A black friend of mine posted on Facebook that he refused to pick the cotton from a bottle of aspirin. It made me smile. It was a great example of how differently we can view ourselves. No job is beneath me.

My first job was cleaning my father’s office once per week for a dollar. I was so little that my mother had to wring the mop for me.

I learned to hunt and fish. Part of that was learning to clean fish and game. It is messy business.

My parents bought a farm when I was about 14 years old. I loved it. I learned to drive a tractor. I milked a cow. I helped my father castrate roosters and pigs. I cleaned the barnyard and distributed the manure to a field for crops. I helped deliver a calf.

While a man was leveling the yard around the house, the tractor wheel found the septic tank. The lid mashed down and sent a small portion of the contents back through the toilet with enough force to hit the ceiling. Dad decided to empty the septic tank. He handed me full buckets, and I dumped them into a 55-gallon barrel to take to the field. The picture at the top is a septic tank.

I learned to work on my car. I changed shock absorbers, replaced brakes, changed oil, overhauled a carburetor, changed plugs, and set points. I replaced the headliner and seat covers. I even painted my car!

My first job minimum wage job at the Independence Airport. I cleaned the office, mowed the grass, and fueled planes. I also gave wind advisories to pilots over the radio.

My second job was working for Star Foam. I made polystyrene products. The polystyrene came as small beads that looked like salt. The beads would expand when steam was applied. If we wanted to fill bean bag chairs, the beads just went through an expander. If we wanted flotation or insulation, we pre-expanded the beads to the size of BBs then put them into a mold. Steam was applied and the beads expanded and fused. In the summer, I would be working with steam while it might be over 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside. There was no air conditioning. We did use fans. I sweated through the day.

Then I went to college. My first job was at IBM. I was trained to be a system’s engineer. After three years, I quit that to go to chiropractic college.

However, that early training of dirty jobs helped me throughout my life. I’m not too good to do anything.

Ben, my second oldest son, was surprised and a little appalled when I wrapped a garbage bag around my arm and stuck my hand down our septic tank to find the filter that needed to be cleaned. That didn’t bother me a bit.

With all that as background, imagine how I felt when my front desk employee didn’t want to clean the restrooms or make coffee. She thought those jobs were beneath her. I said, “Who do you think cleaned the restrooms and made coffee yesterday? It was me.” She said, “You just want me to do the jobs that you don’t want to do.” I said, “Yes. That is the way the world works. An entrepreneur does everything until they make enough money to hire someone. Then the employee does things that free up the entrepreneur to be more productive. You can’t see patients. You can learn to make coffee and clean the restrooms.”

I suspect it is people with low self-esteem that believe jobs are beneath them. They don’t have self-confidence. My friend, Gary, gave me an insight. I told him about the water filter for my fishpond.

We bought a pump and filter from a store. I was having trouble taking it apart to clean it. I went back to the store and asked the owner how to take the filter apart. He took one out of the box and showed me. Next time we were in the store, I thanked the owner and told him about the silly mistake I was making. He looked at me and said, “Most people wouldn’t admit that.”

When I told Gary the story, he said, “We call that self-confidence. You know you are okay. You can say anything to anybody because you don’t care what they think. You know you are okay.”

There is probably something to that.

I am very grateful that my father taught me that no job is beneath me. I wonder about people who believe they are “too good” to do some jobs. They often want to do something that they either don’t have the talent or the training to do.

I’ll close with a story a man told me. His son graduated from the University of Washington and was trying to make it in Seattle. He was having no luck. He came back to Bellingham and went to the Bellingham Technical College. He made more money as an appliance repair man than he was making with his UW diploma. In addition, his expenses were much lower in Bellingham than they were in Seattle.

Do you know someone who could benefit from this article? Send it to them. Sometimes what seems like a job that is a rung down the ladder, can result in a lifestyle that is several rungs higher.

We can no longer believe anything. A friend of mine posted on Facebook, “I saw it with my own two eyes.” I don’t believe that he actually witnessed what happened. He saw an image or a video of what was claimed to have happened. He instantly believed what he saw.

It is difficult not to believe the videos and photos that we see. Afterall, it might be true. We are more likely to believe something if we are predisposed to see it.

Some people might look at the above picture and see ICE agents. Some will see the reality that they are NICE officers. Where do NICE officers come from? Who controls them?

I created the image in under 2 minutes using Grok. It looks quite realistic. Yet it was quickly created from my imagination. I started out to demonstrate how easily I could create a video of police doing nefarious things. However, I didn’t want something that I created to get out of hand. So, I created NICE officers waving at you.

If a nearly 71-year-old (birthday Monday) man can create a realistic looking image in 2 minutes, imagine what a younger person with real skills can do. Be skeptical.

Here is the big deal, get control of your mind. If you are skeptical, you have begun the process of separation. An interesting thing begins to happen. When your emotions are extremely heightened, your reasoning ability is lowered. So, by lowering your emotional attachment, you begin to improve your reasoning ability. Mild to moderate emotion can be an aid. You can have gut reactions that can help inform your decisions.

However, the emotional, knee-jerk reaction has probably not been informed by reason. That begins a cascade that is difficult to overcome. Another problem we crave consistency. We have trouble admitting that we are wrong. So, if we make a knee-jerk decision, we are more likely to continue that action.

I read that is a brain washing technique. A person is asked questions that lead them to an answer. Then more questions are asked building on that answer. The questions and answers continue in a successful direction because we refuse to admit that we were wrong. Well did you lie the other day when you said …? Then, isn’t it true that …?

Slow down and think. Question your beliefs. Many times, we are being played. I’ll give you a simple example.

When my wife was teaching, she played CNN news to her students. CNN edited the news for kids. After a debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, my wife let the students watch the CNN edited version. She came home and told me that Clinton immediately went over and shook hands with the moderator and Trump refused to shake hands. My wife said, “Kids pick up on things like that.” I told her that CNN edited Trump out. I watched the entire thing. Trump saw that Clinton was shaking hands with the moderator and he shook hands with someone else and waited his turn.

Did CNN lie? No. Did they edit the video so that students would think Trump did not have the decency to shake hands with the moderator? Yes. Was that a lie? Yes. That is propaganda.

Images and videos can be created from imagination, just like the image I created. They can also be created by taking something real and editing it to give an impression.

Someone asked how I am evaluating news. After watching NBC Nightly News for years, I saw the reporters absolutely melt-down on election night 2016. I quit watching network news. I began following AP and Reuters. I discovered they were just a bad. They both reported that President Biden was “sharp as a tack.” We all learned differently.

I switched to X.com. I follow NBC, CBS, Reuters, AP. I also follow individual politicians on both sides. I see what they actually say in their posts rather than clips that the news outlets want me to believe that they say. I also follow Canadian politics. I follow Prime Minister Carney and his conservative opponent Pierre Poilievre. I also follow Premier Smith (Alberta), and Premier Eby (B.C.)

On X people can say what they want and others can respond. Sometimes falsehoods or fake images are quickly exposed. I have learned a lot.

In fact, Prime Minister Carney posted a video the other day that had me really evaluating the “New World Order.” Sounds like something out of Star Wars. I’ll create a post once I’ve thought about it more.

This post is about personal growth. Question yourself. Question your beliefs. Question what you see and think. Look for truth and become the person that you really want to be.

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Happy New Year!!

Welcome to Spiz Academy 2026.

The Academy is based on the idea that you have free will. You can choose what you you think. Therefore, if given good reason/evidence you can make better decisions. You can change your life.

If you don’t have free will, you are stuck. Like the dog in the picture, you can’t give up what you already believe. No matter what evidence is presented, you will not change your mind. In fact, people who are stuck often get upset.

I’ll give you an example. A friend of mine shared a post on Facebook about social security. It was the standard nonsense about it being your money and the government had wasted it, blah, blah, blah. I told him that the post was nonsense and gave him the link to my article on social security.

He could not accept that he was wrong, even after pointing everything out and providing the history. In fact, I couldn’t tell that he had read the article.

He is obviously NOT going to be a reader/learner at Spiz Academy. If you like to look at things from a different angle, you may find you like it here. If you disagree with what you see, feel free to comment. Most articles are free. Some require a paid membership to comment.

There is no advertising on Substack. Substack and I make money on subscriptions. So, occasionally I provide content for paid subscribers only.

I will also provide links to my courses on Udemy or Chirocredit for those who might be interested.

Let me know what you’d like me to take a look at.

Right now, I’m studying for the general ham radio license. I passed the technician license last year. I want to apply what I’m learning to how our body works. Do we pass information/control our bodies similar to radios? I think so.

I’m planning to offer more video content this year. Still working on the home studio but hope to have it running soon.

Welcome to 2026!! Let me know how you’re doing and what you’d like to see.

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Chris sent me a text yesterday. “They just dropped off my campervan by trailer. So you are off the hook. I took it for a test drive and no vibration!”

Does how we think determine our outcome?

How we think determines how we act. How we act influences what others think of us. What they think of us determines their actions. Their actions affect our outcomes.

In the case described above, Chris and the dealer parted company nodding and shaking hands. The dealer wanted a happy customer. Chris wanted a solid RV.

It could have gone much differently. They could have both become upset. Even if the RV had been fixed and delivered, the upset would have affected both parties physically. How we think affects our health.

The choice is yours. As for me, I try to stay positive.

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I know what it’s like to be down. I’ve had the foreclosure letters. I’ve had the debt collectors calling.

Many years ago, I read that the average millionaire has gone bankrupt 1.5 times. Problem is not letting the down times get you down.

Chris, my brother-in-law is going through a down time. He sold his house and wants to live on a boat and travel in a motorhome. He is very particular. He knows what he wants. He found a motorhome and made the purchase. Yesterday, we drove about 80 miles to pick it up.

It is a used RV. It seemed to be in great shape and was just what he wanted. I dropped him off and headed home. I told him that I planned to stop at Angel of the Winds casino on my way home.

Angel of the Winds is a wonderful place to stop. When I’m going to Seattle it is about halfway home. I like to stop and use the restroom. If I have time, I might eat and gamble a little. If I’m in a hurry, I often get a latte. Although I wasn’t in a hurry, I just got a latte to go.

After I got back on the freeway, Chris called me. He asked where I was. Fortunately, because of the stop, I was behind him. The RV had begun to shake so badly that he pulled off the road. I only had to travel four or five miles to find him.

He had already called the seller, and the seller was on his way. Chris thought that the engine was out of oil. He didn’t see any on the dipstick.

The seller called and Chris looked under the RV. I watched from my car. I must admit that the thought crossed my mind - Chris just can’t get a break. The oil plug and filter were in place. No signs of a leak. Chris got back into my car and saw a paper towel. He used it to check the oil. Sure enough, the oil was fine.

The seller showed up. They talked and seller took it for a short drive. By short, I mean across the street. Then both of them got in and drove across the freeway. They parked the RV along the entrance to the freeway going back southbound and walked back to the car.

Chris got into my car and told me what was happening. The seller is going to get a trailer and take the RV back to his garage. He will check the drive train and fix it. He will also change the timing belt to make sure there won’t be any other problems.

Chris said, “Looks like I may have bought a lemon.”

I said, “That’s one way of looking at it. Another is that you’re lucky to have found the RV you really want. You are lucky that it failed so soon after you bought it and the seller is going to fix it. In addition, you are lucky that he is also going to replace the timing belt.”

Chris said, “Yeah. I’m also lucky you stopped for coffee. You could have been in Bellingham by now.”

I told him about the station wagon I bought that the break light came on before I got it home. The dealer fixed it but it needed a master cylinder every few years. It was still a great car.

I also bought a Ford that a mechanic checked for me. Within weeks of the purchase, it needed valve work. I put a lot of miles on it too.

I reminded him of the Ford van that we had. It threw a bearing on the way to visit his parents. It was banging while we were going over the mountain. I stopped in Merrit and asked a gas station attendant what he thought. He recommended STP in the oil. I did that and drove around the block. I went back and the owner of the station came out to help me.

He listened to the engine and said, “You’ve thrown a rod.”

I said, “What does that mean?”

He said, “It means you’re done.”

“I can’t be done. I’ve got four kids in the van and about 8 more hours to drive. Can I rent a car?”

“You’re in luck. I’ve got the only rental car in town.”

“I’ll take it.”

We walked into the station and the assistant said, “That guy wants to rent a car.”

The owner looked at him and said, “You’re out of luck. I just rented it to this guy.”

The station also had a mechanic. Chris had forgotten that he helped me find an engine and shipped it to the mechanic. It all worked out fine.

I’m hoping that all works out well for Chris. He seemed to have a good attitude when I dropped him off. I plan to drive him to get the RV when it is ready. Unfortunately, the dealer is right on the river and is expected to be flooded out this weekend. Another delay.

Positive thinking doesn’t mean we don’t have problems. It just helps us get through them. It helps us keep on keeping on when all seems lost.

It is rare that success magically happens to someone without going through tough times. When it does happen, the tough times often come later.

Often when times are tough it is difficult to ask for help. In my experience, that is the first step in turning things around. Think about who you can call on. Don’t expect to be saved without doing anything. There is probably something you will need to do or change.

Imagine being in a well. You can’t get out. You finally ask for help. Someone lowers a ladder. You still must climb out. Then, if you’re smart, and you stay positive, you’ll try to avoid the next hole. If you turn negative, you will quit in fear.

Positive thinking is the secret of success.

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The world is a looking-glass, and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face. Frown at it, and it will look sourly upon you; laugh at it and with it, and it is a jolly kind companion; and so let all young persons take their choice.

William Makepeace Thackeray

A process I have used for my own personal growth is to ask myself, “Am I like that?”

It is impossible to have personal growth without self-awareness. Many don’t care. They want to change the world but fail to understand that the world changes when they change.

If you want to see kindness, be kind.

If you want to be loved, love first.

If you want to see people laugh, start laughing.

Have you seen someone yelling and cursing as he walks down the street? If so, how does that make you feel? I have been in that situation. The yelling made me feel angry. I walked away. Perhaps I should have tried to help. I did not. Much later, the man walked up to me on the street. He had been off his meds. When he asked for help, I wanted to help. He was hoping that I was an attorney. I am not.

If you cannot help, at least don’t contribute to the problem. Am I like that?

Are you angry? Many people are looking for others to join them. They want to be angry together. They want to feel the hormones surging through their bodies. They don’t care if they are right. Is that the person you want to be? Is that the world you want to see?

One way the brain works is through pattern recognition. We find what we are looking for. An example is when I pick up dog poop in my yard. I have a pattern of what dog poop looks like. Poop looks a lot like the cones the trees are dropping in my yard. Sometimes I am momentarily deceived.

Similarly, when you look for liars and cheaters, you find what you are looking for. If someone makes something up that you agree with, you are ready to pass it on. You get a hormone rush. You feel great. Is that the society you want?

Can you see that the world is your looking glass? You see what you are looking for!

Does that mean there is no corruption? Is there no hate? Is it all in my mind? Why do I see a world that I don’t like?

Ask the question, Am I like that?

Is the world presenting you with a mirror to help you change?

The second question is even more profound, What if I’m wrong?

We watched an episode of the show Ballard last night. Ballard is a female detective who had been sexually assaulted by another officer. She was in a bar and saw a waitress being harassed by a man. She started to get up to intervene. Then the waitress bent over and kissed the man. Ballard realized that she was seeing what she was looking for. Fortunately, she realized that she was wrong - just in time.

What if I’m wrong? The question that hit me like a gut punch late one night was only slightly different, “What if everything I know is wrong?”

Imagine that! I had a B.A. in chemistry. I had an MBA. I had a Doctor of Chiropractic. That was a lot of education. What if everything I know is wrong? My life began to change. I had an experience of talking with my spirit guides through a medium. I met a woman who was capable of mental telepathy. I worked with energy healers. I participated in a sweat lodge. My personal growth was extraordinary.

Care more about truth than you do about being right. There is no harm in being wrong. Just change. People will respect you more if you can change your mind based on evidence.

If you want to grow, if you want to be happy, if you want to change the world, ask yourself two questions.

Am I like that?

What if I’m wrong?

If you’re like me, you’ll find your world changes.

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Writers do their best to create headlines that will get your attention. Advertisers want your click to get to the next screen and sell you something. We live in a world of distractions.

Yes, I too succumb. For me focus is a little different. I retired to focus on spending time with my wife. I have other things I’m working on. However, that has been a priority.

Today I wanted to study and write an article. I’m taking a course to get my technicians amateur radio license. I recently received the book, The Universal One, by Walter Russell.

After breakfast, my spine exercises, walking my dogs, and weight training, Mandy and I went to Bellingham. She is looking for some grasses to put in pots around the house. I wanted to look for paint for my aluminum boat. That took a few hours.

Of course, all the news is a distraction. I spent some time there. I came up to my office and read a couple of chapters of The Universal One. Meditated for 30 minutes. Then began this article.

Just minutes ago, I got a text, possibly from a friend I haven’t seen for years. I took time to read it. It was about a shift in consciousness that we are going through. The text said that we are participating in an evolutionary leap that can be tracked in EEGs of people around the world. “Humanity is learning to function as a collective intelligence while maintaining our individual perspectives and contributions.”

Distraction?

The Universal One is a similar message. The book was first copyrighted in 1926.

I created a device, based on Walter Russell’s writings in 1997. I believe it has a positive effect on our brains.

The amateur radio course teaches how to build a radio. Some of it is a review of physics I learned in college. I am hoping that it will help me learn how to best help us go through the changes that are happening.

The earth’s electromagnetic field is changing. It may go through a flip with the north pole becoming the south pole and vice versa. It reverses every 200,000-300,000 years and last flipped about 780,000 years ago (according to Bing).

If we think of the brain as a radio - a sending and receiving station - is it any wonder that humanity is struggling?

Now back to the point of this article. Which are distractions? Which are things that I needed to work on today? Notice I completed by exercises. I spent hours with my wife. I studied. I had information coming to me that might indicate I’m on the right track.

The distractions were the current events over which I have no control. Based on my life experience, healing humanity will not be based on chemistry. It will be electro-magnetism. We must change our brains to adapt to the new world that is coming.

How about you? Are you seeing things happening that you want to focus on? Are you limiting the distractions?

Stay tuned!!

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We were at the ice cream store. My two-year-old granddaughter was opening the freezer doors. I told her not to do that because she was letting the cold out. Suddenly the door banged into my elbow and gave me the old familiar “funny bone” feeling. I turned around and saw her smiling and swinging on the door. I grabbed her by the arm and said, “No!” I didn’t yell but was pretty firm.

She stood by her dad for a minute. Her dad picked her up and she began to cry. He looked at me and said, “That’s too much for a baby.”

My wife looked at me and said, “That’s too much for a baby.”

I was being told No!

I didn’t like it much either.

My brain immediately did what most of our brains do. It began defending my actions. She did stop. She wasn’t stopping. She doesn’t seem to pay attention to anybody else.

Do children need more forceful discipline? I looked at my older grandchildren. They seem to be turning out alright.

So, rather than being right, I asked myself, “What if I’m wrong? What could I have done differently?”

I certainly could have used a softer tone. I could have explained that she hurt me by hitting me with the door. She would have understood. She wouldn’t want to hurt her grandpa.

Next time, I’ll take that approach. I’ve done something similar in the past.

However, I also think we need to experiment a little. What is working?

A family brought their children to my office for chiropractic care. They were constantly yelling at the kids. I knew there were no consequences at home. The children hadn’t learned discipline.

Aren’t the children who don’t learn discipline at home also the difficult children in the classroom? How do we teach discipline?

I have raised four children and now watch seven grandchildren. I don’t think there is a one way to teach discipline. Different things motivate different people. I also know there are stages of development. Some children will change as they get older.

I have seen reasoning work with one of my grandkids at a very early age. Much earlier than I would have imagined. On the other hand, if a child doesn’t respond to reasoning, some other consequence must be found. That will depend on the child.

What about adults? I certainly wasn’t told No! I was given the reason why my action was too much. A first response was to be right. However, after studying my thinking and my actions, I decided to change.

What if I didn’t? Are adults any different than children? Hopefully, adults reason their way to better behavior. I didn’t want to be told again. How often do we choose to defend our actions rather than change? Too often, I think.

I had an interaction with my neighbor today. We had some trees trimmed. One is on the property line between us. So, I asked her about climbing the tree. She agreed. Another tree is on her property but had a dead branch extending over our fence. She agreed to have the branch taken off at the trunk. I thought it was a good time to ask her about extending the fence. She couldn’t talk about it. She is still upset that we replaced the chain link fence with cedar. She was trying to claim the property to the fence line. We own about a foot and a half on her side of the fence. I only replaced about half the fence. I didn’t know where the property line was. Now that I know where the property line is, I want to replace the rest.

In her mind, I took her land. She thinks she was “grandfathered in” because the fence was there when she bought the house. When we moved in, she told us that the fence wasn’t on the line and that former owners let her use the land. We were okay with that. She had planted flowers and bushes right along the fence. Eventually, I realized that she was trying to take my property. I tried to explain the law to her. I told her that I wanted to build something that she would be happy with. We couldn’t discuss it.

Why do I mention my neighbor? It is another instance of being told no. I’m not going to let her take my land. She is not happy. She is creating discomfort in her life. Would she be happier if she could consider - what if I’m wrong? I think she would be.

Whether children or adults, consider how you tell people no. If you are being told no, consider how you handle it. What should you do differently?

Life is all about positive and negative reinforcement. Learn and grow!

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I attended a Paul Simon concert last night. (The picture is not from the concert.) Before the concert, I really couldn’t say that I was a fan. I enjoyed some of his songs. Last night he started with about half an hour of new material. That led to some of his hits and his favorite songs. The first half hour helped me see the spiritual side of Paul Simon. Once I saw it, I saw it in other songs as well.

His purpose last night seemed to be to advocate for God’s love and acceptance for all. Simon accomplishes his purpose through his music. The venue had a seating capacity of around 2500. It seemed nearly full. He is performing six nights. He is selling his message - not giving it away. He is in business. You can have a spiritual purpose and be successful in business.

How about you? What is your purpose?

Sometimes we get caught up in other things. We forget. We need to be reminded. I was reminded last night. I saw many fans swaying to the music. I wonder how many were reminded.

Try to imagine unconditional love. It is difficult to imagine. The message I was given is that there is no judgement. God is not judging you. Some Christians talk about unconditional love and believe we can only receive God’s love through Jesus’ death on the cross. If that were true, God’s love is conditional. It is not. God understands.

Each of us is given talents and struggles. That is the game. Some of us have more talents than others. Some of us have more struggles than others. Some of us will seek God. Some will not.

You can make choices without judgement. By judgement I mean believing that you are choosing between good and evil. Most of your judgements are brain programs put in place before you were seven. When you get beyond thinking, you are beyond judgement and find peace.

Make choices that make you happy. Seek fulfillment. Seek your heart’s desire. With all your seeking, also seek to minimize harm.

That can be tricky. We can often analyze a situation and rationalize that what we are doing is minimizing harm, when time will tell that there were unintended consequences.

Enter the Goldilocks principles. Private action can be harmful by theft. Public action can be harmful by waste. Political action can be harmful by oppression. Foreign action can be harmful by invasion. Governing action can be harmful when unsustainable.

Takeaways:

It is okay to make money, while delivering a spiritual message.
God’s love is unconditional.
You are much more than you believe.
Seek happiness while minimizing harm.
Beyond thinking is no judgement and peace.

The last song last night was Sounds of Silence.

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Success is defined as accomplishing an aim or purpose. The first step is to choose a goal. It is best if the goal is measurable. Otherwise, how do you know when it has been accomplished? Second step is to formulate a plan for getting there. An important part of the plan is having measurable small goals within the plan. If all goes well, you implement the plan. You complete the steps. You achieve the goal. Pretty simple. So, why do so many people fail?

It is rare that life goes according to plan. Then what?

Do you give up on your goal? Do you admit defeat? Or do you change the plan?

“I’m just not lucky.” I heard a man make that comment. I don’t believe it was true. First, he was born male. Second, he was born white. Third, he is taller than average. Fourth, he went to college. Fifth, he was admitted to a Ph.D. program. In my opinion, that is evidence of being in the top category of lucky. However, when he was confronted with adversity during his Ph.D. research, he dropped out. He became a tradesman. Why? “I’m not lucky.”

Contrast that to another man. Similar background. Faced adversity during Ph.D. program. He needed several hundred thousand dollars to fix his equipment. He buckled down and found the money. Not only that, but he also spent 8 years to get his Ph.D. Now he is a senior scientist for a startup energy company.

Luck? I don’t think so. I think it comes down to will power.

Will power is directing energy to accomplish our goals. Obstacles come up. We must either find the energy to overcome the obstacles or the energy to go around them. Flexibility, changing the plan without changing the goal, is key.

Another example is my physique goal. My father wore a size 44 jacket and 34 waist slacks. That is a 10-inch difference between chest and waist. The average for a man is 6 inches. I set my father’s physique as my goal. Dad was 6 feet tall. I’m 5 foot 9 inches. My goal should be according to our height.

Four or five years ago, I began lifting weights. I started with a gallon of water. Slowly, I moved up to 2.5 gallons of water. I switched from water to sand. I was getting stronger. I wasn’t improving my measurements much. I hurt myself. I quit while I healed.

Then I got the idea of exercising using concepts from isometrics. For example, I put my palms together in front of my chest and pushed as hard as possible. While holding that pressure, I moved my arms over my head, etc. I developed a routine that took about 5 minutes.

While at Walmart, I tried lifting a 40-pound weight. Couldn’t do it. I started doing the workout morning and night. After a year, I tried lifting the 40-pound weight. I curled it by cheating a little. It hurt my shoulder slightly. I doubled my workout to 10 minutes morning and night. After a year, I could barely curl the 40-pound weight without cheating. I began dieting. I got up to about an 7.5-inch chest - waist difference. In total, that took more than three years. I didn’t get hurt.

I dieted down to my high school weight. I was 147 in April. In May, I went with my wife to a seated yoga class. I was late and my wife brought the left-over 8-pound and 5-pound dumbbells to use. Although my relatives were impressed, they were using 2-pounds, I was a little embarrassed. I was much weaker than I expected.

Weight training has worked for me in the past. I get stronger quickly. I was resistant to buying weights or exercising longer. How much energy am I willing to expend? How badly to I want to change? Do I have the will to succeed?

I decided to buy a set of selectable dumbbells. I am exercising for 1 hour per day four days per week. I have now completed 9 weeks. I have gained about 10 pounds. My waist is about the same as my lowest weight. My goal is to improve on every workout. I either do one more rep or I add more weight. I’m now at the point where I must be careful not to get hurt. My chest-waist difference is about 8 inches. It is still a slow go.

I do feel different. It is interesting to feel muscles working as I walk. It is fun to know I have doubled my strength. Obviously, in addition to my measurements, I am tracking what weight I am lifting and how many reps. I am also tracking how much I weigh.

I haven’t reached my goal yet. I’m plugging away. Writing this has helped me remember to keep on keeping on.

When I’m pushing to accomplish those last few reps, I also keep in mind that I don’t want to be injured. Very rarely, I stop short of the daily goal. I give myself more time. I’m being flexible - not giving up.

If you are facing defeat, I hope you find some encouragement. Sometimes we need a little help to see how to be more flexible. Let me know if I can help.

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I walked into Costco in Vancouver, a few months ago. I saw a 2-foot square panel to cover walls. The panel had wood slats that were separated to show a black background. The panel was also designed to suppress sound. I bought enough to cover a wall in my home office. I thought it might look good as a backdrop for videos and calls.

As soon as I used it for a practice video, I knew it wasn’t going to work. Two weeks ago, I attended a meeting of Goldilocks Revolution and was told I looked like I was in jail. I started thinking about what I could do differently.

My office is about 100 square feet. I have a couple of bookcases that I considered giving away. I wanted to keep the books, so that didn’t make much sense. I had an old-style computer desk and a stand-up desk. I decided to let the computer desk go. That freed up about 20 square feet.

It went amazingly well. I emptied the desk. Moved things around and took pictures of it. I posted it on Craigslist. Then I took it apart and put it on the front porch. Today it has a new home.

Yesterday, I tried using a wall with a dormer window in it as my backdrop. It was just too weird. I have a frame for a backdrop. I found black backdrop drapes on Amazon. The truck pulled up to deliver the drapes as the truck left with the desk. Great timing!

Looks like it will work pretty well.

Some people refuse to grow and change. Being flexible is one of the best qualities you can develop. However, as the wall panel proved, what looks like it might work well may not. Just move on and take the next step.

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Last week, I called a local mechanic to have the oil in our Jeep changed. They were a week out and I thought I might want to be quicker than that, so I didn’t schedule. Mandy said that we weren’t in any hurry. We use the Jeep to pull our travel trailer, and we had no trips planned. I forgot to call and schedule. Suddenly, we needed the Jeep for several short trips.

I scheduled an oil change with Walmart in Bellingham yesterday. The time schedule was for 12:30 today. Mandy and her sister went to exercise at about 10 and I decided to exercise too. My weight routine is taking a little longer. I force myself to rest for two and a half minutes between sets.

I didn’t get started until about 10:30. Finished about 11:30. Showered. Started warming up the car, while I packed my computer to do a little writing. (Warming up a diesel is a good idea before driving. So, I’m told.) Woods Coffee is my favorite local franchise. One is close to Walmart. My plan was to go there, get a coffee and write until my car was ready.

Mandy and her sister were planning to meet their siblings in Bellingham at 1:00. I might join them after the oil change.

I knew I was running a little late. I took a chance on changing my course. Of course, road work was being done. I was stopped for a minute for one way traffic.

Walmart doesn’t carry the oil filter for the Jeep. O’Reily auto parts is right beside Woods. Plan was to stop there, get the filter and go to appointment.

Time was running very close. Should I go to Walmart, check in, then go get the filter? Decided at last minute that I had time to get the filter.

No customers in store. Told the woman at the counter what I needed and realized I had forgotten my wallet. Damn! That flushes the whole event.

Got in my car to go to Walmart to check in and see if they had the filter. What else could I do? I got the thought: Call Mandy and have her give me the credit card number over the phone. She agreed.

Back into O’Reilly. Can you take a credit card over the phone? Sure. Mandy called me back. I bought the filter. Got to Walmart at 12:28.

Mandy agreed to stop by and bring my wallet on her way to meet her siblings.

Checked in at Walmart. Stood around and waited. Decided to walk to Woods. I could sit there and wait for my wallet. Sat down and Mandy called. She was five minutes away. Told her to come to Woods. She drove into the parking lot and her sister, Kit, handed me my wallet.

Back into Woods and ordered an iced mocha. Sat down with computer. Got a text that my car was ready.

Back to Walmart to get car. Nobody was there to take my money. Pressed the screen several times to call for assistance. Went to restroom. It was being cleaned. Went back to pay. Still nobody.

Asked a waiting customer if he had seen anybody at counter. He had. I walked a bit. Went back. Man was there to take my money.

Got in car. Message still says - Oil Change Required. Back to talk to mechanic. He tried three times and couldn’t clear message.

Back to car. Looked up how to clear oil change required. First video didn’t work. Second video same as first. Third video worked.

Called Mandy. They were just getting started on a walk. She told me how to find them.

I drove around Walmart and decided to come home. I hadn’t done any writing. Called Mandy and told her my change in plans. Went back into Walmart. Used the restroom and bought a new mouse for computer.

Came home to write this.

We all have days like that. Some would have gone home after realizing the wallet was forgotten. Some would be upset with themselves. Their whole day would have been ruined.

It is times like that when we must be open to allowing the solution to our problems to come to us. The solution was easy and happened so quickly I was still on time.

The car was ready so quickly I didn’t have a chance to write. Some would have been upset about that.

Some would have been upset that nobody was there to take my money.

Some would have been upset that the restroom was being cleaned.

Some would have been upset that the Oil Change Required message was still on.

I wasn’t upset by any of those things.

In the end, I realized that I have spent a lot of time with my in-laws over the past two weeks. Coming home to write was a good use of my time.

Flexibility is adapting. How can you accomplish your goals in spite of your plans not working?

Emotion and being rigid shuts down your intelligence and creativity. How can you get around the obstacle? Wait for an answer. Then, flow around the obstacle.

That is what some of us mean by being in the flow. It doesn’t mean that everything is easy. It means that everything becomes magical - if you let it. If you are willing to see the magic.

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Last summer, I visited friends and family in the Midwest. My former partner at IBM told me that his hobby is ham radio. That perked my interest. I had an FCC license when I took flying lessons and worked at the Independence Airport.

Then I saw an announcement that the Whatcom County Sheriff’s office is looking for volunteers for their emergency communications program. Today was the first meeting. About 21 people showed up. I learned the importance of amateur radio in emergency situations.

I also learned that there are numerous clubs for people of different interests who are ham radio enthusiasts. I will be studying to take the test to get my ham radio license. I look forward to being part of the emergency response team.

In addition, I have enrolled in training for the Whatcom County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). This training will involve being active in coordinating the response at the scene of a disaster. With both trainings, I will be able to respond and communicate what is happening at the scene.

In a previous post, I mentioned volunteering to make new friends. Here is an example of a way to learn something new, meet new people, and be of service to the community.

Your community may also need volunteers to operate ham radios. Whatcom County is offering training for the license. No equipment is needed. In case of emergency, volunteers can go to the local center to obtain mobile equipment or stay in the center to coordinate the response.

I may decide to buy a radio. I like the idea of communicating with people around the world.

What are you learning for personal growth? Will your growth help you help others? People who help other people are some of the most fun people to be around. Find your group and have some fun!

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I find it interesting that many people believe that those around them think the same way they do. They will say things that have a definite bias and assume that those around them will think it is funny or appropriate.

Sometimes I challenge those beliefs, but I find most people are not interested in an intellectual argument. They are quite content to believe whatever they have chosen to believe and see what they choose to see.

I don’t have much to offer. Occasionally I will slip and say that something doesn’t make any sense and then have to explain why. Then, they are just offended that they didn’t see the obvious.

I know that I write and speak for a very peculiar group of people. They are more interested in personal growth and finding truth, than in proving they are right.

My readers are more likely to see wisdom in the statement, “Maybe I’m wrong.” They are more likely to use evidence to question their beliefs and are comfortable asking questions rather than providing answers.

Especially at my age, many people have given up. Conversation tends toward memory. They are no longer learning and growing. Do you remember who married …? Did you see some concert or movie? Do you remember doing something when we were in college? Those memories are generally not my strength. I just sit and listen.

I take it as a sign of age. If you want to continue to be active mentally and physically, you must give yourself mental and physical challenges. You grow through use. Your brain is future oriented. If you choose to exercise, you change your brain to create more muscle. You are preparing to be even more active. If you choose to read something that stimulates your thinking, your brain will change to better prepare for more thinking.

If you don’t do anything, you will degenerate. “Use it or lose it” is true for your brain. Your brain will allow your muscles to deteriorate. If you don’t use your muscles today, you probably won’t tomorrow either. So, you lose muscle. Between the ages of 70 and 80, the average man will lose 50% of his muscle mass.

Similarly, your brain will allow the thinking process to deteriorate. Many elderly people remember, but they don’t reason.

Most of the time, people are busy telling me what they think or what they remember. My secret to keeping the peace? I just nod and smile. If it strikes me as insane, I try to remember to ask myself, what if I’m wrong? I might ask a question. I try not to give an opinion unless directly asked.

Reminds me of couple of interesting anecdotes. Leaders of the state chiropractic association were having a luncheon meeting in my area. I was invited a few hours before the meeting. I almost didn’t go. Then I decided that maybe I’d have something to contribute.

I sat through the entire lunch. I listened to presentations. I listened to different doctors’ ideas. I didn’t feel compelled to contribute at all. I had decided that I had wasted my time, and the meeting was about to adjourn. Suddenly, one of the leaders looked straight at me and asked, “What do you think?” I was surprised that I found I had something to say.

On the other hand, I used to attend a monthly meeting of chiropractors. It was labeled as a meeting on chiropractic philosophy, a subject that I have spent a lot of effort in learning. I found it was often a lot of nonsense about making money and had nothing to do with chiropractic philosophy or improving our practices. The leader of that group was offended by my comments. I decided not to attend. It is his group not mine. I was out of line.

My secret for keeping the peace - keep your mouth shut in mixed company - unless you are asked. If you have something to say, offer it - through articles or your thoughts on social media. Rarely comment on posts on social media. If you disagree with someone, give your thoughts independently. Your friend can then see it without feeling attacked. Another way of keeping your mouth shut, while stating your truth.

There is the secret for keeping the peace while still changing the world.

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Not sure where I got the idea, but it deserves some thought: Happiness is doing what you want, for as long as you want, with the people you love.

At their wedding, my son-in-law said that every day is special when they do it together. My wife and I enjoy doing things together. Last night our neighbors texted that they were having beer in the back yard and invited us to join them. We were there with our own selection, before they had opened theirs. We had a happy couple of hours together.

What if you have nobody to do things with? Find people! Where? Volunteer.

I knew a retiree who volunteered at the hospital. He loved it.

If you are interested in politics, find the party that most closely aligns with your thinking and ask how you can help. I was secretary of the Whatcom County Republican Party for a couple of years back in the 1980s. I was a poll watcher along with a Democrat counterpart. It was another great way to meet people.

Consider going to church or volunteering to help through a church. Twice a month, I help deliver food to those who need it. I deliver to a church. I don’t attend the church. I’ve made friends there.

There are service clubs that are looking for members. Lions, Kiwanis, and Rotary are looking for members. See if there is a local chapter and attend a meeting.

Those are just a few examples. All of them require you to leave your home and help someone. Helping others helps take your mind off of your problems. It often helps you see the answers to yours.

What do you enjoy doing?

I am happy while sitting alone in my office thinking, researching and writing. I enjoy my time alone. For me, it is important to have my inner sanctum - a retreat where I can meditate, take a nap, read or listen to books on audible, write, teach. I am comfortable with myself.

I began exercising about three weeks ago. I am enjoying the feeling of becoming stronger. For me, key is focusing on the results. I don’t enjoy the 40 minutes of exercise. That 40-minute workout allows me to enjoy being stronger all day. Here is a key point: Sometimes we do what we don’t enjoy to get the results we want.

A couple of years ago, I bought a set of golf clubs. I enjoy going to the driving range. I’m not a good player. I don’t go often. I do enjoy it and have met people at the range.

Hopefully, you have a job you enjoy. I’ll be covering that in a business post next. Work is another place to make friends who have a common interest.

How long do you want to do what you enjoy?

There are only 24 hours in a day. You must decide how you will use them. My first manager at IBM said, “The company will take 24/7 if you let it. You must draw your line.”

I enjoyed my time as a chiropractor. I often put in long days. I also had a wife and four children. I had to balance my family and work.

Later, I became a real estate broker. I don’t hustle. I just do it part-time to help my general contractor son. I enjoy talking with people and putting deals together.

If you don’t enjoy your work, you have a couple of options. First, you can look at work like I look at exercise - I do it to get the reward. You work to get paid. Focus on the money. Second, you can think about what you really enjoy and look for (or create) a job doing what you like.

I never considered retirement. The fact is life is uncertain. For a few years, my focus was on my mother. Then Covid changed our lives. One of my wife’s brothers has cancer and another has dementia. We never know how long we have. We looked at our finances and decided we could retire. We are enjoying having more time together. I still maintain my licenses to practice both chiropractic and real estate.

Returning to the idea - Happiness is doing what you want, for as long as you want, with the people you love. Those ideas may help, but I find the real key is getting control of my mind. For me, happiness starts with peace.

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Many people are lonely and wish they had more friends. Here are a few secrets to attracting and keeping them.

Be like a dog. My dogs greet me at my bedroom door every morning. They wag their tales and jump up and down. They are excited to see me. Similarly, when I return home after being gone, they are waiting at the door. When I sit in a chair they come over to lie next to me. They want to be with me. Be excited to see your friends. Want to be with them.

Be happy. You don’t have to be happy all the time but be aware that people who are down bring others down. People don’t want to be down. Be happy. Bring others up. Make people feel better. Again, think of a dog. You don’t have a tail so smile and show you are happy.

Dress up. You don’t need expensive clothes. Dress in a way that makes you look attractive. If you don’t know how, ask others for advice. Look in a mirror and feel confident. It will change your energy.

Ask questions. Be interested in what others are interested in. Where do you live? What do you do? Where did you grow up? What do you do for fun?

Be open minded. So many people are sure that they have all the answers. This goes along with asking questions. Be open to others’ answers. A wonderful question I ask myself, “What if I’m wrong?”

Reading these Spiz posts will make you a more well-rounded person. You could pick a thought from a post and ask, “What do you think about this idea?”

Be independent. Don’t wear out your new friend. Don’t be clingy. At the same time, if there is a real attraction, you may find yourselves sitting and talking for hours. Don’t overthink it. Just enjoy it.

Get out of the house. Join a club. I joined a Lions club. I joined Toastmasters. I became involved with the Republican Party. I didn’t just attend. I participated. It wasn’t long before I couldn’t go anywhere without seeing someone I knew.

Stay in touch. I have a friend from college who called me after we hadn’t seen each other for 40 years. Now we talk nearly every week. It all started because he reached out to me.

Those are a few ideas. The main thing is to get out. Let your light shine and see who comes to you.

Years ago, I set a goal of having my chest be 10 inches bigger than my waist. Through a combination of isometric exercises and diet, I lost about 4 inches off my waist and only 2 inches off my chest. That put me at about an 8-inch difference. I’ve exercised daily for 4 years. Progress was slow. I thought about the post I wrote about being flexible in achieving your goals. It was time for a change.

A few weeks ago, I saw an adjustable dumbbell set at Walmart for about $100. I thought about getting it but didn’t. I decided I wanted to make faster progress in achieving my goal. I thought about the dumbbells. How bad do I want it?

I decided I was willing to pay $100. I went to Walmart. They weren’t there. They had one larger dumbbell, but I wanted a set. I went to Dick’s Sporting Goods. They had a set that was 50 pounds each and went up in 5-pound increments. The set was $300. I decided to look for a better price.

I went to Big 5. They had a similar set that was also $300. I liked the ones at Dick’s better. My wife was shopping so I went to meet her. While I was waiting, I looked online. I was in the process of ordering a set for $100 and realized it was a scam web site. I also like to reward the brick-and-mortar stores for letting me see what I’m buying. How bad do I want it?

I intended to start supper low with 5 pounds. I thought about saving some money and buying a 25-pound set. Last time I was lifting weights was about 8 years ago. I was using plastic water jugs. My thinking was that I could fill them up to vary the weight. If I didn’t want to use them anymore, I could recycle the plastic. I wasn’t committed. I started with 1 gallon (8 pounds). Then went up to 2.5 gallons (20 pounds). Then went up to 5 gallons (40 pounds). I wasn’t filling the 5-gallon jugs. I was using about 35 pounds. I got hurt and stopped.

With that experience in mind, the 25-pound set would soon not be enough. How bad do I want it? I went to Dick’s and bought the 50-pound set. I’ve been very pleased.

Now the game has changed. I started with 5 pounds. I do a warm-up set of 20 repetitions. Then I add 5 pounds and do as many as I can. Once 20 repetitions is easy, that weight becomes my warm-up weight.

When I’m doing that last rep the question comes up, how bad do I want it? I used to push myself and jerk my body to force that last rep. That’s how I got hurt. Wisdom comes from experience. How bad do I want it? Bad enough to stop for today before I get hurt.

Think about applying that thinking to your goals. What must you do to achieve your goal? Are you willing to do what it takes? How bad do you want it? Do you know when to stop or change what you are doing?

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What makes us happy? Do we become happy when we reach a certain goal?

I’ll speak for myself. There seems to be a number of factors. The biggest seems to be knowing what I really want. Rather than what I think I should want or imagining what I might like if I reached a certain goal.

For example, I have set goals for myself and immediately realized that my goal conflicts with something else. Now which do I really want - the goal or whatever is conflicting?

A great example is writing this article. I had the idea to write this article yesterday. Instead, my wife and I went to Vancouver, B.C. It was a wet day, but we had fun. Today, I started the article, and my wife just got back from exercising. She is going to have lunch with her brother. Which do I want - finish the article or go have lunch?

I chose to finish the article. Do you watch your thoughts and consciously realize that you are making choices that are determining your life?

My chiropractic practice was way down after Covid. I started the process of building it back up. I never thought I would retire. My wife was going to take trips with her sister. I was jealous of her sister. I found that what I really wanted was to spend more time with my wife. That is the main reason I retired from my chiropractic practice. I didn’t have to work so I retired. I still miss seeing patients and I am maintaining my license.

Something else I know about myself, I would rather teach than just about anything. I started teaching while in chiropractic college. I taught laboratory methods to chiropractic assistants. After graduating, I taught in the College of Business and Economics at Western Washington University. Much of my time with patients was talking and exchanging ideas. I began teaching online. I haven’t made much money, but I am enjoying what I’m doing.

I have studied people who have become quite wealthy. They made choices that most of us would not make. That is one reason most of us are not wealthy. We choose not to be. Then some of us imagine what we would do differently if we were wealthy. For many of us, what we would do differently is lose our wealth and be miserable.

An article in CNBC makes the point. Don McNay authored the book, Life Lessons from the Lottery. He is a financial advisor to lottery winners. “McNay says many winners struggle with suicide, depression and divorce. ‘It’s the curse of the lottery because it made their lives worse instead of improving them,’ he says.

The truth seems to be that happiness is an inside job. I can choose to be happy. Or I can choose to be upset. I have learned to control my thinking. Happiness does not come because of something I have. I am basically happy and choose to do things that I enjoy.

Four weeks ago, I was admitted to the hospital. I was diagnosed with pneumonia on the right and pneumothorax (collapsed lung) on the left. I was not miserable. In fact, I was rather happy. It probably helped that I was not in severe pain. I caught myself trying to argue with my doctors about my care. I realized that I had to surrender. I was in the hospital for their expertise. I still made decisions, as every patient is entitled to, but I took doctor’s advice.

I had outstanding care. Nurses were so good to me. One said that she would check on me before the others because I was more fun to see. I told her I thought it was important to be nice to everyone. She said, “you have no idea.”

What can you do to be happy? Change your thinking. When you find you are upset, question why? Why are you upset? I find it is often because of some mental program that I accepted long ago. Something happens that challenges that program and I become upset. Once I question the program, I can find the truth. I am no longer upset. In fact, I often smile at my craziness.

I’ll close with an example. I was working at my computer early on a winter morning. It was still dark. My wife opened the blinds to see out. I became upset. I left to go to the office. Back then I was taking a bus to work. As I went to sit down, I realized that I was still upset. I asked myself why? Immediately I got the memory of my mother teaching me how to close the blinds when I was about five years old. She said, “We close the blinds when we turn the lights on so people can’t see in.” My wife wasn’t following my mother’s rules. I looked at the rule. I don’t care if people look in. I smiled. I began opening the blinds for my wife.

That is a stupid little example. I was upset for maybe an hour. How many times are we upset for longer over something equally trivial? Question yourself. Question your brain programming. If possible, change the program and choose to be happy.

Many people believe they are using their will and making decisions when they are in fact not. They are leading programmed lives. They are doing whatever triggers the program. How about you?

If you want examples of people using their willpower, read books written by Navy seals. I have seen interviews of seals. I’ve heard of the amazing things they can do. I wondered how the Navy can train them to control their minds and achieve amazing things. So, I read several books authored by seals. The answer was simple. It can’t be taught.

What the Navy does is put seal candidates in situations which are so arduous that they find a way to control themselves or they give up. Turns out it is not mind over matter. It is soul over mind. Seals learn to control the inner voice telling them to stop. They learn to overcome pain and exhaustion and keep on keeping on.

Knowing that, I was assessing myself two weeks ago before going to Urgent Care. I had no pain. I was resting a lot. I was taking short walks. Based on my breath sounds I thought I might have pneumonia. My question was, do I need time or help?

At the three-day mark, I thought I was breathing a little better, but I still had breath sounds that were not getting better. I like to look at health trajectory. Mine seemed to be flat. I wasn’t getting better or worse. I decided to opt for a medical opinion.

I immediately took the option for chest x-ray, knowing that would confirm pneumonia. The doc and I were both surprised that I had a collapsed lung.

At the hospital, I caught myself trying to direct my care. I was suggesting an IV with nutrition, because I knew my food intake had been poor for a couple of weeks. I had been dealing with a digestive issue. I suggested a look at my digestive tract in addition to the lung problem. The doc was very helpful and ordered an abdominal CT. That is when they realized the lung had collapsed again. My suggestions helped, but not in the way I expected.

At some point I also realized I was out of my depth. It was time for me to shut up and be a patient. I remembered the joke I saw. A boy asked his father:

When a doctor needs doctoring, does the doctor being doctored get to be doctored the way he wants to be doctored? Or does the doctor doing the doctoring get to doctor the way he wants to doctor?

I still looked at the statistics and questioned the doctors, but I became a patient. I decided to become the best patient I could be. A nurse said I set the bar for recovery.

Here’s the point: I could have stayed home and not gone to Urgent Care. I could have used my willpower in that way. It seems unlikely, but perhaps my lung would re-inflate. However, perhaps it would eventually have been resorbed, and I would have four lobes instead of five. Something made me decide to get another opinion.

I love to give examples that show I live a programmed life. I believe we all do. Because of my reading about Navy seals and other experiences of controlling my body, I’m programmed to allow my body maximum time to heal. Somehow, I overcame my programming. I faced my fears of medicine and surgery and ultimately had a wonderful experience in the hospital.

When are we using our willpower and when are we just allowing our programming to run? It is difficult to know.

Practice watching your thoughts and questioning yourself. Why do I want to do that? Why do I believe what I believe? What if I am wrong?

You won’t become a Navy seal with those questions. You might become a better human. You might learn when to use your willpower and when to back off.

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There was a time in my life when I believed that if I did what I enjoyed, I would end up with the results I wanted. I’ve realized that needs to be modified a bit.

For example, there are many things I would rather do than exercise. I enjoy many sedentary activities. I won’t have the body I want by sitting on my butt.

What body do I want? The answer to that question determines what I need to do. If I just want to be able to walk long distances, I could achieve that by walking. I enjoy walking.

If I want to have the body of a weightlifter, I’ll have to lift weights. I don’t mind lifting weights. It takes time and I have frequently done too much and gotten hurt.

I’ve decided that I really want to be strong and agile. I have been able to improve with simple exercises that take about ten minutes morning and night.

I also want to be healthy. I had x-rays of my spine taken last year. They showed several degenerated discs. That is no surprise for a 70 year-old. I had also lost an inch in height. That is also the norm for a 70 year old. My cervical (neck) curve is slightly reduced with slight forward head posture. I began doing traction exercises for my neck almost two years ago. I have gained 3/8 of an inch in height. My range of motion has improved.

My legs have lost a lot of muscle mass. I began incorporating squats with my cervical traction, a few months ago. The process takes five to ten minutes depending on how many reps I do. Sixty reps is recommended. I started only stretching my neck. The traction device attaches to a wall and fits around my head. Traction occurs by bending my knees.

When I decided to make traction a leg exercise, I lowered the device by about 3.5 inches. That was easy. When I lowered another 3.5 inches, I need a break. When I got to about 30 reps, I stopped and waited for my heart rate and breathing to reduce. I remember thinking I’d break my 60 reps up into sets. Within a couple of days, I was able to do 60 reps without stopping. I tried going lower but couldn’t do it. After a few weeks, I could go down until my hips are about six inches from the floor. A few days ago, I did 90 reps without stopping. I have gained two inches around my thighs. I feel much stronger when I walk.

My exercises are taking under an hour per day. I spend ten minutes in morning doing upper body work before I shower. I do the same routine before preparing for bed. That is twenty minutes. I spend another ten doing squats. I often do that twice per day. I also use a support under my neck while lying on my back for about ten minutes. I usually do that once per day.

Sometimes I don’t want to do exercise, but I’m really enjoying the results. Focusing on the end result helps keep me motivated to do what needs to be done.

Can you think of any goal that doesn’t apply to?

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