Dear PB Readers,

On Saturday morning I left our final morning of a training camp in Clermont, Florida and started a twenty-one hour van drive back to my home in Caledon, Ontario. A full day in a van gives one plenty of time to reflect about life. I love observing people; my favourite memory of the van ride was a truck stop in Virginia where I stood near the restaurant counter studying the local culture. Like an image from a Norman Rockwell painting, the restaurant had real middle-American people living their normal lives. Old-timers sitting with their cigarette and coffee, truck drivers discussing the local weather with their favourite waitresses - 2000km away from their own families. A few mothers with their children eating french fries after their youth baseball practice. The music on the juke box was country singer Tim McGraw singing "Live Like You were Dying". While I am not a huge Country Music fan, I do love the theme of McGraw's song. Last week at our training camp our massage therapist, Peter, and I got into a discussion about making smart choices. A great therapist with tremendous knowledge about wellness and health, Peter talked about things he would do if he ever became ill. Essentially the blueprint he would follow to overcome the lifestyle illness that was threatening his existence. Then her remarked, "why wait until you are ill to make those important changes", why not do them before you get sick?

Ask yourself what you would do if you found out this week you had cancer or some life-shortening illness? Would you travel, spend more time with your family or finish writing the book you have been working on for years? Would you make a donation to your local charity or train for your first 1/2 marathon or triathlon? Why not "LIVE LIKE YOU WERE DYING". Obviously in the truest sense, we all are dying. When each of us goes to bed today, we have given up 24 hours of non-replaceable time. Over the weekend I got an email from an old triathlete friend Ken Beswitherick. Ken is a recently retired school teacher from Northern Ontario. Ken wanted to let me know that his beautiful wife and former age group national team triathlete Marg Beswitherick had just lost her six year battle with cancer over the weekend.

When Marg was first diagnosed six years ago, she rallied her positive energy to fight the cancer. Post chemotherapy, Marg continued competing in triathlons and running races and LIVING HER LIFE AS IF SHE WERE DYING. Every six to eight weeks Marg would send me an email keeping me up on the many dynamic activities she and her husband were involved in. While Ken will unquestionably feel the loss of his beautiful wife and friend I truly believe he will continue living his life in the manner which Marg so proudly lived hers.

I challenge you to live your own life more like Marg Beswitherick. Regardless of the fact you don't currently have a known illness today, why not LIVE LIKE YOU WERE DYING? While I respect the "planning for retirement" philosophy promoted by my friends in the financial services area, I also believe in the concept of "living for today". Like most things in life you need to find the right balance. Just make sure some of that balance is focused on LIVING FOR TODAY.

We had many new members join our newsletter in the last seven days. Welcome to each of you. Our goal each week is to be a free source of positive energy in your life. We have readers in two dozen countries and every province. Our weekly readers include teachers, coaches, parents, Olympic athletes, priests, ministers and politicians. Somehow, the energy that is emitted from our newsletter is valued by those who wish to live their lives in a more positive manner. I welcome your ideas and contributions and ask you to sign up your friends and co-workers by sending me their email address at barrie@personalbest.ca or going to our website at www.personalbest.ca. Enjoy the newsletter.

MAY 2nd PB HIGHLIGHTS

* CORRIE TEN-BOOM'S QUOTE ON LIFE
* PB EMAIL OF THE WEEK
* HOW MUCH WATER IS TOO MUCH WATER?
* DON'T FORGET MOTHERS DAY MAY 8TH
* DON'T MISS BARRIE'S MAY 7TH ACTIVE LIVING AND POSITIVE ATTITUDE CLINIC
* JOIN BARRIE AT HIS JUNE 2ND GOLF DAY FUNDRAISER & SUPPER

CORRIE TEN-BOOM QUOTE ON LIFE

"The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration, but its donation." And if you've been feeling low, the best time to donate a piece of yourself is now."

PB EMAIL OF THE WEEK

Hi Barrie. I really enjoyed reading your Weekly Update this week on success and strategies. Seligman's work on Learned Optimism, particularly when studied against the negative effects of the alternative, Learned Helplessness, is very powerful and positive. I have included an interesting story from Steve Goodier. Regards. S.C.

Do you ever feel blah? Ever wish you had a permanent "picker-upper"? If so, this may be for you. Today, people not suffering from serious depression understand that they usually don't need mood-altering drugs to cope with daily life. But most folks struggle with bouts of mild depression, despondency or "the blahs" from time to time. How do you pick yourself up when you're feeling down, without the aid of drugs?

Of course, talking about the reasons you're down, making needed changes, watching your diet, getting enough exercise and sleep, developing a positive mental outlook and utilizing spiritual resources are all important pieces of our emotional puzzles. But one important strategy for feeling better (and one that's least used) is helping others in need.

* Visit a shut-in neighbor.
* Write a letter.
* Call a friend who has been struggling.
* Volunteer at church, synagogue or the local food pantry.
* Rake someone's leaves.
* Bake homemade bread for a new neighbor.
* Wash your spouse's car.
* Volunteer to baby-sit for a young mother.
* Plan an unexpected act of kindness.
* Give a gift for no reason at all.

The needs are abundant, and those who put aside some regular time to do something kind for others will often forget they were feeling low. It seems that extending a hand to others likewise lifts us up!

HOW MUCH WATER IS TOO MUCH FOR YOUR HEALTH?

After years of telling athletes to drink as much liquid as possible to avoid dehydration, some doctors are now saying that drinking too much during intense exercise poses a far greater health risk. An increasing number of athletes - marathon runners, triathletes and even hikers in the Grand Canyon - are severely diluting their blood by drinking too much water or too many sports drinks, with some falling gravely ill and even dying, the doctors say.

New research on runners in the Boston Marathon, published today in The New England Journal of Medicine, confirms the problem and shows how serious it is. The research involved 488 runners in the 2002 marathon. The runners gave blood samples before and after the race. While most were fine, 13 percent of them - or 62 - drank so much that they had hyponatremia, or abnormally low blood sodium levels. Three had levels so low that they were in danger of dying. The runners who developed the problem tended to be slower, taking more than four hours to finish the course. That gave them plenty of time to drink copious amounts of liquid. And drink they did, an average of three liters, or about 13 cups of water or of a sports drink. "This proves hyponatremia is entirely preventable, said Dr. Adner. During intense exercise the kidneys cannot excrete excess water. As people keep drinking, the extra water moves into their cells, including brain cells. The engorged brain cells, with no room to expand, press against the skull and can compress the brain stem, which controls vital functions like breathing. The result can be fatal. Research specialist Dr. Noakes says that hyponatremia can be treated. A small volume of a highly concentrated salt solution is given intravenously and can save a patient's life by pulling water out of swollen brain cells.

For their part, runners can estimate how much they should drink by weighing themselves before and after long training runs to see how much they lose - and thus how much water they should replace. "Elite athletes are not drinking much, and they never have," Dr. Noakes said. The lead female marathon runner in the Athens Olympics, running in 97-degree heat drank just 30 seconds of the entire race. It is the slower athletes in the field who may be walking with much more time to drink that are more likely to get into trouble. Anyone who gains weight almost certainly has hyponatremia. Please don't assume this article means not to drink while training in hot conditions. Simply consider what a long slow day outside might mean if you are drinking too much!

CELEBRATING MOTHERS DAY

On Sunday, May 8th local restaurants and flower shops will be overwhelmed as many North Americans take time to honour the mothers in their lives. While I am approaching the second anniversary of the passing of my incredible mother, the memories of her immense generosity and love remain as vivid today. Your mother doesn't have to be the biological person who bore you. Many amazing women have played significant roles in our development. Teachers, mentors and older friends. Take time this week to celebrate with the important women in your lives (while you still can).

JOIN BARRIE FOR A FULL DAY OF ACTIVE LIFE SKILLS THIS SATURDAY MAY 7TH

This Saturday, May 7th, join Barrie Shepley, Sports Psychologist Dave Siegel, and top C3 swim-bike-run coaches for a day of lectures and physical instruction. If you are already in great shape, come and swim, bike, or run with our nationally ranked athletes. If you or your family members are novice we will have expert instruction all day long. If you are more inclined to listen we have lectures on injury prevention, proper training and a session on mental skills for achieving optimal performance (in any sport). The entire day is at Mayfield High School in Caledon, Ontario. 8:30 registration and 9am starting time. Bring your own lunch. The full day is $50.00 and you get a one year free membership to the C3 Canadian Cross Training Club. If you are already a C3 club member, you get the day for free. Register by emailing info@c3online.ca or calling the office at 905-838-2662, we have something for young (under 10) and old (over 60). Sessions for short distance (just getting started) and long distance (Ironman and marathon competitors). Don't miss this exciting day.

HELP BARRIE HELP OTHERS

Once a year I run a non-profit golf tournament to help athletes who have world class talent and little financial resources. This year's tournament is Thursday, June 2nd at the beautiful Caledon Golf and Country Club. The afternoon 18 hole social tournament includes lunch, 18 holes of golf, draw prizes, silent auction gifts, a great post-day supper and a motivational speaker. Often this is my only 18 holes of golf for the summer. Please consider joining me in this fun, motivational and important fund raising day. To register for the tournament, only the evening supper, or to donate some draw prizes for the day please contact Judy Riseborough at golf@c3online.ca

TRY TO MAKE A DIFFERNCE IN THE LIFE OF AT LEAST ONE PERSON THIS WEEK!