This weekend, what actions are you going to take to build both your life and your confidence? Remember, these don’t have to be completing a project, or achieving a goal, just taking actions to propel yourself forward. It is getting in the gym to get that workout done. It is spending time on that meal prep. It might not get you in shape, or help you drop that weight that day, but it will give you the confidence to keep going.
The week is drawing to a close. Our thoughts may be drifting on our plans for the weekend. The focus we started the week with may have been replaced by the countless fires that cropped up that needing attending to. We may have been lulled into distraction by the many entertainment options offered to us after a hard days work. It is at this very point that we need to take a step back, a deep breath and refocus. While work can demand a great deal of our attention during the week, we cannot sacrifice our quest for self-improvement, our desire to become the best version of ourselves and live a positive and rewarding life.
This picture reminds us of the cost of not remaining focused. While we may have said we were committed to eating healthy during the week, time may have us grabbing that Big Mac. Thinking we are spending 4 dollars, when really we are giving away a piece of our health. Same with binge watching Netflix for hours instead of completing that project. The stress of still having to do it, along with the knowledge that we are not as self-disciplined as we should be. Have we read, researched or even listened to something motivational and inspirational online or did we just scroll to see what betty and Jim happen to be posting on Social Media?
It is Thursday and a lot of us are starting to get warn out from the work week. I get that. Take some time for self-care and recharging the battery. We need that to give us the energy to push forward. What we cannot afford to do, is become slaves to the distractions that seek to deprive us of the rich and rewarding life that we all deserve. Take some time to relax and enjoy life. Just remember to keep working towards the bigger picture of the life we desire and deserve. Everything is better when you earn it.
Last post, I spoke about Margie and I recently attending a Pow Wow. We further discussed the great sense of community and I told you that we made a new friend who represented a great cause. Today, I would like to share a little bit more with you about that cause and how you can help, if you would like.
The cause is called HIR Wellness (Healing Intergenerational Roots). Their website says that they are “Providing the next generation of care to victims of crime through a survivor and women-led organization.” This is huge. Victims of domestic crime and violence can face an intimidating, and often frightening, road to recovery. This can include having to go through people who often resemble those who committed the very crimes they are doing their best to heal from. Having an organization run not only by women, but by survivors themselves, can lend a feeling of safety and understanding for those seeking help.
We met our new friend Averie, who is the community outreach and stewaredship specialist, at one of HIR Wellness’s CAMPsites. This stands for ‘Community Activated Medicine’. At these campsites, they provide many different services. Including, but not limited to, Wellness-checks, social, emotional and grief support and culturally responsive healing-informed practices. They also teach coping skills and healing interventions and offer triage for more urgent needs or concerns at these CAMPsites as well. By bringing licensed mental health and trained wellness providers, community healers and advocates to shared community spaces, they are helping to overcome many of the obstacles that prevent those who need care the most from getting it. This can range from living in an under-served area to transportation issues.
We have only begun to touch on the amazing work that HIR Wellness does. There is so much more. This includes their virtual work, their healing podcasts and many other services they offer to victims of domestic crime and violence. I cannot encourage you enough to click on the link below to go to their website and learn more about this amazing organization, and more to the point, how you can help support them. If you know of someone who could use their support or services, please share this information with them. Feel free to share this post on your social media and help to get the word out as well. Thank you so much for joining me in bringing to light a very important resource for those in need.
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HIR WELLNESS AND HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THEM
Here at Secret2anamazinglife, we focus a lot on self-care. The reason being is that by taking care of ourselves, we put ourselves in the best position to take care of others and the world at large. In addition, by practicing self-care, we are far more likely to become the best version of who we are. This includes taking care of our physical bodies through diet and exercise. This gives us the energy and vitality to pursue our goals and dreams. It involves taking care of our minds. Keeping our intellect sharp, and constantly developing, will position us to grow and contribute more. There is one more area that we need to focus on. This area will not only give us energy like our physical body can, it will also help us reduce stress and increase inner peace. This will allow us to grow and develop and help safeguard our mind.
What is this area? This area is that our our soul, our spirit. It is important to take care of the fire that burns inside of you. There is no right or wrong way to do this. The only right is to do it. The only wrong thing is to not do it. For some of you, this may be rituals involving your faith. For others, it may be connecting with certain people. Some may find that spiritual connection in the woods. Some may find it in all of these. I would like to share one of the ways in which I refresh my spirit.
This past weekend I attended the Hunting Moon Pow Wow. For those of you who may not be familiar with what a pow wow is, allow me to explain. A pow wow is a gathering of Indigenous people that allows them to share traditions, celebrate their culture and honor their ancestors. It has a great sense of community and many people look forward to seeing each other at these events. There are drumming and dancing competitions as well as moments honoring veterans and an invocation blessing all of those in attendance. They used to have several where I live, but now are down to this one a year.
One of the best ways to really feed your soul is to do this with others. That is why many religions gather in groups. Being surrounded by others also looking to feed their soul only amplifies the effect it has on everyone. I am so lucky to be able to share this event with the love of my life, the beautiful Margie. Doing this together brings so much joy and happiness to my soul, it is hard to even convey it in words. Not only to a feel ‘spiritually refreshed’ for lack of a better description, but it strengthens the love I feel for her. We tend to meet and make friends with many new people. During grand entry, which is when the dancers enter the arena, we sat next to a very nice family and shared some stories. We also met a very helpful lady who runs a great charity. More about that next post. All in all, we left feeling very happy and also very full from the amazing food.
Today, make taking care of your spirit and your soul part of your routine. Whether that is reading from a spiritual book that speaks to you, attending gatherings of faith, prayer or meditation of your faith or a day at the beach or in the woods, take care of your spiritual side today. Without doing so, you will not be the best version of you. By doing so, you will be able to do everything better.
Today is Monday. It is a day of dread for many. Back to work after 2 days worth of freedom. The beginning of the workweek. Which, for many of us, includes spending a large amount of time at a place we don’t really enjoy, with people we also do not enjoy. Considering all of this, it is no wonder we start to get that feeling in the pit of our stomach on Sunday night, knowing what will happen once the sun rises. (or in my case, before the sun rises)
Here is the thing – Monday is no different than many other days. While it is true that it is the beginning of the workweek and having to wake up to an alarm, it is also the beginning of the opportunity to start earning money to put towards that vacation. It is also a chance for us to demonstrate our character and work ethic. When I say this, I am not talking about showing off, or sucking up to a boss or coworkers. No, I am talking about demonstrating our character to both ourselves and those whose opinions we value.
Every morning we overcome the temptation to throw the alarm clock across the room and bury ourselves further in the covers, we are demonstrating a certain amount of character and self-discipline. When we push ourselves to not only show up at work, but do a job that we are proud of, that gives us a self of pride. What does that pride do for us? It gives us a sense of self-confidence, which in turn will make the self-discipline easier in the future.
We would not be able to build our character, build our self-discipline and our sense of inner-pride without the challenge of Monday. It boils down to a change in perception. If we lived a life of sloth and convenience, which does sound tempting on occasion, we would be weak individuals unable to withstand the storms of life. Much like going to the gym to strengthen our bodies, waking up to Monday helps us to strengthen our mental and morale fiber.
Do not fear or dread Monday. Understand it is a chance to get better, to get stronger and to create the best version of you. It takes resistance to grow strength. That is as true when it comes to your character and self-discipline as it is for your body. Monday is not the scary villain, it is our personal trainer for our self-discipline and inner-strength. The payoff is not muscles, it is something more powerful. By using Monday, instead of letting it use us, we develop pride, self-confidence and the ability to rise above who we currently are.
Just a quick reminder on your Sunday, that you should make a point to be kind to the person in the mirror? How often do we give ourselves a compliment? When we do, does it feel awkward? If so, that is a sign that we need to do it more often!
Realizing that there are awesome things about us, and mentioning them to ourselves, does not make us arrogant. We seem to mention and discuss what is wrong with us and not working in our lives quite often. How does that make us feel? Try saying something good about yourself. Even though none of us are perfect, we all have some amazing things inside of us. Let’s appreciate a few today. 😃
Today, at least in part of the country, we celebrate Sweetest Day. It is a holiday that started in Ohio in 1921. It was started as a way to encourage women to treat their male romantic partners with sweets and candy. This really wouldn’t work in my case as I am not a huge fan of sweets and candy. This is a good thing when you live with a woman who is an amazing baker. I fear if I was a big fan, I would be bigger than my house right now. The holiday has expanded in recent years to include showing love and appreciation to anyone in your life. This includes family, friends as well as significant others.
I am going to take it one step further. I think we should show love and appreciation for everything sweet in our life. Right now, I am sitting in the sun, with a nice cup of coffee typing away. To me, this is a very sweet situation. I was recently asked to speak in front of a congregation for a church I do not even attend. That was also pretty sweet. I have a job that pays me a pretty good wage. Not exactly what I want to be doing, but still it is pretty sweet that I am employed. I have great friends that care about me. I have three books that I can use to reach and inspire people I do not even know. This particular blog is viewed by over 100,000 people in over 200 countries. That is sweet!
Many people just cynically say things like, “Oh, that is just a Hallmark holiday.” As a note, although the holiday started in 1921, Hallmark did not start making Sweetest Day cards until the 1960s. I am sure confectionaries and floral shops have a vested interest in keeping holidays like this alive, but who cares? Instead of dismissing something as an example of corporate greed, why not put it to use in our own lives? Why not use this holiday to fill our lives with more joy and love?
Here is another way to do so. In addition to thinking of all the things that may be sweet in your life, how about thinking of how many different ways things are sweet? Above are pictures of my beautiful lady, Margie. How many ways is she sweet? In addition to the fact that she is often covered in powdered sugar from baking, there are so many ways she is sweet. The first picture is of her sweet smile. It always melts my heart and brings a smile to it as well. The second is one of the million silly faces she makes. Not only does she always look cute as can be, but I am happy she shares them with me. That is quite sweet! The third one reminds me of her sweet kisses. Some of the best medicine that money can’t even buy! Sweeter kisses? I don’t know of any. The fourth and last picture is of her after one of her tough workouts that she does. Keeping herself healthy and working hard on herself? That is sweet indeed! Those were just 4 things about my amazing lady. I would share more, but I am already going to be in trouble for posting these four pictures. There are so many sweet things about her, I could go on for hours. That, in and of itself, is something sweet!
It doesn’t have to be your significant other. It can be your child, your friend. It can be a coworker or someone who means a lot to you. Here is the great thing, it doesn’t even have to be a person! It can be your favorite place to relax. It can be a park or beach you really like. It can be your favorite book. It can be your favorite coffee. There are so many things in life that are sweet. If we think about even a few of them and ponder what we love and appreciate about them, guess how we will be feeling? You guessed it, pretty sweet! I would love to hear some of what you find sweet in your life! Forget the cynical view of a Hallmark holiday. Use this to fill your heart with love, appreciation and gratitude!
I apologize in advance for two heavy posts in a row. Part of the reason we, at Secret2anamazinglife.com, exist is to give you new ways of thinking. Marcus Aurelius, whom we get the quote above from, has given us a lot of things to ponder. If you have read my book, The Beat Goes On, you will know how this quote was really brought home to me. If you have not read that amazing book, what are you waiting for? In all seriousness, I was faced with the possibility, and it turned out probability, that I would die while undergoing open-heart surgery.
When I share that story, people often compliment me on my perspective of the whole event. I hear things like, “I wonder if I would be the same way if I was faced with that situation?” Here is a fact to consider, you are facing that situation. Sure, nobody may be coming to saw your chest in half and slice and dice your heart, but we never know what is around the corner. When you were born, the hourglass was tipped over and the sand began to run out. Here is the tricky bit, we never know how much sand is on top.
While the above may sound a bit doom and gloom, it really isn’t. Every morning we put our feet on the floor, the sand is running from top to bottom. When we do things like assuming people know how we feel, or how much they mean to us, we could be doing them a great disservice. Marcus Aurelius was quite correct when he said, “You could die right now.” Not a very cheery outlook, but that does not make it any less true. In my case, I had an aneurism, which had it exploded, the game would have been over. I honestly had no symptoms. If it were not for a slightly related item, I would have never know until I fell over dead.
How much sand is in the top of your hourglass? When are you going to slip into the great beyond? How is it going to happen? If you answered anything but “I don’t know.” to these questions, you have a power unknown to most humans. Here is another thing to consider, the same holds true for everyone else you know. One day they could be here, the next they could be gone. Again, kind of morbid sounding, but true. This is why we should be living our life to the fullest each and every day. Do not be afraid to ask the deep questions. Do not be afraid to make yourself vulnerable and share those feelings. What if it was your last chance to do so? At one point, it will be.
It is my suggestion to take the quote above and make it a guide for the rest of your life. When I was looking at what could possibly be my end, I discovered what I thought was important was not at all what was in my heart. It is not about obtaining a certain level of success. It is certainly not about reaching a certain monetary or material level. I can only share what was important to me at that moment. When I realized I may only have a few months to live, it was about leaving people with the knowledge of how important and beautiful they were. This was true especially for my lovely lady and those closest to me. It was also true for all of you reading these posts. I wanted the world to know that each one of us has a gift and something beautiful worth sharing. Something that will be lost when we are gone. My focus was on creating lasting memories. Remember your last breath may be your next one, what will it be used to say? When you find yourself a little too focused on the material things that the world wants you to believe is important, think of this quote from Denzel Washington.
Currently, in Israel there is terrible bloodshed. The same is true in the Ukraine. In both cases there are groups wanting to take vengeance on each other for all of the terrible violence being committed. I cannot pretend to have all of the solutions. I can tell you what does not work – violence and revenge. If you conquer another group through fear, violence and intimidation, that only leaves with a festering resentment that will eventually bubble over into future violence. Meanwhile, millions of lives will be lost. These lives could have contributed many amazing things to the world. We will never know.
It is not just war where this is evident. Here, in the United States, there is a bitter feud between political parties. The Republicans and Democrats are busy “Getting back at each other”. Do you know how much work is focused on the real issues facing the country and the world? None. We are paying these people vast amounts of money to act the same way kids do on the playground. They are not focused on working together to solve the issues. They are almost singularly focused on making the other look bad.
This way of thinking and acting is not reserved for war or foolish politicians. No, you can see it happen around the office. It happens in families and in circles of friends. When will finally work together to solve human misery instead of seeking vengeance for it? Once again, I am not pretending to have the answers. I just know violence and revenge solve nothing.
This is not my review of the Michael J Fox movie that I enjoy. No, it is the actual secret that I use to succeed. Above is a not so flattering picture of yours truly. You may be wondering the reason I am sharing that. It shows me leaving the gym this past Saturday at about 7:15am after a one and a half hour workout. That’s right, I woke up at 5am on my off day to go to the gym. This begs another question to many. Why on earth would I do that? This is where the secret to success I use comes up.
I do not fancy myself the smartest, most energetic or have the most free time of anyone I know. Therefore, I have to make up for that in other ways. One of the main ways in which someone can make up for not being the top in these other categories is the self-discipline of hard work. I made a commitment to going to the gym three days a week. Those three are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. I could go, and often do, other days as well, but those three are a requirement. Do you know what would happen if I did not go? Do you know who would hold me accountable? Nobody. In fact, if I didn’t go to the gym one day and just decided to relax, a lot of people would not blame me. I work roughly 45 – 50 hours a week at the post office. I DJ Sunday nights and write these blogs daily. Add to that, working on my fourth book and things can get very busy. A day off would be totally understandable.
Back to the question of why I chose to do it before the sun even got up. Yes, it was still dark out when I got to the gym. Yes, it was cold. Yes, it was raining. Here is the thing. Margie and I were doing a craft fair and had to be there to set up at 8:30am. The fair itself went until 3pm. I knew after that I would really not feel like going to the gym. Still, I had my commitment. The only option was to get up early and go.
I mentioned that nobody would hold me accountable, or give me a hard time if I did not go. That is not entirely true. That little voice in the back of my head would have let me know that I did not keep my commitment to myself. We discussed the issues with this in the post Who is your master, last week. If you haven’t read that one, it might be a good time to do so. I knew that if I did not keep my word to myself that it would begin to erode my opinion of the person I see in the mirror. Was it fun getting up at 5am and going outside in the dark, cold and rain? Hell no. Do you know what was fun? Knowing for the rest of the day that I kept my commitment to myself and to my health. That self-discipline, holding yourself accountable, is what allows me to succeed. It will do the same for you.
SECRET 2 AN AMAZING LIFE 