Graham Show

E=MC2 BALANCING OUR LIFE EQUATION

Matt Graham

CONTENTS
Self Analysis ..................................................13
Why should I read this Book? ....................15
Introduction:
The Theory of Revolution .............................17
Chapter 1:
Laughter, Meditation And Positive Intentions ........ 23
Chapter 2:
Become With Nature ................................................ 31
Chapter 3:
Nutrition .................................................................. 37
Chapter 4:
Exercise..................................................................... 43
Chapter 5:
Find a Passion, Find a Passion in Life ................... 55
Chapter 6:
Create your own Masterpiece .................................. 61
Chapter 7:
Surround yourself with positive people, Goals,
Memories and Living Space..................................... 67
Passions/Sports/Activities: ..........................73

13
 

Self Analysis

The reason that I wrote this book was because I was at a
point in my life where I had burnt myself out and hit walls in
many respects. All aspects of my life began to suffer. On top of
all of that, I had my life threatened for what I say in my music
and overall in life. Just being positive seems to cause jealousy
in some people, which then creates fear: and ultimately when
you are scared, you simply can not be yourself or help the
world out at all. I thought to myself, I could either settle for
what had happened to me to date and accept it as the way it
will be, or I could re-group re-plan and enjoy what I have and
embrace it. I am 28 years young as I write this book and I
decided to stare death in the face and say what I have to say,
and to try and make the world a little better, one book and one
song at a time.
I also noticed that I had started to lose some of my youthful
spark and passion for life. I wanted to get that back. It was
then that I started on my quest to feel eighteen again. I started
to think about it and realized that I needed a plan, a larger one
than just daily routine. I wanted to be able to live the exact life
that I chose and to be perfectly balanced in all aspects. I don’t
mean being obsessive compulsive about it, but instead treating
life as a constant learning experience and a way to grow as
a human being in the human race. This could potentially be
done by trying to trade off bad habits for good ones. To make
that plan I needed to get my ideas out on paper.
I only had a few ideas at first, but then I thought to myself.
“Why not write and make an entire book about my experiences
and my transformation to a better me, and try to make an

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entire plan on how to get it done and make it fun and easy for
anybody?” I knew that to do this and to do it right, I would
have to set aside my macho ego tendencies as a young man
and believe you me, it proved to be a challenge. I started to
notice that too much of anything was bad and got to be boring
and repetitive and that I was much more productive and felt
better overall if I had a healthy mix. I went from smoking a
few grams of weed a day to running 5 km runs.
Basically this is my story about how I searched to find my
true self and what lies imprinted on my soul. This is what I
came up with. I think that to live the perfectly balanced life,
one must consider all options and know that at any point a
smarter route or a new discovery is waiting to happen, that
could alter the way you think altogether and send you on an
entirely unexpected life path. To fully appreciate life, we must
look for the subtleties and irony in specific moments. It is in
these moments, when time slows, that everything feels just
right. These are the moments we remember and the ones that
I try to hold on to while they are happening.

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Why should I read this Book?
If you have ever experienced any one of the following
feelings or thoughts then this book is for you.
• Is there more to life than just a routine?
• I would like to take ownership of my life and live
my dreams.
• I haven’t been appreciating the present moment or
the small things.
• I wish I could lose weight and feel younger and
healthier again.
• Am I missing something…I’m kind of bored today?
• I would like to experience new things in life.
• I want to create a masterpiece in art, music, or
business, a visible accomplishment.
• I have goals that seem achievable, where do I begin?
• Why do I act the way I do in certain situations?
• I wish I had more energy in a day.

17

 

Introduction:
 

The Theory of Revolution
 

I am sure before I even get this book published or even
before you hear what I have to say that there are going to
be skeptics or scientists that say that this entire analogy just
doesn’t make sense. Well I ask them “what is sense?” as
observed by me or you.
Einstein’s famous equation that derived from the theory of
relativity is stated as E=MC2. This equation is the fundamental
equation for life. Everything can be explained according to this
formula. It can be viewed as quite simple or quite elaborate.
On a finite scale it is all relative to the observer. I challenge
you all now to close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and
say three times, “I will understand this concept to the fullest.”
By believing that you can achieve this to the fullest, you
will eliminate any mental barrier that you may have already
created in your own consciousness and help yourself channel
your energy toward the goal at hand. By closing your eyes,
you can heighten your other senses as well.
Try this exercise to heighten your senses:
• Turn on the television and watch it for one minute.
Take a sip of some sort of juice or wine.
• Turn off the television, close your eyes, take a
deep breath, and take another sip savouring what you
are actually doing. You should taste many, many more
flavours than you did the first time
With so many distractions in life we sometimes miss the
subtle important things.
 

The Theory of Revolution:
 

E (Represents) Energy
Equals
M (Represents) Mass
C 2(Represents) Constant Multiplied by Itself
(ie. Squared)—Speed of Light

The sun is a source of energy to us. Its rays hit our planet
with energy subsequently being absorbed through heat or it
is captured in other methods. If we are receiving energy from
the sun, which serves as a source of life then according to the
equation the exact amount of energy received must equal the
spin on the earth as the constant squared multiplied by the
mass of our entire planet.
How consistent is the amount of energy sent at us by the
sun? If the rotation of our planet is moving at a constant speed,
then the actual weight of our planet must either fluctuate or
release the exact proportionate amount according to the
equation. If one side of our planet is getting hit with energy
while the other is releasing it, would this not cause the earth
to spin continuously in one direction once it began. If this
isn’t happening on a perfectly balanced scale, would we
not be getting either closer or further away? My Theory of
Revolution is that all is perfectly balanced and one of three
things occurs.
• The energy is returned back to the sun.
• We use it to create another dimension or existence
through thought.
• It simply goes back out into space and fuels more
exchanges in the universe in life in time.
Let us break it down even further. The warmth received by
the suns energy heats the ground. Mixed with some nutrients,
water and a seed, life begins. Energy, (is non-physical and)
when it is combined with the right matter creates something
physical. Without it life would never have even begun in the
first place.

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As a plant develops it absorbs more energy through the
chlorophyll in the leaves and mixed just right with the water
and other elements, sugar is formed. All life requires water. It
can be used as a constant and in a way is a part of the mass.
As it grows, so does the amount of energy it receives from the
source. Let us say that the plant was an ear of corn. It grows
up all season and in the end, gets picked, ground up, and made
into feed for the animals on the farm.
The farmer then feeds the cows with the corn and with
just the right amount of water and other nutrients; the cow
converts it from solid into other forms of energy: heat for
itself, movement and muscle, physical form energy.
We then go to the store or the butcher and buy a steak. With
just the right amount of water and other nutrients, we take this
physical substance, add heat, and it becomes our source of
energy. We then take it and do many things with it like heat
ourselves, walk around, talk, think, and the energy is released
back out into the world.
We can also transfer this energy out many other ways as
well. For example, if we hit a baseball, the energy from the
pitcher is used to throw the ball. It hits the bat and because
of the mix of energy from the hitter’s bat, combined with
the pitch, it is redirected up somewhere. Who knows what
happens after that. I think it may return back to the sun in some
form or another or out into the universe. There is a constant
exchange of energy equaling the mass of the earth with its
constant rotation going. All the while, at the same time, the
World Series baseball game is going on as well.
One of my favorite examples is the comparison made
between the ways our universe works and the movement of
a Swiss watch or something else of that quality and intricacy.
 

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To clarify, really good watches do not use batteries. The small
amounts of energy needed to make time exist in that form,
that minute comes from us. As we move, the watch has the
capabilities to self wind and then propels itself. Based on the
diagram of a theory I have about the propulsion of energy
and the sun, our galaxy or solar system could be compared in
this way. After it initially started, it didn’t require any other
propulsion boosts. It works very intricately and as a whole it
controls our time in space we represent. It is perfectly balanced
to continually self wind.
This entity may not be as small as our solar system. Rather,
it may be our galaxy around the black hole as the centre of the
watch. This is where it all begins. We are simply one small
gear in a much larger system of gears that creates time. Look
inside a watch sometime if you get the chance. My opinion is
that a lot of science is focused on all the individual gears when
in fact all together they make up a watch or, to us, our entire
existence.
By adjusting my life to suit the flows of energy more
and what I have learned along the way, I have increased my
happiness in many ways. The following chapters are detailed
stories and specific ways in which I have changed my life to
have better Relationships, Daily Energy and Alertness, Brain
Function, Sex, Work, Play and many other things that mean a
lot to me in my life.
All life is connected and in fact, all are the same. I am
you, you are me, I am the table, and you are the chair. But
once again it is all relative to the observer. It simply takes on
different forms of energy. My goal is to help you discover
and enjoy your path in life through a few tricks that I have
learned. To be more harmonious by not fighting this natural
flow of energy continuously taking place and even using it to
 

22

your advantage, to balance your life equation. In other words,
everyone has a perfect balance. It is a life journey, to try and
find the perfect balance, with the universal flow of life and
time. Maybe try trading a good habit for a bad one to try to
accomplish this balance yourself.

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Chapter 1:
Laughter, Meditation
And Positive Intentions

The Doc says laughter is the best medicine I definitely
enjoy doing it and it keeps me in a good mood.
Over the years there has been a lot of different research
completed on stress and disease. I noticed as an individual, the
more stressed I am, the more likely I am to get sick. Stress can
cause our bodies’ immune system to get worn down. When
you are stressed, do you ever really laugh, for real? For some
reason I don’t really think so. So now they have been studying
the results of laughing on people. The results are coming back
quite favorable. These results are so favorable, that hospitals
have even gone as far as having entire rooms designed to make
people laugh. To see this prototype, try typing in humor room
on your search engine. The thought is that it shortens your
hospital visit time and heightens your chances for survival.
Who actually thought this up! Amazing isn’t it?
When I have had a challenging day, I try to enjoy a good
laugh. Some of my favorite ways to do this are through
watching mindless comedies, sitcoms, or movies. I don’t
really watch much television, but when I do I like to keep it
relatively simple and I usually watch a comedy. There are so
many things to choose from these days. You can start with the
letter A and think of all the sitcoms you enjoy. Then you can do
the same for movies and comedy routines. With the internet in
the 21st century, you can pretty much download any episode
 

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for a few bucks, commercial free, and even start your own
movie library of comedies. This could be your ammunition
for the days that you need a boost of laughter and positive
inspiration. It can be a very helpful tool.
Also, you can make a Laughter Chart in a scrap book, of
things that make you feel good. It will help you classify and
record your favorite movies and shows, so you can work at
having them on hand for the times in life you want to laugh
the stress away. By laughing the stress away, you can increase
blood flow everywhere and as a result it may actually help
to slow your entire aging process. So what are you waiting
for? Start brainstorming now! Maybe add to the list as ideas
arise in your life. This way you won’t risk being hard up for
material when you need it the most.
Have you heard of the saying “smiling is contagious”?
Well next time you aren’t feeling the best, why don’t you try
smiling and see how happy you may become. Like yawning,
body language is contagious, and you will pass the smile on to
someone else, who will in turn pass it back to you. My mom
said to me once, “you use a lot more muscles frowning then
you do when you smile.” This means that you get a lot more,
for a lot less effort, and you also spread the good vibes to the
world. It is my belief that energy can rub off and transfer to
other people in the world, making the world a better place for
all of us. Also, others will want to know why you are having
a good day.
Meditation:
Meditations are used on all continents in the world and
in many walks of life. From sports to medicine, it has been
shown that by using the human mind and focusing in on it,

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you can accomplish many things. Meditation is a time of self
reflection when one can relax one’s self and think about the
tasks at hand. It is one of many ways to achieve balance in
one’s life.
For me, it all began in drama class in high school. Our
teacher would put on ocean sounds in the background and
teach us how to slowly mellow right out and relax. The more
I practiced it, the better I got at it. Overall I still use the same
principles as she taught me. You can lie down or you can sit
upright, the choice is yours, but basically you want to make
sure that you are comfortable. With technology these days,
you could make your own meditation tape/recording pretty
easily or by using YouTube. Try recording your voice in the
background, and then saying what I summarize below for you.
Put it on your phone or other listening devices if you need to
take a few minutes out of your day at stressful points. I find
that halfway through a day if I take ten or fifteen minutes and
close my eyes and relax and breathe deeply, then I come back
with a fresh mindset and sometimes a completely different
view or mindset. Get creative and see what works best for
you and relaxes you the most. Fish tanks are nice ways to
have running water in the background of a room, so the soft
sound of running water is constantly in the back ground of
your thoughts.
To begin meditating, start at your feet and as you breathe,
feel your breath entering all the way down into your feet
relaxing all muscles and letting go completely.
Breathe in now, as slow as you can, in your nose, and out
your mouth.
Perfect, the more you breathe now, the slower it becomes,
and you notice your heart rate slowing as well.
 

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Now your feet are completely relaxed now, as you continue
to breath slowly counting to ten in your head, 1, 2, 3…etc 10,
in your nose and out your mouth.
You move slowly up your calves now, continuing to breathe
slowly in your nose and out your mouth. With each breath in,
you feel a little more relaxed and with each exhale out, you
feel any tension or negative energy released out of your body.
As you move up past your calves and into your knees and
quads, you feel yourself sinking into the ground with each
breath, becoming more and more relaxed. All your worries
slip away.
Keep breathing in, 1, 2, 3…Etc 10, your nose and out your
mouth.
Good.
Now move up to your mid section and with each breath in,
feel yourself relax, you feel yourself slip deeper and deeper
into relaxation.
Keep breathing in, 1, 2, 3…Etc 10 your nose and out your
mouth.
Good.
Up to your stomach now in, 1, 2, 3…Etc 10 your nose and
out your mouth.
You feel yourself sinking into the ground with each breath.
Now your breathing slows even more and your chest begins
to relax more and more as you breath in, 1, 2, 3…Etc 10, your
nose and out your mouth.
Let your mind just think to itself; listen to your subconscious
chatter going on. Slowly the more and more relaxed you
become, the less the things in your day matter and the inner
chatter starts to slow down. If you can silence it completely
then you are really achieving a deep meditation.

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discouraged when this happens, because it can set you back
even further. During my initial reprogramming of my mind
I had many setbacks and still do. As I balance my life, more
and more simply coming to terms with all the changes, can be
a challenge itself. I fell off the so called positive train a few
times. But one thing is for sure, I somehow always find a way
to get back on it. The more I try the more positive I become,
even if it is one small step at a time. You have to crawl before
you walk, and walk before you run. If you have good friends
and family around you, they can help to keep you in a positive
state. We can all have rough days and good friends can help us
get through the tough times.
There is a challenge I set out for you and ask you to try. I
tried it myself and it involves a purple bracelet. The Oracle
in Whistler, BC sells bracelets that are purple and you wear
on your wrist. Now, the challenge is to go about your day
wearing this bracelet and go about your business. The first
time you think or say anything that is remotely negative, you
have to stop what you are doing and put the bracelet on the
other arm. If you can go a whole month wearing the bracelet
on the same wrist, then you can most likely break the habit
all together. For myself, I use any bracelet now and still try
to stay as positive as possible. This can even mean speaking
positive words in a sentence. For example, if I say “Not Bad”,
when someone asks me how I am, this would be negative. If
I were to say “Great”, as the response instead, it passes on the
message that you are great and make the person self reflect as
well and hopefully as a result, feel great as well. Even if you
weren’t feeling the best, it could help you get your mindset in
the right direction to feel great. No one is perfect and we are
all human, but if we try to do this, it can really help, and help
as a small fraction in the world.

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Chapter 2:
 

Become With Nature
 

There is something about becoming one with nature that
can be appreciated in a way, different than anything else.
Every day I try to make a point to get outside and breathe
fresh air in for at least fifteen minutes, even, if it is simply for
a walk. You could look at it on a deeper level if you choose.
Our physical body came from nature and the earth. The air we
breathe, when it is full of oxygen, is the best it can be to us. It is
cleaner and helps to clean out ourselves as well. The sun plays
a major role in health as well. Vitamins are absorbed through
our skin and stored in our body. Vitamin D keeps us happy and
feeling good. It affects some people more than others. Next
time it’s raining out, look at people’s expressions. Then, when
it’s sunny, have a look. You will see a big difference if you
look closely. Vitamin D found in the sun’s rays keep us happy
and feeling good.
As well, oxygen helps keep our skin looking healthy. Too
much makeup or any type of cream with bad products in it,
aren’t very good for you and over years will damage your
skin. I have noticed that mild patches of dry skin are directly
affected by my levels of Vitamin D, as well, and completely
disappear or re-appear depending on how much sun I get and
how much vitamin D I take. It also directly affects my asthma.
I have found the more balanced the vitamins are in my body,
the better my asthma gets. Right now, I am to the point where
I don’t even use a puffer anymore. No steroid puffers or other
artificial ways to band aid my symptoms! I directly fixed it by

32
 

getting to the root cause, nutrition, or lack thereof. Running
has also helped improve the asthma as well, by strengthening
my lungs. When I run in the cold weather, or have a cold, it
can be mildly there, but for the most part, all of my symptoms
are gone.
I live just down the road in Whistler, BC from the outdoor
recreation capital of Canada, Squamish. We receive some of
the rainiest weather in the country. It seems sometimes during
rainy season that we can go months without seeing the sun. It
just goes to show you, that just because it isn’t a perfect day
outside, it doesn’t mean you can’t get out there and have fun.
Some of the most fun days I have had in my life have been
on rainy, muddy days. There is a point in time when you just
stop caring how dirty you get, and let loose. This feeling of
liberation is sweet! It could come from a hike or a bike ride
in the mud.
There are many ways that the outdoors can give you a fresh
outlook on life. You don’t have to live out in the wild to be able
to gain the benefits from it either. It could be just as simple as
a relaxing stroll during lunch hour or break, that gets you out
and gets the blood flowing. You will end up being more alert
and as a result more productive in your tasks later in the day.
Personally, when I have worked in a city, a lot of the time, I
packed a lunch and went to the park for lunch. I went by the
water if possible and just sat under a tree. Try to be aware of
everything around you while you do this and listen to each
sound. Observe the wind blowing softly, the ducks swimming
by, the birds overhead and the green grass. There is a lot going
on all at once, that we sometimes forget to check out and be
aware of because of our constant rush through time.

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Weekend getaways:
 

There is something about packing up your vehicle, bike or
even simply your back pack and heading off into the wild. In
certain African tribes or even native tribes in North America,
part of the rituals of a boy becoming a man was to go off into
the wild and survive. They even went as far as to paint the
entire body white and when all of the paint had worn off, the
boy could return back to the tribe as a man, for he had passed
his test of survival. Don’t ask me where I remember this from,
but it stuck in my mind. Sometimes the biggest sacrifices and
toughest times teach us the best lessons.
I recommend everyone try to pack up for a weekend. Make
it a romantic getaway for you and your significant other. You
may find that when there isn’t much around you except the
two of you, there isn’t much left except the simple things of
getting to know each other better and learning to appreciate the
simple things. Just make sure you are equipped properly for
the type of trip you plan on having. When I go, I try to go for
at least three days minimally, at a time, bringing a tent, fishing
rod, beer, wine, port and some other food supplies to cook out
in the wild. You can still cook nice breakfasts, sandwiches and
if we are lucky and nature provides, sometimes fresh fish. It
is an amazing experience to live somewhat off the land and in
nature for a few days. Turn off all cell phones, watches and
other digital devices. Get away and enjoy some real peace of
mind. Get out the acoustic guitar and learn a few songs. Sing
along about random things and let your spirit soar.
By getting out and being with real nature, you make a
memory of a life time. You never know what’s going to happen;
all you have is your wit and faith that all will go as planned.
You have priceless photos of scenes and colors of the season

34

that will never be the same again. You never know what kind
of wild life you may run into. We have run into deer, bears,
raccoons, snakes, and many other local wildlife in BC. The
craziest time I ever had was waking up one morning to a loud
purr. I will never know exactly what it was; definitely a wild
cat of some sort. But it was a good thing that it was purring.
I caution you to do research before you go and to secure your
food according to suggestions for that wild life area.
The cost to do these kinds of trips is very minimal. To help
offset your carbon emissions, plant a tree, in an area that is
more open and could use one.
If there are any hot springs anywhere near you, locate them
and have the time of your life. You are in sand tubs heated
by one of our free energy sources, the centre of the earth. If
there aren’t any near you, I recommend at some time in your
life that you make a point of visiting some. At night when it is
all little candles, it is amazing to think about how far into the
wild you are and how you are able to enjoy that kind of luxury
naturally. Maybe have a glass of wine, kick back, relax and
check out the sky.
Another challenge I hope you will all accomplish one
day is to hike a mountain. I have the privilege of living in a
mountain range which is a life that I am very thankful for. If
you don’t have this opportunity, I hope that you can find a way
to have the chance to try this challenge. The reason I found
this challenge one of the best accomplishments I have reached
is because when I get to the top of the mountain, the view is
priceless.
Hiking a mountain is one of those things, that if you simply
look at the top while you are at the bottom, and how far it is
up, you think you will never get there. You can start a little
ways up on most climbs; you aren’t always right at sea level.

35

It can go from winding trails to steep, and even back downhill
at points. The sun and rain or other elements can also play a
part in the journey. If you simply know you can get to the top
and you take it step by step, then it makes it a lot easier to
accomplish your goal. Once there, you get to look out at the
other peaks of the mountains and see for miles around. It is
amazing! Make sure you take this same approach at anything
in life that may seem even a little difficult. Simply know you
can do it and start taking small steps in the direction that you
want to go and you will surprise yourself when you actually
get there and achieve it, or at least come close. You will look
back at the village or city below or the goal you were going
for, and see how far you have come and that you have made it!
Every goal is accomplishable if you break it down into steps.
If you aren’t that ambitious or your health doesn’t permit,
take a ski lift to the top and walk around once you are up there.
You will find you have more energy as well. Have a picnic
up top, take some priceless photos. ‘The sky’, in this case,
‘literally’ is the limit!
There are many ways to enjoy the outdoors. I have given
you some of the examples that I do in the summer for fun and to
get outdoors. To get outdoors in the winter, try snowboarding
or for others, try skiing. In my opinion it is the best way to
get out and get fresh air. Be creative and do some research on
the area you are thinking about. Or instead of getting a hotel
downtown, rent a nice little cabin on the lake; have a fire and
enjoy the ambiance with your significant other. I think you get
the idea. Enjoy.

Chapter 3:

Nutrition
 

There are many elements to the E=MC2 approach to eating.
Everyone is different. We all require different amounts of
each vitamin. We can be recommended certain things, but
depending on our gender, height, weight, and many other
factors, things will vary. The charts about daily intake,
found on the side of food product packages, are only a rough
guide. Because everyone is different, all individuals require
a different intake of supplements or food in a day. The basic
guidelines are important though, and can be used as a guide.
If I were to only consume the daily recommended intake of
protein on a day I ran five miles, then my body would be
lacking the required amount to repair muscles and also to then
store carbohydrates for the next time. My body would draw on
other proteins from the rest of my body until it was repaired
and balanced out. I try to consume my body weight in protein
every day, comparatively speaking in grams or at least 80% of
it. But remember, it isn’t always how much you eat, it is what
you eat. If you have too much of one thing, your body will
either flush it out, or absorb it and turn it into the wrong form
such as fat.
With the perfect unique formula or blend, we can balance
our body to be the most efficient and as a result we become
stronger and clearer minded. With that said most of our bodies
are made up of water. The best way to stay healthy is to
constantly flush your body of the toxins and replenish it with

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clean water. Personally, I do this by taking a sauna as well, or
by running long distances. By slowly increasing the body’s
temperature the toxins head to the skins surface where they
are excreted in sweat. If you have accidentally absorbed
chemicals through breathing or touching them, it helps to get
them out of your body. Our bodies are designed to take care of
toxins in this way. We simply have to help get it done.
I have been really watching what I eat everyday lately, and
have discovered a lot about myself, based on the 1 to 10 scale
of how I feel. Start a chart in a scrap book of how you feel on
a daily basis and aim for the ten.
The perfectly balanced day:
What I have discovered is that breakfast is in fact the most
important meal of the day. It sets the entire pace and tone for the
day ahead. First thing in the morning I drink as much water as
I can. Just breathing at night dehydrates you, especially when
using electric heating. After that I try to get some granola,
fruit (banana, apple) and yogurt into me each doing a specific
thing. Try mixing all of that together and it tastes sweet. What
I eat, should last me until the early afternoon, as long as I
don’t run or workout in between.
Between breakfast and lunch I have one green tea bag, left
in the cup, and /or a cup of black coffee, with very little brown
sugar. For lunch I have a sandwich or wrap with a lot of protein
on the inside. This adds up to fewer carbohydrates, more
protein and will leave you much more full. On the sandwich,
add some vegetables. They are very high in antioxidants. In
the afternoon I have protein for a snack with some fruit.

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Silent Killers:
We all like to eat foods that, let’s just say, aren’t the best
for us. It happens. We are human, and we have cravings.
Sometimes it’s better to reward yourself than to go without,
because over all you would be happier and maybe later, work
it off harder, because of this.
As we move on in time, society seems to be conditioned
more towards fatty sugary foods. There are many problems
that can arise from this. Too much fat, too often, is a silent
killer. Simply be aware of this and use ways to flush your
system, to have a clean and healthy one.
Antioxidants:
What is an antioxidant?
An antioxidant is a type of compound found in foods that
inhibits the oxidation process caused by oxygen. If you look at
metal over time it rusts through a process called oxidization.
The same things happen to our bodies over time. When I was
a kid I did a science experiment where I put a nail in a baby
food jar with salt and water. Eventually the nail crumbled
and disappeared into a dust like substance. By consuming
antioxidants as much as possible, ongoing, you can slow your
aging process and limit diseases and the affects of the disease.
Green Tea: For centuries the Asians have known about the
amazing effects of green tea. Although I don’t have any direct
scientific correlation to support its benefits, I still recommend
it. I also recommend a South American tea called Yerba Mate.
My grandfather once went to an Asian herb shop after
his heart bypass and asked the shop worker if he had any

40

recommendations. The kind gentlemen recommended he
start drinking green tea on a daily basis. He drank it for a few
weeks until his supply ran out. When he went back the store
the clerk didn’t recognize him. My grandpa said “I was just
here a few weeks ago.” The clerk’s response “Ah, you look
younger, that’s why I didn’t notice you.” I found that story
priceless. I believe it gave him extra years on his life drinking
the tea daily.
I have a brew I make when I start to feel any signs of getting
sick. The key is to catch it early so your body has more fighter
cells than the virus/disease in your body. Make sure you don’t
do this on an empty stomach. In a middle size pot I mix one
ginger root, and five to ten bags of green tea (decaffeinated)
and liquorices. I also shave the top buds off a head of broccoli
and add these to the pot. I then boil the water with the tea
bags and ginger and the other ingredients in the pot, until
there is one serving or cup of the brew. I remove everything
else and have a tea. Add honey for sweetening. It will also
help your throat and voice. As a vocalist, in the dry winter
months, a voice can be a challenge to maintain.
Red Wine:
When it comes to a consistent choice for an alcoholic
beverage I would have to say wine is my choice. Don’t get
me wrong. I do like other types of drinks on occasion. Red
wine and specifically the colour purple, or the tannin, has been
said by many to have a high concentration of anti oxidant
compounds. It comes from the skins of the grapes and thinks
about this, since any kind of alcohol thins your blood, as long
as it is in moderate doses, it can be good for your heart. Thinner
blood causes less resistance in your circulation system.

41
 

Apples:
Since day one in the creation story, apples have been said
to have wisdom and health benefits. The core is said to have
many antioxidant compounds. “An apple a day keeps the
doctor away.” From what I notice, it can reduce inflammation
in the airway and sinuses. Aim for one a day. I also substitute
the apple with a pear sometimes and I find it to have similar
effects.
Fiber:
The best way to target cholesterol is to have lots of fiber
in your diet as well as to monitor your cholesterol intake.
To balance the equation, you must make sure that your fiber
intake far exceeds the amount of cholesterol, so that you can
slowly eliminate and clean. Find ways to cut the cholesterol
and then increase fiber. Psyllium husk is a good way to do this.
Pomegranates:
What is it with nature and the colour purple/dark red as an
antioxidant? Pomegranates are said to have extreme oxidant
compounds. I like to boil about a quarter of one with my tea
sometimes to give it an original flavour. It works sweet.
Tomatoes:
Tomatoes are very high in vitamin C and antioxidants as
well. On a weekly basis I try to have at least two meals for
dinner that contain pasta sauce with lots of garlic and whole
grains. Choose your favorite style of noodle; add a little basil,

42
 

and cilantro, top with cheese and bam. Next thing you know
you are cooking up a storm.
We all have the one freedom that no one can take from us.
That freedom is choice. We can choose what we put in our
bodies. Everything we eat daily gets absorbed into our system.
We need to be aware of the preservatives and chemicals that
are being introduced into our body, and try to limit them. If
over all you follow a good exercise program and work at
getting healthy nutrition in your body, then overall you will
look and feel better and as a result be a better person in society.

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Chapter 4:

Exercise

In a healthy happy body, disease has a very hard time
surviving. I believe that it has to do with the transfer of energy.
If you have a perfectly balanced body of nutrients you will
be able to keep your energy and immune system healthy.
There are many ways I believe this balance can be achieved.
On a scientific level, everybody needs some special blend of
supplements and nutrients that is different then the next. We
cannot be classified into simply one species anymore. We all
evolve and change at different rates and speeds, over thousands
and thousands of years. Also, we all live very different lives.
A world class athlete needs different nutrients then someone
who gets off work and sits on a couch every day. If we did in
fact evolve from apes, that is phenomenal (Darwin’s Theory
of Evolution). I now ask then, if that is possible, what else
are we currently capable of and soon to be capable of, as
evolved humans? Are we about to potentially break beyond
the barriers of the physical world? We once thought the earth
was flat. Were we ever wrong!
Our bodies originally were developed to run, hunt and do
many other things. We even went as far as running down our
prey in the heat of the day to kill it. (Men’s Health Article). It
took many, many miles to do this. Genetics play an extremely
crucial role in exercise and dominant genes get passed on in
the process of natural selection (punett square). Also, once
you have developed a muscle to a certain caliber of strength,
your body remembers the building blocks of the chemistry it
 

44
 

needed to get there, so that in the future you are able to get
there much easier. This is called muscle memory.
In the twenty first century, it is safe to assume that we
are probably the laziest that humanity has ever been. In my
opinion this comes however, with great repercussions. It is
not a secret that obesity and diseases derived from this issue
and that they are all related. Without changing your habits
you will simply fall back into the way you were. Our bodies
naturally remove toxins; all we have to do is help it along
by sweating either with saunas or a lot of cardio. My asthma
is now completely gone with the blend of vitamins I take as
well. I needed an inhaler a little when I had a cold; however
that is a drastic improvement from my daily puffer routines.
It is my belief that the toxins that were in my system played a
significant role in causing the asthma. Cause and effect occur
when certain chemicals put in the water, food and air create
breathing issues that you then need to spend money on to
correct. After burning fossil fuel for the last century and with
clouds of smog hanging over almost every city, how do we
still have the nerve to scratch our head and say, “euh, why are
pulmonary diseases and cancer rising?”.
Overall, during my entire life, I have been very fit. From
two years old, skates were strapped on my feet, a stick put
in my hand and I was sent off to get that puck. Some of you
know it as hockey, others ice hockey. The point is that I have
had a long time to learn about how well I feel and why I feel
the way I do. Also I used to race cross country mountain bikes
very competitively. I spent hundreds of hours during the year
training. The results are that you reap what you sow, meaning
the more you train the better you do.
In a way I have done self analysis, with regard to fitness,
for a solid decade, although I don’t have any documents or

45

stats or any actual math to show this. It is simply based on
a scale of one to ten; I ask myself how I feel. I have only
recently begun to really track it and think to myself, “What
have I been up to?” The results I have been getting from trial
periods of different exercises are amazing. Depending on your
specific body type at a specific age, it can be determined what
fine tune of cardio versus strength training is needed to be at
your top physical shape. Personally, I find the best approach
is to think of any weak points and then target them. Look at
yourself in the mirror, and decide what you don’t like. You get
to be the plastic surgeon here. It won’t be as easy, but you will
feel amazing after accomplishing it.
Anything else about your body, you can’t change by fitness,
than you probably shouldn’t change anyway, unless medically
required. These are the traits that keep us individuals in our
world and show us why we are all different, The reason this
is the way it is, I can’t quite figure out quite yet, except to
say that we are all quite simply, an original being, a piece
of art. Everyone is hot, beautiful and sexy in their own way.
Someone out there will find your originality beautiful. I have
used these methods of conditioning and reprogramming my
mind to overall boost my confidence, my looks and get to
know my inner self much better.
The Water we Drink
Part of my overall detoxification process is to consume a
lot of water. I try to keep it filtered and not bottled. Staying
properly hydrated is the key to being able to expel the
thousands of toxins that are put in everything we touch and
consume on a daily basis. Try to limit the amount of poison
you intake, so that when you do detoxify and cleanse, you will

46
 

be able to get rid of most toxins and thus live healthier and
longer. How long should we be able to live?
Cardiovascular System
Fast Twitch Muscles
I would say that your cardio vascular system is one of
the most import aspects of our physical fitness. Fast twitch
muscles are exactly what they are called, muscles that react
and move quickly. Cardio mainly involves fast twitch muscles.
I am 5, 11 and according to most charts I should weigh no
more than 185 pounds or so. We are all different and have
our own balance. Many charts literally don’t take into account
individual attributes, chest size etc. You can strive for this
optimal weight but it will vary. Look in the mirror and if you
want to define that extra little bit, then you have to realize that
half of a pizza, equals a while on that tread mill. The best time
to ever cheat on a commitment to yourself on your training
cycle should be after the work out, though. By all means if
you are hungry eat, but eat the right things.
After taking about a year off of most physical activity,
besides paddling and hiking here and there, I looked in the
mirror and what I noticed was that I was slowly sliding. I
didn’t like what I was starting to see. As my age sped on, my
metabolism did the opposite. The only way to stop it was to
confront it and myself with the issue. A personal pep talk was
what came out of it and became an entire life style change…
With the exception of pizza! No matter how far I have to run
I will always eat it. I looked at myself in the mirror and said,
“Get it done”. I went out and ran 11 miles right after. I caution
you if you are not in very good shape then consult a physician
before trying that. It was the furthest I ever ran and one of the

47
 

hardest things I ever did. It was physical, mental and anything
else you can call it all mixed into one. The climax of the jog
and when I had to stop was when my right leg started cramping
uncontrollably. However it was all worth it. With each mile/
kilometer I ran, I broke down a new barrier in my mind and
soul. It reinforced in me that I could get through anything and
that each step was an accomplishment towards a bigger goal.
When I then walked into life a day later, besides being sore, I
felt like everything else was easy and that I could accomplish
anything. Also, after this I realized that you don’t always have
to push that hard and sometimes it may be wiser not to, in
order to balance how you feel. That’s not to say don’t push
yourself, but take smaller strides to the end result.
Because of the sudden start to run, major endorphins and
natural chemicals from inside my glands, muscles and other
organs were released into my blood stream. It’s called the
runners high. The results were that I was very alert, energetic
and slightly euphoric from it. I felt like math and other things
slowly became easier, the longer I stuck to the workout plan.
I had a part time job doing finances for a restaurant and the
running sped up my productivity. Guaranteed.
In a good routine period as a guide line for a cardio workout,
I aim at jogging every other day, for a minimum of twenty
five minutes. I look at it this way. The first part of the run is
simply to burn current energy in my system. After the first ten
to twenty minutes you should start to tap into storage tissues
and fat. It will in fact be burning away what you want to. If
your heart rate is too high though, you won’t be burning off
as much fat because your body will be running off the oxygen
instead.
Once you get your rhythm and routine down, this is where
the fun part begins. You are the plastic surgeon and the more

48

you run the more fat you burn. The more fat you burn, the
more your definition comes in. I believe to feel good, it is
important to look good as well. The two are connected. Your
self confidence will rise as a result and you will be able to
offer more to the world as a human being.
I don’t mean you should act vain, but strive to be your best.
If you can’t run, you can still walk and keep your heart rate up
to a rate that will burn. Again it varies per person. The way I
look at it is, if I am questioning how hard I am training then I
am not pushing it hard enough. There should be no doubt you
are burning fat and energy, otherwise you could be wasting
your time. However, definitely listen to your body and feel it
out. Your body will tell you if you are going too hard. When
you push this hard this is where the run becomes spiritual
in the sense that you become one with every aspect of your
physical self and even beyond.
I recommend running a solid distance that feels like a
major accomplishment. Every week, or every three or four
workouts try and add 1 mile /1.6 km’s. Gradual increase will
give your body time to adjust and save you from getting too
sore the next day.
If you are striving for a particular goal of minutes per
miles I have noticed that setting a short term goal, like the
first mile, is the easiest way to monitor and encourage your
training. Take things one stage at a time. Baby steps turn into
bigger and bigger steps. You have to crawl before you walk
and walk before you run. Breaking your goals down will give
you a chance to see results quicker, and keep your momentum
going, which I find is key to anything. In the end, when you
finish, you will be amazed at your accomplishments.
As a guideline, the more fat you have on your body, the
more cardio you need to do, to strengthen your heart and

49

shave off that fat. Please do this before your do a lot of weight
training which can be more strenuous on your joints and also
your heart.
Weight Training
Slow Twitch Muscles
Solid weight training can be just as good for you, or burn as
much energy as cardio. This is because when your heart rate is
around 120–140 beats per minute you are targeting fat storage
and a lot of cardio will push your heart rate above the best
rate to burn. Weight training will typically keep your heart
rate around the right beats per minute to burn the fat stored.
Typically slow twitch muscles are used in weight training
and do what they are called. Twitch and move slowly. There
are two ways that I find effective when weight training, for
toning the muscles and for building muscles. Toning involves
high reps and building involves lower reps, with the heaviest
weights that you can lift.
Personally, I notice that the best results are achieved when
I super set my entire routine, overlapping the final set of one
with the beginning of the next, while also mixing up the reps
in the process. By super sets I mean back to back sets of
everything. You are continually moving, so this can work as
a cardio as well. I always aim for four sets of each exercise.
To overlap the sets, do the first exercise (chest) after three sets
I will move on and do another exercise (biceps), so that my
heart rate stays high, but my chest gets a little rest before the
final set for toning. Then I continue on with biceps or whatever
I feel is next and do the same once I reach the third set. The
key is to change it up continuously so you never really have
a routine. You target a certain muscle group in the routine but

50

continuously try to shock your muscles into growth. You will
end up using your time most efficiently and get the best results
doing this.
I structure my reps like a plot line in a movie or in a song.
They build, …build, peak and then fade out. This is an exact
structure set list for everything I do. It covers toning as well as
bulking. If you can do more than the weight you initially start
with, you have moved up in weight .Congratulate yourself,
and treat yourself in some way that evening. Indulge a little as
a reward so that next time you feel like going harder.
Always start with the biggest muscle group first. If you
don’t believe me try maxing out your triceps with some tricep
pull downs then do bench press right after. Make sure you
have a spotter, because you are going to have a much harder
time than usual. I learnt the hard way. It is pretty funny when
you aren’t expecting it.
Here is my structure; I have currently cut back on the
weights a bit to target the running side of things which involves
a lot of cardio. However, normally this is what my routine is.
I try to stick to the rules that I should never work a muscle
if it is still too sore and l I try to never work the same muscle
two days in a row. A lot of the best results with working out
are obtained when you have proper nutrition and proper rest.
If you work out when you are still sore you are not giving
yourself enough time to heal and grow, therefore you will not
have as many gains in your program. Make sure you give your
body a chance to recover and you will in the end have more
significant gains with less work.

51

TITLE
Set 1: 10–12 reps
Starts with a weight you are comfortable with.
Stretch
Set 2: 8–10
Raise weight ten to fifteen pounds
Stretch
Set 3: 6–8
Raise weight another fifteen pounds. Add kgs
Set 4: 10–12
Back to original weight.
On your last set it should be very difficult to lift it up or you
aren’t using a heavy enough weight.
For the low reps use heavier weights and you may need
spotting on these sets. This is for bulk. The lighter weights are
for toning and should be associated with high reps. When you
workout it isn’t about how fast you lift the weight, it is how
graceful and slow you can do it that counts. Sometimes on
lighter weights you may want to do fast high rep sets, but make
sure you still maintain perfect form or you can accidentally
hurt yourself. This way you achieve the best results and use
the less amount of strain on your joints and tendons. Starting
with high reps allows your joints, muscles and tendons time
to warm up to the heavy lifts and will feel much better. When
you are contracting your muscles after lowering it, go as slow
as you can. This is called negative resistance and is the best
burn you are going to get, you use less actual energy with
better results achieved.
Learn enough exercises to have a variety for each set.
When you look in the mirror find what you want to change and
target that muscle group. If you are not sure which muscle is

52

which, use the internet and learn about it. Ask the gym trainer
or attendant or anyone at the gym and tell them that you are
curious about exactly what they are targeting. Most likely it
will make them feel good about their job and that you value
their opinion, and you can learn in the process.
Depression
As humans, we aren’t perfect, or we can’t always be on
the highest of highs. It just doesn’t work like that…yet. One
thing I have noticed though is that when I am on a consistent
workout program I have the best time in life. I have tried
going without exercise for a bit and I am not happy with how
I feel. They are now starting to do studies on how, if you are
on a consistent work out plan, you can naturally balance your
chemical equation in your brain so that you feel the best that
you are physically and spiritually able to feel. By tracking how
you feel on a chart from 1 to 10 you will be able to see which
exercises affect you in which way and how your personality
and your energy levels change. I feel like I am much more
young at heart and I am like a kid again, when it comes to
playfulness. I laugh more and I have a higher sex drive as well
as many other benefits. Another side effect of working out is
that you will have the best sleeps of your life and most likely
dream more. The deeper the sleep the more melatonin you
release. There are cancer studies that also show that melatonin
will help fight this disease.
When I have started a new workout program I have noticed
that if I start too fast and hard then I am more likely to fall off
the program and get discouraged. So that this doesn’t happen
and I can keep momentum, I try to never set my goals too high
that I can’t reach them. I do push myself, but with reasonable

53

challenges, to stay positively focused on the long term results,
instead of too much too fast and then burning out.
If we think of our body as the equation E=MC2, we need
certain charges and certain elements and electron structures
vibrating at different frequencies to get the most output for
our body type. To be the most fit and at your peak you must
balance out your personal equation. I like to feel out which
foods are best for me after a workout and also prior. What
might work for one person might not work for another. Each
body reacts differently to each type of food. I take the time
and then ask myself how I feel. Remember the ‘1 to 10’ class
system to help you self reflect on how you feel that day.
Stretching/Yoga
When I was first told about yoga by a friend’s girlfriend I
laughed and my response was, “Isn’t yoga for chicks?” Let
me admit to you all now, how ignorant I was. Guys you can’t
knock it till you try it and I guarantee if you do try it, you
will be extremely sore the next day. Tai Chi is very similar
movements as well and helps you gain flexibility. When you
are strong it helps to be also flexible. If you aren’t aware of
stretching you can tear something very easily; trust me I learnt
many times, before I decided to make stretching as much a
part of my workout as the lifting or cardio. Basically if you
have ever played any kind of sport, yoga can be summed up
as a pre-game or post game stretching session. May I suggest
if you are single gentlemen that you may consider trying this
because the demographics of a yoga club are quite in your
favour. You will typically find more women then men and as
well, you are meeting woman that are fit and are interested in
taking care of themselves, so overall you are meeting mostly

54

well rounded woman. Yoga is also something that you could
both enjoy doing together and spend quality time doing, which
will benefit you both.
My Special Vitamin Blend
I started taking this particular blend of vitamins in the
given doses and this along with cardio and no smoking has
gotten rid of my asthma with the exception of when I have a
bad cold. I also had mild eczema and it is now gone as well.
Here are the vitamins and the doses that I use.
Try to take Daily:
• Multivitamin
• Zinc – 50mg
• C – 250mg
• B – Regular mg dose
• D – 4000 IU
• Co – Enzyme Q 30mg
• Garlic 1500mg
• E 400iu
• Flax Seed Oil 1000mg
• Acidophilus yogurt
• Before Bed Melatonin 10mg
Also drink as much green tea and yerba mate as I can. Both
are very high in anti-oxidants. Acai berry tea, White tea or
Pomegranate tea are also very good.

Chapter 5:

Find a Passion,
Find a Passion in Life
 

In my opinion you aren’t really living unless you have
passion in your life. This is the kind of feeling that is
irreplaceable. A moment when everything just seems to stand
still and you savor every second. You can have that feeling any
way you choose, but to get that feeling you have to love what
you are doing and truly believe in it with your heart and soul.
If you love what you are doing, and you are going after your
dream, and living in the moment, there is most likely a passion
behind what you are doing. This is what I have discovered in
my life to date and I spend my time now chasing that feeling.
In some ways I have been able to achieve this sort of
passion through sports, politics, hobbies or through activities
that I enjoy doing. It could be as simple as a walk in the park
or as intense as dropping off a cliff while snowboarding. No
one can tell you what you are passionate about; only you can
decide. You may have many passions, but regardless of how
many you have, I challenge you to try to be passionate about
everything you do.
You may think you have found your passion but after a
while you lose interest. Well, I challenge you to try a little
harder and to see if you reclaim your passion or if it just isn’t
for you. If you aren’t pursuing your passion and loving what
you are doing, than you could be wasting time and life energy;
that could be directed and spent doing something you love.
 

56

That is not to say that there will not be frustrating moments
involving your passion, but overall, if you aren’t enjoying
yourself than there isn’t a point in doing what you are doing.
You could apply this mindset to everything you do in
life including friendships and any kind of relationship. I,
personally, try to look for passion everywhere I go and I admire
people that exhibit the same thing. Passion means making the
best of the moment, accepting it, and knowing there could be
a very important lesson to be learned. Whether you get a good
feeling or a bad one, try to find the positive twist on every
opportunity. To me it means trying to stay true to ‘you’, and
holding strong to your values and morals as well.
Some of the things I have been passionate about are hockey,
music, philanthropy, snowboarding and mountain biking.
Let me describe to you what my passions mean to me and
hopefully I will help you find the same positive vibes from
it. As I mentioned in the last chapter, since I was literally two
years old or so I played hockey. Now ask yourself this, what
is so fun about chasing a black piece of rubber? Well saying it
like that doesn’t sound too fun at all, however what makes it
fun is the passion and skill set behind it. When you have other
collectives of people sharing the same type of passion together
you create a larger unit, a larger force, a team of people loving
and sharing in that passion. That can be where the ‘magic’
happens.
You don’t just need a team to have passion; that is just one
example. In music you have similar options; you can do solo
work or band work. The choice is always yours. I recommend
doing both because there are different lessons to be learnt
from each moment. Some are more fun to experience together
as a group. I do solo music projects, as well as work with a
band. There is nothing like standing up in front of a crowd
 

57
 

and having them sing along or have a good time all together.
It still keeps me on edge even after hundreds of times, but
that’s what I like about it. It is a healthy edge that keeps me on
my toes. For those of you who are scared to go up in front of
an audience, well I assure you that this is fairly normal. Most
people usually experience some degree of anxiety in public
performance settings. The key is to learn to love that rush. To
stare your fears directly in the face and to conquer them, will
make you a stronger and more passionate person overall.
With the 2010 Olympic Games, the estimated number of
people watching was upwards of 17 million people in Canada
alone. This number works out to be more than half the country.
That’s a lot of passion going on. There is a lot to say about an
Olympic athlete that involves passion. I believe that it is a
central driving force and the key to securing a spot on to the
podium .There is even more passion involved when becoming
a gold medalist. Olympic champions aren’t born overnight; it
takes years and years of training for them to get to where they
are.
When I was at the gym a few weeks ago, I looked up the
world record times for the 1 mile and 5 km run. After trying
to surpass these athletes unsuccessfully I gained a lot more
respect for the athletes. I was literally sprinting full tilt for the
first mile at 12 miles an hour and was still way off the world
record. It blew my mind and taught me a lot about the sports.
Typically, when someone is good at something and they are
using their passion to complete it, they make it look easy. I
learned that even though it looks easy, that isn’t always the
case.
Life is full of processes designed to cause fear. In many
systems it is the way that you are controlled and kept in line.
When you can stare the fear in the face and laugh and not
 

58

be afraid, you can then be free to feel and enjoy the passion
in the moment. Don’t let people dictate how you feel based
on reaction. Don’t just be a statistic; by doing that you aren’t
living passionately. Seize the day and own it. I don’t mean to
go out and be a rebel, but what I do mean is to not be afraid to
try new things. Be who you are as a person even if it doesn’t
fit in with the quote-norm of society. Where would we be
now if the first sailors exploring the New World believed the
geographic claims of the sailors before them? Quite frankly
North America wouldn’t be as we know it.
For every action there is a reaction. Now look at everything
you do in life as a reaction to some sort of stimulus. Do you
really have a choice in what you are doing, or are you being
carefully guided or controlled? When you are not in complete
control it’s hard to have passion, or at least not care at all to
have any control. When you are being told what to do instead
of acting on your gut feeling and instinct there isn’t really
passion in it. However when you act on freewill and take
initiative, you are following your instinct and passions.
For me passion can also be climbing a mountain just to get
to the top. Passion stems from enjoying the ride on the way
instead of simply looking at the goal and forgetting about the
steps to get there. There is nothing like climbing a mountain.
I recommend it to everyone at least once. I have climbed my
share of mountains in my life; some for the same reasons, that
I snowboard down them. It is a test of will and determination
to achieve landmarks and this type of mentality will spill over
into other aspects of life. You may hit walls when you question
your motive but it’s that passion that pushes you through
the difficult times. This is why I recommend we all look for
healthy daily doses of passion in everything we love to do.
Climbing a mountain is simply priceless. The view and the
 

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sense of accomplishment are unrivaled. If you bring a picnic
and share it with a friend it can turn out to be one sweet day.
Another way in which I have been hunting for passion
is through education. Now I don’t mean just doing exactly
what a teacher says all the time, because this can be limiting;
however, I mean having the freedom to expand on our current
knowledge and being challenged to do so instead of just being
told that is the way and there is no other option. By dictating
exactly what we are taught and not ever thinking outside of
the box, we are in fact limiting our capacity to think and grow
as a human race. This is why I noticed that trying to learn
something every day will slowly accumulate into valuable
life knowledge. With the internet these days you can watch
literally anything out there that has been filmed. Any topics
of anything, you can look up and become educated on. The
options are almost limitless. This source has empowered
possibilities with education and helped the world grow and
realize we are not all that different at our core which is our
heart. For me the quest for knowledge became addicting and
I wanted to learn more and more as I read and watched. This
helped me look for passionate topics of discussion and helped
me be able to learn about whatever was on my mind.
If I broke my hand for example I didn’t simply just go
to the doctors and get diagnosed. I first read up on all the
possible options of what it could be and then went into the
doctor’s office and got the professionals opinion. Most of
the time it was a similar or same finding; however there have
been time that I have been able to expand beyond the current
medical system with my vitamin blends such as I described
last chapter, with my asthma. Studies are not being done on
vitamin D and its health benefits.
 

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Doing research for me can stem from anything and it
could be as simple as wanting to understand a girl that, (the
psychology of her mind), or it could be learning to play poker
like a pro and count cards. I say as long as you try and take
an experience and learn from it than you can do anything
you want. You can also rent books as well at the library on
a very vast category of topics for free. Through this form
of empowerment you allow yourself to take control of your
future to a degree and be all that you can be, in this life.
To sum up my analysis on passion, first off don’t become a
statistic another sheep following the crowd aimlessly because
you are told what to do, because you may in fact become a
victim to the big bad wolves. Set the fashions, take the chances
and don’t be afraid to be ‘you’. Secondly try to savour the
moments instead of just passing through, and take ownership
of it. Anything is possible. The sky is the limit at this point and
we are quickly learning that even that is questionable. Where
is the next chapter of humanity headed? Think about it.

Chapter 6:

Create your own Masterpiece
 

To me a visual masterpiece could mean anything, really. It
basically means taking something from thought and applying
it into the physical reality of our world. It can be anything from
a photograph to a tray of brownies. The point that I am trying
to make is that when we get to see something in our view
that we have created already from thought, then we gain the
satisfaction of seeing what we have created. For me I create an
audio masterpiece and also apply it to the visual by having this
book you are reading today, along with album covers, pictures
and many other things. The pieces that go together form the
master piece. A master piece can take anywhere from a couple
of hours, to years in the making, to perform and complete the
goals that you have set forth. To a greater creator, earth would
be a masterpiece. Maybe when we get that good we’ll get to
step up a notch.
As an artist I’m not sure that I will ever really stop creating.
It’s just who I am and what I love to do. But then again people
change and no one is perfect. You don’t have to always be
public about your art, you can do it sometimes simply for your
own release or satisfaction. All we can do is strive for that
perfection. The more you strive to gain perfection, the better
you become at something. Not in a vain way. But as a way to
create a better you at what you love doing. For example, with
music, I don’t think the listener always knows exactly how
long it takes to get a song perfect and edited and produced to
be the best it can be. Let me tell you a little about of some of
 

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my other work. Some songs literally take me years to write
and perfect because I just wasn’t satisfied with the initial
sound. Other times it flows out of me in a matter of hours.
Some songs take a few days to master, others a few weeks;
because you hear something as simple as a little word that
didn’t come out exactly the way you intended it to be at that
time. I have done as many as 150 takes for solos sometimes,
because as I record, the song evolves and the solo becomes
more and more elaborate and detailed. This is what I mean
by master piece. To break each detail down second by second
minute by minute and create it exactly to a perfect breaking
point. Chefs do this in the kitchen when they cook. Every little
detail must be perfectly lined up with the next, so that as the
food is finished, other food is put on a plate for that course to
be a perfect temperature and design. That to me is art and a
visual masterpiece. Someone had to create that recipe and also
how to display it on the plate.
For me when I edit my tracks and when the tracks are
recorded, I set my computer to anywhere from 44 to 96
thousand samples a second. The better you get at listening to
music, the more samples a second your brain can process and
hear. A producer becomes a great producer when they can hear
a lot of detail in the song. As you develop your masterpiece,
you begin to hear more and more of the tiny samples in it.
After hearing the same song 20 times in a row, as you work out
the volumes and any effects you are using, you begin to hear
every little mistake you make on a minuscule scale. The more
and more you work at something the better it becomes and the
better you become. This is why I call it a master piece. When
you begin to focus on that much detail, I find that it helps the
overall activity in my brain increase in memory as well as the
overall abilities of my brain to work in the world. This can be
 

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can be said the same with anything. The more times you do it
over and over, the more detail you begin to pick out.
When you are in a creative thought process you are drawing,
from the right side of your brain or balancing both the sides
equally. It is my belief that the better you can balance the two
halves, left and right, the better you can function in the world
and the smarter you will become. The brain produces energy as
we think, when we do too much of one activity that stimulates
one side of the brain, then we become unbalanced. Things like
studying and learning material, languages etc. come from the
left side of the brain, things like creativity come from the right
side. My goal is to keep it as balanced as I can. If I go too far
to the right side of thinking, then my thoughts are out there. It
I study too much or do too much accounting or math, then my
brain is too left sided and as a result I lack creativity. If you
choose to major in something, it could be a good idea to head
into that hemisphere for a while to be the best you can be at
it, but it is always a good idea to check back in with the other
hemisphere of your brain to balance yourself and the energy
flow in your brain.
An artist working doing work on photography or painting/
drawing is another way that detail and visual masterpieces are
created. I use this method of creation to work on the photos on
my website as well as to draw album covers sometimes from
scratch. I have used both methods to publish for the public.
I recommend that you all try to draw or create some sort of
masterpiece that you came up with in your in mind and make
it into reality. The result will be very satisfying, because you
took a thought and made it into reality. Everything starts with
a thought and from that thought it gets brought into the world
and takes on a shape in the creator’s image. There is only one
 

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way to create a masterpiece and that is to start with a thought
and then see how far you can go with it.
You can do what you choose with your life. When I look
back and listen to the things that I have created, I become
satisfied with my work and enjoy the developments that come
with it; the joy to simply listen to something you pulled out of
thin air and then made into sounds and art. Don’t let anyone
drag you down and stop you from creating something you
desire to do. Instead the goal is to bring people up. Ignore
anyone who thinks they “know it all” and who try to tell you
what to do, unless of course you can tell that they have your
best interest in mind. If the world had as many motivators as
there were pessimists and critics, this place would be a lot
different. Look for the ones that can work in a positive way.
For most it is easier to break you down to their level instead
of helping you achieve higher goals and results that you want
to accomplish.
My album cover from some music work “Life” was
inspired to be rustic and made to look like it has been around
for centuries. I used coffee and burnt the edges to make it
look like it has been through a rugged quote “Album Life”.
The writing was done with a simple regular pencil. But the
originality to me was priceless. When I was a kid, I used to
write all of my poetry on this type of scroll looking paper.
It was a way to encase them in time and to do something
different. The “Life” album cover actually took me a few tries.
I didn’t get it right the first time but I went back and did it
again, working at it until I was happy with the results; simple
but subtle. Real, authentic, from the heart, the way that life
should be.
The album cover for the first mini album that I released with
a fellow musician was called Project Zero; for many reasons.
 

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The picture was a sun rising, over the prairies of Canada. The
song was one of the first projects that was done doing the
recording ourselves. That was the name we gave it then, we
just left it and it stuck. It is also an introduction to the next
song, “Simply Instrumental.” To get the visual masterpiece,
for this, I got my buddy Mark to climb out through the sunroof
while we were driving, to get the picture “just right.” It turned
out the same! Sometimes the efforts required to achieve a
master piece are well worth it. The placement of the main
object, the horizon, all fall under the artists’ personal creativity
and ambitions. There are no real rules and that is the beauty
of creating your work. Out of nothing you create something.
That picture was simply a moment in time until it was captured
as a piece of energy and stored into a unit or chip that is a lot
like silicone. From there it can be transformed and changed
into many other forms of material objects as well as scanned
and uploaded to a computer. Energy is transformed through
many different means to achieve a final result…or is it final?
 

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The more loving people I surround myself with, the more
I end up having. It isn’t necessarily the numbers that count
either; it is the quality of relationships to me that mean the
most. I would trade five acquaintances for one good friend
and never the other way around. All we can do is our best, to
surround ourselves with the right people though sometimes
we don’t always notice things as they arise. If a friend is going
through a tough time however, I’m not saying you should
ditch them. Those are the times when you get to see who your
real friends are: who in the tough times, in the most adverse
moments in your life, stood beside you. If you take on large
goals and if you don’t succeed at first, there are challenging
road bumps in your life. But one must dream big and walk
down the path of large ventures to maybe one day be able to
realize your big dreams.
Goals:
For myself, I love to on an ongoing basis, set goals in
my life. It could be with anything from making sure I brush
my teeth enough times in a day, to keeping the dishes clean.
If everything isn’t perfect, then why not at least set a goal
towards something. I still live in the moment and don’t obsess
about things, but I have been setting little goals, more and more
lately. I slowly notice these becoming habits in my life now
and I am proud to say that they make me feel happier overall.
Like most days now I make my bed. It takes seconds to do and
for the rest of the day it looks a lot better than just leaving it
all a mess. I put my laundry directly in the washing machine
most of the time now. If I surround myself with positive goals
on an ongoing basis, then there is never a chance to slip into
completely negative patterns. The more bad habits I change,

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the more positive my life around me becomes. I also take time
once and a while to do an inventory of my current habits. For
example, how much time have I been spending at the gym or
I consider any other small things in life. This doesn’t mean I
will always be like this, but the goal is to continuously strive
towards new and happier goals while all the while still living
in the moment. The more positive goals I take on, the easier
it is to overall, to live in the moment. Think of ways to more
positively influence your life with goals and you will see what
I mean. Maybe you already make your bed every morning
but I’m sure there is something you can do to help make your
life more positive. Or, on a larger scale, aim towards writing
a book or an album in music, like the last chapter discussed,
creating a visual master piece in life.
Memories:
When thoughts run through my head I try to filter things
the best I can. In the moment it can be challenging and we
should do our best to enjoy the moment, however I try to keep
things positive. Some days it can be easier then others. When
negative things enter my mind I try to catch myself allowing
them in, and I try to think of ways to learn a lesson from it and
make it positive so that I eventually completely forget about
it. Once I catch myself thinking of a negative thought, I try to
think of something positive right away, to break this thought
process and stop it from building a permanent place in my
mind. I like to keep things on hand that make me happy and
sometimes just smiling and saying, ‘whatever’ takes care of it.

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Living Space:
As I mentioned earlier, in the example about making my
bed, I like to surround my living space with positive things;
life, art and other simple things that really bring out and keep
my life positive. Asian cultures call it ‘fung shui’, North
American culture ‘interior design’ and I call it ‘surround my
living space with good vibes.’ The feeling I get in a room
matters to me. It has to keep me feeling at ease and relaxed.
I’ve gone as far as researching and looking up the direction of
my bed according to the Fung shui and also have checked my
birth date as well as many other things. Also I like to have my
meals next to a window with lots of light so that I can look
outside. There are simple ways to surround yourself and set
things up to make your life as comfortable as you choose. My
art work tends to be scenic art of outside pictures so that in
certain ways I bring the outside in so that the inside has a kind
of rustic feeling.
Surrounding yourself with positive people, goals and living
space doesn’t need to be a largely elaborate process, but I find
it helps a little in doing so. As you grow older your tastes
change and also hopefully those changes become more and
more positive in the overall process.
Final Words
I hope you enjoyed the read and that you can take at least a
few new healthy habits away with you. It can be a challenge to
live the perfectly balanced life. I hope all of you aspire and try
to find your own balance to your life by searching for anything
you are missing and taking steps to finding it. I may not have
all the answers in this read, but I hope I at least inspired you to

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find them now and to search your soul, your thoughts and your
mind and to find out who you really are and what you really
want with your time here. Find out what makes you happy and
try to live by this every day.

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Passions/Sports/Activities:
These are a few things I have tried or aspire to do.
Please, if I haven’t put something on here that you love to
do, don’t take it personal; instead go and do it and love it.
Extreme:
• Bungee Jumping
• Sky Diving
• Snowboarding
• Rock Climbing
• Water skiing
• Wakeboarding
• Surfing
• Snowboarding
• Sledding
• Body Building
• Martial Arts (Tai Chi, Kung Fu etc.)
• Mountain biking
• Boxing/Kick Boxing
• Cliff Jumping/Rope Swing
• Deep Sea Fishing
• Scuba Diving
• Marathon running/Triathlon

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Middle range Adrenaline:
• Fishing
• Golf
• Running
• Hiking
• Swimming
Hobbies:
• Reading
• Writing
• Learning new languages
• Model Cars
• Guitar/Music general
• Piano
• Cards (Poker, Crib)
• Chess/Checkers
• Board games
Ideas for your Scrapbook:
• Workout routines
• Plus or Minus Trade off of habits
• Rating your day according to 1–10
• Meal ideas and recipes for health and taste
• Positive Memory Chart
• Favourite Places Chart