North Star Mental Fitness Blog

Does Freedom Have an Expiration Date?

Almost all of the perishable food we eat comes with an expiration date.  It appears that almost everything has an expiration date.  Of course, everything may not be stamped with a specific expiration date.  Just because there's no stamp expiration date, don't be fooled.  Everything has its time of glory followed by decline and extinction.

As I look back over my life I realize that life and culture are continually changing.  Life and culture have a cycle of greatness followed by extinction. 

Sometimes, I long for favorite restaurants, stores and products which no longer exist.  I miss certain fashions from the past.  When I really reminisce, I miss the quiet simplistic life that existed before the onset of TV and the Internet.

To be honest I realize my youthful body has also become extinct.  The recklessness and impulsiveness of youth is also becoming extinct.  Although the strength and flexibility of my body is becoming extinct, I still have the freedom of my mind and spirit.

As I listen to our politicians and realize the self-centeredness and greed operating within our society, I wonder if values of honesty, transparency, fairness, loyalty, and commitment are still alive or are they extinct?

As I realize the seeds of change that are being planted in our government and society by our government, I wonder if our democracy and freedom are rushing to extinction!  We know from history that nations rise up and then become extinct.  Is the extinction of our democracy accelerating?

It is time to make freedom choices!  If we went freedom from the way things are now in our society and lives, it is time to courageously commit to actively pursue our freedom.

If we do not want what we hold dear to become extinct, then we must pursue our freedom with unwavering focus and emotion. 

Remember there is no guarantee that our freedom and democracy will not become extinct in our lifetime!

Remember, We Live within the Environment Created by Our Choices!

Dr. Hal

Life and Mental Fitness Coach

Dare to Be Economically Free!

Citigroup just announced that 53,000 jobs will be cut.  GM, Ford and Chrysler are on the verge of bankruptcy or reorganization.  The auto industry is begging for a government bail-out.  Many, many more people may be out of jobs.  Many and many more businesses may fail. 

First there was the mortgage fiasco.  Then there were failing big industries. Then the controversial bailout and colossal government betrayal of the populace. That was followed by frozen credit, which has paralyzed our economy.

We feel bullied by economic forces beyond our control.  We have lost investments, employment, homes and our financial well-being.  We are confused.  We are depressed.  We are stressed out.  We are angry.  We feel betrayed.  We are desperate.  These are all natural reactions to the devastation of our economy and financial well-being.  These are all familiar responses we have made or have seen made by our family, friends and the media.

We know we must make changes.  We know we can't wait for President Elect Obama to take office and make changes for us.  We are the ones who are losing our jobs, our businesses, our retirement plans and our financial security.  We can't wait.  We must do it ourselves.  We must take care of our financial affairs.  We must take care of ourselves.

We must act.  Lord Buddha had a message that is relevant for today.  "I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act".

Seneca, the ancient philosopher takes the argument for action a step further.  "It is not because things are difficult that we don't dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult".

Dare to act now!  Dare to act now with freedom!  We live in a free country and let us not forget that we are free.  Let us not allow the economic recession to destroy our hope and our freedom. 

Let us do what is necessary to exercise our freedom; so we can become free from our economy, our lost jobs, our depleted retirements and our financial reversals.  Let us show our mental fitness.  Let us show our mental fitness by being free, strong, determined, flexible, and creative.

• Let us exercise our freedom and dare to reach our dreams. 
• Let us dare to overcome our losses, insecurities and fears.  We are free in spite of all we have lost. 
• Let us dare to exercise our freedom by overcoming our losses and achieving new financial and economic goals.
• Let us dare to do what is ever necessary to take care of us and our families.

Remember, We Live within the Environment and Economy Created by Our Choices!

Dr. Hal

Life and Mental Fitness Coach

 

Brain Research Shows Why It's so Hard to Get Free from the Past

In sports, family life and in areas of self-actualization, we want to become free from our painful and embarrassing past failures, shortcomings and psychic representations of these events in our minds.

Wouldn't it be nice if we did not have psychic representations of bad and painful experiences in our minds?

Wouldn't it be nice if we never rehashed our errors and disappointments?

Wouldn't it be nice if our past failures, insecurities, fears and guilt didn't capture our minds and influence us in the future?

Now psychological researchers have shown as reported in Science Daily:

Focus Points Are like Diamonds

Diamonds - do you have enough diamonds?

Just like a diamond, each Focus Point is extremely valuable.

If a second is like a diamond, then you are rich!

Freedom To Make Healthy Choices

Freedom gives us control over our life.  Senator, Robert F. Bennett has said: "Your life is the sum result of all the choices you make, both consciously and unconsciously.  If you can control the process of choosing, you can take control of all aspects of your life.  You can find the freedom that comes from being in charge of yourself".  Freedom also creates real health according to Diana Andrew, a registered personal trainer and coach.  We all want good health.  This is what Diana said:

Lloyd Carr on Confidence

Go Blue Wolverine quoted Lloyd Carr on an important ingredient for success.  Lloyd was quoted in a post entitled Trent Expecting Expanded Role.  When I read this article, I realized that there was much more for us to learn than this one ingredient.

Lloyd Carr is the successful coach of the Michigan Wolverine's football team.  The Michigan Wolverines were fabulous throughout most of the 2007 season.  In the last two games, however, their defense disintegrated.  According to Bret Osburn from Go Blue Wolverine, in the last two games the defense gave up 707 yards and eight touchdowns.

For those of you who do not know much about football, that is not good.  It's like cooking a gourmet meal and forgetting to serve the main course.  It's like doing everything successfully and then failing to finish a project or making a stupid mistake to destroy the project.

Lloyd emphasized the importance of memory to his returning cornerback, Morgan Trent, his team and all of us.  You'll be surprised what he said about memory. 

How to Make Your Comfort Zone Flexible and Adaptable

Comfort zones can become too rigid and inflexible.  People can become too complacent in their comfort zones.  In fact, people can even begin to stagnate in their comfort zones. 

Because people become too rigid and begin to suffocate in their comfort zones, comfort zones get a bad reputation. 

From a mental fitness perspective, good mental fitness is more than strength.  Good mental fitness is quick flexibility and adaptability in any or all situations.  This concept was emphasized by Navy Seal, Richard J. Machowicz in his book Unleash the Warrior Within.

How can you make your comfort zone more flexible and adaptable?

Every Day Is Independence Day With the Freedom Choice

We have just celebrated July 4th, American Independence Day.  July 4th is a remembrance and celebration of our freedom originally from England and from many threats since then.

Every day provides the opportunity for us to make difficult choices to maintain our freedom as well as to enjoy our freedom.

Recently I have been blogging about the comfort zone. The comfort zone is basically our zone of psychological safety and familiarity.  The comfort zone, at times, is satisfying and enjoyable.  On other occasions, the comfort is really uncomfortable and limits us in the pursuit of new goals and achievements. 

None of this information, so far, is new to you.  What is new?

There is a way  to consciously refresh your comfort zone so every day is psychologically an Independence Day for you.  An Independence Day providing security and freedom for growing and making new choices.

Quotations for July 4th

As we celebrate July 4th, our Independence Day, let us express our gratitude and respect for our heroes who have given their lives and are giving their lives so we can be free. 

Also, here are three quotes for you to think about today.

Although he wasn't an American, Winston Churchill's famous quote is very relevant for us today. 

"Victory at all cost, victory in spite of terror, victory no matter long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival."

From Preston Bradley, an American priest:  "Expect victory and you make victory."

Omar Bradley, the US General who commanded the US ground forces in Normandy invasion in World War II, gave us this motivational  saying:

"This is as true in everyday life as it is in battle: we are given one life and the decision is ours whether to wait for circumstances to make up our mind, or whether to act, and in acting, to live.”

These quotations are expressions of good mental fitness and patriotism.

Remember, You Live within the Environment Created by Your Choices!

Dr. Hal

Life and Mental Fitness Coach

Freedom to Grow

Political and psychological freedom is the goal and a motivator for most people.  Although we usually associate freedom with democracy and our political values, freedom is very important psychologically.

Freedom is one of the results for successfully taking care of ourselves or for successfully reaching a goal.  Every successful behavior provides us with greater freedom.  Developmentally, learning to walk rather than continuing to crawl provided greater freedom.

Freedom is not only a result of success, it is a motivator for success.  Freedom to grow is characteristic of all living things.  Freedom to grow is a motivation that is consistent and accepted by the unconscious mind.