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Earlier this month I dropped my daughter off at school and then hit the streets for some exercise. As I am warming up I notice there is water flooding the path so I decide to cut through a cemetery to keep my feet dry. As I am doing this, I take a peak over my right shoulder and see something that stops me right in my tracks. What I saw was my last name, written in big letters on a headstone from 150+ years ago!
As I thought about this experience I was reminded of a story I heard a few years ago. On every tombstone, there is the day of birth and the day that you pass on. In between those dates is a dash. At first look, one might think that the dash is insignificant but upon further examination, I came to realize that it represents our time here on earth. The dash is how we spend our days, the relationships we build, the connections we make, and the mark that we leave on the world. So how do we make our dash mean something? Mahatma Ghandi once said that "If you want to change the world, start with yourself". I believe that if we can improve ourselves then we can better serve those in our little network or community. So, after a little reflection, I have identified seven areas that I plan on working on this year and will outline them below!
I hope you all enjoyed reading this and I want to encourage all of you to take some time to reflect on a few areas that you can work on this year. Write them down, put them into practice, and reap the rewards that come with self improvement. Chris Fluck
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Good Morning!
What I've Been Thinking About... The 1800s. To me, this may be the wildest period of time in American history. During this century, we have all sorts of major issues going on throughout our land. As Americans attempt to spread civilization from "sea to shining sea" (Atlantic to Pacific), they do so in a way that does not take into consideration those who inhabit the lands. They soon become well aware of what they refer to as the "Indian problem". To combat the issue, things got very hostile on both sides. Settlers lived in fear of a raid which and the government response to this is downright wicked with groups like the Texas Rangers formed to literally hunt and destroy the Indian way of life. As a result of this nonsense, hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children (both Native and non-Native) die during the mission to move westward. If that is not enough, there are the gold rushes, The Wild West, the land grabs, and an influx of immigrants that are searching for a new way of life. But wait, there is more! While all this is going on, there is political unrest on the Eastern side of the country. Slavery, John Browns raid on Harper's Ferry, the Civil War, the assassination of Lincoln, and the list goes on. It truly was a crazy time to be alive and I am only starting to scratch the surface. What I've Been Reading Path Lit by Lightning: The Life of Jim Thorpe by David Maraniss I am in a rabbit hole and like written above, it runs very deep! The topic that has grabbed my attention is that of the American Indian. Since the start of the year, I have listened to Empire of the Summer Moon and Custer Died for Your Sins. I have also read a book titled Killing Crazy Horse, listened to a podcast about the 1973 Standoff at Wounded Knee, and now, I am diving into this book on the great athlete Jim Thorpe. Side note: Marisa and I watched Killers of the Flower Moon on Friday night. The book is incredible, the movie not so much. Save your time (3.5 hours) and money and watch something else! Health Tip of the Week Pavel Tsatsouline is the man often credited with bringing the kettlebell to American gyms and training programs. He is a man that has incredible insight and introduced me to the concept of "greasing the groove". This idea can be summarized best by thinking about a door hinge. If the door is rarely opened, the hinge might get a little stiff. It might creak a bit and eventually, it could get rusty and start to break down. This hinge is every joint in your body. If you do not move them, you will become the door hinge. Your body will stiffen, creak and eventually, break down. So my guidance is this: a little bit of movement often is better than doing a lot of movement rarely. Having a daily practice of movement will allow those joints of yours to be "greased" and ready for action, whatever that action may be. What I've Been Working On...
Quote of the Week "Our children are only as brilliant as we allow them to be" -- Eric Micha-el Leventhal I hope you all have an awesome week!Chris Fluck  When I look at an ancient structure like the Parthenon, it blows my mind that large portions of it are still standing today. You see the foundation with its wonderful pillars still holding strong after all these years and it makes you appreciate those who designed and built it. They created something that could withstand anything life through its way. Wouldn't it be great if we could do that too? Well, in regards to our health, I think we can!
Comparing ourselves to a building, we have a foundation. On top of that foundation are pillars. In order for this structure to work, the pillars are going to have to be strong and able to withstand any burden that is placed upon it. If they cannot, the whole thing can, and eventually will, crumble. So how do we do this? There are four components to health that we need to be aware of: social, mental, physical and spiritual. Each pillar carries equal importance and should be addressed accordingly. Ignoring or weakening a pillar in architecture dooms the project to failure. The same can be said for our health. Below are a few ideas to keep in mind as you work your way towards improving your overall well-being...
As a parent/coach/teacher, we cannot forget that last point. We play a major role in effecting the health of future generations. A healthier family leads to a healthier town. A healthier town leads to a healthier state. A healthier state leads to a healthier country. Eventually you get to the point where some small, local changes create a positive impact on the world. You just need strong pillars to build from! Chris Fluck What I've Been Thinking About...
One day this week I dropped Emilia off at school and then hit the streets for some exercise. Prior to a running workout I try to walk for about 10 minutes just to get the body warm. As I am doing this I notice there is water flooding the path so I decide to cut through a cemetery to avoid it. It is a quick 3-4 minute shortcut and I notice a funeral is getting set up. I try to move through the path in a way that doesn't distract but something stops me in my tracks. So, as I am cruising along the cemetery road and I randomly take a peak over my right shoulder. It is there that I see a headstone with my name FLUCK written on it in big letters. I was surprised and curious. For one, what is the likelihood to stumble upon such a thing on a random walk through a cemetery? Two, the time that these Fluck's were in the area were in the 1850's which got me thinking: long lost relatives or just a random coincidence? Either way, the moment stuck with me for the week. Mental Health Tip of the Week In other family news, a few days after that moment my aunt who lives in Tennessee came to town for a visit. We went out to eat for breakfast and afterwards, invited her over to see the farm. As adults, I do not think we ever had a real conversation but she made a point to want to change that. During this conversation she shared a ton of stories from her childhood and life that to be quite honest, I was fairly ignorant of. She and I were never really close and apparently this goes back to when I was baby and wouldn't let her hold me. My brother, on the other hand, was much more open and had a different relationship with her than I did. We discussed his death and how hard it was (and still is) for everyone. I recently read a quote that went "the route past grief is through it". You experience it, you feel it, but eventually you have to accept the reality that someone you love is gone and you must start living. I believe that approach is good for all human emotions or events that we face throughout the course of our lives. Experience the event, feel the emotions associated with it, accept that it happened, and then move forward. What I've Been Writing... Having young kids at home that are juggling school, homework, practices, and games makes it very difficult for us parents to get everyone together for a shared meal. Often times it seems like it would be easier just to set up a grab-and-go dinner in order to work around conflicting schedules. In terms of time saved, this idea works very well but at what cost? Recent research has indicated that those family's who routinely eat meals together tend to thrive together. The data shows that when families prepare, cook and consume a meal together, those foods tend to be more nutrient dense. These meals have more protein, fruits and vegetables and are less likely to contain processed foods and high sugar content. But wait, there is more... Click here to continue reading: http://www.chrisfluck.net/.../the-importance-of-family... What I've Been Reading Running with the Buffaloes by Chris Lear This book chronicles the University of Colorado cross country team's 1998 season from the late summer practices to the men's NCAA cross country championships. The author was deeply embedded with the coach and team and really lays out the physical, mental, social, and sometimes spiritual moments that occur over the course of a season in the world of athletics. The ups, the downs, the joys, the sadness, the grief, the bonding, and so on and so forth. Quote of the Week “The walls we build around us to keep sadness out also keeps out the joy.” — Jim Rohn I hope you all have an awesome week! Chris Having young kids at home that are juggling school, homework, practices, and games makes it very difficult for us parents to get everyone together for a shared meal. Often times it seems like it would be easier just to set up a grab-and-go dinner in order to work around conflicting schedules. In terms of time saved, this idea works very well but at what cost?
Recent research has indicated that those family's who routinely eat meals together tend to thrive together. The data shows that when families prepare, cook and consume a meal together, those foods tend to be more nutrient dense. These meals have more protein, fruits and vegetables and are less likely to contain processed foods and high sugar content. But wait, there is more... After decades of research, psychiatrist Anne Fishel lays out in her work the amazing mental health benefits of eating regular meals together. The children from families who eat together are associated with lower rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, eating disorders, tobacco use, early teenage pregnancy and they show higher rates of resilience and self esteem. If you can put all that stuff in a vitamin tablet each and everyone one of us (and our kids) would be jumping at the opportunity to consume it! So how do we make this happen? Start with one meal per week. Pick a day that everyone is free and have a meal together. When you make this is a habit (and everyone realizes spending time together isn't so bad after all) you add another day. Keep this up until you are eating more and more healthy meals together and creating memories with those closest to you. Chris What I've Been Up To...
Other than getting the farm ready for the impending snow storm, I was on the move yesterday. I took a short drive to help a local man build a workout program for his home. After spending 60 minutes with him, we really laid the groundwork on a good program that they can implement into their daily lives. In this day and age, convenience is important. A 10-20 minute drive to a gym is not always an option so to have the ability to exercise in the comfort of your own home (or office) is a great thing. If interested in setting an appointment (in-home or zoom), text me at (610) 646-1524 and we can get it scheduled! In addition, if you are reading this newsletter, it is safe to assume you value your health and wellness. I have recently added something new to our wellness programs and I’d like to get your feedback on it. Are you open to checking it out? If so, reply to this email and I will send the info your way! Fitness Tip of the Week A few years ago I ran a program called "The 5% Club". The mission for that club would be to lose five percent of your total bodyweight over the course of a year. So, for a 200 pound individual, the goal would be to not only get down to 190 but to stay there. Dropping 5% results in a slew of positive health benefits: blood pressure, joint health, heart/lung function, energy levels, blood work, quality of sleep and more all improve. If maintained over time, so too will your length and quality of life. The goal with this plan was to slowly chip away at something and put into practice good, long term, sustainable strategies. Sustainable being the key word here. It was not a crash diet or rapid weight loss program. It was a program built on habits. If you are on a mission this new year to drop some weight, remember the tortoise and the hare. Be patient, develop habits that will last, and reap the rewards. What I've Been Reading Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Stevenson There are many so-called classics that I have never read and this one fits the bill. It tells the tale of a Dr. Jekyll and a Mr. Hyde which, as we eventually find out, is the same man (spoiler alert!). One is an example of good and the other, an example of evil. As the story goes, the good side slowly loses hold as they become their second, worse self. This is man's dual nature where us humans are all capable of doing good and unfortunately, also doing bad. As Stevenson puts it, I do not suppose that when a drunkard reasons with himself upon his vice that he is instantly cured of what temptation draws himself towards it. Just as the pull of alcohol lures in the addict, so too do the urges for evil afflict our main character. What I've Been Watching... Stand up comedy. From relatively newcomers like Shane Gillis and Andrew Santino, to legends like Norm Macdonald and Chris Rock, to my all-time favorite Dave Chappelle, I have been taking it all in. These individuals really know how to spin a story and their rhythm and timing while sharing is a thing of beauty. It is hard to have a bad day when you spend some time laughing and these guys get it done for me. Quote of the Week "If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours" -- Henry David Thoreau I hope you all have an awesome week!Chris Fluck |
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