Paralympics athlete tells 3
secrets of holiday health
we are seriously injured—physically or emotionally—the road back is challenging. Someone who knows firsthand just how hard that can be is John Register.
John, 40-year-old Gulf War veteran from Colorado Springs, was training for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics when a traumatic hurdling injury led to having his left leg amputated above the knee. He has a deep understanding of how important sports can be in the healing process after traumatic injury.
A former NCAA All-American in track and field, he went on to win the silver medal and set a U.S. record in the long jump at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics.
When you’re seriously injured, Register says,
"The first things you think are, 'How can I get back up?' Then, it's, 'Who
am I now? Am I still a wife, a husband? A mother, a father?'
During all of that chaos, when sports are introduced, they bring a sense of,
'If I can do this, what else can I do?' "
Now an inspirational and
motivational speaker, John offers readers his perspective on the healing
process—especially at the holidays.
We’re faced
with the euphoria—purchasing, exchanging gifts and so on—and then the holiday
blues when we have to pay for it all. I think it’s important to define what
giving really means. Is it materialistic? Commercial? Whether it’s Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, or
is more about the importance of being with family?
First get your
perspective right, and then we’re not caught up, thinking, “I feel bad because
I didn’t give you a gift—that makes me go into debt.’ Here’s an idea. Everything
goes on sale on Dec. 26 – extend your festivities by a couple of days. Then
you’ll be less likely to have those blues.
Then,
consider the 3 most important things. Faith. Family. Friends.
Faith can be
religious, but also just in general. Faith refers to things that are not seen.
What are you hoping for in 2008? What do you hope for during this holiday? How
can you make them come to fruition? Then it’s no longer faith. You’ve created
what you wanted, and now you can expand your boundaries.
Family – Your
immediate family and whomever else you feel is part of your support network.
Make sure you’re around them. These are the people who will help you pull
through. Who give you a sense of connection, which let you know that you’re
important, that what you offer is valuable. Not just family members, but also
the people who like minds and aligned attitudes. People who are going to
support you, wrap their arms around you, and not just take from you.
We all know
who among our circle will tell us the truth. We must begin a purging process.
Need to hang around the people who are good for you. You don’t become a
millionaire by surrounding yourself with thousand Aires. And you don’t have to lose
you identity or individuality because you have high goals. The people I know
who have money – you don’t even realize it. Sam Walton drove a pickup truck and
kept his mom-and-pop attitude. He himself interacted with the customers; he was
his own greeter. He made them feel welcome. You don’t go where you don’t feel
welcome—surround yourself with people who make you feel that way.
Friendships –
you have to pick your friends who will be there when the chips are down. When
you go through your time of testing, that’s when you find out who your friends
really are. They will challenge you – if it’s in the right direction for your
growth, that’s a good thing. If they’re just on your case because they want
something you have, if they’re jealous, those are not the people you want to spend
time with. I have maybe 2 or 3 people in different areas of my life I know I
can rely on to be honest. When I do my speaking, they tell me the truth because
they want to see me succeed.
We have a
sense of being attracted to another person. In my work with the Olympic
committee, I have a person, a friend who makes a difference for me. He’s
someone I can call on for advice and tell him everything that’s going on. He
keeps my confidence. I call him at least once a month.
Thanks, John. Here’s a quick
recap:
- Have
faith. Imagine what you want—and then take steps to make it happen.
- Focus
on spending time with family.
- Find
people who make you feel welcome, and treasure their friendship.
- Extend
your holiday a couple of days past Christmas, and buy your gifts on sale!
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And here’s John showing his
champion swimming form. |
Who have you inspired today? For
more info check out www.johnregister.com
Barbara Payne,
managing principal of ReallyGoodFreelanceWriter.com
and founder of SWWAN (Single Working Women’s
Affiliate Network)), helps companies and executives reach their marketing
goals with writing that speaks from your heart—speeches, executive
communications, corporate/business blogs, and more. “Find your True Voice…and
grow your business”® Read her blogs: The
SWWAN Blog, BlogforBusiness.com,
BioMedNews.org.