Two important figures of the 20th century died recently: Gerald Ford and James Brown. In this issue of the FitFam.com Tip of the Week, I talk about how they thought about the past and future as they created their lives.

I also sneak in a line from a Bob Dylan song for no good reason. Enjoy!

Gerald Ford

The Downside – Denial

The defining moment of Gerald Ford’s career was his pardon of his predecessor, Richard Nixon. Ford assumed leadership of the US amidst the stink of corruption and cynicism that was the Watergate scandal. He saw his mission as that of healer – one who would restore balance and trust to the workings of government.

Unfortunately, his interpretation of healing turned out to be sweeping all that had gone wrong under the rug. With his pardon of Nixon, the country didn’t get to see bad government uncovered and held accountable. The result was a sharp and lasting cynicism of government that persists and harms the American democracy to this day.

I mean, just a scant decade before Nixon, Jack Kennedy could conduct illicit affairs with famous movie stars and nobody batted an eye. Ten years after Ford left office, Bill and Hillary were defending their marriage on 60 Minutes and nobody believed a word of it.

We practice denial when we make health and fitness resolutions without examining the roots of our current situation.

Say I want to start eating more fruits and vegetables, and cut down on the cheese, processed foods and fried stuff. My diet up to this point isn’t an accident. I learned how to eat junk, I practiced eating junk (because it sure didn’t feel good at first), and eventually I became a junk food Master.

My habits, my physiology and my environment all support my junk food Mastery. If I just pardon my years of bad eating without examining the causes, I’m setting myself up for failure in my quest to ascend the Yummm mountain.

On the one hand, years of practice and addiction, and a fridge and pantry aligned with a low quality diet. On the other hand, a momentary spasm of motivation to eat better. Which do you bet on?

To beat the odds, shine the light of truth and understanding on your current diet and lifestyle. When do you crave fatty foods? How do you satisfy that craving right now? What can you do to make it easy in the moment to replace Ben and Jerry’s with an almond milk smoothie, or macaroni and cheese with a grilled avocado veggie wrap?

Don’t beat yourself up over your past – but don’t waste its lessons by pretending it never happened.

The Upside – Letting Go

Ford was the butt of many jokes, mostly centering around his clumsiness and slow-wittedness. He took these jokes in stride, added to them, and all in all didn’t seem too bothered by the caricature. He did not attach himself to an image of perfection or self-importance, even when he was the most powerful and publicly-laughed-at man in the world.

It’s important to be able to laugh at ourselves, to not take our own lives so seriously. To let go of our big dramas and just attend to the present moment in understanding.

I got caught up in a big unnecessary drama last week, on vacation. My daughter was offered a chocolate from a box by the proprietor of a hardware store. As I had a vantage of the side of the box that listed the ingredients (hundreds of them in 6-point font, so they could fit them all on one side of the box), I began making disapproving noises. My wife joyfully grabbed one and popped it into her mouth, and my daughter did the same.

I spent the next two hours in some kind of funk, spinning out a huge story of punctured authority, clogged arteries and general gloom and doom.

Turns out they hadn’t noticed my disapproval, and I hadn’t noticed my daughter spit out the candy (“disgusting caramel,” she related) within seconds of tasting it.

Had I been more humble/humorous/humane (all three from the Latin humus, meaning chickpea spread), I would have let go of my crazy thoughts and put the whole thing into proper perspective: vacation, one bite, no big deal, nothing to do with my self-image as the “Fit Family Guru.”

Missed a few workouts? Eaten a bunch of holiday food you wish you hadn’t? Let it go, and attend to today with good spirit and good humor (no, not the ice cream).

James Brown

The Downside – False Affirmation

James Brown’s most famous words were, “I Feel Good.” He repeated them over and over, with conviction and gusto. And yet apparently, he didn’t feel so good. He struggled with drug addiction, violence, self-destructive behavior and ill health for much of his otherwise glorious career.

There is a long tradition in the self-help movement of relying on affirmations to help us change unwanted behaviors. The trouble with many of these affirmations is that they are so patently false, they give us no leverage.

When I recite “I am taking care of my body” through a mouthful of Cheetos as I sit on the couch watching other people exercise, it’s not exactly believable. So there’s nothing I need to do about making that affirmation real. It doesn’t create any cognitive dissonance that motivates me to change my life.

We reach for inspiring and untrue affirmations when we stop seeing and believing the truth – that we are health-producing machines, endowed by creation with the most miraculous faculties for self-healing and regeneration.

Don’t believe me? Try a 1-day water-only fast. Your symptoms – headache, joint pain, mucus on tongue, nausea, or a bunch of others – will testify eloquently to the healing that will occur when you give your body a chance.

As Herbert Shelton wrote over half a century ago, our bodies – and their symptoms – are right-directed. That means they’re always moving in the direction of better health. When we respect our symptoms and allow them to play out, rather than suppressing them with medication and surgery, we naturally move toward better health.

So until you “feel good,” know that your body is not your enemy. It will take you  where you want to go, as soon as you remove the ongoing causes of ill health and discomfort.

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Addendum: My sister telephoned to suggest that my list of symptoms of a 1-day water fast might make it seem like such a fast is not a good thing. Good point, sis. So here's a little commentary on the symptoms of fasting:

These symptoms are inside us, and until they come out, they're contributing to bigger and worser diseases. As Shrek eloquently puts it, "Better out than in." There's no shortcut to health, and the laws of the universe don't allow us to avoid responsibility for the things we do to our bodies.

The 1-day water fast is a powerful demonstration of the toxins that our bodies are trying mightily to expel. Of course, check with a health professional before going on a fast (did I mention that my sister is also a lawyer?). But if you try it, you'll learn things that will change the way you think about your health.

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The Upside – Self-Definition

This from Wikipedia:

Brown was recognized by a plethora of (mostly self-bestowed) titles, including Soul Brother Number One, Mr. Dynamite, The Hardest-Working Man in Show Business, Minister of The New New Super Heavy Funk, Mr. Please Please Please, The Boss, and the best-known, The Godfather of Soul.

Brown, born in poverty and plagued by demons from an early age, could easily have resigned himself to a life as a share cropper and shoeshine boy (both early career pursuits of his). Instead, he told himself and the world a new story, a story that hadn’t happened yet, and then he lived it.

Brown understood that he was the screenwriter of his own life. He didn’t let the odds get him down. He wrote himself a story about musical genius and huge popularity and influence, and grew himself into that story as leading man.

He understood that the past does not equal the present. How about us?

How many people stop trying to lead happy, healthy lives because they’ve failed at some diet in the past? How many people make half-hearted New Years’ Resolutions, expecting failure, because they identify with that destiny? How many seas must a white dove sail before she sleeps in the sand?

We are meant to be happy and healthy. It’s our birthright. As Greg Lynn Weaver is fond of reminding us, Earth is not a prison planet. It’s a heavenly body, and it gives us everything we need for a full and glorious life, without our having to do anything for it.

Just consider that – a planet with a perfect mix of gases for human respiration. The perfect temperature. With enough water to sustain us. Abundance produce to help us grown. The exact right amount of gravity. The sun close enough to energize the world, but not so close to crisp it. And we are just plopped here, nothing to sign, no promises to keep. Amazing Grace!

We live in Grace. We live in infinite possibility. If you’re living a life limited by self-doubt, take a page from James Brown and give yourself a new name, a new story, a new future.

Wishing you and yours the happiest and healthiest of years…
Howie