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FEELING F AB!

Four Steps to Livinga Fabulous Life



Copyright © 2010

Published in the United States by

Dr. Fabrizio Mancini

4020 N. MacArthur Blvd. Suite 122-142

Irving, Texas 75038

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by

any means without prior written permission from the publisher except for

brief quotations embodied in critical essay, article, or review. These articlesand/or reviews must state the correct title and author of this

book by name.

ISBN-978-1-60013-584-2

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1



CONTENTS

Chapter One

Feeling Fab — The Formula 1

Chapter Two

Step One — Your Thoughts: The Compass of Your Destiny 9

Chapter Three

Step Two — Your Health: Secrets to Living Well 15

Chapter Four

Step Three — Your Relationships: Defining Who You Are and Who You Will Become 49

Chapter Five

Step Four — Your Success: It’s Not What You Think It Is 63

Chapter Six

Your Life, Your Choice: Act Now! 75



DEDICATION T O M Y W IF E AL IC IA AN D M Y SO N S G IAN N I AN D LU C IAN O .

M AY YO U AL W AYS L IVE A F ABU L O U S L IF E .



INTRODUCTION

You might call me one of the lucky ones. After all, I have a

beautiful family, a great career, lots of initials after my name, I

am president of a leading college, I am a civic and community

leader, I have received numerous awards and accolades, and I

have the financial means to experience life to the fullest. That

said, most people aren’t surprised to find that I am always

genuinely happy, positive, balanced, and optimistic about life. In

fact, many people ask me what they can do to reach my level of

success so they can be happy, too.

Not too long ago, a new friend asked what my first memory

was that positively influenced my life. Without thinking I

responded, “I remember that my mother didn’t want me.” He

stared at me stunned, and I could tell he was wondering how I

could equate that thought with success. I felt compelled to justify

my answer, so I explained how Gladys, my mother, was in her

early twenties and already had three children when she found

out she was pregnant with me. Her immediate reaction upon

hearing the news of her unexpected pregnancy was, “I don’t wantto bring another child into my world.”

The pressures of raising a family were hard on my young

parents and had led my father to alcoholism and depression. It

hurt my mother to know how much my father was struggling to

provide for his children, and she knew another child would only

add more responsibilities to their life. But that night, she realized

a new life is a gift from God and should never be taken for



Feeling Fab!

granted. After much thought and many tears, she realized that no

matter what life hands you, it might just be the answer to your

prayers. From that moment on, she only thought positively about

me and my potential, and her love has become one of the

greatest influences in my life.

I could see my new friend was beginning to look at me a little

differently—that maybe I wasn’t simply lucky in life. Maybe there

was something deeper driving my happiness. To test his theory,

he asked me about the saddest moments in my life. It didn’t take

but a second to share with him the deep pain and sorrow I

experienced when my father passed away and when my older

brother was tragically killed. I told him how difficult it was moving

to the United States, not speaking a word of English, and being

forced to adapt to a life I didn’t want. I shared with him the story

of going away to college and having all my worldly possessions

stolen.

As I continued on with some of the darkest moments in my

life, he shook his head and said, “With all that’s happened to you,

how can you still be so happy? Why are you always feeling

so . . . fab?” We both laughed at his word play, but I realized

there was truth to it. I feel blessed for all the experiences in my

life—both good and bad—because they all taught me lessons that

help me live an incredibly rich, fulfilling, peaceful, and happy life.

I wonder, if I can wake up every day feeling fab, why can’t

everyone? The reason is because most people don’t think it’s

possible for them. They allow their past, the limitations of their

lives, the perceptions and opinions of others, and their own

doubt to dictate what they become rather than using it all as a

building block for creating an amazing, fulfilling life.



The purpose behind Feeling Fab is to show you what you can

do to fulfill your maximum potential in the three most important

areas of your life: Health, Relationships, and Success. By following

The Feeling Fab Formula, you will discover the purpose that will

lead you down the path to achieving your own sense of personal

fulfillment and achievement.

Where you are now may seem far from where you want to be,

but by making some simple changes, you can attract into your life

everything you need to achieve your goals and reach your

destiny. I’ve seen it happen hundreds of times. The fact is that life

is filled with choices, and if you want to transform your existing

life into the life of your dreams and feel your very best each and

every day, then let me have the honor of welcoming you to The

Feeling Fab Formula, your foundation to living a fabulous life.





1

CHAPTER ONE

FEELING FAB—THE FORMULA

In order to move forward, we must acknowledge the things

that are holding us back. For many of us, it’s our lifestyle—the

choices, behaviors, actions, and beliefs that define who we are

and how we live. Changing something as fundamental and deep-

seated as how we’ve lived our lives for years can be scary.

However, I’ve learned that you can choose to see that change is

good. When you open yourself up to new experiences, no matter

how scary they may seem, you’ll be surprised at all the good that

can come from them. The key is to see change as an opportunity

for personal growth and professional development.

Here’s an example: When I was twelve years old, my parents

announced we were moving to the United States from Colombia,

South America—the country where I was born and the only place

I had ever known. My father was frustrated with his job, and he

and my mother knew that a life in the United States would

provide greater opportunities for the family. So, they packed up

our belongings, said goodbye to our relatives, and set off for

Miami, Florida.

I can still remember the fear and anxiety I felt leaving behind

the environment, customs, and traditions I thought were mine

forever. Instead, I found myself entering a new country where

everyone spoke a language I did not know and lived in a culture I

did not understand.

When I entered school, I was sent back two grades because

the school did not have a second language program. I sat next to



Feeling Fab

2

the only student in the class who spoke Spanish, and she would

translate what we learned in class every day. I spent at least two

hours after class each day going over the material and slowly

learning English in the process. All my hard work paid off, and I

graduated high school with honors and a year of college. This

experience is how I developed a lifelong love for learning.

The lesson: Life can change in an instant, and you can choose

to either resist it or embrace it. I encourage you to embrace it.

Change can create new possibilities you might never have

imagined for yourself and can redefine who you are by exploring

the potential that lies within. Don’t limit what you can achieve by

fearing the unknown. Take every challenge and see it as an

opportunity to make the most out of each and every day of your

life. Change is what helps you work toward improving the areas in

your life you dislike the most. Remember, the process of change

is the only way to fulfill your true self’s potential.

Every great philosophical mind throughout history has pointed

out the importance of one undeniable metaphor—life is a

journey. Some see this journey as a quest for knowledge, others

as a road to self-discovery. I see it as a circle, where all our

experiences affect the next, intertwining each aspect of our lives.

This never-ending cycle of cause and effect creates the path that

becomes our journey.

Let’s say that our journey begins the day we were born. As the

days, weeks, months, and years of our lives pass by, most of us

forget that this journey is a continuous process. So we spend our

time thinking about the past, looking toward the future, trying to

control life so that we end up where we think we want to be.



Feeling Fab—The Formula

3

True, the past and future are parts of our life’s journey, but we

cannot control them. What we forget is our ability to shape our

journey and create the life we want by focusing on one simple

thing—this moment right now!

“Now” is a very special time in your life. You can’t change your

past, but you can use it as a learning experience to help you

improve your present and influence your future, which are all

parts of your life journey. Every experience from your past gives

you a lesson that serves as preparation for what you can become

in the future.

At any given moment, you have the ability to transform,

reshape, or reinvent your direction. What would you do with your

life if you could have a new shot at it? Is there anything you

would like to improve? How we choose to look at the present isthe one thing we have control of. It is the one thing we can

choose to change to our benefit. We have the power, and if we

decide to improve ourselves in the present, to upgrade our belief,

and strengthen our personal convictions, we’ve got a new, clean

slate. In fact, we get a new clean slate every day.

So why do so many of us choose to put off the things that will

ultimately make us happier and more successful? Some don’t

know any better because of the way we were raised. Some may

not believe that we have the resources we think are needed to

get ahead. There might have been a point in our lives where we

thought we had a good idea about where we were going. But

somewhere along the way, we might have gotten distracted and

lost our direction and focus. We put aside our dreams for what

seems to be more important pursuits and more realistic goals.

We lose focus and, most importantly, we lose our balance. At one



Feeling Fab

4

point, we might have thought we had a plan and then discover

that plans change.

It’s okay to be adaptable. Regardless of where you have been

and wherever you are now, you have the power to choose your

perspective. You have the opportunity to choose how you want

to see your world now. You have the ability to make your life

whatever you want it to be.

Coming to the United States from a third world country where

opportunities were not abundant has given me an insight most

Americans will never be able to appreciate. We live in a country

that offers us limitless potential and new opportunities that are

available at any given moment. I hear people often say they want

more out of life, even though they have all the resources they

need to achieve their goals. The problem is that they take noactions and instead find themselves right where they’ve always

been.

But then along comes a story of one person who came from

nothing—no guidance, no education, no finances, no social

status—and achieves success beyond his wildest dreams, proving

that anything is truly possible. You then forget the notion that

your past determines your future and realize that changing your

thoughts and behaviors leads to better outcomes. Soon you find

that you can attract whatever you want from life.

The one thing I hope you learn is that all you need to succeed

is already in your life right now. The key is to stop living in the

past or projecting into the future so you may focus your attention

in the present.

Let’s focus on the specific steps that will insure your fulfilling

future. Let’s create a foundation that will support your growth




5

toward achievement and incredible experiences. These are the

simple steps to address the three most significant areas in your

life: Health, Relationships, and Success.

The Feeling Fab Formula is one of the best-kept secrets in the

world and is extremely powerful when applied accurately. The

formula has been around for centuries and is the basis for what

most refer to as The Law of Attraction. With this formula, you will

be able to create abundance and manifest the things you want to

have as part of your life now.

When you apply The Feeling Fab Formula, you will become

more aware of your thoughts and you will have greater control of

your behaviors. You will realize that you are the one creating the

foundation of greater health, happier relationships, and more

significant success in the career of your choice.

Our feelings are far more important than we ever thought. It is

our feelings that attract everything in our lives. The key questions

to ask are: What are they? Am I in control of them? And are they

working for me?

In the formula for Feeling Fab, your thoughts are what you

must address first. It all starts here—with your thinking. You’ve

got to like yourself for who you are right now, and become

inspired for who you want to become in the future. You can’t

compare yourself to somebody else because you’ll always be

disappointed.



Feeling Fab

6

T HE F E E L IN G F AB F O RM U L A:

Your thoughts are critical. Remember, only you can choose

your thoughts and you must be selective. You can choose to act

on something or not act. You can choose to be optimistic or

pessimistic. You can choose to be problem-oriented or solution-

oriented. Are you beginning to see how much control you have

over the most important part of The Feeling Fab Formula? It is up

to you to decide what you’re going to feel. I suggest you start

deciding to feel fab, starting right now.

Feeling Fab is easy once you realize that you are in the

business of constant and never-ending improvement, every day,

little by little. Each day is a new opportunity for greatness; it’s a

clean, new slate on which to begin writing your life. How will you

begin writing your new day? What can you see for yourself that is

positive and will help you to grow?




7

If you start your day every morning walking to the corner for

coffee, why not go on a different street to get there? And, when

you get there, why not have a healthy green tea instead?

Remember, we cannot do the same things every day and expect a

different result; that is the definition of insanity.

So, in order to live a Fabulous life, you must begin by thinking

what it is you want to attract. What would the ideal situation be?

What exactly is it that you dream and hope for. Then your

thoughts lead to what behavior or action you will take on a daily

basis. What are you going to do in order to manifest that

thought? This is critical, as the behavior is what gets the process

of attraction going. Will you wake up early or late? You can smile

or frown. You can be kind or be mean. You can give or take. From

these behaviors come your outcomes, which are the benefits you

look forward to. It is the motivation that keeps you going. It is

your pay-off. It is the happiness, peace, wealth, power, and

balance. It is whatever you seek out of life. The things you want.

These outcomes then give you a feeling. The feelings allow you

to realize that is possible. It is all the emotions that we tend to

ignore but the ones that makes us feel alive and in control. Those

feelings are what give you the passion to keep going. And those

feelings are what allow you to have more action steps so you can

attract more success. These feelings continue to feed the

possibilities of your thoughts and desires. The thoughts feed the

proper behaviors, the behavior feeds the outcomes and they

continue to feed your feelings. This cycle continues to expand and

is how you achieve maximum potential, which is actually infinite

because life is an endless journey. We can only reach a higher

state of being from where we are today. There is never an end of

the road; that is why we call life a journey, not a destination. Your



Feeling Fab

8

desire is already here, as you would not be reading this book

without wanting to find a better route to a successful life. It’s

time to create a new mindset. Commit to it. You are worth it!

Life is about choices—your choices. To build a sustainable,

successful lifestyle, you’ve got to decide that’s what you want.

You have to see your potential; you get to create the program

that best suits your goals and style. One of the ways to do this is

by beginning with the end in mind. Ask yourself, How do I want to

be remembered? The fun part is that along the way, you’ll likely

discover and amaze yourself.



9

CHAPTER TWO:

STEP ONE—YOUR THOUGHTS: THE COMPASS

OF YOUR DESTINY

I believe in the Law of Attraction, which states that we attract

success, people, events, circumstances, and opportunities into

our lives. It is not by chance that I have a wonderful family, great

relationships, a career I am passionate about, and opportunities

that bring me success. I didn’t just “get lucky.” I created

everything I have by knowing what I wanted, believing I could

attain it, and taking the actions necessary to achieve it. Your life

truly is what you make it!

It’s time to realize the power of your thoughts because your

thoughts determine your outcome. What you focus on is what

you attract more of in your life. If you focus all your time and

energy on negativity, you will get more negativity. When you

focus on positivity, it inspires you to take action and create good

possibilities in your life. As you shift your thought patterns from “I

can’t” to “I can,” you get a feeling that whatever you want is

attainable. As that feeling grows, you continue taking actions to

reinforce that, allowing you to attract new and greater things intoyour life.

You may be wondering why, if it’s as easy as thinking

positively, are more people not as successful as they want to be?

I’ll tell you why: doubt. When you talk to someone about your

dreams, do you make a disclaimer in case things don’t work out?

“I want to live in a house on the beach someday, but I don’t think

I’ll ever be able to afford it,” or, “I deserve a promotion, but I



Feeling Fab

10

never get noticed for my work.” How about, “I want to find my

soul mate, but I seem to be unlucky in love.” When you make

those statements, you’re telling your brain not to take action

because somehow you believe it can’t happen to you.

You must get rid of all doubt and start to believe with absolute

certainty that you can attain your dreams, no matter how

impossible they may seem.



Step One—Your Thoughts

11

W HERE D ID M Y DRE AM S G O?

I do mentoring with elementary school children, and when I

ask them about their dreams I’m amazed at their response. With

such excitement and eagerness, they raise their hands and tell

me big, bold, fearless dreams. One student wants to be a doctor,

another a lawyer. Others say they want to be a firefighter, pilot,astronaut, or President of the United States. I’ve even heard

super hero as a career aspiration.

Children have big ambitions because they haven’t been told

that they can’t do it. And be honest—were you just thinking to

yourself, “Super hero? But super heroes are not even real!” We

live in a society that convinces us to accept the “reality” that life

is hard and doesn’t work out the way we want it to. So as children

grow up, they lose that spark inside themselves and learn to quietthe little voice that says, “You can do it.”

When I mentor high school students and ask them their

dreams, I get very different responses; most of them say they

have no idea what they’re going to do. Throughout the years, the

pessimistic thoughts and ideas from their parents, teachers, and

friends become their own and they completely abandon their

dreams and lack the encouragement to pursue new ones. They’ve

lost their edge and passion.

So many young people are struggling to find their place in the

world at a time when they should see nothing but opportunity.

And unfortunately, this lackluster attitude will stay with them all

their lives unless they break that pattern by doing something

about it. So my question is: how can we change? Again, it goes

back to our thoughts, since that’s what our reality becomes.



Feeling Fab

12

We cannot allow our past to determine our present and

future. Every challenge you’ve faced, every criticism you’ve

heard, every road block and obstacle you’ve overcome was a

learning experience that helped you grow. Remember, you are

not defined by your past; you are prepared by it. When you put

your mind to the potential—not the challenges—in every

situation, doors will open and the possibilities will be endless.

Albert Einstein once said, “We cannot solve the problems of

today with the same level of thinking that created them.” So if

you want to change where you are today, you cannot continue

thinking the same way and expect to find yourself somewhere

else tomorrow. You must think differently so you can behave

differently in order to reach different outcomes.

In life there will be many circumstances you can’t control, butyou can always control the way you react to those circumstances.

This is one of the main differences between people who succeed

and those who do not. It’s all in the ability to bounce back! It’s

not how many times we fall down but how many times we get

up. It’s all about how we turn our challenges into opportunities.

Remember what Thomas Edison said about inventing the light

bulb: “I have not failed a thousand times. I have successfully

discovered a thousand ways to not make a light bulb.” Even if you

try and fail, it doesn’t mean you didn’t learn something.

Let’s start today by reclaiming our own destiny and taking on

some of the responsibility that got us where we are today.



Step One—Your Thoughts

13

F RO M E VE RY TRAGE D Y C AN C O M E A BL E SSIN G !

When I was a teenager, my parents flew my brother and me to

our hometown of Barranquilla, Colombia, to visit relatives for

Christmas. (By the way, this is the same hometown of the famous

singer Shakira!) I can still remember the day I arrived at my uncle

and aunt’s home. (My uncle was on a business trip at that time.)We spent a wonderful evening together with the family and

around midnight, we headed to bed.

Around one o’clock in the morning, I was awakened abruptly

by a gun pounding repeatedly on my head. Shocked and scared, I

was tied up and gagged with my socks by a strange man, and

another man continued to hit me on my head while yelling,

“Where is the safe?” I later learned that ten robbers broke in

while we were sleeping and went through the house, room byroom, tying everyone up, including the maid, whom they left

unconscious and locked in a closet. No matter how many times I

told the intruder I didn’t know where the safe was or if there

even was a safe, he did not believe me and kept hitting me with

his gun.

Soon there was a group of them threatening me, saying they

would kill my brother if I didn’t show them to the safe. Crying and

yelling through the socks, I still could not give them the answer

they wanted, so they left and returned minutes later, hands

covered with blood. I felt a mixture of emotions—sadness, fear,

anxiety. It felt as though time had stopped, and I wondered how I

would go on. Thankfully, a neighbor had noticed a strange car

parked outside and called the police, then came over to see what

was happening, causing the robbers to flee.



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14

To my great relief, they hadn’t killed my brother, who was in

the room next to mine, but left him with head wounds that

required twenty-two stitches. My aunt and cousins were

unharmed, only frightened. That day, I realized that no matter

what plans you make for your life, something can always come

along out of nowhere, shaking you to your core. Traumatic

circumstances often create a victim mentality where you become

paralyzed with the fear that it could happen again; you close

yourself off to new experiences. We are not victims—we are

victors.

The key is to not let those circumstances determine what you

become; rise above them and create a lesson in all that happens.

My lesson here was that at the end of the day, family is more

important than all the money in a safe. This has been one of the

best lessons—one that has helped me maintain a balance I rarely

find in others. Unfortunately, most people still have it backward.

Remember: all the money in the world can’t buy your loved ones.

But as long as you have them, you’ll always be rich.

Through my travels, I’ve had the privilege to meet people of all

ethnic, social, economic, and cultural backgrounds. I’ve observed

one simple truth—human potential is universal. Every single

person in the world has the ability to achieve a higher potential

than they’re currently living, and the potential is limited only by

the amount of work they’re willing to put into it. Every day we get

to choose our thoughts, actions, outcomes, and feelings. We can

choose love or anger, hope or despair, success or failure. It’s the

work we put into our desires and our purpose in life that allow us

to maximize our potential.



15

CHAPTER THREE

STEP TWO—YOUR HEALTH: SECRETS TO

LIVING WELL

If we’re going to truly live a successful life, we must live a well-

balanced life. Think of your health as a vehicle to fulfilling your

potential. To be truly successful and live your fullest potential,

you need to be healthy and balanced in all areas of your life—the

physical, the emotional, and the spiritual. Each has its own

purpose and specific role in your life.

The physical self seeks fulfillment. Those are your material

needs. The emotional self seeks happiness. This is where your

relationships come into play. Lastly, the spiritual self seeks peace.

The reason peace is so important is that it takes your physical and

emotional self to a higher level and gives it meaning.

If we strive every day to nurture these different areas, we will

experience true wellness. However, in today’s fast-paced society,

it seems that all we make time to take care of are our physical

needs, since those are the ones that trigger our attention. When

time is limited, given the choice, most people choose to eat

dinner instead of meditation because hunger creates an

uncomfortable physical sensation that we want to satisfy. Even in

our relationships, we tend to focus on our physical needs since

they bring more immediate gratification compared to the time it

takes to connect on a deeper, more emotional level.

It is time to get our priorities straight so we can live each day

in such a way that enables us to achieve our goals and focus on



Feeling Fab

16

what’s important to us. The fact of the matter is that if we do not

make health our number one priority, we won’t be able to fully

experience all life has to offer.

I love to travel, and I am blessed to have visited many

incredible places all around the world. But if my body was sick, I

wouldn’t have been able to endure the long flights or spend

entire days in meetings, lecturing, and sightseeing.

I also love spending time with my beautiful wife and two

wonderful boys. But if I didn’t have healthy emotions, I wouldn’t

be able to have as close a connection with them. Every day—

regardless of whether it’s been a good or bad day—I go to bed

feeling grateful for everything in my life, knowing that I’m living

with purpose and fulfilling my vision. But if I didn’t have spiritual

peace, I would feel restless and lost when something didn’t go myway.

So you see, because I made health my number one priority, I

am able to enjoy life at a higher level. It’s important to frequently

reassess your priorities and make adjustments to remove what is

not serving your health in a positive way in order to make room

for what supports you.

There are only two energies in the universe—the energy of

expansion and the energy of contraction. When you are moving

toward that which expands you, you are moving in the direction

of health, happiness, and harmony. It’s very easy for life to get

too cluttered, busy, and complicated. Before you know it, you’re

bogged down in trivial day-to-day issues, and your own health is

put on the backburner.



Step Two—Your Health

17

Health is about taking control of your own destiny so that you

can live the life you deserve. Remember that fulfilling your health

potential will allow you to fulfill your life potential.



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18

Y OU R P H YSIC AL S EL F

If you’re uncertain how to begin your journey to wellness and

self-discovery, a good place to start is with your physical body. A

healthy body is essential to becoming and staying well. Without

your physical health, you aren’t able to develop the other areas

of your life. No matter what physical state you are currently in,it’s important to know that it’s never too late to start.

First and foremost, you must know that you’re designed to be

healthy. Your body is created to constantly be able to adapt to its

environment. In essence, this means that when an imbalance

occurs, your body is designed to fix itself. You have the power to

be and stay healthy because all healing comes from within. Just

remember the last time you had a cut and it healed on its own.

That type of healing is happening all the time inside your body.

It’s easy to trust that we heal ourselves when it relates to our

skin because we can see it happen. What’s difficult for us to

understand is that we also heal ourselves on the inside as well,

but sometimes it’s difficult to trust the process because we

cannot see it happening. The simple fact is that every single

moment of our lives, new cells are being created. Organs are

regenerating. Disease, viruses, and bacteria are attacked by our

body’s antibodies. All of that is done naturally—without our even

thinking about it!

Every function in our body is controlled by a master system—

the nervous system—which controls and coordinates every other

system. This system is made up of the brain, the spinal cord, and

all the nerves from the spinal cord that supply all organs and cells.

The role of the nervous system is to ensure the body is

communicating with itself, responding to its external




19

environment, and working in an optimal fashion. The nervous

system plays a very significant role in our body’s overall health

and well-being. This is based on the simple idea that since the

nervous system controls and coordinates all systems of our body,

and the body is designed to heal itself, if the nervous system is

healthy then all other systems will be healthy as well.

However, everyday wear-and-tear on your body often creates

slight misalignments in your spine, which can block and disrupt

nerve flow so the nervous system can’t properly communicate

with the rest of your body. When a bone in the vertebral column

is out of proper alignment, it’s called a subluxation. A subluxation

affects our overall health when it creates nerve interference and

distorts the information traveling to and from the brain. When

this happens, your brain isn’t able to tell your body how to keep

itself healthy, which is one of the primary reasons you can get

sick. Since your spine affects the nerves in all parts of your body,

problems in your spine may cause a variety of different health

issues.

Chiropractors can help subluxations and it is important to

understand this little-known specialty. To help you understand

the wonders of chiropractic, let’s use your cell phone as a

metaphor. Have you ever been on a call and you’ve had static on

the line, or even worse, experienced a dropped call? You don’t

know why it happened. You don’t know if there was something

wrong with the cell tower or something wrong with your phone

itself. What you know is that you want to find the cause of the

problem so you can resolve it and reduce the risk of it happening

again.



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In reality, there is some type of interference somewhere

between your handset and the cell phone tower. And if

something is not done about it, that interference will become

annoying and will likely lead to a continual dropping of your calls.

The interference can be thought of as cell phone subluxation.

In my role as President of Parker College, one of the most

popular questions I am asked is what does a chiropractor do

exactly? The answer is simple: doctors of chiropractic locate

these misalignments and perform a chiropractic adjustment to

“free” nerve interference and allow the body’s communication

system to work as it was designed. When the nervous system

functions optimally, the body is better able to heal itself. While

the chiropractor’s primary avenue of care is adjusting the spine

and the framework of the body, chiropractors employ a holistic

approach to health care. They recognize that many factors

contribute to optimal health, including exercise, diet, sleep, and

mental and emotional well-being.

Chiropractic is based on a simple undeniable premise: the

body, when functioning properly, is designed to heal and

maintain good health naturally! However, our culture is so

saturated with the notion that health and healing comes from

something outside ourselves that we have become discouraged

and often feel powerless in being able to rely on our own body’s

natural healing ability.

Of course, there are times when medical intervention is

necessary, such as instances of trauma, severe organ dysfunction,

infection, and accidents, and for those reasons I’m thankful that

such urgent care exists. But for most of the health issues that

occur on a day-to-day basis, the body has been genetically




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preprogrammed with the internal mechanisms to heal itself.

People are too quick to take medications designed to only

manage their symptoms. What more people need is to feel

empowered by their body’s natural recuperative and healing

abilities.

I feel blessed to be part of a profession that I am so passionate

about and am thankful I discovered chiropractic when I did. What

most people don’t know is that I was studying to become a

neurosurgeon and was in my final stages of premed when I was

involved in a severe car accident. The orthopedic doctor at the

hospital referred me to his chiropractor to address my injuries.

Within six weeks of care I felt better than ever before—physically,

mentally, and spiritually.

I was so impressed with what happened that I wanted to sharemy experience with everyone I came in contact with. That’s when

it occurred to me I wanted to become a chiropractor. I

interviewed more than sixty doctors of chiropractic and came

away from each meeting convinced my life purpose was to help

others fulfill their innate healing potential by choosing

chiropractic as a career. It has been the best decision I could have

possibly made professionally and personally—one that has led

me to a healthy body, mind, and spirit today.

As most people, you might be wondering—if the body can heal

itself why are so many people sick? Well, you need to give your

body the care and support it needs to be able to function and

heal itself at its optimal level. I have realized that the two main

reasons why people get sick are: 1) That the body has nerve

interference and it is not functioning as it was designed, and 2)

that we are making poor lifestyle choices. Our lifestyle choices



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force our bodies to work on overload in trying to make up for our

unhealthy food choices, sedentary lifestyles, and harmful habits

like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. They are

therefore eventually no longer able to focus on keeping us

healthy. Instead, we need to be encouraging our bodies to stay

well proactively by eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly,

and adopting a wellness-based lifestyle.

When was the last time you felt healthy? Your feeling can be a

guide to help you make better choices. Wellness is an active

process of making healthy choices over time in order for you to

create a more fulfilling, successful lifestyle. Moving toward a

state of wellness begins with a conscious decision to become

accountable to yourself. Having good health and a high quality of

life is, in fact, a choice you make. It’s more than just saying, “I

want to be healthy.” It’s realizing you have the power to control

your thoughts and actions and make the right choices that will

lead you toward creating a healthy lifestyle.

Wellness is not something that can be achieved for you—only

by you. It is not like asking someone to do your pushups for you.

Wellness is different for everyone. It’s about finding a balance

that works for you. It’s about engaging yourself as a healing force.

The fun part is deciding what you want your life to be like. It’s up

to you. You get to create a plan of action that suits your goals,

your style, and your life. With all systems of your body working

together in health and harmony on a daily and continual basis,

you will be amazed by the dramatic and life-changing results.




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F U E L IN G U P !

As part of the successful new you, you must learn to eat well.

Nutrition is vital because everything you eat serves as both your

body’s fuel and information. When you eat a healthy, balanced,

nutrient-packed diet, your body will receive messages to burn off

stored body fat, sustain energy, build muscle, and balance yourmoods.

Simply put, when you eat well, you feel well. It makes no sense

to go on a “program” for the short-term and expect long-term

results. The only way to get healthy and lean for life is to find a

program you can stick with for the long haul. You must develop

eating habits that become a part of the way that you live.

When you look at the food you eat, calories are important, but

where they come from is more important. The recommended

daily calorie intake is, on average, 2,000 for women and 2,550 for

men. But if those calories come from candy, soda, and chips, you

are not getting the nutrients you need. Instead, your caloric

intake should come from the right balance of nutrients at each

meal, including protein, healthy fats, non-starchy vegetables, and

high-fiber starchy carbohydrates. This combination will leave you

with more stable energy and focus throughout the day.

Our bodies need protein to maintain our cells, tissues, andorgans and to give us energy. You want to get your protein from

clean, lean sources like chicken and turkey breast, lean cuts of

beef, organic cage-free eggs, whey protein, cottage cheese, and

cold water fish and shellfish. You need to eat small portions of

protein at each meal, since your body can only use a moderate

amount at any one time. Women should aim for four to six

ounces of protein at each meal, and men can consume between



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six and eight ounces per meal. When you consume protein, your

body releases a hormone that signals your brain that you are full,

helping you eat less and feel more satisfied.

Eating the right types of fat can also help you stay full longer,

reduce inflammation, and actually help your body store less fat!

Healthy fats include extra virgin olive oil, avocadoes, raw nuts and

seeds, coconut milk, coconut oil, and cold-water fish.

Eat as many non-starchy vegetables as you can every day to

give your body as many nutrients and as much fiber as possible

with the least amount of calories. Good examples are spinach,

celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, peppers, squash,

zucchini, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, green beans, tomatoes, and

onions (to name a few). Five servings (one cup equals a serving) is

the minimum you should get each day, with half of your servingsbeing raw vegetables. Aim higher for the maximum health

benefit.

The final component of your meal plate is carbohydrates—the

good, high-fiber starchy kind, such as root vegetables like carrots,

horseradish, radishes, rutabagas, parsnips, salsify. Grains like

brown rice, popcorn, whole wheat (e.g., cereal, crackers, pasta,

tortillas), and wild rice are also good choices. Legumes like dried

beans, peas, and seeds and fruits like berries, apples, pears, etc.

are essential. These “good” carbohydrates give you energy, help

lower your cholesterol, and make you feel full.

Good carbohydrate foods have not been processed, so they

maintain their vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and fiber content.

The “bad” carbohydrates are foods that have been refined and

processed to the point where most of the nutritional value has

been stripped and are also loaded with additives like colorings,




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flavorings, and preservatives. They spike your blood sugar, which

can lead to weight gain, hypoglycemia, heart disease, and

diabetes, and they have no nutritional value. Avoid or limit bad

carbs like white flour (found in baked goods and white pastas),

refined sugar (found in candy and sodas), and white rice.

When you create each meal, be sure to balance these four

categories and you will soon look and feel better than ever

before!

In addition to what you eat, what you drink is equally

important for maintaining a healthy diet. You’ve probably heard it

said many times before, but your body needs eight or more

glasses of water per day to carry on normal functions. I could

probably fill an entire book with the health benefits of drinking

enough water, yet most people go through life dehydrated. Evenmild dehydration—as little as one to two percent loss of your

body weight—can cause fatigue and energy loss and slow your

metabolism.

More detrimental to your health than not drinking enough

water is drinking too much soda, which accounts for more than

one-fourth of all drinks consumed in the United States. That’s at

least one twelve-ounce can per day for every man, woman, and

child! In that one can, there can be as much as thirteen teaspoons

of sugar (more than 100 percent of the recommended daily

allowance of sugar)! Drinking just one soda per day has enough

calories to cause a fifteen-pound weight gain per year in an adult.

If you are a “sodaholic,” try replacing just one drink per day

with water. You might at first experience withdrawal-type

symptoms (most commonly headaches) if you’ve become

addicted to the caffeine. Resist the urge to crack open a can and



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know that this is your body’s way of adapting to a healthier

lifestyle. Over time, you’ll start to notice you feel better and have

more energy throughout the day. Let that be your motivation for

slowly replacing each soda you drink every day with water. Your

body will thank you for it!




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G ET M O VIN G !

Now that you know how to fuel your body, let’s talk about

how to put that fuel to good use! Physical activity is a key

component to health. Regular exercise over time can not only

help you maintain a healthy weight but can also decrease the risk

of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and osteoporosis. It can alsolower blood pressure, decrease body fat, ease the pain of

arthritis, strengthen your muscles and bones, improve your

circulation, and help you live longer! Even after your first few

workouts, you may feel more relaxed and revitalized, have more

energy, and feel happier overall.

When starting an exercise program, it’s important to first have

a plan, which helps you find success more often than if you just

show up at the gym and choose machines and workouts atrandom. It’s beneficial to ask your doctor or trainer for guidance

when choosing a program. An unplanned approach increases the

risk of injury as well as frustration; you may be intimidated by

gyms or machines and not be able to get past the muscle

soreness of the first workout.

By creating a workout plan, you’ll see how your workouts will

progress over the duration of the program, and you’ll know what

to do each time you go to the gym, creating more effective

workouts. Knowing what the expectations are ahead of time and

having clear and precise direction regarding how to exercise will

generate momentum and help you stick with your goals.

When creating your plan, be sure to set realistic goals. A zero-

to-sixty approach will cause you to burn out quickly and possibly

injure yourself. Create a plan that matches your abilities, fitness

level, interests, and goals. Beginners need to start at lower




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intensities initially until their muscles, joints, and cardio-

respiratory systems adapt to exercise at higher intensities. It’s

normal to feel sore for a few days after your first workouts

because that’s just your muscles waking up. Increasing your

activity level at a moderate pace will allow your body to adapt to

your new, healthy fitness routine and allow you to go a little bit

further each time.

There are two types of exercise you should be doing:

cardiovascular and strength training. Cardiovascular exercise, also

referred to as aerobic exercise, includes activities such as jogging

and running, cycling, swimming, or just about anything that gets

your heart pumping! This type of exercise strengthens your heart

and lungs and burns calories and fat, helping you reach and

maintain a healthy weight.

While enjoying exercise is as important as is being consistent,

the intensity and duration of exercise play the largest role in the

amount of calories burned. The harder you work, the less time

you need to invest in your workout.

High intensity refers to workouts that range from a seven to

eight on a one-to-ten scale, with ten being maximal exertion.

Even elite athletes could not maintain many consecutive high

intensity workouts, as they would risk over-training, potential

injury, burning out, or dreading their workouts. Creating variety

in your workout intensities and modalities helps you to stimulate

different energy systems for fat burning, protects your joints and

muscles from injuries, and makes for a more enjoyable workout.

Interval workouts—where you vary intensities between low,

moderate, and high—are the best at burning fat in the long run.

Interval workouts allow you to push your performance limits,



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since the high intensity intervals are only for a brief period of

time—usually less than a minute. Interval training involves

alternating a more challenging burst of exercise followed by a

lower intensity recovery segment. As you get stronger, you are

able to increase the work-to-rest ratios; however, beginners can

expect to rest longer than they work at high levels initially. An

interval workout might last for twenty to thirty minutes.

Strength training with resistance bands, weights, or even your

own body weight builds muscle and maintains the tonicity of your

body. This keeps your muscles and bones strong and helps you

burn fat, too! Muscle is metabolically active, which means the

more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism is. It takes

about twenty-five calories a day to sustain each pound of muscle

and only two calories to sustain every pound of fat.

Creating variety in your workouts and workout intensities

helps you to stimulate different energy systems for fat burning

and protect your joints and muscles from overstimulation. Plus,

variety is the spice of life!

Ideally, you should devote three hours a week to cardio and

ninety minutes to strength training, but you can start by aiming

for a minimum of thirty minutes a day, three or four times a

week. While that doesn’t seem like a large time commitment,

some people still find it difficult to schedule exercise. If you feel

like you just don’t have the time, try sneaking exercise into your

day. Take three ten-minute walks throughout the day and lift

some free weights while you watch the evening news. Find a

parking spot further from the door to get in a few more steps

each day. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. Take advantage

of household chores as a way to get exercise—vacuuming and




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washing the floors can get your heart rate going! Do bicep curls

with your grocery bags as you bring them into the house.

Exercise is your fountain of youth. It adds stronger and more

energetic years to your life. You’ll feel happier, healthier, and

ready to take on the world! If you break down the hours, it only

takes two percent of your week (if you do the recommended

three hours for cardio and ninety minutes for strength training) to

dedicate to your fitness. That’s a small investment when you

consider the time you will save in the doctor’s office, waiting in

line at the pharmacy, dealing with insurance companies, and in

bed feeling ill.

You can invest time now in your health and fitness or later in

sickness. The decision is yours. So what are you waiting for? Get

moving!



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F AB ’ S T YPIC AL D A Y

A good place to start is by making healthy habits a routine.

That way, they become so ingrained in your everyday life that you

don’t even have to think consciously about them! I start my day

at 5:15 AM when I get up and head to the gym. I lay out my

clothes the night before so everything is ready to go, leaving mewith no excuse to stay in bed.

At the gym, I vary my workout depending on my mood and

how my body is feeling. Some days I do resistance training and

interval burst training. Other days I play tennis, do yoga, or take a

spinning class. Sometimes I work out with a friend or a personal

trainer who gives me new ways to challenge my body and the

motivation I need to take it up a notch.

After I finish my workout and cool down, I take a steam or

sauna so that I am constantly detoxifying, then I take a shower

and head to the office. To refuel my body, I make a recovery

shake that consists of a greens mixture, a high-quality protein

blend, fiber, essential fatty acids, and berries, and I also take my

morning supplements. I even have a travel blender I bring on the

road with me so I can stay with my routine wherever I am, since

morning habits set the tone for the rest of the day.

If you skip breakfast—one of the worst things you can do foryour health—your body will get the energy it needs from muscle,

which you do not want to lose, while at the same time slowing

down your metabolism in order to conserve energy. By getting

the right balance of nutrients in the morning, you get your

metabolism moving and use stored fat instead of muscle for

energy.




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During the day, I keep water close at hand so I can be sure to

consume at least sixty-four ounces. I also make sure that I eat

every four to six hours and keep high-protein energy bars, nuts,

and apples on hand so my blood sugar doesn’t plummet.

For lunch and dinner, I choose clean, lean protein such as wild

fish or chicken breast. I get my healthy fats from olive oil or

avocado, and include non-starchy vegetables. To be honest, I am

not naturally a vegetable lover, and I had to work very hard to

incorporate them into my diet. But once it became a habit, I

learned to love them, mostly because of how good they make my

body feel.

I take my midday and evening supplements with my meals as

well. I found that it is easiest for me to prepare a month’s worth

of supplements and put them in little baggies marked AM,midday, or PM to keep with me in my briefcase or coat pockets so

I never go without taking them. I don’t eat anything at least three

hours before bed, and I usually get to bed on the early side so I

sleep eight or more hours each night.

I am also very conscious of what occupies my time in the

evening, which I now fully devote to my family. I used to check e-

mails before bed and would wake up in the middle of the night

thinking about work. When I changed this habit and instead

mentally “shut down” from work the minute I arrived at home, it

was no coincidence that I began to sleep soundly.



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Y OU R E M O TIO N AL S EL F

The Greek philosopher Aristotle once said, “Happiness is the

whole aim and purpose of human existence.” But in today’s

society where we equate money and success with happiness, we

have confused this fundamental principle to mean that wealth is

the purpose of human existence, so we spend all our time andenergy accumulating money so we can buy things to make us

happy—mansions, expensive cars, the latest technologies. And in

the end, no matter how much we have, we find ourselves

unsatisfied and wanting more.

That’s because success is not the key to happiness; in fact, it’s

the other way around. When you fulfill your potential in life and

live in harmony with your purpose, you will attract positive

experiences into your life, which in turn will make you successful.As we get more in touch with this happiness, we better reflect

the truth of who we are.

A healthy mindset has to do with being positive and, above all,

really accepting yourself. When we connect with ourselves,

there’s a sense of certainty within us. There’s a sense of knowing

who we are, what we are, and why we’re doing what we’re doing.

We become attractive and magnetic to those around us and

those who have heard about our impact on the world.

It seems simple enough, but so often we get bogged down

with the trials of life that it’s difficult to be happy about anything.

However, if we focus on the negative, all we will see and

experience is more negative. But by choosing to focus on the

positive and being grateful for whatever comes our way, we will

experience more abundance. Live your life as if it was the




37

example of happiness, abundance, and appreciation—and that’s

what your life will become!

Now, of course there are times when it’s appropriate to feel

enormously sad, lonely, or depressed. When you experience a

great loss, tragedy, or hardship, expressing those emotions is

actually healthy. It’s when you try to cover up your true feelings

and pretend you’re happy when you’re not that you end up

hurting yourself.

The key is to understand where your emotions are coming

from and allow yourself to feel whatever comes naturally. Then

know that you are in control of your emotions and can decide

how you let them affect your life.



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C O N N E C TIN G TH E DOTS !

At times, finding an uplifting attitude toward life can seem like

a challenge, and we wonder why we can’t be happy, living in the

moment like those around us. Chances are they are consciously

choosing happiness and working to strengthen their heart, mind,

and body.

The goal is to create a joyous, fulfilling, and healthy life, which

is achievable when you learn to be comfortable with your own

feelings, accept your limitations, adapt to change, cope with

stress, and enjoy life despite its imperfections.

I encourage you to live in gratitude. Simply be grateful for

everything—every success, every failure, every triumph, every

hardship, every person, every animal—everything, every day.

Enjoy the beauty and the amazing opportunities that already exist

in your life. Express your appreciation to everyone you meet. Let

the people you care about know how much you value them and

how grateful you are to have them in your life.

Love—and more specifically, unconditional love—is one of the

greatest gifts in life. Love begins with a complete and

unconditional acceptance of ourselves, so that we may be able to

have a complete and unconditional acceptance of others. That’s

how I define love in my life, and all love begins from within me.

If I can develop an unconditional acceptance of myself, that

will give me the opportunity to have unconditional acceptance of

others. Relationships center on our ability to relate well with

others and have a sincere concern for humanity as a whole. Be

supportive and loving toward your friends and family. In fact,

helping others is a great remedy for anxiety and depression.




39

Volunteer at a non-profit organization, hospital, or a homeless

shelter; there is no greater reward than what we receive from

giving to others. Relationships give us the confidence to be

outgoing, friendly, and affectionate toward others. I know that

love can be different for many people. But the kind of love I am

referring to has no expectations. So love just for the sake of

loving.

The value and quality of any relationship is in direct proportion

to the amount of your personal time and attention that you

dedicate to that relationship. This is true with your spouse, your

children, your business partners, your friends, and every other

person in your life with whom a relationship is important.

Build a truly strong and meaningful relationship, treat people

with unconditional love. Refuse to judge, condemn, compare,criticize, or complain. Accept people as though they were perfect,

just the way they are today. There is nothing that builds a

relationship faster than for each person in the relationship to

know that he or she is totally loved and accepted by the other

person without reservation.

To love unconditionally, you must learn forgiveness—of both

yourself and others. It’s no easy feat, but if you can make the

decision to let go of feelings of resentment, you can live a freer

and happier life starting now.

Research shows that holding on to bad feelings and bitterness

can cause any number of health issues. Even when these feelings

start out small, they can quickly escalate into powerful, seemingly

unsolvable feelings. You may find yourself consumed by these

feelings, and while what you feel is anger toward others, who you

really end up hurting is yourself.



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You get so wrapped up in the painful past that you can’t enjoy

your present. Or you may be harboring negative feelings toward

yourself, which is equally destructive. You must be willing to

forgive yourself and recognize that whatever you did, you are still

worthy of health and happiness.

I find that many people are still holding on to belief systems,

experiences, resentments, or angers from the past rather than

just forgiving and releasing them or being grateful for whatever

has happened. They were all learning experiences. So, if we’re

not living in the past, it seems that we’re always striving for what

we’re shooting for in the future, meaning: “I’ll be happy when I

get this” or “I’ll be completely fulfilled with my relationship when

we get to this level.”

We’re always looking for what is in the future rather thanwhat we currently have in the present. This futuristic “what do

you want to do when you grow up or retire” mentality is one of

the biggest challenges we need to rethink when moving forward.

What I find is that when you put so much emphasis into the

future, the challenges you miss out on are all of the great

opportunities you have in front of you.

These same opportunities may have led you to where you

want to be in the future, but you’re missing out on all of them

because you’re focusing on something that is not even there yet.

And when that happens, you cannot be completely appeased,

relaxed, fulfilled, and happy because you’re constantly looking

back into the past or forward into the future rather than just

completely celebrating the moment.




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Y OU R S PIRITU AL S EL F

Getting in touch with the spiritual side of ourselves is a must

for personal growth! Spiritual wellness is a search for meaning

and purpose in life that gives you a sense of direction, awareness,

and peace. And, when you’re seeking peace, you are seeking a

state of oneness, certainty, bliss, purity, a sense of belonging, anda sense of being. You recognize that everything in life has the

purpose of maintaining harmony, and by living at that spiritual

level, you can achieve an entirely new level of success because

you know it’s not about you anymore; it’s about something

greater than you are.

When we try to define spirituality, all we’re really talking

about is what our belief system consists of. Our beliefs can be

optimistic or pessimistic. They can be vitalistic or mechanistic.Our beliefs can be holistic or individualistic. The reason that

spirituality makes such an impression on us is because those

belief systems are what determine the course we take in our life

and are the foundation for every decision we make.

I can have a belief system right now that says “I’m going to live

to be one hundred years old” or I can have a belief system that

says “I’m going to live to be fifty-five.” If I stick with the belief

system that I will live to be one hundred years old, my actions

and decisions will bring me closer to that outcome. I will make

decisions that are good for my health, good for my relationships,

and good for my life.




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A S SPIRITUAL BEINGS , W E ARE PE RF E C T !

We are perfect the way we are—the way we were designed to

be. However, many of us wake up every morning, look in the

mirror, and criticize what we see. Instead of celebrating our

uniqueness in nature, we compare ourselves to others. That

criticism, unfortunately, is what hinders the self-esteem of theindividual. What you need to remember is what you see in the

mirror is only a reflection of your attitudes and values.

When you look at yourself in terms of the physical, it’s

imperfect, it’s limited by time, it’s susceptible to disease, it’s

susceptible to aging, and it’s susceptible to pain and suffering.

When you judge yourself based on the physical, you will see only

challenges in who you are and you will limit yourself in what

you’re trying to accomplish in life. One of the biggest challenges Ithink people face is the fact that they are the most critical of

themselves.

I’ve often heard that no one would ever critique you more

than you critique yourself because people want to strive to be

perfect. Unfortunately, we find imperfections in ourselves when

we create comparisons with somebody else’s physique,

somebody else’s demeanor, somebody else’s personality,

somebody else’s wealth, or somebody else’s success. Instead, we

should be accepting and embracing what is ours. I want you to

recognize that we’re not human beings living a spiritual

experience, but that we are spiritual beings living a human

experience.

So I challenge you to separate yourself from the physical and

look at yourself as a spiritual being where you are one with the

universe, you don’t spend any time in judgment, and you don’t



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spend any time in pain and suffering because you are in a

complete state of bliss. As we look at ourselves more as spiritual

beings we tend to be more forgiving and more accepting of who

we really are. All of us are exactly how we are designed to be. It’s

up to us to embrace that and celebrate it!

For your spiritual self to find peace, you must believe that the

power that made the body heals the body. There is an

intelligence greater than ourselves—a universal intelligence. And

by no means is it the same for everyone. As long as you as an

individual feel that you’re connected with something greater than

yourself, and as long as you understand that you were created by

an intelligence much greater than the one that you’re expressing

within your physical body, you can find spiritual peace. It’s

important to develop a connection with nature and believe that

you are part of something much bigger than yourself.

This Universal Intelligence that we believe to be greater than

ourselves expresses itself within us as Innate Intelligence. The

inner wisdom of the body that took two cells, multiplied them

into four cells, then into eight, which then became trillions of cells

that make up our body is the same wisdom that allows our bodies

to heal from the inside. So everything you need to be healthy is

already within you. And instead of looking always for an answer

outside of yourself, like medication and surgery, recognize that

your innate intelligence has created this incredible body that has

everything it needs to be healthy.

So how exactly do you discover your innate intelligence? It

comes from taking the time to center yourself and listen to your

intuition. Science tells us that 95 percent of the decisions we




45

make are unconscious, meaning we are not intentionally thinking

about them.

Snap decisions, first impressions, that “feeling” you get about

a situation—these are all examples of your unconscious mind

working to guide you in the direction you’re meant to go. I call

this intuition, which is when we allow ourselves to go deeper

than the conscious mind and allow our inner voice to take over.

It’s there that we actually get the answers to most of our

challenges—if we choose to listen.

When you listen to your intuition, I mean really listen, you can

hear it whispering to you. One of the most effective things that I

have found is to really exercise some quiet time, or time spent in

meditation or prayer. Simply spend some time—even if it’s just

ten minutes in the morning as soon as you wake up or tenminutes before you go to sleep—just being still. There is no

talking. There are no thoughts racing through your mind. You just

listen. Listen to the amazing communication that is happening

internally from within yourself. You need to tap into the

environment around you. Sometimes you’ll notice that we’re so

busy and preoccupied with our own thoughts that we forget to

have peace and quiet.

I believe one of the easiest ways to connect with your

spirituality is to spend more time in nature. Stop spending so

much time inside your house, buildings, stores, and restaurants

and go outside. Take a walk in the park, visit a lake or ocean,

surround yourself with trees, flowers, and animals and appreciate

the perfect balance that already exists in nature. Nature is where

you want to go in order to get centered, to get one again with

yourself, to live in the moment, to remember what it’s all about,



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and to recognize that there is a higher intelligence among

ourselves.




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Y OU R P H YSIC AL /E M O TIO N AL /S PIRITU AL S E L F

The exciting thing about wellness is that it is a life-long journey. You have endless opportunities to learn more about

yourself and how to make the right choices for your lifestyle.

Remember, it’s not what you do once in a while that determines

your outcome; it’s what you do consistently. Start today and

make health your number one priority. When you do, and all

these areas of your life come together, there is no limit to what

you can achieve!



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49

CHAPTER FOUR :

STEP THREE—YOUR RELATIONSHIPS :

DEFINING WHO YOU ARE AND WHO YOU

WILL BECOME

Now that we recognize that our health—physical, emotional,

and spiritual—is critical to achieving our given potential, we are

able to share ourselves with others. You see, we are not meant to

be living our lives with no one in it. We are meant to experience

this life with others who will experience theirs with us. It is this

exchange of experiences, values, and attitudes that really help us

explore the depths of every relationship in our lives, and whether

you feel it is good or bad, it does not matter. Every relationship

has meaning. Every relationship has lessons. In discovering more

about our relationships, we can discover more about ourselves.



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T AKE A LOOK I N SID E !

I think the first thing you have to do in order to have a great

relationship with others is to have great relationship with

yourself. One of the best ways that I have found to improve self-

image is with acceptance. Acceptance is key to recognizing that

whoever you are, whatever you look like, and whatever you feellike is okay for the moment. But we must recognize we have a

choice to make our future what we want it to be.

Now, of course we know that we can’t alter some things about

ourselves. Some of us are tall. Some of us are short. Some of us

have different hair, eye, and skin colors. But we do have the

ability to change those things that we can.

I find that some people who are overweight think they don’t

have a choice about it. Then when we look at their behaviors, we

find that the reason they’re overweight is because they either

don’t have a proper diet or don’t exercise at all. Maybe they eat

very late at night or live on fast food every day. Whatever the

case may be, they see themselves as never being able to change

the way they are. The lesson here is to learn to embrace and love

those things about yourself you cannot change, because if we can

learn to love those things, then we can then begin to work on

those things that we can change.

Accept and love yourself just the way you are at that moment,

because you are working toward a better you tomorrow. Don’t

get so distraught or hurt whenever somebody makes a comment

that maybe where you are today is not where you are going to be

tomorrow. People often give up because they think, “Why am I

doing this if nobody else is recognizing it yet?”



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51

Change doesn’t come overnight and that’s the challenge.

People want to see their new body within thirty days or they

want to see a bank account that is much larger within six months;

in reality, change takes time. I’m very fortunate to have parents

who taught me a lot of very good lessons. One of the things they

taught me at a very young age was that when you talk to yourself,

watch your language because you’re listening.

You have to be conscious of your self-talk, and when you find

yourself speaking ill of yourself, you have to correct that.

Remember, it takes a conscious focus, diligent, and non-stop

effort.

Another thing is that you can never let setbacks take you down

because there always will be challenges. You might be moving in

a positive direction, but when something goes wrong you startthat old, negative pattern again. You can’t let that happen.

Instead, take a deep breath and review what happened and see if

changes need to be made. You have to take your setbacks and

use them as energy or motivation to move forward.

The unique thing is that the more you experience higher self-

esteem, the more you project higher self-esteem in others. And

that’s the beautiful thing—when you’re projecting higher self-

esteem in others, you will find that others will support it by

recognizing it, by commenting on it, by mentioning it to you, and

by celebrating it.



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H OW DO Y OU DE F IN E LO VE ?

Love is a complete and unconditional acceptance of ourselves

so we may be able to have a complete and unconditional

acceptance of others. That’s how I define love in my life, and all

love begins from within me. I know that love can be different for

many people. I also know that many only think of love in physicalterms. But the kind of love that I am referring to is unconditional

love—the kind of love that is just for the sake of loving.

Our relationships, whether with our spouses, our parents, our

siblings, or our friends tend to be more of a conditional love.

There’s nothing wrong with that as long as you’re aware and

make sure you try not to put too many conditions on that love.

But if we can truly learn to love others—our parents, our spouses,

our loved ones, our friends, our teachers, everyone—unconditionally, that means that the greatest service you can do

for them is to love them without expecting anything in return.

When we do that, it is such a powerful feeling because very

few people have ever been loved unconditionally. When you love

others like this it makes them want to love you in the same way.

And when you have unconditional love between two people, now

you have the true fulfillment of what a wonderful relationship’s

potential is, because it’s all about serving the other rather than

serving yourself.

My level of love comes from the fact that I have been very

blessed to be loved as a young child and have attracted amazing

people in my life who have always nurtured the great potential

that was always inside of me. My love for people is one of

allowing them to see that perfection is in them, allowing them to

recognize that everything they want is right within themselves if




53

they choose to access it, allowing them to love themselves

enough that they will want to be healthy, that they will want

great relationships and not abusive relationships, and that they

will want to have great careers that contribute greatly to

humanity and that they get rewarded for it.

My love for people is one that reminds me that each life

counts, that each one of us has a much greater potential than

we’re living, and that if we’re going to occupy this body and this

space on Earth, we might as well be doing something constructive

with it. There’s too much mediocrity in the world. There’s too

much negativity in the world. There’s too much restlessness in

the world. I truly believe that a lot of it comes from the fact that

individuals have not yet tapped into their own inner power and

recognized that they can be great extraordinary human beings if

they choose to, rather than just being ordinary beings going on

with life day by day without truly making every moment count.

It’s time to become who you are meant to be and define what

your purpose is in life. How do you want to contribute to this

world? Have you identified the gifts you have been given yet? Are

you using those gifts to your maximum potential and for the

benefit of others rather than just for the benefit of self? Once

that happens, that magnet just becomes stronger and stronger.

When it comes to relationships with other people, what I’m

finding is that as we build ourselves physically, mentally, and

spiritually, we then find ourselves attracting a different level of

people around us—people with higher consciousness, people

with higher purpose, people who are synergistic with our belief

systems and our values, and people who are meant to be part of

that journey to support us in our bigger journey. People just



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appear in your life when you most need them, without any effort

when you build yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually.

I often find it funny that as we are embarking on the ladder of

success, it seems like we talk ourselves into thinking that the

main reason for building our career is to provide a better quality

of life for our loved ones. You often hear people say, “I just want

to give my partner everything I never had [or everything he or she

never had]” or “I want to give my children everything that I didn’t

have growing up.” But we put so much emphasis on our work life

that our relationship suffers and we find ourselves alone.

Those relationships will never be repaired to the degree that

you could have them if you would have just not taken them for

granted during your journey. I believe that the reason other

people are in our lives is to complement and support our mission,talent, and destiny. As we become more clear with that, we

understand that everyone present in our lives has a purpose. It’s

up to us to find out what that purpose is and explore the

possibilities; you’ll usually find the purpose has a mutual benefit.

Very rarely do I find that a successful relationship is one that is

one-sided. Within most successful relationships I’ve been able to

experience, I find a mutual level of fulfillment and gratitude with

support that is equal. They recognize that the relationship is a

valuable thing that must not be taken for granted but should be

treasured.

I find that all of us seem to be attracted to certain people

based on the level of contributions that they make or upon their

integrity and values. I find that in order to explore that side of all

of us, we need to surround ourselves with those kinds of people.

We need to make contact with them, whether it’s a great author




55

who influenced and defined our life or whether it’s someone in

the community who has gone above and beyond to be of service.

These are people I think of as heroes whom I believe we all

should surround ourselves with. They are all different to each one

of us individually because we all are affected in different ways.

But what I find is that when you come in contact with these

people, and you develop deep relationships with them, you

recognize that you, too, can be like them. They’re just like you

and me—they have similar thoughts and ideas. They were

inspired by someone in their lives and they took action. They

decided to do something rather than just talk.

Remember that a relationship can take hard work. Don’t

expect it to always be easy and automatic. Just as a garden needs

to be watered and nurtured so does a relationship. Don’t expectyour partner to think like you and respond to situations the way

you do. Just because a person has a different response doesn’t

mean it’s wrong. Take time to study and understand the

differences and suddenly relationships begin to make sense and

become much easier. When we have hope that we can be

successful in making our partners happy, and get what we need

as well, then suddenly our hearts open fully.

First, make a decision today that the quality of your

relationships is the most important part of your life. Make

everything else secondary to that.

Second, invest more time in relationships that are important

to you. The value and quality of any relationship is in direct

proportion to the amount of the personal time and attention that

you dedicate to that relationship. This is true with your spouse,



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your children, your business partners, your friends, and every

other person in your life with whom a relationship is important.

Third, give everyone in your life the greatest gift of all—

unconditional positive acceptance. Refuse to judge, condemn,

criticize, or complain. Do not judge people or expect them to

behave in a way different than their true nature. This implied

rejection, or nonacceptance, is a major problem in relationships.

Accept people as though they were perfect, just the way they are

today. There is nothing that builds a relationship faster than for

each person in the relationship to know that he or she is totally

loved and accepted by the other person without reservation. This

is especially true for spouses and for children.

A successful relationship is when both people are living their

highest lives and each are honoring, accepting, and supportingone another. There is a dynamic called “emotional contagion”

that says we catch the emotions of the people around us much as

we catch their colds. This is why it is important to be around

people who have healthy emotions that will lead to a more

fulfilling and successful relationship. Take full responsibility for

your own life and happiness. Don’t depend on someone else to

make you happy.

Make it a habit to regularly acknowledge and appreciate each

other. One way to do this is by spending a few minutes each day

telling each other what you appreciate about each other. What

you appreciate, in turn, appreciates you. This increases the value

of the relationship. So focus on what is working; doing so will

create more appreciation. Take time together to play and enjoy

life. Having positive experiences together helps build a strong

foundation for trust and harmony.




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S U C C E SS O N L Y M AK E S YO U M O RE O F W H AT YO U AL RE AD Y

ARE !

Your life is very special and your time here is precious.

Sometimes we get so caught up in day-to-day living that we

forget where we were going. People and situations get in the

way. They can block our paths and slow us down to the point thatwe forget where we are headed. I realize that in life we should be

selective of who we allow in our inner circle. The reason I say this

is because it’s very much a science that we as human beings are

adaptive beings. This means that the expression of our genetic

makeup can actually be altered by the environment around us,

which has been proven by science.

So, if we surround ourselves with people who are naysayers,

the negative minds—the people who are resentful, and angry,

and hateful, destructive, and those who are not contributing but

taking from everyone else—then we shouldn’t be surprised to see

that we will behave in a similar fashion. You should not allow

others to negatively affect you or pull you down. From today

forward, make an effort to not let “downers” influence your new

positive direction. Even some of our best friends might not truly

want us to succeed. Sad but true.

If you can’t turn your friends around and make them more

positive in their own lives and support your positive new changes,

perhaps you should seek out new people who are in line with

your goals, aspirations, and dreams. They are out there and with

today’s Internet technology and networking, you can find them.

Nothing can stop you from getting ahead in this world if you rely

on this new structure that you are designing for your future.

Surround yourself with people who live life appreciating its gifts,

who see beauty where there seems to be little around, who light



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a path in the darkness with their kind words, and improve life for

all of us with their smile.

When I say “inner circle,” I mean that we should be very

selective of those whom we allow within our space. We should

surround ourselves with people we want to be like, people whom

we strive to be like, or people we are like. Keep reminding

yourself that change is growth and growth is good for you. Treat

your life like a garden. Now and then we must get the weeds out

to let the seeds you’ve planted have a stronger chance to take

root. Plant a new seed of thought today. It can be any size.

Imagine if we all planted one good idea a day into the world.

Now imagine exchanging one bad habit with one new good habit.

For example, it can be as simple as smiling at a person who looks

as if he or she is struggling or complimenting a person on his orher energy. Share something with someone who needs it.




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T HE I M PO RTAN C E O F A H UG !

In this world of highly evolved intelligence and mega-theories

on what makes us all tick, I have found that for me, the most

effective form of connection with another person dates back to

the beginning of time—a hug. I am often asked why I go around

hugging people as though I’ve known them forever.

Well, I grew up with a Colombian mother and a father of

Italian descent. I rest my case! We hugged all the time; we kissed

all the time. To me it was second nature. I thought it was the way

of the world.

I will never forget the day when I was in college and received a

card from my mom. On the card was written some thoughts

about the importance of a hug. That’s when I started recognizing

that hugs were not just for me, but they are for the purpose of

making others feel connected with someone else.

I believe that a hug is an expression that takes any relationship

to a deeper level because, you see, there’s no way that you can

give a hug or receive a hug if there’s not a feeling of comfort with

that other person. Hugs are productive and feel good. They help

overcome fears. They build self-esteem and release tension. They

demonstrate humanity and caring enough to make contact.

That’s the thing we all want to feel. It makes us realize that we’renot alone in this world. We want to feel validated. We want to

feel connected. We want to feel that there’s a reason why we’re

here.



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W H E N YO U D ISC O VE R YO U R BIGGE ST F E AR , DON ’ T BE

SU RPRISE D IF IT H APPE N S !

When I was in high school, my counselor noticed that I seemed

to be a very happy kid with a great attitude. One day she asked

me a very interesting question: “Is there anything that could

make you unhappy?” I thought for about thirty minutes and thentold her that if I lost a family member, that would do it. Years

later, as I began graduate school to become a Doctor of

Chiropractic, I received a phone call from the police and received

the worst possible news. They thought my brother had been

killed in his automobile. The car had burned so they said I was

needed the next morning to try and identify the remains. That

night, I remember, was one of the worst nights of my life. I

wanted to call my parents and my brothers, but how could I tell

them this news when I wasn’t even sure if it was true? How could

I put them through the hell that I was going through?

My roommate, Tim, stayed up with me all night and

accompanied me next morning to the police station. As we

arrived, the officer who greeted us told me what I had feared the

most—the body was my brother’s; he had been identified by way

of some dental work. I immediately had to make a phone call to

my parents to tell them that their first-born was no longer alive. It

was the most difficult thing I have ever had to do.

That day I learned the most powerful lesson in my life: we

must not waste any moments in life because we may only have

this day.

Having lost two members of my family—my father and my

oldest brother—I realize the true value in our lives is the people

in it and not the material possessions we’ve accumulated. If you




61

only had one more day to live, what would you do with it? I’d be

surprised to hear anyone say they’d want to make more money

or go shopping to buy more things.

Most people would choose to spend time with their loved

ones. See, material things that we enjoy in life are not necessarily

high on our priority list. What’s the use of having all those things

if the relationships in your life are not authentic and the people in

your life are not people who truly love you for who you are but

love you for what you have?

So, begin to live each day as if it was your last one. Treat

everyone in your life today as it if was the last time you will see

him or her. Begin to do the things today that you love or that

really mean something to you. Spend time today with the people

who matter the most to you. Become more grateful with whatyou already have and all the opportunities that have come your

way.

This is called living in the now! I know it may seem a little

excessive, but it works. The moment of now is all we have and

when we push ourselves to live in the moment, that is when we

will experience life to its fullest.



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63

CHAPTER F IVE:

STEP FOUR—YOUR SUCCESS: IT’S NOT WHAT

YOU THINK IT IS

At its most basic level, success can be defined as fulfilling your

potential through the achievement of any self-chosen goal. For

some people it’s financial gain. For others it’s having an influence

on society. And for someone else, it’s spiritual fulfillment. As long

as you determine what you want to accomplish and then achieve

it, you have experienced success.

Unfortunately, many of us don’t reach our full success

potential in life, not because we are not good enough, but

because we do not know what we want. We try to pursue goals

that have been imposed on us rather than ones that have been

set by our own discoveries of what will work best in our lives. We

tend to look at our parents, brothers, sisters, friends, teachers,

and co-workers and strive for what they have, believing we will

be successful, to some degree, if we do this.

Completely voluntarily, we find ourselves dragging ourselves

to work earlier each day after not enough rest, working longer,

eating junk food, stressing ourselves sick, all for a reason about

which we are mostly unclear. Was it for a closet full of shoes or

that big house we’ve convinced ourselves we needed to feel

successful? Have we traded in our true calling for someone else’s

idea of what our dream should be?

We only become truly successful when we identify what our

mission, talent, and destiny is in this world. By fulfilling our



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purpose in life, we will find ourselves energized, happy, and able

to make a difference in the lives of others. So, when looking for

your purpose, ask yourself: What am I here to do? What is

important to me? What do I love to do? How do I want to be

remembered? What kind of mark do I want to leave on this

planet? How do I want to spend my days, my time, and my

energy?



Step Four—Your Success

65

Y O U R L IF E ’ S C AL L IN G M AY BE IN SPIRE D BY SO M E O N E YO U

L E AST E XPE C T !

When I was a teenager, we would drive forty miles to see our

pediatrician because my parents felt he would provide the best

care for us. And they were right! This man was a true angel of

service. I remember he always said something inspiring before Ileft his office, leaving me with a thought bigger than any I could

come up with for myself.

I loved the feeling I got when I was in his presence, and I

actually began to fake being sick so I could go see him. The funny

thing is, even though I was telling my parents I felt sick, I always

took a shower and put on my best clothes before heading to his

office. I was truly inspired by his example and learned the

importance of doing something you love. From that experience, I

knew I wanted to dedicate my life to service.

What keeps me excited every day is that my life is about

serving others, and if I’m not serving others, then I’m not as

excited and motivated because service is my motivation in life. I

believe everyone’s destiny in life is to use whatever gifts,

experiences, and riches they were given to contribute to others.

That’s my life. I wake up thinking, “How can I be of service?”

every single day.

Most successful people tell you that the way they know they

have achieved success is they feel they’ve not only accomplished

something, but they also find themselves in a state that continues

to give them opportunities to be a greater influence in the lives of

other people.

My philosophy has always been that success is not measured

necessarily by money, accolades, or material possessions but by



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working toward a cause that is much greater than myself—one

that allows me to be always reaching toward having a greater

influence in the world in a positive way. I believe I’ve reached

success because I am living my purpose. I don’t feel distracted by

having to do other things just to make a living, just to pay the

bills, just to survive. What I’m doing to fulfill my overall purpose is

also allowing me to live comfortably and in abundance, rather

than in survival mode.

One of my mentors, Dr. James W. Parker, said it best:

“Develop a compassion to serve that is greater than your

compulsion to survive.” So begin today to focus all your attention

on service. What can you do for others, your family, your friends,

your clients, your community, etc.? I want you to spend all your

time in service.




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B E -DO-H AVE

The “Be-Do-Have Formula” is probably the most profound

formula for success that exists today, but surprisingly, this

formula is the exact opposite of what most people use to define

success. The typical definition is: first I must have something in

order to be able to do something so I can become or besomebody in society. And what the “Be-Do-Have” formula

provides is a plan that says just the opposite: if you truly want to

be successful in life, first you must be what you’re striving to be

so you will start to do the types of things that will get you what

you want; and as you begin to do those things, then you begin to

attract and have what you were striving for.

The lesson here is that people are already as successful as they

going to be. The only difference is they haven’t used the rightformula to attain the level of success they are truly meant to

have. Begin to “Act as If” for what you want to be. The more you

behave as the person you have chosen to become—the person

you see in others and say, “I can do this”—the greater your

feelings of being that will attract those things into your life.

If you believe that you already possess all the ingredients you

need to be successful, you will reach your goals much faster.

When Michelangelo created his masterpiece, “David,” he said

that what most people saw as a block of marble, he saw as David.

All he had to do was chip away all that was keeping David from

showing up.

What is keeping you from success? Is it internal forces such as

your negative thoughts, your victim mentality, or your

pessimism? Is it the people in your life—your boss, partner,



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parents, teachers? Could it be that all you have to do is release

that which is holding you back so that you, too, can show up?




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M O N E Y IS A BYPRO D U C T O F SE RVIC E !

I was very fortunate to be raised in an environment that

taught me that the main purpose for money was not to

accumulate wealth for myself but to use it as a source of energy

to contribute to society and causes that are important to me. This

is critical to understand because so many people think of prosperity as a cause not an effect. If prosperity is your cause,

you have cause and effect backward. Philosophy and purpose are

cause, prosperity is effect.

I’ll give you an example. One of the richest people in the world

is Bill Gates. His net worth is somewhere around fifty billion

dollars and growing. It’s almost impossible to grasp the idea of

having that extraordinarily large amount of money. You would

never be able to spend that amount of money in a lifetime. Butthe bottom line is that Bill Gates still goes to work every single

day. He shows up and does what he loves because no amount of

money on the planet can buy him away from his purpose. The

reality is that he is wealthy as an effect of his purpose.

It is your purpose that drives you, that creates the wealth and

abundance, and then money becomes the means of expanding

the range of that purpose, as compared to a means of stopping

whatever you’re doing.

Now I hear Gates is spending all his time in philanthropy,

which means he spends every day looking for ways to give his

money to the causes he believes in. Now that is purpose!



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M ATERIAL THINGS DO NOT MAKE WHO YOU ARE —TH E Y ARE

JUST THINGS !

When I was accepted into one of the top premed programs in

the nation at the University of Dallas, I was truly excited. It was

not only the place that would give me a strong foundation to

become a doctor, but it was also away from home and gave memy chance to be independent. Before I left, I begged my parents

to let me pack up my whole room—all my clothes, television,

stereo, jewelry—everything I owned. My mom kept saying to just

take essentials that I may need and she would ship the rest later.

I insisted that I needed all of those things, so they finally allowed

me to rent a U-Haul truck that I hitched to my car.

When I arrived in Dallas from Miami, I needed to spend a night

in a hotel the day before orientation. The hotel did not have the

space for the U-Haul in covered parking, so I parked my car in the

outdoor parking, unhooked the trailer, and parked it next to my

car. I also put a lock and chain from the trailer to a light post, just

in case.

The next morning I woke up and saw my car, but there was

another car parked in the space where I had parked the trailer

the night before. I noticed that the chain was still tied to the light

pole, but the other end had been cut. I called the hotel’s security

and they called the police. The trailer was found empty, with a

broken door hours later, miles away from the hotel. I was feeling

depressed and all alone by the time I checked into my dorm room

later that day.

Some of the other students heard what had happened to me

and came by my empty room to bring me necessities—an alarm

clock, toothpaste, clothes. The love and generosity from those




71

students brought my spirits back and gave me the strength to call

my parents and tell them what had happened. For the next year,

they only allowed me to buy essentials, but living in that empty

dorm room with only borrowed things that were given with such

love and compassion, I felt richer than ever. I realized with that

experience that having material things are great, but the

relationships we have are truly the valuable things in our lives.



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T HE P O W E R O F M E N TO RIN G !

A few years ago, I was instrumental in creating one of the most

effective mentoring groups in my city by going around to big

corporations and asking employees from various backgrounds to

volunteer their time to talk with elementary school children. I

wanted to be able to show the children that regardless of whatthey look like, regardless of their economic background,

regardless of how long they’ve been in this country, regardless of

how big or small their dreams are, they can all become

productive members of society.

Mentoring allows us to learn from the experiences of others

without having to go through the experiences ourselves. If we

collectively share the lessons we’ve learned with others,

collectively we can find solutions to our greatest challenges.

We can always find mentors in our lives. Mentoring is one of

the greatest gifts in life, and I know that the reason I’ve been able

to achieve so much in my young life is because I’ve been

mentored by people who were doing the types of things I wanted

to do and were being what I wanted to be in the future. For

instance, the chamber of commerce has a volunteer association

that consists of retired businesspeople who consult with

individuals who want to start a business, and they do this at no

charge!

They do this because they’re already retired. They’ve already

made their money and achieved their success, and now they

want to give back. They see young minds that have all these fears

and questions: “Can I do it?” “Am I going to be able to make it out

there?” I didn’t have all the answers to these questions, but by




73

surrounding myself with these people and learning from their

success, I was able to achieve similar outcomes in my life.

The key thing is that no matter what you want to become and

no matter what that dream is, you can find someone within that

world who is living it. Often, you will attract them if you really

believe you can do it yourself. You will find that those people will

be more than willing to support you because they see themselves

in you.

I once asked my greatest mentor, “Why is it that you’re not

giving all this knowledge and wisdom to your own children?” And

his answer was, “Because I don’t see myself in them. I don’t see

their hunger. I don’t see them wanting to accomplish something

great. They have it too easy. I’ve provided too much for them and

they don’t see the lessons that I’ve had to learn the hard way—but I see that in you. And that’s the reason I chose to mentor

you.”

We don’t even have to seek these people out because we just

attract them into our lives; many times they seek us out. They

recognize that we have the initiative to want to become

something greater and they believe they can help us achieve it.



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CHAPTER S IX :

YOUR LIFE, YOUR CHOICE. ACT NOW!

If you want to find the answer to why you haven’t achieved

the level of success you desire, ask yourself this question: why am

I not engaging all of my resources and strengths that I have

available toward my goals? Your new answer will be, “I am!”

Make no more excuses for not improving your mind and body.

Remember, by fulfilling your health potential, you can begin to

fulfill your life potential. Start building on your internal

motivation and go out and find your passion.

You’ve already taken steps and now it is time to put them all

together in the three main areas of your life. Lose the negativity

in your life and replace it with tolerance and positive energy.

Improve your choices. Increase the love in your life—both

incoming and outgoing. Become the role model you wished you

could have had when you were growing up and become a shining

beacon to those around you. Taking charge of how we live our

lives is a choice over which we have the ultimate power.

However, not enough of us truly grab the bull by the horns and

face the situation. I want you to start today by moving from

sickness care to wellness care and raising your expectations to

discover what your health potential is. You must start choosing to

make health a top priority in your life. Begin identifying and

creating healthy habits for yourself. We must be the doctor

within and start to ask questions and take responsibility for our

health rather than take another person’s word for it. Starting



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today, identify how you arrived where you are today. Take the

time to evaluate what was the self-esteem of our parents.

I usually find that if our parents had negative thoughts about

their bodies, their weight, their jobs, their economic status, we

tend to inherit those same negative thoughts. We grew up in

environments that caused us to say, “Because I came from this

neighborhood, I’m never going to amount to anything greater

than this” or “Because I grew up with welfare and

unemployment, that’s really all I’m going to expect as I get older,

too.”

We must learn that our level of self-esteem truly came from

external sources. They were not our own. We adopted it into our

own way of thinking because of those environments. The good

news is—and this is really something important for you tounderstand—you can change your environment now. And as you

change your environment now, you will realize that the way you

will feel in the future about yourself will change. But you must

believe and be patient with yourself and not be so willing to

settle and compromise and say, “This is all there is.” If you do,

there’s no one else out there who can help you.



Your Life, Your Choice

77

DO IN G AF F IRM ATIO N S E VE RY D AY RE AL L Y H E L PS !

Affirmations are the type of self-talk that you want to have to

replace the negative self-talk picked up from others and the

environment. An affirmation is a great learning tool. An

affirmation is the self-talk you want to use to create the future

you want for yourself. So, for instance, I would say to myself, “Iwill attract the perfect mate to be my greatest companion in

every way physically, mentally, and spiritually. And even though I

may not have that perfect mate right now, I know that if I tell

myself that constantly, mentally, that I have a better chance of

attracting that.”

Affirmations are a learned behavior; it’s a conscious decision

to give yourself positive self-talk. So for me, I choose to do my

affirmations when I first wake up in the morning and right beforeI go to sleep at night. Those are the times I have found to be the

most successful because I am in what is called the alpha state of

the brain—sleepy and between the conscious and the

subconscious mind. What you say to yourself during this time is

more likely to penetrate into the subconscious and become part

of your everyday thoughts.



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I F YO U F E E L YO U W E RE M E AN T F O R GRE ATN E SS , TH AT ’ S

BE C AU SE YO U ARE !

When I was thirty-three years old, I received a phone call from

the chairman of the Board of Trustees for Parker College of

Chiropractic, one of the leading chiropractic schools in the world,

telling me the Board thought I was the right person to take overthe position of president. My heart stopped for a minute. I had

graduated from Parker, I had served as president of the alumni

board, and a Trustee for the College, but what did I really know

about running such a huge institution?

On top of that, my wife was pregnant with our second child

and I was content working twenty-seven hours a week at my

practice—one of the most successful chiropractic wellness

practices in Texas. It was good to have the time to spend with my

family. But as my wife and I discussed this opportunity, I came to

realize it was my calling to carry out the vision of the college’s

late founder, my mentor and one of my closest friends, Dr. James

W. Parker.

I saw the challenges the college was facing without strong

leadership, and having been instilled with Parker’s value system

during my time as a student, I knew what I could do to overcome

those challenges.

After more than a decade of service as president of Parker

College, I find myself completely fulfilled in my role, knowing that

I am living my purpose. I am honored to serve with an amazing

Board, administrative team, faculty, students, and staff. They

have all allowed Parker College to reach tremendous success.




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I’ve realized that the more I can contribute on this Earth and

be a positive influence in the lives of others, the more that my life

is worth living.



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F RO M E VE RY E XPE RIE N C E C O M E S A L E SSO N

I don’t look at the tragedies in my life as negatives, even

though they were painful. I’ve always come out a better person

because I’ve grown. Challenges are really opportunities to learn

about yourself and connect with others.

If I hadn’t lost my brother, how could I ever relate to people if

they told me they had just lost a brother, a sister, a loved one? If I

hadn’t been close to dying in that robbery in Colombia, how could

I ever empathize with people who might tell me they were

robbed today or that they were violated? I believe that anytime

we’re tested, it’s only a sign that there is more we can

accomplish. If we’re not being tested every single day, if we’re

not being challenged every single day, then we’re not growing.

The joy comes from being able to surpass those challenges and

go through those painful experiences because every painful

experience is only a reminder that there is more possible within

ourselves. Growth really comes from that; it doesn’t come from

the things that are easy in our lives. It comes when we have to

put in the effort, the energy, and the struggle. Working for

something is what helps us create a level of appreciation for what

we did rather than something that was handed to us.

I believe that if you truly want to continue to challengeyourself, the best way to do it is ask yourself: Am I being

challenged today? Am I going through any experiences that are

not pleasant? Am I growing as a person? Am I understanding

others better? Am I reaching out to learn another language,

another culture? Understand that there is always something out

there challenging us and serving as our greatest vehicle for

growth.




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I want these words to reach everyone, including the young

people who have parents who are working double shifts and they

seldom see them. I want those young people to realize they are

blessed to have parents who have the ability to work and to

provide for them. I want to be able to reach a student in

university who doesn’t quite understand that pursuing somebody

else’s dream will never allow him or her to be as successful as he

or she was meant to be.

I want students to realize that they must choose their own

path in life. And then, I want to be able to reach individuals who

are going through economic hardships. I want to tell them they

have the power to change their life. Let go of the past. What are

you doing now to change your future? I want to reach people at

all levels in their lives, at all levels in their economic status, and at

all ages so they recognize the ultimate quest in life is to fulfill

their destiny. People are meant to thrive.

Know that you are now changing your life’s direction through

your own thoughts and actions. Make realistic expectations for

yourself and learn to keep them. Ask questions and express

interest in other people’s ideas and actions. Surround yourself

with loving individuals who make you feel good about yourself.

Boost your own self-esteem without relying on outside

influences. Pay close attention to your own “voices” inside your

head. They are telling you something. Take the time to stop and

look at your life and examine your goals and progress along your

journey. Be clear of your purpose here on Earth.

Now that you have discovered (or have been reminded) of The

Feeling Fab Formula, the question is: what next? Well, you have

explored the value of true health—physically, emotionally, and



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82

spiritually. You have read about the importance of having

meaningful and authentic relationships. You have been through

lessons of what success really means and how to achieve it.

What’s next is action! You must act now. No more excuses. No

more complaining. No more blaming. You are in control of your

life, so choose to create the life you want. Pay close attention to

your feelings, they are what guide you. You, too, can be Feeling

Fab!



83

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Fabrizio Mancini, DC, FICC, FACC, FICA

Dr. Fabrizio Mancini is an internationally acclaimed bilingual

speaker, author, educator, philanthropist, and president of one of

the leading chiropractic colleges in the world. His childhood

dreams of serving humanity ignited in Texas where he pursued

pre-medicine at the University of Dallas in preparation to become

a neurosurgeon. It was there that he discovered his true passion

in life—empowering individuals to take responsibility for their

own health.

Dr. “Fab,” as he is known to presidents, governors, Nobel Prize

winners, and the greatest minds on the planet, came to the

United States with his family in 1978 from Colombia, South

America, with the dream of becoming a doctor. He enrolled as a

student at Parker College of Chiropractic in 1987, recognizing the

potential for preventing disease and educating patients in a

wellness lifestyle. Upon graduation in 1993, Dr. Mancini launched

the Mancini Chiropractic Center in Dallas, Texas.

Then in 1999, having been mentored by the late chiropractic

pioneer Dr. James W. Parker, it was no surprise that Dr. Mancini

was summoned to head Parker College, making him, at the time,

the youngest college president in the United States. Today, he

spends most of his time leading Parker College in historic

accomplishments in education and professional and personal

seminars while still finding the time to oversee more than 500

patients a day. He has guided The Parker Seminars into the most



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cutting-edge Chiropractic Wellness industry seminars in the

world.

Now, a sought-after guest on radio and television programs,

Dr. Mancini travels the world inspiring thousands each year with

his innovative messages of success, service, health, and wellness.

But when asked, he would say his favorite time is being with his

lovely wife, Alicia, and his two sons, Gianni and Luciano.

Dr. Mancini’s enthusiasm for life is contagious and has earned

him recognitions such as: Humanitarian Award, Heroes for

Humanity Award, Chiropractic of the Year Award, CEO Award,

Vision Award, High-Spirited Citizen Award, Rising Star Award,

Crystal Apple Educators Award, Extra-Ordinary Speaker Award,

Award of Honor, Who’s Who, ACA & TCA President’s Award, and

more.

Additionally, Dr. Mancini has given testimony to the White

House Commission for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine

and has served for years on the Texas Governor’s Advisory

Council on Physical Fitness. He has authored many articles in

various journals and has been featured in newspapers and

magazines nationwide. He is an active member of the National

Speakers Association. He has been inducted in all three

fellowships as a Fellow for the International College of

Chiropractors (FICC), Fellow for the American College of

Chiropractors (FACC), and Fellow of the International Chiropractic

Association (FICA).

Dr Mancini has co-authored with best-selling authors, Jack

Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen in Chicken Soup for the

Chiropractic Soul®, which was released in April 2003 and he has

been a frequent guest of CNN Espanol with more than 38 million



85

viewers. He recently received the honor of having Mexico’s

leading University, UNEVE, name their Library after him.

Dr. Mancini has been inducted into the Wellness

Revolutionaries Hall of Fame for his contributions in this field.

Dr. Fabrizio Mancini

4020 N. MacArthur Blvd. Suite 122-142

Irving, Texas 75038

Visit us at: www.drfab.net



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