Tag: pain

Role of the Health Club in the Community

On By seancovellIn business, fitness, Health and Wellness, Philosophy, Politics, ScienceLeave a comment

Role of the Health Club in the Community

The health club, or gym, serves an important role in individual’s lives, but also for the community as a whole.  Gyms provide a common place where the goal for everyone is the same—to learn the body through physical exercise and improve one’s health.  The health club is a tool for self-discovery and self-improvement. The health club is an air-conditioned environment for health-oriented individuals to assemble and exchange knowledge, ideas, and stories, and freely engage with other people from a diverse group of economic, social classes and backgrounds.  The ability to freely exercise and train around others with similar goals has been a staple of a healthy society dating back to ancient Greece and the first Gymnasiums and Olympic Games. Nowadays, we teach our children from a very young age how important physical exercise and health is. There is a reason why high school gyms across the country have their own workout rooms. The gym gives anyone an outlet for extra energy and aggression. Without the gym, many people have no identity. For me, it was the gym that helped me develop a sense of who I was and what my body could do.  At age 19 I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, a reactive-arthritis condition in my spine.  The thought of a future with incredible pain and physical limitation had a severely negative impact on my idea of who I was, my identity as a young man.  The gym helped me realize a much different future, one without the pain and physical limitations I thought were inevitable.

For decades in the United States, publications have ranked the healthiest cities in America, based on factors such as the overall health of its population, attitude toward overall wellness, and access to local wellness businesses (gyms, spas)[1]. The health of the community is the safety of the community. Now, most of that has been taken away. Gyms have been closed for months; parks are marked off with caution tape; basketball hoops have been removed from public courts. It is no surprise to us why we have been seeing an increase in anger, violence and destruction in our communities.

Recently, throughout the course of the lockdown, we have received countless messages from clients recounting their mental stress, some with severe depression, and relating to us that the gym is the only outlet they have for stress-relief and mental health[2].  The fitness community has lost several athletes to suicide very recently, and the suicide rate in the areas where we operate has spiked significantly in Northern California.  Exercise has also been shown in numerous clinical studies to be an effective (for some the most effective) form of relief from depression and anxiety[3]. This is something that individuals instinctually know—when we exercise, we feel better.

In addition, the CDC recommends 150 minutes of “vigorous” exercise weekly as essential for health.  It’s very clear now, that Covid-19 has been particularly damaging and deadly in people with high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. These co-morbidity factors are all metabolic disorders, which exercise has been shown to be effective in reducing and eliminating[4],[5].  The inability of the public to exercise has and will exacerbate these underlying conditions.  Moreover, physical exercise and its role in strengthening immune systems cannot be overlooked.  Strengthening of the collective immune system of a community is crucial in preventing the spread of communicable diseases among that population.

The damage of this lockdown to the fitness industry has been absolutely devastating and destructive. By declaring the industry non-essential, despite the long and storied role of the importance of the health club to society and despite the understanding that exercise is essential for a healthy and fulfilled life, people are now afraid to frequent businesses that have been negatively portrayed by politicians and the media.

Once restrictions are put in place on health clubs, there will be significant demand destruction—current economic factors compounded with the media narrative that businesses that house large groups of people are unsafe to the public during this era[6],[7]—more so than what we have already experienced. Given the current economic situation and the fact that gyms have been closed for so long, the industry is suffering as it is. (For example, the amount of pending cancelations year over year for June is already at 30% increase in our business. Our first and second quarters of 2020 have been obliterated, and we will absolutely be unable to recoup the loss in revenue for the rest of the year. We estimate a 20%-25% decline in revenue year over year.) There is a great deal of uncertainty in the fitness industry at this moment in time. National-level firms have already declared they have filed, or are preparing to file, for bankruptcy[8],[9] as their boards’ analysts foresee significant economic damages and a loss of demand in the fitness industry after the lockdown.

Given that we have made very minimal income for the past 11 weeks, and our current losses (estimated at this point in time to be over $1 million) due to the forced shutdown, any further restrictions placed on businesses will make it increasingly difficult for health clubs to survive. Increased regulations will result in increased payroll cost in order to have additional staff members monitoring social distancing and ensuring everyone is sanitizing, per the recommendations by the CDC.

Any further restrictions beyond the original social distancing guidelines and the sanitization and disinfecting of surfaces would cause undo harm, and simply make it unsustainable to continue;

Capacity Restrictions–To put an additional capacity restriction on health clubs would be extremely detrimental to our business. By curtailing the number of people allowed inside the facility, we are losing a significant amount of revenue. We have already increased our expenditure toward payroll to comply with the social distancing and sanitization requirements. As tenants, we have to pay for the entire space; increased social distancing reduces the number of members that we can serve, and of course results in less revenue, while simultaneously increasing payroll costs in order to comply with new regulations. Social distancing itself reduces class size when participants move in a greater area of space (yoga, kickboxing, cross training, etc.). Some members only join health clubs because of the group fitness classes. They enjoy the variety and the social aspect of the classes.

Masks—Staff, and members, have expressed concerns with wearing masks for extended periods of time, especially in a fitness environment where our bodies are expelling CO2 at a rapid rate. Wearing a mask while working out could potentially lead to overheating or fainting.

Appointment System—This can be inconvenient for people to plan in advance. Oftentimes people need to work out at a spur of the moment to improve their mood.

Temperature Screenings—These are not always accurate and it will cost our business money for supplies and training for our staff. Additionally, inaccurate readings could cause customers to become angry, leading to unnecessary conflict between employees and customers. We value the safety of our employees.

The health club (gym) is fundamental to the fitness, health and safety of a community. Our aim is to help as many people as possible become stronger and healthier. We are concerned that a significant increase in restrictions upon businesses such as ours, will reduce our ability to serve the community to our full potential. It is imperative that we open these pillars of community fully, so our community population can become healthier and happier.

Respectfully,

Sean Covell

CEO, Fitness System Health Clubs

 

EXHIBIT A:

Direct Messages to the Fitness System/Sean Covell Instagram/Facebook Pages

 

 

[1] https://www.businessinsider.com/healthiest-cities-to-live-us-exercise-sleep-wellness-2020-1

[2] See Exhibit A

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470658/

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK278961/

[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549946/

[6] hhttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/13/well/move/coronavirus-gym-safety.html

[7] https://www.healthline.com/health-news/heres-why-covid-19-can-spread-so-easily-at-gyms-and-fitness-classes

[8] https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/05/30/24-hour-fitness-reportedly-prep-bankruptcy-filing-gyms-reopen/5291159002/

[9] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/golds-gym-files-bankruptcy-chapter-11-coronavirus-pandemic/

 

Dealing with Loss

On By seancovellIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Something Worth Considering

Much grief and despair that humans experience is due to some loss in our lives. We lose someone or something and we feel pain because of this. We become attached to certain relationships and possessions. When we lose what we are attached to, immense pain occurs. Pain is a natural part of life and there is no way to eliminate completely from our lives. However, I think that it’s worth considering that when it comes to loss, it would serve us well to remember that we don’t actually own anything in this life except our own body and mind, and even those can be taken from us. Therefore, becoming too attached to people and things is actually a cause for pain that can be reduced when we realize that everything we perceive that we have in life is actually on loan to us. Circumstances outside our control can take these things away at any time without warning. Indeed our very lives are just on loan to us by nature, the universe, God, whatever term you prefer. Like a car at the end of the lease, we will have to turn ourselves back in to the dealership.

Should we walk around dwelling on the fact that we truly own nothing in this life? I don’t believe that is the best way to live. Instead, I think that quietly recognizing the fact that we don’t really have control over anything except our own mind and actions can help us actually reduce the pain we feel when we lose something or someone. The Stoics referred to this practice as negative visualization—by contemplating the reality that we will eventually lose everything and everyone in our lives, we can prepare ourselves and reduce the sting of the loss when it occurs. The practice can also lead to a greater appreciation for the people and things in our lives. Because nothing lasts forever, we can learn to take nothing for granted and appreciate all we have just a little more. The pain of loss can also be lessened just by remembering that we were lucky to have been blessed with certain people and things in the first place. Eventually, we will lose everything, including our own existence, so we should actually learn to enjoy what we have a little more.

Again, nothing can ever stop the feelings of pain, nor the grief associated with loss. But we can learn to reduce that pain by practicing negative visualization. The real key to satisfaction is wanting and enjoying what you already have, not in yearning for something else. Remembering that everything is temporary, we can learn to enjoy our time living. Life is beautiful exactly because it is temporary. So treat people a little better, appreciate your relationships a little more, and enjoy material things without becoming too attached to any of them. Attachment leads to unnecessary pain because loss is inevitable. Enjoyment without attachment, that’s the simple formula for fulfillment. Just remember this, what is simple is not always easy!

In health,

Sean

Is Pain Controlling Your Life?

On By seancovellIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

The Real Problem With Pain

This blog began as a way for me to discuss how to find freedom and happiness despite having adversity and struggles in life. My thought was that even though everyone encounters pain in their life, not everyone realizes that others share in similar experiences. We are all on the same journey in life because we have been programmed genetically as humans to seek out pleasure and avoid pain. Of course, no one can completely avoid pain and often times we mistake discomfort for pain and addiction for pleasure. Therein lies the real problem with both pleasure and pain- it blinds us to reality in the moment.

Pain is especially insidious in its ability to distort clear thinking. When we experience pain, depending on the severity, we will look for and do almost anything to stop the pain. That’s not the problem. The problem is that pain itself is a symptom of something else and it’s often the case that while experiencing pain, we cannot correctly identify the source of the pain. You may have a chronic shoulder or hip pain and blame it on a past injury or the fact that you have been sitting too long during your workdays. However, the real problem underlying the pain could be that your movement patterns during physical exercise are causing stress on the joints and therefore muscular imbalances. Again, it’s exceedingly difficult to diagnose the cause of pain unless the pain has subsided to the point where we can engage in clear thinking again. Then, once the pain is gone, we often forget to research the cause of the pain, or we just get distracted by our daily lives the the endless cycle of pain continues.

Another common experience among people in pain is they find that their ability to be patient and empathetic towards others declines rapidly. We forget that pain is not unique to our human experience, but something shared by all. The worst is when people have arguments over who has more pain! Have you ever seen this? It’s like a competition for who has the most ailments and who has the most difficult life. It’s as if the need for significance compels us to bring up everything wrong in our lives with others.

It’s important to remember that nothing lasts forever, especially pain. No one should believe that because they are in pain, they will always be. Moreover, the pain you are experiencing may or may not have been caused by something you have done. It’s impossible to know for sure because the pain is keeping your from thinking accurately. Trying to diagnose the correct cause of the pain during the suffering of the pain is not the best course of action. Neither is it wise to engage in important conversations (especially with loved ones), business transactions or making important life decisions. Take it from someone with chronic pain, nearly every argument, blow up in temper, terrible decision or major mistake I have made is because my thinking has been obfuscated by physical or emotional pain. It would have done me well to acknowledge that I was in pain and was not thinking clearly before I took any action.

As human beings we can never escape our biological impulses to avoid pain and seek pleasure. However, we can as humans employ our ability to use reason in spite of the pain. All of us should acknowledge and accept that when we are in pain we are not thinking clearly. How do you know if you are thinking clearly? See( https://libertyandpain.com/2016/04/21/thinking-clearly/.) If we are not mindful that we are in pain, we will do something that leads to regret later on. I know, I know…. EASIER SAID THAN DONE, RIGHT? Nothing worth doing is easy. It’s worth at least reminding ourselves that we need to do the hard work when it comes to thinking clearly and acknowledge when we are being controlled by our pain.

 

In Health,

Sean

Finding Your Truth

On By seancovellIn business, fitness, Health and Wellness, PhilosophyLeave a comment

I’ve written previously about how so many people focus on the minor things in life and allow little, insignificant details bog them down and derail their plans. It’s true and will always be true that humans suffer unnecessarily from the false stories we tell ourselves. Most of the problems we have persist in the mind because we assign poor meanings to the events of our lives. In other words, we tell ourselves stories that have no basis in fact (something that can be measured objectively) but rather, our need to assign meaning to all the events in life causes us to offer up a narrative based on prior beliefs, events and values. The bottom line is that we are always telling ourselves a story. We decide what things and events mean to us with these stories. So, why not tell yourself a better story? Answer: because our brains cannot simply be rewritten like computer code. It’s much more difficult to simply delete the stories in our minds.

This is where the phrase “your truth” comes from. This is not to suggest you deliberately lie to yourself or refuse to accept actual factual events. Instead, the phrase is merely an observation that most of what is going on in your head are a bunch of stories that help you to create meaning of what is going on in your life. These stories are “your truth” because you become the story you tell yourself over and over again. If “life constantly beats you down and you have bad luck,” that story will become your truth because you’ll create meaning based around those beliefs. Moreover, you’ll look for, and give extra importance to, the negative events that occur that will reaffirm the story you tell yourself about having bad luck. See, humans are meaning-making creatures. It’s one of the most important distinguishing features between us and the rest of the animal kingdom. So, if it’s in our power to create the meaning about the events in our lives, the answer to living a less anxiety ridden life is to attempt to repeat stories that serve you rather than hinder you in your endeavors.

You. Version 2.0

While rewriting the code in your brain is not as simple or easy as installing the new Mac iOS update on your device, there are ways you can permanently change the type of stories that your brain produces. The first tool that can be employed is to develop a set of rituals every single day. I prefer to start out the day by reading or listening to something that reminds me that I’m in control of my body and the thoughts I produce and choose to listen to. I usually do this alone early in the morning before the day starts. Often, I will do this while doing morning cardio. I find that the easiest way to get out of your head is to embrace your body, and movement is the key. Emotion comes from motion and by radically changing your physiology through exercise, you may quickly find that a flood of new stories pour into your mind.

With any ritual, however, it must be performed often and with concentration for it to have an effect. Therefore, the second tool is really repetition–if you tell yourself something over and over again, you’ll find it’s like accessing a file. The more you do it, the faster it loads because your processor (the brain) becomes faster at retrieving it. The body runs on neurological pathways and the more you use these pathways, the stronger they become and the faster the electrical signals can fire. The more often you tell yourself an empowering story, the faster and more available that story becomes for you to determine what something means. It’s all just a story anyway, so repeat one that will get you where you want to go, rather than stuck in a fixed position. Another great ritual is to journal every morning or evening. What this does is allows you to take your thoughts and get them out of your head and onto paper where you begin to detach yourself from them. It’s important to remember that you are not your thoughts, but rather the one producing them. By writing down your thoughts, it helps you to remember this very important truth.

The last tool is to permanently delete or damage any old stories that you used to tell yourself. Again, this is difficult but absolutely doable. In fact, you can do anything you set your mind to do. The key to successfully removing old stories is to associate so much pain or embarrassment with them that it causes a physical response in your body. This is like taking a knife and scratching a CD or record so that it will never play properly in your machine again. Instead, it will cause discomfort even attempting to play it. An example may be useful here, so I’ll share a story that I used to tell myself. It was simply that “people can’t be trusted and I have to do everything myself.” To rid myself of this story forever, I began to associate all the pain and loneliness I had in my life due to “going it alone.” I realized very quickly that everything great in my life was due to other people–my wife, my family, my kids, and my friends. All the great memories I have are with other people. All of the money I have made has come from other people. All the roads, airplanes, elevators, I have used were built by others. All of the products I’ve used were created by other people, or at a least the raw materials were gathered by others. All of the books I’ve read were written by others. All of the joy in my life, everything that was good was because of other people. Did I have pain caused by others? Yes, but only because I was choosing to play a story in my head about how they hurt me. I could just as easily tell myself a story about how “my haters” helped me grow into the man I am now. So I did. I began to associate intense pain with being “a loner” and intense joy with building relationships with others. Now, whenever a story pops in my head about how people suck, I think about what my life would be like with no house, phones, electricity, food, books, cars, roads or music. This helps to get me thinking clearly again about how much I value relationships with other people, although I admit I am guarded about who I let into my life. But being careful and being scared or cynical are very different things. Being careful is smart. Being jaded is dangerous.

Takeaway

The takeaway here is that you can and should begin to examine what stories you tell yourself that limit you. They can be about money, life, other people, government, your own abilities–the list goes on. Then, after the limiting stories have been identified, begin to destroy the story by associating so much pain and embarrassment with the story that a new story, one that is more empowering, can be played on the device known as your brain. You do get to choose the meaning behind events. You do this by choosing what to story to tell yourself about what you’re focusing on. So give yourself some new stories that will allow you to get up and take massive action towards your goals and desires. (I prefer the word desire over goal because I think it has more power behind it. Most people give up on their goals, but those same people may give into their desires. By swapping out one word with another, or one story with another, the change in your life can be profound.) So when something happens, remember to ask yourself, “What does this mean or what story am I going to tell myself about this?” Then ask, “What am I going to do about it?” Make sure your story leads to take action in a positive way for you and others.

In health,

Sean’s

Life and Death

On By seancovellIn Health and Wellness, Politics, Science, UncategorizedLeave a comment

These are troubling times. Not that there haven’t always been troubling times, it’s just that more of humanity is aware of problems in various parts of the world thanks to technology. Unfortunately, there will be more troublesome events to come. It is unlikely bad things will stop happening. However, it’s important to remember that you choose where you get to live emotionally. You can live in despair and fear. You can live in gratitude and abundance. The choice is yours. Do you want change in the world? Change yourself first. Specifically, there are two things that must change for positive transformations. The first is having a productive philosophy towards life. The second is to live in harmony. If you have these two characteristics, you will thrive. These are the traits needed to maintain life. If you lack these, you will begin to break down and devolve. Life needs harmony and clear thinking. Death does not. Death must be staved off–the death of the business, the relationship, the organism. It is the natural consequence of not having a philosophy of productivity and being in harmony with those around you. Growth or death—it is all very simple.

Those who develop and maintain a positive, productive philosophy will always do well because they take responsibility for everything in their life and control their emotions and responses to the world. These people will also have a natural tendency towards harmony with others. Those who have a productive and positive philosophy understand that harmony is essential for life. Your body must work in perfect harmony to sustain energy and life. If not, it begins to decay and the damage may be irreversible. The same is true with a business culture. A relationship is perhaps the clearest example of why philosophy and harmony are necessary to life. Both people in a relationship must give 100% effort for it to work. They must each have a philosophy of love, responsibility, and compassion. Each must strive to be in harmony with the other. Yet, half of all marriages end in divorce. It’s so simple to see why. It’s the lack of harmony and maintaining a philosophy of positivity. The same goes for the violence so prevalent amongst mankind. All of it can be traced back to the lack of the fundamental characteristics needed to grow and maintain life.

I urge all of my employees to strive for harmony with each other. Most workplaces are toxic and a majority of polls taken of employees show that most have significant issues with their coworkers and managers. This is all due to a lack of harmony. There must exist a desire to be in harmony with all those in your workplace (and in your life) to realize an incredible workplace. Without that desire for harmony, the natural tendency towards problem and decay will occur. If this continues in a business, it becomes part of the workplace culture. Once it’s a part of the culture, it’s nearly impossible to stop without replacing every individual. Often, even the great employees cannot free themselves of the damage done to them by a toxic environment. It warps their philosophy to see the worst in others and seek out problems. If people only knew it was within their own power to change this. An incredible workplace, an incredible relationship—an incredible world begins with each person acting incredible and developing an incredible philosophy. Be mindful of your own personal philosophy. Is it geared towards harmony and growth? Or are you letting your mind erode with the problems of life? Are you thinking clearly—thoughts leading to positive consequences for those around you and your loved ones? If not, change it. Be the change you want to see in the world.

Addicted to Our Problems

On By seancovellIn Health and Wellness, UncategorizedLeave a comment

We live in a therapy culture. We are taught to talk about our problems so we may find a way to resolve them. Problems, problems, problems. We have become addicted to our problems. People feed off of them. They talk about them to friends, family, and coworkers. Problems are talked about so much it would be safe to assume that people are becoming much healthier emotionally compared to our ancestors. Is this the case? I don’t think it is.

I disagree with the “professionals” that say talking about your problems is healthy. I don’t want you to think that I am a proponent of hiding issues or living in denial. I do think that acknowledging problems is important, but not as important as being focused on your desired outcome. Energy flows to where focus goes. If your focus is your problems rather than your outcome, your problems run your life. Spending too much energy on problems is not healthy—it is toxic.

I don’t talk about my problems much. I readily acknowledge that I have various health issues including spondylitis and asthma. However, I don’t focus on it or talk about it much. My problems are not a part of my identity. I do not let them control me, or the emotional states I live in. Yes, they do exist. No, I am not better talking about them to everyone. Nor is anyone else better off having heard what ails me. I do not direct my energy to what I do not want.

I believe the ancient stoic and Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius gave us sound advice for dealing with problems, “If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” The Stoics school believed in maintaining tranquility throughout life. They did not believe this was possible if your thoughts and actions were focused on problems instead of your desired outcome. Stoicism is a philosophy worth looking into. I believe reading Seneca or Marcus Aurelius, two men of great wisdom and power, can help you navigate the road of life with a little more perspective.

BREXIT =LIBERTY

On By seancovellIn Politics, UncategorizedLeave a comment

BREXIT =LIBERTY

Whatever else the Brexit vote may be, it is at its core an emphasis of the belief of self-governance and self-determination. There is really only one right that all humans have-the right to property. This right stems from the fact that you own your own body and therefore have the right to your property and self-governance. This is a fundamental right. No one owns you. You have the right to self-determination. Older Brits, the largest group in support of leaving the European Union understood this.Younger ones have been brainwashed into believing that a global government is better for all. The opposite is true in regards to freedom.  Brexit was not about racism or xenophobia as many would have you believe. It was about a country getting the short end of the stick and deciding to take ownership of the right to self-determination.

The breakup of large empires is a recurring theme through history. Eventually, localities with a different culture, language and needs resent having a central government in a far off land deciding what they can and cannot do. Older Brits, the one making up the largest tax base understand that their taxes are being forced towards policies they don’t approve of. The concept is so simple that the truly shocking part about it, is that the elites don’t get it. The ones who benefit from taxation, loose money and central banking are the ones who are really concerned because their grip on the globe is failing. The central planners and progressives have gripped so tight for so long, the countries they desire to control are slipping though their fingers. When they see countries stand up and refuse a central currency and laws in favor of their own, elites freak out.

So that is why so much has been made about the “tragedy” of the British exit of the EU. Nothing could be further from the truth. If individuals and countries do not have the right to self-governance, there is no liberty. Brexit is not a tragedy, it’s a triumph. Anytime people realize they own themselves and take responsibility for their own destiny, it’s a triumph. The consolidation of power-through treaties, taxation and global currency is the real tragedy.

Be One With Another

On By seancovellIn Health and WellnessLeave a comment

Personal connection with another is perhaps the greatest, most fulfilling state we can achieve as humans. The overwhelming desire to share experiences, build empathy, trust and connection with a partner, family and friends is what drives humanity forwards. While most media push stories of violence and conflict via reality TV shows, news programs and dystopian movies, the fact remains that humans are inherently wired to connect with each other, not hate and avoid them. Connection is a human need—a biological imperative.

Many people who have divorced or faced significant struggle with another may argue the importance of connection, but studies show that married couples report a significantly higher level of happiness and fulfillment as opposed to singles. Further studies report that the higher number of strong personal connections you have with others, the happier you are in your life. Humans are social creatures. We need each other to survive. We need each other to make the free market thrive and promote overall prosperity. All humans need to contribute and give beyond themselves to achieve fulfillment. So while it may be that others can diminish our tranquility through conflict, our desire for connection overrides.

Personally, I can say without a doubt that my connection with my wife is truly what gives me the highest level of fulfillment and happiness. I am focused more on her at any given time than I am myself. Everything I do, I do with her and my children in mind. I want to see them happy. I want to see them thrive. I want to share everything with my wife (except illness). My trust and love for her gives me such an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and well-being, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is the state that people are supposed to be in the majority of their lives. So while it’s easy to look at the history of humanity and see war, conflict, hatred, prejudice and ignorance—that is nowhere near the whole story. The real story is that humans have connected and conspired with others to create something beyond themselves. Connection is creation.

We all must strive to make a personal connection with others. To share our life experiences and stories so they may live on beyond our own lives is the real story of humanity. Yes, you must take care of yourself. In fact you owe it to yourself and others to be the best you can be, but that is not what creates happiness. Being a better you is important solely for sharing with and helping others. Working on yourself is fine, but it’s only useful if you can give.

So go out and connect. Give beyond yourself. Create an unshakable bond with someone. This doesn’t mean being naive. People can and certainly will harm you in life. You must protect yourself and be guarded when necessary. Be prepared for pain. However, do not obsess about the dark qualities of interaction with others. And don’t worry if all your connections or friendships don’t work out. Not all of them will. Just focus on the future connections you will make. Focus on the love you give and others have given you. Remember above all, whatever you focus on, you find. Focus on being closer to others. It’s the only thing that will bring you true happiness.

In Health,

Sean

25 Biggest Problems in the World-Solved

On By seancovellIn Health and Wellness, PoliticsLeave a comment

Top 25 Problems Solved in 6 Words or Less

In this very short article I will attempt to provide an answer to what I believe are the world’s greatest problem. Caveat: My answers will be six words or less. My goal here is to get people to think about the questions posed and then research my answers for themselves. I believe most of the problems we face as humans have simple solutions, but we refuse to believe they can be solved because “it just can’t be that simple.” What if it was? Complexity is the enemy of execution, which is just another way of saying that people don’t do something if they believe it will be too difficult or complex to complete or solve the problem. So I’m going to be deliberately brief in my answers and I hope that my brevity will spur people to take some action.

1.How can I be more happy and fulfilled? A: Gratitude and mindfulness.
2.How can we achieve wage equality? A:Not possible unless humans are identical.
3.How can I build the best business? A:Build a monopoly. Do not compete.
4.How can I make more money? A:Add more value to marketplace.
5. Why do we have financial bubbles and cycles? A: Fractional reserve banking, central banks.
6. How can I stay positive? Focus on serving others. Be decisive.
7.How can we cure diseases like cancer, AIDS, etc? A:More private donors to startup firms.
8.Can poverty be cured? A:Only through the free market
9.Why is it so hard to stick with a goal?A:The reasons for achieving it,weak.
10.How can I make a marriage last? A:Take 100% responsibility for it.
11.Why is violence so prevalent? A:Violence makes humans feel significant.
12.How do I stop being mad or jealous? A: Focus on loving and serving others.
13.How do we end war? A: Private law societies,libertarianism.
14.How can I feel better about myself? A:You are wise,enough,courageous(repeat)
15.What is the most important trait to have?A:Courage, by far.
16.How do I know what to do in life?A: Do what others won’t or can’t.
17. How can I be financially secure? A: Multiple streams of income.
18. How do I bring progress to the world? A:Look for and work on “secrets”
19.How can I have a great life? A:Decide: live in a great state (everyday).
20.What determines if a person or country will be successful?A:Their philosophies and culture.
21. Best supplement for depression? A: Sam E (joints +liver also)
22.Best diet to lose fat and our disease in remission? A:Ketogenic diet
23. What is the biggest problem the world faces in the near future? A: Loss of hope.
24. Why do people tend to make the same mistakes over and over again? A:Habituation.Not examining their consciousness.
25.What is the biggest mistake most people make in life. A:Believing and following the majority (herd).
There you have it. Did this make you think? I truly hope it was helpful in expanding your consciousness and making you examine your own thoughts. Truly, the greatest thing any of us can do is to be mindful of our consciousness and its contents (thoughts). If we do this, the world will be a better place.

50 Reasons To Get and Stay Fit

On By seancovellIn Health and Wellness, UncategorizedLeave a comment

50 Reasons to Achieve and Maintain an Incredible Level of Fitness

  1. Likely to have a longer lifespan
  2. Statistically likely to have less disease
  3. More energy
  4. Less likely to have depression
  5. Less likely to have chronic fatigue
  6. Less prescription medications
  7. More positive outlook on life
  8. You may inspire your family
  9. Your kids will look up to you
  10. You will be more productive
  11. Better sex
  12. Sex more often
  13. Self-confidence
  14. Instill self-discipline in your life
  15. Growing your physical potential will yield beneficial mental effects.
  16. Better regulation of your hormones
  17. Stronger bones
  18. More flexibility
  19. Less pain
  20. Reduced costs associated with health
  21. Outdoor activities are more fun
  22. Clothes fit and look better
  23. More strength
  24. More power
  25. Better endurance
  26. You begin to view food as fuel
  27. Your “cheat” meals are more cherished
  28. Looking forward to physical challenges instead of avoiding them
  29. Being more useful to others because of your strength and energy
  30. Fitness is a fun challenge
  31. The fitness game never ends, it only evolves as your age
  32. Your family wants you to live a long time
  33. Your friends may be inspired by you
  34. Some people will be jealous (ex boyfriends and girlfriends)
  35. Your social media pictures will look great
  36. Because you can and it will benefit you, so you should
  37. Emotion comes from motion. You can control your emotions by being more fit
  38. Faster recovery from injury
  39. Faster recovery from surgery
  40. Better ability to tolerate carbohydrates
  41. More effective immune system
  42. Your brain will function better
  43. All of your organs and cells will produce more energy and mitochondria
  44. It’s simple to do
  45. It’s not easy, which makes it more fun
  46. Setting an example for others about what is possible
  47. Defending yourself and loved ones
  48. Making people turn their heads as your walk down the beach
  49. People who are fit generally make more money over their lifespan
  50. Because you owe it to yourself