As I studied each picture, soaked them in, I realized that, notwithstanding the volumes that could undoubtedly be written about this incredible human being, no words could ever accurately describe the sheer joy in the moment that appears in every single picture. For me, this consistent state of pure, positive pleasure sings accolades about the power of perception.

It is that pure joy - that sense of completeness that shines through in every shot of this incredible little boy – that, for me, tells the true story.

It’s the story more of us could be telling, if only we made the choice to see ourselves as worthwhile, magnificent, purposeful, powerful, and ALIVE.

What I am sure of, and what these images remind me of most, is that the true story of joy never starts with “despite the fact that I don’t have (fill in the blank) I’m joyful…” Nope. The true story of joy never plays with the idea of what is missing – not even a little bit. All week, this young man’s beautiful smile was a constant and welcomed reminder that when I take the “what’s missing” part out of my line of vision… whatever is “missing” becomes irrelevant.

His spirit and zest reminds me that joy is not about telling the story of “what is.” This kind of joy is about living to the highest degree, with your eyes pointed, always, toward the things you want, the things you love, the things that make you happy.

As complicated as we sometimes make life out to be, it all boils down to one thing. Living a joy-filled life happens when you find a way to remain, as often as possible, in a constant state of appreciation. It’s really as simple as that - an attitude of gratitude.

We are all magnificent
We are all purposeful
We are all powerful
We are all complete

The proof’s in the pictures.

For more information on how you can get better results in less time and with less effort than you ever thought possible, visit http://www.lovelivingfit.com. While you are there, sign up to receive the most current and innovative weekly health and fitness tips in the industry by subscribing to our FREE newsletter!

(c) Copyright - Dianne Orwig. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Unfortunately, when it comes to fitness, we all seem to insist on this hard driving, full speed ahead straight line to the moon approach, with the attitude that we must push harder, run faster, lift heavier, every day, without stopping. The fact is, this trend to "push it to the edge of the envelope and never give up" is actually more a formula for disaster than it is for success, mainly because it works in such strong contrast to the irrefutable laws of nature. (Think “circle of life.”)

Periods of rest are a normal part of our existence. So, just as you wouldn't think of working at your job 7 days a week for years on end, neither should you consider continuing your workout schedule without a planned break here and there.

As hard as it is for most people to embrace, one of the most important aspects of achieving phenomenal results from your fitness program lies in your willingness NOT to lift weights. Taking a 7 to 10 day hiatus from fitness every 12 to 18 weeks is one of the most powerful and often overlooked elements of true fitness success. Here are a few reasons why:

The Myth of “Never Give Up, Never Surrender” - Regardless of what your mind thinks, there is a very sound physical benefit to periodically taking a planned break. It starts by understanding what happens every time you step foot in the gym. Each time you lift, you dump a chemical substance stored in the muscles known as glycogen. Glycogen provides the energy that produces all muscle contraction, whether it's blinking your eyes, standing up from a seated position, or doing dumbbell curls.

Each time you participate in resistance or strength training exercise, this activity uses up a good deal of the glycogen stored in your muscles. After a few weeks of following a consistent lifting regimen, the muscles begin to deplete quicker and the body must look to its secondary source of glycogen stored in the liver (the liver acts as something of a reserve tank.)  As the weeks go by, this "tank" gets lower and lower on glycogen.

Giving It A Rest - At about the 10 to 12 week mark of a consistent workout program, you may begin to notice that your lifting isn't as efficient as usual or you might describe feeling "weaker" or tired. Perhaps you’ll begin to notice more frequent aches and pains, workout boredom, difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite or just a general lack of enthusiasm. As glycogen stores become lower and lower, the body can also become more vulnerable to injury.

Unfortunately, instead of taking a break, most people try to "push" through this period, thinking it's a lapse in motivation when, in fact, it is simply how everything in the universe works. It is just part of life's peaks and valleys.

When glycogen stores in the liver get low enough, it takes more than a day or two layoff from exercise to replenish your "reserve" tank. The replenishing process is a bit slow but taking a break from lifting for a week to 10 days will, in most cases, help put you back on the road to stronger, better lifting.

Even Your Muscles Need a Vacation - In the meantime, it is believed that your muscles, having become accustomed to being depleted every 2 to 3 days for weeks at a time, will react to this break by building a nice fresh store of glycogen. After a 7 to 10 day rest (body builders typically take 2 full weeks off), you will probably find that during your first few workouts, you can actually lift more weight, more efficiently. So, taking some time off from lifting doesn't make you "weaker" as most think. It can actually make you stronger physically, mentally, even emotionally.

Having observed thousands of men and women both succeed and fail at fitness, I am certain that on many levels, it is our unwillingness to embrace the naturally occurring "lows" in fitness, and address them as a positive part of the process, that cause so many to over train, fall out and ultimately fail at fitness.

Dianne Orwig is a success coach, motivational speaker, fitness trainer, and founder of LivingFit Online™, a fitness program that has helped thousands of men and women completely transform their bodies and live healthier, happier lives though her less-works-better approach.

For more information on how you can get better results in less time and with less effort than you ever thought possible, visit http://www.lovelivingfit.com. While you are there, sign up to receive the most current and innovative weekly health and fitness tips in the industry by subscribing to our FREE newsletter!

(c) Copyright - Dianne Orwig. All Rights Reserved Worldwide