This Time I Mean It

Getting Past What Holds You Back with Baby Boomer Weight Loss Expert Scott 'Q' Marcus

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Take Your Own Advice

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You wouldn’t know it – but I changed my logo several months ago.

I even made a big deal out of it on line. Yet, I’ve been using the same older logo since that time.

“One of these days…,” I said “I’ll change it on my website and on my Monday Motivational Memo. But, it’s just so much work. It’ll take ‘forever.'”

Then I thought, “What advice would I give the folks who read what I write?”

I’d tell them to “Think 1st.”

I’d say:

  • Pick 1 Thing
  • Make it Small
  • Do it Today

So I did… and now you see the results. (I hope you like it!)

We tend to be very good about giving others advice and, unfortunately, we don’t always use our own wisdom.

What’s the best advice you’d give someone else about a problem you’re facing?

Take your own advice. It’s coming from a very wise source.

[Read more…]

When You’re All Out of Excuses, You Might Enjoy It

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“So, Scott,” she said, “What are you going to do to get more in shape?”

“I’ve been considering more exercise.”

“Do you still ride a bike?”

“Not since the accident. Besides,” I justified, “It’s still broken.”

“Wasn’t that accident a year ago?”

(Looking at my feet, mumbling), “Um, yes.”

“How long until you repair it?”

“Um, I don’t know. Soon? I guess…” (my voice trailed into silence)

“Okay, that’s going nowhere. Are you still doing yoga?”

“Not since my bike accident.”

“I don’t see the correlation, but if you’re not riding your bike or doing yoga, what are you doing?”

Reaching, reaching, reaching… “Walking!” I snapped back. “Yeah, right! I walk soooo much now! Wow! I’m a walkin’ fool.”

“Good for you! Is it helping?”

“Um, no, not really.” (I returned to starting at my feet and mumbling.)

“Why don’t you do something else?”

“I don’t like anything else.”

“Really?! Out of all the possibilities, you can’t think of one single thing you’d enjoy?”

Realizing how silly I sounded, I decided — per Mark Twain — ‘twas better to keep my mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt.

They had me cornered; they were circling. [Read more…]

Not What We Remembered

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I was born in Detroit, Michigan.

When I was seven years old, in 1962, my parents moved to California. (It seemed appropriate for me to go with them.)

Recently, I was speaking in the Great Lake State and had a few spare days, and the assistance of my cousin Steve, who still lives there; so I wanted to revisit my first elementary school and the last house I remember from early childhood. We clambered into his green panel van and headed to Livonia, a suburb.

As an important aside, I provide a cautionary note.

While Steve slowly drove by Botsford Elementary, giving me plenty of viewing time to prompt old memories, the staff began studying us through the school’s windows. Realizing this was no longer 50 years ago; it dawned on me that two middle-aged men driving sluggishly around an elementary school in a panel van could be misinterpreted.

We moved on.

Of course, any vehicle listlessly rolling down a street with its residents studying every house will attract attention anywhere; so as we passed “my” house, the resident studied us from his front porch. Not desirous of another misinterpretation, I approached the young man and reached out to shake his hand.

“Hi, my name’s Scott. I lived here from 1958 through 1962. I’m visiting from California and I wanted to see where I was little. Would it be okay if I looked around?”

“Wow! I wasn’t even born then! Sure. Feel free.”

Emboldened, I took it another step.

“Would it be too much to ask if I could go inside?”

“I’m a trusting guy,” he replied, “Come in.”

As I understand it, we remember every single event that ever happened to us.

[Read more…]

Thinking in the Gray Areas

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Think in the gray areas.

Limiting yourself to black and white ideas will inhibit you.

We tend to see things in “black and white” and change is not that way.

We use expressions like “I was good” or “I was bad.” “I was on my diet.” or “I was off my diet.” “I had a great day.” or “I had a lousy day.” “Life is great.” or “Life is lousy.”

In reality, most of the time, it’s somewhere between the two extremes. When we use a more realistic portrayal of how things are, it gives us the ability to appreciate what we like while still improving what we do not.

That is not something we can do when we only look at life as “either/or.”

[Read more…]

Keep a Good Thought

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My wife and I tried breaking our nightly routine.

To alleviate muscle aches, we deduced that if we each slept on side of the bed where the other person usually lies, we might arise pain free. (It made sense in the moment.)

I make no claim that swapping pillows is a valiant act of bravado. That does nothing to diminish the reality that it, in fact, was awkward. Not simply “I-normally­-don’t–wear–this-color­-so-I-feel-like-everyone’s-staring-at-me” unpleasant; it was more akin to “Did-I-forgot-to-zip-something?” anxiety. We tossed, turned, bumped into each other multiple times, and waited twitchily for the arrival of Hypnos, the God of Slumber, only to be jilted on the mattress. After several fidgety hours, reverting to positions of yore, we obtained at last a modicum of shut-eye.
It’s not as if my bride and I, while writing our vows, discussed who would lay claim to which side of the bed.

“Do you, Scott, promise to love, cherish, and support Mary Ann until the end of your days — while swearing to snooze faithfully on the section of bed furthest from the nightstand?”

No, that’s not how it happens. Customs emerge. One moment, it’s an arbitrary behavior, next instant: Habit. Isn’t that how it is?

We set up repetitive behaviors for our ease; then, something alters them.

We are naked, abandoned, and lonely. Without habit’s landmarks, direction is lost; uneasiness swamps us. So, we rush back as quickly as possible, reassured finally by the embrace of the familiar.

[Read more…]

Contact Us Today

Scott "Q" Marcus
707 834.4090
scottq@thistimeimeanit.com
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