Survive Another Day

These days, most people are happy they survived another day! I don't want to just survive in life, I want to thrive! The following are three activities I am constantly aware of and consistently in search of to not only survive, but thrive another day, in there order of importance:

1. Surround Self with Good People

2. Intense Exercise

3. Good Music

Surround Self with Good People

My oldest sister Robin, loves animals more than people. She believes her purpose on this earth is to take care of animals. Her greatest fear of dying is that her animals will not be taken care of as well as she takes care of them and those of others. I don't consider myself an animal person, but I love them. I have a better relationship with Robin than any of my other sisters. Why is that? Robin, according to my perspective, is a better person than my other sisters. My other sisters would agree. I love each one of my sisters, I just find myself spending more time with Robin. Can you relate?

Human interaction is crucial to ones wellbeing. If our interaction with other human beings causes emotional, mental, spiritual or physical discomfort, we seek interaction with animals. If that doesn't work, we seek the companionship of inanimate objects or things, such as this computer I'm typing on right now or that Facebook feed. Everyone has there coping mechanisms in life.

I listed "surround self with good people" as most important because at the end of the day, we all just want to be loved and love, even those that won't admit it. I have derived more happiness from my interaction with people in life than any other source. For this reason, the past 3 years have been very difficult for me. I separated from my wife, and five children, of 18 years in March of 2018. The only thing I wanted in our divorce was for our two youngest daughters to live with me. She refused, knowing how much I love our children. My efforts to rectify this situation have been in vain. Our children are my life. They are the principle reason I haven't ended my life! Needless to say, I don't have a stellar relationship with my parents and you already know a little about my relationship with my sisters.

Mercifully, I'm a very independent person and like learning how to do things for myself. To be blunt, learning and teaching what I have learned, is a passion of mine. That is the principle reason why I love surrounding myself with good people. I love learning from others and helping them in any way I can. My motto has always been "Treat others in the manner in which you want to be treated" and "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." That is not to say I won't give tough love. I'm honest to a fault. I tell it how it is and don't sugarcoat stuff. Mind you, this is because I genuinely love people and want them to be happy.

I enjoyed being married and spend a significant amount of my time looking for love. I love children and have a lot to offer as a husband and father, but I enjoy being single as well. It's a catch 22 and quite common among people that have learned how to be happy being alone. I don't need someone, but I realize there is a limit to the happiness I can achieve being alone. I don't want to just Survive Another Day. I want to thrive. I want a woman to share my life with. If you're interested, my email is: [email protected] :)

Intense Exercise

I'm addicted to it! I included the word "intense" because quite frankly, if you're not breaking a sweat, it really can't be considered exercise. Mind you, walking slowly for twenty minutes a day is better than sitting on the couch watching Oprah. The fact of the matter is, our bodies were designed to move. Sweating is a form of detoxification. Exercise has been proven to activate the lymphatic, digestion and excretory systems, which are crucial to the body's ability to process waste.

I'm not going to list every benefit of intense exercise. I like an inquisitive audience. Rest assured, I've already done mine today. Have you done yours? :) One benefit of intense exercise that is often overlooked is the affect it has on our mental and emotional wellbeing. It is one of the best natural stress relievers on the planet. Feeling depressed or anxious? Doing merely 15 minutes of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is the cure more often than not and the Human Growth Hormone (HGH) it produces helps keep you looking young.

There are five basic types of exercise: Aerobic, Anaerobic, Core, Resistance Training and Vibrational Therapy. Each has specific benefits, should be used interchangeably and modified for duration and intensity depending on the outcome one desires to achieve. I personally focus on Core, Resistance Training and Aerobic right now to meet my current needs and priorities. Exercise increases oxygen levels in the blood. All cells need oxygen to Survive Another Day. The more you exercise, the more you thrive in life. I've been exercising since I was a child and don't ever plan on stopping. Pace yourself, understand your limits by paying attention to how your body is reacting. Consistency is the key.

Good Music

Music is the universal emotional connector. Words or no words, understanding the lyrics or not, music can profoundly change an individual. What is the fastest, most inexpensive, healthy way to change your mood? Listening to music! There is a song, or related music, for every emotion. Is emotional wellbeing an important aspect of life? Does music make you want to move your body? According to The Steve Miller Band, "If you keep on dancing, you'll never grow old" and "Everything's better when wet!" :)

My first exposure to music, that I remember, was my parents occasionally playing 50's music at home. At the age of six I started taking violin lessons. My teacher was a very old European man that was supposedly an expert. If I recall correctly, I liked playing the violin, but didn't like him. At the age of seven I took up piano lessons with a married woman in her mid-thirties. That relationship lasted 8 years :) I started out playing classical music, which I love, and ended up playing Eye of the Tiger from Rocky III, which I also love :) As happens all too often in life, I sadly let my adult responsibilities deter me from practicing. I can still read music and learn songs, but I don't.

When I was in my youth, I loved to dance. I still love to dance, I just prefer to do it with someone who only wants to dance with me :) That doesn't mean I'm perfectly happy dancing alone. Dances were an important part of my youth. To this day I'm considered a pretty decent dancer. I grew up in the 80's. Life was good! I absolutely love 80's music, but it wasn't until college that I truly understood the affect music can have on an individual.

From 1990 thru 2010 I collected over 200 CD's. I consider them a journal of that 20 years of my life. They have been instrumental, no pun intended, in Surviving Another Day. I won't convert them to the cloud, despite my children's implorations. I even brought the majority with me when I fled the United States earlier this year. Call me old school, they are tangible proof of exceptional taste in music. The variety is impressive and it's difficult to pick favorites because each one represents a fond memory of my life. Each one puts me in whatever mood I desire and brings the past to my remembrance like it was yesterday. The most influential Bands in my life are: Toad the Wet Sprocket, Big Head Todd and the Monsters and Live. I consider the members of these Bands lyrical and musical geniuses!

So there you have it, three very healthy activities you can engage in everyday to not only survive another day, but thrive another day! I want to thank DMC for inspiring me to write this story, a guide to making lemonade out of lemons, CHEERS!