Change Your Life Friday

2021 Restart, Reset, & Relaunch

5. Commitment

Posted on January 30, 2014 by changeyourlifefriday

“Commitment is an act, not a word.” – Jean-Paul Sartre

I am so blessed to live an extremely full life today. I love having a couple weekly commitments planned out in broad strokes. Although, from time to time I would rather do anything in the world but my commitments, but I show up and keep my word. A majority of the time I am graced with new perspective, joy and certainly a sense of accomplishment for the simple fact of showing up for life.

I truly believe that my father instilled in me a great work ethic and the importance of making commitments to be a part of other peoples lives. As I look back on my childhood I know my father had an incredibly busy life; he owned his own business, started other ventures, held civic duties and above all was a very present parent. After a full day of laying bricks he would be exhausted and have paperwork to do but he never missed a chance to be somewhere for myself or my brother. He coached every sport we played, even the ones he knew nothing about and I was only recently able to recognize how impressive that was to me.

I know in my life today I want to be trusted so I do what I say, and incredibly people can count on me. I believe the more I practice this, as in most other things, the better I get. So I will keep putting myself out there and I will keep showing up .

Affirmation: Today I will do what I say and say what I do.

Call to Action: How are you with commitments? Are you willing to commit to be better at committing? What is one area of your life that this new perspective could benefit you? hmmm?

4. Emotion

Posted on January 24, 2014 by changeyourlifefriday

“Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge.” – Plato

Tonight as I was driving home from a great dinner with friends I started listening to a radio show called The Sporting Life and the first story was about Knowshon Moreno, and how he gets extremely emotional prior to each of his football games. He talked about how he reminisces about his turbulent childhood, and how his life has changed and is full of opportunities today.

His life arc went from living in shelters as a child, with his father, to playing in the Super Bowl in a couple Sundays from now. This was an amazing reminder of how powerful emotions can be when they are harnessed and used to motivate us. Our emotions can lead us in extremely positive directions, but they can also take us down dark roads. What emotional memories can I use today to propel me to a new level of existence?

In my life I have learned that some of my most emotionally charged memories can be used as an asset today. Even the things in life that happened, and I labeled them as “negative” at the time have come full circle and they are some of my greatest treasures that I can share with other people.

Affirmation: Thank you Life for each and everyone of my experiences. I harness all that the Universe sends me, and use it for the ultimate good.

Call to Action: Share a vivid memory that you have from your past, and how you have used it to better your life today. We would also love to hear about any story that you are going to use today to motivate you moving forward.

2. Patience

Posted on January 10, 2014 by changeyourlifefriday

“Our patience will achieve more than our force.” – Edmund Burke

I am very blessed at this point in my life to be a sound board for many men. My phone rings several times a day and I get the chance to listen to all sorts of issues and situations that are going on in the lives of the people in my community. I also get the chance in these talks to work through my own difficulties which I find incredibly helpful. These talks keep me very present to my goal of exponential personal growth.

This week a friend of mine had a situation going on where it seemed that he was just desperate for life to move faster than the universe was allowing. We talked for a while and all answers that were generated continued to point to the need of a little more patience. In truth many of the problems that arise in these conversations point to the need for more patience. I believe today that things happen exactly when they are supposed to and often not a minute sooner. All to often the waiting seems unnecessary in the moment, only to prove to be perfect in retrospect.

In the conversation that I had yesterday we came to a paradox concerning the principle of patience that I thought was worth sharing. I asked my friend, “how do we get better at anything?” eliciting the response “practice.” So we concluded if we were to get better at the principle of patience we would have to practice patience, which demands patience to do so. It takes time to get better at anything and patience is no exception.

Affirmation: In this moment I am practicing patience and through this moment I am becoming more patient.

Call to Action: What in your life are you begging the universe to produce on your time? Are you willing to allow things to move at its own pace? Share with us where practicing patience allows you to experience more peace… Peace 🙂

49. Courage

Posted on December 6, 2013 by changeyourlifefriday

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela (7/18/1918-12/5/2013)

In this life we are constantly confronted with circumstances and situations which fear seems to lead us away from where our hearts were carrying us. I know in my own experience it was fear that stopped me from taking a chance or investing my time in something I felt drawn to do. I do not believe that fear will ever leave me completely but I know that my reaction to fear will dictate what I leave the universe in my wake.

I think that courage and bravery can come in so many ways, luckily there have been some incredible examples that have walked the path of courage before us to show how truly strong we can be. I know the feeling I get on the other side of a challenge or an obstacle is such a great uplifting experience yet it still takes faith to conquer the next opportunity in my path.

Today I intend to face one of my biggest fears by leaning on the experiences of my fellows and my faith that I am making the right choice in my life. By making a conscious decision in this moment I believe I am setting forth the motion needed to follow through on my commitment. When it is time I will choose bravery over weakness and faith over fear, knowing the results will be exactly the way they are supposed to be. It takes lots of risks to learn the truth about fear, today I will grow in understanding and effectiveness.

Affirmation: In this moment I choose courage over fear!!!

Call To Action: I s there something in your life that you know inside yourself that you need to conquer? Why not make today the day that you choose courage over fear? The more courageous choices we make the better suited we will be to face the certain challenges ahead, today is the day to put in some practice and tell us how it goes so that we can all grow through each others experiences.

23. Health

Posted on June 7, 2013 by changeyourlifefriday

“Our health always seems much more valuable after we lose it.” -Unknown

As I was browsing the internet the other day I saw the quote above and was completely struck by how simple yet profound it was. I immediately brought into mind all of the little bumps and bruises I have had over the course of my life time and how consuming they become, so much so that they outweigh anything else that the present moment offers. Next I started to think about the people in my life who I have seen come under much greater physical challenges than I have ever had to face and how their whole reality was transformed and focused on this lack of health.

My experiences as I stated are small but it seems even the little things create such a mental circus in my head. I recently chomped on my tongue so hard that it hurt for a week. I would tell myself every time that I felt the pain while eating to never eat so unconsciously again that something like this could happen. That process held up for that week being reminded over and over again how great it is to not experience pain when eating or swallowing. Just as every other example that I could site, once the pain went away I completely forgot about the resolutions that I had made to live more consciously and take better care of myself, I was really just back to business as usual.

There are several experiences that I have seen in others on a much more severe scale that have been shown to be much more transformative. The first one that comes to mind is the great change in attitude and outlook that I have seen enter some cancer survivors that I know. Through the process of losing all conception of what health was and being forced to see the value in it, once recovery would take place, it seems an inner shift occurs as well and their whole attitude and outlook on life transforms too. They had experienced drastic changes physically that offered a gateway to gratitude for something as simple as a pain free day.

With this knowledge I get to ask myself a few questions; Am I healthy? Am I showing gratitude for the health that I have? What am I doing to stay and grow in healthy ways today? If I honestly look at these questions I can quickly say that overall I am a very healthy person, I exercise, I eat consciously and I try my best to focus on the things that are good in me today. So in some ways I believe I am grateful but I think that I have so much room to grow in this area. When I bit my tongue I spent so much time and focus on how painful and problematic that issue was, I have never focused that much love into the little things that my body blesses me with everyday. When I look at it this way it seems like a complete lack of balance. I know in this moment that I don’t want to have to wait to lose something to see the blessings I have right in front of me today.

Affirmation: I am blessed to recognize the value of the health that I have in this moment; today I will focus on all the parts of me that are perfect healthy and whole.

Call to Action: Time to do some work! My back hurts, my leg is sore, I have a blister… These stories become our complete reality but while they are obvious concerns the rest of the machine that makes up our bodies are working in perfect harmony. Today my back may be hurt but that will not define me, My head is clear, My hands feel strong, I breathe with ease and comfort and I can enjoy even the spiciest meal with complete comfort. Also this may be the time to look at some of those things which are consciously taking away this precious gift of health that you can still seize. Time to get honest, eh? What health blessings do you have today? I have ten fingers and toes and for that I am grateful.

21. Intuition

Posted on May 24, 2013 by changeyourlifefriday

“Cease trying to work everything out with your minds. It will get you nowhere. Live by intuition and inspiration and let your whole life be revelation.” – Eileen Caddy

I just recently moved in to a new place. The idea behind this place is for people to come together, live in community, and develop a rhythm of life through prayer, mediation, and service. It is an interesting and new endeavor for me, and sometimes I am baffled that this is something that I would be interested in doing.

This past Sunday we had a house blessing, and many people were invited from throughout the community. The days leading up to the event I sent some e-mails, talked to people inviting them to the Sunday event, and so did other people that are involved with this project. When the hour arrived for people to start showing up I was amazed and overwhelmed by the number of people that showed. There have only been a handful of times where I felt as supported as I did on Sunday. It reminded me when I follow that intuition in my stomach amazing things happen.

About 14 months ago I made the decision to move back to my hometown, something I was “never” going to do. I came to help family and decide what my next move was to be. I am basically writing this on my anniversary of moving back. I am now locked in to a unique and fascinating thing for a year, and I have the most amazing anxiety, openness, and hope to what the next year might bring.

Today as you walk through your life and your intuition is telling you something, or you are headed down a path that logically seems a bit unheard of, try to remember that we have something deep within our being that is guiding us for the greater good. The people that truly love you will understand and respect this outlook to life. Follow your heart and take in others suggestions, but always remember that when your head hits the pillow at night you only have one person to answer to, and that is yourself.

Affirmation: In this moment I am guided and directed towards who and what I should be.

Call to Action: Is there something that you feel is right in your life that you are too scared to follow? I know when I stop trying to figure it out and follow the simple steps in front of me the results are always better than my mind can fathom. Share your blocks and experiences with us, help us all grow.

20. Rewards

Posted on May 17, 2013 by changeyourlifefriday

“Before the reward there must be labor. You plant before you harvest. You sow in tears before you reap joy.” – Ralph Ransom

Last weekend I was able to take an amazing trip to one of the most beautiful places that I have seen in my lifetime. I went on this adventure with one of my lifelong friends and a large group of acquaintances. This place is special for so many reasons, it is off of the beaten path, far away from civilization, lightly traveled and you have to put in work to get to this far off location.

When I first heard of this opportunity I was struck with the fears that come with any new adventure, can I take the time away from my busy life, am I prepared for the struggles that are involved with the journey and will it be worth it. As with most fears, I put in my end of the work, I did my best to clear the space in my schedule, I adjusted my mindset to allow for a successful trip and I trusted in the people who went before me to believe that the journey was worth it.

The reward that I received through the effort I put forth in preparation and effort once I began far exceeded anything I could have planned for. The location was so incredibly beautiful, there was a true connection to nature and a bond built with the other people who I took the trip with. The work that I put in paid off.

As with most great achievements and gifts that I receive, I try to relate them back to my day-to-day life. I often find that I am unwilling to prepare and put forth the effort but I always want the reward. In truth, a lot of the time I can get away with that. This experience showed me something much deeper, there was no way to get the benefit without the work. The greatest benefit was the feeling of accomplishment for doing something that was so foreign to me. I think what this means for me is the more I put forth all the effort necessary the sweeter the rewards will be.

Affirmation: In this moment I am so grateful for the chance to see that I truly do reap what I sow.

Call to Action: Are there any places in your life where you expect an outcome but are not willing to put in the work. Does it sometimes feel like the rewards you are getting are unwarranted? Is there a better way and more fulfillment around the corner if you put forth a more honest and concerted effort. I know there are some places where this is very true for me…how about you?

19. Do What You Love

Posted on May 10, 2013 by changeyourlifefriday

Do what you love, you will be better at it. It sounds pretty simple but you’d be surprised how many people don’t get this right away. -LL Cool J

One night last week I was down at the ballpark enjoying America’s past time. The home team was winning so I had a smile on my face. We were sitting in the bleachers and had some hot dogs; not too bad for 20 bucks. At our stadium they have a big 50/50 raffle that I tend to donate to, there are employees of the park that walk around the isles during the game and help sell tickets to raise money for their cause and also for the cause of one lucky winner. When the man came by this week I knew I recognized him but could not place him right away. He looked really happy and I realized that’s why I was having trouble placing him. It was an old roommate of mine and the whole time I lived with him he never looked happy. Sure he smiled, he was happy at times, but his overall demeanor was less than thrilled on a regular basis.

I was so taken back with his 180 degree personality shift I wasn’t really sure how to react. When he came back around later on in the game and I told him he looked really good and really happy. He replied, “That’s cause I love this job! I have always wanted to work for a baseball team.” He went on to tell me he wanted to work for another team eventually, but for 162 days a year he works at his dream job. He doesn’t have the position he hopes to have someday but he is very happy to have his entry-level job.

I think about how he looked when I lived with him and how he looked at his new job and at first thought I am amazed. When I took some time to think about what he said and the situation as a whole It really rang true what they say, “If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life again.” I am following my dreams today which was not always the case and I am certainly not yet where I want to be but I have started to take the first steps to my dream, just as my old roommate has. My truth today is the same as his, I am doing what I always wanted to do and it makes me happy.

Affirmation: I am now willing to let my fears fall free me so that I can start to be who I always wanted to be.

Call to Action: I think it is very easy to get stuck in a situation that is “good enough” and never take that risk to follow our dreams. All dreams that are realized start with small steps and commitment to the path that it takes to get there. I know you have some dreams, maybe today is the day that you take the first step and feel some of the joy that comes with doing what you want.

18. Fall into Place

Posted on May 2, 2013 by changeyourlifefriday

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent Van Gogh

Four years ago I really started worrying about what I was going to do with the rest of my life. That feeling stayed with me on and off for about three years. One day it dawned on me that all I really needed to do was do the next thing I felt the universe calling me to do. If I stay in that moment, the anxiety of the future disappears. It has taken some time to allow that fear to greatly dissipate, and I am not sure if it will fully disappear, but it is much better now.

This might seem very cliché, and what you hear from a lot of self-help sort of books, or motivational videos. The way I truly know that it is working in my life is because I keep a log of my life. For over two years, I have consistently written about my day. This takes about 15 minutes out of my day. The reward is I can see how little actions I took two years ago, or even just last year, have set me up for the exciting adventures that I am on today.

I continue to do the next right action in my life today. When I am able to do this with a heart full of love, and enthusiasm that is contagious only amazing things happen in my life. These things do not all happen at once, much like what was discussed last week, but amazing things do come.

Affirmation: This amazing life I have today is from the actions of yesterday, and the amazing life that is waiting for me tomorrow can only be set up by what I do today. Thank you life for the guidance to allow life to fall into place.

Call to Action: Please share with the CYLFriday community how small things in your past have added up to big things today. If that is not obvious to you, share what little thing you will do today to make a change in your future.

14. Winner

Posted on April 4, 2013 by changeyourlifefriday

“The odd were against us, but we deserve to be where we are.” – Steve Gerrard

I was struck by an amazing thought the other day while I was out for a run on a beautiful afternoon. It came like a flash, and I was filled with this sense of duty and purpose, in that moment I was at perfect peace and was fully aware of the greatness of my life and experience. The thought that I had was simple and I know that I have had it before but like most things it would stay for a bit and then fade, as a result I would forget one of the most amazing things that truly can inspire me at any moment. The thought “I am truly blessed to be alive, the chances of me getting to be must be astronomical.” What I knew after thinking that was that I am grateful for this chance today and this experience and I want to make sure that I am showing that gratitude in every moment of my life.

For the past week or so I have been revisiting this idea, enjoying the feeling that comes when I think about how special I really am to have this chance to experience life and also how special everyone else is who has gotten their chance as well. As usual I wanted to look a bit deeper into what the odds really are, did I really hit the lottery already? Have I already been granted the greatest gift the universe can bestow. So I hit the internet up for some answers. First I would like to say that I have gambled in my life and I know that a 1 out of 100 chance is pretty poor odds. Furthermore my chances of winning the powerball seem so unlikely but they are around 1 in 175,223,510. Now my odds of being born at this time in history are about 1 in 6000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000, that is 100 zeros if you wanna count. I would call that the not a snowballs chance in hell number.

But here I am! Writing this to you and there you are. We are the winners! We are enjoying this thing called life. Life is filled with all sorts of experiences but it seems that when I take this idea of how fortunate I am into them, regardless of how they make me feel in a moment, I am still one of the biggest winners this world has ever known. It seems so easy to get down and live completely separated from gratitude for this gift, but constant recognition of this divine miracle seems to be an amazing way to connect to what is the real truth in this world; You are so special and amazing beyond measure, you make a 1 in a million chance seem like child’s play.

Affirmation: I am so blessed to be right here right now.

Call to Action: Take some time throughout the next several days to feel how special you are. With that feeling in mind how will you celebrate your victory?