The Battle Between Faith and Fear!

I have literally written, and re-written this blog segment over and over because there is not just a message I am trying  to get across but a feeling as well. I want people to read this and walk away with a question mark over their head. Not because they are confused, but because they are curious! I want to leave a sense of wonderment, and maybe even excitement. I hope I can achieve this... the fourth time around.

Today, while cleaning my apartment, I put on this movie...

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

I had forgotten how amazing the "moral" of this movie is, and that the underlying lesson would remind me of all the beautiful things that life has to offer if you just change your perspective a little bit.  

I realize more and more every day that everyday life is a beating. 

Be here. 

Go there. 

Do this. 

Do that. 

Make this happen, 

by this time, 

or else.


Why did life become so much less fun as an adult?
Or better yet, why did we stop having as much fun as we did when we were kids?
What happened to "imaginary friends", and pretending?


Why did our age suddenly affect our imagination?
Why did real life stop us from believing the things we did as kids?
Why did being an astronaut suddenly become so unreasonable?
Why did fairies and angels become something make believe?
Where did all the magic go?


I look at my son, and he has such wonderment in his eyes. He talks about life like it one big adventure and he has super-human powers that can ward off evil and save the day. He is a new character or version of that character every day, and is only limited by how far he can stretch his imagination. Santa Clause still exists and reindeer can fly, and everything is happier... brighter... and anything is possible.


How did we forget that?
...
Was it because "Life Lessons" have a way of making us forget to believe?


"Gravity says that there is no way that reindeer can fly. It is the simple law of physics."
RIGHT?? If it can't be proven then it must not exist; it must not be possible.


But I wonder, when did that become true about you?
When did you lose your magic? When did you lose you "sparkle"?
When did your life become "just life"?


So you are probably wondering how this relates to the movie.


Henry is your average, everyday, working stiff who see life as literally as a person could. When weird things start to happen in the "magical' toy store he has been hired to appraise, and things stop making sense, he searches for answers.

(To Mr. Magorium)

Henry Weston: According to your employment records, you've had several fictional characters on the books.

Mr. Magorium: Like whom?

Henry Weston: The King of Planet Yaweh

Mr. Magorium: Oh, he's not fictional

Henry Weston: Sir, there are people....

Mr. Magorium: (interrupting) He's not really the king, and the Planet Yaweh doesn't exist, but he's not fictional.

Henry Weston: Well, that's the thing, if there's no planet...

Mr. Magorium: Mr. Weston?

Henry Weston: Yes sir?

Mr. Magorium: You can't blame people for having aspirations, hmmm?

Henry is beside himself and determined to find an answer that he understands. In an attempt to do so, he turn to Mahoney, the store manager for some clarity on this history that he believes Mr. Magorium has "fabricated".

Henry Weston:  Mahoney, wait, I just need a... simple explanation.

Molly Mahoney: Sure. It's a magical toy store.

Henry Weston: There's no such things as a magical toy store.

Molly Mahoney: Sure there is.

Henry Weston: When you say magical, do you mean special?

Molly Mahoney: No, I mean magical.

Henry Weston: Unique?

Molly Mahoney: Magical.

Henry Weston: What about... really really cool?

Molly Mahoney: MAGICAL.

Henry Weston: Ok, what's behind me is a toy store. It is a big one. It is a weird one but it is just... a toy store.

Molly Mahoney: I knew it. As soon as I saw that suit.

Henry Weston: Knew what?

Molly Mahoney: You're a "just" guy.

Henry Weston: What's a "just" guy?

Molly Mahoney: A guy just like you. Same hair, same suit, SAME shoes, walks around, no matter what, you think it's all just a store, it's just a bench, it's just a tree. It's just what it is, nothing more!

Henry Weston: Alright, but, but this looks over shoulder)... is just a store.

Molly Mahoney: I'm sure to you... it is.

What we learn through the same process that Henry does, is that Mr. Magorium isn't crazy, he simply just  sees life a little differently... he sees people differently. As what they can be, not just what they are. And in believing in them, they have the ability to become more.

Mr. Magorium: 37 seconds.

Molly Mahoney: Great. Well done. Now we wait.

Mr. Magorium: No. We breathe. We pulse. We regenerate. Our hearts beat. Our minds create. Our souls ingest. 37 seconds, we used, is a lifetime.

Hearing the way that Mr. Magorium thinks really made me take a step back and try to see life through his eyes. No it is not a traditional way of thinking. His character is viewed as a crazy, eccentric... but he certainly enjoys life more, and sees the beauty in the world rather than being beaten down by all of the different things that life seems to throw at us.

Mr. Magorium: We must face tomorrow, whatever it may hold, with determination, joy and bravery.

That last line sums up everything to me.

We never know what is going to happen from day to day, or even moment to moment. But we still have to wake up ready to take on the day with tenacity, and excitement. But "bravery"... that is the most important one.

Bravery; boldness; courage; FEARLESSNESS!

So what are we scared of? As an adult we are no longer scared of vampires, ghosts, or goblins, but almost every single one of us, at one time or another, is afraid of failure!

The "fear of failure" is a learned emotion. You probably don't remember learning to walk, but many of us have watched a child try to do just that. And no matter how many times they fall, they always get back up and try again. They don't think about anything else, they just try. And even if they fall, they don't let it stop them from getting right back up and doing it all over again. Because all it takes is one time for it to work.

But even if they are scared of falling, they are never scared of failing.

Falling is inevitable, but worrying whether or not we will fail will only prevent us from succeeding. You are your only problem, but you are also your only solution.

There is a balance. Somewhere between responsibility and childhood enthusiasm. 

Somewhere between faith and fantasy. Somewhere between belief and cynicism.

I would never tell you to evade all of your obligations and live your life as if you were a child again. But I do have to ask you who told you to forget to dream? The only people who would do that are the ones who were too scared to chase their dreams, and don't want to see you go on to be all the things that they aren't.  Don't handicap your life. Let your child, or at least your inner child, teach you how to live again, so that you don't, in turn, handicap their lives too. Learn to live as if you were learning to walk again...

You might just find yourself in a place you thought you could only dream of!!

Be the BEST you... TODAY!!!

This kind of reminds me of the classic line from Talladega Nights, "If you ain't first.... you're last!" 

But nevertheless, I like it because it is true... I have decided that being politically correct only works about half the time, so here is another little motivational ditty...

To me.... this is HILARIOUS!!!!!!! And totally true. "Seize the hell out of this day!"

The only thing that I have to say today is this:

You only have one life.... why the hell would you waste a single day in it. I know that people don't always agree with me, the things that I say and do, or the way I choose to live my life, but I say to them, 

what are YOU doing that is so much better?!?!

If there is a person in this world that can match my level of drive, work ethic, passion, and willingness to learn and want to succeed, I will high five the shit out of them and ask them to be on my team. I might not do things the way I am "supposed" to, or follow the path that everyone else thinks I should, but why would I?

I am me.... You are you! I won't judge you for doing the things that you love, as long as you are doing them 100%.  I don't care if you bag groceries at the store or are the CEO of a multi-million dollar company, but you better OWN that job. I might just be a bartender or a server at a bar while I am getting on my feet, but I am going to work that job like it is paying me the same as the CEO of a major corporation. And for the sheer reason that you never know WHO you are going to meet, or WHAT they can do for you, and every person wants to work with someone who works hard, and keeps a smile on their face while they are doing it.

My recommendation to everyone today is simple.... If you are already at work, come back from lunch and act like you just got a promotion and you have a new standard of work to uphold. If you are about to go to work, walk in like you have been conquering the world all day and you AREN'T stopping now. 

Take every day and make the most out of it....

If you don't, then what is the point of getting out of bed??

Now go out, and BE SOMEBODY!!!!

Fake it till you make it...

The funny thing about feelings is that YOU are the only one that has control over them. You can let someone piss you off or just get over it.  You can become overwhelmed with a situation, or take a deep breath and attack it in full force. You can be depressed that you lost your job and sit around moping about it OR get motivated to get up off your butt and get another one.

A miraculous thing that I have realized, and practiced, over the last few years is "fake it till you make it!".  If I am in a bad mood, I acknowledge that I am in a bad mood and then fake being in a good one. When people ask me how I am doing, I could catalog all the reasons why my day is sooooo shitty, and why I am in a terrible mood, and don't wanna be there, but who is that helping? So, instead, I LIE!!!

"I am fantastic!! How are you??"

Amazingly, that person IMMEDIATELY feels the need to compensate for their mediocre day and cheer up. RINSE & REPEAT! What is even more incredible is that after doing this over and over again, at some point you will look up and realize you are ACTUALLY in a good mood.  You ARE having a fantastic day. Through getting in a habit of this, I have realized that I am the one who determines my mood, and I am the one who gets in the way of it. There is no reason for me to sit and wallow in a pool of my own self pity. So what if I got a phone call that made me a sour puss. How much time is that person worth me being angry?!? 10 minutes? 1 hour? 1 day? 1 week?

Only you can decide how long to hang on to these things, and only you can decide to let them go. The same goes for negative thoughts. Based on the situation I have lined out above, I think you see a pattern in the power of our thoughts. If you want something to happen, then you have to believe that it can.... NO MATTER HOW BIG IT IS! Believing that it is possible, even if it seems unreasonable, is the only way that you will feel confident enough to go after it in the first place. If you say to yourself every day that you are going to get a promotion, and anytime something bad happens at work that distracts from that, you have to SHUT DOWN the negativity and immediately revert back to thinking that you ARE going to get a promotion. And not just thinking it, but truly BELIEVING it.  And I am even willing to take it a step further and say that you need to be thankful for it as if it has already happened!

If you allow room for doubt in your mind, then you allow room for failure in your life!  You cannot question your own value because it will cause others to underestimate your worth!! People perceive you the way that you present yourself, and if you lack faith in yourself, no one else will believe in you!

Take today to think about all the good things about YOU! Think about your ideal life, and the goals and aspirations you would want but are too scared to go for! WRITE THEM DOWN and repeat them every day like a mantra. Carry it in your pocket. Write it on your mirror. Have an alarm remider on your cell phone. Anything that will keep those goals present and in the forefront of your mind, and what you will begin to find is that ,without even knowing it, you have started doing little things to work towards it.  You will look up and be closer to your goals than you thought you would be, and you didn't even realize you were trying.

Now just imagine what would happen if you made a CONSCIOUS effort!!!!

Food for thought!!!!

The Fit Vlog is BACK!!!!!!

The Fit Vlog is BACK!!!!!!
I am prolly gonna die... again!
But it will be worth it when I have a 6-pack in my coffin!

Vliggity Vlog: So Far This Year

Another compilation video of some fun things that have happened so far this year.... funny moments, and lots of awkward laughing! You know you will love it when there is a video involving dancing, singing, ice cream, racial slurs and shooting guns! Killing zombies.... DUH!

The Vliggity Vlog: Finding Some Happy-ness

The Vliggity Vlog: Finding Some Happiness!!!

It had been a while since I had edited a video... I got a little bit low-key depressed for a min... but I am back now and can't wait to keep making these. More to come, whether you like it or not!
<3

Who's really holding you back?!?!

I learned a very interesting and valuable lesson this week....

I may be my worst critic, but being hard on myself is part of what keeps me going; Keeps me moving forward. I have the right to choose my own path, and though I may beat myself up along the way about this or that, it is really because I want to be the best of the best. What ever it is that I decide to do I don't wanna do it half-assed. I am the one with the power to make OR break what happens. I can chose to do or not to do things, to eat or not eat right, to exercise or not to.

I have to be the one that takes responsibility for my actions and I can't let anyone else's opinions come in the way of what I do. My success or lack of it isn't going to affect them, so why do I care what they think. If I am not satisfied with my body, for example, it will show in the way that I carry myself which could cost me a job, and that affects ME and my kid.... not whoever told me that I was already too skinny and needed to put on 10 lbs. likely because it would make THEM feel better about themselves.

I have figured out, and don't know if it has been said before or not, but...

"You can't let someone else make you believe that your dreams are unachievable because they weren't able to achieve theirs".

People wanna give advice to help you "avoid making the same mistakes that they did", but life is full of mistakes, and you learn the lessons that make you grow by making them. Without them there is not growth... no forward motion. I used to say that my biggest fear was a Fear of Failure, but then I heard this,

"To increase your success rate you have to be WILLING to double your failure rate."

What that says to me is that you have to try. You have to be willing to take a chance.... and the thing that I find the most interesting about the word "chance" is the double meaning.... As a verb it means "to risk", but as a noun it means "fate".  I don't think that it is a coincidence that in the same word you get a key to life...

Even fate requires risk.

You can lead an animal to water but you can't make them drink.

You can be prepped, and groomed, and even trained for what you are MEANT to be doing, but unless you actually take what you have learned and apply it to actually doing it then everything you have been through is null and void.  You have to be your OWN motivation. You have to make the decision.

You have to take the chance to do these things and YOU are the only one that can stop yourself from success, and I will say this.....

I REFUSE TO BE THE ONE THAT KILLS

 THE DREAMS I HAVE SPENT MY WHOLE LIFE LIVING FOR.

I WILL take the chance, and though I may fail, I WILL try!

Will You?