Category: Motivation

Be Wary Of Your Vices…

I was pretty much a stranger to alcohol until much later in life than any of my peers. I had my first beer at the age of 23, when I travelled to Japan. Prior to that, I had never consumed alcohol as some of my family members had faced alcoholism and had medical complications as a result. Being as that I was finally controlling my blood sugars and making some headway into proper health by my early 20’s, the last thing I wanted to do was introduce alcohol into the mix.

Once I had travelled to Japan and Okinawa, where the refusal of something offered is frequently seen as an insult, I allowed myself to enjoy some drinks and came to find that there was nothing to it. In fact, I even got reasonably tipsy on a couple of occasions and never really noticed the negative effect it was having on my blood sugars. Even when I brought up the fact I shouldn’t be drinking beer to the Okinawans due to my Diabetes (which is called toonoogio in Japanese, FYI) they offered me sake instead, claiming it was better for someone with my condition. Alrighty, then…

When I returned to Canada, I slid off the rails a bit. I may have written about this before but to be honest, who remembers? So confident had I become in my newfound enjoyment of beer and alcohol, I started enjoying it liberaly, much to the dismay of anyone in my immediate surroundings. Things came too a head one night at a party where I decided to fight some guy who was hitting on the little sister of the girl I was involved with. The evening pretty much ended there and it was a bit of a wake-up call for me.

I would be lying if I said I didn’t still enjoy the occasional drink when out playing pool or something. But that first incident showed me the potential danger I could be to others and how vulnerable I was leaving myself. Things didn’t TRULY reach a head until some time later, when I was at party in the woods at a small cabin my friends had nicknamed “the camp.” This was a small , homemade log cabin built by one of our friends and his brothers and was the usual site for any social get-togethers. it’s main feature was that it had power and a wood stove, and a small fridge for storing beer and drinks.

I mean, what could go wrong? Cramming a dozen teenagers/20-year olds into a small wooden structure in the woods and let them drink copious amounts of alcohol, right? As one might reasonably expect, there were fights, arguments, uninvited groping and people drinking far more than they should then wandering off into the woods to alleviate themselves of their liquid burden. It was late fall and although there was no snow, there was a frost on the ground and it was cold. The path to access the cabin required a ten-minute walk at sober speeds and led to the house of the guy who had built the cabin.

That’s when it happened…. One of our friends, I’ll call him “Luke,” was sitting on one of the old truck benches we used as a couch and was staring off into space. When I say staring off into space, I don’t mean the kind of idle staring that you get from being bored or thinking deep thoughts about something…. I mean his head was lolled to one side and his gaze was empty and without conscious substance. A couple of us approached him and asked if he was okay. No response. I pinched the loose skin at the side of his neck in an effort to elicit a pain response. Again, no response. Then his gag reflex kicked in and he trickled vomit out of his mouth like a baby spitting up.

This was the final sign to what I feared; Luke had alcohol poisoning. When someone isn’t conscious enough for the vomit to actually fly out and it just comes out at a slow trickle, you know it’s bad! I didn’t know what he had drank or even how much. I only knew that his life was in danger and I was one of only two people among the group who were sober. I was completely sober for two reasons. The first is because I drove to the location and if watching multiple after-school specials during my childhood has taught me anything, it’s that you don’t drink and drive. The second is that I’m extremely paranoid and worry about being in the forest while intoxicated, as you never know what might happen. Who’s laughing now, everyone who’s ever told me to lighten up?

I enlisted the help of my sober counterpart and a couple of the others who weren’t falling all over themselves. Luke was a bit of a hefty fellow, to say the least, and I would never have been able to get him down the walking path and into my vehicle without some help. It took about half an hour to get him through what would have been a 10-minute walk. Time was ticking and I knew that if I didn’t get him to a hospital soon, he could potentially die. We got him loaded into my vehicle, which was a 1983 Toyota Tercel hatchback. There was only room for four people, so I took the sober guy and one other.

It was the fastest I had ever driven in my life, prior to becoming a police officer. I was white-knuckling the steering wheel and since we were on the Quebec side needing to cross over back into New Brunswick, I kept praying I wouldn’t encounter any law enforcement as Luke’s life could literally depend on NOT being delayed. I crossed the bridge to New Brunswick and gunned it to Campbellton, which was where the hospital was located. I made it there in just over half the time it would have taken, under normal circumstances.

When we arrived at the hospital, I took responsibility for Luke by digging out his wallet and finding ID and a health card and contacted his father to attend the hospital. He was wheeled into the main area of the hospital where I couldn’t follow. When his father arrived, I explained what had happened and how we came to be here. He was brought back behind the door I couldn’t access to be with him. At the time, I remembered thinking how rude it was that he didn’t thank me for saving his son’s life. In retrospect, I realize he likely had bigger concerns on his mind…

With nothing left to do and no one who needed me, I left the hospital. I dropped off my passengers and headed home. I didn’t sleep that night as my mind was occupied, wondering what had become of Luke. Had he survived? Was he okay? Was he conscious? I considered calling the hospital to ask then reconsidered since I was not a member of the family and it was likely that no information would be shared with me.

It took a couple of days for my stomach to unclench and it really only happened when I had gotten word at work that Luke would be absent for a few days to recover. We worked at the same place, in case vI hadn’t mentioned that. This meant that he had survived. It wasn’t until a week later that he caught with me at a local magazine store. I remember that I was reading an article on Wing Chun in an issue of Black Belt Magazine when he walked up. He shook my hand and thanked me for saving his life. I rather think the hospital staff saved his life, but I guess it’s a matter of perspective. He asked me how he could ever thank me and all I could think to say was, “Don’t ever put yourself or anyone else in that position ever again and we’re square.”

I moved on to different things and different people after that. The event seriously altered my perspective on the people I surrounded myself with, and the activities that I allowed to happen around me. I became the puritan who opposed the consumption of alcohol and the use of drugs in my presence. This made me an outcast in the groups I had previously associated with. But I didn’t care. I had been scared straight and didn’t want to ever expose myself to that kind of a situation again. Even today, I usually won’t enjoy a drink outside of my home. And when I do, I have my one drink and be on my way. The world is too dangerous a place to allow anything more.

I think about Luke once in a while and wonder what ever became of him. Did he change his habits? Turn his life around? The focus of this post isn’t about my intervening in the situation. It’s about how quickly one’s vices can get out of hand, often with deadly consequences. Most people will be inclined to defend their choices. But it isn’t until you’re in the mud that you realize you’re sinking. And by that point, it can be too late. Moderation is key. I often enjoy a glass of wine of a vodka soda in the comfort of my home. I do so for the relaxing effect, the flavour experience and because I feel safe at home. But i have the distinct pleasure of knowing that I‘ll never find myself in that kind of a situation unless it’s to once again come to someone’s aid. And neither should you. Food for thought…☯️

Another One Of Those…

I found this image on one of my friends’ Facebook feeds. He posts a lot of motivational stuff and this one kind of resonated with me. I don’t know where he got it and can’t source it, but if any of you want to reverse Google search, have at it! Sometimes you gotta just enjoy the words and not worry about the source, right? Although we can agree that, “the medium IS the message,” sometimes you gotta just take in the message itself. A little motivation before the weekend kicks in. Enjoy! ☯️

How Much Do You Need?

There’s a prevalent belief that one’s workout area needs to be elaborate, containing a vast array of different equipment and machines. One needs to have access to a bit of everything in order to ensure the best variety of exercises and the best for one’s health & fitness. People will pay through the nose for expensive gym memberships and access to equipment they would either not afford or refuse to pay for, within their home and some of the extra services like saunas or steam rooms and towel service. But that’s all a load of bullshit… And here’s why…

It may be great to have access to a wide variety of equipment. After all, I won’t be a hypocrite and try to convince any of you that i don’t occasionally take advantage of the gym at my office, since it does have the elliptical machine I enjoy using and a variety of free weights I don’t have the space to keep at home. Wake up late and need to get yourself up and going? No time for a visit to the gym? All you need is a small space, even if it’s only about 8 foot by 8 foot. In that space, you can do push-ups, squats, lunges, crunches and a wide variety of dumbbell exercises. All without the availability of gym machines and complicated and expensive equipment.

If you practice martial arts, you should be able to perform all the exercises mentioned in the previous paragraph as well as practice all of your punches, kicks and blocks from a stationary post. Doing one’s forms shouldn’t require any more space than a small, open area and doing them with a bit of oomph will have you sheathed in sweat before you know it. All of this can be done without big, expensive gym memberships or vast arrays of equipment.

Let’s not forget some of the old faithfuls, like going for a run or cycling. Even going out for a brisk walk can be a good alternative, especially if you’re on a break day or trying to nurse an injured limb back to health. Anything will always be something more than nothing, right? So, the answer to the title’s question should be that you need very little in order to focus on your fitness and make a change. There’s should be no excuse behind why you don’t exercise regularly.

So don’t wait! Whether you want to lose weight, get fit, build muscle, improve blood circulation… whatever! If you have a friend who knows martial arts, train with them! If you have a bicycle, get out and peddle! If you have a small area of open space, do some exercises at home! Jumping jacks, squats, push-ups, burpees… You can’t go wrong. If you wait until you have the money for a gym membership, your chance at good fitness may be passing you by. Food for thought…☯️

It’s A Tie!

Today’s post won’t be about anything I generally write about. But sometimes you need to simply write about something you enjoy. And this post is no exception. I love neck ties. It’s a weird thing to enjoy, but I do. Years ago when I lived in the Ottawa area, I had the benefit of a couple of shops that sold nothing BUT ties. They carried every colour of the rainbow and I somehow managed to build a small collection of them, even if my array of dress shirts and venues in which to wear them were pretty limited.

In fact, for the most part a neck tie is generally worn for three functions: a wedding, a funeral or a job interview. Depending on how these events play out, any number of those three can be combined. When I got old enough that I was out in the world, I joined a police force and suddenly, any and all formal functions involved an issued dress uniform. It seemed as though my collection of neck ties was destined to sit and collect dust. Until last April, when I started a new career that involved the wearing of a suit on a daily basis. At last, my ties would have their moment in the sun.

Despite the beads, that’s not me. I WISH I were that slim…

Although most origins can depend on whose history book you’re reading, most sources seem to agree that the neck tie finds its origins in France, sometime in the 17th century. The reigning monarch of the time hired Croatian soldiers who used a strip of cloth tied around their necks in order to tie up the top of their uniform jackets. This is why the French term for neck tie, “la cravatte,” originates from the term “la Croate,” which means Croat.

Since King Louis XIV of France admired and liked the ties so much, they became a status symbol of wealth and nobility, and continue to represent neatness and order. Although they originally served a functional purpose, they’re mostly decorative and formal in modern times. People wear them as a symbol of formal dress for work, sometimes as symbols of membership in certain circles and as a symbol of financial wellbeing.

Although mostly used for formality, there’s really no bad reason to wear a tie. Even going out to coffee with friends can involve throwing on a comfortable button-down shirt and slipping on a stylish tie. But I definitely enjoy wearing them and I couldn’t be happier that I get to do so on a daily basis for work. yes, it may be a quirky thing to enjoy, but now you all know something about me you likely didn’t before. And just for fun, here’s a drawing of me as a Simpsons character with a tie. Enjoy! ☯️

Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Doing Poorly…

“But Shawn, why would someone want to do something poorly?” I’ll get to that, maybe read the post first…. Now that I’m done being a cheeky bastard, let’s get to it. What does my title mean? Well, one should always strive to do things to the best of their abilities. This makes sense and it’s what most people try to do. But since we’re all human and we tend to fail at things, it stands to reason that absolute perfection is beyond any of us.

I recently read a thread written by someone who quoted one of their college professors saying the very thing written in my title. One of my favourite personal sayings is that anything is always something more than nothing. This applies to fitness, health, nutrition and life in general. But this person summed it up in a simple way that I think hits the nail on the head.

“But brushing your teeth for 30 seconds is better than not brushing them at all when that 2 minutes seems exhausting. Doing ten minutes of yoga is better than 10 minutes of sitting when 30 minutes of cardio sounds impossible. Changing my clothes is good when a whole shower is impossible. Standing on the porch for a few minutes is worth it after being in the house for three straight days because I don’t have the energy to go anywhere. Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly. Because doing it poorly is better than not doing it.”

Now, I don’t know who this person is, and of course their thread users a combination of words instead of an actual name and I have no way to reach out to them, but que sera…. the message is sound. Having a shitty day and can’t kick in an hour of cardio? Go for a walk in the fresh air for twenty minutes instead. There’s always an alternative to things and most times, they can provide benefit to you and your well-being even if it’s less than what you usually do.

Anything is always something more than nothing. If you only have five minutes to do something you’d usually contribute an hour to, do it anyway. you’ll be better for it. And you may find that you’ll increase your time-management skills, as well. Food for thought…. ☯️

Conquering The Challenges

Sometime at the beginning of the summer, I wrote about trying an app called “The Conqueror Challenges.” The premise behind the use of this app is pretty simple. Once you have it installed and create an account, you can sign up for virtual marathons. These marathons (at least, that I’ve seen) have been as short as 26 kilometres all the way up to several thousand kilometres. You pay a nominal fee and you are able to choose a time limit (weekly amounts) to complete your challenge.

It’s a fun and interesting way to contribute to one’s overall fitness. The organization that runs the app plants a tree for every 20% of the challenge you complete. You get post cards and updates as you progress. For example, I completed the Mt. Everest virtual marathon, which involved travelling 64.2 kilometres. I gave myself a 3-week timeframe, but I was done within the first week. 64.2 kilometres racks up pretty fast on a bicycle.

At the end of your challenge, they ship you an actual medal depicting the challenge you were on. They’re pretty sweet, made of metal and usually have some special aspect to it specific to the challenge. For example, my “Marathon to Athens” medal has a slot with a Greek coin inside it. A reproduction, of course. But neat, nonetheless.

My swag, so far. #5 is in the mail and I’ve almost completed #6

The app syncs automatically with my Runkeeper app and will include any distance-related workout, such as running, walking or cycling. The St. Francis Way medal you see in the photo above was 502.8 kilometres. One of the best ways that this app keeps you motivated is that you pay money but lose the medal if you don’t complete the challenge in time. Nothing lights a fire under your ass like knowing you’ll actually lose money you’ve paid, if you get lazy and skip a few days of working out. Plus, you get to learn a great deal about all the different countries that are featured in these challenges.

I’m having a blast with these and they’re definitely conversation starters for those who see them. If you’re looking for a way to keep yourself on track, I highly recommend this. As long as you keep your goals realistic. I gave myself an 8-week timeframe for the 502.8-kilometre challenge. It would have been ridiculous to try and have it done in 2! But as long as you keep it realistic and consistent, you’re good to go.

Doing things in a virtual environment is the way of the new world. Why should marathons be any different. I’m always on the lookout for new ways to increase my fitness and new ways to exercise. This one has been loads of fun and it doesn’t hurt that I get a bit of bling to brag about, after the fact. ☯️

I Want To Live…

I want to live. Makes sense, right? Most people do. Most people have the opportunity. Not many people fight for that privilege. And I know what you’re thinking…. Why should someone have to fight for the privilege of living? Well, I don’t mean fighting for the privilege of staying alive because of oppression, war or famine. I mean fighting for the privilege to live against something that came to be, completely out of one’s control. If none of you have guessed that I’m talking about Diabetes at this point, let me clarify: I’m talking about Diabetes.

One of the best things about living in modern times, is that Diabetes is no longer an automatic death sentence. If you were diagnosed with Diabetes prior to the creation and distribution of insulin, that was pretty much it. I’ve written posts about how long a Type-1 can survive without insulin, even if they completely eliminate carbohydrates and continue to exercise. So I won’t get into that part, since that’s not what this post is about. Needless to say, insulin isn’t JUST about lowering blood sugar levels.

People have often asked me why I push so hard when I exercise, or why I do so much. I’ve had folks commenting on the fact that by the time I’ve completed a workout, I look like a wet cat who got stuck in the rain. Sometimes, it’s can be belittling or condescending; as though they’re suggesting that I shouldn’t be a sweaty mess in a public place where other folks can see. It’s almost akin to those who make fun of an overweight person in the gym for trying to get in shape. Granted, not EXACTLY the same, but the concept is the similar.

I learned from a very young age that Diabetes would show me no quarter. If I let up my guard, even for a day or two, it would find a way to swoop in and make my life difficult. Maybe this difficulty would come in the form of high or low blood sugars, which typically fuck with my entire day. Or maybe it would simply make me more susceptible to illness and make my day-to-day interactions all the more dangerous. Or perhaps it’ll take something simple like stubbing one’s toe and turn it into an automatic, infected toenail. Just because it can. Diabetes shows no mercy because it has no emotion.

Fitness is an important part of ANYONE’s lifestyle. It’s no secret that someone who doesn’t exercise regularly will face a host of health problems too numerous to list here. But staying fit and active is an important part of life and all the more so for someone with Diabetes. Again, from a young age I recognized this, especially in light of my doctors telling me I’d die due to Diabetes complications before I reached my teens (I’m now well into my forties, in case you were wondering).

I guess where I’m going with this is that there are a number of different reasons to work out and go to the gym. Some people want to get fit, some want to get muscular and some want to lose weight. hell, some people go to the gym simply to be social and see certain key people they may associate with. And that’s fine. At the end of the day, whatever your reasons for training consistently will never be bad. Anything will always be something more than nothing. My point is you’ll be able to easily discern who’s training to get fit and who’s training to save their lives.

That’s what I do. I train in order to save my life. I train because if I don’t, Diabetes complications will reach me all the sooner and take away something that I need in order to live. That’s why I’ll spend an entire hour on a cardio machine at a high level and end up soaked and breathing hard. That’s why I rarely take break days or rest days. Diabetes never takes a rest, so why should I? I push myself because I’m trying to stay ahead of a condition that will ultimately end my life, despite all the therapies, despite all the available resources and despite all my efforts.

And that’s the ultimate punchline of my existence. This is a race against time and a race against a condition that I will inevitably succumb to, despite my best efforts. But like trying to outrun an oncoming tornado, I have to try. I need to give it my all because I refuse to let it take me down. I have too much to live for. I owe it to myself and to those who matter in my life. I’m fighting against complications. I’m fighting against organ failure. I’m fighting against death. Besides, I’m well aware that there are those who push and train harder than me, anyway. But my efforts are mine and mine alone.

So, the next time you see me breathing hard at the gym, it doesn’t mean I’m “out of shape” or new to working out. When you see me walking away from a machine looking drenched like an alley cat left out in the rain, it isn’t because I couldn’t handle the exercise I was doing or I was doing too much. It’s because I’m fighting for my life. And if you don’t come out of that fight bloody and covered in sweat, you’re not really fighting. And you will lose. Ask yourself why YOU do it. No matter what your reason, you should never judge someone’s efforts or appearance when trying to better themselves. Whether it’s someone trying to get slimmer or fitter or someone who is simply trying to prolong his life long enough to see his children into adulthood. Food for thought… ☯️

A Special Belated Birthday

I spend a lot of time online and with my nose buried in books, looking up the various knowledge and materials that I use in my posts. But I often overlook some pretty important and key dates that SHOULD hold a special place in my martial arts journey, One of those dates was yesterday. While doing some research for a post, I brought up Google’s home page and noticed Google’s banner was adorned with some martial arts imagery of a dojo, practitioners in white gis, and an image of Master Jigoro Kano in the centre.

It was a clever rendition and looked nice, but considering Google frequently changes their home page banner, I thought nothing further of it. That’s a shame, because yesterday’s post really should have focused on Master Kano’s 161st birthday, which is why Google had it up. It also dawned on me, a touch too late, that this is usually WHY Google will put something up; to recognize a special day. But I digress…

Master Jigoro Kano

For those of you who don’t operate within martial arts circles, Master Kano was the founder of Judo. Even non-practitioners are usually familiar with that term. His efforts and teachings can be recognized and remembered as being the first Japanese martial arts to use the coloured belt system employed by most Japanese and Okinawan arts, as well as many others. He was a teacher by trade, which I have no doubt would help with teaching the martial arts, and contributed to Judo being taught in public schools.

Master Kano had originally studied Jujutsu while studying in university, long before it would make it’s way across the globe and everyone would only recognize “Brazilian Jujitsiu,” which is a combination of the two aforementioned arts. He eventually began to surpass his teachers and developed his own system, naming it Judo, which means “plainly” and “the way.” Master Kano also established the Kodokan, which is his Judo institute in Japan. I had the honour of visiting this facility in 2001. It was inspiring.

Although I consider myself a karate practitioner, Sensei also holds a black belt in Judo and incorporated a lot of Master kano’s teachings into our system. Through the decades, many of the holds, pressure points and throws taught in Judo were also taught to us. That’s why our school is called the New England Academy of Karate & Judo.

A happy, belated birthday to the late Master Kano. He may no longer be with us, but his legacy has obviously endured long after his passing and will continue on. In fact, judo was the first Japanese martial art to be included in the Olympics. It makes one wonder if he ever thought, all those decades ago, just how far his teachings would reach…☯️

A Little Motivation…

This is one of those instances where I’m keeping the post short in the interest of simply sharing a little motivation. I found this little paragraph online somewhere and as per usual, I can’t seem to recall where I did. I’m sure one could find it, if one chose to Google and search a bit but I’m more interested in the thought behind it than the source. Here it is…

“You Can Rise Up From Anything.
You Can Completely Recreate Yourself.
Nothing Is Permanent.
You’re Not Stuck. You Have Choices.
You Can Think New Thoughts.
You Can Learn Something New.
You Can Create New Habits.
All That Matters Is That You Decide Today
And You Never Look Back.”

I like this. It’s simple and concise, straight to the point. It’s shown as “anonymous,” so I honestly don’t know the source, but I think it speaks to the fact that it’s important to remember that life rarely cares about one’s plan. Despite that fact, one can fight and get through just about anything, so long as you give it the effort it deserves. When faced with suffering and adversity, people often give up, throw in the towel and curl into a little ball and cry. Some may even choose to lose themselves in some rather unfortunate indulgences. But these are usually only a temporary escape and never a solution.

We all have it within us to reinvent ourselves. This is not to say that you shouldn’t stick to your guns if you’re happy with who and where you are. But if you’re NOT happy, then you owe it to yourself and to those you love to fight through and make a change. It may be rough waters to navigate, but once you clear it and see the shore, it’ll be a better life. A happier life. Food for thought… ☯️

Metaphysical Battles

We live in a world of entitlement. As technology grows and continues to make our lives easier, people have become complacent and demand that more things be provided and done for them instead of doing it themselves. And even when these things ARE done for them, they have a tendency to be displeased no matter what the outcome. If “A” is provided, they’ll demand that “B” be provided as well. Once “A” and “B” have been provided, they’ll complain that providing “C” wasn’t thought of and provided automatically.

If nothing was provided, they’d complain that nothing was. This is a pretty rudimentary and unspecific example, but an accurate portrayal of the direction that society as a whole is taking. Another good example is the meme I recently saw online where someone explained that social media is like comparing apples to oranges and there will always be SOMEONE who gets offended by the comparison and then accuse the writer of being ignorant because they never bothered to mention bananas and pears in their comparison. And all the while, all parties concerned seek validation and entitlement, never understanding that anything in life worth having won’t come without personal sacrifice, cost and effort.

Laziness is insidious and can cause significant damage in one’s life. If I look at myself, as a Diabetic, laziness will cause increased health problems and complications and could potentially lead to death. So, what about those who aren’t Diabetic? Laziness can lead to the same result, albeit maybe a touch slower. As I’ve often written before, the basic formula to a happy, healthy life is threefold. Energy creates life. Life requires movement. Movement promotes energy. You need all three of those factors in a continued cycle in order to live well.

If someone decides to eliminate movement and becomes a couch potato, their energy will become stagnant, they’ll become prone to illness, gain weight, and face a number of physical complications including but not limited to, blood pressure issues, circulatory issues and cardiac issues. Not least of which is the psychological impact that laziness has on a person. One’s mood and overall mental well-being depends on staying active, going to work, spending time outdoors and making a conscious effort.

Where am I going with all of this? Well, besides the aspect of staying healthy, both physically and psychologically, one needs to consider that life owes you nothing. You are entitled to NOTHING. Read that last sentence again, because it’s important. Although I have no illusions of being able to change the entire world’s perspective through a blog post, I think it’s important to acknowledge that life doesn’t care about one’s plan and a big part of one’s personal suffering generally comes from one’s own doing. Or undoing.

Let’s say you’ve been out of work for a period of time, a scenario I feel many people can relate to, considering COVID-19 has sent many people home for a variety of reasons (I miss the days where I didn’t have to reference COVID-19, constantly). Now, you’re in need of a new job. Although there can be some appeal to staying at home and letting your head cool and consider your options, life won’t get better and a job won’t magically land in your lap by staying on the couch watching your favourite re-runs of the Price is Right. The only way to accomplish anything is to shake the laziness off and step out into the light and make it happen for yourself.

I’m a little bit jaded and biased because I’m like a pit bull. When I’m faced with difficulty, I fight like a dying warrior and don’t stop until I’ve reached my goal. But imagine how much further humanity would be if everyone fought this way? Instead of having a sense of entitlement and thinking the world owes you something, step up to life, toe-to-toe and fight it out on your own terms. It may not necessarily mean you’ll succeed, but at least you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing your tried your best. Instead of sitting on the couch crying like an infant. Food for thought…

There are always battles to be fought, in life. I’ve always been a proponent that fighting should always be a last resort, but I’ve ALWAYS meant in the context of a physical altercation. The battles we fight in life may be required to make things better. Especially in light of the fact that better things will never happen on their own. You gotta want it. And own it. I recently purchased a wooden-framed quote by Theodore Roosevelt that I find fitting. I’ll share it in the photo below. Good luck! ☯️