You Can Do It!!

Some say you can't! Some say you won't! Some say you're just trying it out, but you won't stick with it! Noise all in your ear can get all in your head. It's not always people either, sometimes it's you. When you know you have challenges, the last thing you need is negativity. It comes in the form of people, family and yes, even YOU! Sometimes i look at my life and wonder how in the world i got here??!! Twenty years ago i would have never thought i'd be almost divorced, living in a place i'd never been, working at a place i never thought about, and be running like a mad man!! Hmmp...But here i am. And in spite of all of the challenges that life can bring, I know I can do it! Do what you say? I can still achieve, dream, build, be better, live better and so can you. The longer I live on planet earth the more i realize that there is no greater motivation outside of Almighty God than YOU! When teams are down and can't get up, the job of lifting the team doesn't solely rest on the coach. There has to be a "want to" if you will inside of the players on that team as well. I guess that's why i love running soo much because it forces you to look at you. Ohh yeah! All of you! All that stuff you don't like about you. All of your inadequacies, fallacies, all of that fear, frustration and insecurity. When you run you get to see all of that stuff and make a decision about how you are going to handle it. Challenge the hill, or say forget this and turn around? But friends with the help of God and your will to survive, You Can Do It! What's the It? The "It" is whatever you say it is. On this miracle Monday make a decision that no matter what life looks like "You Can Do It!" On my runs i also allow myself to celebrate victories as well! I didn't cuss somebody out. LMBO!! I tried to help somebody who had a problem. Heyy! I lost some weight and i feel good. Feel me? God knows i know it can be tough to push when you don't want to have to deal with things and people. But trust me we're getting stronger and stronger as we go. I try to take life one day at a time and seems to work for me. Tomorrow? Maaaaan it hasn't even gotten here yet. Focus on today and what's in front of you. While your'e on your way to a better you remember,"You Can Do It!!!!!!" Sodas Down! Waters Up! Peace and Love!!

The Purpose Driven Runner

For all the health benefits! For the improved confidence in yourself! For the sheer gratification of saying "I" did it! To keep your sanity! To keep from hurting somebody! LOL! These and i'm quite sure there are many other reasons we could add, to the purpose for which runners run. The purpose often times cannot be articulated. Why? Because frankly you often figure out the purpose each time you run. My running has evolved over the past year and a half. What started out purely as a means of getting in shape and pursuing better health, has turned into running for mental health. Ohh Yeah!! See! Running allows me to have my own therapy session. Whether on the "hamster wheel"(treadmill), or hitting the street. Running is my chaise lounge chair. It's purpose sometimes changes. But at it's core it's what helps me process a day, situation, challenge or whatever the case may be. Purpose! We all have one. Running is just the outlet that i have found that awakens the fight in me. Ever felt that "Boss" feeling when you do something that nobody thought you could do? Hmmm..maybe not even you? My friends your purpose i have found, actually unfolds with each run.
One of the best ways to build your mental muscle is by doing things that you don't necessarily feel like doing. See...when you push because you know what your purpose is, you get stronger and stronger. Ohh yeah! That pair of jeans you wanna get into, gets closer as you let your purpse drive you. That coworker you wanna smack??LMBO!.....Naww don't do that! But at least during your run you can process just how "not worth it" it is to respond to stupidity. Clarity!!! Clarity i say!!!!! The Purpose Driven Runner exudes clarity. You can make better decisions when you let you purpose drive you and not let lifes experiences dictate to you what your purpose is!! Runner's are full of purpose and that my friend is what drives us to hit the pavement, gym, treadmill, races every chance we get. Truth is....if we don't run? You might see a different person..lol! So leave us alone!!! And let us Run! We aint hurtin' nobody!! Let's keep it that way!! Sodas Down! Waters Up! Peace and Love!!

Cookies down Celery Up!

Good morning all! What a blessing it is to be in the land of the living. I may not have everything i want, but God continually provides what i need. And for that i am soo grateful. Today i can say that i appreciate having a better understanding of what it is i put in my body. Some of you may know that i am a self professed "Cookie Monster!" It don't matter what kind of cookie for the most part, Adolph will eat it. Well, im trying to turn the tide with that and i can say i'm actually doing pretty good! I won't tell you i haven't had any, but i HAVE been limiting my cookie intake. LOL! I've been doing some new things nutritionally and i feel better already. It's taken me say 43 yrs to figure out that even though there are foods that taste good to me, they don't always make me feel good afterwards. Since i've been running and working out i can literally feel more energy in my step!! It feels great!!!! So now tackling what i eat has been the mission i am currently on. Decisions, decisions! It's not easy but i know it's worth it! When i think about how even as a kid we are bombarded with, "If it tastes good eat it". When actually that is when we began the slippery slope to a bad diet and all kinds of health issues. So today i am grateful for being able to think first then eat! Heeeey!! I like that! LMBO!!! "Think First then Eat" My friend Eliz Vas said jokingly to me yesterday, "AJ maybe you should adopt a Cookies down Celery up type thing?" Hahahaha!! LOL! Ummmm ok! Maybe? One freekin carrot or celery stalk at a time!!!  Anyway! Today my friends let's try to make better decisions than we did on yesterday as it relates to eating. Pray for me and i will pray for you. Keep fighting the good fight! One day at a time! Today is all we have! Cookies Down! Celery Up!...Uhhh...Sodas down! Waters Up!...LOL! You get the picture!!!

Let it flow.

Here we are. Inside another day that God has allowed us to see and i am grateful for it. This time of year always makes me happy and joyful. But this year it is a bit sad for me; having lost both of my parents. I love them both dearly and i surely appreciate the deposits they made in my life. One thing is for certain in this life and that is, nobody is perfect. When i look at how i was raised and the way i am trying to raise my kids it's important to remember that fact. There truly is no book on parenting, but we all should do the very best we can to make good memories for our children. Quality of life comes to mind when i think of my health and the changes I've made over the last 2 or 3 years. I want so much for my kids to make better decisions, not just in their health but in their own lives. I try very hard to lead by example and in the end that's all any of us can do. My decision today is just to let it flow. I have decided to take what life gives me and just let it flow!!!!!! You know I've said this before but the things you can't change you just have to go over, around our build a bridge and get over it! LOL! Maaaaaan i've come a long way in life, but i know i have so much further to go.
When you look at the flow of a river it never turns around because there is a rock or some object in it's way. Noope! It just gently flows right on around that thing and keeps on flowing! Today, don't let anybody or anything stop your FLOW!  Keep learning, keep loving and keep living! Trust God even when you can't trace Him! A good workout helps to stimulate the mind that God gave you so that your flow stays strong! Get up, Get out and Get into it!! Run, Skip, Jump! Just FLOW!!!!!!
Sodas down! Waters up! Peace and Love!

Stay the course

Good morning! I must say that i am very grateful for the much needed time off from work. I enjoyed spending time with some family and friends. But can i tell you how good it was to do absoloutely nothing if i didn't feel like it..lol! That was awesome! But alas it is back to work and for that i am grateful as well. During my time off i caught myself doing something that i had never done previously and that is, staying the course. Now of course i ate some really good meals. I had some really good desserts. But i can honestly say i didn't go overboard!! And for fatboyrunnin that's a BIG DEAL! I still worked out. I still ran and i still kept the goal and focus in view. Even though i had to peer around turkey, ham, pies and cakes! LOL!! Staying the course i'm learning really comes down to a decision that you and i make everyday. I often ask myself is not doing what i know i should do in the way of my health worth it? The answer is always NO. But for real for real...the smells and the looks of all that good food try to lure you in and make you feel regrets. Staying the course through the Holidays isn't easy but it's what you and i have to do if we want to get where we'd like to be. Let's not let another winter go by where we say, "well there's always next winter to look and like we want to by next spring." DO IT NOW!!!!! During my break at Thanksgiving i ran the farthest i've ever ran...almost 15miles!!!! Talk about feeling accomplished!! I told myself that this vacation is no different for me. Why? Because this is a lifestyle!!! It's what i do! Feel me? And it is what we all should do. Momma used to say, "One monkey don't stop the show!"..lol!!! I feel like a few Holidays won't stop me from being the person that i want to be inside and out. Have a great day my friends and Stay the course!!!! Sodas down! Waters up! Peace and Love!!!