Cultivating Conscious Awareness

My spirit is asking me to slow down.

Cultivating awareness and mindful consciousness of self is a difficult process, mostly because of how different you feel after you've begun. But it is a journey that I wish all of us would take because ultimately, it leads to a greater understanding and appreciation of who we are as individuals and how we relate to and affect those around us.

What the journey entails is an inner awakening, an arousal of the spirit, and for me, a desire to live the best, most fulfilling life possible. I've had many enlightened moments and experiences in my life - some brief, others lasting for months - but the process first started for me 7 years ago, at the dawn of the new milennium, when I decided that I no longer wanted to live a surface-level life.

I took a 3-week vacation to New Zealand to visit a good friend and see a new place, over Christmas/New Years of 1999/2000. I didn't expect my inner life to change as dramatically as it did over those 3 weeks. I had graduated from college 6 months before and had spent the time since graduation basically goofing-off. I made choices that kept me rolling with the crowd and that appeared to be making me happy. The problem was that my behavior wasn't feeding my soul. In fact, it was slowly deteriorating it.

I didn't fully realize or appreciate this until I was removed from the environment I was functioning in. The 3 weeks I spent in New Zealand brought new health, vitality and inspiration into my life. I spent most of my time hiking and backpacking out in nature, for the most part, alone. It felt Great! I connected with myself and my spirit in a way that was truly profound. I felt a sense of clarity that was rejuvinating and a sense of inspiration that was strengthening. I made some soul decisions during that time away that set me on a new path, in a new direction.

I decided that I no longer wanted to be a pretender. I no longer wanted to live on the surface. I wanted to be authentic and real. I wanted to cultivate real experiences in life rather than stage false ones. I was excited about my discoveries and couldn't wait to get home and share myself with my friends.

What I realized upon returning to the environment I left was that I had changed, but it hadn't. I tried to find ways to fit back into my environment but found it to be extremely difficult and very unfulfilling. Change is a very dynamic and personal thing. Most creatures fear change which is why people rarely do. One person's change can appear to be threatening to the rest of the group, who may not want to or be ready to change. For me, however, because the change was at a spirit/soul level, it was pretty much impossible to go back.

I have struggled with moving forward, in a number of ways, ever since then. Because of my new-found consciousness and understanding of myself, my relationships because increasingly difficult. I wanted those I cared about to become more aware themselves. I wanted to share this idea of authenticity with them so that we could connect on a new level. What I've realized though is that awareness and consciousness don't happen for everyone and they certainly don't happen just because you'd like it to.

Life experiences build up walls around us, some of them so thick and deep that we can't access our souls. It is an obvious form of self-protection. In one way, it is a beautiful thing, this innate need to protect our souls. In another way, it can prevent us from accessing the part of ourselves that so badly wants and needs to authentically connect with others in our lives. It is these very walls of protection that keep us from loving ourselves and others fully and that lead to destructive internal and external behaviors.

I believe that part of our purpose here, part of the journey, is working to take down our walls so that we can finally commune and connect with our spirit, our soul, our God. God lives inside each one of us and the closer we can get to that piece of spirit within, the closer we are to the essence of our being: to peace, to happiness, to joy, to security, to wisdom, to knowledge, to enlightenment.

Knowing this can actually be quite frustrating, especially when dealing with loved ones who are so steadfastedly living behind their walls. I've found that I am now so much more sensitive to energy I encounter in myself, in other people, and in my environment. It doesn't always feel good and it can actually be quite depleating if it is not properly managed.

This is the stage I am currently in. I am aware of the fact that I have developed and accessed a deep part of consciousness that makes me more aware of myself and also makes me more aware of the energy embodied in others. It is an interesting yet oftentimes lonely and frustrating place to be. I believe it is a necessary stage to go through in order to progress on this journey.

What this stage is asking me to do is to work on my relationships with other people - to make myself and my spirit understood. In certain ways, I still feel bound the person I was before I woke up and it makes it difficult to continue moving forward. I am not necessarily interested in cutting ties - I am more interested in discovering how I can genuinely and authentically honor my spirit and my new self within the context of these relationships. With some, it may not be possible but I believe that true wholeness is lived and experienced when you can successfully do that. I also believe that like-attracts-like and if you can truly honor and embody changes to your spirit, you will end up finding like-minded individuals who can connect with and feed your inner being. (It is no coincidence that I met my husband 5 months after my trip to New Zealand.) I'm finding that it is not easy but at least I've identified that which needs to be done so that now I have a place from which to move.

It all started today by making the decision to honor myself - my spirit and soul - and what I was feeling. When we ignore our spirit, we will find ourselves slowly depleating. Once uncovered, the spirit needs to be fed regularily with quality, substance and love. Self-care requirements increase and become that much more important because the divinity within you is exposed.

What a blessing to know how close we can be to God if we give ourselves permission to take down the walls which keep us separated from Him. It it true that true beauty lies within. The more honest and authentic we are about ourselves, the more it can and will be seen.

Coming Soon...

I'm off to Hawaii to visit with my sister-in-law and niece for about a week! It will be the perfect way to recouperate from the race and have time to connect with my family.

I look forward to swimming, snorkling and maybe even scuba diving; hiking and walking along the beach; trying different fitness classes offered by the resort; oh yea... and laying in the sun on the beach!

I always enjoy my vacations more when I am able to remain active. I love to move and being away from home gives me the opportunity to break out of my routine and try new things! I've found that some of the best ways to experience a new place is by walking, running, swimming, hiking or biking through it. So no excuses here! My vacation will be filled with plenty of fun activity.

I am also excited about everything that will be happening upon my return. This summer will be very busy in terms of BOSU product and programming development. We will be introducing a number of exciting new products, programs and systems that can all be seen and learned about at www.bosufitness.com.

In addition, I will be launching "Jennifer Weck's Self-Help Coaching" service at www.self-helpcoach.com. Further details can be found on the web site's home page.

And of course, my blog will continue to offer inspiration, motivation and support and will embark on a few different series focusing on specific areas of diet/nutrition, exercise and healthy, balanced living.

Summer is finally upon us! I hope the warmer weather and longer days inspire you to get outside, move your body, and enjoy all of the wonderful, seasonal produce available to us for a few short months! Until next week...

ALOHA!

Dear Mr. Burnside, I did it!

I became a runner 15 years ago when I joined the Cross-Country team as a freshman at New Trier High School.

Pete Burnside was one of our coaches who focused primarily on coaching the freshman. He was an older man, probably in his 60's at the time, and had one of the most gentle hearts I have ever seen.

My friends and I didn't take our sport very seriously. Most of the time, we would run with the group around the corner, or until we were out of the eyesight of our coaches, and then sit on the sidewalk and talk until we re-joined the group on their way back in!

I joined the team because my parents told me that I had to choose some sort of after-school activity to get involved in and Cross-Country was a non-cut sport, meaning that anyone could do it. I had played basketball in 7th grade but aside from that, had never been very athletic. I went to a very competitive high school and knew that if I wanted to participate in sports, it would have to be one that didn't require try-outs.

Needless to say, I wasn't very dedicated to running in the beginning. Frankly, I hated it! I was much more interested in partying and all things social in high school so the early morning Saturday meets really interfered with my late-night lifestyle!

It certainly wasn't rare for me to come in dead last at any given Cross-Country meet, trudging myself along each of the 2 long, arduous miles of the course, most of the time ending in tears of pain and exhaustion. I remember one time, I was so far behind everyone else that they closed the course down and left the finish line because they thought the race was over! My Dad was quick to point out to them that there was still one runner left who was going to finish the race. My parents both came to every meet and I have fond memories of my Dad walking along side of me while I "ran", giving me the kind of support and encouragement that only a parent can. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

My whole high-school running career wasn't as pathetic as I am making it sound - these stories mostly chronicle my freshman year on the team and I tell them to invoke good humor.

For some inexplicable reason, I decided to join the Cross-Country team again my sophomore year and this time I tried a little bit harder. It still wasn't a priority in my life but I did want to improve and I didn't want to feel like a quitter, like running had conquered me. That year, I ran a bit stronger and started to see improvement. I experienced the triumph of clocking a Personal Record (PR) and started to enjoy myself a little bit more.

I ran Cross-Country for one more season, my junior year, but ended after that. It wasn't until my freshman year in college that I started running again and kicked-off my career as a long-distance runner.

Since then, I've asked myself many times, what was it that kept me running in high school when all I thought I wanted to do was stop? The only answer that seems to make sense to me now is support and encouragement.

My parents were with me every step of the way and so was Pete Burnside.

Mr. Burnside saw me struggle with running at each and every meet. Often, he and my dad would talk at length on those Saturday mornings and he paid close attention to each of us on the course. He also paid attention to us at practice so eventhough we thought we were pulling one over on him, I'm sure he knew about our sitting around the corner trick.

The magic was that he didn't get mad. He didn't ever yell at us or berate our performance. If that had happened, I don't think I would have come back. Instead, he believed in us and our potential and encouraged us to just keep going. He kept me going for 3 years but also now for 15. Because of his gentle demeanor, spirit and support, I became a runner at heart.

As I passed through a water station at mile 23 of my first marathon yesterday, one of the station volunteers handed me a cup and said, "It's all about heart now"... And he was right. The heart of a runner is strong, committed and enduring.

Running isn't always about getting there first. It is more about the road you had to take to get there. I finished the course in 4 hours and 15 minutes and each time I started to think about crossing the finish line, I made myself come back to the actual place I was in at that moment and savor and relish that experience while it lasted.

Of course, runners always want to do their best but it's such a personal experience that you are only as competitive as you want to be. 15 years ago, I didn't want to compete but for some reason, I still wanted to run. 8 or 9 years ago, I did want to compete and trained myself to become a competitive, medal-winning half-marathoner. Today, I just want to run and experience the joy of going places I have never gone before, and prove to myself that what wasn't achieved yesterday can still be achieved today or tomorrow.

I like to have the freedom to choose how hard I push or how much I dedicate myself to any activity or sport in my life, meaning that I like to get there on my own. If my coaches had come down too hard on me and my performance, it could have run me right off of the team. Instead, Mr. Burnside was able to instill the true values and principles of running into my heart so that I could access them when I was really ready to use them. It is a gift for which I am truly grateful.

For me, success in running was simply a matter of priority. In high school, I had higher priorities than running. In college, the opposite was true and I was more successful. What I believe today is that health and fitness need to be a priority for every one of us. As technologies develop that make our lives more comfortable and convenient, we don't have the luxury to choose not to exercise or eat right. Our bodies and our health will pay for it.

We can all be athletes at heart and runners are a perfect example. Out of the 20,000 people who ran in the marathon yesterday, there were people of all ages, shapes and sizes and most everyone ran all 26.2 miles. We all became athletes because we decided to make running a marathon a priority in our lives.

All of us can access our inner athlete if we decide we want to, and I would highly encourage it. My husband David is developing an amazing system that gives anyone and everyone an easy way to access their inner athlete. Details can be found on the web site: www.bosufitness.com and will be shared more fully in the days and weeks to come.

So Mr. Burnside, I wish I knew where you were today. If I could tell you that I finished a marathon in 4:15, I know you would be proud!

I also know that you'd tell me, "I knew that you could do it."

"Success in Life", by Mark Twain

"All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure."
- Mark Twain

I came across this quote today on my Google home page and I was struck by its significance.

I've come to learn that success in life is often times a result of taking risks. Sometimes the difference between one who succeeds vs. one who doesn't is that the successful one is the one who took a chance, who wasn't afraid to put it all on the line in exchange for achieving greatness. This type of success is the perfect balance between healthy amounts of ignorance and confidence and the results can be life-changing.

The reason why is this: without a healthy dose of ignorance, it is too easy to discount everything as too hard to do, impossible to achieve, too uncertain to risk. We know a lot these days about many things and the world tends to scare us into believing that we are helpless. We are conditioned every day to believe various things about ourselves and our world which can end up boxing us in. We start to believe that things don't, can't or won't change and that simply is not true.

I am less than two days away from running my first marathon and because of this quote, I know I will succeed. What makes me ignorant is the fact that I have never run this far before but I am confident that I will finish because I have been dedicated to my training since January.

Prior to committing to this goal, I could have analyzed all of the reasons why I shouldn't do it: the time commitment, the fatigue, the muscle aches and pains, the need for proper rest, sleep, hydration and nutrition that might affect my social life (God forbid!). Maybe if I had dwelled on these facts and weighed them all completely, I would have decided NOT to do it... And what a shame that would have been!

Instead, I chose to be ignorant to the fact that training for a marathon can be another full-time job because I want to achieve this moment of greatness in my life and weighing the "cons" too heavily could have prevented me from doing so.

They say that "ignorance is bliss" and it's clear to me why. However, I think the most productive, safe and effective type is what I call "healthy ignorance". Different than being oblivious, healthy ignorance is an attitude or state of mind which is educated enough to anticipate or understand a particular outcome but free and courageous enough to move forward regardless.

This is where the critical aspect of confidence comes in. I was able to be "healthfully ignorant" because I was confident that after training for 21 weeks, I would be well prepared. Without some sort of confidence, it is almost impossible to be ignorant in a way that will still yield successful results. Had I only been just plain ignorant to the effects of distance running, I perhaps would have tried to run the marathon without proper training (aka: confidence) and would have likely been unsuccessful.

Without healthy ignorance and confidence, it is hard to take risks but taking risks is what so often drives success. It all goes back to breaking out of our "box"; the walls we have built around us based on the experiences in life which have conditioned us. I believe that anything in life is possible if you give yourself the chance.

Don't be afraid to take reasonable risks - don't be afraid of changing your life! Believe that anything you want to do IS possible and within your reach. It is the powerful combination of healthy ignorance and confidence that will lead to success.

Wish me luck on Sunday! On second thought... I'm confident that I won't need it!

The Real Secret to "Anti-Aging"

The quest for eternal youth is more popular today than ever before. People spend thousands of dollars on various hormone therapies, surgeries, and skin interventions to delay the onset of the inevitable – aging.

Today, a woman’s life expectancy is estimated to be 80.1 years. Men live an average of 74.8 years. Interestingly though, scientists have found that genes influence only about 30% of a person’s ability to live longer than the current norm. That leaves 70% up to factors we can control like lifestyle habits.

We can’t deny the fact that every one of us will get older. However, recent anti-aging research has shown that the effects of aging are largely preventable. In its simplest terms, the key to tapping into the eternal wellspring of life is balance. Extreme lifestyle habits and behavior create stress in the body - stress being one of the leading causes of lifestyle diseases. Managing your stress by living a balanced lifestyle will quiet your mind and your body, thus giving your body's systems the opportunity to heal themselves.

Research has also proven that cells deprived of oxygen over time will die or become dormant. Increasing the availability of usable oxygen in the body is critical to a person’s longevity. Balanced exercise, meditation, and dietary habits will support the body systems as they age better than extreme lifestyle habits which oftentimes create imbalance.

Exercise: A balanced exercise program will support the uptake of oxygen in the body and can maintain the stamina, muscle strength, balance, and bone density that increases with age. Daily cardiovascular activity like walking, jogging, swimming, hiking, biking or dancing for 30-60 minutes coupled with strength training 2-3 days a week is a great way to keep the body youthful and strong. Inactivity and over-exercising can each tax the body and create imbalances which may lead to lifestyle diseases.

Meditation: If a high-paced lifestyle is unavoidable for you, it is even more important that you make time to balance that stress with a very calming activity. Developing a practice of meditation quiets the mind, which quiets the body and allows for the body's systems to heal themselves naturally. Deep breathing during meditation also circulates the oxygen we need throughout the body. Many people go through an entire day without breathing deeply, a practice that limits our oxygenating capacity. Find 20-30 minutes each day when you can sit or lie down in a quiet, dimly lit room that is free from distractions. Play some gentle music, light a few candles or burn some incense, close your eyes and let yourself relax. Visualize yourself in a place or time that you felt the most comfortable and relaxed. Sit with that image and let the memory of that feeling sweep over you. Meditative states can also be reached during activities like gentle yoga, massage, acupuncture or time spent in nature. The key is to reach that place of calm where the body feels free to let go and heal itself.

Diet: The dietary anti-aging buzz word is antioxidants, or nutrients that neutralize free radicals and slow down basal skeletal muscle oxidation (or muscle tissue break-down). Dietary habits that support anti-aging and antioxidants in the body include eating a diet rich in carotenoids (dark-colored vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, squash, and spinach), flavonoids (blue and purple berries), zinc (oysters, clams, poultry, whole grains, lean beef), vitamin B6 (bananas, potatoes, kidney and pinto beans, clams), and vitamins C and E and water. Moderating your consumption of alcohol and caffeine to one to two cups of each a day is highly suggested. Alcohol and caffeine contribute to unhealthy cell regeneration which will speed up the aging process. Avoiding tobacco and other smoking products is also a necessity. Smoking impedes the circulation of oxygen within the body and also creates deep wrinkling of the skin and premature age spots.

Mind: Last but certainly not least, Deepak Chopra, M.D., suggests that simply changing your perception of aging can slow the process down. He states that intentions are what trigger transformation in the body. The body is constantly converting our experiences into molecules which in turn affect our body. The experience of anxiety stimulates production of cortisol and adrenaline, or stress hormones. The experience of tranquility produces valium. Experiencing exhilaration and joy makes interleukins and interferons, or powerful anti-cancer drugs. It seems that the way we experience life has a direct affect on hormone production and the health of our body. According to Chopra, the way we think, behave and eat can influence the length of our lives by 30-50 years. Intending to live a long, healthy life by adopting and maintaining a balanced lifestyle will help you do the best anyone can hope for – age gracefully.