It is Purpose or Passion

Purpose driving by passion or is it passion driven by a meaningful purpose?  Vic Strecher, friend and UMICH professor opened the Arts in Science conference telling the story of his 19 year old daughter who died of a rare heart disease forcing him to rethink his understanding of life, death, and our ultimate purpose.  “Julia woke me from my sleep and made me realize that every one of us has a tentative hold on life and that we should live life to the fullest.”  Subsequently, Vic wrote a self-discovery book called On Purpose and companion app that leads to crafting and tracking a meaningful life purpose.  Are you missing purpose or passion in your life?  Checkout Vic’s website, it might just be what your life is missing – smile. 

http://www.dungbeetle.org/the-book/

Culture of Health

Yesterday, I was the closing keynote of the Conner Strong & Buckelew Wellness Summit in New Jersey.  Many knew about MD Anderson because of the partnership with Cooper University Health Care right down the street.  I talked about how worldwide companies are being challenged to better engage their “overwhelmed employees”, and how many companies now recognize the power of a culture of health.  Culture of health initiatives work when they become inextricably linked with the strengths of the existing culture.  You know they are working when employees have the energy to be productive team members at work and to have a life after work.

My mom taught me how to drive.  She’d drive us way out Highland Road, past Magnolia Woods onto the back roads, where we’d switch seats and I’d practice driving with her guidance, patience and encouragement.  By the time I took Drivers Ed. I had a feel for the brake-clutch rhythm, but still had a tendency to over steer.  My memories of Driver’s Ed. are LSU parking lots with lots of cars, lots of turns, and lots of practice learning not to over steer.  My mom had a 15 year journey with cancer where she practiced patience and not over steering, but accepting the way things are.  Today be mindful of your patience and what it brings to your day.   

Vietnam Tears

The speaker was talking about taming daily stress by keeping it in perspective as the room got dark around an old picture of a soldier.  He talked about being a young boy during the Vietnam War and being constantly reminded the lifespan a 2^nd Lieutenant in Vietnam was 16 minutes; as a young boy he didn’t really have big problems.  I couldn’t stop the tears as the faces and laughs of my friends I’d lost to Vietnam swept over me.  Forty-plus years and they are still a part of me, not the ugliness of their deaths, but the laughter and joy we shared.  Pulitzer Prize author William Saroyan, reminds us, “In the time of your life, live…smile to the infinite delight and mystery...” that you share with others along the way.   

Mini Vacations

Yesterday, a good friend reminded me in an email, “Billy take in deep breaths of that spruce scented high altitude air”, and we did.  Our morning walk around the Broadmoor Lake was filled with geese takeoffs and baby carriages.  An osteopathic conference at the hotel has drawn young physicians & student docs with their kids.  What a hoot for 2 Texans missing their grandkids.  The research on mini vacations is clear how they replenish our attention resources / energy.  Even short mini vacations at work (walks & me time) can replenish your brain, concentration and productivity.  Today is another mandatory play day for me in CO, and for you a few mini vacations at work!

Awfulizing

Monday I had my monthly cancer marker assessments and I’ve been watching for the results.  Years of a cancer survivor journey has taught me to step back from the anxiety of the wait and be mindful it is what it is.  Yesterday my travel case dropped off the back of my scooter into a puddle of water.  I got home and immediately we headed for the airport.  Arriving in Colorado I unpacked and found some papers and my travel drive was wet.  I started a scan on the disk and we headed to supper and a movie.  Back from supper I found everything worked, and dried the papers with a hairdryer.  Don’t awfulize your life away! 

Road Trips

On our family road trips my sister would get the whole back seat for I had claimed floorboard where I could play. Today I start a road trip and my 1st stop is Colorado Springs, where I run the Arts & Science of Health Promotion Conference http://www.healthpromotionconference.com/. Second stop Atlanta and the ACSM Fitness Summit http://www.acsm.org/attend-a-meeting/2014-health-fitness-summit-exposition, where I will teach for several days about worksite wellness. If you are attending either of these conferences I look forward to maybe a walk-n-talk. Not attending? What looks good on the agenda’s that maybe I could try to share? Remember it’s all about passing it on!