MOVE: February 14, 2014

Spoiler Summary: Impossible is NEVER the same as unlikely.

"The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them"

- Sir Arthur C. Clarke (author of 2001: A Space Odyssey)

I'm getting really tired of the white stuff falling from the sky.  It's cold, it's heavy and it's getting in the way of many of the things I consider important or enjoyable. Whether it be cancellations or postponements at work, an inability to exercise outdoors (excluding all the shoveling of course), or just my readiness for some color, much like the state's road-salt stockpile, I feel like my winter-weather tolerance is nearly empty.  But how do I know?  How do any of us really know what our limits are?  The truth is, we don't.  Having personally witnessed people do things they previously thought impossible so many times (and maybe even done a few such things along the way myself) - I've come to realize that some of the most daunting barriers we face are the limits we impose on ourselves.  But what if instead of limits we saw chances to improve?  What if instead of barriers we saw opportunities to get better?  What if in the midst of bad circumstances or setbacks we didn't stop trying, but rather started trying alternatives?

I heard a story this week about such a person.  I've never met the guy - but what I know of him seems pretty cool.  A high-school graduate in 2011 who has a passion for meteorology.  No formal training, no extensive radar system, just a curious mind and a willingness to work hard.  When he ran into "circumstances" that stopped him from attending college, he went to work on his family's farm and kept chasing his passion in his spare time.  Since 2012 he has become a bit of a local phenom, amassing more than 11,000 fans on his Facebook page and even a feature story on nj.com (check it out HERE).  Even though I've never met him - I'm really happy for him.  It's a great example of not seeing the limiters in a situation, but rather seeing the opportunities and finding a creative solution.  When I saw a post that said "please excuse grammar errors, I've been up for 27 hours following this storm and I'm pretty tired" I found myself hoping some university or college read the article and finds a way to reward his passion and determination with some assistance to overcome whatever the circumstance was......because no matter how unlikely, it was not impossible that he would have such success.

There is an absolutely CRITICAL concept here for anyone who wants to achieve a goal or overcome a challenge.  Impossible = CAN'T be done.  Unlikely = improbable, but DEFINITELY possible.

- Will it be impossible for the gentleman I spoke with earlier in the week who wants to improve his strength and balance to achieve his goal?  Not at all.....but it's unlikely if he doesn't have the right plan - I was happy that he called.

- Will it be impossible for the person with the shoulder discomfort I crossed paths with to feel better? Nope!  But, it's unlikely that will happen without restoring normal motion and stability. I'm glad she asked.

- Is it impossible for the person I met who wants to lose significant weight this year get there? Of course not, but it's unlikely without some dietary and exercise habit changes. I hope I can help.

- Finally is it impossible for me to enjoy the snow? Well....no, but it's very unlikely if the only reason I spend any time in it is with a shovel in my hand.

We are stronger than we think.  Given the right environment and a wide enough vision most of us can achieve more than we ever thought possible.  We may not all have a passion for the weather.....but somewhere in there we all have passion.....and when passion is in the mix, ANYONE can do extraordinary things.

I hope that despite the unique challenges and risks a winter storm brings, you made it safely through, proving once again exactly how possible "safe & healthy" is.

I'm going to play in the snow with my kids.

Have a great weekend,

Mike E.

RECOVER: February 7, 2014

The Battle of the Brains.....

Spoiler Alert - things that drain our bodies, drain our brain....but things that restore the body, restore the brain too.

Everyday a battle is being waged right inside your skull. It's a classic power struggle - where the winner gets to call the shots.  It's a pretty big deal, a prize worth fighting for....since calling the shots (i.e. "winning" this battle) essentially means control over your actions.  Yes, every action, every choice.....the battle rages on.  In one corner is the "thinking" side - a function of the most advanced portions of the brain, where analysis takes place and logic reigns supreme.  In the other corner is "reacting" - a function of the most primitive structures of the brain (and possibly the gut, but that's a post for another day), where emotions have the power.  When the emotional-brain wins and the result is something fun or exciting we call it "spontaneous" or "uninhibited"- but when the result is not so wonderful we might call it "impulsive" or "irrational". When the thinking-brain wins and the result is a good thing, we call it "sensible" or "rational".....when the outcome isn't as good we might find ourselves using phrases like "unimaginative". 

As long as we use the right brain for the job, everything goes well......but what if things get mixed up?  What if instead of thinking through big decisions, like how much to save for retirement or the best way to complete a job, we just go with the first thought that pops into our head?  Sort of like leaping before looking, it might not pan out well.  Of course, the opposite is also true - if we painstakingly labor over decisions like what radio station to listen to, we might not get much done in a day.  But what if the mix-up happens in a situation that's more critical - like our ability to stay healthy and safe?  What if instead of thinking about the potential dangers in a situation we just jumped in and hoped for the best?  Or what if instead of letting years of training and experience guide the split-second decisions of emergency personnel, they pulled out the manual and started on page 1 after you called 911....just to make sure?  At the very minimum, mistakes & delays would be more common.....and of course the worst-case could be a disaster.

So how do we set ourselves up for success?  If you've been reading these for a while and you figured that it MUST tie back to maintaining a balance of MOVE, FUEL and RECOVER somehow......you're absolutely right.  Things that add stress to our system can trigger an emotional brain takeover when we least want it; they can also cause us to bog down in the details when what we really need is action.

Why do some people hit a heavy bag when they're stressed? Why do others go for a run?  Physical activity can be like a chemical reset button for the brain; assuming you stop before true fatigue or injury, it can provide the clarity and focus needed to give the "thinking brain" the edge again. 

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables and other low-inflammatory foods can improve performance and reduce the risk of several forms of disease including those that impact brain function.  One interesting recent study out of Canada (abstract here) showed that high fruit-vegetable intake was associated with a significantly lower risk of distress, anxiety and depression.

And adequate rest has not only been linked to a clearance in an important brain byproduct (a toxic protein called beta-amyloid) which is associated with diseases like Alzheimer's.... it is also well known to lower errors and compromised safety.

The good news? Just like an imbalance of MOVE-FUEL-RECOVER can throw us off our normal axis, small investments in those same areas can bring us back in balance.

It might seem easiest if we could just stop the battle altogether......but we do need both sides as conflicted as they might be.....the trick is to arm them when it's their turn to win, and disarm them when it's not - and that can be simpler than it might seem.  Let us know if we can help.

Have a great week,

Mike E.

FUEL: January 31st, 2014

The Actions We Become....Designing a Moment

When I left home this morning my car thermometer was reading 3 degrees.  Ouch.  Even if the instrumentation is not perfectly accurate, which I sincerely hope it's not, that's WAY beyond cold in my book.  After much grumbling for not bringing gloves, the steering wheel eventually thawed and I arrived at my morning location where there was a conversation about components of steel tools that had shattered on impact recently because they had become so cold and brittle. WAY beyond "cold". 

A few hours later, I was back in the car headed for the next appointment.  For some reason I hadn't turned on the radio....something that is pretty rare for me.  The highway was open, the sky was clear-blue and I noticed the temp had slowly inched its way all the way up to 23 degrees....practically tropical.  Without the radio, the steady hum of the tires was the only noticeable sound....and that quickly faded to the back of my mind. 

Within a few minutes, I began to feel the warm sun coming through the glass.  It was one of those feelings you wish you could capture and replay, the kind that makes you want to take a few deep breaths....a moment you'd let roll-on for a while if you had the choice.....warm and inviting.  Of course, looking out the window it was still every bit a cold winter's day - but inside the car, it was early spring....a little bit of quiet-sanctuary at highway speed.

What a great example of what the right environment can do......looks like winter, but in the moment, it's spring all the way.  But this isn't a story about insulated glass and the greenhouse effect.  It's a story about a moment, when the details came together.....when things fell in place.  For example, if at that same moment I had been sitting in traffic and was at risk of being late to my next appointment, I wouldn't have been nearly as appreciative of the warmth.  If I was listening to the radio like I normally do or if my muffler had a hole in it, I might not have noticed much over the background noise.  If it was later in the day and the sun's angle was causing glare, the experience would have been changed considerably.....and so on.  This time, it all just sort of fell together, but what if I want more moments like this?  Do I have to wait until the next clear-blue, low-traffic, NJ midday in late-January?  Of course not.....nearly half of our daily routines are done completely on autopilot....no thinking or awareness involved.  Therefore, when we put even a little effort into thinking about the details of our day-to-day routine, we begin realizing the actions that we "are" (and those that we aren't).  From there, tuning our environments in a way that drastically increases our odds of "falling into" a successful moment is not that complicated - here are a few examples from the research that have surprisingly powerful effects:

MOVE vigorously for five minutes, every single day, at a specific time (in addition to any exercise you're already doing).....it won't be long before you notice how good you feel afterward and begin looking forward to it.

Start a FUEL log and track not only what you ate, but when and how you felt an hour afterward.....if you notice a pattern you don't like, find a better way - sometimes all it takes is seeing it with our own eyes. 

Think about where your quiet-sanctuary might be - go there - without your phone and RECOVER.  It doesn't have to be an exotic location (although it'd be nice), it only has to be a place where you can relax.  Want to be more resilient to the stresses of the world around you? 

Improve your ability to ENDURE by building a habit of writing down a few things you were grateful for today.  Even if it's hard in the beginning, stick with it - the impact it has on everything from mental outlook to brain chemistry is impressive.......and if you find one that involves someone else in your life.....

CONNECT the dots for them by telling them the story and making them smile.....we are hard-wired for human connection, a simple smile reflected back in your direction can do amazing things for your health.  

It's not always easy......but it doesn't have to be complex.  The first 8% went fast, but that means that 92% of the 2014 experience is still ahead of us......and for those who are in pursuit of big things this year.....we can't wait to see how the moment unfolds.

Now go do something extraordinary,

Mike Eisenhart, PT

Managing Partner, Pro-Activity

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ENDURE: January 24, 2014

What's Your Resilience Strategy?

Spoiler Summary: Resilience may be one of the most important factors that people aren't talking about

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I've come to realize lately that I want my kids to think that math is cool.  That's right.....I'm on a family mission to make math cool. As you might expect, so far it's been a bit of a challenge.  It is math after all.  I suppose any rule-based language of symbols that drives most of us nuts at one point or another, more than once prompting the question "how am I going to use this in real life?" - might not be high on most lists of cool-things, but I'm not giving up.

Of course, having answered that question more times than I've asked it, and being "outed" as a bit of a numbers geek it might be hard to believe, but I wasn't ALWAYS such a fan, but I'm a power user now.  Whether it be as a hobby - such as an understanding of sports statistics, or professionally, like understanding why the odds of injury go up at certain body positions and angles, or even on a more personal level, like understanding exactly how much it's going to cost me to send those same kids to school…...math is EVERYWHERE, but that's not the main reason why I want three future math lovers.  The real reason that I want my kids to learn math and think it's cool is because at its core, math is about using a set of thinking skills in order to get over tough challenges and ultimately about the personal reward of figuring things out for yourself.  I like it BECAUSE it is hard - it's literally about "problems" and therefore it's equally about getting to solutions......a resolution after a taxing effort......mental endurance exercise......the building blocks of resilience.

Resilience is an often underrated attribute, but the more we learn about what it takes to succeed in achieving your goals, the more we know how important it is.  To simplify the research, people who get good at overcoming challenges learn how to be doers, even in the face of adversity - to be actively engaged in the world around them and just stubborn enough (not rigid, but committed) to get across the finish line.

Of course, it's not just math - that's only one tactic. Like many kids, mine are testing sports, music, puzzles/games and more as well.  But what about most adults?  Are the people you know challenge-seekers? Are they finding ways to "solve"?  Or are they mostly just challenge identifiers who like to talk about the challenges but not necessarily do much?  

It seems like resilience is more and more rare, and some research show that as attention span has gone down, so has resilience; but don't fret! The best news is you can start anywhere, any time you choose and build your reserves, even if they're very depleted.  Put in the effort, get the results.  It's a skill that gets better at any age if you practice.  So even though most people are resolved to improve physical strength this time of year, building the resolve in itself has value.

If you need some math flash cards to get you really excited - let me know.

Have a great weekend,

Mike E.