Retrospect is a ...

Day 8

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Retrospect is a waste.
A big one.

We spend a good portion of our lives imagining what life should be like,
Planning the next few days, months, and years of our dream world,
Creating what we think the world needs more of,
Building our resumes instead of our souls.

Gary Vaynerchuk set aside a portion of his Vlog to really dig into it,
and sums it up simply and elegantly...
"Document, don't create".

Spend your life living passionately,
documenting every step and struggle along the way.
Because social media is only impressed with outcomes,
but we become deeply inspired by the journeys taken to succeed.
Embrace the process, embrace the hustle, and embrace the struggle.

"It's action. It's going. It's doing."

Along the same topic,

Jewel Kilchner touches upon this "phenomenon" in her book,

 "Never Broken: songs are only half the story".

She struggled throughout her entire childhood and life,

yet she journaled and documented every emotion,

every event, and every memory along the way.

Using these journals, she was able to track herself.

Her thoughts, her patterns, her own strengths and weaknesses.

It was through documentation that she was, years later, able to create herself.

"They gave me a breadcrumb trail back to my most authentic and whole self"

(Jewel on her journals and self reflection)

So my point is that we should embrace the journey, focus on the starting and the doing.

Fair-Weather Relationships

Day 7

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We've all had that one friend, right?

The friend that is only around because it benefits them.

They have to get something out of it.

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I was thinking, 

it would be awfully nice to be the "fair-weather friend"

instead of the selfless friend sometimes.

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Then I thought some more...

because that's how my brain functions...

it never stops...

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What if we made the conscious decision to be the 

fair-weather friend in some of our relationships?

Including the relationship between what we put in and on our body!

I'm going to be selfish from now on!

I'm only going to put the good into my body.

I'm going to put the good on my body!

Here we gooooooo,

my health game is going to be so strong!

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There's this one company that I found and am researching that can help me do this!

Around for 35 years.

WILL ONLY MAKE A PRODUCT IF IT BENEFITS THE HUMAN BODY.

How cool is that, seriously.

Nailpolish?

Nope...they can't make it benefit someone.

Hair care?

Yep.

Skin care?

Yep.

Nutrition line?

Yep.

Male and Female?

Yep.

I'm going to start researching it more and trying the products, let me know if you have ever heard of it and give me some insight!

A Wrinkle In....Technology?

Day 6

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"There are lots of us that have learned to engage in technology and use it to maximize, but there are lots of people that use to technology to disengage, to be harmful to themselves and to other people."

--Tony Robbins

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Technology is like a shirt. 

Weird...stick with me here.

Technology is like a shirt.

You can dress it up.

You can dress it down.

You can iron it to look impeccable.

You can let it wrinkle.

You can stain it with food.

You can mask it's dirtiness with cologne or perfume.

You can decorate it with a tie.

You can cut the sleeves off and turn heads.

You can tie it up around your waist to catch eyes.

You can make it a Halloween costume.

You can make it the designated yardwork shirt.

You can model in it.

You can hang it up and never wear it again.

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Can't you say the same things about technology?

Technology can be used or abused.
You can tap into this resource and maximize your life.
You can ignore it's existence and let it sit on the shelf, unused.

Either way, technology is what you make of it. 

So pretend you're a super hero...

are you using it for good or for evil?

When Waves Crash

Day 5

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Some people live as though life is a body of water,

untouched, smooth as glass, 

with occasional stones and pebbles tossed in,

counting the ripples that meet the shore's edge,

waiting for the lull of peaceful stillness to return.

Man, that sounds nice... but unfamiliar. That's not me. Nope.

My life is like an ocean,

vast, full of possibility,

depths known by no person,

pulled between moods like tides are pulled between shores,

undertows pulling you in at the last moment,

but when the skies open,

the sun warms your face and you smile,

because surviving the darkness isn't the end,

it's the beginning.

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In the Shadows

Day 4

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Today I became certified in Mental Health First Aid.

Which sounds cool and fancy.

It sounds nice to put on a resume.

But Dear Lord....it was far from simple.

Mental Health is underestimated and in the shadows.

But one thing stuck with me above all else.

It will be tricky to put into words,

as I am a more passionate speaker then writer.

When you think of Schizophrenia, what are some negative terms usually associated with that person?

crazy, loose cannon, off there rocker, delusional, cray cray,

ridiculous, out of control, unstable

When you think of Anxiety, what are some negative terms usually associated with that person?

unstable, nervous, paranoid, can't handle anything,

caves under pressure, their own fault, scary

When you think of Depression, what are some negative terms usually associated with that person?

sad, nervous, unsocial, lazy, won't get anything done,

annoying, just pick yourself up, you have no reason to be sad

Now, when you think of Cancer, what are some negative terms usually associated with that person?

....they are just a victim...

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Think about it.

The symptoms of each illness above can have similar affects on a person.

It affects there mood, energy levels, ability to got o work, ability to socialize, everything.

So why then do we treat mental illnesses differently than any other illness?

It's an illness, isn't it?

These people are human, aren't they?

We need to start treating every and any illness with compassionate words and actions,

not stigmas and stereotypes.

As the old and cliche quote goes,

"Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you do not know about"

Treat each person you meet with a kind heart, listening ears, open eyes, and an understanding soul.

\

** Pardon My French **

Day 3

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** Warning **

I swear like a trucker.

You will get a small dose of that here.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Don't say I offended you.

Ye' Be Warned !

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As a child, I never put thought into how people viewed me and my actions.

As a teenager, I said I didn't care....but you better believe I did.

As a young adult, I cared...but chose to be blind and deaf to negativity.

Today, I am conflicted.

My body language to my peers is one of compassion.

My workouts are my own and approved by my doctors.

My style is an expression of comfort and simplicity.

My voice stays strong even when I feel weak.

...yes...I can be weak...just like everyone else...

My eyes stay focused on the future.

My mind stays steady in the present.

So why?

Why do I feel mad?

When people cast judgement and opinion, why do I care?

Why do I get defensive, with my shoulders up to my ears?

I think I have found the answer.

People cast judgment and opinion while self proclaiming it is "out of love". 

That they are "protecting me from myself".

That they "care" about me.

Pardon my French,

Bullshit.

You care about looking like a caring person.

You have no idea that your words and stares are tearing me apart on the inside.

All because "you care".

Bullshit.

If you really cared....you would get to know me as a human and a soul.

Not as a spectator.

You would then understand why I do what I do.

Only then would you answer, how I became who I am today.

Knowledge is power.

I dare you to get to know me,

and still stand strong to your "caring" judgments and words.

In the meantime,

I will be spending my time training my mind to let go of the effect you have on me.

Seeking Life

Day 2

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Let's savior this moment of awareness and mindfulness.

SOL Purpose: Blogging a moment of your day.

Intents: Blog everyday.

Result: Being present in every moment.

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When you are seeking moments of inspiration and depth, you are indulging in every experience and thought entirely. You no longer wait for life to fuel your fire. You seek the gasoline. And boy when that gasoline meets the lit match.... your mind becomes engulfed in flames. Inspiration can't be avoided at this point. You now live in the moment, you are present in your own life.

Take ownership of your mind.

Bring your mind home. 

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I am no longer a passenger, I am the driver of my own life.