Inspired comment creates commitment

Isn't Professor Stephen Hawkings an amazing human being..so inspiring at the opening of the London Paralympics this morning.

He said

'Look up to the stars not down at your feet'.

Triathlon participation

A few months ago I said I would do the tri but have been procrastinating about it..so enough & I committed today to register.

In other words

Do what you say you're going to do..

by declaring your intent you build trust...................

So I am going to do the Sprint Triathlon on September 16th even if I have to walk the 5 km run because of my injured calves..

However I am putting my request out into the Universe to be injury free as I train for the triathlon and run freely during the event.

There: intent declared. Delivery on September 16th.

Watch this space for results.



Rossco

Getting better, wiser & fitter (not older)

One size doesn't fit all

How do you feel when something something doesn't just feel or fit right?

Annoyed, resigned to it or just put up with it?

Today I had a pleasant surprise while listening to Mike Farris on Spotify on my new Galaxy phone via my ear plugs.

I'll digress for a moment

What a combination! An amazing singer whom I have had the priviledge to meet on free radio from Sweden on a space-age Galaxy 3..doesn't get much better than that

Back to the ear plugs

Due to my cold-water antics when I was a kid I have very narrow ear canals & as such most normal ear plugs don't fit really well.....so I put up with them falling out for awhile and the loss of sound quality.

Then I remembered (along with the yet to be read manual) were some extra silicon ear plugs of varying diameters.

So thanks to the considerate designers at Samsung who thought of us all I have snug fitting plugs..not just the normal sized ear canal people.

Which is exactly what I do with my health coaching!

One size doesn't fit all because we are all individuals with our own unique bio-individuality and own set of health challenges.

My thoughtful quote comes from Nikki Gemmel

'Our value is exactly what we choose to make it'.

How do you value yourself?

Please let me know.

Rossco

Getting better and wiser not older

Another weighty dilemma

An ABC News report today on a Deakin University suggestion to weigh all Victorian school kids has reportedly caused some controversy....

BUT please consider this is extract from the draft Australian National Food Security Plan Green Paper

"Based on past trends and no effective interventions, 83 per cent of men and 75 per cent of women aged 20 years and over in Australia could be overweight or obese by 2025 (Haby & Markwick 2008). This predicted increase is expected to significantly affect Australia’s disease burden and healthcare costs, mostly due to an increased incidence of type 2 diabetes, which is expected to become the leading disease burden by 2023 (AIHW 2010)".

So what do we do?

Condemn our children to a life of disease and despair from type II Diabetes with all its complications & potentially life-threatening conditions or be politically-correct & all civil libertarian about it...

Kids I have found are smart if things are explained to them in a non-judgmental, sensitive & objective manner..i.e effective communication using emotionally intelligent language...

Like us all they deserve and want information. When we get the facts we can make wise & informed choices' i.e. be self-directing

I know if I was a kid & it was explained to me the reasons for the weigh-in & then the choices I am confronted with I would feel more empowered.

I think most smart children would opt for a better quality of life for their next 60-70+ years than get caught up in a short term debate.

Seems we have a huge problem (excuse the pun) to confront before 2025 arrives..12.5 years to turn this potential disaster around.

It can be done..we have no real alternative.

The benefits of healthy eating:

• More healthy individuals! one person & one bite at a time...
• More productive workers!
• More viable farmers: it will also help our Aussie farmers who can & want to produce food that is made by a real plant & not in a (processing) plant.
• More potential sports men and women: who knows it might even produce a few more Olympians as well.

I believe we can't bury our head in the sand on this issue...I also believe we owe it to these children...what a whammy: obesity & climate change..not a nice legacy to leave them.

What do you think?

Join the discussion.

Rossco

Getting better & wiser not older.

Becoming a Cowboy fan

What is the best way to get immersed in the local community?

Or as they say 'when in Rome do as the Romans do'...

Follow the local football code.....so this weekend has been all about cultural integration for me into rugby league.

I had the good fortune to dine with one of the National Rugby League's rising star, Tariq Sims on Friday night and attend the last home & away game for the North Queensland Cowboys on Saturday night.

Tariq Sims (NQ Cowboys) and Mako (Japanese  Exchange student)

After talking to Tariq and having seen 2 live games I now have a greater appreciation for the 'local game'.

Tariq has had to overcome a double-blow in his short professional career...breaking the same lower leg twice inside a year.

He is philosophical about the injuries and will no doubt be a stronger person both physically and mentally after overcoming this double adversity.

As they say "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger".

Cowboys good luck charm:

I must be a good luck charm for the Cowboys..been to 2 games and they have had 2 wins & now are looking to secure a home final. which will be huge.

Stay well.

Rossco

Getting better and wiser not older.

PS Don't worry I have gone over to NRL completely..my roots and soul are still in AFL... our unique Aussie game.

2000 stories and counting

What will be your legacy?

Today the Townsville City Council hosted its annual Seniors in the Park Picnic and Lifestyle Expo...it as a beautiful day and 2000 people attended the lunch.

As I looked out on a sea of senior faces today (see picture) and I wondered what amazing stories each could tell and what memories each could share.

2012 Seniors in the Park Picnic: some of the diners!

I also wondered what legacy they will leave as their lives come to their natural end....something for us all to ponder.

This is event is a fitting tribute to all those who have contributed to the growth of this great and caring community.

Congratulations Townsville for honouring your senior citizens in such a great way.

Cheers

Rossco

Getting better and wiser not older (I am in denial)

Unforeseen benefits of having a go!

Do you ever feel that you need to step outside your comfort zone but feel totally unprepared for it?

I had the same apprehensive feeling when I arrived at Toastmasters last night to suddenly find myself in a 'Speakers Evaluation' Contest along with 4 other brave souls.

I was totally unprepared, feeling very flat after a hard weekend of training & not mentally ready for anything new..but what the heck I entered the competition all the same after heaps of encouragement....guess who drew the card to go first...moi.........just to add a bit more pressure..[more on that later].

So we listen attentively to an entertaining 5-7 minute speech from Anita about home DIY male antics & how things went wrong...and then we had 5 minutes to complete our evaluation of her speech using a set format.

After frantically collecting my thoughts, writing a few key points & getting ready to present my evaluation it gave me an adrenalin rush & got me going...

As it turned out, going first was a huge benefit as it gave me an opportunity to compare & assess my performance against the others...it was really obvious to me who was the clear winner on the night..Ms Stacey F who gave a very polished performance.

My result: a really surprising Bronze Medal...3rd place..I was stunned but delighted.

The moral of the story..have a go, what have I got to loose? As it turned out, I gained a lot, learned a lot & got a certificate to prove it...so when in doubt.........feel the fear and do it anyway.

Cheers

Rossco

Getting better and wiser each day.

What is your most valuable asset?

What is your most valuable asset?

Your time? Your health? Your money? Your family?

Hard to decide isn't it!

Over the weekend I had some wonderful reminders of the 7 aspects of the Healthy Mind Platter...

• Down time: read the Weekend Australian back to back & did not feel rushed
• Play time: playing cards with delightful kids on Saturday night while getting tickled to death by one of their pet rats (yep & lots of laughing to accompany the game.)
• Connection time: meeting new & like minded people via the local Weston A Price Foundation Chapter on Sunday afternoon. Thanks Rene & Eva!
• Focus time: got my 2011-12 taxation information together..(yeah)
• Physical time: managed 2 long rides
• In time: reflecting on the concepts of Smart Trust & doing some journaling.
• Sleep time: got to bed Sunday night early.

So it works & I feel fantastic because of adopting this routine!

PS: Reading an article on one of Australia's richest businessman Clive Palmer, the closing comment made me reflect on his comments;

The most valuable thing we've got in life is time.....Not money right..if you ever speak to somebody who is dying and you say; 'Would you like to have one more day or would like a million dollars?' what do you think they would say? I'd go for a day anytime.

What do you think?

Rossco

Getting better and wiser not older

Peter Costello's comments: music to my ears

You never never know where your next endorsement is coming from!

Today, I had the pleasure of attending a Townsville Enterprise Limited Breakfast along with approximately 270 local business people to hear the key findings of the recent Commission of Audit into the Queensland Governments' financial situation. The key note speaker and Commission Chairman, the Hon. Peter Costello outlined the situation facing the new government in relation to its huge deficit.

I gave him my card............I  wonder  if  he  is  a potential  client?

The take home message was 'if you are in a deep hole, Rule #1 is to 'stop digging'...so currently the government is stabilising the debt situation & developing strategies to reduce the huge debt burden...not an easy task...either reduce spending or increase taxes or do both..none of which is terribly popular.

Music to my ears moment:

During question time Mr Costello was asked about the key issues he saw that faced not only Queensland but Australia generally. No 1 was health & No2 was infrastructure.

He urged all Australians to take personal responsibility for their own health because as we know with an aging population with higher medical costs and a smaller tax-paying workforce future governments of all persuasions will face enormous challenges to fund the burgeoning health care costs.

So we heard it from the Treasurer who successfully delivered 12 Federal Budget....when will you take this suggestion on board & act on it?

BTW: I took  the opportunity to re-acquaint myself with Mr Costello as I have had the pleasure of taking him on a field trip in 2006 to visit  teak plantations on west Guadalcanal when I was SIFMP Team Leader . An interesting experience to spend time with a prominent Australian politician. We briefly reminisced about life & times in Solomon Islands.

Contact me if you want to have a conversation & take action that will change your life in a positive way.

Regards

Rossco,

Getting better & wiser not older.

Simple & easy topic: an attitude of gratitude

Today's post is easy:

This morning I re-committed to developing an attitude of gratitude and all ready it is paying dividends.

Today I met some wonderful new people with lots of positive energy plus got a complementary invite to a large networking breakfast..I am very grateful for that & everything else that happened today.

Rossco,

Getting better, wiser, more grateful & not older!

Trust in action: trust the staff? trust our customers? That's novel!

Lego Man: we as customers are trusted to create our own toys...

What do these companies have in common?

eBay, Zappos, Wipro, Netflix, LEGO or LL Bean (read all about them in Smart Trust)

These are all companies that trust their staff and their customers..and guess what.........all are successful and have a wonderful culture...again proving that 'smart trust' is the new currency.

I look forward to the day when we can all trust what is in our food & drinks..food that nourishes us & not creates disease and respects the planet that supports us.

Plain understandable labels, food produced by plants not in plant.

Gotta go.

Rossco

Getting better & wiser not older.

Trust: smart, blind, distrust or none

Who and how do you trust?

It is one of our core feelings.

However it seems like learning to recognise and work with all our feelings (ie becoming emotionally intelligent) we need to use our heart and our head to arrive at what authors Stephen M.R Covey (son of the late Stephen Covey) and Greg Link define as 'smart trust'.

Without trust there would be nothing done or safe in our day to day world...so we all have to trust to some degree.

Covey and Link offer an excellent matrix to describe the 4 types of trust based on our levels of propensity to trust & analyse:

• Quadrant 1: Blind trust: all heart & no head = gullibility
• Quadrant 2: Smart trust: head & heart in equal parts = judgement
• Quadrant 3: No trust: no head & no heart = indecision
• Quadrant 4: Distrust: all head & no heart = suspicion

So far in the 3 chapters I have learned heaps & it staggers me that this vital emotion is only really being written about now..or is it that I have just woken up to the importance of trust finally in my life & all the relationships I form.

What do you think?

Rossco

Getting better and wiser not older.

PS I did a consultation with a person who shares my vision. Healthy at 100..inspiring to hear someone else expects to be living that way as well..there is absolutely no reason why that is not possible. [check out the Blue Zones research].

Brilliant Britain: goodbye London 2012

What was your favorite moment in the London 2012 Olympics?

The ecstasy, the agony, the pain, persistence & utter belief in one's goals...all on display in London over the past 2 weeks. It has been a wonderful experience and lots of life lessons for us all..........commitment, sacrifice, reward, patience and learning from life's setbacks & coming back for more.

Thank you London for all the memories and to all the Aussies who made it to London, well done. I salute you all for your efforts.

Gold medal winner (gold plated at least)

Inspiring. Simple really. Set a goal. Commit. Focus. Do the work. Get the reward. Lesson concluded.

Rossco

Getting better not older

(as proved by 5 km run time last week....faster than I was 10 years ago as per picture)

Practicing what I preach

This weekend has been about ensuring I practiced what I preach in relation to the 7 suggested activities on the Healthy Mind Platter..

So this weekend I have

• Sleep time: slept well (got to bed & was asleep by 10 PM Saturday evening)
• Physical time exercised (90 minutes on the bike both days) (inspired by the Olympics)
• Time in: did some reflection on my attitude around abundance
• Down time: read a book on the Strand & had this for a view (see picture below)
• Connection time: went to brunch with Dianne, Andy,Brad & Jess, spoke to Lee, Ben & Nick
• Play time: went to the Cowboys Rugby League game with Carolyn, Huon & Tarni: my first game of League. 52-12 flogging of the Auckland Warriors.
• Focus time: developed a capability statement in relation to my corporate wellness work & asked for it to be peer reviewed.

My "Down Time Viewing Spot"

So the net result is that I feel energised for the forthcoming week.

If you try incorporating these 7 things daily please let me know how it works for you.

Rossco

Getting better not older

Friday night & fired up for the weekend

Who loves Friday night?

I do.

Because it means I can look back on the week & feel really satisfied with the progress I have made this week in progressing my new passion & profession...aka my 'baby' AndFITT Healthy Lifestyle Coaching. 

I am convinced more than ever with the honest conversations I have been fortunate to be part of this week that there are an awful lot of people who need my integrated health coaching services.

My mantra:
Real change only comes from within.

It saddens me to think that people are relatively unaware of the connection between what we eat & what we are...but I then reflect on my knowledge levels 2 years ago & go "WOW" that was me just how little did I know & WOW how much I have learned..thanks to Institute of Integrative Nutrition

Then an even bigger WOW when I consider how much more exciting information I have to learn & then how I can turn that knowledge into helping people feel better...'It is all good' as my big son Ben often says. Better than that...its exciting.

Enjoy your weekend to the fullest whatever you choose to do.

Rossco

Getting better not older & going to go bike riding twice this weekend! Yeah

Trust: the new currency or is it?

Who do you really trust?

Yourself, your company, your bank..........seems to me that 'trust' is fast becoming the new 'currency' for people who want to have genuine relationships, be it with themselves, their family, their institutions.

Sadly, trust is being eroded as well. I heard a story today of a lady 'blindsided' by her sudden redundancy & the impact that has had on her.

I am disillusioned by the revelations of the HSBC Bank in the UK and its potential dodgy dealings with Iranian oil sales on the back of the behaviours by greedy Wall St executives. And so it goes on across the world

Just how valuable is your reputation? How much do people trust you? How well do you trust yourself to act with integrity?

If you want to get an idea of the incredible value of trust Stephen R. Covey (Jnr) has just released a great new book called Smart Trust...I am just starting it & the first few chapters really resonate with me so far.

In a reflective mood.

Rossco

Getting better not older.

Progress not perfection

How satisfying it is to hear about much better people feel after making small incremental, sustainable and positive changes over the past few weeks. It makes my role as a health coach all worthwhile. For those reading this blog..you know who you are & I salute you for your progress.

The Healthy Mind Platter #1 Focus Time

Dr Seigel states that "when we closely focus on tasks in a goal-oriented way, we take on challenges that make deep connections in the brain"....so 'focus Grasshopper' & do one thing at a time and do it well..that way it is much more efficient than jumping from one thing to another & back again.

As an added bonus & one of my favourite subjects..water consumption.

A weight loss tip from another one of my medical hero's Dr Mark Hyman (from his great book called 'The Blood Sugar Solution')

By drinking a glass or 2 of water before a meal increases weight loss by 44%..now that is a handy hint.

More later on this when I focus on diabesity...but drinking water does heaps to help brain function (given it improves conductivity)..so win-win-win..cheap, fills you up & fires up the brain..got to be happy with that tip!

Rossco

Getting better not older
:

Collaboration: powerful outcomes

What happens when 2 people help each other?

From my recent experience great outcomes are achieved and stronger bonds of trust and friendships develop.

I am health coaching and supporting a great new client and he is already looking & feeling better after 3 short weeks which is fantastic....

and guess what?

Collaboration tag cloud

In return he is helping me to get into the digital world by designing me a new webpage with all sorts of features, setting me up to 'be in the clouds' & have a mobile business.

While you are waiting for my new website to go 'live'check out the existing ones.

Find, follow and like me on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn

Healthy Mind Platter introduction

Do you feel guilty if you have down time? 


Do you struggle to find time for physical activity?


What do you do to 'play'?


How much sleep do you get?


Dr Dan Seigel and Dr David Rock are doing some fascinating work in relation to brain neuroscience & coming up with some solid reasons for looking after your brain / mind health including having time for 7 different things each day.


They are all designed to help maintain or build mind health.

With Professor Alan Fels alerted us to the increasing mental health issues being faced in Australia, it is now more important than ever to start caring for one of most vital organs..our wonderful brain.


What do you do to look after it each day?

Para para paradise Running

Do you ever have a Sunday that you don't want it to end?


I had one today at the Townsville Running Festival at The Strand in sunny Townsville. 


For starters, Tony the Magical Masseur fixed my dodgy calf over night & I managed to get through the 5 km Fun Run unscathed and uninjured, which is great for those who know me well........Ross Andrew-injured..


The weather was brilliant & the course so scenic..I will let the pictures do the talking..


Thanks to Tony C & Phil S. for the photos. Much appreciated.


The only sobering note was Olympic 10,000 meter runners covered twice the distance I did in the same time...still I much preferred my venue.


Rossco:


Getting better not older! Check out the Gold Medal (ignore the time..that was for the marathon runners).

Fun in the Sun: Sunday morning run

I am excited as tomorrow along with approximately 3000 other active people I am taking part in my inaugural Townsville sporting event...the Townsville Running Festival.

It promises to be a fun event with a beautiful sunny morning forecast & a wonderful venue & course along the famous Townsville Strand.........its a great promenade to stage such an event.

Townsville Running Festival

After the inspiration from the Women's Olympic 10000 m run this morning I am all fired up...just go to remind the left calf muscles to behave...TC will help me with his magic hands & ENAR machine to get me ready.

I am really hoping to meet Lyndell Punshon from Domain Gym who has gone from weighing 170 kg to 85 kg...what an awesome transformation.

Speaking of another transformation, Tony C. my star client, now weighs the lowest weight since he was in his 30s....he has given away almost 40 kgs as well... that equates to nearly 2 bags of cement]..he is doing a fantastic job as he heads towards his ideal weight.

Inspiring people..I love them.

Stay tuned for the update.

Rossco

Getting better not older.

Our brilliant brain

Have you ever paid much attention to your amazing organ weighing 1.5 kgs consisting of neurons, water & fat that sits upon your shoulder?


I have just finished listening to an interesting presentation by Dr Dan Siegel on the brain & mind insights...fascinating information. Check out his website sometime..


In the meantime, see how clever the brain is at making things up & filling in the blanks..no wonder expert witnesses are so unreliable.

So if you want good brain functionality when you get older..stay tuned for next week's tips & topics....as mental health is one of my major areas of interest.

Hope you have a great & relaxing weekend. You deserve it!

Rossco

Getting better not older.

Opportunities abound

Have you ever wondered what the day will bring you? 


This was where I had my lunch break during a hectic day..tough I know

The Strand, Townsville foreshore

Today it seems to me that I accidentally wandered in a treasure trove of dynamic people & a whole new world opened up for me..magic does happen it seems..I just have to be open for it.


New opportunities arose to build my health coaching business on several fronts & I am thrilled to be in this 'space' at present..and meeting people who are interested in & attracted to what I have to offer....I am so grateful for good things & can't wait for tomorrow.


As a post-script for James Magnussen: how do you reconcile your disappointment between a Gold & Silver medal: 1/100th of a second..such a cruel margin....I wondered if he is doing all the 'what if's'....


It will be a really interesting time to watch how he responds....stay tuned for Rio in 2016 I guess.

Gratitude on display

Again the Olympics are providing great insights into human nature. The rower from Niger must be having the time of his life..just how do you capture that moment & how will he tell his story when he gets home?


All I know that I bet he is filled with gratitude for the opportunity to be part of the greatest sporting event in the world....just how awesome is Michael Phelps..19 medals....hard to imagine winning one let alone 19...


Today I had another wonderful insight into my life & how incredibly grateful I feel for friends like Tony, my family and the fact I am awakening & coming more fully alive every day....


Something about moving from a state of 'entitlement' to gratitude..all sorts of good things continue to happen & I learn more lessons about life..


Now it is time to spoil myself with a taste of my latest dessert sensation after preparing my tax return all day.........chia-date pudding..it is delicious..if you want the recipe I am happy to share it


Hope you like the poem


Rossco


Getting better, not older

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,

If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something

For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.

During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations

Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge

Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes

They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary

Because it means you’ve made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are

also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles

and they can become your blessings.

Author unknown