Stop Telling Yourself You Have Nothing to Give

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Today’s Health Upgrade

• Monday motivation

• How clutter affects your mind and mood

• Workout of the week

Arnold’s Corner
Monday Motivation: Spread the Light

On Saturday, I was doing something I’ve done for more than 30 years: playing Santa Claus and handing out toys I donated at the Hollenbeck Youth Center in East LA.

It is a better feeling than walking a red carpet or making a great business deal.

Bringing a little light to someone else’s life might just be the best feeling in the world.

It’s why, decades ago, in the 70s, when I trained people from Special Olympics in lifting for the first time, I came home and told my assistant, “I didn’t make any money, I didn’t make a career move, nothing, but this whole experience made me so happy.”

And she said, “Maybe it made you so happy because it wasn’t a career move and you didn’t make any money, maybe it made you happy because it wasn’t about you — it was about others.”

She was right.

It’s why I became addicted to giving back, eventually becoming the global coach for Special Olympics and the Chairman of the President’s Council of Physical Fitness and Sports.

It’s why I started my own after-school programs to help kids stay safe when most of them are unsupervised because their parents are working.

After-School All-Stars doesn’t just keep kids away from problems like teenage pregnancy, drugs, alcohol, and crime. All of those things set kids back, often for life, so we give them a positive alternative. We help them get ahead in school, teach them new skills, build confidence, and provide sports and art programs. It doesn’t just guard against the negative; it’s adding positives.

It isn’t just keeping the darkness away; it’s spreading the light.

And this year, I want to give all of you a reason to give back, because I think once you feel the joy of helping others, you’ll be addicted like I am.

So for the next 7 days, the Pump Club is going to be pumping up After-School All-Stars and the 150,000 students we serve in 80 cities around the country by giving all of you the chance to win special gifts for donating.

Each day, we’ll have new prizes for the people who give the most. It’s our way of inspiring people to spread light in the world.

I know there’s a lot of negativity out there. There’s a lot of darkness. It can get overwhelming.

But each and every one of you has the power to fight back.

The most common thing I hear from people who reply to this newsletter is that they’re here because they want some positivity in their lives.

Here’s what I want all of you to slowly learn: you have the power inside you to add positivity into the world.

People think they’re powerless, and that couldn’t be further from the truth. The most common thing people say is, “What can I do? I don’t have anything? What can I give?”

That’s not true. You don’t need money to give to make the world a better place.

You can do it by volunteering to help someone learn English or drive them to the doctor’s office.
You can do it by asking someone who's having a tough day how they’re doing.
You can do it by helping someone carry their groceries.
You can do it by smiling at people.
You can even do it by deciding not to add to the negativity by sending those tweets.

You don’t need money for any of those things!

Don’t write yourself off.

Every day, each of you, no matter who you are, has multiple opportunities to add light to the world instead of darkness.

This month, I’m asking all of you to choose light.

My father-in-law, Sargent Shriver, said: "Serve, serve, serve. Because in the end, it will be the servants who save us all." 

This is your time to serve.

Start Your Week Right 
Does Your Mess Actually Matter?

We all have that one corner, drawer, or room that feels like a constant reminder we’re not “on top of things.” But here’s the surprising twist: the size of the mess isn’t what affects your well-being. It’s how you feel about it.

Your perception of clutter explains more about your well-being than how much stuff you actually have.

Researchers analyzed more than 1,000 adults to understand how four factors — subjective clutter (how messy things feel), objective clutter (how messy things are), psychological home (how connected you feel to your space), and decluttering habits — relate to wellbeing. They used the PERMA model, which looks at positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment.

If you’ve ever felt like your clutter is throwing you off, there’s science to back it up. 

Subjective clutter and psychological home consistently explained up to 30% of the differences in people’s sense of accomplishment and positive emotion. 

But here’s what really matters: it’s not necessarily how messy it is, but how messy it feels. 

Two people could have the same amount of stuff, but the one who feels overwhelmed by it is the one who feels worse. And the one who feels “at home” in their space — even if it’s not magazine-clean — tends to feel better.

Objective clutter — the actual piles, boxes, and bags — didn’t predict well-being nearly as much. This suggests it’s not about achieving a perfect standard of tidiness. It’s about feeling like your space reflects you and supports you.

The researchers think that clutter becomes stressful not because of the stuff itself but because of the story we attach to it (“I’m behind,” “I’m disorganized,” “I’m failing at adulting.”) When the environment feels aligned with who you are, those stories quiet down.

If your environment affects your mood, instead of chasing someone else’s version of “clean,” focus on what makes you feel calm and in control. Pick one small area — a nightstand, a corner, a single drawer — and make it feel intentional. This isn’t about minimalism or perfection. It’s about designing a space that feels like home to you.

Fitness 
Workout Of The Week 

As the holiday season approaches, it can feel like it’s easier to miss your workouts or not have enough time to hit the gym. When those moments hit, don’t let time or equipment be your limitation. Here are two bodyweight workouts you can do from anywhere to ensure you get in your reps, push your body, and stay strong to finish the year. 

Day 1

Warmup
Bodyweight squats: 10 reps
Hip circles: 5 each direction
Arm circles: 10 each direction

The workout

Perform the workout as a circuit, completing one movement after another and resting 60 seconds between exercises. After you do one set of all four movements, rest for 2 to 3 minutes, and then repeat until all sets are done. 

1. Pushups: 5 sets x as many reps as possible 

2. Single-leg hip raise: 5 sets x 10-15 reps per leg

3. Bodyweight squat: 5 sets x 10-20 reps

4. Bear crawl: 5 sets x 30 seconds

Day 2

Warmup

Bodyweight hip hinge
Deep squat hold (sit in the bottom of squat): 20-30 seconds
Inchworm/bodyweight walkout: 8-10 reps

The Workout

Perform the workout as a circuit, completing one movement after another and resting 60 seconds between exercises. After you do one set of all four movements, rest for 2 to 3 minutes, and then repeat until all sets are done. 

1. Rear-foot elevated split squat: 5 sets x 10-15 reps per leg

2. Bodyweight Superman pullup or inverted row: 5 sets x 10-15 reps

3. Hollow body hold: 5 sets x 20-30 seconds

4. Decline pushup (or pushup alternative): 5 sets x as many reps as possible

Give it a try, and start your week strong!

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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger​

Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell