My Thoughts

Scientists say that although we’re nearly 99 percent alike in genetic makeup, chimpanzees and humans might be even more similar than we imagined. 

More than 99 percent?   A less than 1% difference?

Yep!  Supposedly, the key differentiators are what researchers call ‘lifestyle’ change—progressive evolution over the past 6 million years that separate us from a common ancestor. Specifically, some scientists say the only two key differences are how humans and chimps perceive smells and what we eat.

Who cares about how we perceive smell?   And, as far as dietary considerations…c’mon.  Our mothers always told us that we are what we eat…but sheeesh.

But, who am I kidding?  I’m not a scientist.  I’m about as scientific as an orange road cone.  Still, this tidbit of insight makes me shiver.

If such a small difference separates me from a chimp (and the resemblance may be uncanny) think about the slight differences between any two humans.  Think about your friends and coworkers.  Think about the stinky kid you had to sit next to in the fourth grade–the kid who suffered from some odd perspiration disorder, had a persistently runny nose, and always seemed to be missing a sock.  Every fourth grade class has one of those kids.  Think also about people of different races, different sizes, different economic and social classes.  Think about how many people are different than you…and then realize that at least scientifically, they’re almost exactly the same.

So, how’d we all end up so different?

Hey, I’m not here to chat about diversity.  I’m not here to tell you that you should find value in someone else’s unique traits.  The point of this post is actually the contrary–even though we all should find value in one-another’s differences.

Think about this;  if we’re all less than 1% different from each other, then the only thing that truly defines our uniqueness is what we do.

Do you exercise?  Do you sing?  Do you treat people with respect?  Do you challenge yourself to always find ways to improve?  Do you love your spouse?  Do you know what fry sauce is?  Do you care?  Do you laugh a lot?  Do you complain about the neighbors?  Do you learn?  Do you think big?

Everything we do in life differentiates us–it makes us, us.  If I’m overweight, do I do anything about it?  If I don’t like my job, do I look for a new one?  If I want more money, do I make it?  And, if I don’t like sitting next to Sir Stinkpot in the fourth grade, do I move?

I overheard a conversation once between two women inside a hotel once as they passed by the hotel fitness center.  One woman asked the other, “Have you ever used the gym here?” To which the other woman responded, “Gyms are for skinny people.”

So, here’s the question; which came first?

1.  Who are you?

or…

2 What do you do?

You are what you do.  And, here’s one final thought to ponder for a second:  monkeys throw poop at each other.   I doubt there’s a chunk of DNA dedicated to poop throwing.  But, then again, I don’t do science.

What does “Whole Health” mean anyway?

A variety of companies and organizations seem to be engaging in a concept that encompasses every form of wellness—creating a circular spectrum of health. I guess when you really stop and think about it, any area of your life that isn’t so robust and vibrant could be deemed as unhealthy. And, the obvious questions I think most of us ask are: should we care about everything? And, is it possible to achieve complete wellness?

Let’s say my relationships are strong, my physical health is envied, my spiritually is glowing, and my emotional health is robust—yea, I’m the guy who somehow turned out to be happy with only a slightly infectious disease called personality. If all of this is in tact, I should be great. But, what if my pocket book is suffering? Or, what if I hated my job?

One of the most intriguing tidbits of scientific brilliance I’ve learned from working side-by-side with Dr. Lundell on our book, The Cure for Heart Disease: Truth Will Save a Nation is that our physiology is completely biological—we’re simply moving masses of interconnected living cells.

What does that mean? Why should we care that we’re not just a bunch of machine-like parts?

Well, it means that if we don’t practice a philosophy of “whole health,” sooner or later our weaknesses will catch up with our strengths. It’s impossible to have diabetes without the disease, at some point in its progression, leading to heart disease. It’s impossible to be overweight without the excess body fat slowly planting a flag of disease somewhere else in the body. And, all this havoc is really caused by the same thing—inflammation.

So, what does inflammation—the heat, swelling, and physical irritation that can cause disease—look like in a spectrum of “whole health?”

Well imagine that all things I mentioned earlier in this post were interconnected like the cells of our body. Just like inflammation, if you allow any injury or foreign object to continue to irritate and progress, it can proceed to creat a much larger problem—a small infection can overrun your entire body. And the same is ture with your”whole health.” Maybe your physical health depends on keeping your stress levels in check, and your stress was created by financial strife, and your financial strife affected your relationship, and your relationship issues lowered your self esteem, and your self esteem affected your productivity to a greater extent at work—at a job that you already despised, which got you fired, which further enhanced your financial difficulties, and so on…

Tired yet? See the downward spiral?

Physical health is the foundation to complete health. When you achieve physical wellness, your healthy body can better manage all the other aspects of your life.

Ta-Da! Maybe you’re now realizing where your hole in “whole health” is located.

The healthy human is the whole human. And, sadly, we all have at least a few potholes in our life that need to be mended from time to time.

There’s an old zen saying which states:  Don’t be so keen to know things—it’s NOT knowing that matters.

It happens all the time–you’re at a party, in the break room at work, on a date, or even at a social function and you get stuck with someone who spills their achievements, their net worth, or their status all over your lap.

Do you like that person?  Do you want to know more? And, do you truly believe the value of their presentation?

Or, do you simply wonder why they’re attempting to sell themselves to you?

Ironically, the most interesting people in life are those who are most interested in learning about others.

Friends, this is my twisted version of a holiday greeting.

The holidays are a time to reach out to your friends, family, coworkers and clients.  I wanted to say something snazzy this season. So, I plucked a few keys, focused on typically merry messages.  I hit delete.  Uggh.  That’s when I realized that I need to step-up my greeting card efforts.  I needed to  “Go Big!”  …but I wasn’t.  When did this happen? When did I start settling for marginal?

I have an obscure question for you:  When did you stop believing that absolutely anything is possible?

I know what you’re thinking—“Todd, I still believe anything is possible.”  But, do you…really?

I just realized that I had lost the ability to comprehend “BIG”—and I don’t know when the ability to stretch disappeared.

What happened?

I had asked my six-year-old daughter to really think about what she wanted for Christmas.  “Take your time.” I said.  “Don’t ask for things unless you really want them.  And, think BIG.”

She left the room.  A few days went by.  And then she came back to me.

“Daddy, I know what I want for Christmas,” she said.  “There are three things.”

“Okay,” I said.  “But, before you tell me what they are, make sure you really have thought about them.  They better be BIG!”

She took a deep breath.  She paused.  And, then she nodded.

“First, I want a penguin in a cage,” she said.  “But, I don’t know what I’ll feed him.”

I simply nodded at her request—holding back any laughter as I envisioned the little tuxedoed fella in my back yard.  How could we could keep a penguin as a pet—especially in Arizona?  I don’t think the bird would be telling his friends in the arctic, “Guys, it’s really a dry heat.”

“Second, I’d like a shooting star,” she said. “Or, a comet.  Either one would be just fine.”

“Wow!” I responded. “That may be tricky for someone to get for you, but I like the way you think.”

Again, I tried not to giggle.  Sure, I wish I had the ability to reach into the sky and wrangle a mass of fiery gas. Maybe, if I survive the ordeal, we could contain it in a pickle jar.

I was waiting for her to mention something I could actually get for her—a princess dress, a skateboard, a trip to New Zealand.  “Please,” I thought.  “”Just say something attainable.”

And, lucky for me, she did.  Her third request is attainable…I guess.

“Third, I’d like a seeing eye dog,” she said.  “I don’t want to bump into anything anymore.”

First, realize that my daughter is not sight-impaired.  And, as much as I wanted to laugh at all her requests, I couldn’t help but think of the bigger picture.

The bigger picture is:  my daughter took my advice.  She “went BIG.”

Why can’t we all think this way?  Why can’t we all think BIG?

Often times, in life, I think we are all squashed by a notion of reality—knowing the implausibility of the things we really want.  And, because we know how rare it is for people to achieve or discover the true things they want in life is, we simply settle for less.

But why?  Why have we, as adults, lost the ability to think “BIG?”

Why do we settle for less?

My daughter asked for something exotic, something magical and fleeting, and something highly trained and uniquely useful.

Why can’t we ask for world peace? Why can’t we ask for private islands in the Caribbean? Why can’t we ask to become owners of our independence, a bigger paycheck, more free time, a better lifestyle, and cures to diseases?

As difficult as it may be for us to achieve these things, the very first step in the process of attainment is asking for them—from ourselves, our families, and our friends.  Pray for “BIG”. Just ask your higher power!  And, what about asking our communities, governments, coworkers, and our employers to think “BIG?”  Why can’t we ask the entire world to step and ask for the very things that seem impossible?

Why don’t we all make this the year we demand of ourselves the things we REALLY want in life?  Why don’t we all think “BIG?”

I don’t care if you want to make more money, get healthy, lose 400 pounds, rediscover love, get a promotion, start a business, or break a world record; I’m begging all of you to “Go BIG in 2008.”

Here’s my pledge.

I will “Go Big” in 2008. I’m going to publish more books. I’m going to get myself in the best physical condition of my life.  I’m going to be the best father and husband I’ve ever been. And I’ll help everyone I know make their year the “BIGGEST” ever too!

You heard it.  You have written documentation of my resolution.  Todd is going “BIG” in 2008.  I’ll succeed BIG.  I’ll love and relish relationships BIG.  I’ll play and party BIG (although, I don’t need to work too hard in this department).  I’ll reap BIG benefits and BIG rewards.  And, I hope you’ll join me.  I truly, 100%, hope that any of you reading this will step-up and grow your capacity this next year—simply to think “BIG”.

Am I crazy?  Am I overly dramatic? And, am I sounding like one of those cheesy motivational posters?

Well, maybe I am dramatic and cheesy; but, quite frankly, I don’t care.  I’m going “BIG” and I’m rounding up as many people I can think of to go “BIG” with me.  I hope you do the same.

Ask for a comet.  Ask for a penguin.  Demand a seeing-eye dog.  And, ask the people you care about to do the same for their lives!

Let’s all “Go BIG” in 2008.  I’m gonna start today.  Are you with me?

Oh yea! Have a REALLY BIG and Happy Holiday Season!

P.S.  If you’re still shopping for holiday gifts, check out my book, The Cure for Heart Disease: Truth Will Save a Nation.  Just go back to the “books” page of this site and you can click right through!

“Anyone who reads this book can save more lives than I ever could as a heart surgeon” ~Dr. Dwight Lundell

www.thecureforheartdisease.net
Order by phone at: 1-888-890-CURE

Random thoughts spill like soup. And, instead of dripping all over another nice white shirt (also the reason I no longer where ties), I figured I’d spill it all here. There is a lot of stuff floating around in my head. Most of it is useless. But, every now and again….

 Well, you see for yourself.

 Todd