And come join us August 1st from 7-8:30p for some energizing Book Talk & Yoga at the enchanted Mystic Journey Bookstore in Venice, CA, located at 1624 Abbot Kinney Blvd. I’ll be signing copies of my memoir, Simply Between Millions: From Wall Street to Hollywood, followed by a short Yoga class – no mats or Yoga clothes required – just bring your friends!
As part of my book event on August 1st, Mystic Journey Bookstore invited me to contribute to their blog and specifically called it “a personal message from you to our readers”.
Simply put, my message is this: Do it Your Way.
No matter what conventional wisdom holds, and no matter what others believe you can and can not do. It doesn’t matter – you’re the only one that matters when it comes to what you believe is possible. Not to mention what you put in your mouth and what you do to preserve your body every day, i.e., diet and exercise. Which happens to be the exact same message you’ll get from my memoir, Simply Between Millions: From Wall Street to Hollywood.
It’s 69 short and witty chapters about following the herd and living a wild and colorful life – with Wall Street excesses, exotic locales and scores of bad-boy romances with NYC strippers and wealthy married women. Then finding the peace and courage through Yoga to finally change my evil ways, evolve my soul, and follow my dreams to Hollywood.
Because anyone can change…if you believe you can and want it bad enough to confidently set your sights and try. Just like the women and children living in domestic violence shelters where we teach the benefits of Yoga. Upon completion of my film, Boulevard Zen, I founded The Boulevard Zen Foundation to bring the powers of Yoga to families overcoming adversity, specifically survivors of DV. So in 2005, after 20 years of wanting to change my lifestyle and really go for it on that daunting ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’, I became enamored with this 6,000 year-old mind-body-spirit practice that truly changed my life. Two years later I bought a one-way ticket to LA and never looked back.
I also went bust along the way. But did I fail? On the contrary, I succeeded in following my dreams and I’m still standing. Happily I might add, with a film, a self-published book in paperback, digital and audio (narrated by me), and more than 15 hours of instructional Yoga videos on the market. Not too bad for a poor Sicilian kid from Trenton, NJ who overcame the odds and went on to graduate from the Wharton and Kellogg business schools with no particular background in the Arts.
So anything is possible, wouldn’t you say? Just Do it Your Way.
So you’re on vacation with lots of time for R & R and you’re thinking you want to workout – or what you’re really thinking is you don’t have to workout because you’re on vacation, right?
Wrong.
Because the only way to keep that Strong Body – Clear Mind is to do something physical fitness related EVERY single day. So keeping with your Daily Fitness Program, here’s 5 ways you and your entire family can workout together while on vacation that’s effective and affordable:
#1 – Walk, Jog or Run
There’s nothing better than lacing up your Chuck Taylors and Kicking the Bricks…literally. Whether it’s a brisk walk, steady jog, or a fast paced run, this is the simplest way to get your heart-rate up while taking in the natural beauty of your surroundings. I always prefer a long walk first thing in the morning, but no matter what time of day, lace’em up and get going!
#2 – Bike or Swim
Perhaps a bit more complicated than #1 since you’ll need a bike or a lap pool, but if you’re anywhere near the beach you’ll certainly find bike rentals, or check-out the local YMCA since they usually have a 25 yard pool. Two more great fitness activities the whole family can enjoy!
#3 – Push-ups and Sit-ups
How can you go wrong with good ole push-ups and sit-ups that you can do just about anywhere with no props required. Start with push-ups and do as many as you can – Chaturanga style for you yoginis – then lay on your back with your legs bent (or bicycle them) and do as many sit-ups as you can. Then do it again and again until you can’t do any more!
#4 – Take a Class: Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, Cross-training or Whatever
Whatever suits your fancy – of course mine is Yoga – research the local health clubs and private Yoga and Pilates studios and treat yourself to an invigorating group fitness class. Albeit, the most expensive of your 5 workout options, but certainly a great way to meet people and experience the local teaching styles as well as learn from other popular teachers!
#5 – Rich Tola’s 5 Minute Fat Burning Workouts
The most effective of your choices because my 5 Minute Fat Burning Workouts on the web are simple, easy-to-follow and effective. Plus there’s 100 Workouts to choose from, and you can combine them to equal as much time as you have to workout. And if you’re spending all your time at the beach or poolside, here’s Workout #84 – Lounge Chair Abs to get your started!
As President of the United States, that’s what I would do. That’s right, and I’d slash corporate taxes to offset the increased labor costs, thereby creating a zero-sum game of sorts – so the government gets their fair share of taxes and companies can still make profits and thrive.
Let me explain.
For the past 6 years I’ve lived a creative life that wasn’t about the white-collar world and its 9-to-5 days filled with coffee breaks and softball games (or maybe now it’s soccer). In the creative world, getting a job to support your passion is all about blue-collar and minimum wage, not to mention how difficult it is to even get a job. And who can live off $8 an hour? Do the math: $8 x 7 hours (with your mandatory breaks) equals $56. After the government takes their share, let’s be generous and call it $50. Times 5 days a week equals $250 – a measly $1000 a month.
Now who can claim their Independence – let alone afford health insurance – on $1000 a month?
Nobody can, unless you share a studio apartment with 3 other people and eat peanut butter and bananas every day. Sure, you can get lucky and land a server or bartender job where you’ll earn tips on top of that, but it’s not that much more. Trust me, I know. And the work is stressful and grueling, so always remember to tip your wait staff. And go for the 20%…it makes a difference.
Today the news said that 20% of Americans are struggling to meet their financial needs on a day-to-day basis. That’s 1 out of every 5 Americans who can’t make ends meet. Way too many.
So you’d like to take your family to see a really good movie with a bunch of really good actors about saving Mankind that’s New Age cataclysmic yet also heartfelt and Zen.
That’s easy.
MAN OF STEEL…it’s all that and more!
Not only does director Zach Snyder (300 and Sucker Punch) capture you visually and vividly like he always does, the amazing cast keeps you riveted and wanting more. Starting with the chiseled and Zen-ful Henry Cavill complemented by the beauty and charm of Amy Adams, the talent just keeps coming. There’s Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Michael Shannon (loved him in The Iceman), Laurence Fishburne, Ayelet Zurer and Christopher Meloni.
So give credit where credit is due, and go see Man of Steel. Because it Delivers – just like my Emmy award-winning sound engineer, Alex Wilkinson, did on my Audiobook. Kudos to Alex!
Yoga masters Rich Tola and Jessi Harper teaching a charity class in Hollywood to benefit The Boulevard Zen FoundationDid you ever notice how quiet your fitness center is on Sunday mornings? That’s because Sundays are a day of rest, right?
Not in Father Time’s eyes.
And not in mine. Because whatever goals you set for yourself – such as getting leaner for the beach this summer or finding a more rewarding job – Keep the Drive Alive. That’s right, stay motivated every single day to move the ball up the field with your thoughts and actions.
Like getting your workout in on Sundays, or researching the internet and then canvassing your neighborhood for new opportunities. They’re all cumulative. And get you closer to your goals.
So no worries or self-sabotage about what you didn’t do this past week…just do it today!
Enjoy – R
My audiobook, Simply Between Millions: From Wall Street to Hollywood, now on iTunes
Rich Tola teaches Yoga at the domestic violence shelterLast weekend I decided it was time to move back to the beach – since I spent the summer of 1985 a few hundred yards from the ocean in beautiful Marina del Rey. However brief my first southern Cali beach experience lasted, I knew I’d be back.
But wait, don’t I need a “place to live” and a “job” and at least “get to know the area” before I just pack-up and move there?
Not at all, if I believe in myself and I’m not afraid to jump. Not literally, of course, but in way that describes what most people experience when they’re asked to commit to something new and challenging. Like Yoga. Or walking 2 miles every single morning before you take a shower. Or doing my 100 consecutive days of 5 Minute Fat Burning Workouts on YouTube (all of them, especially my AB ones!). Oftentimes we experience subtle fear and inward resistance usually followed by “rational” reasons for not doing it. Like “I can’t do Yoga because I’m not flexible”.
You know how many times I hear that phrase – about a dozen times a week. That’s right, because I usually talk fitness with people I meet and encourage them to embrace a daily fitness program that’s based on Yoga. Simple, effective and to the point. That’s my style, especially when it comes to respecting yourself with an arsenal of exercises that’ll stymie Father Time.
Being thoughtful of others can be quite elusive, especially when you’re dealing with some form of adversity in your life. Nevertheless, it’s something that makes for a better human experience, so always be conscious of how your actions – and inactions – will affect others.
Case in point: Yesterday I had the afternoon free and I was really looking forward to seeing the film Mud, with Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon (I heard it was excellent!). And since my friend and I were running a bit late – which is usually the case in Los Angeles for a boatload of reasons – we knew we had minutes to spare once we got there. But as soon as we parked, my friend takes a call from her Mom.
Not good.
Because she proceeded to have a heated discussion with her with no regard for me or the start of the movie. So what did I do? I waved for her to meet me inside, then I darted off to buy the tickets. And to wait…which I did for the next 15 minutes until I refunded our unused tickets and went back to the car – where my non-thoughtful friend was still arguing with her Mom.
So whatever your situation, remember that your actions will affect others…so Be Thoughtful.
Enjoy – R
PS – here’s a thoughtful clip from my AudioBook, Chapter 54 – Mother’s Day
No matter what your “deal” is, never assume it’s a done-deal while it’s still a work-in-process.
Case in point: This morning I was advising a real estate broker friend on re-submitting a purchase offer on a piece of land in the Hamptons (a popular seaside resort in NY with some of the most expensive residential properties in the US) when I said, “Never assume it’s a done-deal”. He responded by explaining that last week the listing broker said the property owner accepted an offer from someone else, and that his bone fide buyer should just “wait and see”.
Wait and see…forgettaboutit!
How about speaking with your buyer and determining whether or not they could sweeten their bid by changing a deal point – like the deposit money or contingencies or closing date – I said. Because a real estate deal is never done until title to the property transfers and the money is in the bank (or better yet, your bank, since that means the deal closed and you got paid).
So whatever you do, Don’t Make Assumptions. It doesn’t serve you well and only leads to futurizing, i.e., obsessing over something that hasn’t happened yet and quite possibly may never happen. Focus on the present, and don’t defeat yourself with a done-deal attitude.
