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I am blogging today in my spa robe, here at the Bedford Springs Resort.

I just finished getting my first ever massage. It was called the Springs Eternal Therapeutic Massage. I liked it. I am supposed to start feeling the effects of it tomorrow. I’ll let you know. The most interesting part so far was prior to my massage, I had to “exfoliate” with this black (walnut and ginger?) scrub in their hydro-shower. It shoots you from all angles. Interesting. Then, I went into the “eucalyptus” steam room to open up my pores. Also very interesting. From there, I was to do three intervals between the warm and cool tubs. Finally, I had to hydrate my skin with (cucumber?) body mist. I then went to relax in the “relaxation” area with some fruit local mineral water and tea. Part of me thinks this spa thing is a bit foo-foo and another part of me feels like a king. I haven’t come up with a conclusion yet.

But I can see how some people swear by spas…there is some magical mind/body/spirit connection that somewhere along the line, we lost touch with. We live such fast-paced lives with ipods, cell phones and the wii that we sometimes forget about nature. We forget about our bodies.

Here are my top 8 reasons to exercise mind/body/spirit in ’08…

1. Increased energy
2. Increased self-esteem
3. Better metal focus
4. Decreased risk of a heart attack
5. Decreased risk of breast cancer
6. Less likelihood of depression
7. Enhances quality of sleep
8. Reduces risk of future illnesses/injuries

There are so many more benefits of exercise. Your body is your greatest asset…how are YOU taking care of it?

Many people focus on…

Money
Fame
Material objects
Status

But none of those things matter if you don’t have good health. I recently heard that you don’t want to be the richest person in the graveyard.

Have a safe and Happy New Year!

Thanks for reading.

Today’s message is dedicated to the great Ann LoPrinzi.

One of the toughest things to do in sports and life is to perform well with distractions; performing under pressure. Below are some examples…

Pressure from:
-winning
-losing
-your parents
-your coaches
-your teammates
-your opponents
-your boss
-your spouse
-your friends

The list goes on, but the first thing you have to understand is that you will never NOT have distractions or pressure. They are a part of life and to overcome them, you have to have the right mindset.

Focus on the process instead of the product, or outcome. This will help you stay in control, perform better, learn and stay relaxed. It’s called being intense without being tense.

You can also focus on your breathing. Most people take short breaths when they are nervous or under pressure. When you take deep breaths, you naturally calm yourself down.

Put yourself in similar pressure situations. If you get nervous in a tennis match, give a presentation at work. The problem with most people is that they try to run away from pressure situations. The truth of the matter is that it is those exact situations that help you grow the most. The more you put yourself in those situations, the better you will feel and perform. It’s like working out at the gym, it may be a challenge at first, but then you get used to it. However, THEN you need to increase your weight to continue to get results. Your mind is the same way, you need to continue to push yourself in order to keep improving.

So if you’re a student who cannot study with distractions, practice reading with the music or TV on loud or have someone constantly come bother you. This works because THEN, everything else will be easier.

“I am the source of all my emotions. Nothing and no one can change how I feel except me. If I find myself in a reaction to anything, I can change it in a moment.”

Training your mind is just as important as training your body.

Thanks for reading.

Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Nicole Arendt in Sydney, Australia.

What is confidence?

con·fi·dence, ˈkän-fə-dən(t)s, -ˌden(t)s
noun, 14th century
1 a: A feeling or consciousness of one’s powers or of reliance on one’s circumstances (had perfect confidence in her ability to succeed) (met the risk with brash confidence) b: faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way (have confidence in a leader)

Have you ever seen a great athlete walk? What do they look like?

They are standing up tall, head high, chest out, shoulders back, almost floating or strutting. Don’t some of them look like they are the greatest thing to walk the earth? I’m sure some of them feel that way, too.

In order to become a great athlete, you NEED that confident mindset and attitude, but there is a fine line. You don’t have to strut around and LOOK like the best thing since sliced bread, but you DO need to at least feel it on the inside.

Sports and life are a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you think you can, you will. If you think you can’t, you won’t. That is why many top business people were former athletes…their confidence carried over to the business world. They LOVE challenges and look at them as part of the “game.”

You need confidence in relationships, too. If you go around thinking you’re not good enough for your mate and that they are going to break up with you, guess what? It’ll probably happen.

Your finances, health/fitness/nutrition, spirituality, academics, and hobbies are all the same.

There is one very important concept you need to understand about confidence…

Start acting confident BEFORE you FEEL confident.

You see, the problem is that most people wait until they do something great to act confidently. It doesn’t work that way; the great ones acted confidently BEFORE they became successful.

Which type do you want to be?

Here are some quotes on confidence…

“I realize that I don’t have limits. Limits are always influences that come from outside, from people who don’t believe in themselves and their abilities. I firmly believe in myself. I know that I can do whatever I want and that I’ll always reach my goals.”

-Madonna, singer and actor

“Whatever I did, I wanted to be the best at it. I remember that moment in The Natural when Robert Redford says, “I just want to walk down the street and have people say, ‘There goes Roy Hobbs, the best there ever was.’ ” So I was talking to my mother one day-this is when I was sixteen or seventeen- and she goes, “Matt, why are you so obsessed with acting?” And I said, “Because someday I want to walk down the street and have people say, “There goes Matt Damon, the best there ever was.”

-Matt Damon, actor, producer, and screenwriter

“History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it.”

-Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of Great Britain

I haven’t given you homework in a while, so…

Homework: Go out and do something confidently today, especially if it’s something you didn’t have the confidence in, in the past. You may be pleasantly surprised at the results.

Thanks for reading.

This message is dedicated to everyone out there, whether you celebrate Christmas or not.

According to legend, a desert wanderer happened upon a spring of cool, crystal-clear water. The water was so delightful, he decided to bring the king a sample of it. Barely quenching his own thirst, he filled his leather canteen and began his journey in the hot desert sun to the palace.

When he finally reached his destination, the water had become stale because of the old leather container in which it had been stored. The king graciously accepted the gift of his faithful subject. He tasted it with an expression of gratitude and delight, and the wanderer went his way with a joyful heart.

After he had gone, others in the king’s court tasted the putrid water and asked why the king had pretended to enjoy it. “Ah,” responded the king, “it was not the water I tasted, but the spirit in which it was given.”

HAVE A SAFE, HAPPY, AND GRATEFUL HOLIDAY!

Thanks for reading.

Today’s message is especially dedicated to the one and only Free.

Tennis players are just like singers

Singers are just like businessmen

Businessmen are just like chefs

Chefs are just like students

Students are just like parents

Parents are just like the homeless

The homeless are just like CEOs

CEOs are just like artists

Artists need to know the strategy to become a great artist in order to become one; it doesn’t matter what you do, it’s all the same.

Watch the video below and remember that this guy was not born an more gifted than you or me.