Tag: making positive changes

The Champion’s Comeback

Christina BruniLeave a comment

I checked out of the library years ago the book The Champion’s Comeback.

A setback is not the end of the world or of your life. It’s the end of the end of the world and life as you used to know it. The benefit of living through a trial is that afterward we have the ability to create a better routine than the one we had that no longer serves us.

While we can’t predict when a setback will occur we can expect that setbacks will occur. It’s how we respond to a challenge that determines the outcome not how severe the obstacle was to begin with. Resilience is called for.

I happen to think that everyone is a champion simply because we’ve gotten in the ring. It doesn’t matter whether we win or lose; the fact is each of us is a champion because we risked fighting to get what we want.

Coming back after a setback as said takes time patience hard work and determination. The playing field is truly level when you compete against yourself–the person you were yesterday–and no one else.

The healthier you are to begin with I believe a fitness setback will not be as severe as it was for a person in ill health. I call achieving a baseline of health “establishing the floor” of what you’re capable of. It’s the solid ground on which each of us stands.

Often the old life has ended because it’s become unlivable. Cheers to having the courage to risk making positive changes.

Coming up how I redesigned my approach to lifting weights.

Changing Habits

Christina BruniLeave a comment

My epiphany with food and exercise occurred when I moved into a new apartment nine years ago.

In the 1q90s my weekly menu consisted of Velveeta mac-and-cheese (marginally OK when I added broccoli to it), hot dogs, hamburgers, frozen TV dinners and other cheap crap.

Not surprisingly I was 20 pounds overweight. That was my typical diet for too long. I kid you not I used to eat unhealthful food every week for years and years.

This hungry woman used to “treat” herself to Hungry Man TV dinners all the time.

So I can tell you that my story is living proof that it’s possible to change your exercise and eating habits at any point in your life.

I was 46 when I first started to lift weights and eat organic food.

I’m 55 now and feel better than ever.

I tell you this story to give readers hope.

I’ll end here with this:

Our lives are going to be too long not too short to put off doing what gives us joy and makes us feel good.

We should not have to live one minute longer in pain than we absolutely need to.

As a therapist once said: “Suffering for the sake of suffering is bullshit.”

The point is not that you have to be skinny or have six-pack abs.

The exclamation point is that feeling good feels so much better than being out of shape.

Good food as said can put you in a good mood.

I’m going to talk in the next blog entry about slowing down and focusing on the present moment.

A new documentary about Michael Jordan–the Last Dance–talks about 3 tactics he employed to win championships.

I’ll talk about them here because they can assist us in real life.

Upcoming Blog Carnival

Christina BruniLeave a comment

I want to talk about the Mind-Body Connection in this blog.

Again, I’m in the vanguard in writing about things no one else is covering.

The idea to publish this blog carnival came to me this week.

In a departure, I want to give more detail about my own journey to get fitter and remain active for the rest of my life.

In today’s publishing climate the more sensational your claim is you’ll be called an “expert” and get a book contract.

What I write about is common sense. I give readers this information in the hope of empowering you to live your own version of a full and robust life.

From Beyonce from a fashion magazine interview:

“The beauty of social media is it’s completely democratic…Everyone’s voice counts, and everyone has a chance to paint the world from their own perspective.”

In the next blog entry I’ll give you my autobiography.

Then I’ll start to take you on my journey to get fitter and remain active for the rest of my life.

I firmly believe that if you want to have a better life this is under your control.

You can “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams” at any age.

My greatest goal is to use the blogs to spread joy, love, peace, and understanding in the world.

You shouldn’t feel ashamed because you want to better yourself.

Forget the jealous people. Forget the critics, naysayers, and haters in society whose sole purpose in life appears to take other people down.

Hold your head high. You are a person of worth equal to others in society.

Perhaps in sharing my journey you’ll be empowered to make positive changes as well.