As we move closer and closer to our destination, I can feel the relief of my warrior protector. Our once fevered march has slowed to a light walk. She is weary yet ever watchful. We both know our relationship is on the precipice of change and we welcome the plunge. Somewhere, my adventure into adult life became a pilgrimage to peace of mind. Naïveté has been molded into wisdom. Blind hope has been replaced with cautious optimism. Fear has been fortified into courage. My protector shows less and less worry for my well-being because she knows the trials I’ve—no, we’ve endured and survived. I am scarred for sure but I am also stronger. My protector regrets nothing. Her mission is to deliver me safely to the promised land. She is on the verge of successfully completing her mission…and she makes no apologies. Continue reading “My Warrior Protector”
Eek! I’ve got a touch of flakiness
…and I don’t mean dandruff!
You’ve perhaps heard the saying “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” So what do you do when you love something but risk letting it slip away? Here’s some context: I enjoy writing for my blog, yet lately I haven’t been attending to it as much. Of course I feel bad about this, and by bad I mean guilty, disappointed and frustrated. Despite loving to write, it has somehow managed to turn into just another item on a checklist, which was not the sentiment I had when I first decided to create Just Me, Maybe You. If I take the saying to heart then, does it mean that I do not love what I am doing, that I’m wasting my money, my energy, my time, heck your time in this seemingly failing venture? Should I cut my losses and move on to the next best thing? Continue reading “Eek! I’ve got a touch of flakiness”
What’s in a challenge?
How taking part in challenges helps me with stubborn problems
All bad habits and weaknesses aren’t created equally. Some of them need that Vybz Cartel-Sammy Sosa strength cream to fade them out of your life! Since that product does not yet exist, I use challenges instead. I’ve heard Zig Ziglar (a veteran in the motivational speaking community) repeatedly say that the only way to get rid of a bad habit or change a particular behavior is to replace it with a new, positive version. It’s not easy. There are so many recommendations out there as to how long this process takes. My take? Well, it takes as long as it takes. Continue reading “What’s in a challenge?”
Resolution 2017 what now?!
A goal without a plan is just a wish~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
It’s October and you know what that means?! Three more months left to work off that resolution list…if you could find it. Hmm, where did you see it last? Maybe it was chilling out by the barely used gym membership? Nope. Then it must be under the unread Eating Well and Shape magazines. Strike two huh? Hey, is that it next to your ultimate ergonomic and bio-friendly hydration system designed to deliver maximum ‘moisturization’ to all your cells…you know, that almost new $100 water bottle?! LOL I’m poking fun cause I’ve been there! And because he who feels it knows, I want to suggest a different way to make that progress in your life…I mean, that is why you made the list in the first place, right? Continue reading “Resolution 2017 what now?!”
Message to Heart and Head
An empathetic note about making tough decisions
Hi Heart! Hi Head!
Thank you for sharing your dilemma with me. It would be an understatement to point out that you both are in a place of immobilizing indecision. For days, or months, or maybe even years, you guys have been grappling with the same issue. Your choices are…well…frankly…there are just one too bloody many! On the spectrum of solutions, you’re stuck with two polar opposites buffered by a shit-storm of gray. Peachy. Continue reading “Message to Heart and Head”
Living with Anxiety, part three of three
Setting the foundations for lasting change
We’ve finally made it to the last post of this three-part series, the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak! If you’ve been following the series, you’ll note that in part one and part two, I was in a really desperate place. As a quick recap, you’ll recall that my chest was always heavy while my stomach was in constant knots. Crying and headache spells were the norm. My concentration was shot and I was cycling through emotions faster than Takeru Kobayashi at a hot dog eating competition. Speaking of food, I had little appetite, and at 5’9”, I’d dropped to about 125 pounds. I had to prioritize taking care of me and I knew it was not going to be an easy fix! Here, in part three, I get to share my experiences about gaining peace-of-mind and setting up the foundations for lasting change. Continue reading “Living with Anxiety, part three of three”
Your Worst Enemy? Check Your Head First!
What outdoor rock climbing taught me about focus
In Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill instills in our head the following nugget of wisdom: “Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve”. Simple words but oh so true. The path to progress undoubtedly begins in the mind. This is why I am committed to keeping my mind in the right the place. It’s not easy but it is absolutely necessary. Money, family, friends, God—none of these resources are worthwhile if you cannot adjust your thinking to embrace them wisely in your life. So what does my little soapbox moment have to do with rock climbing? Continue reading “Your Worst Enemy? Check Your Head First!”
Living with Anxiety, part two of three
Recognizing anxiety in my life
In Living with Anxiety, part one, I introduced you to my anxiety. It’s probably not that different from others. That’s why in this post, I’ll be looking more closely at how it expresses itself in my life. I’ll start with this question:
Can anxiety ever be useful to us?
I say “yes”. Imagine a warning system that alerts us of some unsettled state within us. Anxiety is that system. We become unsettled for many reasons, not all of them bad. Sometimes anxiety can be that nagging feeling pushing us towards some unfulfilled desire or goal. I know we’re certainly not meant to get stuck in this state nor are we to rely on it as our sole or even primary means of mental and emotional navigation! Continue reading “Living with Anxiety, part two of three”
Living with anxiety, part one of three
Waking up to a clean house…uh oh, what’s wrong?
World meet my anxiety. Anxiety, well you already know the world. It must have been quite early in my life when anxiety took root. Every so often, I would wake up in the wee hours of the morning to rearrange my bedroom. I must have been around 11 or 12 years old and weighed in at around 95 pounds. Most of the wooden furniture in our home including my bedroom set was custom built, and they were hella heavy. But that did not matter to me. The only thing that registered was that I was feeling restless when I woke up, then peaceful when I was done cleaning and moving things around. Continue reading “Living with anxiety, part one of three”
The Anatomy of My Rock Bottoms
When My Resilience Became My Liability
“Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down and broke his crown, and Jill came tumbling after.”
Oh the irony of life! As a child, I thought, “Poor kids! What a fall!” I’m certainly not imagining that this could ever be me. But it does happen to me folks, and I’ll tell you, in real life, “OUCH!!!” Don’t worry though, I’ve got no lingering scars and when I tell the story in person everyone gets a great laugh. Recently, I’ve begun to re-frame that particular fall (yup, there’ve been more!) into a metaphor for hitting rock bottoms in life. I’ll explain that in a minute but first, the fall. Continue reading “The Anatomy of My Rock Bottoms”