Back At 'Ya

WATCH VIDEO: http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=120b0d9dfde390ddffe02b7&skin_id=701&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=t...

This blog was written earlier this year, however, when The Patch changed format, most of the videos attached to my blogs disappeared. To better save the files for future use, I'm repairing them. Thanks.

If you’ll recall, in my early, 2013 blog, I decided to narrow down a lengthy resolution list, from 551 lofty goals, behavioral changes and friendly suggestions to three, quick and simple choices I’ve implemented to derive IMMEDIATE RESULTS. I previously shared a longstanding theory purporting that it takes 21 days to acquire a NEW behavior (habit), while doing away with undesirable traits in ONESELF.

In my experience, 21 (seconds, minutes, hours, days, years) seems to be the magic number for developing either good, bad or ugly idiosyncrasies. For example: working out (good), smoking whatever (bad), cussing (ugly), like the rap artist, Snoop Dogg, who earns a living showcasing two of the aforementioned characteristics on music video (watch out for his lighter and the language): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gWe4ztiIec.

The reason I mention Mr. Dogg (Calvin Broadus, Jr.) is because I remember seeing and listening to him on a talk show, ONCE. He speaks EXACTLY the way he raps: In English, peppered with a profane, mumbling and flippant dialect which I couldn't decipher, AT ALL. Obviously, I’m not fan of the Rappa’ Rastafarian. Woof! Bow-wow-wow, BLEEP!

Anyway, I opted to begin with a method of INSTANTANEOUSLY IMPROVING the way I feel, thus improving the AURA I share with the universe, after all, Aristotle said (in his exemplary, philosophical way): “We are what we repeatedly do.”

My first, implemented resolution is to consciously smile, no matter what, just to change the way I feel.  I addressed what happened in a previous blog. Since then, I’ve AMENDED my resolve: I’ll smile, ESPECIALLY when I don’t feel like it, (given appropriate circumstances) because my emotional barometer provides the perfect cue. For example: don’t yell, smile!; just listen, smile; be helpful, smile; a fleeting thought about the local (global) CONSPIRACY to undermine all of the PERFECT plans I’ve made for my family, for my career, for my home, for my community fellowships …now, wait a minute! I’m cracking up -- that’s laughable, yes? I feel better, already.

I literally cracked up while bike riding on the dirt paths along Menifee’s back forty last Saturday. Whoohoo! What fun! The mild hills beckoned because the view from Menifee Road (southbound), where it crosses Simpson Road, was crystal clear.  RIGHT THERE, on the west side, one of those bumpy, well-traveled, dirt paths called my name (I have a mountain bike with fat tires and great suspension): “Lyn…Lyn, have a little off-road fun!”

I was furiously pedaling, catching a little air, here and there. I was gaining SPEED on a decline grade, while listening to music, giggling, grateful, the wind in my face -- flying, flying -- when I saw the POTHOLE.

There wasn’t anything I could do to defy Newton’s Laws of Motion, nor the Law of Gravity. The bicycle threw me off into the dirt, sliding downward, on top of me. My helmet stayed affixed. My sunglasses – in pieces, on the ground. My pride – well, no one else was around, so…. it took about fifteen minutes and a bottle of water to collect myself. Then I SMILED because my bike sputtered into gear for a minute; I knew I could walk home (if I must).

I felt even better when I got home to assess the multiple abrasions and bruises. Ultimately, I scraped and fractured a small bone on the top side of my left hand (it’s hard to type), I sustained a black eye and road rash on the right side of my face, PLUS TBP: total body pain. I’m okay after some Jacuzzi time and chiropractic care (thanks, Dr. Shaw). Potholes happen, infrequently and
unexpectedly, but I’m going back out for another (on-road) ride tomorrow; the fresh air and the wide, open scenery are invigorating.

What’s also invigorating is looking into peoples’ eyes when I smile, just to see what happens. I’d bet you already know that when you acknowledge ANYONE with a FRIENDLY gesture, most people respond in kind. I know my spiritual fuel level never gets depleted. I decided to take a quantum leap and combine the third resolution (to throw away three pieces of random litter per day) with the prior two; I began doing this at the beginning, but I didn’t really take note until I was walking into the gym one day, tossing a piece of trash from the parking lot into the bin near the entrance.

The young lady walking behind me had picked up trash, too, throwing it away as I opened the door for her.

“I couldn’t just step over it,” she said, smiling.                                                            

“Me neither,” I said. “Have a good workout.” 

Of course, I was looking her in the eye when I smiled, BIG. My travels are a little less cluttered with trash, for sure. I also documented my unofficial findings on video for your perusal and to fill your smile tank. Thus, I’d like to share the results of my new, 2013 AURA with y’all, understanding that my top, three resolutions are in full throttle.