“I woke up a few years ago and realized that I no longer had a grip on who I was…the me that I was living with was this dude who changed himself all the time to try and get other people to like him…and my entire identity was wrapped up in everyone else’s approval of me……so this is me – breaking loose of that piece of bondage and concerning myself with the approval of only One and not the many.”-David Dunn
5) Reflect on Your Journey. Just like anything else in life, you don’t become an expert by simply reading or scanning over it once. The same perspective is necessary for your life and future. We must look back on where we’ve been and where we’ve come. Sometimes we get so caught up in the moment and where we’re presently going, that we forget about our past, we forget about the moments of hardship, the times we wanted to give up. I found myself all too often getting through a tough moment only to put it in the back of my mind or hidden beneath many personified layers, holding it in, so no one will find out or realize I have a weakness. How are we ever going to grow if we don’t let these things out, if we don’t ever look back on our lives to appreciate, to know, to realize everything is bigger than us. And while we’re reflecting on our past, we can begin to discern and dissect problematic issues and circumstances, which led us into those difficult moments, empowering us to make more critical decisions later in life. Reflecting on your journey simply creates a new perspective, conveys a position change, removing yourself from an unhealthy lifestyle into something healthy and life improving. Sometimes we get stuck into a negative mindset of, “oh we/I had it so much better before” or “I was soo thin back then,” but look at where you’re at now, look at all the other things you can be thankful for. God doesn’t take us down dark alleys only to be mugged and robbed, but instead guide us to safety. It’s in the moment we step into the sunshine to realize, God was always at our side…
6) Look Forward to the Unknown. How scary is that word, unknown? Don’t we have this automatic philosophy of insecurity and negativity with the unknown? It’s like the phrase, “you need to drink water for all the health benefits;” as you read that, I’m sure you got a little thirsty or even reached for your cup of water because we always know to drink more water. Well, it’s like that with the word, unknown. We begin to walk on egg shells when we don’t know where we will end up for a job or how we will pay our next bill or will our loved one recover from a health issue, we don’t know, it’s obscure, it’s simply untold. It’s so hard to think positive and recognize the silver lining in all situations and predicaments, right?! Even though we may not know what tomorrow may bring, we should embrace the unfamiliar and mystery because as we open the curtain of the unknown, it’s all too often the reveal is surprisingly pleasant and rewarding. Especially living a life for Jesus Christ, we have no idea where He will lead us, but I’ll confidently tell you, He’s already “been there and done that,” and there’s no need to worry or be concerned because “therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”-Matthew 6:34; so the only thing you can do is, be excited and ready because who knows what or who the Lord will bring your way!
7) Things Happen for God’s Purpose. Simple as that. I’ve written about this all too often about the ups and downs of life and how God is THE orchestrator of all things. How often is a moment so hard that we beg, “why God why, why me, what did I do to deserve this?” In these moments, we need to reflect on the importance of giving Him all our love and attention because if He took us to this moment, He will get us through it. As humans, we continually get stuck into a detrimental, pessimistic mindset once hardship rears its ugly face. God never told us to do this. There’s nowhere in the Bible does it say to sulk, regret, and dwell on what just happened. We should embrace these moments because “count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”-James 1:2-4. In the past year or so, I’ve quickly realized this. As I continue to grow spiritually in my walk with God (yes, I struggle, I have my hard days too), I realize He’s in complete control, we’re simply pawns in His ultimate game of chess; if we try to move one way and get turned down or blocked out, He always provides us another move. If a door closes, He provides another door for us. From the obscure and odd timing of all the recent experiences in my life, I cannot simply say it was all a coincidence, the Mexico mission trip, providing loving friends and a random family to live with in Chicago during my internship, graduating grad school, my brothers wedding, the Super Bowl volunteer experience in New Orleans, and now, He has blessed me with a job; all has been provided by Him and only Him alone! As a believer, I’m not in the business of randomness and coincidences, but rather ALL THINGS happen for God’s purpose!“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”-Romans 8:28
“I woke up a few years ago and realized that I no longer had a grip on who I was…the me that I was living with was this dude who changed himself all the time to try and get other people to like him…and my entire identity was wrapped up in everyone else’s approval of me……so this is me – breaking loose of that piece of bondage and concerning myself with the approval of only One and not the many.”-David Dunn
3) Stay Determined and Focused. In the face of trials and tribulations, it’s easy to get lost, it’s easy to lose sight of yourself and others. I’ll wholly admit I was navigating a rough sea without any direction, getting tossed and turned, being engulfed in my own waves of confusion, resentment, and unfulfillment, losing sight of the precious lighthouse to light my path to safety. In those regards, avoidance and turning to unhealthy behaviors pushed me farther out to sea, immersing me into complete and utter desolation, forfeiting my life to engrossed thoughts and actions, hurtfully inattentive to ones around me, simply because I was wavering and wandering in my thoughts and actions. You must not only be determined, but also be determined to keep your focus on your life’s purpose. We all have passions, we all have a “sense of purpose.” Everyone has been gifted with a talent. As we lose sight, our gifts and talents also become obscured, altered, or even redirected in a negative light. In other words, instead of using wellness, nutrition, and fitness (which encompasses my talents and passions), I was using it in a highly adverse and detrimental way. So as I gained refocus over my life and determined to maintain my focus, my gifts and talents began to realign with God’s purpose, using them to please Him, serving and loving others, as I always should have been doing.
4) Love and Embrace Close Family and Friends. Once again, as you have noticed from the aforementioned disciplines, once you lose sight of yourself, purpose, and drive, everything else is lost at the waist side, including close family and friends. Once you become so overwhelmed by personal issues and consumed by egotism, others are haplessly afflicted, even if those people were/are trying to cultivate corrective behavior. In your “world of I,” constructive criticisms and questions about faulty resolutions are either ignored or criticized, alienating and most often hurting the only ones who have been indefinitely at your side. Regularly hurting loved ones around you will only make everything else more difficult. As I started to be renewed, the love, closeness, and guidance being offered by others, in which I was condemning, was actually sympathetic and improving all the aforesaid disciplines. So embrace the precious love and support from others, encourage closeness among your family and friends because friendships and relationships are mutually exclusive, there must be an exchange of self-surrender, with both parties complimenting and coordinating feelings, thoughts, and actions in an intimate or socially appropriate manner. You can’t conquer your fears alone. The fool is the one who thinks they can conquer the world on their own.
“I woke up a few years ago and realized that I no longer had a grip on who I was…the me that I was living with was this dude who changed himself all the time to try and get other people to like him…and my entire identity was wrapped up in everyone else’s approval of me……so this is me – breaking loose of that piece of bondage and concerning myself with the approval of only One and not the many.”-David Dunn
As I reflect on the year or so, my mind isn’t wrapped around a hyperbole, but rather a conciseness of where I’ve come and what has happened in my life. The adventure, beyond the words of this blog simply may seem as a misconception or oversight, or even a fabrication of the truth, but I promise you, the sincerity and candid thoughts behind these words are the essence of my true self.
With that said, separate from anxiety and fear, I’m going to reexamine and recollect on the journey I’ve experienced through this blog. If you have read my story (who am i?), you’ll quickly realize I use to be a perplexed individual, having no sense of direction, focus, or motivation for my life. Through the difficult remodeling experiences, maturation of habits, and the rediscovery of my true personality, there are SEVEN disciplines cultivated about myself as well as life in general; with all highly essential and conducive to continued consistent growth and well-being. Not limited to, but highly profound learned disciplines are as follows:
1) Face Your Fears. No matter where you are in life, you must not shy away from the difficult moments. Whether it’s apart of your previous habits of turning to “comfort food” or some other procrastination outlet, we MUST deal with the situation at hand. However difficult a situation may be, there’s always a solution, there’s always something that can be done. Repetitively not acting upon certain circumstances creates a personal culture of accepted accommodation. In other words, the more you avoid a situation, the more you create excuses and reasons not to do something or make a decision. And that means, according to yourself, inaction equals permission, the opposite of what kind of internal thoughts and conversations that should be occurring. Once you start to undertake and face all problematic situations and decisions, you’ll quickly recognize avoidance is the worst way to deal with an issue.
2) Be Accountable for Your Actions. Adding to the first discipline of facing your fears, you must be accountable for your own actions or even inaction for that matter. Once you start avoiding things in life, whether it’s either inaction or distasteful decisions, you must be willing to suffer the consequences of egregious actions. Negative decisions=negative consequences, right? Isn’t that what all our mothers taught us when we were little, if we didn’t make our beds or clean our bedrooms? It makes sense. With a properly instilled discipline system, whether that’s internal or external, we know there will be consequences because consequences breed future knowledge of what NOT to do. But it’s all too often, we don’t realize or recognize our faults until we’re looking from the outside in. Luckily, facing your fears and asking for help from trusted family and friends, we can appropriately diffuse our internal battle, solving an issue at hand, and lessening the negative ramifications.
Yesterday, after grocery shopping, I was half way home when I realized my 18-flawless, all-natural eggs were accommodating my trunk space, intermingled amongst other seemingly impenetrable items of importance. Quickly recognizing the apparent predicament, speed was decreased, turns were slow and meticulous, and gentle stops plagued my journey home. As methodical as the trip became, the more cognizant I became of my surroundings, specifically other drivers. Some may have been infuriated, some may have been annoyed, and some may haven’t even thought differently; or they may have been simply indifferent and unmoved.
Instantly, I realized it was no longer about the eggs; it was no longer about the principle to get the eggs home safely. Instead, just as God continues to show perspective through a new lens each and every day; today, the catalyst was a measly package of eggs.
Now you have this elementary, yet necessary picture in your head; what’s the importance? What’s the significance?
As mentioned above, I became conscious not only of the drivers around me being frustrated and confused by my highly conservative driving, but also recognized their unfamiliarity and distant perspective they had on my predicament. They didn’t know me. There’s no position to hold that would recognize something as little, yet profoundly important and fragile my baggage was.
These infirm, easily hurt, particular constituents were personal, they were unknown, they were in fact unique to my car and life only. These eggs resemble our personal life. We all travel through rough times. We ALL experience hardships, whether that’s a loss of a friend, family, or relationship, we cannot go about the world, being disciples of the Lord to the rest of the world if we aren’t considerate and accommodating to others. Some people may be going through the toughest season of their life and even though we aren’t aware of their eggs in the trunk, we can transform and alter their day by simply holding the door open, helping them with their groceries, or just saying ‘God Bless You.’
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’-Acts 20:35
Believers go through tough times too. Even though we may be exhausted or unsettled, we still must serve others as the Lord designed us, with respect, love, kindness, and courtesy. Just remember, we’re all imperfect. We will mess up. We will have those moments of inferior treatment towards others or regrets, but the next person God brings along, it’s your time to shine for them and most importantly, Jesus Christ.
We weren’t meant to let these eggs break, but instead, encourage, empower, support, and confirm their existence. We ALWAYS want them to safely navigate their burdensome climate with their eggs unscathed and unbroken.
Recently, I moved to the windy city, Chicago, Illinois. And as quickly as the weather changes, I realize how people are zombies. I don’t say this because of the latest infatuation with zombies, but honestly, people are easily programmed.
A zombie is a person who acts automatically, an automation, a drudge, mechanical, robot. You’re probably wondering, where is he taking this???
The next time you find yourself in a crowded area, whether that’s walking downtown, commuting, or at a local mall, watch how people act.
From my already numerous CTA (public transit) trips, this fact is evident, there are zombies living among us.
The unemotional, humanly contact between people is superficial, irresponsible social behavior. Giving up your seat to a woman on the bus should be a given, but to not do anything or speak up when someone cannot get the door open because people are simply “plugged in,” is simply insensitive behavior. When people care more about playing games on their phones and contaminating their characters with unGodly music, this lifestyle is the perfect storm to a ‘zombie apocalypse.’ Sad to say, but it’s already happened. People are stuck in their daily routines; wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, etc, etc, etc, repeat, all systematically formulated over days, months, years of automated rituals. Granted, there are so many exceptions, but as a conglomerate, we’ve lost the touch of intimiate social interaction. We’ve lost sight of holding doors open, we’ve forgot to thank people for a nice gesture. So why has this happened?
We’ve become comfortable and satisfied. We don’t like change. We like consistency. We like regularity. Any alteration, any detour, or stepping out of our comfort zones, we become disoriented because it’s not our norm.
Maybe it’s our employer, maybe it’s the bus schedule, maybe it’s the culture we live in. Yes, those could be explinations, but they shouldn’t define our lives. We shouldn’t be products of our daily conformity we’ve established. In other words, we have gotten so caught up with pleasing our bosses, pleasing ourselves, or pleasing others, we’ve forgotten to please the one and only who needs our attention.
For am I now seeking the approval of man or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.-Galatians 1:10
Don’t be distracted by others. Don’t find yourself trying to please others when you should only be focused on Him.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Have you ever experienced a moment of clarity, a moment of life transparency, a moment where you realize your life is exceptionally worthy?
Today, I responded to such question, thankfully not being apart of a mournful incident. Earlier, a gunman held up a real estate agency here in town, holding hostages for over 6 hours, only to end the holdup by heartbrokenly shooting himself.
Can you imagine being one of the several hostages? One inevitable thought I guarantee going through all of their minds was, “am I going to get out of this alive?” And respectfully so. Wouldn’t we all think this?
The worth, the importance, the price we have on our lives is my daily embrace proposition. Yes, we may all highly value our lives, but do we truly understand the meaningfulness of why we’ve been put on this Earth? Why we live each and every day?
Not to burst your bubbles, but it wasn’t to be the Mark Zuckerbergs or Oprah Winfreys with all the riches in the world. Fame and fortune isn’t our ultimate goal. Obtaining your dream job isn’t the pinnacle of your life. Money cannot be what you’re always seeking out. Money doesn’t satisfy. Things we can buy only holds temporary atonement value. Because what happens when we buy something new? We ‘play’ with it, show it off for a while, then store it away until a newer ‘toy’ comes along. We continually seek out the next and newest item. Why? Because we’re always trying to fill a void. We’re always trying to seek out contentment in things. But do we want to be known by the things we own? When someone mentions your name, do you want to be known as the “guy with the car collection” or the “woman with the most beautiful jewelry?” How superficial is this when you take a step back? Do we really want this status? Don’t you want to be more meaningful to others?
Think back real quick on the person who’s had the most influence in your life….
…
Did they have those expensive items; did they flaunt them? Or were they caring, motivating, giving, or simply friendly?
You’re answer is probably the latter. So what does this all mean?
It means we’ve been created for a purpose. Created by Him. Created by Jesus Christ, the Creator of your life and this world. The meaningfulness of your life can be found in His Word and through Him alone; not through the media, the popular crowds, or the celebrities of Hollywood.God made each and every one of us for a purpose. We were designed and formulated not to buy the latest and greatest gadgets, but to worship Him and give Him our attention. If you can put Him first in your life, you will be fulfilled and begin to see how exceptionally unique and meaningful our lives truly are.
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”-1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Today, my dad challenged me to research/find out about the 9 Fruits of the Holy Spirit. And to be honest, I wasn’t familiar with them. I vaguely remember him talking about it a while back, but nothing significant comes to mind.
After some website skimming, I realize how important this topic is.
If you aren’t familiar with the 9 fruits, it’s essentially character qualities God wants to instill in us. Whether we have a few of them already or need to rid ourselves of bad traits, these qualities or fruits are as follows: love, joy, peace, longsuffering(patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Essentially, bearing these fruits or qualities tells you how much you’re being led by the Holy Spirit. The closer you are to the Holy Spirit, the more spiritual fruit you will bear.
By showing or mainifesting these fruits throughout each and every day, whether when we’re at work or at a neighborhood barbecue, we bear testimony to the God we serve. It’s not about what we say because (no offense), but anyone can say they’re a Christian, but we’re judged on what we do! It’s similar to how we communicate with others. The majority of communication isn’t even about what we say, or how we even say it, but through expressive, nonverbal means. And it’s unbelievable to the percentage of actions over words that take place, 55% and 7% respectfully. Meaning, our actions truly do speak louder than words!
So if you are led by God, the Holy Spirit will brightly shine through your behavior and actions, more so than what you say. By bearing these fruits, Jesus can move through you, being the vessel of His word, ultimately living and fulfilling His calling for you.
The key is to open yourself up to bear these fruits and to do this, one must give your life to God, seek Him out, and put Him first in your life. By focusing on Him and not just his blessings and gifts, we can begin to see why He has gifted us with such talents and abilities to fulfill his will for us.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”-Matthew 6:33
The topic for the daily embrace is addiction, specifically cigarette smoking. Beyond the subjective or biased nature, one needs to surpass the simple act of smoking and identify the deeper issue, addiction.
Moving from the state of Ohio, where smoking bans are everywhere, basically no one smoked; to an area of Indiana where it seems as though every other person does, and it’s socially acceptable. From bars to restaurants, the popularity is beyond disgust and annoyance.
Two concepts we need to realize:
For one, people know of the harmful effects smoking has on the body. We no longer live in the times of Mad Men during the 1960s where even doctors condoned smoking. We gratefully live in a research-filled society where almost every single harmful substance or behavior has been research thoroughly by scholars and educators alike.
Two, since people aren’t ignorant to the harmful effects, they are simply weak to a powerful force called addiction. And I’m not pointing fingers because it’s a compulsion we’ve all given into at one point in our lives. From watching too much television to giving in to that piece of dessert, addiction can be the demise to one’s character.
So what is addiction? “It’s the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice that is psychologically or physically habit forming.” This is a powerful definition, particularly ‘enslaved.’
Being enslaved to something is giving in to its pleasures and benefits. What may seem enjoyable and relieving today may be detrimental tomorrow. In our society today, we’ve been taught to inattentively enjoy the ever-appealing products ingeniously marketed directly to our “pleasure centers.” Once we become hooked, the power of addiction will take over. Smoking companies play off of this. Once the biochemical effects of nicotine take over, lifelong customers ensue.
So how can people overcome such addictions?
First, they must have a “slap in the face moment.” Whether that’s medical advice or family/friends telling them they need to quit to realize the detrimental aspects to their overall health. Two, they must be willing to change. They must be willing to let go and be willing to give up to gain. It’s so easy for people to talk the talk about changing, but it’s so much more difficult and honorable to walk the walk. And finally, there must be a healing source, where they will always have support and encouragement throughout the addiction elimination. The ultimate healing source is Jesus Christ. It doesn’t matter how strong the addiction, God will always see you through!
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.-James 1:12-15
Do you find yourself asking questions about your worth; why you’re here, what you’ve been doing with your life, is this career right for me?
If you’ve asked yourself these questions, you’re not in the wrong, these doubts and questions sneak in all the time.
These thoughts are created by the enemy. Don’t let these doubts and questions deter you. You are worth so much! It doesn’t matter who you are, each and every one of you has a purpose. We’re all good at something. We all excel at a specific skill. Whether that simply means being friendly, happy, motivating, having good social skills, public speaking, etc.
Bring back your childhood skills and simply connect the dots! Use your skill/s you possess and go with it! Shine your light. Don’t think you aren’t worth the time and space because you are! You must be willing to use what you’ve been given and shine amongst a world of darkness. This is your advantage; this is your best way to connect with others; this is your funnel.
It seems as though teen suicide has increased. I haven’t checked the statistics or anything, but back home, it seems as though it’s an annual occurrence, happening more than ever before. And this saddens me tremendously to think that one is so far beyond their ‘wits end’ to realize life isn’t worth living anymore. “No one notices me. No one cares. They won’t miss me.”
Yes they do. Yes people do care. People will miss you. You DO have an affect on all people around you, whether you know it or not. You’re life is too precious from the light we were meant to give off, a light to shine bright, a light to encourage and motivate others, a light we can be proud of, a light that’s worth everything and more. (Even though I may not know you, I love you!)
Our society has gotten away from God, plain and simple. Because it is He who gives us purpose. Who gives us this light to shine upon the world. It’s not to be extinguished by anyone else. But it’s in those hard times that we may be pressured and pushed to our limits to extinguish our light. And it’s in these times we need to turn to Him, even as hard as it may be to blame Him, everything happens for a reason, for His purpose. Whether you’ve been called to relocate or to travel to another country or possibly to change career paths or educate young children, doors open and close for His reasons for you to fulfill your purpose.
Our light and our purpose is dangerous to darkness, always trying to creep in our lives each and every moment to ruin His plans for YOU. You can keep your flame strong through the power of Jesus Christ and it’s in Him alone we can shine bright forever.
For my first iPhone inspired/nutrition post, I am going to share with you one of my favorite healthy homemade recipes!
JTHealthyfit Salsa
All you need for a great meal or snack!
Ingredients include:
1 Whole Avocado
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
1/3 Cup Greek Yogurt
1/3 Cup Cottage Cheese
Dash of Parsley
Dash of Ginger
Any amount of your favorite salsa.
Plus, salsa chips.
Carefully cut the avocado in half.
Put halves into medium size, cereal bowl.
Mash up/stir with spoon.
Add minced garlic.
Add greek yogurt.
Add cottage cheese.
Add any amount of salsa (this one is from Aldi, fantastic and cheap!)
Add Ginger and Parsley.
Stir! (I know it looks nasty, but it’s not, I promise!)
Reasons for ingredients:
An avocado is a fantastic fat burning treat! Avocados have about 54% of your recommended daily value of fiber, which gives it the fat burning qualities. Avocados also help fuel you body with Vitamins A, C, E, K, and B6, plus riboflavin, niacin, folate, and pantothenic acid. Also, one avocado has 975 mg of potassium, which is critical to overall cellular and electrolyte function. Greek yogurt can have twice as much protein as regular yogurt. Regular yogurt usually has about 5-10 grams of protein, whereas Greek yogurt contains about 13-20 grams. This extra protein will help you feel full and leave you feeling more satisfied.
Greek yogurt is higher in protein, lower in carbohydrates, thicker and creamier and lower in sodium than regular yogurt. But what’s critical to Greek yogurt is it’s probiotics. Greek yogurt is more concentrated and has a higher percentage of probiotics than regular yogurt. Essentially, probiotics are live microorganisms, which aid in gastrointestinal health, which will help to alleviate diarrhea, constipation, bowel disease, and so on. Probiotics may also protect against colon and bladder cancer as well.
Along with Greek yogurt, cottage cheese will supply your body with more protein, but with cottage cheese, a different protein is found in cottage cheese called casein, is actually absorbed over a longer period of time, roughly 7 hours, giving your body a consistent pump of protein. On top of the protein fueled by Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, 1/2 cup serving of cottage cheese alone provides about 10% of the Recommended Daily Allowance for Americans for calcium. This mineral is needed in your body to build strong bones and initiate muscle contractions and nerve impluses.
Salsa is for the taste!
Garlic is rich in numerous antioxidants from potential cancer prevention to preventing colds, it’s a very valuable ingredient to use in all dishes.
The last two ingredients of Ginger and Parsley also have innumerous benefits, which are readily available for a quick Google search.
Finally, even though the chips are the least healthy part, try to find ones that weren’t made with trans fats and with low sodium content. Remember, to check the Nutritional Facts with all products you buy. I found these chips for very cheap, over the more expensive, “healthy,” wheat chips, plus having lower fat, sodium, and caloric content as well!
Hope you can try it out and let me know what you think!!
If you haven’t heard recently, coffee can now help you live longer! Yes, that cup of joe you once thought it was a near obsession is now something that can combat conditions like: heart disease, respiratory disease, stroke, injuries and accidents, diabetes, and infections.
Neal Freedman, Ph.D., Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NCI, and his colleagues examined the association between coffee drinking and risk of death in 400,000 U.S. men and women ages 50 to 71 who participated in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. Information about coffee intake was collected once by questionnaire at study entry in 1995-1996. The participants were followed until the date they died or Dec. 31, 2008, whichever came first.
The researchers found that the association between coffee and reduction in risk of death increased with the amount of coffee consumed. Relative to men and women who did not drink coffee, those who consumed three or more cups of coffee per day had approximately a 10 percent lower risk of death.
What one must take away from this study is not about the amazing taste of coffee, but the importance of nutrition in your life. Specifically, getting back to the old lifestyles of our ancestors of staying at home and keeping the kitchen active. A new study found that people who cook up to five times a week were 47% more likely to still be alive after 10 years, from a study of 1,888 men and women published in Public Health Nutrition.
Cooking is a healthy behavior not only one can be apart of, but a significant other and family members. This is a great way to educate others around you about the benefits of nutrition. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, gain muscle, or simply live longer, the importance of a healthy diet goes beyond just the taste of your Dunkin Donuts coffee every morning.
Earlier today, I watched a movie with friends called 50/50. If you haven’t had the chance, it’s a very good movie involving a young man with a rare form of cancer at a young age of 27. While I was watching, I couldn’t help but think about what would happen to my life if something like that would happen? How would I handle such a life-changing illness?
All could change in a blink of an eye. All could change from one day to the next. Who’s to say we’re guaranteed tomorrow, next week, month, or year? It’s a simple answer; we’re not guaranteed anything! Especially at a young age, we have felt or have been in the position of being “invincible.” Nothing can harm us. We can walk the fine line with no repercussions. But is this perspective healthy? Is it even possible to live our lives to the fullest each day, as if tomorrow may be our last?
Whether it’d be cancer or an accident, our lives are precious. Serve God to your fullest. Seek comfort in the Lord. If you’re already suffering pain, pray and ask God you may find comfort in serving Him. “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”-Psalm 18:2
Whatever the suffering you may be going through, you don’t have to be alone. Even if you may feel like you are, you aren’t! You’re never in a fight alone. Even if it may seem unsurmountable or impossible. Even if the odds aren’t good, there’s a 100/100 chance God will come through and give you peace.
When it comes to exercise and nutrition, there’s little room for compensation. When we find ourselves in a “devil on one side and an angel on another” situation, whether that’s from our sugar cravings or busy schedule, giving way to excuses, we begin to make amends with ourselves and justify our reasons not to stay disciplined.
Our temporary allowance leads to a payment of disappointment and regret, even though our remittance was reasonably self-prescribed. Essentially, our reasons and excuses were good enough at the time to deter our actions to acquire our goals. Whether that be losing weight or toning our muscles, we prescribe our own compromises. It’s understandable. Are we willing to sacrifice our well-being for temporary highs or cravings? Can we stick to a plan? Can we stay dedicated, even if that means eliminating unhealthy behaviors in our lives?
Recently, while I was visiting friends, I told them upright I’m not going to be drinking. Did I feel weird? Did I feel left out sometimes? Yes, of course I did. But I still had a great time. While I was the “party animal” in college, I no longer live this lifestyle. At this point in my life, I know there’s much more than having fun and drinking until blacking out. There are two things I’ve learned from this lifestyle transition.
First, you must be willing to not give in to peer pressure. Second, you must be willing to face criticism for your healthy choices. In the act of saying no, you’re compensating or “rewarding” your hard work in the gym and the kitchen. As the title of the post says, “selective compensation,” there are times when it’s not appropriate to adjust your behavior and other times can be the best choices you may make. Repay yourself for the hard work and new lifestyle, but never overbalance and regress from your ultimate goals.
Peer pressure. What does it take for you to fall? What’s your weakness? Do you have a vice that seems impossible to overcome?
When we have a weakness, others around us, even if they may be friends, subtle words or actions may be enough for us to give in. Why is it so easy for us to give in though? Yes, we may have unyielding friends or family members, which may be very hard to say no to. But, we must stick to our guns. We must remember how our lives were when the vice was in control.
When the vice was in control, we couldn’t see past our own selfishness. Selfishness and vices coincided. It’s a two-headed beast. It’s a serpent of death to our character and well-being. If it’s alcohol, drugs, television, Facebook, pornography, Internet, or whatever the vice, selfishness is the immediate result. Or vice versa. If we go back to selfishness and only worrying about ourself and gaining pleasure or fun, the vice takes over.
Selfishness is a vice. And a vice is selfishness. Peer pressure is the fuel for this fire. One nudge is enough to send us over the edge. The secret is to keep your Faith. I know I’ve said this multiple times, but ask God for strength. Pray for guidance and strength to overcome peer pressure. Even when it comes to your eating habits, having that donut or Panera Bread pastry in the morning won’t hurt. It’s tasty. It won’t affect my behavior. I’ll just do an extra ten minutes on the treadmill after work.
If you begin to pressure your conscious with subtle excuses and reasons why it’s ok, then you gave in to your vice. If you told yourself you’re going to cut back on sweets and junk food, saying it’s ok in one instance will only ease the next instance of pressure. It’ll be easier to give in next time. Pray to Him you have the courage to say no to friends or deny the unhealthy food options. Stick to your guns, don’t give in to your vice!
While reuniting with friends can become promotional, it can also help to renew or rebrand yourself. We’ve all made mistakes. Whether it’s in our past or of recent. We may have pushed people away in our lives, apart of the mistakes or not. At least I’ve made those types of mistakes.
I pushed people out of my life because I was ashamed and afraid of what they’d think. I knew, with the so-called perfect life I lived, keeping my reputation in tact was of most importance. And in doing so, not facing the closest people in my life was a way to cope and keep my reputation, at least in my eyes.
But all the while, I knew, at one point, I had to face them again. Yes, I have changed. I have matured. But at the same time, I’m the same person I was before. As I’ve said many times, we’re all going to make mistakes. But that doesn’t mean you need to push people out of your lives because you’re afraid of what they’ll think.
We need the comfortability, not just in the environment, but also with our friendships. Don’t push people out of your life because this comfortability is important to get back up and learn from your mistakes.
After a short trip visiting friends, returning to the comfort of my home was nice. When we get out of our elements, we must rely on different sources for comfort. We no longer have our “favorite” piece of furniture or a special location to enjoy a favorite book.
Even getting work done is hindered. What may have been a daily ritual may become a forgotten behavior. Time spent by yourself or another is now spent with many. No longer do you feel a sense of loneliness, but instead togetherness. Of course, we all love catching up with old friends and reminiscing, but the comfortability and familiarity of your environment is obviously gone.
Thus, we must find comfort in other things, such as through the relationships alone. We may not have the opportunity to kick your shoes off and relax, but instead, use the free time to get closer with them. Create an experience that’s enjoyable and exciting. No, it doesn’t have to be elaborate or anything. Going to dinner with one of your best friends will suffice.
Even though you aren’t in your normal elements, let it not hinder your chance to get closer to your friends. Being away from comfortability can be a spectacular opportunity to experience new things with loved ones. It’s not a hindrance, but a promotion of friendship.
“But one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.”-Philippians 3:13 One thing we need to understand is not to regret. As hard as it may seem, thinking back on past relationships or failed assignments and exams, we must stop thinking in a regretful way.
It’s not fair to judge your past self based on the hindsight that you now have. When we’ve seen our mistakes and missed opportunities, it means that you have become more mature, that you have made significant progress in term of insights and competence. It gives us more strength to achieve much more if you encounter similar situations again. So if you find yourself in similar situations that you failed to see in the past, and you don’t make the same mistakes, celebrate these moments because it indicates you’ve grown.
The more frequent and the sooner you spot missed opportunities that have passed you by, the more it indicates that you are rapidly improving and growing. Sometimes, it takes making mistakes over and over to be conscious of your mistakes. As everyone knows, once those mistakes have been made, you can never get them back. Time is limited, it’s always in the passing mode. You must find balance in your life. Accept imperfections and just go along and improvise.
We will all make mistakes.
Time isn’t going to wait for you to correct every single mistake. Reality has deadlines. Don’t spend your present mourning about past mistakes because while you’re wasting this time, opportunities in the present may elude you too. As a result, stress and worries will build up for the future and may be nearly impossible see the opportunities in abundance around you. No one is going to feel bad for yourself more than you. Opportunities are around you to seize. Ask God for patience and help to train your eyes to see them now and in the present.
When it comes to most things, we have no abandonment. We don’t fully commit ourselves to something. We’re always one foot in, one foot out.
How are we ever going to accomplish our goals if we don’t fully commit to something?
We must have complete abandonment, even if things may seem impossible. The Bibles teaches us to be this way. We aren’t fully committed Christians if we don’t fully give our hearts and soul to Him. It doesn’t matter what it is, do everything to your best ability. Don’t slack. Don’t give in. Give your all. God will give you strength to continue if it may seem impossible.
If you find yourself barely being able to drag yourself out of the bed every morning, pray, ask God to give you strength. Especially if you wake early to exercise. The first thing that comes into your head is, “why did I wake up so early?” I can sleep a little longer. Take these opportunities and early mornings to build your mind and body. Devote time to reading the Bible or daily devotionals. Open yourself up to Him. Create opportunities to fill your heart. Even if we may be blindly committed, Jesus Christ is the ultimate guide.
He is the ultimate personal trainer, making your Faith stronger each and every day.
Today, I chose to get away from the house and concentrate on my studies. The location of choice was Panera Bread. All throughout the day, people would come and go. Individuals, families, and so on.
Towards the end of my stay, I was thinking about approaching a woman that was by herself eating. And it wasn’t about attraction or anything like that at all. It was more like, “why don’t I go introduce myself and offer her an ear to listen.” Why is she alone? Is she lonely? Does she need help?
You know, thinking back throughout the day, I saw several people all by themselves. I was thinking on the lines of, what if they’re having a bad day? What if they don’t have anyone to turn to?
I could make someone’s day by simply offering to listen to them. We were put on this earth to serve others. Even strangers in a restaurant. What’s wrong with introducing oneself to a random stranger and being friendly? After leaving for the day, I realized my mistakes. I should have taken these opportunities to reach out to others, even if that is to offer a listening ear to a complete stranger.
Have you ever encountered such a random instance of giving and gratitude? Has anyone ever offered to pay for something in public? I have. I’ve encountered those random moments of kindness. Next time I find myself in an opportunity to reach out and help someone, I’m going to take it.
Stick to a plan. If you’ve been true to yourself and to others, keep going. Don’t let anything get in the way of your changing process.
The natural tendencies to fall back into old habits is inevitable. Pressures from many sources can deter your progress. Just like any relationship, it takes time, dedication, and tests of character, in the easiest of times and the hardest.
Things may be easy in a comfortable, unchanging environment, but once things become difficult in a new surrounding, our resiliency is tested. Just remember the progress you’ve taken. Remember the time commitment you’ve sacrificed. All is well until you forget your progress.
Once you’ve forgotten the journey and where you’ve come, all progress is lost. Everything you’ve worked for. Everything you’ve sacrificed is lost. Don’t use these times of difficulty to make excuses.
What happens when we find ourselves in an unfamiliar, non-habitual situation? Do we continue our new healthy habits? If we want to change forever, we must continue these habits.
Our environment may change, but it doesn’t mean our habits have to. It may be difficult to continue if you don’t have the resources of staying active or going to a special place to study.
The mindset is the important thing.
If you have the correct mindset, anything is possible. If you have the right intentions and want to change for the betterment of yourself, you must force yourself to keep the habits. You must be consistent.
Ask God for strength. When we may feel our choices begin to weaken, ask Him to raise you up. Anything is possible through Him.
For the faith to move ahead
And to let go of the past
And to see me as you do
I turn to you
These are some lyrics from the song “I Turn to You” by Selah. It’s a great song. If you haven’t had the chance, listen to it.
When I listened to these words, I’m lost in His love. When we find ourselves lost. When we find ourselves broken. We must turn to Him. If you haven’t been reading my previous posts, it has been an emotional roller coaster in my life of late.
So this song has been a great reminder of who I should be focusing my energy.
In other words, we must not let these life predicaments and issues get in the way of what we should be falling asleep and waking to.
The reason I started this blog was to be more open with my feelings, grow as a Christian, and to encourage/help anyone who needs guidance in their faith, fitness, and nutrition goals. Well, as you may have noticed, God has a way of inconspicuously directing our lives. Whereas, my goal was to have a post for faith every other day and fitness/nutrition on the opposite days. Well, that goal is still possible, but there’s still some unfinished business and growth that needs to take place in my life before I can begin to venture into new topics. (Plus, I have many more promising ideas to connect with you on a more personal level, which will hopefully become very successful in His name.) So bear with me a little longer, grow with me Spiritually, and be part of the encouragement we all need.
As I have stated in previous posts, we’re not suppose to be traveling through life alone. We’re not suppose to be selfish and reliant on our own beliefs and ways of living. We’re suppose to support and serve each other. Just like one blogger put it, “we’re suppose to love everyone.” And it’s true! As you continue to follow along my journey, we must remember, for faith to move ahead, we must be willing to let go of our pasts, and turn to Him!
I was recently listening to Klove via internet radio and a listener called in to tell a story. She let her child “fall on her face” (not literally) with a school project she didn’t want to do with her. So the mom let her turn the project in partially done. And of course, it’s from the stance that the girl would take something away from this experience.
Have you ever “fell on your face” and completely failed at doing something or forgot an assignment? Don’t you hate that roller coaster heart drop once you’ve realized your mistake?
Yes, we’ve probably all been there. A major screw up seems inevitable. But it’s not about the mistake we’ve made, it’s how we react to it. Do we learn our lesson or do we continue to make the same mistake over and over? If you’ve been trying to change, whether it’s a bad habit or what, we always seem to catch ourselves either before or after. Or we are oblivious of our actions and feelings. In essence, we don’t realize we’ve been sucked back into the same lifestyle until we’ve literally fallen on our faces.
We become desperate for help. We want change again. It’s different this time, right? Of course. It’s always different. Doesn’t matter what you tell yourself or others, it’s up to YOU to keep that change. YOU, yourself are the obstacle, not anyone else. Ask Him for strength and YOU will change!
Before I get into anything, I wrote an entire post, expecting it to be what I wanted to convey, but a more appropriate thought came along and instead, this is the post:
We all make mistakes. We’ve all isolated ourselves on our own island of mistakes. Whether we’ve hurt loved ones or made unforgivable mistakes, the thought of question and wonder about why we did it is inexplicable and unbearable. The weight of guilt and anguish is too much for one to bear. But just like Tom Hank’s character in the movie Cast Away, the only thing we can do is to keep breathing.
Even though we cannot move on together, I must always remember to breathe because tomorrow, “the sun will rise, and who knows what the tide will bring in.”
This is true. As hard as this has been, logic says, life will continue. Even though my plans didn’t work out and it didn’t end with a fairytale ending, life will continue. God will provide.
And as hard as it’s been, God will always appropriately and perfectly control the tide; who He brings into our lives. We just have to patiently wait.
I just want to let you know I’m not here to lecture about anything. What to do, what not to do. I’m here to talk about what I’ve experienced, what I’ve endured, things that have changed my life.
I don’t expect anything in return.
I don’t want to make you feel insecure, uncomfortable, or upset for not doing certain things. We all have a choice. We all have options and decisions to make. We’re all mature enough to make our own decisions. We have the power of choice. We want to be in control of our lives. We want to be in control of our lives through the choices we make.
It’s not about control, bu about the choices.
Do we make the choice to go out of our way to help someone today? Do we have the choice to ignore people?
We have choices to make.
Do we make the choice to simply fit in? Or do we make the choice that’s not the norm? We may be in pain. We may be suffering. We have a choice to take that step forward. We have a choice to not give up. If you want to do something today, do it! Who’s stopping you?! We were all created for a purpose, a purpose much bigger than the negatives or putdowns of people that told you, you couldn’t do something.
If you don’t believe me, go to the video page, and watch Something More with Nick Vujicic. I have faith in you today and always!
It doesn’t matter who you are, we always have those days of depression. Some things don’t go the way we planned. Or it’s because we got into a fight with our loved ones or friends. Either way, these days are inevitable.
As humans, we have the capacity for many, many emotions and feelings, whether it’s happiness or sadness, depression is inevitable. It doesn’t necessarily have to be titled depression, but more so having a bad day, where you simply wake up on the wrong side of the bed.
People annoy you. You’re having a bad hair day. You’re not feeling good. And so on.
Also, we can be depressed in different realms of our lives as well. It doesn’t have to mean an overall depressed state, but maybe difficulties in your relationships or career. Life tends to not go the way we plan right? Always!
Typically, we’re dealt a miserable hand in most instances. But, are we going to sulk and continue to be depressed or do something about it? The one thing we can do is let go of our problems and negative outlook.
We must be willing to give ourselves to God. He is our inspiration. He gives us strength to overcome these random moments of mixed emotions. If you find yourself feeling like this, don’t use shopping or your hobbies to fix the problem. These moments of depressed hardships tend to influence us into not turning to Him and leaving Him behind. We think, “oh I’m too tired or too exhausted” is a good enough excuse to shy away.
Just as in a previous post, it’s a slippery slope and this is why depressed states can be detrimental not only to your character, but also your relationship with Jesus Christ. Instead, give yourself to God in these moments. He’s in control. It’s a test of your Faith, are you going to pass or fail?
This morning, I woke up to meet some friends at the gym, early. 6 am alarm only meant regret and questioning why I was doing such a thing so early.
Granted, I love working out and it’s very easy for me to be motivated by other people excited about fitness, too. But, once the alarm sounds, the initial thoughts are, “why am I waking up so early?” Do I even have the strength to pull myself out of bed this early, while it’s still dark, while I’m still half asleep.
Lo and behold, I pulled myself up, took one step, and got up.
Sometimes, when we’re encountering problems in our lives, the first thing we need to do is take a step. Even though it may be difficult or may seem impossible to find the strength, we can do all things through Him. Even simply waking up to work out, we’re always tested beyond our capacities every day, but it’s that first step that’s important.
Are you going to take a step forward or a step back?
Live life to the fullest and take that step. “Do it now” is a saying I live by. Why wait? Don’t hit that snooze button.
When can you finally realize your actions are borderline foolish, all the while thinking they’ve been admirable?
That’s a tough question to answer. When you think your actions are admirable, different perspectives from loved ones may rescale and redefine what you think is admirable. In other words, it may seem admirable to sacrifice your time and energy, but in their eyes, it may be foolish to the point of wasting time.
And foolish acts are very tough to overcome, especially if you’ve been doing your “admirable” things for so long. I know I’ve written about using friends and family as backboards with your problems; bounce things off of them for proper/healthy direction. It’s the same with this instance.
It either takes a dramatic fight with an ex or time after time of trying to win them back, to realize the distinction between foolishness and admirability. We all tend to think and want our actions to be admirable. But to another person, this may seem desperate and pointless because the damage has already been made.
Whatever the case may be, you always need to follow your heart. If it feels right to act foolish, then who’s to say it’s wrong. And in the end, it’ll simply come down to, “did I put in the effort?” “Did I do all that I could to make things better?” If you can say yes to both of these questions, then your actions were truly admirable.
Hold your loved one dear. Don’t make wrongful decisions that you’ll regret. Because once you begin regretting, you may try to swim against the current. And find yourself at the crossroads of foolishness and admirability.
There are ups and downs, twists and turns, helixes to spin you around, then spit you out, and so on. Have you ever felt you’re just along for the ride, getting aimlessly and effortlessly tossed around, as though you were a rag doll?
As you’re climbing and climbing up the hill, one chain click at a time. Click, click, click, click, clack, click, clack, click, click. All the while, time is slowly going by, going higher and higher, farther and farther, after every inevitable click. Once you finally get the courage to look at your surroundings, you realize, “wow, what am I doing?” “Look where I’ve come.” “Look how high I am.”
This isn’t about whether we are in control, but more so a life examination. Sometimes, it’s hard for us to look out and take a measurement of where we’re at in life. Either we’re scared of our past, don’t like where our lives are going, or we’re completely unsure of where we want to be.
But guess what? You must find the courage to look because life is always moving. Click, click, click, clack, click. You’ll never get these moments back again. Once the train reaches the apex of the hill, you soon realize, there’s no way, but down. If you’ve questioned your life because you have no idea where you’re going or what you want to do, be patient and most importantly, pursue what you love!
Just remember, it takes a long time to travel up the hill. Whether it’s through acquiring your education, knowledge, fitness achievements, weight loss goals, and so on, you must relax, put your trust in God, and enjoy the view. On the way up your roller coaster of life, take these precious moments to reexamine where you’ve come because…
You cannot move on or grow if you aren’t brutally honest. You must admit to your mistakes. You must be willing to lose to gain. If you’re not honest with yourself and those around you, then you won’t be able to grow.
The hidden feelings will only dwell and build up on the inside. This is the only way you’ll truly gain forgiveness from God or others. Even though you may feel completely vulnerable for your regretful actions or feelings, this must be done in order to give yourself wholly to someone.
It’s sacrifice.
It’s about acceptance of past mistakes and characteristics that may not be perfect. You cannot sacrifice if you aren’t completely honest to reveal your mistakes and issues. If you’re not willing to give your all, then you won’t be able to change for the better. If you’re not willing to accept your past mistakes and to be honest with yourself, then you’ll travel through life being stubbornly selfish, unable to open up and truly feel at ease with yourself.
We all have a lot to learn, even from ourselves. We must learn from our mistakes, but we must admit to them first. And I’m not saying I haven’t done this because this is part of my growing process as well. This is something I’m always working on and I hope you can too.
I recently messed up an online order, whether it’s because of the auto-correct or not and forgetting to double check the information, I’ve experienced the stressful calls to correct the mistake.
From one packaging source to the next, call representatives are sending me different ways, to where the answer is according to them. But to find out, some sources weren’t the answer. Other sources said to do this and the problem will be solved.
Getting directed and redirected several times, looking for answers has been very frustrating. It shouldn’t have even been a problem if I wasn’t careful and thorough. This instance is very practical to everything else in life.
If you don’t have an eye opening experience of how you’re living your life, then you have no barometer of what to change or modify. It’s tough because for some, it may seem impossible to fix.
Once you’ve found the mistake or issue, you must take the road untraveled, and do everything necessary to fix the problem.
God will help you through this journey. Ask Him for patience and determination to make this personal change. Without Him, all the brunt of the stress and anxiety may be overwhelming and swallow you whole. Keep your Faith strong so your package can be delivered without any complications.
Being creative and thinking outside the box is something we have lost sight of. Today, anything and everything is available at the click of a button or flip of the switch. What has happened to our creativity?
Technology has made our lives so easy and has paved the way for a lazy lifestyle. But there are times when accommodation and modifying your lifestyle is beneficial. For example, being back home, I don’t have access to a fitness facility. Instead, I know it sounds weird, but I’m beginning to think outside of the box, exercising outdoors with logs, swing sets, chopping wood, jump roping, running with a full wheel barrel, and so on. Sometimes, I believe we need to adapt and accomodate with what we have. When we don’t have such luxuries, we give up. But why? Why not make do with what you have?
I’ve found myself always looking for more. In the past, I’ve never been able to quench my thirst, whether that was my fitness goals, health, or grades, I was never satisfied. It’s hard to know what you have until you no longer have it. If you’ve been blessed with certain qualities or abilities, use these to your best ability. Don’t try to be someone you aren’t. Settle for what you have. Submit yourself completely. Provide others with the characteristics God has blessed you with. Accomodate to the ones that need you. “Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper and be satisfied.”-Proverbs 13:4
When it comes to exercise and nutrition, there’s little room for compensation. When we find ourselves in a “devil on one side and an angel on another” situation, whether that’s from our sugar cravings or busy schedule, giving way to excuses, we begin to make amends with ourselves and justify our reasons not to stay disciplined.
Our temporary allowance leads to a payment of disappointment and regret, even though our remittance was reasonably self-prescribed. Essentially, our reasons and excuses were good enough at the time to deter our actions to acquire our goals. Whether that be losing weight or toning our muscles, we prescribe our own compromises. It’s understandable. Are we willing to sacrifice our well-being for temporary highs or cravings? Can we stick to a plan? Can we stay dedicated, even if that means eliminating unhealthy behaviors in our lives?
Recently, while I was visiting friends, I told them upright I’m not going to be drinking. Did I feel weird? Did I feel left out sometimes? Yes, of course I did. But I still had a great time. While I was the “party animal” in college, I no longer live this lifestyle. At this point in my life, I know there’s much more than having fun and drinking until blacking out. There are two things I’ve learned from this lifestyle transition.
First, you must be willing to not give in to peer pressure. Second, you must be willing to face criticism for your healthy choices. In the act of saying no, you’re compensating or “rewarding” your hard work in the gym and the kitchen. As the title of the post says, “selective compensation,” there are times when it’s not appropriate to adjust your behavior and other times can be the best choices you may make. Repay yourself for the hard work and new lifestyle, but never overbalance and regress from your ultimate goals.
Today, I chose to get away from the house and concentrate on my studies. The location of choice was Panera Bread. All throughout the day, people would come and go. Individuals, families, and so on.
Towards the end of my stay, I was thinking about approaching a woman that was by herself eating. And it wasn’t about attraction or anything like that at all. It was more like, “why don’t I go introduce myself and offer her an ear to listen.” Why is she alone? Is she lonely? Does she need help?
You know, thinking back throughout the day, I saw several people all by themselves. I was thinking on the lines of, what if they’re having a bad day? What if they don’t have anyone to turn to?
I could make someone’s day by simply offering to listen to them. We were put on this earth to serve others. Even strangers in a restaurant. What’s wrong with introducing oneself to a random stranger and being friendly? After leaving for the day, I realized my mistakes. I should have taken these opportunities to reach out to others, even if that is to offer a listening ear to a complete stranger.
Have you ever encountered such a random instance of giving and gratitude? Has anyone ever offered to pay for something in public? I have. I’ve encountered those random moments of kindness. Next time I find myself in an opportunity to reach out and help someone, I’m going to take it.
If you live in Columbus, OH and interested in personal training, be sure to shoot me an email with your health and fitness goals at ffembrace@gmail.com. Or simply to chat about anything, I'm happy to hear from you.
I will get back as soon as possible, with rates and all sorts of weekly/monthly options, from in-home to group personal training sessions with friends.
I'm excited you are taking this step to invest in a healthier, better you!!
“I woke up a few years ago and realized that I no longer had a grip on who I was…the me that I was living with was this dude who changed himself all the time to try and get other people to like him…and my entire identity was wrapped up in everyone else’s approval of me……so this is me – breaking loose of that piece of bondage and concerning myself with the approval of only One and not the many.”-David Dunn
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