In my last post, I mentioned a tool called the “Rejuvenate List”. It has helped me and my family to live a higher quality life. Nearly everyone has a life that requires work…and work can get tiresome…after all it is work. For kids, positive life activities like play, fun, laughter come naturally. Rejuvenating is a process that helps to renew you with youthful vigor.

As adults, we have responsiblities and so these positive (or rejuvenating) activities often require a conscience effort on our part to build them into our lives. The more you are able to build rejuvenating activities into your life, the healthier and happier you will be. So it is important to know what things rejuvenate you and then to communicate that information about yourself to the people around you. That way, they can help support you in achieving something rejuvenating every day.

The process of creating your own personal rejuvenating list will help you to identify what things in your life build you up and give you more energy. Often these things are interests that you had as a kid and have grown into a lifelong passion. Sometimes you will aquire new interests that you find really rejuvenate you.

Think about the things in your life that you love to do. When was the last time you got a chance to do them? You owe it not only to yourself to make that a priority, but to others as well. It’s not selfish. In fact, being healthy and living a balanced life is the best thing you can do for others because it puts you in the best position to help them and make their lives better. In short, you need to rejuvenate daily to be the best person you can be.

Here’s a list of some activities you might list to get you started: Aerobics, Acting, Archery, Art, Astronomy, Badminton, Ballet, Baseball/Softball, Basketball, Bicycling, Boating, Body Building, Cars, Camping, Chess, Dancing, Clubs, Collecting, Computers, Concerts, Cooking, Diving, Fishing, Fitness, Golf, Hockey, Hiking, History, Horse Riding, Martial Arts, Music, Movies, Museums, Musical Instruments, Painting/Drawing, Pets/Animals, Photography, Reading, Running, Roller/In-line/Ice Skating, Sailing, Scouting, Shopping, Skiing, Snowboarding, Soccer/Rugby, Swimming, Ping Pong, Tennis, Theater, Travel, Video Games, Volleyball, Walking, Wind Surfing

Rejuvenating isn’t only about physical activities. It could mean taking a relaxing bath, a 20 minute nap, getting a massage, talking with friends, etc. For some people, it may be a time of prayer or solitude that helps you to refocus and prioritize life.

Here’s my personal rejuvenating list:

• Alone quiet time in the morning air
• Hip Hop, Latin, and Kick Boxing aerobics
• Bike rides and walks around the lake
• Sunshine and swimming
• Being encouraged and appreciated
• A day off from work with nothing to do
• Getting outside and moving, feeling the expanse, looking up after sitting in front of a computer all day
• Listening to an inspiring podcast, sermon, or music
• Performing close-up magic
• Practicing magic or juggling
• Playing piano, trumpet, or drums…singing with Brenda and kids
• Playing sports like volleyball, football, etc.
• Playing with our kids
• Watching live theater or jazz concert
• Creating or building something new

Have your spouse, kids, or close friends create lists as well. Now take your lists and compare them for common activities. You may be surprised at what you learn about yourself and those around you. Anything that both you and your spouse (or entire family) enjoy together is a win-win! You can do those activities together and build you both up at the same time.

My spouse and I have the following rejuvenating activities in common:

• Accomplishing things on my To Do list
• Time with good friends
• Traveling
• Dancing
• Having a clean and organized house
• Seeing nature…a park
• Getting a massage
• Love and dating my wife
• Watching clean comedy or a funny movie
• Family time
• Taking time for spiritual needs

I even write down those things I know the kids love, because it increases the likelihood that I, as a father, will make time to do those things with them and foster an environment that promotes those activities. Make a covenant with your partner and family to support each other to make these events happen more often in your lives.

Make your list today and post it on your fridge so everyone can see it. It can even be a conversation starter when friends come to your home. At the end of your day, look back. What did you truly enjoy doing today? How did it change your outlook on life?

Today was a bitter cold and snowy day in Minnesota. It was only 2 degrees. It could warm up 31 degrees and just be freezing! The commute was awful. My wife spent nearly 3 hours driving in icy stop-and-go traffic. I shoveled the driveway twice. Add this stress to the normal workday, taking care of the kids, and all the things people do to get ready for the holidays and you’ve got reason to be crabby and frustrated with life.

That’s why, at 6 pm in somewhat blizzard conditions, the family piled in the car and we headed for Life Time Fitness and Marlena Nord’s Latin Fusion aerobics class. We listened to great music in the car. When we arrived, we put the kids into their excellent child care. We know the staff well and our kids love to get to run around in the gym and have fun just as if they’re outside in the middle of our Minnesota winter. They even have a setup of computers so the kids can get some “homework” time in…they’re only 2 and 4 years old. After the kids were settled in, mom and dad were on their way to a much needed break in the day.

Our aerobics instructor, Marlena, is from Venezuela and was born to dance. She is about the most positive and encouraging person you can meet. It’s as if she brings the sunshine with her wherever she goes. She even taught Donny Osmond how to “baila” (Spanish for dance) on TV.

I’ve been taking classes from Marlena for around 15 years and there is a reason I keep going back. Her classes are good for my health and fun! So, this Tuesday night in the middle of our week, for one hour, my wife and I were treated to Marlena’s instructions and upbeat latin music while we attempted to move our bodies in a somewhat similar fashion. It wasn’t always pretty on our side. There was a lot of laughter and smiling when we messed up or couldn’t follow, but the point is that we tried. We did something good for our bodies, we learned something new, and… the big one here… we had FUN at the same time. Exercise should be fun! If it isn’t, you’re a lot less likely to do it and gain any benefits from it. Taking care of yourself is a lifestyle and this class is something that is easy to build into the day. Another aerobics instructor from Life Time, Charmel always says “There are 1440 minutes in each day. I only need you to shake it up, be present, and not care how you look for 60 of them.” It’s true. It’s a small “sacrifice” for the benefits you gain.

A great separator in life are the people that get started. You don’t need to wait until new years resolutions to try it. Today is the best time. Don’t put it off. There will always be an excuse for not doing it. Get over it and do it today.

Another oasis in the week is Shannon Bruce’s hip hop aerobics class (also at Life Time Fitness) which I’ve been attending on a regular basis for four years. Shannon has an incredible ability to break down complex dance moves so that nearly anyone can follow them. You might not think that a 43 year guy would be into hip hop, but I am. There are people of many ages and, surprisingly untypical, there’s even a physics professor from the University! What these folks all have in common is a “Child at Heart” spirit. They are willing to take a risk at looking silly in order to try something new that will help keep them young and have fun doing it at the same time! In the process you can also build some great friendships.

The group fitness classes at Life Time work for my advantage through motivation and fun. I’m motivated by the teachers and the other people in the class. I believe that if they can do it, I can, too. The fun makes the time go by quickly. Since my brain is working all the time to try and follow the steps, it doesn’t get overly repetitive. By committing myself to working out regularly and eating right, I was able to lose 25 pounds and help control my high-cholesterol level naturally. The important point is to find what healthy activities are fun for you.

Your oasis is the part of your day you look forward to. It’s a reward for work well done. It keeps you going. It refreshes you. You are rejuvenated. An oasis is a gift to yourself. It’s something somewhat unexpected that you find each day.

I look at my exercise routine as an oasis. I will make a valiant effort to get there 3-5 times a week not just because my doctor said I should to stay healthy, but because it is my oasis. I look forward to it like beautiful palm trees and a serene quiet pool of clear water in the middle of a desert. I know that afterward, I will be renewed…and I didn’t even have to get on a plane to do it.

At the end of your day you can look back and say to yourself…”I’m so glad that I lived today…if just for that refreshment. The rest of the day was just a bonus.”

You can build other oases (plural) into your day. Hot cocoa after shoveling snow is an oasis. Laughing at a funny movie is an oasis. Playing piano or trumpet is another oasis for me. Anything that is enjoyable and builds you up can be your oasis. I have a tool called the “Rejuvenate List” that can help you in this regard. More about that in a future post. Kids naturally do things that build them up every day. Their jobs are to play. For adults we need to consciously build it into our day or we’ll skip it and get burnt out quickly.

What is your personal oasis today?