Every action will have a reaction, we may not see it for years, but there will be one. That is why the choices we make every day are so important, even those we deem small. A prime example is food, many of us do not give a second thought to what we put into our body. It matters, we will see the obvious, which is weight gain, the part we do not see until we are in trouble is our health. Nothing will taste as good as healthy feels.
We close out another year and usher in a new decade. All of us tend to make resolutions on New Year’s day and yet how many of us follow through? We often give up within a month, why? Change is hard, leaving our comfort zone is not easy, does it mean we do not want to improve our lives? We all have dreams and aspirations, but are we willing to put in the work that it will take to reach them? If we want something bad enough, we will make the time, find the funds, be consistent and throw away the excuses.
How often do we let a lack of self-control set us back in life? Do we follow the latest trend blindly without doing our own due diligence? Its time to step up, take charge, do our own research, trust in ourselves and live the life we dream of living. Making our own informed decision is the only way to live life.
There are few things in life we have control over, yet what we choose to consume is one that we alone determine. The things we put into our bodies and minds matter. If we fill our days with low-grade fuel and thoughts, how can we expect anything good to come out of it? It’s about time we step up, make the uncomfortable choices, take personal responsibility, this is when we stop letting others choose what is best for us.
We are only free when we conquer our ignorance and weakness while taking personal responsibility for our actions. It is when we put away selfish thoughts, stopping giving into animal indulgences that we realize just what our purpose is on this planet.
Becoming an expert in anything is never quite as simple as taking a weekend course to get certified by an organization. The journey for knowledge is never-ending. Many people expect to go to school, take a class or two and become a master at something. In reality, a true master never stops their quest for knowledge.
With martial arts, in particular, I’ve learned that when you teach others you quickly realize how much you still do not know. You realize what faults you have, and if you take the right steps to remedy your faults, it helps you grow.
No matter what you do well, there is always someone who does it better. If we become so conceited that we believe our own hype, we will never continue to grow.
Even if you receive the highest award in your field, you cannot relax and quit working on your craft. If you do not consistently grow, you will soon be outdated.
There is a documentary I have watched a few times called Jiro Dreams of Sushi. It is about a man who found something he loves to do, make sushi, and he works tirelessly to perfect it. He is never content and is constantly looking for ways to make better sushi. That is why his small restaurant is rated the best sushi restaurant in the world.
In life, we must constantly keep learning in order to stay relevant. If we want to stand out in any endeavor we must keep learning and it must be quality knowledge that we gain.
We must change our mindset. Instead of doing something to win, we instead will choose to do something to gain knowledge and grow. It can be humbling to work at things we are not good at, but in the end, it is a valuable lesson. To grow, we must let go of our fear of failure, humble ourselves and often it means forgetting about what the rest of the pack is doing.
I encourage you to pick something you are not good at, and start learning, growing and developing new skills. Each of us has at our fingertips a vast amount of knowledge, why not use it?
When it comes to our faith, the same thing is true. We can never just sit back or coast on our faith. We must constantly strive toward growth. As a Christian, it is up to me to put in the work to continuously grow and become more like Jesus. None of us is without faults. I need to realize what my faults are, and work on them.
Proverbs 18:15
An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
2018 is here! What changes will you make? The new year is a great time to commit yourself to better health. Sadly, New Year’s resolutions to get into better shape and go to the gym rarely last out the month of January. I encourage you to make a commitment to yourself to make fitness a regular part of your life and stick with it.
There is no use getting a gym membership where you either have no real idea where to start or you get into something that’s not a good fit for you.
Fitness is not a quick fix. Instead, it is all about the steady, long-term, day-to-day training. If we all take an honest look at our lives, we can all get an idea of how long we have been abusing our bodies. The changes for the negative did not happen overnight, and it is going to take some time to get it healthy again. There are no shortcuts. If something promises a quick fix, run away from it.
It will be hard to stay committed. You will be tired and sore and there are many days you will not feel like training. Excuses are a dime a dozen, but those of us that stick with it will find that reward worth it.
There will come a point where you will be amazed at how great you feel. You will eventually come to the realization that you accepted feeling bad as normal.
Life is short. We have no guarantee for tomorrow. Take care of your body while you are in it.
This could be the year that more of us come to the realization that food is fuel for our bodies. It’s purpose is not to make us happy or comfort us. Good food, unlike medications, has no negative side effects. Proper diet is important to our health and can keep us functioning at our best.
You have heard it before,“Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels.”
Eat smart, train smart, make it fun and stick with it. You will be amazed at the difference it will make in your life.
Motivation, Inspiration and Change 