Slow the Wheels

One song I particularly enjoy is John Lennon’s “Watching the Wheels,” in which he sings about his self-removal from the world spotlight in the latter half of the 70s. Several lines of the song relay the overall response he received from people who thought that “surely you’re not happy now,” given the level of fame and attention he received as a Beatle and independent artist up to that point and was subsequently giving up. The idea that a person could be happy out of the rat race, regardless of their level of success, is definitely foreign to some people.

I’m not interested in leaving the race at the moment – although I think the running division I’m in is fairly moderate to begin with – but there’s definitely something to be said for slowing down at regular intervals to rest and reflect, as many people will be doing this week for the Thanksgiving holiday. This opportunity to simply watch the wheels is more restorative to one’s well-being than most people would give it credit for. Much has been written about the psychological benefits of giving thanks, not just at holidays but on a daily basis. The reality, however, is that few of us actually do that, and instead we simply keep our noses to the grindstone to scratch off the next item on a never-ending to-do list.

I’ve found over the past year that the evenings that I allow myself time to unwind quietly without outside distractions, as opposed to working right up until bedtime or watching TV until I fall asleep, are those that are most relaxing and rejuvenating. These are the times that I let my mind release the details of the daily grind and wander to other things, and the times in which I sometimes think about and appreciate my life’s good fortune. Here’s to some extra time this week to do just that.

Weekender: Dedication, Part 2

I’m thinking that this type of a jog outdoors in Colorado in November can’t be all that warm – dedication perhaps?  Or maybe he’s not playing with a full deck of cards…

Hopefully school wasn’t in session during his jaunt around the track.

Bleak Future

This is a short post to finish the week. I recently came across an news brief in the Chicago Tribune that reported the results of a study indicating that many obese children and teenagers have arteries comparable in health to a 45-year old. I know that a lot of kids want to grow up quickly for reasons such as driving, voting, drinking, etc., but I can’t imagine that this is on their list of motivators. Couple this with the ridiculous amount of debt that the U.S. government has created and continues to add, and our children’s physical and fiscal future doesn’t look too good. On the other hand, perhaps for their troubles they’ll have more comprehensive health care.

I described the future as bleak in the post’s title, but the truth is that these kids’ futures are bleak only if we choose that. That choice is made every day in very small ways that we don’t tend to think about until we notice a problem brewing. Hopefully continued publicizing of news like this will prompt adults to act responsibly on behalf of their kids.

Practical Advice

Sometimes fitness advice comes across as so theoretical and esoteric that it loses its relevance for people. Advice on breathing, however, doesn’t fall into that category, or at least it shouldn’t. Ideal posture is a problem for most of us thanks to our modernized and often desk-bound lifestyles, so I think that posture – and by extension, breathing – is very important for optimal functioning. A couple of yoga instructors mentioned in a recent NY Times article agree and are helping people focus on those two areas during walking, which is priceless, if underused, advice.

Personally, I tend to go in cycles during which I pay more and less attention to my breathing, although posture is usually on my mind. In recent months though I’ve been more cognizant of my breathing partially as a result of reading an article in the Harvard Business Review about managing your energy. For me part of that message translated into not creating barriers (poor postural positions) for my body to do its job and get oxygen, and subsequently increase my energy as a result. It’s also helped me become more cognizant of the tempo and depth of my breathing, including during those times of stress in which the natural inclination is to breathe quicker and shallower, thereby further increasing the body’s stress response.

I’ve had a theory for years that smokers probably benefit psychologically and physically from their smoke breaks if for no other reason than the long, slow drags from the cigarette. Of course, the short-term physical benefit is being offset by long-term damage. Maybe there should be a sub-culture though of people who step outside their offices and classes for five-minute breaks just to relax and breathe without any cigarettes. Without something to smoke it may seem pointless, but I say it’s very practical.

Weekender: Making a Comeback

Looks like the English footballers are battening down the hatches in preparation for the next World Cup.