For many, many years, since I was a kid, I’ve been a very positive and grateful individual. I was brought up in a very positive environment with my parents and my brother. They taught me gratitude, positivity and to be kind to others. Thankfully it rubbed off on me and I carried it on through my entire life.
Many years ago my positivity and health awareness reached new heights when my music career really started to take off. All the things I had learned throughout my life, like living a life of purpose, succeeding, being positive and being healthy/fit, made me realize how effective all these attributes could be for ‘anyone’. I decided to start sharing my own personal tips on succeeding, positivity and health with family, friends, then fans and anyone in general who took interest. I’ve seen it help so many people over the years. To give back, coach and see people get results from the same attributes that worked for me, is something I’m grateful for every day.
I wanted to take my desire to help others to the next step. That next step became live motivational speaking and starting my RVP Health, Body and Mind page. It’s a Facebook Page dedicated to the many principles I’ve used to become a happy, positive, healthy and successful individual. I essentially provide tips on Well Being, Health and Fitness to help motivate and inspire others on a daily basis. The majority of my posts are based off of my own experiences in life and what has and hasn’t worked for me over the years. I’m there daily answering questions, giving tips and even exercises to help make YOU a more positive, healthy, fit and most of all, HAPPY person.
My wish is that you can take the advice given on this page and incorporate it into your life, to live a life full of purpose. Whether it’s motivating you or inspiring you to become more positive, more successful, to get in shape, eat healthier or if it’s the push you need to simply take action and go for your dreams…. RVP Health, Body and Mind is my offering to you to help you become the best and happiest you can be.
In closing, we’re ALL 100% accountable for our lives…. We’re the creators of what our lives will be. So, let’s make the most of it!
Wishing you all the best always,
RVP
RVP Health, Body and Mind added 2 new photos.
“I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.”– Muhammad Ali
If I share a quote that has helped me in life, I want to give you an example of how it lent to my success. This Muhammad Ali quote shows how powerful our self talk and our thoughts can be. Here's an example from my life...
What I took from this Ali quote was not to be the greatest drummer but to believe you can achieve what you want in life through positive thought and self talk. My belief was to be come a professional musician.
When I was kid, I would always look at my Modern Drummer Magazines and literally say out loud, I will be a Rockstar…. I can’t stand that term but what I meant was a professional musician 😉 I would not only think it all the time, I would say it to myself all the time. I wanted it so bad I could visualize the 50,000 people screaming for the band (I visualized myself in) coming onstage to play a big show. I could hear the screams, I could feel the rumble of the stage beneath me every time I hit my kick drum. It still gives me goosebumps to think that’s what I’ve done for a living the past 10 years with the DTP
The big thing was that I bought into my own story. I would practice with the many unsigned bands I was in and say ‘‘I will make it’’. I never said it would be with any one particular band, I just said, “I will make it” or “I’ll become a Professional Musician soon”. I didn't attach to the details and limit myself, I just believed, saw my dream vaguely and moved forward. That desire, that influence, that inspiration pushed me to think outside the box, it made me work harder and more consistently. It made me say positive affirmations to myself more and more the closer I got to success. It was not only a habit, it became an infectious habit in the most positive ways…
Example: I played in a very successful local Vancouver band called God Awakens Petrified back in the late 90”s, early 2000’s. We started getting big and eventually got label interest. I constantly was telling myself when I worked out, practiced with the band or before I went to bed, “I’m going to make it I the music industry”. In the end, the label interest didn’t pan out for G.A.P.. I won’t lie, it was a bit of a blow to my career but out of habit, I never stopped saying or believing that I would make it to the big times in the music industry, one way or another. Fast forward a year after our label interest faded… I was still playing in a G.A.P. and a few other bands, when got the call by Devin Townsend to try out for the Devin Townsend Band. As you all know, we know how that turned out 😉 I know I’ve told this story before, so I won’t go through it all again BUT I will say that it was many different things that got me to that point in my life. One of those things was the positive self talk and believing in myself in thought. I NEVER gave up, I pushed forward and kept telling myself I would make it, and I did!
Don’t EVER rob yourself of what you truly deserve in life. Do what you love and love what you do! Say it to yourself and believe it. It truly is amazing how positively it can rub off on you. There are so many successful people in this world…. too many to count, who will tell you the same thing. So start today by saying and thinking who you want to be. Become the best version of yourself the positive self talk and positive thinking. #Believe
“Our days are numbered they say. That’s why I don’t count my days or worry about my age. For me, it’s all about enjoying the journey on a daily basis and making every single day count.”
- Ryan Van Poederooyen
Be consistent.
Being consistent is one of the best traits you can have in your life. Consistency gets the job done and has helped me get to where I am today with my career. I want to share a few things with you that can help you be consistent with your life and aid you in the best of ways…
First of all, being committed and pushing yourself through the toughest of times will help establish discipline and the habit of of being consistent. You’ll learn very fast that consistency is an ally by pushing through the difficult times in life. Developing discipline will help your consistency when things get challenging. You will want to push through and succeed as a result. This is a must in being consistent with your life.
We are more willing to work through the intangibles in life when we truly understand our purpose and we’re passionate about what we are doing. You will want to become consistent in everything you do to back up your purpose in life. I knew I wanted to become a professional musician and I ran into many tough times but I remained consistent in my work ethics and desire to succeed. When you realize and understand why you are doing something, you will enjoy and appreciate the journey, and want to follow it up with consistency as often as possible. It becomes a habit. Establishing specific habits is absolutely key for seeing continuous progress in our lives. Developing good habits will only benefit you in the greatest of ways.
Another big trait is being focused in life. Consistency and Focus are a powerful team. Learning to focus on the right things is key in developing a consistent and successful work ethic. To see consistent progress, you have to take specific actions that lineup with your end result in mind. They say that 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. If your focus is all over the place, it’ll make it much harder for you to be consistent and perform at a high level. You need to consistently focus on the right things!
One of my important ‘9 Steps’ is setting goals. Setting a goal(s) is an awesome way to establish a vision for what you want in life. To achieve success, it is important to establish consistent patterns and a commitment to your daily goals and habits. So many people don’t accomplish their goals due to the lack of commitment and consistency. Set goals and be consistent with them. When setting these goals and being consistent with them, be sure to set you standards high! Don’t shoot for mediocre or live with the ‘’What If’s” of life. Setting high standards will give you a clear picture of what you expect from yourself. Once you clearly define your expectations and establish a consistent level of taking action, you will do whatever it takes to achieve your goals. Keep your eyes on the prize!
Lastly, give yourself time and patience. It is important to give your end results enough time before you see them as a success or a failure. If you are constantly changing your focus, you might not be giving yourself the best chance at achieving success, You NEED to give it time. Setting a realistic time frame for your goals will help you eliminate daunting feelings or simply quitting. You will always strive to be consistent if you don’t introduce negative feelings due to being rushed or feeling pressured.
Being consistent is a choice. It ties right in with 100% responsibility. You ultimately decide where your life goes through the choices you make. Being consistent in your life with the right choices, work ethic, discipline and belief system will only increase your chances at living the life of your dreams. I can confidently say that 😉
What we think about, We bring about…
Everything starts with thought. Whether you like it or not, it's true. Before you start every day of your life, you think about it. Before you take a shower you think about it. Even before you eat any meal, you will think about it first. Easy to see my point, right ?
That's why it is so important to choose good, positive thoughts throughout everyday of your life. Especially through the worst times or when anything bad happens to you.
Think about this: If you stub your toe first thing in the morning getting out of bed, then get mad and continue thinking negative things.... you have a greater chance of having more go wrong in your day. It's happened to all of us many times in our live's. The snowball effect kicks in and you have a horrible day. The same process can happen in a positive manner too. It's the time we take to stop, and react in a positive way that gives us a chance to reset what just went wrong. Remember this equation:
Event + Reaction = Outcome
It's the time we take to think of a new positive start rather than the one we just experienced, that will make our days better.
These examples I listed above, about thinking, will also work in how we approach living our future life. Think BIG, believe and think positively towards the ideal person you want to be and the life you want to live. This is how winners are born. Lots of the most successful people and happiest people in the world talk about this very topic, all the time. The burning desire to 'work' towards the goals you 'think about', will be all the motivation and inspiration you'll need to achieve your goals.
In the end, it's always up to us. We have to be 100% responsible for our lives and the actions we take. Be disciplined. So, the next time you think about anything you what to do with your life, think of it in the most positive way you can. It may not work out 'every single time', but it will ALWAYS give you a greater chance at succeeding and living the life of your dreams... this is something I do know through experience 😉
What you think about, you bring about!
I had an amazing time teaching a workshop at Drumeo yesterday, with all the students they had for their 1st drum camp VIP Week of 2018. Lots was shared and learned with this great group of people.
I took my '9 Steps to Living a Life of Purpose' program and applied it to a drummers life. Whether you want to just play in a band on weekends, become a teacher, a session player or a full on professional player like myself... the course was customized to them! The beautiful thing is that a lot of new friends were made amongst the students and even amongst the teachers. It was a very positive environment to be part of. As always, I was able to take some new thoughts and ideas home from some of the students questions. You can never learn enough or stop improving who you are as a person. Doesn't matter if it comes from someone you look up to or one of your own students! Be open minded and soak in all you can at any given time!
Very big thanks to Dave Atkinson, Jared Falk, Mike Michalkow, Reuben Spyker and all at Drumeo for the great experience. Looking forward to doing another workshop in a week! All I will say is for all you drummers out there, if you get a chance to attend one of these drum camps at Drumeo, DO IT! They sell out fast! They had people yesterday who came from Mexico, Hong Kong, USA, England among other places around the world to be there. Fun times and a truly great experience!
“Don’t get too caught up in yesterday. It’s already happened. Instead…. focus on all you do today, as you can make history and pave a better road to tomorrow.”
- Ryan Van Poederooyen
*Picture taken with my Canon D60 during my vacation in Los Cabos in 2012
Being openminded with your career and life...
Some of my greatest successes came from being openminded with people and life situations. Giving something or someone a chance that you have never experienced before can open up new paths to amazing successes. When we’re close-minded, we restrict growth and learning new things. We stay in a comfort zone that can’t grow. Possibilities and new chances are less abundant and life itself can become very sterile if you keep on the comfortable path.
For example, It’s natural for people to gather in groups that are ‘comfortable’ to them. We always want to relate and fit in. This can be a downside if you always take this route. It’s the easy way… it’s playing it safe. You don’t want to be put in a situation where you feel uncomfortable. The flip side is if you take an opportunity to meet new people in a new environment, you give yourself every chance of expanding your connections, friendships and career in ways you can’t predict! Many new paths can be presented to you and you will also begin to eradicate the fear of feeling uncomfortable in new situations by being more open minded.
A personal example for me was going to NAMM music conference on my own for the first time in Los Angeles many years ago. It can be an intimidating place. It’s the worlds biggest conference show for musical instruments. A place you can land endorsements, meet important figures in the industry, find a new band, there are so many different possibilities, but the only way I could gain anything from going to NAMM was by being openminded and attending it. Being open to the possibilities, taking action and going there. Going to NAMM furthered my relationships with my endorsements which in return helped out my musical career in many big ways. I have also met some very handy connections over the years that have helped move me further along with my drumming career. Being openminded to the new environment and new people, helped me in so many great ways. I go to NAMM every year from my past positive experiences, as a result of being openminded to it.
I find it’s important to diversify, to grow and learn through being openminded. Look at it as a chance and a way to overcome the unknown. I guarantee you will always be able to take something positive away from being openminded. Whether it’s learning something new, meeting a new connection or gaining new knowledge… you can always take something away from being openminded.
So the next time you have a decision to make that could further your career, be openminded to it at the very least. You don’t have to jump on everything thrown your way, but being diverse and openminded to new ideas and opportunities you haven’t tried before, could change your life in the most positive of ways.
Wishing you all the best always,
RVP
“You can go THROUGH life or you can LIVE life! Every new day is a gift. Find ways to LIVE your life to the fullest on a daily basis. You’re the creator with the decisions you make, so take advantage and make every day count, however you can!” - Ryan Van Poederooyen
A memory and inspirational story.... #believe
I’m currently in beautiful, Los Angeles recording material for my new band Imonolith. While recording at Van Howes Studios this week, I came across the snare drum and drum head that was used for the Devin Townsend Project album, Z2, which was recorded in Los Angeles back in 2014. Jay Van Poederooyen, my brother, recorded the drums for that record. It was pretty cool to run into that snare drum/head and the crazy memories from that recording session. There is a very inspirational story attached to it as well....
We traveled down to LA to record a double album for the DTP in May 2014. I was given 3 full days to record the two albums. That’s cutting it close as is but we could use a 4th day if needed, but I had booked a vacation to Mexico so 3 days was all I had. The first day we got there we set up my drums and started mic'ing up the kit to get sounds and then start recording. As my kit was being setup with microphones, I was fulfilling a lifelong dream. Modern Drummer was doing a 7 page feature interview with me in the studio, photoshoot and all!!! One of my biggest dreams came true at the start of that session in LA. It was a great start to the session but I had no idea what was going to hit me within that first day of recording.
After the interview, we were ready to get sounds. When we started, Jay noticed some microphones from the studio weren’t working, we spent hours fixing microphone problems and then cable problems. We then realized many channels on the mixing board weren’t working either. Long story short, we ended up spending almost the entire day getting the recording equipment to work. I started recording tracks at 10pm at night. By that time I was mentally fatigued, stressed out and frustrated. We kept nothing I recorded that night. I had a huge dilemma in front of me. How the hell was I going to record two albums in two days ? The music on ‘Dark Matters’ was very progressive and difficult to play. I thought I could get ‘Dark Matters’ done the first 2 days and then Sky Blue the last day. The music on ‘Sky Blue’ was more like a rock record, so I knew I could get it done quicker. I had only two days to record both records now. It was a big task to overcome… this is where mind over matter kicks in.
I woke up knowing I had two days to record two albums. I was stressing out but then this Napolean Hill quote came to my mind.
“Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve” - Napolean Hill
I conceived the thought and then believed I could do it. That was to record two full length albums in two days! I had a nice big healthy breakfast, loaded up on coffee, bought a couple litre of water for the day and I started tracking my drums for ‘Dark Matters’. I chose that album first as it’s the more difficult record to record and thought it’d be best to get the toughest material out of the way. I started with a couple easier tracks on the album to get comfortable and build my confidence with my goal in mind, then hit the harder stuff. I started running into a couple snags in my performance, that’s when I knew I needed a constant reminder to help me get through this session. I grabbed a marker and I wrote on my snare drum head I was recording with: “Make the Impossible Possible”
Whenever I ran into stumbling blocks while recording those two days, I calmed down by reading this quote over and over as I recorded. One by one I laid down each track of ‘Dark Matters’. I started recording at Noon and by 11pm that day, I finished recording ALL of ‘Dark Matters’! I DID IT!!! I conceived a thought, believed and achieved! It was one of my most powerful achievements to this very day. I made the somewhat impossible, possible. The next day, I had to record another full record. I was mentally and physically exhausted from the first 2 days but I had a goal to accomplish and stayed mentally prepared and strong. The next day we started recording the ‘Sky Blue’ album at Noon and finished it by 9pm that night. We went over everything to make sure I had it all and left the studio by 11pm. I DID IT!
Two full studio albums recorded in two days, I knew it was going to be tough, that’s why I wrote, “Make the Impossible Possible’’ on the snare head. I added ‘Hit Here’ to the centre of the drumhead to add some humour to it too 🙂
You always have to believe in yourself and give yourself a fighting chance with everything you do in life. I did exactly that with the Z2 record I did for the DTP. I conceived, I believed and I definitely achieved. We’re ALL capable of doing great things in life but you MUST believe. Make sure you take advantage of the power of your mind. You HAVE to physically follow up with taking action, being disciplined, persevering and NEVER quitting but it will always start with the most powerful tool you possess, your mind and believing you can achieve whatever you want in your life!
#Believe
Why it’s so important to focus on the present…
Life is about fulfillment and happiness. The moment you experience right now is the only moment you can control. You can choose to enjoy the moment or you can choose to not enjoy the moment. Either way, you’re in control. No matter how much you plan you never know for sure how life is going to turn out. The only time you will know is when you are in that moment. Remember, planning isn’t going to take you out of the present. It might help you accomplish your goals but it is not going to improve your quality of life for the present moment. Take advantage of what’s happening now!
If you’re thinking too much about the future, and the past, that will more than likely create stress. Even though some stress can be beneficial, the stress caused from not living in the moment can have a negative impact on one’s mental, physical, and emotional health. Over planning can lead to unwanted stress when the planning prevents you from living in the moment. Enhance your life with present living strategies that will allow you to stay more focused on each moment. Basic awareness and recognition of your thoughts will always assist you in being more present.
It’s absolutely impossible to know how a plan will work out. You can’t worry about ‘How’ a goal will unravel. You need to focus on the now and keep moving forward with that goal. Don’t overthink it. You’ll know HOW to achieve something once you’ve already achieved it! You learn from your successes to help enable you to more future successes. Remember, the more you plan, the more likely you are to become irritated or upset when those plans don’t come true. Don’t serve up this injustice to yourself. Set goals and plan but don’t over-do it. Just get started and go.
Lastly and probably the most important thing is to realize that living in the present will make you happier! Too much long term planning is going to prevent you from enjoying the beauty of now. The key is to find a balance between living in the moment and planning. You are only going to be able to control the moment you have right now. It’s important to set goals and plan but it will always be most important to make the most of the present.
There is no guarantee on the number of moments you will get to experience. This is extremely important to realize. You never know what your next moment in life could be. Remember that your next moment is never guaranteed, so why not take advantage of the one you are in ? Focus on the present always, because the present is something we can always make the most of while we enjoy the journey of life itself 🙂
“Honesty is one of the best attributes you can have. Being honest with yourself and others will always help shape the quality of life you live, the people you attract and a clear conscience. Be honest always.” - Ryan Van Poederooyen
“Never be afraid of failing or making mistakes. If you fail efficiently and learn from your mistakes, you will see success present itself more often than not!”
- Ryan Van Poederooyen
Photo Credit - LIM SANG Photography
I would like to wish my amazing mother, Jan Stone a very Happy Mothers Day. She's not only an amazing mother, she's beyond supportive, kind, intelligent, caring, loving, and an overall awesome human being. Thanks for all you've done and all you still do Mom. I know both, JVP and I are extremely grateful to have her as our mother. She’s been a huge positive influence on my life. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there!
Don’t live in your comfort zone to try and move further ahead in life…. PUSH your comfort zone to succeed!
So many people like to take the easy road in life, the safe way, the way that feels most comfortable to them. This can lead to an average life you’re not happy with. You need to push your comfort zone to achieve the life of your dreams. You can’t get around this simple fact. Here’s some advice I’ve used over the years to achieve the success I have in my life now.
In my seminars, I talk about taking calculated risks all the time. You need to take them. That’s a big step in working outside your comfort zone because it’s a risk! You’re never sure of the outcome, but the pay off could be HUGE! I call them calculated risks because your being smart with these risks. You’re not betting the farm on one risk, but you are taking a risk to better yourself. Never forget the ‘Fishing Rod’ analogy I came up with that I’ve used in my live seminars since 2015 and talk about in my 2017 eBook. Don’t put your eggs all in one basket!!! Try different calculated risks (more than one fishing rod in the lake) to move you forward. Deviating from the ‘safe’ path gives you the opportunity to live and work on your own terms. Nothing feels better when you get to do things YOUR way in a successful manner! This control over your lifestyle has been proven to increase performance in all areas of your life, lower levels of stress and increase job satisfaction. All these things are key to living a healthy, positive and happy life.
You also need to let go of perfection. I had a problem with this in my earlier years and once in a while still have to remind myself of this important lesson. Once you let the thought of perfection go, barriers will become small hurdles, confidence will rise and you’ll take more risks. As we all know, risks carry a chance of failure, but your new mindset will be focused on the opportunity for great success. By embracing failure, we become wiser and take these experiences into future projects. Don’t focus on perfection, focus on your desired end result! You will then work in every way possible in and outside of your comfort zone to get there!
If you work outside your comfort zone and challenge yourself, you WILL build your CONFIDENCE. This is key in you wanting to take more calculated risks and to help work outside of your comfort zone more often. Remember, you don’t want to live with what I call the ‘What If’s ?” in life. Regret becomes reality when we wonder, but do not act. The feeling of individual success far outweighs fear and immediately gets rid of any regret. Take this attitude into everything you do in life. It’s important to be bold, ambitious and embrace what you have previously feared. Never forget that. We have one life to live. Lets make the most of it by working outside of our comfort zone and making the most of our desired goals!
Lastly, the added bonus about working outside of our comfort zone is that your day-to-day actions are observed by those around you. How is this an added bonus ? Whether you recognize that this is happening is another matter, but know that it is. By challenging yourself, taking risks, pushing for the best and delivering positive results, you are in turn INSPIRING those around you to do the same. At some point in our lives, we’ve all had a person who has inspired or motivated us to go for our dreams, by stepping outside of our comfort zone. We can be that person for other people by working outside of our comfort zone, taking calculated risks and not living with the ‘’What If’s ?” Set an example through your own journey and successes! I’ve been fortunate enough to inspire so many people worldwide to go for the dreams, you can do the same, whether you know it or not, by working outside your comfort zone and succeeding your own way 😉
Wishing you all the best always,
RVP
Hey everybody, lets wish a BIG Happy Birthday to the one and only Mr. Bo Hawkins at Mastermind Motivation Worldwide and 4 Minute Masters! Hope you have an amazing day brother. I know you will 😉 Live it to the max like you do every other day and don't forget to have that glass, or 5 of wine too!! Haha. Wishing you all the best my friend!
RVP
Be mindful of the healthy food you eat too!
Some people think that if your eating healthy foods, you can eat as much as you like and be healthy. BE CAREFUL!! Even if you’re eating healthy foods, some of them, in excess, is NOT a good thing for your body. Portion size is everything, as is calories in versus calories out. For example Almonds are very good for you, they’re protein packed, a healthy fat, and an energy food. The thing is, nuts are extremely calorie dense, meaning that only a small amount of them will contain a hefty amount of calories. The recommended amount per day is literally a handful, which will work out roughly to 250 calories! Imagine taking a few handfuls, thinking that they’re healthy, so.... eat as much as you want!!! A few months of that routine along with overeating other healthy foods could actually have a non-healthy effect on your body. Another example is Avocado. Another healthy fat and great for you, but if you’re stuffing your face with a bowl of Guacamole, it’s not necessarily the healthiest thing for you. It’s all about portion size, the calories involved and not eating more than you have to! Stick to eating within your body’s necessary needs.
Another thing to keep in mind is when you eat your daily meals. If you skip breakfast, barely eat at lunch and do nothing but drink coffee all day and come home and stuff your face for dinner, you’re doing your body an injustice! You need to keep your body energized throughout the day but more importantly you want to keep your metabolism intact. If you skip meals, you are more inclined to overeat and splurge. This is not good for your body overall. This is where food prepping is a great idea. You can control your calorie intake per meal and make sure you’re eating at the right times of each day. You will feel more energy and your body will thank you for it! Food prep if you have a problem eating at the right times of the day.
The effects of over eating in general is not based solely on gaining weight. You can attract uncomfortable digestive problems such as bloating and gas, overeating can also lead to bone and joint pain, this happens because the excess weight can put additional pressure on your skeleton, which can lead to pain and discomfort, particularly in the lower back and hips. I felt that when I was 45 pounds overweight. I couldn’t imagine what it would have been like if I was 100 pounds overweight!! Be careful! Being overweight also effects your state of mind. I went through self-esteem
problems for a brief period of time. Your self-image and self-esteem is connected to how you feel about your looks. That is a simple fact. The last thing to think about is that overeating can increase your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Not great things to deal with. Be mindful of all these things as they can have a negative impact on your well-being.
So, remember, just because you’re eating healthy foods doesn’t mean you can have as much as you want. Be smart, be knowledgeable and take care of yourself by not overeating and eating at the right times throughout the day.
Wishing you all the best always,
RVP
