don's report archive

by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise.
- Unknown

Do you consider yourself normal? At first, most people claim they are normal. After all, who as a child did not experience a parent or other adult challenge of some youthful behavior with an admonition along these lines: "Hey brat! What's your problem? Act normal!" With messages like that and other, subtler directives to line up with everyone else, a predisposition to normalcy was reinforced. You soon realized that you get along by going along, by blending in, most of the time. In short, you learned to be normal, more or less, or at least to give that appearance.

Unfortunately, normalcy leaves a lot to be desired. I had a message the other day from a friend in Lexington, KY, one Susan Bradley Cox. Susan is a very good athlete. She has won her age division on several occasions in world triathlon competitions. A few weeks ago in a swim competition in Phoenix, Susan swam the 50-meter freestyle in 34 seconds and the 100-meter freestyle in 1:17:86! In the event that you are a swimmer and can relate to such things, her times for the 200, 500 and 1650 freestyle events were 2:45.35, 7:32.51 and 25:49.73, respectively. Susie is 65 years old -- these are amazing times. She is so "way very much goodbye Don" faster than me it isn't funny! Susie is NOT normal. Furthermore, I'm sure she does not want to be! At least not insofar as athletic excellence is concerned.

Maybe you can't swim (or bike and run) as fast as Susie, but you don't want to be normal, either. Normal is a sorry standard in America. Normal in this country is overweight and under fit. Normal is high blood pressure and a lot of stress. Normal is a lot of things that are not consistent with a wellness lifestyle along the lines of self-management for lifestyle artistry. Don't be normal. Be your exceptional, unique and truly excellent self in ways that matter to you. No need to try to swim as fast as Susie, or to attempt be as skilled as anyone else at anything in particular. The way NOT to be normal in the best wellness sense is to develop your own special interests, talents and gifts and enjoy the pursuit of excellence in some manner judged worthy in your estimation.

By the way, blood pressure levels once considered normal (120 over 80) now are considered a sign of "pre-hypertension!" Normal has been upgraded to 115 over 75; the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute advises that higher readings indicate that the risk of damage to arteries from the pressure of blood pounding through them is significant at this formerly normal level. This development is the rule more than the exception -- the standards of normalcy do change for the better over time. However, don't wait for the government to raise the bar in any given area. Take that initiative yourself -- consider an upgrade in your behaviors in one or more areas of consequence to you that will lead to higher performance levels, greater life satisfaction and a more fulfilling existence. You are the best judge of what areas of life, if any, are ripe for a normalcy reassessment and attendant initiatives toward excellence.

On the whole, what passes for normal is truly pitiful and must be challenged. We know, for instance, that obesity now rivals smoking in terms of health problems and costs. With more than half (64 percent) of the U.S. population overweight, policymakers and health analysts are desperately thinking of ways to reform the mediocrity of normalcy in these patterns. Is it normal that there should be so much fat in the American diet? Is it normal for school budgets to rely on junk food sales? Is it normal to expect kids to bear the (adverse health) costs of lower taxes by raising funds pushing snacks and sodas? Is it normal that half the kids in the US ages 12 to 19 rarely break a sweat because school boards have effectively engineered physical activity out of the educational experience? Is it normal to have the number of children at risk for obesity and diabetes that we now have in America?

These facts ARE the standard -- these sorry conditions are a snapshot showing the face of normal, at present. While the current reality is disgraceful, things need not and ought not to be this way. To the extent possible, let's challenge such dreadful normalcy. Do your part. Be like Susie -- don't be normal. Be exceptional, in your own fashion. You'll feel better about yourself and we'll all benefit from your example.

You might enjoy a footnote to this story. Naturally, I could not write about my friend Susie without her consent and knowledge. Thus, I sent a copy of what I had written above to Susie for review and comment. To appreciate the "noble generosity" of this splendid person, I'll conclude this piece by appending Susie's comments. Be well, look on the bright side and be magnanimous like Susie!

Hey! I love it! Regarding "normal," my dictionary says, "...free from mental disorder"! WELL...You're right! I'm NOT normal!! So be it...I guess I'm flattered you are using me as an example of an abnormal, fun-loving, crazy triathlete/swimmer, addicted to exercise, fitness and hopefully a healthy lifestyle! Thanks for all the compliments but Don, I really do know where I am in the realm of all this competitive stuff. There are so many others in my age group far superior in all three disciplines -- swimming, cycling and running! For example, Betsy Jordan from CA (66) won ten gold medals at nationals -- six events and four relays and holds most of the records in my age group. Unlike me, she did not swim just the 1650, 500 and 200! It is a humbling experience to compete with her AND she is a lovely lady! Let's just keep all this in perspective -- PLEASE! Thanks again for all your compliments and encouragement. Now I need to get back to some TRI training so I can attempt to hold my own in this new age group! Someday we will discuss all this! HUGS and SMILES to you, my friend and HERO!
Susie (SusanBCox@aol.com)

(Note: This essay will be filed in the archives in the MENTAL DOMAIN under the skill area of mental health. Additional articles related to this theme may be found there.)

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

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