Daily Gratitude: Remember that worrying about things we have no control over is a waste of time and energy and only creates more anxiety. Control the controllables. When a problem arises, we spend a lot of time trying to figure out why and feeling victimized. What good is that? Instead try these three things (from The Stoic Gym): 1) What is the direct way to solve the problem? Don’t ask why it happened but ask “what do I need to do to fix this problem?” 2) If there’s no direct solution, turn your focus away from the problem. Do something else. Think about something else. Don’t concentrate on the problem as there’s nothing we can do about it at this point. It’s not in our control. Reset your mind. 3) Now focus on the solution. What do I do now? How do i approach this? What steps do i need to take. I’m going through something along these lines right now and am trying to follow my own advice.

Daily Gratitude: When you’re bored, find ways to activate your brain. I discovered the importance of this as I have been driving to and from all the races. You can get very bored on the highways. But, if you look around you and see trees, think about what the terrain looked like before and have they been hit by storms, lightning or fire. Wonder about how long it took to create this part of the highway. Think about the lives of those who were working on the road – were they married, did they have kids, etc. You can wonder about the pioneers and the arduous treks they had. You can come up with so many things to keep your mind occupied. I did the same at the fixed time races where I feel like that little hamster on the wheel going round and round. So, I start to think about the people around me and how they’re feeling and what’s on their minds. Or how was the venue constructed and who uses it when we’re not racing on it. All sorts of things come up to think about. See how much you can activate your brain to get you out of the rut. It works and time will go by faster and you’ll be happier too.

Daily Gratitude: I am always emphasizing the importance of monitoring your thoughts so that they stay positive. Why? Because you are what you think, you bring into your life what you think. If you’re always thinking negative thoughts, your life will not be a happy one. The law of attraction is so maligned since it became well known because of “The Secret”. But it truly is a universal law. If everything in your mind is negative, how can you expect good things to come into your life? This is applicable to the development of illnesses after a life of negative thinking and living. Read Gabor Mate’s “When the body says no” and Bessel van der Kolk’s “The body keeps the score”. They describe the essence of the chickens coming home to roost. Be aware.