HALFTIME

Earlier this year, the CHEERLEADER and I took at trip.  Got off the "grid."

I had 2 objectives:

• Sit in a lounge chair and look at the Ocean
• Read some books

I was able to accomplish both!

One book I had been meaning to read for quite some time, is a book called HALFTIME by Bob Buford (I've referenced it here a few times).

I actually picked this book up 20 years ago.  You want to know how I know that?  The receipt was still in the book.  I must have just placed it in the pages when I got it.

At 31 years old (when I got the book), I didn't feel I was anywhere near HALFTIME.  I had heard about this book and had an opportunity to get it for free from a local bookstore, so I took advantage of the offer.  

But HALFTIME?  I was still trying to figure out the first half that  I was in....and getting pretty beat up in the process of LIFE!

The "kicker line" or subtitle said, "Changing Your Game Plan for Success to Significance."  I love game planning; strategy; trying to out think the opponent.  As I got into the book, I realized that I WAS THE OPPONENT in MY story.

Many of my BEST YEAR YET posts during that vacation and after, were influence by this idea of MOVING FROM SUCCESS TO SIGNIFICANCE.

How could I make a BIGGER impact on not only my life, but those that I have influence with, as I journey through the 2nd Half?  

What do I have to offer that other's can benefit from?  Here are a few things that I and the CHEERLEADER have LIVED that can help guide others to be the HERO of THEIR story:

• MARRIAGE
• We have been married for 30 years - 10 months - & 20 days...and we have been through many things and have come out on the other side.  
• We have a heart for STRONG marriages and have W-O-R-K-E-D at it to have it be strong
• ENCOURAGEMENT/INSPIRATION
• Romans 12:8, in the Bible (New Living Translation) says, "If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging."
• I have seen, over the years, this "gift" increase in my life.  I didn't look for it; didn't plan for it; did't try to make it happen; it just did.
• I have seen many things that can help guide someone through good times and not so good times
• Successful Marriage (as stated above)
• Grit/Determination in losing weight and running marathons
• It's not about the running, but about the drive, determination and dedication it takes to go after something that is greater than you
• Prostate Cancer Thrivivor
• LIFE COACH
• All things in life (faith; family; fitness; business (practical) management)...I've been there and through my mentors, have come out with some time tested actions to help others

These are just a sampling of the things I'm going to focus on in my 2nd Half!

What about you?  Are you the "HALFTIME" of your life?  Maybe approaching HALFTIME or you could already be in the 2nd Half.  My encouragement to you, today, is to look at your life and see what impact of significance YOU can make as you continue to journey through your BEST YEAR YET!

PUSH YOUR LIMITS

I went out for a run the other day.  I know, shocking, right?

Since the New York City Marathon in 2015, I have adopted a "run/walk" method into my training and running of marathons.....really, running most distances.

But the other day, when I went out for that run, I was feeling good at the point I would normally start to walk, I just kept going.

I wanted to PUSH MY LIMITS.  I had gotten used to running and then walking...running and then walking....that my body has adapted to that method.  

Sometimes you (me) have to get outside of your "comfort zone" in order to see growth.

I did this in my running.  What is that place for you?

Running?

Fitness?

Nutrition?

Education or a new degree?

Relationships?

Job or job change?

Don't just survive....but THRIVE in your BEST YEAR YET journey.

What is one thing that you want more than anything but it seems so "OUT THERE?"

As we've talked about recently, have a goal; put together a plan; START/execute the plan.

How bad do you really want it?  What are you prepared to do?

Take encouragement from Nike and JUST DO IT!

By the way, on my run, I ran 3.2 miles faster than I have in a LONG time.  I was hurting at the end as I was PUSHING MY LIMITS...but after I was done and cooled down, boy did I feel great!

YOU.CAN.DO.IT!

BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE

MEMORIAL DAY.

This day, recognizing those who gave their lives in the military, was originally called "DECORATION DAY," due to the decorating of grave sites, as far back as before the Civil War.  But it was after the Civil War in the 1860's, that it caught on more, due to all the fallen soldiers from both the North and the South.

The name gradually changed through out the years, somewhat being known as "MEMORIAL DAY" after WWII until it was officially declared MEMORIAL DAY by Federal Law in 1967.

Why the History lesson?  Because, I want to pay tribute to all those that sacrificed their lives whether in war time or peace time.

HOME OF THE FREE.....BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE.

We are blessed and fortunate to have the freedoms we do have because of the BRAVE men and women of our military.  Even if you don't agree with someone on the "opposite side of the isle" as you when it comes to political beliefs.  BOTH sides need to be thankful for the opportunity to express their opinions....because of those who took an oath to protect THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

So as you go about your cook outs; times at the beach or boating on the water; maybe watching a ball game; having a picnic or sipping on lemonade on your front porch; DON'T FORGET THOSE WHO DIED WHO GAVE THAT 'RIGHT' TO YOU!

MEMORIAL DAY....one of, if not, THE GREATEST HOLIDAYS in our country!

God Bless the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

BENCH SEATS

The CHEERLEADER and I were talking earlier about a young couple we know that haven't been married very long....and struggling.

The first years can be challenging.  Bringing together of two separate lives into one is not always easy.  

I said they "CAN be challenging," it's not a given that they WILL be challenging.

We were talking about this subject as we were driving home.  In front of us was a pickup truck and 2 people in the truck.  I said to the CHEERLEADER, "I wish sometimes we had a BENCH SEAT in our car so you could sit next to me!"

We started talking about COMMITMENT and how that for some, at the first sight or sign of trouble or difficulty, they are gone!

COMMITMENT says, "I'm going to fight for this!"

I remember 8 years ago when I was tired of being tired all the time.  I made a COMMITMENT to get healthy.  I had to change so many things about my nutrition and exercise.....like eat healthy and start to exercise!  I know it sounds simple, but the execution wasn't as easy.

Anytime you want to change....lasting change (health; relationships; habits; etc)...you go through different steps:

• DISCIPLINE
• This is where you ask yourself, "How bad do I want this?"
• What are you willing to do in order to get to where you want to go?
• Counseling for your relationship?
• Nutritionist and/or personal trainer for your health?
• You will be challenged at this point.  
• This is the beginning where 
• your muscles hurt; 
• your hungry all the time; 
• you get in more "intense moments of fellowship" with your spouse
• This is NOT the time to give up and quit....STAY IN THERE!
• HABIT
• The discipline you have (for more than a day, or week or even one month) will eventually become a HABIT.  
• HABITS are formed when you do or repeat an action enough times that you get to the point that you can't or don't want to live without it.  This is true for bad habits as well as good habits.  Let's stick with the GOOD HABITS!
• LIFESTYLE
• DISCIPLINES turn into HABITS which, when done consistently over time, become a LIFESTYLE.
• You don't want to "diet" just because "swimsuit season" is around the corner.  
• You want a LIFESTYLE change, that will last, well, a LIFETIME!
• Same is true for your relationships
• Lasting change is what you are looking for!

What change, if any, do you want to make in your life?

Your DISCIPLINE will give way to good HABITS which will lead to a LIFESTYLE of good things.  It won't just happen.  It will take INTENTIONALITY or we could say, W-O-R-K!

The WORK is worth it!

BENCH SEATS....bucket seats.....either way, I'm going to continually W-O-R-K on my part, because my response is my responsibility.

Now....to go and find a pickup truck...with a bench seat!

EMBRACE THE WAIT

"Wait (wait in faith) patiently for the Lord.  Be brave and courageous.  

Yes, wait patiently for the Lord."  Psalms 27:14 

wait

wāt/

1. 1.

   stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or until something else happens.

The wait is sometimes the hardest part.  Tom Petty wrote and sang about it.  We have to live it.

The proposal.

The test results.

Christmas morning.

The water to boil.

Football season.

The starter's gun to go off.

The weather to warm up.

The birth of a child.

So many things that  we have to WAIT for.  So many things to be impatient about. 

Here are 3 things we can do to EMBRACE THE WAIT:

• Be full of FAITH
• The word "faith" means a conviction based upon hearing.  What you listen to will shape your belief system/what you believe.
• The Bible says in Roman 10:17, "So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ." 
• Be BRAVE & COURAGEOUS
•  Not sure why the writer used BRAVE and COURAGEOUS for us to be in THE WAIT, as they both mean virtually the same thing.  
• COURAGEOUS takes it a bit deeper saying, "not deterred by danger or pain; brave."
• Be PATIENT
• "The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble or suffering without getting angry or upset."

Here's the thing about THE WAIT.....eventually whatever you are waiting for, will happen!

NEVER GIVE UP.

EMBRACE THE WAIT.

EVERY DAY

EVERY DAY.

I have mentioned the grass-roots, free fitness movement, NOVEMBER PROJECT here in the BEST YEAR YET blog.

I won't go into their back story (click their name above to see their web site, or go to Amazon, and order, NOVEMBER PROJECT, The Book), but they have a saying, "JUST SHOW UP!"

JUST SHOW UP.

That's what EVERY DAY life is all about.  That is what a BEST YEAR YET life is all about.

JUST SHOW UP.

When you JUST SHOW UP, every day will be an ADVENTURE.

adventure

[ad-ven-cher]

noun

1.

an exciting or very unusual experience.

2.

participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises:

the spirit of adventure.

3.

a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.

The last part of definition # 3, "...hazardous action of uncertain outcome."  THAT sounds like life, doesn't it?

Life isn't always about taking is safe.  

"Live life by design and not by default."  I'm not sure who said that first...but don't you want to live that way?

We can do this if we JUST SHOW UP.  Showing up is half the battle.  The other half is hitting the START button and going!  

Here are a couple of ways to JUST SHOW UP:

• BE PRESENT
• If you are supposed to be at home with your family, be at home with your family. Give them ALL your attention.
• If you are supposed to be at work, be at work.  BE PRESENT
• FOLLOW THROUGH
• If you say you are going to do something, do it

"Greatness is a lot of small things done well every day."

Lewis Howes

BE great today.....and EVERY DAY!

4 JESSICA

If you know me, or if you have been reading my everyday musings in this BEST YEAR YET blog, you know that I like to run.  Run marathons.

In 2016, I set a goal to run 4 full marathons.  The first was in Fort Smith, Arkansas on Valentine's Day.  After that, my next was the Lincoln National Guard Marathon & Half Marathon on May, 1, 2016.  Leading up to Lincoln, I secured a spot to run the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in October, running for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as a St. Jude Hero.

Chicago would be the 3rd time I had run as as "HERO" for St. Jude.  What does that mean?  It means that I do my best to let others know of the GREAT work that St. Jude's does to help children and their families when battling life threatening diseases, usually cancer.  After the first time running for St. Jude in April of 2014, I realized who the real HEROES were....the children who were unbelievable WARRIORS and their awesome family supporting them.

I'm no hero....I'm just a guy who decided to run for a cause that was greater than myself and get others to help the cause, financially.

Well, leading up to the Lincoln Marathon in May of 2016, one of my high school classmates made a GREAT donation to St. Jude's and my running the Chicago Marathon (Lincoln was not set up as a "charity race" for St. Jude, but I was raising money and awareness at that same time for the Chicago Marathon).  Later that day, she sent me an Instant Message and told me about her niece, Jessica, who was battling Osteosarcoma.  My friend asked me if I could write Jessica's name on my Lincoln race bib, because it was in her honor that she donated.

WOW....I was humbled and honored to do this (see the pic above) for their family. So I wrote, #4JESSICA, on my race bib.

Of the 8 marathons I had run, this was one of THE most painful ones.  I knew, at the 13 mile point, that this was going to be tough due to knee pain that I was experiencing.  I kept going. I would think about the kids and families that were battling at St. Jude's......I would think about Jessica and her name I was carrying on my bib.  When I would think of others, I would realize that the temporary pain I was going through was NOTHING compared to the heroic fight they go through everyday.

I don't like cancer.  

I'll take it deeper and say, I HATE CANCER.

I have had loves ones pass away from it and have personally been affected by it this past year.

The late, great, Stuart Scott, from ESPN fame said this in a speech he gave at the ESPY Awards shortly before he passed away:
"When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer.  You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live.  So live.  LIVE!  Fight like hell, and when you get too tired to fight, then lay down and rest and let somebody else fight for you."

2 days ago, on May 23rd, Jessica, age 15, was too tired and she finished her fight. 

LIFE happens.  Even in our BEST YEAR YET.  Sometimes we can't escape it.  But every time we can take it on with everything we have.

No doubt, Jessica took it on like a WARRIOR PRINCESS.

Embrace and enjoy your rest.  We'll continue to FIGHT FOR YOU!


FINAL NOTE:
Per the family, Memorials for Jessica Hinz are suggested to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or Tiny Hands International, P.O. Box 67195 Lincoln, NE 68506.

CLAN

About 2 1/2 years ago, I got an instant message from a cousin, on the Peterson side of the family, that I hadn't heard from or seen in probably close to 40 years.  

Not too long after that, another cousin (same side of the family tree, but different family) connected with me on Facebook.

Over the past couple of years there have been many pictures passed around from these 2 cousins about our PETERSON ancestors.  It's been really cool to "see" people that I only heard about.

Well, this week was special as one of my cousins, Mary (King) Farrar (pictured above in the middle) and her husband Doug were in Omaha.  This was the start of a trip that is going to take her through Nebraska to stops where she was born and grew up to also going by our family's home in Geneva, Nebraska (it's where our grandfather grew up with his 8 other siblings).  Mary and Doug live in Florida and this is the first time she's been in Nebraska since 1983.

Mary and I haven't been in the same location for over 40 years.  As we met for dinner, we had such a great time talking about family, our parents, how our lives took many turns to get to where we are at today.  

Your family....your CLAN...your people...are so important as they help to shape who you are. Whether you have spent time with them over the years or not, they are still your family and you share history together.

I'm so thankful for Mary and our other cousin, Jane, reaching out to connect.  For sharing pictures of my CLAN that I had never seen (Mary even had more "new" ones to show me when we had dinner) or pictures of people I knew but these were of them decades before I was born.  

As I get older, it's so good to discover more of my roots and understand more of the legacy that has been passed down to me and others in my family.  It's so easy to get caught up in "today" that we miss out on our "yesterdays" and the stories that go with the years.

I want to encourage you that if you are on this BEST YEAR YET journey with me and others, include YOUR family....your CLAN, in it.  Maybe they are all gone....or maybe there isn't much of a connection anymore.  Reach out and start a dialog....who knows, maybe you'll discover more about yourself and those that make up your CLAN.

NO LIP SERVICE

BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.....

LIP SERVICE!

Back in March, I posted about having a strong "HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE." (I would encourage you to go back and read it again)

I wasn't talking about the athletic field or arena, but in our actual HOMES.

I mentioned that if the "INSIDE" was good, then the "OUTSIDE" would follow.

Usually, if just the "OUTSIDE" appears to be good....the "INSIDE" is having struggles.

LIP SERVICE!

There is actually a definition for the act of "LIP SERVICE."  It means: (An) Insincere agreement; to "pay lip service" is to consent in one's words while dissenting in one's heart. It refers to people who in public say and use words to support a particular position or idea, but in private do not actually support those words.

NO LIP SERVICE!

Just the other day, I was talking to someone who was relating a story about the "ALL-AMERICAN" couple and their perfect family.  You know the story: Great job; good looking husband and beautiful wife; polite kids who grew up to be even better young adults; beautiful home; and so on.

One day...WAY out of the blue, their "perfect" world was turned upside down by an actions that severed their family apart.  Come to find out, it was all LIP SERVICE.

"TIM....THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT HAVING OUR BEST YEAR YET!  Why this story?"

Remember, if we want to continue to have our BEST YEAR YET, if we want to have a strong "HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE," then we also need to WORK at keeping that advantage strong.  It's not enough to just WANT it....you have to do what is necessary to KEEP it!

Here's the best part:  IT.IS.NEVER.TOO.LATE!

I've seen relationships that seem to be completely "dead," come back to LIFE!

If you find yourself just paying LIP SERVICE, here are 3 things that are a good start that you can do to get back your HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE:

• Stop being selfish
• Be sorry, ask for forgiveness and mean it
• WORK at your relationships 
• Treat them with as much importance as you do your favorite hobby or even you job
• Don't be fake
• Inside or outside your home

Here is something I tell myself when I'm really feeling "IT" during a marathon.  "IT" usually happens around the 18-20 mile mark.  I ask myself, "HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT?"

How about you?  How bad do YOU want to have a BEST YEAR YET in all areas of your life?

Let's don't just "put on aires" and pay LIP SERVICE, but let's make some changes (which starts with me) to continue to strengthen our ADVANTAGE once again.

YOU.GOT.THIS!

30-10-11

I remember growing up and watching my older siblings go to school ahead of me (there were 5 ahead of me).

First there was Elementary School.  Then Junior High.  Then High School.  Then College.

I distinctly remember my brother, who is 2.5 years older than me, going into Junior High.  He got to get a "combo lock!"  I thought it was so cool to have a lock that you had to memorize the combination and never...NEVER tell anyone what that combination is.  

Behind that lock, whatever it protected, was VERY important, valuable or both!

Today, I have a 3 number combo that I use.  

It changes EVERY day.

It is the combination to something that is VERY important AND valuable to me.

Behind this combo is one of THE most precious things that I have in my life.

I was challenged one time, by a friend, who told me that if I always remember this combo...EVERY DAY....that I would demonstrate the value of what's behind the number.

Just like a timed vault at a bank or the access to important electronic, sensitive documents, today's number, 30-10-11, will change tomorrow, to again protect the importance of what is behind it.

TODAY'S NUMBER:  30-10-11......This represents how many years, months and days that the CHEERLEADER and I have been married.  

About 11 years ago, I was in a job that had me away from home a couple of weeks each month.  It was during this time, that one day, I sent the CHEERLEADER a text with a combination of 3 numbers.  She had NO idea what this was.....until I explained it to her.

I wanted her to know that I was not only thinking about her, but that I held our marriage and relationship in very high regard.

I think she thought it was cool....nice....thoughtful....but I don't know if she thought or knew that it would continue everyday since!  (maybe she'll comment her thoughts on this?)

What do you hold dear to you?

• Relationships
• Pets
• Hobbies
• Health
• Church

Whatever it is, find a way to remind yourself AND that demonstrates to others how important it is to you.

BEST YEAR YET is not JUST about you.....it's about OTHERS and their part in your journey!

THIS IS YOUR LIFE

I have been thinking a lot about LIFE lately.  

Looking back over the past year with a cancer diagnosis, hospital stays, death of loved ones (really "Promotions" or "Graduations" to those who know Christ!), weddings, marathons, BEST YEAR YET, joy, sadness, and everything in between.

ALL of it has made up my version of "THIS IS YOUR LIFE!"

There was a TV Show (actually started as a radio program in 1948) that ran from 1952-1961 and then had a brief revival in 1971-1972 and again in 1983.  The original host (and creator) of the program was Ralph Edwards who would surprise guests and then take them through a retrospective of their lives.

If THIS IS YOUR LIFE was being played out today and YOUR life was being discussed...what would the host say about YOU?

STOP right now and think about the last 365 days...the last 180 days...the last 90 days....the last 30 days...and think about ALL that has taken place in your life that has made up your BEST YEAR YET.

You might say, "Tim, it hasn't been BEST YEAR YET material."  

The music band SWITCHFOOT has a song by this same title, THIS IS YOUR LIFE, and the lyric asks, "...this is your life, are you who you want to be?"

Question for you today:  What do you want your life to be?

My encouragement for your today is for you to LIVE (your life) BY DESIGN AND NOT BE DEFAULT.

Let's go out and purpose to make our life one that we can look back on without regret.  To GO after our BEST YEAR YET with everything we have!

THIS IS YOUR LIFE......tell me, are you who you want to be?

UNSCRIPTED

Last week, we looked "behind the curtain" at one of the most interesting weeks, in recently memory, of my life.  It was a 10 day stretch in early May 2016.  

I thought I knew myself well....but I learned other things about ME during that time.

One of the biggest things...what do you do when you've been told you have cancer?

UNSCRIPTED.

This was not a part of MY "life script."  Honestly though, what really is?  I've had many times throughout my 51 years where life's journey wasn't what I had envisioned.  It wasn't what I would have "written into the script of my life."

But in every instance, I look to control what I can control, I trust God and believe His Word (the Bible) and KNOW that we are moving forward.

Now, don't get me wrong....I have had awesome opportunities to be in fear, stressed, full of anxiety and such, and sometimes I have given in to these emotions.  Through it all I have learned that the UNSCRIPTED life is one that is FULL of adventure and really the LIFE I want to pursue.

How about you?  What are some of the UNSCRIPTED moments of your life?  How do you deal with the moments that happen that you weren't expecting?  What is your process in dealing with things outside your control?  Do you attack them with healthy or unhealthy actions?

Here is my encouragement to you today:  embrace the UNSCRIPTED moments in your life. Now that doesn't mean that you have to "take them lying down."  It means that there will be things that "find us" (we don't have to go looking for them!).  When those times come at you, determine to pursue LIFE with EVERY fiber of your being.

I trust that when you have set out to have your BEST YEAR YET, that your realize that to do that, you shouldn't script it all out....but instead, be adventurous.  

I've heard it said that when writing out the story of your life, don't give your "pen" to someone else....and at times, EMBRACE the UNSCRIPTED!

FIND THE HERO IN YOU

he·ro

ˈhirō/

1. 1.

   a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.

YOU.ARE.A.HERO!

Say it with me, "I.AM.A.HERO!"

Tough to say about yourself, isn't it?

Here's a "Friday Fun Fact" for you:  The BEST YEAR YET blog is about discovering and uncovering those ideas, qualities, personal achievements, that MAKE UP YOU!

How many times have you read this here: "YOU.CAN.DO.IT!" ?  Do you want to know HOW I know that?  Because, tucked away inside of you is a HERO that is waiting to be released...you just need an encouraging nudge!

I talked to someone today who was looking for help and guidance.  They are in the middle of the struggle and things were bombarding them on every side.  I had them "step back" and take an arial view of their situation.  What is it that they can do, today, that will relieve some of tension?  

Have you ever been so caught up in the "stuff" that you have a hard time distinguishing up from down?  It's as if you are at the bottom of a 50 step stair case and you want...you NEED to be at step 50.  How do you get there?  One step at a time. 

EVERY HERO has something that "powers" them.  What POWERS you in good times and not so good times?

The Apostle Paul, writing to the church at Corinth said this, "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed.  We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.  We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God.  We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed." (2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NLT)

Think about in the movies.  When does the HERO show up?  When there is a need for noble qualities to be there.  

Your life is NOT a movie...but there is a need, many times, for YOUR noble qualities that you have (some have them hidden way down deep inside of them)....LET THEM OUT TO SHINE!

Remember, in the BEST YEAR YET, you are the HERO of your story.

FIND THE HERO IN YOU!

SWIMMING UPSTREAM

Have you ever seen Salmon swim upstream?  It's somewhat of a cool, curious sight.

A number of years ago, the CHEERLEADER, our boys and I lived in Rockford, Michigan. 

Right next to downtown Rockford is the Rogue River.  

This part of the river, has a dam and as you watch the river flow downstream, right at the dam, you'll see Salmon jumping AGAINST the flow.

I was reminded of a quote by W.C. Fields, "Remember, a dead fish can float downstream, but it takes a live one to SWIM UPSTREAM."

ANYONE can float downstream.

To "SWIM UPSTREAM" in life is to go against the flow....go against the current...to go against what the "popular" thought of the day is.

It's the "marching to the beat of your own drum."  

It's being UNIQUELY YOU!

Think about all the things that make up YOU:

• Your parents
• Your ethnicity
• Where you were born
• When you were born
• How you grew up
• Your family culture
• Successes you had along the way
• Failures (or better put, LEARNINGS) you had along the way
• School
• Friends
• Influence from
• TV
• Movies
• Books
• Magazines

Each of these...and many more...make up who YOU are today.

Some of these you have NO control over....but some you have ULTIMATE CONTROL over. 

And even if you don't like the "script" you are reading about your life right now....YOU can change it!  It just depends how bad you want it or what you are willing to do to change it.

SWIMMING UPSTREAM isn't pushing the "easy button."  It takes grit and determination.  It takes an ATTITUDE (good) to push through.

A great/funny illustration of this is an advertisement that the fast food company Wendy's did. It shows all these people jogging towards a big hole in the ground and they are just falling into it...for NO reason.  The ad is about going against the flow when it comes to fast food hamburgers.  (see it HERE).

What a great picture of people...you and me....just going through life with no purpose...no direction.  

Would you like to continue to have a BEST YEAR YET?   Then live your life by (your) design...NOT by default!

What do you want?  

Don't follow the flow into the hole.....just keep SWIMMING UPSTREAM!

ON THIS DAY

"ON THIS DAY, six years ago..."

This is how a conversation started with the CHEERLEADER this morning.  She went on to remind me that on May 17, 2011, she had surgery to replace her left hip.  

TOTAL HIP REPLACEMENT!   

She will tell you that now, she's a "Hip Chick!" (honestly, that Chick is AMAZING!)

This conversation got me thinking about my facebook timeline and the feature that comes up, "On this day."  It shows what you posted "ON THIS DAY" in the past.  Here's what it showed for May 17:

• 2016
• I posted a graphic stating I was signed up and running the Memphis Marathon as a St. Jude Hero and asked others to join me
• 2014
• Posted a pic with my niece Kelsey's 2 sons, Kyler and Karter, as they were here for my son Luke's high school graduation party.
• Also, on this day....I posted a couple pics of the CHEERLEADER replacing the outdoor light by our garage.  I said, "Bobbette the Builder!"
• 2013
• I became FB friends with one of my neighbor
• Did a crazy TapOutXT workout AFTER I went out and ran 3.12 miles with a 8:21 per mile pace (that was a GREAT reminder that I need to get back to that speed)
• Posted a graphic that said, "Losers quit when they fail.  Winners fail until they succeed." 
• 2010
• Just a post that said, "Back home after many weeks of travel....there's no place like home." 

WOW...I remember most of these entries.  AND this got me thinking about TODAY.

What am I doing today that will show up on my "ON THIS DAY" in the future.  I'm not just talking about the FB feature, but my "life" timeline.  

What IMPACT did I make today?

Did I make an IMPACT today?

Remember, there are no THROW AWAY DAYS in your BEST YEAR YET.

What can you do today....what WILL you do today that your future self can look back on and THANK YOU for?

• You dropped a bad habit
• You started a good habit
• You began a savings plan
• You took a "life" risk and pursued your passion
• You waited for your break, you didn't quit and YOU.GOT.IT!
• You said good bye to a loved one
• You welcomed a new member into your family

Whatever it is, DO IT!  Yourself a year from now....2 years, 3, 4, 5......will THANK YOU!