 Every day we see patients in our clinic with painful physical symptoms caused by stress. Below is an article worth reading by Mandie Crawford. Your carrot chasing can be transformed into the fulfillment of your dreams and a healthier lifestyle.
The term "chasing the carrot" originated from farmers or cart drivers who would tie a carrot on a string to a long stick and dangle it in front of the donkey, just out of its reach. As the donkey moved forward to get the carrot, it pulled the cart and but the carrot would always remain out of reach. The problem is obvious - the donkey never gets the carrot - but the cart gets pulled. This is often the case when we work for others. We chase a reward and do what it takes to get the reward - for the sake of the reward. However, when we build a business, and build it with passion - in essence we are following a dream. Our eyes are focused on vision and our thoughts on a topic condition that we strive to attain. And we do it not to attain the end result so much as we do it because it fires us up - gets us excited and feeds our energy. The difference is easy to see. The carrot dangling method that is followed by a useless chase to attain a result can be very empty - while developing a dream and following where it leads can be very fulfilling. Unfortunately, although many of us leave a 'job' and the carrot behind to follow a dream - when we get into the grind of the mechanics of the dream we are following - the actions we take soon resemble a carrot on a string - that we ourselves dangle. As we become tired of working so hard and take our eyes off the dream, we begin to look only toward the immediate rewards that we can get if we get the job done. This is when we begin to see being an entrepreneur as more of a job than a calling. When we are called or feel called - we follow. We follow the dream. We look for signs, develop our vision, become creative, and look at possibilities. We don't try to squeeze our dream into someone else's funding model or colour within the lines just to be recognized. When we chase a carrot - our eyes are only on the immediate goal - and we often will do anything to achieve it - giving in to the momentary satisfaction instead of focusing on the long term results of a well executed plan. I have chased the carrot and I have followed the dream. Following the dream is far more fulfilling because it focuses on solutions for all - and is inclusive of others. The rewards are many. Chasing the carrot means only one person gets to eat - the one who finally gets the carrot. Are you chasing the carrot? Only you know for sure. But if you find yourself too tired to finish big at the end of the day and too tired to roll out of bed in the morning - then chances are your business is not feeding your passion. Chances are - you are chasing a carrot you that may never reach and that will rob you of energy. Time to re-align. Is it time for you to get back on track and re-align yourself with your purpose and your dream? If so - how do you do that? How do we relight the fires of passion for what we do and begin again to focus on our vision? The only way to do this is to take time to reflect on our values, our purpose, our behaviors and our thoughts. It is easy to fall off the rails sometimes. We get busy and forget to listen to ourselves and others. So take time to find out HOW you are feeling and why. You yourself know the changes you need to make - and you can find out what those changes are if you take time to listen to the whisperings of your soul. Connect with your spirit and become re-inspired. Remember your dreams and listen to the whispers. Two months ago, I learned how to meditate. I began to listen again. It's amazing the joy I rediscovered in my business as soon as the vision that I had lost - began to reappear. Women are changing the way business is done. But to keep up the work we do - we must stay recharged and in touch. When we become disconnected - it affects not only us, but everyone else in the universe. Like the wings of the butterfly fluttering in North America may affect the winds in Saudi Arabia - so do our actions within our businesses affect the entire world. Take care not to lose sight of the dream or abandon it - for a measly carrot! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7137596
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 If you are like most of us, you were taught the importance of warm-up exercises back in grade school, and you have likely continued with pretty much the same routine ever since. Maybe not such a good idea. Learn what the current research says about the correct way to stretch!
 A modest amount of exercise can lead to an average increase of life span for men of 6.2 years and for women 5.6 years. Read about the research that has been done in this New York Times article. We think you will be pleasantly surprised by the benefits of even a simple 30 minute walk each day!  Have a look at this Press Release that tells an inspiring story about our patient Blair Cannon!
San Diego Man Trains for 28.5-Mile Swim in New York City to Benefit Monarch School Blair Cannon Qualifies to Compete in a Swim Around the Manhattan Island; Aims to Raise Funding for San Diego’s Homeless Youth SAN DIEGO – June 5, 2012 – Last year, Blair Cannon, local philanthropist and vice president of Bernstein Global Wealth Management, swam 21 miles from Catalina Island to the coast of California in the middle of the night without a wetsuit in 62 degree water. This year, he’s back in the waters of La Jolla Cove training for a new challenge, the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim. Taking place June 23, it is a 28.5-mile solo circumnavigation of the island of Manhattan. Cannon is one of 40 swimmers from around the world who qualified and has been selected to compete in the prestigious swim. Taking on the Hudson River and other waterways around New York City, Blair is expected to swim for more than 8 hours in 65 degree water with no wetsuit. The goal: to raise money and awareness for Monarch School. “After swimming the Catalina Channel, I wasn’t sure if I would take on another big open water swim,” said Cannon. “Preparing for a swim of this distance is a tremendous undertaking – I’ve already logged over 700,000 yards in the pool since January.” Testing himself at endurance sports isn’t new for Cannon – he’s also completed four Ironman Triathlons, more than a dozen marathons, and numerous ultra-distance backpacking treks. “I enjoy endurance sports, but found that racing for my own sake was no longer satisfying. By combining sports with my passion for helping our youth, I have a new, and much more profound, reason to compete. Committing my time and energy to help these homeless children meet their basic needs and receive a quality education is far more important than simply trying to find a spot on the podium. And, having hundreds of homeless students at Monarch counting on me to succeed is an incredibly powerful motivation. The students are my inspiration. There’s no doubt that I will suffer mentally and physically during this 28.5 mile swim, but it’s only for 8 hours. These children overcome far greater challenges every day. Some of them don’t even know where they will sleep tonight.” Cannon was first introduced to Monarch School in the fall of 2010 and was immediately and deeply moved by the need to help San Diego’s growing homeless-youth population. After completing the Catalina Channel swim last August, he has since joined the Monarch School Board of Directors and set his sights on this new goal to continue helping the school. Cannon continued, “This swim is a small way for me to leverage my talents to give back to the community and make a difference for these children. Not only in raising money for the school, but I also hope it shows the Monarch students that they can accomplish anything they want in life if they work for it.” During the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, Cannon will compete against a field of the world’s top open-water marathon swimmers. His training kicked into full gear in January, and he’ll log more than 500 miles in the water prior to starting the race. Cannon’s rigorous six-month training schedule is fueled by HYDRA C5 and other carboPRO.com products, which help with energy, endurance and recovery. Kate Grace and her team at Evolve Physical therapy (www.kgpt.com) have been instrumental in helping him cross-training, recover, and ensuring that his shoulders are well prepared for race day. His longest week of training included 43 miles in the ocean with a 12-mile swim to cap off the week. In early June, he will begin to taper his training and focus on recovery, his diet and getting mentally prepared for the challenge. As Cannon puts in the hard labor, he is asking the community for support. “Manhattan Swim for Monarch” donations and sponsorships will benefit the Monarch School’s Annual Fund, assisting with general operating expenses for the school’s year-round services that help break the cycle of homelessness. This includes providing food, hygiene kits, clothing, school supplies, counseling, transportation to and from school, and more. To learn more about the swim or to get involved, visit http://www.monarchschools.org/news-events/manhattan-swim-for-monarch. Or, join in the conversation at facebook.com/monarchschool or twitter.com/SanDiegoMonarch. About Monarch School: Founded in 1988, Monarch School, located in downtown San Diego, is a public K-12 school exclusively for students who are at-risk and impacted by homelessness. Monarch School represents a unique public-private partnership between the San Diego County Office of Education and a nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization. Each year, the school serves more than 400 children impacted by homelessness in San Diego County. Monarch School’s committed team of educators, support staff and volunteers is dedicated to providing homeless children with an accredited education while caring for their basic needs. Monarch School broke ground on its new Nat & Flora Bosa Campus in downtown San Diego in February 2012 and is expected to complete construction in early 2013. For more information, visit http://monarchschools.org or call (619) 237-7678. |
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