Coming soon: The Team S.J.G.R. Thursday Huddle

 

Every Thursday, I am committing to posting something to keep our team intact. Not to guilt you. Or myself. Or to make any one of us feel bad or like failures. These will simply serve as reminders of the realness for all of us. 

Me included.

Don't you just love Zachary's affirming thumbs up? Consider that as him and everyone you love thanking you for deciding to go harder and deciding to "come up out of the bushes." (Wink-wink, Poopdeck.)

And by going harder and "coming up out of the bushes", we mean specifically thinking of how we can lower our individual and collective risks for heart disease since we know that it is the thing most likely to cause us death or disability. (Sorry if that last line felt like a sucker punch.)

Remember: Being affected by heart disease is not like being struck by lightning. It's not rare, unpredictable or freakishly unusual. Fearing its wrath is not like fearing a piece of the SkyLab falling out of space and hitting you in the head. It should be a legitimate concern. 

Or as my medical students would say:

"It could legit kill you." 

(Or legit disable you, remember?)

And so. Even when you are feeling like. . .  this . . . after reading the S.J.G.R. Thursday post (see below):

"Uh huh, uh huh, yeah."

Ha ha ha ha. . .know that it will still be waiting for you. And for me. Because this is just as much for ME as it is for any of you. 

Let's not destroy the momentum by cowering down into a corner like all of the stuff that's been happening around us will go away. All of these reminders saying, "Hello? What are you doing, man?" Because it doesn't go away. Reality will still be there whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. 

 

And since we now know that being awesome, loving, caring, talented, cherished and even happy aren't enough to prevent heart disease, we will acknowledge that through our intention to do better. We will honor what Deanna taught us which I think would please her. In fact, I know it would. And while we do that, we will be nice to ourselves and know that ALL of this is a work in progress.

Like my friend Ms. Rebecca Radish King said, "Mindfulness is the lesson the universe keeps lopping at my head."

Mindfulness. Yes. That. That! And mindfulness is totally attainable, don't you think?

And now excuse me while I share a few reminders to keep my mind focused on the fact that S.J.G.R. in my life. Real enough for me to want to do better and try harder. . . .to do what ever part is in my control so that I can be here in the flesh for moments like these.

Man. I have a lot to live for. I hope your commitment to Team S.J.G.R. serves as a constant reminder that you do, too.

***
Happy Humpday. See y'all tomorrow!

Game face? Check.

Stay tuned for JoLai's Team S.J.G.R. Facebook page. :)