All posts tagged: healthy thinking

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – September 10th

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

On Fridays I like to share some of the experiences I’ve had during the week with patients and in my personal life that I’ve found significant in some way.  I like to share them in hopes that you might find value in them and have something resonate with you in your life. 

Something cool.  I mentioned last week in my 5 Spot that after his first freshmen game in which he played almost every play; my son went back to the football fields two hours later to practice with a teammate that did not get to play much.  They both wanted to improve and see better results in the next game.  In their second game last Saturday, my son caught an 80-yard touchdown pass thrown to him by that teammate.

Obviously as a dad I was ecstatic because it was my son.  Even more than that, however, was the fact that those young men put in extra time and saw it pay off almost immediately.  This is a valuable lesson.  The more intensity and work you put into something, the more likely you are to be rewarded.

Something I loved.  My wife had seen on social media recently about some young children that had showed courage in some of their actions.  For space purposes, I won’t go into all the specifics, however they demonstrated strong will, set a worthy example for their peers and stood out among the crowd.  As a result, my wife was motivated to reach out to their parents so she could then send them all individual cards with a nice note and gift card inside.  Obviously, the parents were thrilled and happy to do so.

What I loved was that the parents all sent back videos of their children opening and reading these cards.  Without exception, they were proud and honored that an adult took the time to praise them.  Courage is contagious and must always be encouraged.  Also, strong confident children can become even more so as adults and grow into amazing examples and leaders!

An important business principle.  I teach young chiropractors and/or business owners that I believe a business is like a boat powered by 2 engines.  The first engine is the heart of the business.  This is the love, compassion and care that is put into it.  In my case, this would entail how much energy I put into treating my patients and the strong desire to get them well and allow them to live better lives.  The other engine is the actual business side.  This involves all the processes of the business, evaluating numbers, and so forth. 

When someone cares a ton but pays no mind to the numbers, the boat goes in circles.  When numbers are the only focus and no heart is placed into the business, the boat will also go awry.  Only when an equal emphasis is given to both can the business truly thrive.  I believe this is true in business and in life – always stay true to your purpose while making sound decisions that allow you to do it to the best of your abilities. 

Something I enjoyed.  My wife works for a company called Warrior Fit which is a comprehensive program that helps people with nutrition and exercise.  As part of their program, they have guest speakers that talk on a variety of topics.  I was asked to speak about some of the lessons I’ve taken from my competitions and training as well as how my passion has developed.  I haven’t done any public speaking in quite some time and had never even been on a Zoom call, so it was going to be a different experience.

On Tuesday evening, I did my presentation and loved doing so.  Deciding what I wanted to share, organizing my material, practicing, and then delivering it were all a blast for me.  I mentioned to the attendees that I physically take myself out of my comfort zone often but an event like this was a great way for me to do so in a non-physical way.  I always enjoy having some upcoming challenge on my calendar to look toward and prepare for.

For those interested, the link to my talk is below.

Meeting Recording:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/u2QM92dMOE1S9UiIup0P0L1NqOwFDeRjwBf_wyj7R3Ai1FvClsEim3AsHMTthtof.da0_6ftnZeZgxE8K

Access Passcode: #@!aOZR1

Some quotes I love.

“There is only one way to avoid criticism.  Do nothing.  Be nothing.  Say nothing.” – Aristotle

” You can’t repeat the same things blindly and expect to become exceptional.  Habits are necessary, but not sufficient for mastery.  What you need is a combination of automatic habits and deliberate practice.” – Joe DeSena

“Sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because the don’t want their illusions destroyed.” – Frederich Nietzsche

Want more?

  • Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor
  • To see previous Friday 5 Spots, visit www.newbodychiro.com
  • Check us out on Facebook under New Body Chiropractic
Matt KenneyDr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – September 10th
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Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – December 6th

I interact with hundreds of patients each week and get asked a lot of questions.  On Fridays I like to share some of the answers I give and hope it has value for you.

Something I’m eating?  I enjoy eating quinoa (pronounced keen-wah for those that don’t know).  Usually I’ll make a pot of it using vegetable broth as the liquid.  Then throughout the week I’ll put some in a bowl and add chopped up veggies, avocado, walnuts, kale chips, chia seeds, feta cheese, kalamata olives or any number of different things to it.  I also sometimes eat it for breakfast with berries, walnuts, almonds, cinnamon and fresh honey on top.

A recent observation?   On Saturday of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend my two older sons were playing a lot of video games and began to aggravate each other easily.  This is unusual for them, so I asked them if they’d like me to put them through a short workout.  We went to the garage and I had them doing some simple but tiring stuff for probably 15 minutes.  After those 15 minutes they were like different kids – relaxed, more patient and calm.  Our bodies produce a lot of energy each day.  With physical activity we can burn through the portion that hinders us, makes us anxious, less productive, etc.  Once that occurs, we are then able to be more driven, productive and energetic.

A common chiropractic question I receive?  “Why does my spine go out of place?”  I receive this question daily.  The spine can certainly suffer immediate traumas that cause it to misalign such as slips and falls, sports injuries and car accidents.  And those traumas can also make us more sensitive to misalignments later in life (depending on the severity and whether they lead to arthritic changes or not).  Most commonly though, misalignments of the spine come from what I call micro-traumas – posture, gait, sleeping position, ergonomics, exercise (or lack thereof), too much sitting, not enough stretching, consuming too many inflammatory foods/drinks, etc.  With these micro-traumas it is not one specific thing that causes the misalignment but usually rather a buildup and combination of many over time.

Something I recommend everyone do?  Once a month I have a friend that I get together with that’s an entrepreneur.  We have lunch together in my office and we talk through anything and everything in our business lives (and personal lives as well).  He’s a high energy guy like myself so this process really gets me pumped up with ideas, motivation, etc.  By the time we finish lunch each of us have a bunch of ideas to explore and motivation to as well.  I think it’s important to have someone like this to meet up with that inspires you in some way (and/or that you inspire as well).  Talking to positive, motivated people is an excellent way to fuel progress in any endeavor.

Quote I love: “Every next level of your life requires a new version of you.” – Inky Johnson

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Matt KenneyDr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – December 6th
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6 Tips for a stronger mind and more productive life

I’m a big believer that one of the most valuable tools a person can possess is a strong mindset. This enables a person to plan effectively, deal with crisis and move forward productively. Like anything else, thinking in a constructive way takes practice. Here are 6 tips I recommend for strengthening your mind.

1. Keep the past behind you. Far too many people spend crucial energy focused on what has already happened instead of what could be happening. Instead of dwelling on what used to be, start focusing on how you want things to be.

2. Take “smaller bites”. Many of us have so many things that need to be done that it can become overwhelming. Rather than allowing the stress this causes to set us back, the key is to take “smaller bites.” Focus on and complete 1 task at a time before moving on to the next. This will allow you to simultaneously focus on the task at hand, accomplish things, feel better and still progress toward your ultimate goal(s).

3. Trust yourself. When things get challenging many people have a tendency to question how (or if) they’ll ever be able to find a solution. Rather than adopting that negative mindset, have faith that one way or another you will succeed. Many of the most admirable people I’ve encountered were just normal people that refused to give up on finding solutions to their problems.

4. Don’t compare yourself. With things like Facebook, there is a greater tendency than ever for people to compare themselves to their friends and acquaintances. Ultimately this is damaging, exhausting and unproductive. Rather than worrying about how you stack up versus others, focus on whether you’re growing into a better version of yourself.

5. Put others first. As human beings we often have a tendency to spend so much time in our own heads that we don’t focus enough on those around us. Placing energy into helping others (even in small ways) without worrying about what we’ll receive in return has the tendency to produce profound results. I’ve personally experienced time and again in my personal and business life that those I help often end up returning the favor to me in amazing and unexpected ways.

6. Use the ” 1 hour rule”. This is a trick that I adopted many years ago and often tell my patients about. When you’re faced with an obstacle in life there is nothing wrong with admitting you’re upset. Take an hour to feel the emotions – cry, scream, punch (preferably pillows not people) or do whatever necessary to allow some of that emotion to be released…but only for 1 hour. After that hour you need to come out prepared to create solutions to whatever issues you may be facing.

Matt Kenney6 Tips for a stronger mind and more productive life
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