The Weekly Word

​Health Tip of the Week
Do you have rhythm? Some of you may be visualizing yourself on the dance floor but that is not the type of rhythm I am talking about. The type of rhythm I do want to discuss has to do with the seasons. It has to do with the ebbs and flows over the course of the year and how you use that to create a fitness plan that is best suitable for your life. 

As the season changes and the weather begins to look more spring-like, I encourage you all to take a self assessment on what you are doing for exercise and think about syncing up with the season. If you spent all winter couped up in a gym, put the weights down for a period of time and get outside for some walking, hiking, running, or some bodyweight exercises at a local park. Sign up for a race or walk, join some friends for some outdoor fun, or do anything else you can think of that runs counter to the options that winter provides. The body and mind will embrace the new challenge, appreciate the variety, and in the end, so too will your overall health!

What I've Been Thinking About...
What year do you think the following quotes were written:

• “It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion than our own.” 
• “External things are not the problem. It’s your assessment of them. Which you can erase right now.”
• “Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself.” 

If you guessed over 2,000 years ago, you would have been spot on! The above quotes are all from Marcus Aurelius (121 AD - 180 AD) and he is not the only thinker of that time period who had some gems. Look up names like Seneca (4BC - 65 AD) and Epictetus (50 AD - 135 AD) and you will be equally impressed. So how did they know so much and why are these ideas something that we still struggle with today? Is it part of the human experience to be sensitive to judgment, focus on the external, and lack discipline? Are these issues things that man or woman will always experience? 

After thinking on this, I came to the realization that we all kind of have an operating system like a computer. The human operating system has innate mechanisms that make us who we are. It has the need or longing to be a part of a community, it wants to be accepted, it strives for improvement, it is resilient and empathic. Those are the good traits. Unfortunately, there is also a dark side to our human operating system. Things like the ego, manipulation, greed, lust, power etc. all shade our judgment and lead us down a path that we may not be proud of. The next talking point is a perfect example of just that...

What I've Been Watching...
Krishnas: Gurus. Karma. Murder

I first heard of this story listening to an American Scandal podcast a few years ago so when I came across the three episode series, I had to check it out. The story is as old as man. It doesn't seem to matter what decade or century we look at, there are examples of how one charismatic and/or manipulative leader gains a following and uses that power to illicit things that benefit himself and maybe those in his inner circle. At one point during the show, they share the quote “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. This story of the Hare Krishnas in West Virginia is a perfect example of that. 

What I've Been Listening To...
Bad Therapy by Abigail Shrier

This is an author who is not afraid to stick her neck and say some controversial things which is something I admire about her work. In her latest book, she takes a look at the rise in popularity of therapy and other mental health modalities for kids. With all the resources we have, the rate of anxiety, depression, and other diagnoses are at an all-time high. The cause of this is multi-factorial and up for debate but there is one thing you can't argue with and that is the fact that on the whole, things are not working the way we had hoped. 

There is so much more to this book but I think it is an important one to read if you are a parent. 

Quote of the Week
“If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.” – Seth Godin

I hope you all have an awesome week!Chris Fluck