JascasFit Activewear: What do you Focus On... What you got wrong or What you got right?

Have you ever thought about this, how many times in a day that you do something or complete something and all you can see is the things you got wrong or were not 100% happy with.

I have been lucky enough to be coaching a boys basketball team for the last 18 months and with all the boys being under 14 years old I started to notice that sometimes they would only remember the mistakes that they had made when playing a game. 

This got me thinking about how I react to live, projects, work etc and do I see only the negative in what I have completed. In simple terms I am a perfectionist (not a good triad to have in all instances) so Yes I see the mistakes or parts that I am not 100% happy with.

My beautiful wife pointed this out to me on many occasions, one in particular, where I built a cubby house for my boys when the where younger. It is 8m long by 3.5m wide and includes a cubby house, hidden trap door, built in sand pit, deck, viewing platform and their own stairs to our back door. In short something the boys loved and was safe for them to enjoy. When friend’s family come over they usually say how awesome it is. Yet all I saw was the mistakes I made, not major just little simple mistakes I made with timber not lining up together or at the edges of the decking area.

So for me I saw the 5-10% that I was not happy with, not the 90-95% that was spot on that is safe, fun and enjoyable for all of us.

I noticed this in the way we as parents can react to test that our kids take at school and how we react whether as a joke or a direct comment about what the did not get right. An example of this is when I was growing up my dad used to say in a joking form ‘What happened to the other 20%’ referring to the 20% I got wrong on a test I received 80% right for. Even though this was not meant in any nasty way it stuck with me as not being good enough and this stayed with me for a long part of my life.

So it got me thinking how can we really change the way we personally look at what we get right and focus on that so we can build from there.

Back to the basketball team, I noticed that the boys would always drop their heads after a game they had lost and understandably they where disappointed they had lost although they had made some huge successes personally and as a team. So I remembered about how a seminar I went to years ago talked about always point out the good, then points to work on and finally finish with what was the BEST part of the game. I saw them leave from a game with their heads held high and proud of themselves so next game that came back with high energy ready to play a better game than last week and play as a team.

I was listening to Walter Bond speak and he talks about our job as parents is to ‘Lift our kids up’, meaning to change their perspective on the world and to see it though different eyes or to see another solution.

How often do we do this as adults, how often do you lift yourself up to see the world from a different perspective, to see how far you have really come.

I know for myself I will beat myself up inside for the things I got wrong or how I could have do better, kids are no different they have already seen the mistake and beat themselves up they do not need me to make a big deal out of it again. Point out what they got right, what you are proud of them for doing and wait to see the change in them.

Remember it is your Fun Active Life.

Ben & Kathryn
Jaycasfit – Inspire Greatness
Web:       www.jaycasfit.com.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaycasfit
Instagram: @jaycasfit_activewear

Jamie Milne Training (Jamie): Fulfilment: The Art of 'Selfhood'

Do you have low self-esteem? Low self-worth? Do you have an underlying current of 'I don't deserve' this person, this job, these amazing friends? If you don't then read no further. However, truth be known, you are in a very very small minority. Me, well I sit ever so neatly into the majority, into the struggle street/woe is me 'pity parade'... Until recently.

 

I was challenged not that long ago when I was blatantly asked "Do you reckon you suffer from low self-esteem bro?", and I answered very easily (far to casually), "Yes".

It was a give in for me. I assumed this feeling of unworthiness was my lot in life. This was the story I've told myself from a young age, and this story continued well into adulthood. I believed my turbulent and very colourful childhood, early military experience, and very poor decision making allowed me to secure this right.

Is it a get out of jail free card? Does having low self-worth effect situations, conversations, relationships and decision making? I firmly believe it does!

So besides countless hours of therapy, self-help books, podcasts, YouTube clips, Instagram posts and memes reminding us all we have a rainbow of colours shining out our arses and we look amazing on a unicorn's back... The penny had still failed to drop.

Contrary to what Facebook shows you of our amazing lives (or at least the parts we decide to plaster on our walls), majority of us don't feel to crash hot about ourselves. And I am one of you also.

So how does one flick the needle the other way? 

How do we actually feel confident in the way we look, the way we hold our selves, the relationships we keep, how do we love ourselves enough to put ourselves before our partners, our business and before our children (WOW, how could we even consider being so selfish? Did Jamie just write that? He is off his head... Have the wheels actually have fallen off?)... Me before my partner, my business, MY children?

You know what, it’s not 'SELFISH', its 'SELF-FULL'. It’s about fulfilment.

Consider this:

By filling your cup first, you allow others to drink from your amazing bone china. Once your cup is full it spills over, those in your orbit may drink and get some of your amazing sparkle. As Shakespeare was famous for saying “Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin, as self-neglecting"

Next question, is self-love enough of a catalyst for change? Is it enough to shove the esteem needle in the other direction? Probably not. There is major component and a foundation for CHANGE, and it sits so close to home, so close to your heart, to your very being, so close under your nose most of us don't even know it’s there.

To enhance and increase one’s self-esteem and self-worth, one must do the HARD WORK!

Deal with the tough decision, have the tough conversations, sift through the awkward situations. Then one becomes empowered and has an increase in self-pride and worth, Why? Because you did the work. The work that was required and needed to be done.

Let me tell you a quick story...

Meet Mick.

Mick is 110kg and his doctor has informed him he must lose 30kg or he won't be around much longer to enjoy his children, his wealthy lifestyle and have even a remote quality of life. Mick has money, so what does Mick do? He pays a surgeon to hack some bits of him off, suck some wobbly bits down the sink, and surgically transform his body.

And so with money spent and surgery performed Mick is now down to a healthy 80kg after a month of recovery, light activities and lifestyle changes. How great is this? After 6 weeks, Mick is running around with the kids, doesn't sweat when he's not in air-con, now fits his Abercrombie and Finch jeans he wore when him and Shazza got engaged 6 years ago. WINNING! Off they go living happily ever after with an abundance of self-esteem and self-worth and pinging on life.

The final question: Do you think Mick is empowered, proud, and have an honest increase in self-esteem and self-worth after his 2-month transformation? The answer? Not likely! Why? Because Mick didn't do the hard work. There was no journey. There was no time in the trenches. Good old Mick didn't earn his scabs. There is no growth, change or sustainability with taking the easy road.

As the famous saying reads "A short-cut takes you to a place not worth going"

Let’s flip this little story right on its head. Rewind the tape...

Mick goes to the doctor. Doctor tells him "Mick! You gotta lose 30kgs"... We know the story. But here is the decision that changes Mick's destiny.

He gets a trainer for support, accountability and to eliminate some of the trial and error. Mick still must do the work, but this Mick is switched on, he knows this.

He educates himself with nutrition, he establishes a solid support network, and  Shazza (his missus) saddles up and accompanies him on his journey. His best mate Pete trains with him as well, and how the tables have changed. The same journey takes Mick 18 months, BUT Mick has done the HARD WORK.

He looks back often and with a smile a mile wide as he reminisces of the journey he has taken. Mick looks back on this experience fondly and with immense pride. Shares his before and after pics with friends, family and any damn person who sits long enough to see the difference between the start and the end of his journey.

The moral of this blog is the call to action for YOU!!! Ye of low self-esteem and low self-worth, consider being just like Mick and just like me. Do the hard work, have the tough conversations, and deal with the difficult situations. Make yourself proud, love yourself, learn to put yourself first and watch how the universe rewards you. A cup pouring over for others, along with true abundance of positive emotion and esteem in your personal bank account. Go give yourself a hug and massive high 5.

Jamie
Jamie Milne Training
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamiemilnetraining/
Instagram: @JamieMilneTraining
Website: www.jamiemilnetraining.com
Email: jamiemilnetrainng@gmail.com

Amso Fit and Healthy (Danica): AmSo Fit & Healthy’s Guide To Superfoods!

 

 

'Superfoods' are inevitable. Throughout history we have grown to accept that some new product, herb, fad will pop up and grab everyone’s attention as a quick fix for good health. I’m not saying that there’s not merit behind them, some of them evoke a healthy shift in people by getting them to eat healthier foods. What I’m getting at, and have done so in other posts, is that a lot of these "superfoods" have no science to back them and just become over marketed and over-priced rubbish that can be replaced by more conventional and more affordable foods.

Our aim at AmSo Fit & Healthy is to get our clients to develop a healthy relationship with food and avoid quick-fix diet fads and avoid spending crazy amounts of money when they’re considering weight loss. We want our clients to enjoy eating real food. If you’re looking for cheap and realistic alternatives, or everyday heroes, for these crazy superfoods – you’re in the right place!

Remember that most of the "superfoods" out there are no better than the everyday foods, they’re a lot more expensive and a lot harder to find. Save yourself some money and enjoy those everyday heroes!

- Danica

info@amsofitandhealthy.com.au | facebook.com/amsofitandhealthy
instagram@amsofitandhealthy | #amsofitandhealthy
www.amsofitandhealthy.com.au


 　

Guest Blogger: Rhys Greedy: Kilimanjaro for the Kids

Firstly, a big thankyou to SCHF for giving me the opportunity to contribute to their page and tell a little more of the story behind my current project, Kilimanjaro for the Kids. Although the start of this journey only dates back to September last year, it has been an overwhelming response and action plan by all involved over the past 8 months for this campaign to get to where it is now. But to start from the beginning....

Rhys in the French Alps, 2015

July 2015 – I had just returned back into Australia from an expedition in the French Alps, in which I successfully reached the summit of Mont Blanc at 4810m elevation. A personal tick off the bucket list yes, but also in the process of training for this feat had managed to raise almost $15,000 towards Lymphoma Australia, an organisation close to me as I personally battled Hodgkin Lymphoma back in 2009. I could feel that within myself, something felt quite lost as the weeks progressed following the conclusion of this campaign and also the physical challenge of the climb, which was almost a 12 month preparation (including a 3 week trip to Nepal to try and accustom my body to the symptoms of altitude and extreme cold etc). It was hard to find any sort of motivation going from 100-0 and after such a publicised effort had reached its end all of a sudden. With the help of good friend and then PT out of Goodlife Health Club Caloundra, Ryan O’Neil, I took part in a 6 week challenge to try and find my mojo. To be honest it had little effect on me, I should have been pleased about the drop in body fat percentage (6.5%) and strength maintained in the gym, however for me these are goals that provide little to no satisfaction in the bigger picture. I have never been one to want to train just to look the part, if there is no genuine level of fitness behind it then what is the point? That may offend some, but I had a complete mind switch following my cancer diagnosis and have strived to push myself physically in areas of training that the norm don’t like to take part in, not just aim to achieve muscle hypertrophy and an ego boost.

September 2015 – At this point, I was smack bang in the middle of my toughest uni semester as a studying paramedic student, and also still trying to find the desire I so easily maintained for an extended period during my Trek Towards a Cure Campaign. At around the same time, a few mates and I started to toss up the idea of locking in a trip together for 2016. It was nice to have this conversation, travelling solo over to Europe to tackle what I did would have been so much more enjoyable with someone else. The conversation quickly turned to Africa, and more specifically Mount Kilimanjaro. At 5895m, it is the highest peak on the continent, 1 of the 7 summits, and the tallest free standing mountain on earth. To explain that, Kili is not part of any mountain range, such as the Himalayas or the Andes, so its height stands alone. 4 guys (including myself) began to nut out availability and possible companies to lock the trip in through, however a much more important element of the trip came into conversation, and that was to find a local charity to coincide with what we intended to achieve. I set out to find a suitable someone/group/organisation to team up with and make this experience more worthwhile, rather than to just come back with personal satisfaction of conquering another mountain. For some reason, I was drawn to walk through the doors of Nambour General Hospital one day and seek out a ward to offer my assistance with a fundraising effort. Initially, the idea of sticking with the theme of cancer and assisting those who I knew all too well were going through seemed appropriate. However on my way to the oncology ward, my eyes caught a sign reading ‘Ward 2F West – Paediatrics’.

Meeting some of the kids at Ward 2F West, Nambour Hospital

I straight away changed direction and headed over to this ward; and entering the doors with a hat on backwards, singlet and board shorts the first glance a nurse gave me didn’t exactly give off a good first impression! A brief conversation followed, and I was met with more surprised and confused looks as I described my intentions of going to Africa to trek up a mountain, and raising enough money to upgrade some of the electronics gear in the ward and also give them a boost in the funds that are utilised for music, yoga and other therapies for the young patients. From there I was linked up with Sunshine Coast Wishlist Foundation, who have played an integral part in providing for Ward 2F West, and I guess the rest is history! Fast forward to this point now and all that was a simple idea has blown out into a Sunshine Coast wide community effort. The number of local businesses that jumped on board from the moment I first released a video displaying my intentions has been very humbling; from having a donations tin on the counter to hosting an event. Awareness through social media and also local media (92.7 Mix FM, WIN News and Sunshine Coast Daily) has helped spread the word and increase the number of donations tenfold. A result of this was the opportunity months in advance to walk through the doors of the ward and surprise the staff and young patients with everything that I had originally set out to donate to them. A 58 inch LCD TV, Xbox One console with games and extra controller, 10 portable DVD players and 50 DVD’s, 10 Samsung Galaxy Tablets which are in the process of getting 12 months WiFi access within the ward, plus more! And it doesn’t stop there, with more money rolling in and a few more events on the way, I also intend to present the Ward with a $10,000 cheque to boost the funds for what I previously mentioned. As time has gone on with this campaign, during certain periods I have become quite emotional in seeing how close the community bands together to help those in need.

One of the many community fundraising efforts, Mt Coolum Climb organised by Kai Chase

This isn’t a ploy to have myself placed on a pedestal or be seen as some sort of hero, I am simply abiding by the saying ‘you haven’t lived until you have given something to someone who can never repay you’. The motives behind this campaign strike far deeper than just the smiles on faces when I surprised the ward with all of those goods, or receiving a hug or handshake from a complete stranger who have been following this journey. It’s a character building stepping stone that I feel has been needed in my life for a long time. I very easily shook off my own diagnosis of Hodgkin Lymphoma in 2009 when deemed in remission, returned to work in the Army and thought nothing of how my position could benefit others, and reach out to those in similar circumstances who would get so much hope out of someone like me telling them ‘you are going to get through this’. Walking the Kokoda Trail in 2014, I had a sudden desire to want to return from that trip and make a difference in people’s lives, and that’s exactly how I have tried to live, that’s right live not exist, my life since then. Once this journey wraps up, I have no doubt in the near future another one will be planned for next year or the following, a simple combination of a physical challenge and a local initiative, it sure can create waves.

In terms of physical preparation, I am always one that would rather be over prepared for a physical challenge such as Mount Kilimanjaro, than not. I began my first training steps in November, and have progressed to the point now where a personal 12 week program I am almost through will see my body in the best shape of its life for the challenge to be undertaken. I am often asked what is required physically to ensure success on these sorts of ventures, and to me it’s very simple, lungs and legs. Strengthening lower limb and respiratory endurance has been key in my training program week to week; with a range of HIIT sessions, hill sprints, pack marches with elevation mask, leg isolation workouts, and soft sand endurance sessions all involved. Keeping on top of the mental battle during my training has proved crucial, like anyone I sometimes have doubts creeping in and its necessary to shake those thoughts. My trainer and mentor out of Tribal MMA, Paul Birch, has been a pivotal part in keeping my head in the game. I can’t thank him enough for picking out when things for me feel too hard with this campaign, and always reminding me why I am doing it….. ‘For the Kids’…

Rhys and his mentor Paul Birch from Tribal MMA

The remaining 9 weeks of Kilimanjaro for the Kids will see hopefully a big boost in the ever growing pool of funds that have been coming in since the donations link was created. I thank everyone from the bottom of my heart of their generosity, by seeing face to face within the ward the happiness that has been brought through those precious funds. On July 2nd, myself and 6 others will start the journey over to Tanzania, where 5895m of harsh terrain, extreme temperatures and high altitude awaits. I have no doubt the success of that summit will be brought on not by personal strengths or goals, but having the bigger picture of standing at the top and holding up our banner to represent the Coast’s youngest patients and the fulfilling 10 months that began with only a small idea…

Rhys Greedy
#KilimanjarofortheKids