Laugh and Live Longer!

Yesterday Dolores Hope, wife of Bob Hope for 69 years, passed on at her home in California.  She was 102 – Bob had been 100 when he passed in 2003 – a feat very few of us can hope to achieve. When asked the secret to their longevity, she had replied that it was lots of laughter. So it appears that, unlike many other comedians, Bob’s personal life was filled with the same type of fun and laughter as his stage life, making him a genuine comedian and entertainer, and successful in his career as well as his family life.

While it’s very sad that Dolores is no longer with us, let’s celebrate the wonderfully long lives they lived together and the gifts that they shared with us for so long – Bob’s jokes, laughter and charisma, and Dolores’ singing and performing.  Regardless of how you felt about the wars the US has been involved in, you have to have total respect for a man and woman who so tirelessly brought so much laughter and goodwill to our American men and women who were – and are -thousands of miles from home and needed that break from reality, those laughs, and that connection to home so much.

Starting with Norman Cousins and his famous self-cure through watching comedy shows, numerous studies have shown that happiness and joy correlated with longer lives and less incidence of heart disease.  So a happy heart is a healthy heart – isn’t this the best way to be healthy EVER?  Plan – today – to add more joy and laughter in your life. Go see a funny movie with your family – attend a laughter yoga class (if you haven’t been to one of these, you’re in for a real treat!) – look up jokes and tell them to everyone you talk to – laugh at yourself in the mirror – do something silly – play a practical joke on someone – do whatever makes you laugh – but start TODAY.  The less you feel like laughing, the more you need to take time to do this!  If you have other ideas, please email me – I’d love to hear them and get a good laugh too!

I am sure Dolores will meet up with Bob wherever loving spirits go to meet again, and when they do, I’m also sure they’ll continue to share their love and laughter – with each other and with the rest of us who are lucky enough to join them.

Live long – live happy – and most of all, laugh often. J

What is the Meaning of Life?

What is the meaning of life? That’s a pretty deep question, and for many people, it remains unanswered.  However, the answer has never been clearer for me:

LIVE, LEARN & SHARE – Live life to the fullest, learn from my experiences and share those experiences and lessons learned with others to help them be happy and succeed in reaching their dreams.

Ask yourself these three questions:

1.  “Have I done everything I wanted to do in life?”  If you answered yes, then you either are lying to yourself or have VERY low expectation.  Think about what things you would like to do before you die.

2. “What have I learned from my experiences?” Think about the most memorable experiences in your life, and then write down what you learned. Looking back on your experiences creates self-awareness.

3.  Who do I share my experiences with? It is amazing how many people do great and interesting things in their life, but never share what they learned with anyone else.

Affirmations of Aloha

I have made a ton of mistakes in my life, made many decisions I regret, and I have hurt a lot of people.  I am trying to make amends and can only hope people that I have hurt will forgive me.   My biggest fear is turning into a jaded person that has a cynical view of life and feels the need to attack people in an effort to distract others from my own flaws and failures.  To help me on this quest, I have created a list of Affirmations of Aloha that I read every day, and I wanted to share these with you in case you need a little help living aloha too

1. I treat all people with respect and humility.
2. I live my life to the fullest by seeking out new experiences.
3. I learn from my mistakes and correct those that I can fix.
4. I share my life experiences and lessons learned with other people.
5. I love myself and others with a compassionate heart and forgiving soul.
6. I always strive to better myself and be more than I am.
7. I am here to make a positive impact on the lives of others.

Live aloha!

5 Quick and Easy Toning Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

Exercise is an important part of our lives. Staying in shape is one way to increase your life expectancy. Weight bearing exercises are important also for increasing muscle mass and bone density as you age.

Most of us have learned what to do when it comes to exercising. The problem is where and when to get the job done. With a busy lifestyle, making time for exercise is a challenge.

Weight bearing exercises aren’t just for bodybuilders. As you age, especially once you hit the age of forty, you begin to lose muscle mass. For women especially, bone loss becomes a problem. When the body is in need of calcium it can rob it from your bones. Building muscle not only increases their mass but your strength.

Here are five easy toning exercises that can be done anywhere and whenever you have time. At home, at the office, or on vacation, you can do these easy yet extremely effective exercises.

1. The Bridge Butt Lift – Sounds like a plastic surgery technique but it is an easy way to tone your buttocks. Lay down with feet flat on the floor, legs shoulder width apart. Place your hands, palm side down, on either side of your body. Pushing with your feet, squeeze your gluteal muscles and lift your butt off the floor. Hold the position for a count of five to ten and release down to the floor.

2. Squats – Squats work the butt, the hamstring muscles and the quadriceps. If you aren’t sure of proper form, you can use a chair. Stand with feet shoulder width apart and feet firmly planted. Push your butt back as if you were preparing to sit in a chair. Keep your abs tight and your upper body straight. Once you reach chair level stop and hold the position for a count of two to five and release. At the lowest point, place all of your weight on your heels for balance and maximum toning.

3. Reverse Lunges – Lunges work the quadriceps muscles. They can be hard for people with knee problems. A reverse lunge still tones the right muscle groups but with less pressure on the knee. Stand with feet together and arms at your sides. Take one leg and move it backwards until you are in lunge position: front leg bent at a 90 degree angle and back leg extended until you are on the ball of your foot. From this position lower yourself down until the back knee almost touches the floor. Hold for a count of two and return to starting position.

4. Pushups – This is a classic toning exercise that works all areas of the arms plus the chest muscles. If you aren’t comfortable or strong enough to perform a pushup on your toes, lower your body to your knees. Be sure your arms are tucked into the body and your back straight as you lower and lift your body.

5. Crunches – Abdominal muscles can be worked every day to build strength and muscle tone. Lying on the floor in sit up position, lace your fingers behind your head. Squeezing your abdominal muscles, lift your upper body until your lower back is about to come off the floor. Hold for two to five counts and return to starting position.

These five exercise moves can be done whenever you have time. The best thing about exercise is that its effects are cumulative. Even five or ten minutes at a time will work to your advantage.