It’s not their fault

Someone once said: You will win if you don’t quit, and there’s no limit to self improvement! You are where you are because of a series of decisions, choices, and ultimately, consequences to those choices. I know you think it’s your parents, your brother or sister, your friends, your neighbors, your classmates, the devil, etc…but you’re wrong, it’s your fault. You don’t have to agree with me! Whether your decisions are good or bad, they were yours to make. As long as you live, you will have to make decisions! Own up to what you did and move forward, don’t stay stuck in neutral, put your life in gear and move forward. We all make bad choices(if you don’t believe that, just keep living) what’s most important is what lesson you learn from that choice you made. Even if you consulted someone who guided you or assisted you in making that decision, it was still yours to make. Life and death is in the power of the tongue, but it’s also in the power of your choices, so choose wise. Your decisions or choices are the most important things you will do in you life. Many people are suffering a life time of unhappiness because of their choices. We have to be bold enough to consider the consequences before it’s to late. Some choices are so clear, you need no one to assist you, it’s either right or wrong, good or bad, and you know the difference.

We all have to think before we act. There is no reason for an uneducated choice. We have information at our finger tips by way of our phones. You can google it, youtube it, where there’s a will, there is a way. If you made an uneducated decision like I did recently, shame on you!! Learn from that experience and move on, don’t continue beating yourself up as I have. Young people have to be very careful who they surround there selves with. When young guys get into trouble, they often have other friends with them. Be careful who you surround yourselves with. If they’re not the right company for you, find other friends, and don’t worry about the name calling that will result in you disassociating yourself. The effects of those names won’t last as long as the consequences of a bad choice, especially one made by someone else. Older people are not as vulnerable when it comes to friends and decisions, they don’t move in groups and tend to be more independent in their thinking. Whatever you’re planning on doing seek information that will guide you or consult the opinion of a valued friend, but remember that the decision still is ultimately yours. Have a great day and remember you don’t have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great!

Truly,

Stu

I did It!!!

Mr. Alderson once said, If at first you don’t succeed, you’re running about average. I recently did a 3 day fast, which took some effort on my part to accomplish! I had never fasted for 3 consecutive days before. Like some of us, I have fasted for a day or part of a day many times. You never know what you’re capable of doing until you do it. You are guaranteed to fail if you never try!! You also gain confidence from doing one thing that you have never done before, and that confidence can help you with other goals or challenges.

During the fast I only consumed purified water and coconut water for the first two days. I had to overcome headaches and hunger. Went to my favorite book for encouragement, it never fails me!!! The first day was the hardest. After the first day my body started to adjust to not having food. I also learned that the body has the ability to feed itself, it’s a fat reserve we all have. When you fast, it’s not a good idea to watch much tv. You discover that there are too many food commercials. On the 3rd day I ate water melon along with the water and coconut water.

Part of my goal of fasting, was to detox my kidneys. I did some research before starting the fast. There are many opinions as to the benefits of fasting however, I believe it’s a good idea to do a fast. In fact, I believe we should fast multiple times a year. You should consult your doctor and you should be in fairly good health before doing one. I’m of the opinion that most doctors today don’t want to cure diseases so you can continue coming to them(to become dependent). I know some of my doctor friends or friends in the medical profession won’t agree with me. Doctor only want to prescribe medication or perform surgeries when there are alternatives.

While fasting from food, I also fasted(or took a break) from social media. So that meant no facebook, linkedin, and Instagram. This part of the fast was easier than going without food. If I was younger, not going on social media would have been harder. Those people younger than 30 can’t go 5 minutes without looking at their phone. Whatever you want to do, it will take effort. Give it your best effort and step out on faith. Remember: you don’t have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great!

Truly,

Stu

Is it really New?

Albert Einstein once said: Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting something different. Every year we start off the year wishing friends, family, co-workers, and everybody else we encounter, happy new year. Some people do the same things over and over yet they’re expecting some different out come. That makes no sense, it’s that’s INSANITY!!! Why would you keep trying to go through that wall, when you have tried over, and over, and over? Don’t you know that it’s easier to go around, over, or under it! If you have done something one way and it doesn’t work, it makes no sense to do it again that same way. Most people are frustrated about their school, jobs, health, etc… yet they don’t take the time to change things. I stand corrected, some do try something different, they just don’t continue, they stop shortly after starting. How many of you started working out in a gym or at home at the beginning of the year? It’s easier to start something, the goal is to continue long enough to see the results of your effort.

You see the results by starting with a plan. The plan should start easy and gradually increase in difficulty. Sure you can make it without a plan, it will just take you longer. Someone once said: you can’t hit the target you don’t have. If you don’t have a target, you will be all over the place. It may sound like I’m only talking about exercising, but I’m not. Even when starting a business, you should have a plan. Businesses start with a plan and the vision expands as you grow. The plan only guides you, you still have to do the work. That’s where most people fail, they don’t put in the work. You don’t have to see all the pieces to the puzzle to put things together, you just have to consistently work at it. You should work at your goal consistently, by prioritizing what you do. Each of us get so many thoughts a day in our head that are all jockeying for our time, talent, and attention. I try to write agendas daily although it can be challenging at times. What ever I don’t complete from the previous agenda, I add to the next one. The goal is seeing yourself making progress. You also have to place a time limit on what you do or what you are working on(this is a tip that can be found in my 50 student orientation book). I had to learn this the hard way, after being stagnant for a while. I had a doctorate degree in procrastination. Dr. Martin Luther King reminds us that procrastination is the thief of time. Continue to identify your targets, move forward and you will reach your goals, and remember: you don’t have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great.

Truly,

Stu