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Keith Ahrens
Health tips and discussions, motivational articles and positive lifestyle coaching from Lifestyle Change Expert, Keith Ahrens
11
It was 4 years ago, the first week of April 2007, that I had a heart attack.
I met with my primary care doctor today for a routine exam and we chatted about the first time he ever saw me. I was well over 400 pounds at the time. I looked 15 years older and I was physically and mentally a complete mess. He commented that it seemed like a lifetime had flashed before his eyes with my on-going transformation.
It was a wonderful visit and the great lab results always make for a pleasant doctors visit.
To be honest, the events of April 2007 seem like a distant blur at times and at others bring me to my knees with how fortunate I was not to have died like so many others.
Any survivor of any chronic disease or catastrophe has probably asked themselves, “Why Me?” I know I certainly have and when I answer this question now I say, “Why Not Me?”
From the time I got out of college in 1985 until a couple years ago I had written a very impressive career resume from running multi-state retail divisions, instructing commercial sales training, teaching aerospace engineering, to work as a finance director.
In the last year and a half I’ve completely rewritten an already jammed resume. My bio in the last year and a half looks like it took 30 years to create. I’m as happy and healthy as I’ve ever been and doing exactly what I want to do. The people I meet each day inspire me to do things I’ve known I could do.
I love my life and everyone in it.
I guess my thought is that when you stand at the base of a mountain, the view is completely different from the top. I hope to reach the top one-day but I’m having a great time in the peaks and valleys.
Climb the mountain before you one step at a time and the rewards for a healthier life will get stronger and better with each step. – Keith
In the past 1-½ years I’ve been able to volunteer a lot. I’ve worked with several fantastic organizations and each and every project enriched my life.
Volunteering is not only a good thing to do for the people who benefit from your involvement but for you as well.
Volunteering has made me healthier and empowered me in so many ways. I relax when I give back. Although some of the projects have been quite challenging and seemingly chaotic at times, I can’t relate any of the activities to a higher stress level but exactly the opposite.
I believe that a persons stress level goes way down when they volunteer.
The great thing about being a volunteer is that you get to pick your projects and causes. Lowering your stress level reduces your blood pressure and certainly helps the heart.
Pick a project, a group, a charity or something close to your heart and give back. It will be the greatest gift you’ve ever given yourself. – Keith
“The hardest thing anyone can do is putting his or her hand on the door handle and opening the front door. Walking through the door is the second hardest.”I recently spoke to fitness and health professionals and told them just that.
It may be intimidating, even frightening for some people to decide to go to a gym for the first time or to go back after a long layoff.
I explained how critical customer service was once the potential customer came in to their gym. Feeling welcome and making the initial visit as unintimidating as possible was a goal they should strive for. Sometimes, all it takes is a smile at the front counter to take the tension off.
I told them that everyone employed at the gym ultimately has a positive or negative effect on someone’s fitness and well-being.
The lesson of opening the door can be applied to just about any challenge or fear we have in life. Will you open the door or just walk on by?
It’s making the decision to take action that stops so many of us from accomplishing a goal. Keep in mind that not making a decision — is a decision. Fear and the unknown usually drive our actions or inactions.
The challenge is to put your hand on the door handle and turn the knob. Open the doors that have held you back. What have you really got to lose? What do you have to gain?
An opportunity can only come when we walk through the door. – Keith
“We become what our mind says we are! For a moment, a day, a week, or a lifetime.” – Keith Ahrens
I’ve come across a lot of people in the last 2 years that have told me they were concerned about what other people thought of them when they went to a gym or out for a walk or even out in public.These fears arise from the way we look and how “we think” others perceive us.
I always say, “Its none of your business what other people think of you.”
By this, I mean it’s our life, not theirs.
We’re not going out for a cup of coffee with these folks. We’re not going to have a drink at a bar with them nor are we going to have them over for dinner. So it really shouldn’t concern us what someone else thinks of us when we try do anything to improve our lives.
It’s important that we break down any barriers that will prevent us from getting more fit. Being afraid of what someone else thinks should not be one of them.
Remember, it’s your time; it’s your life. – Keith
Darth Vader and a Survivor?.Did you see the Volkswagen Passat commercial that aired during the Super Bowl?
The kid behind the Darth Vader mask had his first heart Surgery at 3 months old to implant a Pacemaker. The Universe never looked so good:)
Read the full story here or click on the pictures. MSNBC Super Bowl
When you plug in a string of lights and the bulbs don’t light up, how do you get the string to light up?You look for the one single bulb in the string that’s preventing the others from lighting and replace it – we fix it!
Just because the entire string is out doesn’t mean that every bulb is broken.
The point is that a small improvement or fix in one area of your life can make a huge difference.
What’s the one thing you want to fix to lead a healthier life? Is it better nutrition, physical fitness or perhaps its something else?
It doesn’t really matter as long as we can identify and take action on something we can improve.
Find the bulb that’s keeping you from lighting up and fix it! – Keith
As we celebrate the New Year, we’ll undoubtedly be thinking of what was, what is, and what will be.We can’t change the past, (what was) but we can reflect on what we could have done better to improve our lives and those around us. Reflect I say, not dwell!
We have no time to dwell on or be concerned with any negativity in our lives. Make 2011 a year without aggravation.
We each have the opportunity to make today (what is) and tomorrow (what will be) better than the last.
In 2011, embrace your hopes and dreams.
Believing in yourself is the cornerstone of happiness. I Believe In You.
I’m a firm believer that when we take steps to improve our own lives, we positively impact those around us in more ways than we know.
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!
Isn’t it nice to be alive and to be able to make decisions?
I hope all of your Heart Healthy Dreams come true in 2011. – Keith
This really happened yesterday.6 year old: “Mom, can I have a sugar cookie for dessert?”
Mom: They’re all gone.
6 year old: Where are they?
Mom: Ask your Uncle Keith
6 year old: Uncle Keith, did you eat the sugar cookies?
Uncle Keith: I did eat the sugar cookies
6 year old: MOM, I think Uncle Keith has a Cookie Control Problem.
All this from a 6 year old. I felt like saying; “I’m Uncle Keith and I have a Cookie Control Problem.”
The moral of the story – I need to control my Cookie Control Problem!
Keith
Merry Christmas and Heart Healthy Holiday Wishes to Everyone.The greatest gift I receive will have no wrapping paper, no bow, and no nametag yet I’ll know it’s for me.
My gift is — Another Day.
Living with Heart Disease means I take nothing for granted.
The lights on the tree will be brighter, each ornament will be more special, the turkey will smell better, the cold air will feel fresher and the kids playing and running will sound like a symphony.
Everyday is Christmas and everyday is a gift. – Keith
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