Live, love and laughter keys to happiness for Monessen native Andy Dzurinko [The Valley Independent, Monessen, Pa.]
By Rick Bruni Jr., The Valley Independent, Monessen, Pa. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Those aren't just the parting words from
"This all sounds so easy, but it's not," Dzurinko said. "You have to be positive, you have to be active, and you have to have a sense of humor.
"And the best part? It doesn't cost you a penny to do any of this," Dzurinko said.
A 1961 graduate of
In addition to his insurance business, he has co-authored two books: "The Power of Optimism, Insights to Personal and Professional Growth" and "LOL, Laugh Out Loud, Feel Good and Live Longer."
Dzurinko often traveled the country as a motivational speaker. His message, though, hasn't changed.
"It's important, especially as you get older, that you are active mentally and physically," he said. "And when I speak, I talk about that balance."
Dzurinko doesn't just give advice -- he lives it. This is a man who ran his first marathon at the age of 56.
"I used to work in a corporate office and I was on the seventh floor," he said." I used to walk up and down those stairs just to do something or walk around the building at lunch.
"I know the corporate environment. It can drive you crazy, but little things you do everyday add up -- and that's been proven."
Dzurinko's parents are both deceased, but as he took care of his ailing mother,
"My mom lived with me for seven years," he said. "You have to take care of yourself first if you're going to be able to take care of your family and take care of others."
He also insists on a maintaining a positive social environment -- and that mostly includes avoiding negative people. It can be done, and in a mannerly fashion, he says.
"The question I get all the time is: 'I know this person and they're the most negative person in the world. 'What can you do with this person?" Dzurinko said. "Some people are never, ever going to be positive. On that situation, I just say, 'Be nice and move on'. You have to be around the right people."
Sometimes, Dzurinko advises people to eliminate personal patterns that add unnecessary stress.
"I've got guys who say 'Andy, I need an attitude change,' but they're waking up in the morning watching
"You have people thinking about all this turmoil when they should be trying to go to bed and rest. If you don't have enough sleep, that only compounds things."
Another Dzurinko rule is moderation.
"I think that's where people fall down," Dzurinko said. "I have guys in my gym saying, 'Andy, I can't lose this weight'. You can come in here all day and do all this exercise, but if you're not watching what you're eating and drinking, it's not going to happen."
Dzurinko put his fitness level to the test in September. He and good friend,
At 19,341 feet in altitude, it's the highest mountain on the African continent and the highest free-standing mountain in the world.
'It's a six-and-a-half day journey. You start out in the tropical rainforest then you move up and stop at 10, 12, 14, and 15,000 feet to get acclimated to the elevation," Dzurinko said. "Some have done it in a shorter period of time, but the success rate for people who take this slower pace is 98 percent."
The challenge was two-fold.
"A lot of it is mental. You're walking in molasses, that's how slow you're going, and it's volcanic rock, so you have to stay focused on what your doing," he said. "From a physical standpoint, it helps if you're in good shape."
Dzurinko and Miller have also scaled Mt. Whitney in
"To be honest, we didn't feel it and we've done (14,000 feet) on occasion, and never had any problems," he said. "Some people just can't handle it whereas he and I never had any problems. We were fortunate."
Dzurinko and Miller are planning another quest in June. This time, it's off to
"It's like a three-day, four-night trek up the mountain to the trail and it's fascinating," Dzurinko said. "It's absolutely stunning and it's obviously historic because there are ruins from so many centuries ago."
In his younger days, Dzurinko reserved his physical exertions for the gridiron.
A standout at offensive guard and defensive end, Dzurinko in 1961 was the first Greyhound to ever play in the prestigious Big 33 all-star game. In Dzurinko's senior year,
Dzurinko then continued his football career at
He recalls those days with pride and revelry. For his accomplishments, Dzurinko was inducted into the
"To me, if it wasn't for growing up in that environment -- it was like
"We played both ways in those days. Playing football was a way for me to get an education, but I was fortunate enough to play on winning teams at
After college, Dzurinko served two years of active duty with the
He worked for nearly 10 years in
Dzurinko came home to
"I always talk about your roots and I'm proud of the fact I came from
"It's weird out here (in
Nowadays, Dzurinko finds camaraderie with
"We get together once a month and it's the greatest thing," he said. "We have fun, tell stories, and embellish things People need to do that.
Socialization is so important and there's like a gazillion guys out here from the
Dzurinko lives near the
"If you want to hike, ski, fish, hunt, it's all here," he added. "The state of
Now single after an "amicable parting" with his wife, Dzurinko has a son and daughter -- and three grandchildren he often visits in
The insurance business, just down the street, keeps him busy between adventures.
"I tell people I've never made a million dollars, but I feel like I'm successful," he said. "It's all about the question 'What kind of quality of life do you want to have as you get older?'" "I've been very fortunate up to this point with my health -- and you can't buy health," Dzurinko added. "Anything can happen any day, but as part of balance in my life, I try to do those things I preach."
Anyone interested in Dzurinko's books can visit the website: www.thepowerofoptimism.com.
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(c)2013 The Valley Independent (Monessen, Pa.)
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