What a beautiful day it is out there. I can't wait to lace up the trail shoes today and get out there and breathe in the deep rich oxygen rich air today. It was so nice to walk out the door at 5am this morning and feel the crispness of the air and look up and see a crystal clear sky. When we get high pressure from the north dominating our weather this time of year the sky becomes very clear and vibrant. It feels so good physically, mentally and emotionally.

Speaking of feeling good physically, mentally and emotionally. Last week one of our gym members Julie Fields told me about a Spartan Up podcast that at the time I had not gotten to listen to yet. The podcast quest was Kelly McGonigal PhD. Dr. Kelly has a new book out called " The Joy of Movement: How Exercise Helps us Find Happiness, Hope, Connection & Courage". I decided to listen to the podcast while doing my final tune up workout for last weekend's Spartan Race in West Virginia (that is a whole different story). The podcast was awesome and so is Dr. Kelly. It is very much a proven theory that the more we move the happier and the more calm we become. There are all sorts of Neurological brain chemical reasons for this happiness, but the most important part is that we are doing what our bodies are made to do and meant to do. I know we have all been through a lot this past year and a half, but those of us who have kept moving and moving with a strong purpose and desire have fared much better than those who haven't. The proof of that is right inside your mind and body. Don't believe me? Positivity lifts up. Negativity pushes down. Think about it, how good do you feel when you are crushing a workout no matter what kind of workout. You could be in the middle of an ass kicker workout and tired as hell, but there is this little piece that is inside you running all through your body that feels this happiness. That piece is telling you that you are kicking ass. That nothing is going to beat you. That while all your friends and family are doing nothing, you are moving and moving forward and up. That you are expressing your life and living your life. That you are on a journey of self discovery that only you understand. That you are becoming the you that you always want to be everyday. This all happens and comes about because you choose to move and make yourself uncomfortable to find real happiness.

Now let's look at the other side, negativity. How heavy does negativity feel? I know for me negativity feels really f-ing heavy. Now how heavy does negativity feel when you choose to give in and stay still and not move? How heavy does negativity feel when you decide to give up and stop? It feels insurmountable. The reason why is because of the compounding effect that negativity has on our lives. Think how hard it was for each of you to get started after spending so much time being sedentary. That is because the lack of not moving created so much negative hardship it seemed impossible to unbury yourself from it. That's it. it is all right there in front of you. We make our own happiness through our own movement. It is that simple. When we move, we find happiness. When we find happiness, we find hope. When we find hope, we make connections. When we make connections, we find courage. When we find courage, well that is when our worlds open up to the biggest possibilities. Make your world really and truly open up. It is all in your hands. This is something you control. No one else, just you and that my friends, is where true happiness and self empowerment can be found. GO AFTER IT!!!

Thanks for reading and as always your thoughts and comments are welcome.