Daily Ramblings – Spiritual Saturday/Sunday – Book Discussion Series

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Dreams, ECK Wisdom Series, Eckankar, Fear, Healing, health, Inner guidance, Karma and Reincarnation, Life After Death, Meetup, Sould Travel, Spiritual Freedom, spirituality, Tools, wisdom

I will be hosting a 9-session book discussion on a series of books in ECKANKAR’s Wisdom Series. These will be hosted and run on ZOOM. If you would like to attend, join my Meetup. Here’s the link: https://www.meetup.com/the-path-of-spiritual-freedom-eckankar-port-huron/ I will be posting these events on my Meetup one at a time. Each event will require you to register, but do not cost any thing, other than the .99 cents the books cost on Amazon. Here’s a link to them: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08M38HNZ6?ref_=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_tkin&binding=kindle_edition

These events will be 100% online via ZOOM and are open to the public everywhere on the globe. The dates and topics are below:

Conquering Fear – Mar 18, 2021
Solving Problems – Apr 15, 2021
Health and Healing – May 20, 2021
Inner Guidance – Jun 17, 2021
Life After Death – Jul 15, 2021
Karma and Reincarnation – Aug 19, 2021
Dreams – Sep 16, 2021
Soul Travel – Oct 7, 2021
Spiritual Freedom – Oct 21, 2021

I wanted to make sure everyone of you knew about my upcoming book discussions. You’ll get to see and hear me live. You can connect via ZOOM or just call in. These will be posted on my Meetup, advertised on Facebook, and I will continue to notify all of you as the book discussion dates approach. I hope some of you can make it.

You do not have to be an ECKist to attend these events and there will be no solicitation whatsoever to join ECKANKAR. These books were written as a public service and offer real tools to help you in many areas of your life. If you are interested in any of these topics, I highly recommend coming. These books will offer you some real benefits, and provide you with some tools you can apply right away.

Hope to see some of you there!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Ted Talk Tuesday – Yoga

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anxiety, cardiovascular health, depression, Flexibility, health, Meditation, Stress Relief, Yoga

Yoga has many benefits, including improved flexibility, relief from stress, and improved cardiovascular performance. If you’ve never tried this, you may want to give it a shot. Yoga, in its simplest form, is a great way to get some much-needed exercise, particularly now with the many intermittent lockdowns that will continue into the future, particularly now that we have begun to see mutations of the COVID virus appear in the States and elsewhere. You can find a truckload of Yoga tutorials on YouTube and other video streaming sites (Rumble, Vimeo, etc.). Give it a shot. It’s a great way to add some variety to your home workouts.

Namaste!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Workout Routine – Final Stretch

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breaks, family, Friends, health, Holidays, Home Workout, physical training, Relax, Video Games

This year has been a crazy year for exercise enthusiasts. My wife, who is a competitive bodybuilder, all of her competitions were cancelled, and all of her gyms were closed off and on. The one thing she kept consistent was her diet, which she rocks, by the way.

This week, I’ll be doing another alternative exercise program. For those of you who know me, you know I’m an avid video game player. My current game of choice is Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War. Because the game was just released, most of my holiday month (December) I will be gaming, hanging out with the family, and eating all the great food this time of year brings.

One of my buddies who served with me in the military had a cool habit that I joined in with him on. It was called commercial physical training. This is how it worked: We watch a television show, and each time a commercial came on, we would do one exercise for the duration of the commercial. I’m going to adapt this technique to video game playing. The “matches” we play on Call of Duty, last about 5 minutes each. So each time a match ends, I’ll do an exercise with as many reps as I can during the intermission between matches, which lasts about 2 minutes. I’ll concentrate on each body part, starting with the larger ones as I play. Once I’ve hit the entire body, I’m done for the day, unless I’m motivated and will add some stair step exercise to get in some cardio (walking up and down stairs for a minute or so).

You will be amazed at how taxing these routines are. I remember watching The Bob Newhart show overseas in our barracks, and you’d be amazed how many commercials play during one comedy show. My buddy and I were smoked by the time the show ended.

This will be my last week of posting for 2020. I take the last couple of weeks off each year, to review, organize, and plan for 2021. For those of you who follow this scheduled post every week and none of my other pages, I wish all of you a terrific, fun, and relaxing holiday season.

See you at the finish line!

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Workout Routine – Adapting to the Lockdown

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Adapt, Diet, health, Improvise, Overcome, Persist, Sleep, Supplements, Water, workout

This week, we are in week two of Michigan’s lockdown. The gyms are closed again; the restaurants are closed again; the libraries are closed again. So what to do?

This week, I’ll be using my bodyweight, exercise bands, and the stairs of my home to get in a good workout. This week, it’ll be about moving. I have a timer that is ongoing that is set for 30 minutes. Each 30 minutes, I’ll do 60 seconds of exercise, whether it be a set of pushups, situps, squats, stair stepping, or biceps curls. Each day I’ll hit every body part 2-3 times, as I get up and move every 30 minutes. If you’ve never tried something like this, it’ll keep you from turning into a couch potato for sure.

I hope each of you is safe and sound during the lockdowns that are occurring intermittently in your area of the globe.

The key to living a healthy life is eating right, managing stress, getting the sleep you need, drinking plenty of water, taking whatever supplements you need, and to KEEP MOVING! That’s all I got for now.

Have a great workout week!

See you at the finish line!

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – The Numbers are Going Down.

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Coronavirus, family, Friends, Guidelines, health, Safety, Thankful, vulnerable

After watching today’s White House briefing, I was encouraged by Dr. Birx’s analysis of the models we have now, based on the numbers they are receiving from healthcare providers across the area. New York’s numbers are still high, but their cases are going down. Only time will tell.

That being said, I am thankful for the American people for sticking with the guidelines that have been provided. According to Dr. Birx, these lowered numbers (about 60,000, instead of the earlier numbers between 100,000 and 200,000 deaths). 60,000 deaths is still high, but it’s a much better number than the scary numbers that were put out a week ago.

I’m also thankful that all of my family in Michigan and Arizona is safe and healthy. I talked to a colleague of mine who is an ESL teacher in Vietnam. His grandmother died from the coronavirus, and his aunt is on a ventilator. Due to travel restrictions he can’t get home. Bad news indeed.

Finally, I am thankful for all the healthcare professionals, military, first responders, scientists, and other members of our critical supply chains continuing to go to work at great risk to themselves. I’m also grateful for the folks who work in our grocery stores, convenience stores, and restaurants (the ones that are still open for pickup or drive-thru). What a great collection of heros.

Please continue to stick with the guidelines that have been put in place. They are working. I realize being stuck at home is a pain, but if it saves the lives of those in our society that are most vulnerable, it’s worth it. I hope all of you continue to stay safe, stay informed, and follow guidance provided by our government.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Thankful for the Health of Family and Friends

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Death, family, Friends, Hardest Hit, health, Loss, Tragedy, World Health Organization

In light of all of the tragedy stretching across the globe, I wanted to express my gratitude for the health of my family and friends. It could be a lot worse, and luckily, it isn’t.

One of my friends wasn’t so lucky. He lost two fraternity brothers this week to the coronavirus. There are thousands of stories of families losing loved ones, told and untold. According to the World Health Education Website we are at 416,686 confirmed cases, 18,589 confirmed deaths, with 197 countries impacted.

The hardest hit are: China (81,869 confirmed cases), Italy (69,176 confirmed cases), U.S.A. (51,914 confirmed cases), Spain (39,673 confirmed cases), Germany (31,554 confirmed cases), Iran (27,017 confirmed cases), and France (22,025 confirmed cases). Each death is tragic, especially when you consider that there is no cure for this thing.

Express gratitude for your loved ones. Reach out to them if you are separated. It’s so important in these rough times.

I hope each of you remains safe, remains informed, and follows local guidance. We can beat this thing if we stay at home, take care of ourselves, and follow the guidance provided by our governments.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Ted Talk Tuesday – AJ Jacobs

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AJ Jacobs, Funny, health, Healthy Eating, Noise Reduction, Wearing a Helmet

Here is a comical look at living healthy. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Bonus Content – Remaking Love

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Barbara Fredrickson, Connection, Coursera, health, Love, Micro-moment, Positive Psychology, UNC at Chapel Hill

This was a Ted Talk that was included as part of a Positive Psychology course I took from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Great course and great Ted Talk. Enjoy!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday

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Body, Exercise, Grateful, Gratitude, gym, health, New Followers, Thank you, Workouts

To all my new followers this week—Thank you! It is always a treat to get a new follower. I hope you continue to enjoy the content here. I’ve recently posted my workout routines. This is a great diary for me to look back to. It is also a great way to get ideas on how you can start your own workouts. My philosophy about working out in the gym—GO! I don’t care if your form is perfect, your effort is maximal, or what your goals are. Just GO! This is 90% of the battle with an exercise routine—going. If you can get yourself to the gym at least 3-4 times a week, mixing in some weight work, cardio, and some stretching exercises, you’ll be fine.

I’m 55 and not interested in competing or becoming a bodybuilder. I want to move around and remain mentally sharp for the rest of my life. My Dad is my motivation. He neglected his physical activity since he retired and now is paying for it. My Mom is 75 years old and works out with weights 3 or 4 times a week. It is terrific. I use her to “shame” my young friends when they say they are too tired or too busy to workout.

I enjoy variety in my workouts. I like to keep altering what I do each day to keep up my interest level and avoid being bored. I hit all the major muscle groups during the week and goal myself to do at least 140 minutes of cardio each week. Today, I did a chest and triceps routine. I am so grateful for my health and my ability to go to the gym and push myself. I have friends who are diabetic or have an injury that prevents them from doing a lot of work in the gym.

Today, I am heading to the Chiropractor. I don’t really need one, but it is nice to do preventative maintenance on the back. I had a back surgery back in 2003 and wish I had taken better care of my spine. If you are afraid of getting your back “cracked”, do what I did and find yourself a “no-force” chiropractor. They are terrific. Mine helps me stretch out, uses various pressure points to ease inflamed nerves, and gives me guidance on what I should do with myself to ensure I aggravate nothing. One was to get new shoes. I picked up a pair a few weeks ago, and boy, what a difference. Trust me. Take care of your back now. Back surgery is no fun. It knocked me down for about 5 years, before I felt normal again.

I am grateful for my health and my ability to maintain my health in the gym and with other activities I work on during the week. I hope each of you follow my advice if you have not already begun a workout routine. It is not too late. Just start out slow and progress gradually. Always check with your health care practitioner to make sure you are ok to start a program. If you get approval, take it slow. Most gyms today offer an introduction program where you can use one of their trainers for free. These trainers will walk you through the gym to show you how to use their equipment. They are always available if you have a quick question about how to use something. Once you know how to use the equipment, start slow. Start with 3 sets of 10 reps on each machine you choose. I would recommend a basic split for your first routine. A split is how you break up the body during a workout week. You can split your routine over the days you want to go. If you will only go 3 times a week, you’ll want a routine that handles all the major muscle groups. Day 1 you could do chest, shoulders, and triceps. Day 2 you could exercise back and biceps. Day 3 you would do your legs and abs. Simple, but effective.

What are you grateful for today?

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Being Grateful for the Little Things

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Appreciative, family, Friends, Grateful, health, Life, Little Things, pets, Tecumseh, Thankful

“When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself.” – Tecumseh

Read more at: BrainyQuote

I want to start today’s post with a “Thank You!” to my new followers this week. I appreciate you following my blog and hope my content helps or inspires you to do great things in your life. Today is Thankful Thursday and I want to talk about the things we take for granted in our lives.

Each morning I journal. The first thing I do is write in my dream journal, recording whatever I remember about the dreams I had the night before. The second thing I do is write in my gratitude and affirmations journal. The third thing I do is work through my morning pages to empty my mind and think about the day ahead. All these journals are important in different ways. The most important journal is my Gratitude and Affirmations Journal.

I am grateful for this life. I am grateful for God’s love. I am grateful for my family and friends. I am grateful for my pets. I am grateful for the little things. Little things, like a warm cup of coffee as I stare out my office window and look at the snow. A nice meal. A good book and a cup of tea. I am grateful for my health. I am grateful for the intellect I am blessed with. I am grateful for the insights that come into my mind.

The beauty of practicing gratefulness is the way it focuses my mind on the good rather than the bad. It is so easy to be unconscious. It is so easy to develop bad habits. It is so easy to blame everything outside of us for our problems. It is so easy to get upset and pissed off. I started my gratitude practice by writing three things I was grateful for. Initially, it was hard. It was hard because it takes a conscious effort. It requires you to act and recognize how great your life is.

Despite your current circumstances, you have lots to be grateful for. You are alive. This life is yours to live. Be grateful for what you have. Look at all the things that make your life great. Maybe it’s your warm bed. Maybe it is one of your friends. Maybe it is taking a hot bath or shower. Find things to be grateful for. You will notice a feeling enter you. This feeling will be one of comfort, joy, and contentment. It may take a while to recognize it because we are so focused on what’s wrong with our lives. Flip the switch. Look for what’s right. Focus on that.

Each of you who are reading this posting has things to be grateful for. What are they? When you think about them, how do you feel? Try this out for a month. Each morning take time to write three things you are grateful for. Constantly look for new things to express your thanks for. When you concentrate on what’s good, more things will rise to your attention. Before long you will have hundreds of things you are grateful for. This is one habit that can change your life. It will change your life because it will focus your attention on the good rather than the bad. It is a great way to live.

Well folks, that’s it for today. I hope each of you begins a daily gratitude practice. It will make a huge difference—promise.

Until next time…

Dave