September 2008 Archives

I work out with a personal trainer. This is a luxury for me --a way for me to treat myself well. I regularly hear spectators to my grueling fitness regime yell out "I should be doing that." But they don't.

Excuses are paralyzing. Action is rewarding.

I started working out with my trainer Curtis a couple of years ago. We work out in the morning. This is great for me because it starts my day of with "me time" doing an activity that is beneficial for me. I've noticed when working out in the morning my eating habits tend to be on track throughout the day.

What I enjoy most about training (and Curtis'style) is that each session is some new and different challenge. I struggle, even yell sometimes, but in the end I leave with a natural high and knowing that I have done something good for my body. Today a woman commented on how good I look.

Another asked me if I was a trainer. Those comments from spectators are nice too!
Want to work out but can't afford a trainer? Try a boot camp. Boot camps allow you to work out in a group setting at a reduced cost and add a new group of people to your life for socializing and support. From time to time I also participate in a boot camp. It's a fun group of people from all walks of life. We even spend time outside of working out at birthday parties, comedy events and recently, a quincenera.

To find a boot camp near you search the Internet for "boot camp" and the name of your city. Inquire about pricing, number of students, and type of training. I've lost weight, my stomach is flat and with my 20-year high school reunion approaching, I feel great about how I look.

Work out in style with Yoga and Pilates apparel from Travertine Spa, and learn more about Curtis Ludlow and his Fullerton boot camp at bootcampfx.com.

I live in Southern California. During the days, temperatures can exceed 100 degrees. At night, they may cool down to the low eighties...but I love warm nights.

One of the things that I enjoy most is outdoor picnics and concerts. Every summer I go with a few friends to the summer concert series at the Hyatt in Newport Beach. This is a great venue because you are close to the coast so the temperatures are even more pleasant and the concert takes place at an outdoor amphitheater.

Our yearly plan at the Hyatt is to see Ottmar Liebert perform. This is a great event, not just because he is a friend of mine, but because his sound is so beautiful, so mellow, so exquisite for a summer evening. Besides being a Grammy-nominated platinum selling artist he's a genuinely generous man. His new album, The Scent of Light, which he describes as "My best album yet..." has been my top iTunes play for the last few weeks.

"Each of these ten instrumentals draws a picture, and each picture tells a story. It's music as a smell that triggers unexpected memories. India, 1978... Granada, 1992... each track has a strong atmosphere of time and place, like the journal of an itinerant poet or painter." "Morning Light" is my favorite -so far. There is a Listening Lounge on his website where you can hear selections from a few of his albums and download music. You can even download the sampler album for free! Didn't I say he was generous.

What did you wanna do? Believe it or not I found homework from 6th grade where I wrote I wanted to be a lawyer (I found this homework after I finished law school). Now that you are grown up, what do you want to do?

I've learned that most adults can't or won't answer this question. As children we boldly proclaim what we want to do with our lives. As adults I think we let fear of self-doubt keep us from desires. I'm not suggesting that you walk in to work tomorrow quit your job, stop paying your mortgage, and spend your children's college fund on a whim. I simply want to encourage you to dream a little. I don't think we have to have just one career in life.

Dreams can change. I like law. I also like creating companies. I feel like my dream evolved, but I went with it. Now I have a luxury brand of products and apparel (and write my own contracts).

I had a friend at a former job who was a manager in the corporate communications department. He expressed how he missed writing for newspapers and felt that his responsibilities as bread winner would not allow him to start from the ground up with a national newspaper. I reminded him that his love was writing. He could write for local papers once a month and still achieve his goal.

I once read "A dream deferred makes the heart sick." I know that pursuing a dream is pure adrenaline. As for me, I want to sing in a rock band, live in Italy, and teach entrepreneurship at the university level. For now, I`ll look for a voice coach, later take Italian lessons and dust off my resume.

I have been reading lately about "detoxing." I was looking at this from the perspective of cleansing my body from the unhealthy things I ingest. My goal was to feel renewed. A fresh start.

Even better I thought was a detox of the soul. No, not an exorcism, but a time to really check out and heal from pressure, stress, personal issuesm and assorted drama. Haven't you ever felt the need to just run away? Be still? Rest?

I do.

Once or twice a year I go to a monastery. I usually spend one day silent (no talking at all) and one day fasting. The amazing thing is that when I do speak again, I notice how much mindless chatter takes place instead of true communication. I am settled. Less anxious. I become closer to God and a bit more aware.

Find a quiet place where you can connect to what is important...and shake off the things that weigh you down. Don't forget your favorite books and PJ's.

My favorite places for rest are:

Mount Calvary Retreat House
Mission San Luis Rey
Prince of Peace Abbey