The secret of winning coaches and mentors is knowing how to motivate their players, to "fire them up".

Even if you don't have a coach or a mentor, you can fire yourself up with "positive self-talk." Essentially, this is a pep-talk selfie.

Use positive language to describe what you hope to accomplish today, tomorrow and in the future. Tell it to God and pray for it, too.

Unfortunately, people are constantly using statements that cause them to berate themselves, their efforts, or their abilities. What could be greater self-persecution? They need to learn how to turn these around into positive statements instead. That's where "positive self-talk."  You certainly know how to take a selfie with your cellphone camera, right? This is just as easy - give yourself a pep-talk selfie! Make 5 to 10 strong statements that reflect your aspirations and abilities. Share them too with the Creator, and tell Him that you're positive that He hears you and that He'll help you. Do this daily and you'll go a long way.

Don't ever forget though: true personal growth doesn't come easy. In fact, it hurts. But it sure feels great.

Suppose a person has good health, a good income, and many other reasons to be content. Yet, he or she is still not happy. What could be the problem? There's one important element missing...

I'm writing this post from the USA, where I've made an emergency unscheduled visit to meet all my fellow sibs and visit our mother, who needs a major portion of Divine compassion and mercy. Please pray for the full recovery of Chasia bas Kaila. King Hezekiah teaches us that even if a sharp sword is resting on a person's jugular vein, he shouldn't give up hope.

Watching an elderly person's health deteriorate stimulates a lot of thinking and soul searching. Let's not wait until age 93 to ask ourselves what life is all about. Now's the time, for no one knows what will happen in another hour, much less tomorrow. In any event, the best way to weather a challenge in life is to maintain the smile on our face. It works!

Enjoy this, and may we hear good news from each other. Every blessing, LB

The Importance of One from lazerbrody on Vimeo.

Here is wonderful news for folks with fertility issues. Put aside the expensive pills and meds and try something natural from the Almighty's garden - watermelon, and watermelon rind. Yup, the rind is full of fantastic fertility-fortifying amino acids citrulline and arginine as shown by conclusive USDA research. In fact, the name citrulline is derived from the Latin word citrullus, which means watermelon.

Many fertility and fertility-functional problems both in men and women can be traced to a lack of the amino acids citrulline and arginine.

In the urea cycle, citrulline combines with another acid to create arginine. Luis Pons of the USDA writes that arginine not only boosts fertility, but boosts muscle growth, improves wound healing, combats fatigue, stimulates the immune system, cures impotence and fights cancer. Pillar Health Care goes even further and says that arginine can benefit women by increasing the cervical mucous, enhancing libido, promoting a healthy environment for implantation and may even extend fertility for women over 40. Sperm health is also affected by arginine; one study showed a 250%-plus increase in sperm amounts and motility in most study participants. It also enhances male reproductive-functional problems, so much so that scientists at Texas A&M University have termed watermelon as "nature's Viagra". 

Need I add more? Start eating watermelon - it's in season now!

Here's an Brody-Health Fertility enhancer "smoothie" that both men and women can try: don't forget to invite us to your son's brit or your daughter's Kiddush, which will be soon, G-d willing. Just drink this smoothie two to three hours before bedtime and don't forget to ask Hashem to make it work for you:

Rabbi Lazer's Fitness Fertility Smoothie

2 Cups (approx. 500cc) mineral or filtered water

2 Cups watermelon rind (make sure that there are no bugs on the surface)

5 large pitted Medjool dates (or 10 small pitted dates)

26 dried almonds

1 level teaspoon of cinnamon powder

2 tablespoons dried shelled sunflower seeds

Preparation: Mix until smooth in a high-speed blender (approx. 90-120 seconds). Drink at least one big cup of the mixture. Any leftover holds up fine in the fridge for 48 hours. Enjoy! And don't forget to send me the birth announcement...

One of the greatest things a person can do to benefit his/her own body-soul health and well-being is to visit and pray by the holy gravesites of the great tzaddikim, especially here in the Land of Israel. One such tzaddik - not so well-known but where those in-the-know go to pray for astounding salvations - is Rebbe Oshiya Ish Tiria, whose place of eternal rest is in the north of Israel, slightly east of Meron in the Upper Galilee and near the village of Peki'in, overlooking the gorgeous Tiria Valley.

Rebbe Oshiya was an Amora, one of the holy sages of our Gemara, mentioned primarily in the Yerushalmi Talmud and in the Midrash for his extreme righteousness, humility and holiness. The Midrash Raba (Kohelet, ch. 1) tells us that the day Rebbe Abin the great of his generation died, Rebbe Oshiya - the tzaddik of his generation - was born. This puts Rebbe Oshiya in the time frame of the 4th generation of Amoras in the Land of Israel, which places him chronologically in the latter half of the 4th century CE, somewhere between the years 360-400, at the time of Rav Pappa and Rabina in Babylon. The Jews in Israel suffered extremely under Roman occupation. This is the setting for a story that the Yerushalmi Talmud in the beginning of tractate Bava Metzia relates, as follows:

A Torah scholar of impeccable piety and character, Rebbe Oshiya eked out his meager living as a launderer, washing people's clothes. To remain above suspicion of any wrongdoing, he wore odd and shabby clothes that no one else wore, to avoid any suspicion that he took unauthorized advantage of the clothes his customers entrusted in his care.  One day, the Roman queen was walking by the river at a spot where Rebbe Oshiya would wash clothes. She lost a packet of rare jewels. Rebbe Oshiya found this priceless packet and returned it to the queen. She said, "Go ahead and keep them - I have plenty of jewels."

Rebbe Oshiya responded, "The Almighty and His Torah require me to return a lost article to its rightful owner. These belong to you, Your Majesty."

The queen, not particularly known for her love of the Jews, to say the least, replied, "Blessed be the G-d of the Jews." This was a phenomenal sanctification of Hashem's Name. The Midrash in Vayikra Raba 30:1 therefore tells us that when Rebbe Oshiya died, his death bed floated in the air and a voice from Heaven declared, "No riches in the world can buy the love that Hashem has for Rebbe Oshiya Ish Tiria!"

I recently visited his gravesite and prayed for something I badly needed. I made a promise to Rebbe Oshiya that if he intervenes in my behalf, I will tell the whole world about him and his holy gravesite, where many here in Israel have seen big miracles after frequenting it. Rebbe Oshiya kept his part of the deal, and I am now happy to keep my part. I received the big salvation I asked for.

For your convenience, below are 2 maps - larger scale and smaller scale - of how to get there. If you need a big salvation, pass the link to this article on to at least five people you know, and G-d willing, you too will see miracles. Meanwhile, have a lovely Shabbat. With blessings always, LB

The plant you see in the above image is called rotem in Hebrew, or sagebrush. I photographed this in the dunes, right south of Ashdod, one of my favorite personal prayer and exercise spots (running up sand dunes is really healthy, and it doesn't put wear and tear on your joints like pounding the asphalt does). At any rate, we're in the summer here already and it's hot and dry. Yet, the sagebrush is still lush and green. It shows us that there is vitality in the desert; that's one of the messages that the Almighty was revealing to Moses when He revealed Himself in the burning bush. Guess what type of bush that was - rotem, just like the one you see here. With this in mind, enjoy today's "Brodybeam":

Secret of the Sagebrush from lazerbrody on Vimeo.

My favorite sport happens to be the worlds #1 fitness exercise, which does just as much for soul as it does for body. This is the only fitness activity that the whole family can participate in together, from 2-year-old toddler Mikey to 102-year-old great grandfather Morris. This is an activity that's joint-and-muscle friendly as well as fantastic for your heart and lungs. It's walking. If we add the technique of brisker strides and more vigorous hand and arm motion, we move up to the power walking category and burn all the more calories, just like we do in any other cardio exercise.

If you want to maximize the benefits of walking and prevent injuries, then your form and posture must be proper. Like in any other exercise, the better the form, the more beneficial the exercise. Use this form & posture checklist to evaluate yourself:

Proper Walking Form

1. Keep your head upright and eyes forward. Texting or looking at your smartphone destroys this important element of good walking form.

2. Engage your core by pulling your navel in as if you're trying to make it touch your spine.

3. Imagine that a string from heaven is linked to the crown of your skull pulling your head up and extending your neck. This method is a strong remedy to the kyphosis that people develop from sitting at a desk all day long.

4. Drop your shoulders and enable the back of your neck to touch the collar of your shirt. Your neck muscles should be relaxed.

5. Don't slump forward; if you feel like you are slumping, readjust your body position so that you conform to the above four points.

6. Swing your arms gently; the more you add arm motion, the faster you'll walk and the more calories you'll burn in a particular time period. Don't go crazy though - your hands shouldn't rise higher than your collarbone.

7. Walk with feet aligned in a straight manner rather than waddling from side to side. To do this, make sure your hips are moving forward rather than side to side.

8. Don't tiptoe; with every step, land on your heel and roll your foot forward. Comfortable shoes are a must!

Benefits of Walking

1. Great for burning belly fat.

2. Anyone can do it!

3. Lowers risk of hip fracture, especially with women.

4. Great for heart and lung health.

5. Wonderful for those who cannot or may not engage in more strenuous activities.

6. Fantastic for mental functioning, especially concentration, decision-making, self-composure and memory.

7. Wards off anxiety and depression while improving self-esteem.

8. Retards aging and increases longevity.

If we add personal prayer to our walking routine, and speak to the Almighty while sharing everything that's on our heart with Him, we have the greatest body-mind-soul health enhancer on earth. Try it; although we recommend 60-minutes a day, there are huge benefits for 30 minutes daily on up. KEEP ON WALKING - you'll love it. Every blessing, LB

Thanks to everyone who forwarded the lovely feedback for our new "Brodybeams" series here at "Strength and Serenity," the blog of brodyhealth.com - in honor of our debut week, we've taped another "Brodybeam", which we're happy to post today.

Brodyhealth.com focuses on three main areas of interest: The first is health coaching, which includes fitness, nutrition and disease prevention. The second is spiritual guidance, which focuses on health of the soul, predominantly by way of emuna. The third is family and personal counseling, the bulk of which centers on marital relationships and parenting. We are seriously considering a series on successful relationships, if enough people express an interest. We'd be happy to hear your input.

Today's "Brodybeam" comes from our exquisite riviera in Ashdod. I wish I could share the lovely Mediterranean Sea salt-scented air with you - that would be quite an advance in video production. Meanwhile, we're delighted with the quality and service of our video host "Vimeo", where we pay for ad-and-popup free, wholesome viewing for our readers and viewers.

Here's the key to body-soul health. Enjoy it and have a lovely Shabbat. Every blessing, LB

The Key to Body-Soul Health from lazerbrody on Vimeo.

Thanks to you, dear readers and friends, "Strength and Serenity" is now delighted to feature our weekly Wednesday shot of emuna and encouragement, which we've crowned, "Brodybeams", for we certainly hope that these messages will illuminate your life with meaning, faith, empowerment and joy. As opposed to the emuna lessons we used to record from our yeshiva broadcasts, many of these will be outdoors, shorter, and from all over the Land-of-Israel countryside.

You're about to see a clip we recorded from the holy gravesite of this past generations monumental tzaddik, Rabbi Yisrael Abuchatzera, aka "The Baba Sali" from Netivot in the south of Israel. Shortly afterwards, two days of intense missile barrages began to rain down on us from Gaza.

We certainly hope that you enjoy today's Brodybeam of emuna. Feel free to comment:

Rabbi Lazer Brody: Lesson from the Baba Sali from lazerbrody on Vimeo.

From here in the south of Ashdod, from the moment the Red Alert siren starts to wail, one has 32 seconds to get to a shelter or sheltered area. That's pretty luxurious, for our neighbors to the south in Ashkelon have only 22 seconds, while our brothers and sisters in the Sderot area have barely 14 seconds. It's no joke...

Now, once inside the shelter, there's a bigger challenge - staying calm, and calming the children. Words of emuna and encouragement, together with a nice chunk of Israeli chocolate, work wonders. 

Our children have just as effective radar as the Iron Dome missile defense does. They can immediately detect in adults' faces if there's reason to worry or not. That behooves all of us to stay extra calm.

How does one maintain inner calm and composure when missiles are exploding outside?

Earlier this evening, between 7:20 - 7:45 PM, was the heaviest series of missile barrages in Ashdod that I ever remember. It wasn't easy to stay calm, for the explosions we could hear outside were thunderous. But, I gave a breathing lesson to the parents and children of our building - it worked, and everyone maintained smiles. I taught them Pilatres breathing...

Pilates breathing is in itself a relaxing warmup that soothes body and soul. You take ten deep inhales through your nose, then slowly exhale ten times through your mouth until your lungs are totally emptied. Now repeat, and do this six times. Even better, put a rug or a Yoga mat on the floor, and as you inhale, arch your spine. As you exhale, do a "Pilates imprint" until there's no daylight between your spine and the floor. This way, you get a wonderful spine-massage benefit that's great for your posture and general good feeling. This type of breathing also promotes abdominal engagement, which the Pilates method is famous for.

This form of breathing is not only conducive to relaxation, but it's a stress-buster as well. If it works under rocket barrages in Ashdod, it will certainly help you neutralize your stress and anxiety anywhere else. So there you have it, bomb-shelter-tried and tested. Try it! May we all hear good news from each other, and blessings for a wonderful new month of Iyar. Every blessing, LB

Today's mini-broadcast comes to you from Meron in the Upper Galilee of Israel, from the holy gravesite of Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai

This week, I received emails from all over - the USA, UK, Switzerland, Canada and here in Israel all telling me the same polite thing, more or less like this: "Rabbi Lazer, we really appreciate your health and wellness articles, but you don't know how much we miss the weekly shiurim (lessons) broadcasts. Could you please bring back the weekly shot of emuna and encouragement?"

How can I say "no"? In Yiddish they say, "When ten people tell you that you're drunk, go to sleep!"

I agree. I haven't prepared shiurim ever since I was discharged from the hospital after my cardiac challenge, which we're now fully recovered from, thank G-d. Since then, I've made a new beginning with new ventures, all on my own so I've been a busy boy...

The first thing that is returning is our mini-clip messages from all over Israel. Last night I was in Meron, and you all were in my prayers. Here's my message from the holy gravesite of Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai. Enjoy it, and have a wonderful Shabbat and new month of Iyar. By the way, you'll notice that our new video host is Vimeo, where we have clean, no-ad, no-popup or immodest surprises viewing.

Every blessing, LB

Rabbi Lazer Brody from Meron: Lesson of the Omer from lazerbrody on Vimeo.