confused about what political label I’m supposed to use for myself. This is partly due to my changing view of government’s appropriate role in our lives. I don’t intend to get into that here other than to state my concern over our lack of connection to our true state (of being, not citizenship). This disconnection is manipulated by those who do not have our best interests at heart. We become addicts and numbed by the bread and circus. Abdicating our awareness and responsibility has become too easy to do. Strengthening our will and waking up by asking the right questions are two ways to start to regain control.

Good habits are formed by the will, while bad habits are mostly the result of an ineffective will. Will is energy and its function is not only to intervene between incoming and outgoing currents of thought, but to also give force to motives and resolve. We can form impressive resolutions but they are of no use unless we have the will to carry them out. Character may be defined as a will acting in accordance with wisdom. More than any other factor, the will gives force and identity to the personal self, and whatever influences tend to weaken the will are of necessity bad. This is one of the reasons why it is important to pay attention to the trance states that the media and those in authority try to place us in. If you’re in a trance, make sure it’s one of your own making.

The Will Workout
The efficient means of strengthening the will is to take every opportunity to put good resolutions into practice. Decide you are going to do a useful thing and then do it. Make sure you engage your reason so you don’t act in haste. Most importantly, keep in mind that only reading and studying about the thing you desire never gets you to the goal. These things can only provide a model, a scaffold, or some inspiration. The exercise of the will can become a habit and will help direct what “Psychocybernetics” would call the “servo-mechanism.”

Another Pretty Good Reason
The will to do things that are good and right should ultimately become part of a prayer. Our goal should be to adapt our will to the Higher Will of God. The “Will of God” is sanity, peace, and health. To the extent we are able to express these through our actions, we are reflecting the true purpose of life. Our life is in God, our energy is of God, and the human will is intended, not to obstruct, but to admit the tide of power from above. Its supreme function is to place us in the divine current so that it may act through us.

…that’s what the numbers say anyway. Oh, and before I forget, they will also make history as the first generation with a lifespan that is projected to be shorter than that of their parents.

As a parent, it is hard enough to stay ahead of my children’s simmering resentment. If they get a clear grasp of the statistics behind my headline, I’ll never make up the lost ground.

Is It Really That Bad?
Obesity rates are at epidemic levels and increasing at a faster rate among the young. The misguided and corrupt advice on nutrition provided by corporate interests and those who serve as their surrogates (like the USDA) combined with the lack of access to resources and honest information on nutrition and food politics means there is little hope for change.

Recent studies show that the “emotional health” of college students is at a 25-year low. Anyone who really knows college students knows that the free trade at colleges in Adderall and Ritalin is only the tip of the iceberg. Academic and social pressure increase at an even faster rate than the number of students who enter college needing remediation. Depression is projected to be the 2nd leading cause of disability by the year 2020.

Job prospects are worse than at any time since the Great Depression. Eight million jobs have disappeared in the past three years with no sign that they will reappear as companies park their money on the sidelines and send whatever roles they can overseas. People continue to delude themselves that the charter school movement will fire the silver bullet that will make our kids competitive in an international marketplace. The tremendous increase in income disparity over just the last few years means that we have built an economic system that no longer values real economic contribution, talent, hard work, or entrepreneurialism.

Some kids may escape the trifecta – particularly when it comes to the “poor” part for the children of the Billionaire Boys Club (thank you, Joe D’Angelo for the reference!). This demographic also has the resources to pursue appropriate nutrition. It also helps that body image and shame are taught by their parents as part of the syllabus of entitlement. Now, the crazy part…. that’s a different story.

For Anyone Who Cares
I have a few humble suggestions for anyone who wants to lean into the wind and maybe salvage something in the coming years.  I’ve got a mixed audience so this is for young people and for those who care about them.  The points are kind of general but some people will get it and hey, I am around for anyone wanting to go more in depth.

Young people will first need to cultivate the quality of courage. This may have to be done “on the job.” It’s a quality that can be developed. The more you have in the bank, the more resilient you will be.

It really is true that “it’s not what happens to you that matters, it’s how you feel about what happens that matters.” Whether it’s growing muscles, getting a tan, developing callouses, or maintaining your integrity – stress should be welcomed. Don’t ask for things to be easier; seek to make yourself better and more skilled. Here are a few other suggestions:

• redefine success
• make yourself useful (see Robert Heinlein on the problem of specialization)
• get clear on your values
• look for ways to start and strengthen community; be open to looking for it in places where it might not normally exist
• develop a growth mindset (see the work of Carol Dweck)
• build your decision-making muscle
• decide what you will tolerate
• embrace this unique opportunity to be defined by your humanity instead of your role
• understand that biography is not destiny
• be careful who you allow to populate your private universe
• take responsibility for your physical health (I’ve been shocked at the lies and misinformation I discovered we are being told  about nutrition)
• Choose your focus carefully – even in the small things
• You determine the meaning of anything you focus on
• Be the proof that strangers do care
• Develop an entrepreneurial mindset even if you’re stuck in a cubicle
• Look for opportunities for growth in everything you do
• Seek connection
• Give yourself to something greater than yourself

Following this path won’t get you the private jet share, the $4 million house (notice I didn’t say “home”), the 2 or 3 luxury vehicles, or the fancy vacations.  You will: gain peace of mind, serve as a model for the next generation, attract a better class of people, live with integrity, have a clear conscience, be a leader, value simplicity, be closer to the Truth, live the way God intended for us to live.  In any event, it’s better than dying a quiet life of insignificance or, worse, selling out.

This is a brief video of a key part of my workouts. I also posted it on Brownstone Fitness. I have it here because of my belief that as we seek personal development, we should try to make sure that the body is more than the chauffeur for the head. The two movements are the Turkish Get-Up and the Chop. Both movements train the core, provide stability, and contribute to structural integrity. They are great diagnostic tools to determine imbalances in the body. When I add kettlebell swings, I take care of a lot of the primal patterns of movement that have allowed us to survive and thrive.

An athlete could center his program around these movements and an older person (you know, older than me) could get a great deal of rehabilitative effect.

I mainly do bodyweight exercises but I try to get these movements in (along with one other band movement) twice a week. It takes about 20 minutes. You won’t win a bodybuilding contest doing them but you will gain muscle and you will move more powerfully and elegantly.

My Turkish Get-Up is far from perfect because of things like no cartilage in my elbows, shoulder tendonitis, and lingering movement dysfunction because of a torn quadriceps tendon a couple of years back -- but that’s why I like the movement so much. It uncovers the flaws and lets you systematically work on them.

Let me repeat my apology from the video. Unless you’re in the UFC, playing a Division I sport, or playing in a professional sports league that starts with an “N.” you shouldn’t be wearing the Under Armour stuff. I wore the shirt to give you a sense of the range of motion the shoulder goes through in this movement -- and I’ll admit, I’m happy with the things I can kind of get away with at the soon to be age of 53.

Send me an email if you want more information on these movements or, even better, become a member of Brownstone Fitness and train to be YOUR best.