10 things I learned in 2011

Where does the time go? Another year gone and looking forward to the next.  2011 was a great year for my career, physical and mental strength.  I recall back in 2010 saying to myself, I want to really make a difference in people’s lives, work with people who are very serious about seeing results.

Now I’m not sure if it was the energy I was putting out to the universe but great things came my way! I had my most successful year at work!  Had up to 1400 sessions and my best year to date with sales! It was 400 more sessions than my best total ever! I was super pleased about that.

With today’s economy it seemed as though people were taking their workouts and lifestyles more seriously.  No matter how little time they had, it was important to get their own personal workouts in.  That’s a huge reason why I get hired a lot.  Accountability! With the stress that people face on a daily basis, working out is one of the best ways to combat stress!

Physically I am in the best shape of my life! My eating and training has been better than ever! I love keeping my workouts interesting and challenging myself to see what my potential is.  At this point I’m hovering around 240 lbs with a personal goal to see if I could crack 250 while sustaining a low body fat.  I’m up for the challenge!

Without a goal or direction we can be lost.  Make sure it’s realistic for yourself.

Mentally I feel great! Having the busiest year of my life I definitely was tired out by year end.  I take pride in having positive people in my life and not having negativity of any sort as it is draining and corrosive to your health.  You feel uplifted when around people that have positive energy.

I had some great trips this past year.  March I was in Disneyland with my family.  The summer I spent a lot of time out of province visiting cousins.  I was in Ontario visiting friends on my annual trip to relax, rejuvenate and get educated at one of the biggest fitness conferences in the world! November I was down in Phoenix with a good buddy for some shopping, sporting events and relaxing.  I look forward to another year of great trips and experiences!

Now onto the ten things I learned in 2011! Not all fitness related and some experiences reiterated what I already knew but want to share with you

1) Happiness comes within. It’s not about the car you drive, clothes you wear,  the house you live in.  Materialistic items don’t matter and won’t make you happy long term.  It’s YOU and the qualities you can bring to relationships and bettering this world.  Always honor your feelings.  Trust your gut.  Be your best and treat people the way you want to be treated.  Life is the best when you surround yourself with people who love and respect you for who you are! It’s about loving yourself first!

2) Always take time for you. Life is busy.  Have your own quiet independent time.  Do activities that make you happy.  No matter how busy my life is, I always make time for my workout.  It gives me my “mini” vacation within a day to focus on me! When I’m done I feel amazing.  Being active and strong makes me feel unstoppable! I always look forward to turning on my favorite workout songs to get me going and challenging myself each time.

3) Try something new and out of your “comfort zone.” This is a great way to grow as a person.  I’m getting into yoga and am looking forward to the true benefits of it.  Yoga is great for flexibility, calming your brain, and getting yourself to a peaceful mindset.  Additionally I look forward to other activities I haven’t done in a long time or tried such as snowshoeing and cross country skiing! It will be fantastic for diversity in my lifestyle and help the winter fly by!

4) Eating quality organic foods is something I take pride in.  Food is the fuel and can be medicine to your body and health.  I do a hormone test every January to see what is going on inside and get the appropriate supplements to ensure I am working optimally.  This makes a huge difference to my positive and happy moods, energy, health and physical strength!

5) Rest is another priority in which I am very particular about.  I know I’m pointing out the obvious, but I absolutely hate feeling tired, run down as it effect my moods.  Not feeling my best irritates me.  I rarely get sick so if and when I do I know I’m not getting enough rest and relaxation.  My life is busy and have a demanding but rewarding job.  I look forward to getting a regular 8 hours of sleep a night and my odd 30 minute “cat” naps on earlier days.  I recently downloaded a sleep cycle app on my iPhone and it’s brilliant! It keeps track of my sleep patterns and wakes me up naturally at the best time based on how my sleep went.  This ensures I will have the most energy possible for the day!

6) I absolutely love being an Uncle! It’s very cool to see my nieces and nephews growing up.  They are all very cute and have their own distinctive personalities! I feel very blessed to have an awesome family who support me through thick and thin, are amazing and positive role models, and make Sunday family dinners and absolute blast! My nieces and nephews will grow up in a healthy environment with great people surrounding them.

7) Live life! We’ve all heard this but do you actually do this?? 2011 was a great year of experiences, learning and growing! Be yourself, have fun and make the most out of your opportunities.  I always take pride in living life with no regrets!

8) Treat yourself! We are all good at this aren’t we?? Get yourself a massage or a day at the spa.  Put your feet up and relax to one of your favorite movies.  Rewarding yourself is very self fulfilling especially if you don’t do it often like myself.

9) Go headfirst! Life is about growing and learning.  There is good and bad things that will happen.  They all have purpose to you.  People who come in and out of your life no matter how long will and can have an impact on you for the best! Keep your mind and heart open and you will be surprised what can happen.  Don’t be scared of getting hurt as it only makes you stronger.  I personally treasure everything that happens to me as I acknowledge that this will make me a better and stronger person in the end.

10) Learning from my Grandpa Lindstrom. My Grandpa passed away in the summer.  He was a very kind and sweet person who I truly miss.  I take pride in trying to live like he did everyday.  He was always happy and in a good mood.  Anytime he walked in a room or you’d hear his voice he would light up a room!  My Grandpa was an absolute gentlemen and was married to his love of his life for almost 70 years! He would have been 92 on January 6th.  He lived a great and long life which is amazing! I’m thankful to have had him as my Grandpa as he made me very proud.  I do my best everyday to make him proud of me.  He will always live within me.

Please feel free to share what you have learned this past year! Also press the “like” button to share with your friends and family as I believe we can learn so much from each other. All the best to you in 2012!!!!

Here is a picture of my Grandpa and I below!