The 5 Year Rule

September 30, 2013 by Scott "Q" Marcus Leave a Comment

Before getting upset, ask, “Will anybody really know or care about this five years from now?”

If the answer is “no,” take a deep breath, relax, and let it go.

Most things will be “no.”

If the answer is “yes,” you have a crisis on your hands and getting upset about it will not help you deal with it. Instead, come up with a rational plan to move forward.

This does not mean deny your feelings, rather deal with them when the crisis is over.

Every Monday, a new motivational memo is posted by Scott “Q” Marcus, Motivational Weight Loss Speaker and Life Balance and Productivity Expert. Subscribers to 21DayHabitChange.com and Scott’s coaching service get this – and many more benefits – sent to them directly. If you’d like to know more, follow this link.

Don’t Wait Until Things Settle Down

September 9, 2013 by Scott "Q" Marcus Leave a Comment

Don’t wait to do what you want until “things settle down.”

You know how it is.

I’ll do what I really want “when the mortgage is paid off,” or “when I retire,” or “when the kids are grown” or…

As my grandmother used to say, “Man plans and God laughs.”

If we had a crystal ball, life would be much easier wouldn’t it?

We would know when things will be busy and when we’d have time. We could schedule “health issues” for when there wasn’t much else going on. We would know how much time was left so we could make sure we did everything we planned to accomplish before we passed.

Alas, we do not have such an ability so we can’t delay as the reality is that things will only “settle down” at the end of life. And when that happens, it won’t matter what we never did, will it?

Don’t wait. Enjoy now. Live large.

[Read more…]

Eat less; Extend Your Life

August 21, 2013 by Scott "Q" Marcus Leave a Comment

There is no more sought-after dream than that of eternal life.

Since Ponce de Leon set foot in the new world — and well before that — we have been seeking the fountain of youth, the ability to live longer in good health. “We’re so close to adding another 20 to 50 years to the human lifespan, that not only are we in the neighborhood, we’re on the block; we’re just looking for the right door,” I was recently informed. The key to the house remains hidden.

For yeast, flies, and rodents however, it’s time to party! Scientists have long known that dramatically cutting calories extends their lives. (Who knew that yeast even ate?) Alas, since we do not cavort among baking additives, we have been left out of such advances. Yet, there is hope.

In a recent report, it was discovered that rhesus monkeys, arguably more our kin than yeast, that have been put on a low-calorie diet live longer and healthier lives. Researchers divided 38 monkeys into two groups. One group was put on a diet with 30 percent fewer calories than the other. After two decades, five of the monkeys on the restricted diet had died of normal age-related causes, compared with 14 monkeys on the normal diet. Beyond that, the monkeys on the restricted diet were healthier overall, with no diabetes, and fewer cases of cancer or cardiovascular disease.

“The monkeys on a normal diet also looked visibly older, their eyes more sunken in and their coats thinner and posture cramped when compared with their dieting counterparts,” according to Ricki J. Colman, lead author of the paper.

It is assumed that since monkeys and humans are genetic cousins, such diets might slow aging in people, too.

However, due to the long lifespan of people and the rigors of the diet, studies of calorie restriction in humans are ongoing and have yet to show that people live longer. Nonetheless, thousands of individuals now follow calorie restriction diets, hoping to discover what de Leon did not.

In the interest of understanding what life would be like on a calorie-restricted diet, I did some research and found a typical “day in the life.” Here, soup to nuts, is the purported menu required for a longer time on this planet. [Read more…]

Is Your Attitude Showing?

August 12, 2013 by Scott "Q" Marcus Leave a Comment

Your attitude shows – even if you think it’s hidden.

Don’t deny it; own up to it.

Others are already aware of it – even if you never say anything.

And don’t feel bad if it’s not “happy-clappy” all the time. After all, we all have our down days. After all, someone with a “positive attitude” is simply someone whose attitude is positive more times than it’s not.

Check your attitude regularly. If it’s not serving you, do a reset.

Remember, as difficult as it might be to adjust it, it’s YOUR attitude and you can let it control you – or you can control it.

[Read more…]

Are you controlled by “THEM”?

August 5, 2013 by Scott "Q" Marcus Leave a Comment

“Should” is the word used by the invisible committee of “THEY” to run your life.

You know what it’s like,

“I should be thinner.”

“I should be a better parent.”

“I should have thought of that before.”

I should. I should. I should.

If you find yourself saying “I should,” you are under the control of the THEM. THEY use the word to put you in your place and to help you feel bad about yourself for not measuring up to an unrealistic standard.