Over the past few months I’ve been doing some major restructuring in my life. I’ve changed my social activities, who I surround myself with, who I strive to emulate, what I read, what I watch and how I live life daily. I don’t watch sports cause I feel it’s a waste of time. I don’t pay much attention to the news cause most of it is negative. It’s been good. Not easy, but good. I still struggle just about daily. Struggle is good, though. I heard something today and it made great sense. When you hit rock bottom, you are set on the greatest foundation on which to grow.
How are you living your life? Do people seek you out for advice? Are you being that someone that others may try to emulate? Are you happy every night when your head hits your pillow? If not, what are you doing to change it? Do you have long term goals? Are you seeking greatness? What are you doing to get there? I ask myself these questions often. They are the steer board in my life. I will never settle for mediocrity, neither should you. I’m 42 years young and have a whole other life to live. I choose for my next 42 to be greater than my first 42. I have spent 42 years being a student of life. I’ll never stop seeking knowledge and learning but I do enjoy being a teacher. A teacher to my children, peers and those who are lost. Being a combat veteran and struggling with PTSD/PTG I have learned a lot these past few months. I love this quote. When referring to “war”, Thucydides says it best.
– Thucydides, “History of the Peloponnesian War” (431-404 B.C.)
So, it’s my duty to take lessons learned from being in the military and enduring all my time spent on the war front and apply those to life. It’s my duty to decipher those lessons and pass them along to my civilian counterparts and my family.
Too many people see a mountain; look at the top then turn away. Why? See, I’ve climbed to the top of a few mountains. My first time, in particular, we had to use ice axes and lead lines to navigate through the snow and ice thru a crevice. It was not easy and honestly, not a lot of fun; at the time. But my team relied on me as I relied on the others. We were tied together. Either we all succeeded or we all failed. When we finally reached the top the feeling was overwhelming. Maybe it was the bird’s eye view of the world, the feeling of being on top of the world, the breeze or the fact that we were successful. Regardless, I became “aware” just as Anthony De Mello speaks of in his book “Awareness”. One thing I know is that it was worth it. The struggle was worth it. The fear was worth it. Those few moments when I began to lack commitment I was quickly reminded that others were depending on me the same as I was depending on them. You don’t have to do life alone. Many people out there want you to WIN in life. Some people want it more than you. Maybe that’s why I push people so hard. I know the feeling of great accomplishment. No drug can rival it. I want everyone to feel that feeling.
When you begin your day, feed your mind and soul with positive energy. Me? I talk to God, read a little in the book I’m reading, watch inspirational/motivational videos and love on my wife and kids. What is SO amazing is that we’re not machines. Humans are limited by NOTHING. NO/THING can stop us. We are the only limiters to what we can achieve in life. So that’s why I wake up and attack the day like a lion. I choose not to be eaten in life. I choose to learn every day and win every day. Be a lion.
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