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My teacher is a MBBS and MD from AIIMS delhi, he used to tell us some really amazing medicinal facts while giving lectureswe just loved that part of the classIf you are a girl, you can scientifically find out your best friend, best friends live in close proximity with each other and due to pheromones, their menstrual cycles starts coinciding (do you share same periodic date with someone, bingo! She's the closest one)If you consider yourself ugly, you are more likely to suffer from intestinal problems.Generally the eldest child in the family suffer from kidney stones, this is because he thinks his mother doesn't love him (crazy na!), this is quite common because after the birth of second child mothers start caring about them more leaving the elder ones in inferiority complex.The above two facts are applicable only if you are following a good diet and healthy lifestyle (even if you are the miss world, your intestine will definitely suffer if you eat noodles whole day)Today we are using non sticky aluminum utensils, stop it now because aluminum is a slow poison. These aluminum utensils were introduced in India by east India company to kill the prisoners. Our kings used to eat food in silver or gold utensils, this has a scientific proof , eating in silver utensils contributes to higher IQ and gold saves you from many diseases (umm our ancestors were quite intelligent) . In west Bengal , when a baby completes six months of its birth, its first feeding is done with a silver spoon (its a kind of celebration) Bengali grandma knows silver contributes to high IQ.Boys are intelligent and girls are hardworking. (Well, hard work always pay, intelligence might cheat you)Babies born by IVF (a technique in which zygote is prepared outside the human body) are found to be more intelligent as compared to the ones born naturally.Just 21 days are enough to change your life completely, whether it's gaining a good habit or moving on from a break up, life goes on and we adapt.Wine kills cancer, whisky causes weight loss and beer is the most non alcoholic.Honey is the compound which helps in both weight gain and weight loss by just varying the solvents. Take it with milk to gain weight regularly and if you want to lose weight exchange milk with warm water.The most dreadful pain is being burned alive , second most painful is giving birth to a child (respect your mom, she's the one who had that pain just for you)Mountain habitants are generally calm and cool as compared to the ones residing by the sea , cause mountain habitants generally have less salty diet while the former loves seafood (just the game of blood pressure)Girls generally fall for guys who have higher IQ and are more practical whereas boys go for the so called beauty.Women hardly have heart attacks, this is because of estrogen, estrogen and cholesterol are born enemies.After menopause (ceasing of menstrual cycle) the level of estrogen drops and women start becoming more masculine (have you seen any granny with little moustache)We remember each and every scene of a horror movie as compared to other movies, this is because horror movies give that damn dose of adrenaline hormone, its a memory saver.If you are on a weight loss journey, belly fat would be the last place from where fat will disappear, cheeks remains the first one.Water has no effect in curing spicy shock (that sheeeeee! Moment after eating chillies or something spicy). You should go for some fatty stuff, either milk or bread, you will feel better soon. Water just provide cooling effect.Instagram is as hazardous as tobacco, teens start comparing their lives with filmstars and supermodels. Since they can't be stars, they start suffering from depression and anxiety. The same depressant hormones find the way in your body as like what happens when you consume tobacco (if you are comparing your life on insta, you are actually smoking tobacco) the problem with girls is more dangerous , girls make Instagram accounts and flaunt their lives just to make each other jealous. This is a kind of backfiring envy again and again (jealousy is a precursor of depression)If you are suffering from migraine, go and start eating dark chocolates, it will make you feel better (chocolate is a stress buster)If you are suffering from depression, go and indulge yourself in learning some new skill, it can be swimming, painting or cooking. Learning something new boosts adrenaline - the excitement hormone.Just a chromosome addition or deltion can change you completely, for exampleXXY - (additional X chromosome) Characters of both male and female. It is called klinefelter's syndrome. Infertile males having breast development and mental deficiency ( sixers)XYY- (additional Y chromosome) More boyish Character, that means more testosterone, more testosterone means more aggression and more attraction. This is called Jacob's syndrome. Such men are damn criminals and harsh rapists.If you have a habit of talking to yourself, that means you are quite intelligent. Instead of asking someone else for help you are asking yourself for the solution (such individuals are self reliant and responsible)Habit of interconnecting possibilities of real life situations or say overthinking - It is a sign of intelligent human.(It means your brain have more infoldings or convulsions which enable you to interconnect situations and think more)You can lose weight even after eating burgers and pizzas, its just the game of calorie In calorie out . (well it is the hardest way to lose weight fast , that's why healthy and low carb food is preferred)Have you ever looked at the shape of dry fruits, its quite interestingPista- if you disect it, it looks like a pair of lungs, actually it helps in making lungs healthy.Walnut ( akhrot ) - It looks like little brain, strange! It helps in boosting brain efficiency.Cashew ( kaju) - it looks like a sweet white kidney, well its work is to make kidneys healthy. ( God has made the problem and solution look a like )When you start falling for someone, your dopamine level start increasing, that's why it is called love hormone. (if you wanna impress someone just say ‘you make my dopamine go high and high' )Fairness creams are just myths. Scientists are still confused about the work of pigmentation hormone. MSH or melanocyte stimulating hormone is quite active when lights are off and it even degrades with age. (the study is damn doubtful)Indian women use mehnadi (a herb) to make beautiful designs on their hand, they use aalta on their feet. These two things are hebaceous and help in preventing body from various air born bacteria. (our culture is damn scientific, we should always respect and value it)Time travel, watching future in dreams do exist , we can't do it because our pineal gland is not activated completely, some people claim that they saw future, they all had some sort of pineal gland activated combined with time loops (matter of physics entangled in biology). Well studies are still going on, this is not a fact but just a little knowledge.A new research claims that earth is getting greener again. Thanks to policies of India and China that increased forest cover.Fair girls are generally arrogant and throw tantrums (due to melatonin)whereas brown girls are calm and more confident. Brown girls have more melanin pigment, it has a direct relation with confidence and self reliance. Moreover, dark skinned people are less likely to suffer from skin cancer due to this same melanin (it prevent UV rays to enter)Sunflower oil is the most healthy oil. (it does not allow cholesterol to attach and prevent hardening of arteries) whereas refined oil is the most dreadful.Apple is a better wake up drug as compared to coffee. It works faster than coffee or tea.Following some daily TV series or indulging yourself in supporting sports events Like IPL or FIFA helps in increasing quality of life. It makes life a little worth living for. They are kind of relaxers. (imagine yourself commiting suicide but suddenly you remember today is the final match of world cup between India and Pakistan, you will definitely postpone the plan of suicide) Beware to keep all this stuff within limits.Most movies and TV serials show falling in love of opposites. Practically such relationships never work out. Couples who have similar taste in music, movies, food and lifestyle tend to have a longer and happy married life. (opposites having a happy married life is no less than an achievement)Stop giving birthday parties, you are actually 20 billion years old, guess why? matter can niether be created nor be destroyed it can only be transformed from one form to another. (you are just transformed from the big bang) .Some scientists claims that after the fifth mass extinction, this world would be ruled by bacteria, viruses, viriods and prions. (evolution is so doubtful yet interesting).Dear readers, some facts may be logically old or incorrect but most of them is a product of medicinal research done by my teacher itself.Enjoy it!I'll try to recall more facts and add them thereafter , my teacher was just amazing.Have a nice day !

Here are ten useful applications of Reiki healing therapy that can help improve our personal and professional lives:Reiki healing relieves stress and tension, relaxing muscles and smoothing out mental/emotional pressure. This is the immediate effect of a Reiki healing session.Reiki can reduce pain and soreness and relief can be manifested within minutes of applying Reiki hands-on the affected area/organ.Reiki can help melt away negative mental blocks in persons of all ages and brings about acceptance of realities in life. Reiki enables us to accept and love ourselves for what we are!Reiki can help protect our mental-emotional faculties from reacting negatively under harmful influences and in the face of unfavorable situations. It brings clarity of mind and firmness of decision. It builds inner confidence and the capability to make the most of what we have!Reiki sharpens the intellect. It can help one to see with more clarity.Reiki can help mend relationships. It does an amazing job at rekindling love, acceptance and understanding between individuals within days of regular Reiki healing, even if the parties involved are unaware of it! Reiki healing works unconditionally, so it would always work towards the highest good of all the parties involved.Reiki energy sent regularly to a future event like marriage/graduation/any other important situation or function assists the successful and timely completion of the same.Reiki sharpens our intuition or sixth sense and deepens our spiritual awareness. For those who are spiritually inclined are likely to experience amazing spiritual advancement with regular Reiki healing.Reiki brings reinstated peace, harmony, mutual understanding, cooperation and accomplishment within a group of people, whether it is a family, a team, workforce, or a professional board, committee, class or association working for a common cause.Reiki re-establishes physical, mental, emotional and professional well-being. It brings with it a wave of positivity that can be distinctly experienced by each and every person enjoying the privilege of receiving Reiki either directly, or as a part of a group of recipients.Benefits of ReikiThere are many wonderful benefits of Reiki. Reiki is a very simple process, but usually produces quite profound effects. The main purpose of reiki practise is not only to heal diseases, but also to promote a positive mind and healthy body so that people can experience joy in life.However, reiki does not promise a miraculous cure from disease. Conditions that have taken years to manifest in the physical body cannot be cured in a few sessions. The person has to want to be well and will probably also need to make some lifestyle changes so that the source of stress and negative emotion (dis-ease) does not recur. It takes time for the Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual bodies to be brought back into balance.What are the Benefits of Having Reiki Treatments Reiki unlike many modern day remedies works directly on restoring the balance on all levels and works directly on the problem and condition instead of just masking or relieving symptoms. Some of the benefits of reiki are as follows:Dissolves energy blocks and promotes natural balance between mind, body and spirit;Increases energy levels;Creates deep relaxation and helps the body release stress and tension;Clears the mind and improves focus;Accelerates the body’s self-healing ability;Aids better sleep;Reduces blood pressure;Helps relieve pain;Assists the body in cleansing itself from toxins;Supports the immune system;Helps spiritual growth and emotional cleansing;Promotes creativity; andCompliments medical treatment.Q. Where does Reiki energy come from?A. Reiki energy is a subtle energy. It is different than electricity or chemical energy or other kinds of physical energy. Reiki energy comes from the Higher Power, which exists on a higher dimension than the physical world we are familiar with. When viewed clairvoyantly, Reiki energy appears to come down from above and to enter the top of the practitioners head after which if flows through the body and out the hands. It appears to flow this way because of our perspective. However, the true source of Reiki energy is within ourselves. This does not mean that we use our personal energy when we do Reiki, but that the energy is coming from a transcendental part of ourselves that is connected to an infinite supply of healing energy.Q. Is Reiki a Religion?A. Although Reiki energy is spiritual in nature, Reiki is not a religion. Practitioners are not asked to change any religious or spiritual beliefs they may have. They are free to continue believing anything they choose and are encouraged to make their own decisions concerning the nature of their religious practices.Q. How is a Reiki treatment given?A. In a standard treatment Reiki energy flows from the practitioners hands into the client. The client is usually laying on a massage table but treatments can also be given while the client is seated or even standing. The client remains fully clothed. The practitioner places her/his hands on or near the clients body in a series of hand positions. These include positions around the head and shoulders, the stomach, and feet. Other, more specific positions may be used based on the clients needs. Each position is held for three to ten minutes depending on how much Reiki the client needs at each position. The whole treatment usually lasts between 45 and 90 minutes.Q. What does a Reiki treatment feel like?A. What one experiences during a Reiki treatment varies somewhat from person to person. However, feelings of deep relaxation are usually felt by all. In addition, many feel a wonderful glowing radiance that flows through and surrounds them. As the Reiki energy encourages one to let go of all tension, anxiety, fear or other negative feelings a state of peace and well-being is experienced. Some drift off to sleep or report floating outside their bodies or have visions and other mystical experiences. At the end of the treatment, one feels refreshed with a more positive, balanced outlook.Q. What can be treated with Reiki?A. Reiki has had a positive affect on all forms of illness and negative conditions. This includes minor things like head or stomach aches, bee stings, colds, flu, tension and anxiety as well as serious illness like heart disease, cancer, leukemia, etc. The side effects of regular medical treatments have also been reduced or eliminated. This includes the negative effects of chemotherapy, post operative pain and depression as well as improving the healing rate and reducing the time needed to stay in the hospital. Reiki always helps and in some cases people have experienced complete healings which have been confirmed by medical tests before and after the Reiki treatments. However, while some have experienced miracles, they cannot be guaranteed. Stress reduction with some improvement in ones physical and psychological condition are what most experience.Q. Does one have to stop seeing a regular doctor or psychologist in order to receive a Reiki treatment?A. No. Reiki works in conjunction with regular medical or psychological treatment. If one has a medical or psychological condition, it is recommended that one see a licensed health care professional in addition to receiving Reiki treatments. Reiki energy works in harmony with all other forms of healing, including drugs, surgery, psychological care or any other method of alternative care and will improve the results.Q. Who can learn to do Reiki?A. Reiki is a very simple technique to learn and is not dependent on one having any prior experience with healing, meditation or any other kind of training. It has been successfully learned by over one million people from all walks of life, both young an old. The reason it is so easy to learn that it is not taught in the usual way something is taught. The ability to do Reiki is simply transferred from the teacher to the student through a process called an attunement that takes place during a Reiki class. As soon as one receives an attunement, they have the ability to do Reiki and after that whenever one places their hands on themselves or on another person with the intention of doing Reiki, the healing energy will automatically begin flowing.Q. How long does it take to learn Reiki?A. A beginning Reiki class is taught on a weekend. The class can be one or two days long. I recommend that the minimum time necessary be at least six to seven hours. Along with the attunement, it is necessary that the student be shown how to give treatments and also to practice giving treatments in class.Q. What is a Reiki attunement?A. A Reiki attunement is the process by which a person receives the ability to give Reiki treatments. The attunement is administered by the Reiki Master during the Reiki class. During the attunement, the Reiki Master will touch the students head, shoulders, and hands and use one or more special breathing techniques. The attunement energies will flow through the Reiki Master and into the student. These special energies are guided by the Higher Power and make adjustments in the students energy pathways and connect the student to the source of Reiki. Because the energetic aspect of the attunement is guided by the Higher Power, it adjusts itself to be exactly right for each student. During the attunement, some students feel warmth in the hands, others may see colors or have visions of spiritual beings. However, it is not necessary to have an inner experience for the attunement to have worked. Most simply feel more relaxed.Q. Can I treat myself?A. Yes, once you have received the attunement, you can treat yourself as well as others. This is one of the unique features of Reiki.Q. I have heard that Reiki can be sent to others at a distance. How does this work?A. Yes, in Reiki II, you are given three Reiki symbols. These symbols are empowered by the Reiki II attunement. One of these symbols is for distant healing. By using a picture of the person you would like to send Reiki to or by writing the person’s name on a piece of paper or simply by thinking of the person and also activating the distant symbol, you can send Reiki to them no matter where they are. They could be hundreds of miles away, but it makes no difference. The Reiki energy will go to them and treat them. You can also send Reiki to crisis situations or world leaders and the Reiki energy will help them too.Q. How many levels are there to the Reiki training?A. In the Usui/Tibetan system of Reiki taught by the Center, there are four levels. These include one, two, Advanced and Master.Q. What does it feel like to give a treatment?A. When giving a Reiki treatment, the Reiki energy flows through the practitioner before leaving the hands and flowing into the client. Because of this, the practitioner receives a treatment also. As the Reiki energy flows through the practitioner, she/he will feel more relaxed and uplifted. Spiritual experiences sometimes take place. The practitioner sometimes receives insights about what the client needs to know to heal more deeply.Q. How do I find a Reiki teacher that is right for me?A. Reiki teachers or Masters advertise in many magazines and also post notices at health food stores, new age bookstores and other places. Once you find a Reiki teacher or practitioner you are interested in receiving training or a treatment from, it is a good idea to ask them some important questions. Here are a few that will give you additional information to make a choice.• How long have you been working with Reiki? What training have you had? How often do you teach? How do you personally use Reiki? What is your lineage?• What qualifications are required to take Reiki Training?• What do you cover in your classes? How many hours of class time is included? How much time is instructional, and how much is hands on practice?• What are the specific things I will be able to do after taking the training?• What are your fees, and will I get a certificate and a manual?• Can I take notes and tape record the class?• How many symbols will I learn?• Is there a Reiki support group in my area or can you help me establish one?• Will you openly support me in being a successful Reiki practitioner or Master?• Do you have a positive respectful attitude toward other Reiki practitioners and Masters regardless of lineage or affiliation?Be aware of how you feel about their answers and if they are responding in a loving manner that is supportive and empowering. Listen to your heart and you will be guided to the right teacher or practitioner.Q. Can children learn Reiki?A. Yes, Reiki can be taught to anyone. I recommend that a child be old enough to understand what Reiki is and that the child request to receive Reiki.Q. Is it safe for pregnant woman?A. Since Reiki is guided by the Higher Power, the Reiki energy will know the condition of the client or student and adjust appropriately. Reiki can only do good. Many pregnant women have received treatments with great benefit to them and their unborn child. It has also been used during child birth. Pregnant women have also taken the Reiki training and received the Reiki attunement with beneficial results.Q. What about babies?A. Babies love Reiki. It is very healthy for them. Do not worry about it being too strong. Reiki automatically adjusts to what the baby needs.Q. Can I treat animals or plants?A. Animals love Reiki too. They seem to have a natural understanding of what Reiki is and its benefits. Once a pet has received a Reiki treatment, they will often let you know that they want more. Plants also respond well to Reiki.Q. Are there any side effects from a Reiki treatment?A. Most of the time a person will feel relaxed and uplifted by a Reiki treatment. However, sometimes a person will have what is called a healing crisis. As a person’s vibration goes up, toxins that have been stored in the body will be released into the blood stream to be filtered by the liver and kidneys and removed from the system. When this happens, sometimes a person can get a headache or stomach ache or feel weak. If this happens, it is a good idea to drink more water, eat lighter meals and get more rest. The body is cleansing as part of the healing process so this is a good sign.Q. Can it be used to help groups of people or even global crises?A. Yes, this is one of the wonderful benefits of Reiki and is why it is such a wonderful technique for the new millennium. It allows individuals and groups to do something positive about the challenging situations we see on the news involving so many people all over the planet. Reiki can be used to reduce suffering and help people any where in the world. On our Reiki web site at The International Center for Reiki Training we list major world events to send Reiki to. As more and more people send Reiki to help the world heal, we will move quickly to a world of peace and harmony.Q. How much does a treatment usually cost?A. A Reiki treatment usually will cost between $25.00 and $100.00 depending on the area of the country. However, some practitioners offer treatments free of charge or for a donation.Q. Can a person make a living from Reiki?A. Yes, if you put your heart into it, you can develop a Reiki practice combined with teaching classes that can bring a regular income. This is a very fulfilling way to earn a living. See the article on Developing Your Reiki Practice.Q. Can one become Licensed to practice and teach Reiki?A. There are no governmental licensing programs at this time. However, the Center does have a licensing program for Reiki teachers. Please see our Center Licensed Teachers Guidebook from the Center.Q. Does insurance cover Reiki treatments?A. Reiki is just starting to be recognized by insurance companies. While not many are covering Reiki treatments, some are. Check with your local insurance company for details.Q. Can nurses or massage therapists get CEU credit for taking Reiki classes?A. Classes taught by our Center Licensed Reiki teachers are approved to give CEU credits to nurses, massage therapists and athletic trainers.Q. Are there any scientific experiments that demonstrate Reiki works?A. Yes, see the section onReiki research.Q. Can you get more than one attunement?A. Once you receive a Reiki attunement, it will last your whole life. However, if you get additional attunements for the same level, it will act to refine and strengthen your Reiki energy.Q. What is lineage?A. Reiki is a technique that is passed on from teacher to student over and over. If one has Reiki, than she/he will be part of a succession of teachers leading back to the founder of the system of Reiki one is practicing. In the case of Usui Reiki, the lineage would lead back to the teacher

Simple answer? No. It's never too late.Here's a story about my life that, I hope, will show you why.As I stood there in the parking lot, dressed in old gym shorts and a baggy shirt, surrounded by a hundred or more other folks, there were two things on my mind: why am I here, and can I even do this?There was a simple answer to the first part: I needed a job. It was August 28, 2010, and my commitment with Teach For America had ended in June. The last paycheck was gone, I’d begun to rely on my savings, and I was back home living in the basement. I’d applied to many dozens of jobs over the past few months, and this was the only one that responded.The test was simple enough. Run two laps around the parking lot–about a half mile in total–and then drag a two-hundred pound Rescue Randy Manikin for a hundred feet. Sounds easy, right?Maybe, but I wasn’t so sure. I’d allowed my health to deteriorate over the past six years, and although I didn’t weigh the two-hundred and forty pounds that I’d eventually balloon to, I wasn’t far off. But as I watched others give it a shot, I consoled myself in a manner that’s all-too-familiar to anyone who is or has ever been overweight and out of shape. Hey, at least I’m not as bad as that guy, I thought, as I watched as a morbidly-obese man struggle through the first half of the first lap.More importantly though, how the hell did I end up here? I’d been accepted to law school back in April–the logical conclusion of six years of hard work. It’s not that anything was wrong with applying for a job to be a Polk County Detention Officer–other than, you know, my opinions about our prison system. It was a solid job. It even paid significantly more than I made as a teacher. I just had bigger and better things in mind. Working in a prison wasn’t part of the plan. Then again, the neither was the economic crisis. Or law school morphing into a debt-trap with poor job prospects. Or any of the things that had happened since Teach For America.But it was almost my turn to run. The butterflies had begun to wreak havoc on my stomach as I faced the reality of my situation: I’d gotten fat. I might not be able to do this. I wore size 38 and 40 pants, popped Nexium like M&M’s to fight the ever-present acid reflux issues, and I spent my time eating and drinking while living life vicariously through the stories of movies, television shows, and video games.Exercise? It had been years.I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d run.If you met me back in 2008 or 2010 and asked who I was, I'd have said something like this:Hi, my name is Frank Beard. I studied politics and history at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa–during which time I founded and managed some of the most active student organizations on campus. I moved to Washington, DC, for most of my junior year and helped start a political organization, and I ran a website that tracked absenteeism in the United States Senate. You may have heard about it on CNN or FOX. After graduation, I accepted a job with Teach For America–a prestigious national service corps that places top graduates in our country’s neediest schools for a minimum of two years. I plan to enroll in law school afterwards, and I will continue to advocate for the needs of low-income students.Okay, it’s kind of pretentious. But that was my narrative; I thought it was a reflection of who I was.When we form an identity when we’re young, we often focus on the ways in which we differ from those around us. We want to be different and unique. To stand out. So while my rural elementary school had the “athletic kids”, the “class clown”, and even the “farm kids”, I became the “smart kid”. I arrived in kindergarten reading books meant for high school students, I was immediately put into talented and gifted classes, and I was moved ahead in math beginning in seventh grade.It was also a great defensive mechanism. Although I got along with everyone in middle and high school, I was never part of any clique. Rather than feel isolated when my most of my friends drifted off into one group or another, I took refuge in the idea that I was above all of the social games and drama. I just had to bide my time until I could go out into the real world. When that happened, it was my time to shine.I had options, of course. I was always great with computers, and I taught myself how to program. Shortly after turning eighteen, I sold a website and an online community to a company in the video game industry. I was paid to manage it for a few years. Math and science came easy as well, and I could have done something with that.But I wanted more than that. Although I didn’t understand how the world worked, it seemed that politics was near the center of everything. So I decided I’d pursue law and try to find a way into that world. The lawyers in my community seemed well-off, and it’s no secret that many of our politicians have law degrees.That’s all it took to convince me.So I gave it a shot. I worked hard and studied when many of my friends were out drinking and having a good time–or when some of them dropping out. One evening, I was so engrossed in my computer and headphones that I didn’t even notice that my roommate had returned with some of our friends, thrown up on the floor, and cleaned it up. As you can imagine, they didn’t let me forget about that one.But I only say this to provide context.Because when I suddenly woke up years later and realized that I was broke, living at home, unemployed, and didn’t have a clue what I was doing…well, let’s just say I didn’t take it well.You probably guessed that I didn’t get the job at the prison. Surprise!I completed the physical test though. My quadriceps burned, my calves screamed in agony, and I felt like a thousand needles had been jabbed into the side of my ribs–transforming each breath into a form of self-flagellation. Thirty seconds in, and my shirt was drenched in sweat.As I rounded the first corner, I glanced at the other applicants. I remember how one guy in particular–who’d run the course like it was a joke–stood there with his arms crossed, staring at me the way I’d looked at the morbidly-obese man only moments earlier. Like I was a failure. It hurt to think that I’d become that guy to someone else, but I quickly put the thought out of my head because I was in too much pain to think about it.That should have been a wake-up call: a sign that I’d made a serious mistake in managing my life. But it would be years before I did anything about it.The problem, you see, is that I was still waiting for the right job to come along and rescue me. I was still anchored to the smart kid identity. I still viewed life through my pretentious narrative. I just needed to land the right job so I could claw my way up to the level of success that I thought I deserved.So I took a job selling insurance. I know, I know. It’s basically the used-car salesman of the financial services industry. Everyone loves to hate them. But I was almost out of money, the training paid well, and there were no other offers. So what the hell, I figured. And as I soon discovered, there’s a lot of money in that field if you can make it work.And I did for a while. I fit the new job into the narrative, felt a sense of pride through my association with a well-known and respectable company, and there were some months when I made great money.But it all came crashing down. The slow months were brutal, and I was soon digging through my change jar for quarters to buy gas. Before long, I couldn’t pay the rent for my office and had to close shop.And I took this hard.The narrative, the plan, all of it was blown to hell. Destroyed. Gone. This was real failure, and I didn’t know what to do.So I did more of what I’d done ever since the stress of Teach For America had gotten to me: I played video games, drank heavily, consoled myself with comfort food, and binged on Netflix. If I socialized, it was at the bar.But I started to get angry. I deserved better than this, right? I’d worked hard and accomplished a lot. I had a good resume. Why was only one out of every forty or fifty job applications responding? And it’s not like I was being picky. I once interviewed unsuccessfully for a position at a rural gas station that paid ten dollars per hour. How did I go from introducing a congressman on CSPAN to this?That’s when I embraced victimhood.Look, it’s no secret that times were tough and still are. Many people are deep in debt, working long hours for low pay, and stuck in dead-end jobs that have no future. A sizable portion of my generation lives with their parents. There’s even speculation that, as a whole, we may never obtain their quality of life.The facts are the facts. It’s up to each of us, however, to decide what they mean.I decided that I’d been cheated. Screwed over. I’d done what I was supposed to do, and I deserved better than this. Some might call that entitlement, and I would have said “you’re damn right.” If you invested six years of hard work into something, would you expect a return? The idea that it was somehow a character defect to expect more than the chance to apply for a job at a rural gas station? I never found that convincing.But I did find Chomsky, Žižek, and Rawls convincing. If you criticized the system, then I was listening.And let me tell you, being a victim felt great. It was like a weight had finally been lifted off of my shoulders. This isn’t my fault, I realized. I held up my end of the bargain. It wasn’t that I tried and failed, but rather that the system had failed me.Victimhood allowed me to keep my pride and ego. The narrative could still be a part of my identity. Only now it ended with being stuck in an unfortunate position, trying to “figure it all out”.But being a victim just gets old. Regardless of whether your plight is legitimate or imagined, it colors your outlook on life and anchors you to your past. It keeps you trapped in stasis.I finally had enough. Everyone around me was moving forward with their lives while I was stuck sharing stories about what I used to do and finding reasons why I was now unable to do anything.That person who I used to be? That person hadn’t existed for years. I didn’t know who I was anymore, because I didn’t actually do anything. I worked, of course. But I lived a life of escapism. I looked and felt horrible. And I sat around waiting for some job or career to come along and imbue my life with meaning and purpose.And even if I did get the perfect job, was that really the solution? Would I suddenly give myself permission to start living? Would I work towards my goals, do the things I wanted to do, and pursue companionship instead of being too embarrassed to let anyone into my life? Of course not. The last time I had a job that I was proud of, I sat around and did the same thing: nothing.The problem was me. My life was a mess.I needed to reinvent myself and figure out a different way to do this.These days, things are pretty great. I’m not complaining.I travel the United States for my job, build up a ton of frequent flier points, and get to see more of our country than most people ever will. It’s a small company, and I like everyone who works there.But more importantly, I have a full and active life outside of work. I don’t need a job to provide meaning and purpose, because I create my own. I’m an athlete who likes to run, cycle, do something that resembles swimming. I actively work on my writing, and I plan to roll out short stories soon. Maybe turn them into audio narratives that folks can listen to when they drive to work. I’ve also spent almost eight months working on a fitness website that I plan to launch this year; it helps people revitalize their lives through endurance sports just like I did.In short, I’m actually living.People see the difference. And not just since I’ve lost the equivalent weight of an MMA heavy bag, but because I’m happier, I smile more, and I tell stories about what I’m doing right now instead of what I used to do. I offer encouragement instead of negativity.So a lot of folks want to know what I did. They want to change too.When they ask, however, they’re frequently looking for some life hack, secret formula, or collection of tips and tricks. It’s like they think everything suddenly changed because I bought the right book or found the One True Diet.But that’s not the way it works.I changed because I prioritized change over everything else in my life. If I wasn’t willing to put myself out there, try new things, get uncomfortable, and take risks–if I wasn’t willing to question my very identity and lifestyle–then I was going to stay exactly where I was.I could have said no when my father and one of his employees invited me to go for a bike ride. I could have made excuses and found reasons to stay home. They’re cyclists, they take the sport seriously. They ride expensive bicycles and dress in funny-looking clothing. I’m out of shape, so I’ll just slow them down and embarrass myself.But I was hungry for change. I was willing to try anything.And it was embarrassing. I did feel awkward. My own father had to slow down as I struggled to pedal up small hills. I’m proud to say that I never walked the bike, but it didn’t stop me from wanting to. And when we finished, I was absolutely drained of energy.But I had fun.I had so much fun, in fact, that I agreed to start riding with them on Sunday mornings. So I decided to buy my own road bike. But winter was coming, and that meant too much snow and ice for cycling. I figured I’d wait until April to purchase one.In the meantime, I had to lose the weight once and for all.So that’s what I did. I downloaded MyFitnessPal, set a goal for daily caloric intake, and tracked every bit of food I put in my mouth. I learned to cook simple and healthy meals, cut out most of the garbage, and significantly increased my intake of vegetables. I also discovered that I love asparagus and broccoli. Who would have guessed?When April rolled around, I didn’t even look the same. But now it was time to get in shape. I wasn’t about to get shown up again by my father on a bike ride(no offense).But cycling wasn’t a “work out”–a phrase that always makes me think of headphone-clad folks in the local gym’s cardio room, with looks of anguish on their faces as they force themselves to do things that they don’t enjoy.Cycling was pure joy. I zoomed down the hills on country roads, felt the sun warming my skin, listened to the chirping of the birds and the rustle of the leaves in the trees. I quickly reached a level of proficiency where I could just turn on the gas and go for four, five, and six or more hours. I felt alive in a way that I hadn’t felt in…well, ever.It consumed everything in my life. I stopped drinking so much, I chose food based upon whether or not it would make me a stronger cyclist, and I found supplemental exercises and drills designed to make me faster and stronger.I watched a local triathlon, and it looked like so much fun that I decided to do it that following year. That’s when I rediscovered running. Except this time I wasn’t an overweight guy applying for a job that he didn’t want. I was in great shape.But I still believed that I hated running.And where did that come from, exactly? Nobody is born with an innate dislike for running. As a kid, I loved racing my dad across our front yard. I thought running was a normal way of moving from Point A to Point B.Just like cycling, I decided to reserve judgment until I actually gave it a try. What I discovered, however, is something that completely changed my life.If I could do what I love without any responsibilities or restrictions, I’d run all day. Every day.I don’t run a lot of races, and I don’t care about having a wall of finisher’s medals. I’m not the fastest or the best, and I’m still working up to that local 50k that I hope to run as a personal accomplishment. To me, running isn’t another competition to win. I don’t need that kind of affirmation. I see what I look like in the mirror, and I know how great I feel both physically and mentally. That speaks louder than any shiny thing dangling from my wall.Running is a form of physical mediation. It’s my time. When I’m out on a beautiful trail, taking in the vivid greens, blues, and the sounds of life around me, I feel something that can only be described as a spiritual experience. It reminds me that there’s something simple and profound buried underneath all of the ways that we make life complicated and confusing.Monks meditate, priests pray, and I run. It’s what I do.Endurance sports have also helped to diversify my identity. I’m a cyclist because I cycle. I’m a runner because I run. And I’m an athlete because I train my body to go for longer distances. Those are all things that I want to do, and I’m doing them right now. I don’t need my job to provide a purpose or identity.As for everything that happened after college?There’s opportunity in struggle. Never forget that. If I’d just moved into a career and kept chugging along, I’d be tied to a path that represents the best thinking available to my eighteen-year-old self. Maybe that’s okay. Maybe not. Perhaps I’d just be another overworked, overstressed attorney.But it didn’t work out. And because of that, I struggled though some difficult years until something wonderful happened.I discovered who I am.I’ve been back to that parking lot.I wanted to squeeze in a run before going out one evening last year, so I parked my car over there. It’s attached to one of my favourite bike trails.As I looked around and remembered that embarrassing day, I wondered if perhaps my memory had failed. Surely I didn’t struggle with this. It’s small. Hardly anything. But then I remembered the placement of the orange cones. Yeah, it happened.It was a great day for a run. Iowa has beautiful summers–even if they’re a bit humid. The sky was free of clouds, a light breeze snaked through the trees, and I ran with no headphones or other distractions. Just the sounds of nature, the occasional cyclist, and the synchronization of my breathing and cadence. I ran five miles out, five miles back, and passed through downtown Des Moines along the way.I returned to my car energized, ready to take my girlfriend out for dinner. And then it hit me.I’m glad that I failed.If you enjoyed this, follow me at FrankBeard.org or on Instagram @frank.beard. I also offer monthly book recommendations through my mailing list. You can sign up at my website.