“Shake, Rattle and Roll… Choose Change Before It Chooses You!” By Todd Durkin, MA, CSCS

On Easter Sunday, southern California experienced a 7.2 earthquake. The epicenter was approximately 100 miles away in Mexico. I have lived in California for 12 years now and I have never felt anything like it. My family and I were at home, coming downstairs, when we felt the earthquake start. We all hustled into the living room and waited as it got worse and worse. The house shook and rattled, and the lights swayed. We huddled together, listening and watching – waiting for it to end. I heard picture frames falling upstairs and glass shattering. At about the halfway point, I remember thinking, “Is this as bad as it’s going to get or is it going to keep intensifying?”

There we were in the middle of a beautiful Easter Sunday and BAM, the house starts shaking and swaying. It did finally end, and the few losses we experienced were insignificant; the structures in San Diego have been built to withstand earthquakes. But, it’s not the same in Mexico where the damage was worse and resulted in two deaths, many injuries and too much loss. Sunday’s earthquake shook us up (literally and figuratively), and left me wondering. What could I have done to be better prepared? What if we had suffered real damage? What if our lives were changed suddenly from one moment to the next?

What’s shaking up your life right now? Are you built to withstand damage? Sudden change comes in many forms… from earthquakes, to injuries… to anything. Oddly, the recovery process after an earthquake is a lot like the recovery process after a physical injury or an accident – everything depends on the strength of your infrastructure. Just like a building, when our physical (and mental) “infrastructure” is strong before injury, we recover faster and experience less damage.

My team and I work daily with post-injury and post-surgery clients. In fact, some of my proudest moments occur when we celebrate a client’s full recovery and return to optimum training levels.  At Fitness Quest 10, we specialize in personal training, fitness, bodywork and massage. We also offer state of the art physical therapy and chiropractic solutions. But what if the injury is emotionally devastating, like divorce or financial worry? The tools we use and the services we provide help clients prepare for, cope with and recover from change of all kinds – emotional and physical. Central to our philosophy is the belief that we can be better prepared for change by strengthening the infrastructure of the mind and the body.

Heraclitus, an ancient Greek philosopher, wrote some pretty wise words: You cannot twice step into the same river. Think about it… Change occurs everywhere, everyday for everyone. Life does get shaken up. Whether you experience change in your health, fitness, relationships, family life, finances, career, spiritual life, or mindset; when it occurs, your ability to adapt and to thrive is a direct result of life-long preparation – physical and mental readiness. Now is the time to get in shape for life. Choose change before it chooses you.

First, recognize that change comes in different forms. We know it can be sudden, and other than winning the lottery, sudden change is often the most frightening. But, it can also be evolutionary – with each decade of life, we adapt to our changing bodies. And, it can be revolutionary – we seek change through weight loss, improved fitness and nutrition, etc. There is so much about change that is good. As a trainer and coach to aspiring souls everyday, I get to witness positive change all the time. It’s revitalizing, rejuvenating and inspiring.

Powerful stories of change:

• Larry Indiviglia is a trainer and fitness director here in San Diego, CA. Larry had change choose him quite suddenly when he fell down a flight of steps and severely injured his neck and back. Larry went on to heal, but changed his business from 1-1 to small group training and created passive revenue by writing and publishing a successful e-book. Larry’s story of recovery is inspiring.

• Jason Texler is a teacher and head football coach at a local high school. Jason chose to give up coaching for 1 year so he could focus on his health and lose over 100 lbs. His hard work and commitment to change led him to win one of our Biggest Winner Contests by losing 75 lbs in 6 weeks.  Jason has continued to transform his body, strengthening his infrastructure, preparing for his future.

• Connie Joy is another client of Fitness Quest 10 and local real estate agent. She chose to change her life by committing to a health and fitness routine in our 1st ever Biggest Winner Contest. Connie lost 60 lbs in 6 weeks.  More impressively, she continues to dedicate several hours per day to her personal development and fitness. She is thriving physically and mentally – looking for a new challenge.

And the list goes on and on…

What can you do?

Open your eyes, your heart, your body and your mind to change, and embrace it. Own the changes in your 40-year old body (or 50 or 60 or 70 or beyond). Eat and train smarter to achieve the results you desire. Ask your family how you can be a better mother, father, husband, wife, brother, sister, son or daughter. Listen to them, and invest time now for your future together. Stop and take an accounting of the changes in your finances, business or career. Don’t like what you see? Make change. Find help. Seek expert advice. Struggling with a negative outlook? Spiritually uninspired? Look around you. Who’s feeding you a diet of negativity? Seek a positive environment. Censor your own thoughts. Read to learn, to grow and to improve. It’s time to update your physical and mental playbook.

We’re all human and to counter our natural tendency to resist the unknown, we were built to seek our potential. Unlock the gate that’s holding you back. Stop choosing the safe and familiar over something new and possibly better. Take a risk. Don’t wait for change to choose you. Experiment with it. You’ll be stronger, wiser and infinitely better prepared for life!