Ode to Jesse Owens: A Story of Brotherhood on Tola Talks – Ep #245

In this conversation, Rich reflects on the life and legacy of Jesse Owens, a legendary athlete who made history at the 1936 Olympics. He discusses Owens’ achievements, his friendship with German athlete Luz Long, and the broader themes of brotherhood and unity in the face of adversity. Tola emphasizes the importance of sportsmanship, connection, and embracing different perspectives, drawing parallels to contemporary societal issues.

Watch now and discover: → Jesse Owens was a symbol of hope and brotherhood. → His achievements at the 1936 Olympics challenged racial stereotypes. → The friendship between Jesse Owens and Luz Long transcended political boundaries. → The letter from Luz Long to Jesse Owens exemplifies deep human connection. → Rich Tola’s ode to Jesse Owens emphasizes love and acceptance.

Breaking Free from Bad Habits on Tola Talks – Ep #212

On today’s Tola Talks, Rich discusses the concept of bad habits and the 10 best ways to quit them. Rich also compares the concept of bad habits to the works of pioneering economists, Adam Smith and Milton Friedman, and compares them to bad habits in two distinct ways: 1) individuals are driven by self-interest and thus, self-enjoyment, and 2) there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

Rich also emphasizes the importance of desire, self-discipline, perseverance, fortitude and belief in oneself, as the foundation for quitting bad habits. He explores their psychological impact and offers practical strategies for quitting them, including the significance of support systems, positive thinking, and self-correction in the journey towards embracing healthier, good habits, over bad ones.

Watch now and discover: → Bad habits can be changed with desire and discipline, while understanding their nature is crucial. → It’s important to embrace the struggle of change. → Support from friends and family is essential in overcoming bad habits, as is positive thinking. → Recognizing the euphoria from bad habits helps in understanding them. → Self-correction is key to maintaining good habits while overcoming bad habits.

Friends and honesty, do they match?

I was speaking with a friend this morning about telling your best friend something that’s true, but may hurt their feelings.  Or worse yet, may drive your best friend away, especially if they’re in a difficult place in their life.  Like my friend’s best friend, who’s responding to adversity with an eating disorder.  The thing is, with friends it’s oftentimes difficult to be brutally honest, especially if the truth is difficult to swallow.   And since the truth can be as painful to give as it is to receive, it’s always best to proceed with sensitivity and compassion.  For those of you who have seen my film, Boulevard Zen, you know that my character, Bobby D’Angelo, inspires others to overcome adversity while communicating the truth through example.  He uses the healing powers of yoga to help students deal with their depression, infertility, hypertension and anorexia.  So be sensitive with your truth telling, especially if it involves something serious and beyond your expertise.  And always encourage your friends to make that mind-body connection with some form of fitness, especially yoga.  So enjoy restoring your body with today’s 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #77 – Restorative Legs, Core & Abs II  – R

What are friends for?

Thursday's Fat Burning Workout

This morning I met this fifty-something gal in the gym with a great body who’s always there.  The first thing I asked her was if she worked out everyday.  She said yes.  Then I said, 5 days as week, and she gave me this look like are you crazy, and emphatically says, “No, 7 days”.  Then along comes her fifty-something guy friend who meekly says, “ahhhhh, I won’t be here tomorrow so Merry Christmas”.  She then gives him the exact look she gave me and asks why not. The man hesitates and says he won’t be there because he has to baby-sit his grandkids.  So she proclaims, “At 5 o’clock in the morning, oh come on Johnny, you better be here!”  Now what are friends for, right?  Just that.  To care about you, to support you, to motivate you, and to make you accountable when things get hard  – like working out everyday at 5am.  I totally understand why some people have more success with a fitness or weight loss program when they have a partner, or network of like-minded, mutually supportive individuals to help them through the tough times. So if you’re that type of person who benefits from the extra push from your friends, then embrace it and find your workout partner today!  And get started with your daily fitness program – whatever it may be.  Because who doesn’t have 15 minutes a day to respect themselves?  R