LIVE LOUD

Do you LIVE LOUD?

I don't mean that your voice volume is turned up to an "11" (my wife has a side of her family they call the "loud family" because they all talk SO LOUD!.....that's not what I'm talking about).

Are your truly LIVING LOUD your life and it's purpose?

I have a friend from England; a fellow Abbott World Marathon Majors Ambassador, who ran the London Marathon today, dressed up like a STAR.  Maybe you saw him.  He's all over the news, even here in America.  After he finished, Kate Middleton placed his finishing medal around his...I think you would say the top of the star.  Following today's race, he posted this:

"For a while, I have been thinking what do I live for? How would I like to be remembered?

I want to live my life to the fullest; make a difference in life; stay positive; hunger for success.

I want to be a star ⭐️, even just for a day. Feel divine as people think I shine. I want to have a WR under my name, be some sort of legend would inspire people to put themselves out there, running or whatever they want to do and achieve great thing."

My friend Michael is LIVING LOUD!

The Cheerleader and I have a neighbor/friend who is battling cancer...Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I.HATE.CANCER.  This disease has affected many.  I'm sure we all know someone; friend, co-worker, loved one, even ourselves; that has battled or is currently in the fight.  Well my neighbor, she's not sitting this one out.  While undergoing treatment, she is still completing classes to become an occupational therapist!  She always has THE brightest disposition....AND not only that, she throwing a "I HAVE NO HAIR AND I DON'T CARE PARTY!" next week.

My friend Julia is LIVING LOUD!

I talked with another friend yesterday who told me that, she and her family, have been "going through it" this past year.  She had surgery to correct a vision issue in one of her eyes and will most likely have the other one done.  This has affected her passion of fitness, exercise and strength training. You want to know something:  It hasn't stopped her from pursuing her passion to HELP OTHERS..even though she is sidelined, personally, from working out.  

My friend Christa is LIVING LOUD!

I have friends who are:

• Helping entrepreneurs with a podcast designed to be encouraged as they chase the dream
• Pastoring churches that are effecting entire communities helping the less fortunate with things like groceries (they recently passed the 1 MILLION POUND of food given away!
• Mentoring young people with their life's potential
• Effecting inner cities with helping other understand their GOD GIVEN POTENTIAL to live life as a GAME CHANGER
• Using the platform of running to help many charities, sometimes their own, so that others can have a greater chance at life

ALL of these AND many more I didn't list....they LIVE LOUD!

How about you?  Would you like to be a STAR for a day, if it meant that someone was encouraged or inspired?  How about "embracing life" and not worrying about what others think of you. Or a whole host of other OUT OF THE BOX...LIVE LOUD...things that make a difference in other lives.  By doing this, in your BEST YEAR YET.....believe me, you'll MAKE A DIFFERENCE in your own life too!

LIVE LOUD!


FINAL NOTE: 
Not only did my friend Michael get recognized by the Royals for completing the London Marathon in a STAR costume, he also set a Guinness World Record as being the fast man to complete a marathon dressed like a STAR.  YEP, there's a WORLD RECORD FOR THAT!

Michael's official certificate from Guinness World Records

TOE THE LINE

Tomorrow, Sunday, April 23rd, the London Marathon is happening.  I have a few friends that are running this ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJOR.  There are Six Marathon Majors (Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York City) in the series, and I have run two of the six (New York City and Chicago) so far.  GOOD LUCK to all of the ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS AMBASSADORS running London tomorrow!

When one of these Marathon Majors comes up, I usually know someone running in it. Each time, I think about all the miles of training that has taken place; the early morning runs; the running in rain, snow, heat, cold, etc.  But all of this leads up to "race day."  For everyone running, it is now time to TOE THE LINE. 

What does it mean to TOE THE LINE?  It means to "be poised at the start of a footrace." To me, that means:  JUST SHOW UP and do what you have set out to do.  To do what you have been training for so long, in the face of challenges, to do.

I realize that "life" sometimes takes different turns you weren't expecting.  The question I will ask you is this: Will you just sit there and take it?  Or, will you NOT let the situation or circumstance dictate to you what it will be like for you?

Your situation could be health related; it could be work related; it could be a relationship issue; it could be a financial crisis; it is how you deal with it that will determine your outlook.

To TOE THE LINE is to look at "life's happenings" and to learn/grow from each moment. I have personal experience in this area...you might too.  Speaking for me, I'm choosing to be the VICTOR and not the victim.  

"You don't know what I've been through, Tim."  You are correct, I don't know....and you don't know everything I've been through.  But one thing I can tell you is this, YOU CAN FIGHT OR YOU CAN FOLD....the choice is yours. 

IF you want it, you can go get it.  It might not happen in the time that you thought it should....but if you don't quit, IT.WILL.HAPPEN!!  Wouldn't you like to be the "COMEBACK STORY OF THE YEAR, in this BEST YEAR YET? 

So, TOE THE LINE and let's get this RACE started.  What do you say?

LIFE OF THE RUBBER BAND

RUBBER BAND...MAN.

Many years ago, I heard this saying that I have used and (tried to) live by: 

"Live your life like a rubber band.  A rubber band is not at its GREATEST potential until it's been stretched!"

To be stretched in our lives means getting out of our comfort zone.  

"LIFE begins at the end of our comfort zone."

po·ten·tial

pəˈten(t)SHəl/

1. 1.

   latent qualities or abilities that may be developed and lead to future success or usefulness.

We ALL have POTENTIAL!

It's in you.  It's in me.  How do we, in our BEST YEAR YET, get it out?

OTHERS SEE IT IN YOU!

• Do you believe others when they tell you that you
• Sing good
• You are strong
• You inspire them
• And on and on and on....
• Many times others "see" it in you before you see it in you.  Listen

A MENTOR HELPS TO DEVELOP YOUR POTENTIAL

• Almost 30 years ago, I had someone believe in me and my abilities...my gifts and began to pull those "giftings" out of me.  
• I learned how to speak and do presentations to the public  
• I developed a confidence in how to relate to others and be understood

YOU SEE IT IN YOURSELF AND YOU BRING IT OUT

• Others recognizing your POTENTIAL is great.  Having mentors recognize your POTENTIAL is great.  BUT you recognizing your POTENTIAL, developing yourself and bringing out your gifts is FANTASTIC!
• I've said it before...I'm going to say it now...and I will most likely say it again:
• THE WORLD NEEDS WHAT YOU HAVE.  
• Don't hide it....LET.IT.OUT!!

Don't let anyone EVER tell you that you can't do it!  Don't limit your yourself by your own SMALL THINKING....LIMITING BELIEFS.

YOU.CAN.DO.IT!

STRETCH YOURSELF.....RUBBER BAND, MAN/WOMAN!

READY OR NOT

Yesterday, we said to KEEP IT SIMPLE.  SIMPLICITY.  SMILE - LAUGH - GIVE more!

I mentioned that in my BEST YEAR YET 2.0, "things unexpected" happened in my life.  I'm not going to go over them again....so if you want to know more, go back and read yesterday's post.

Whether we are READY OR NOT, the unexpected WILL happen.  What will you do when it does?

I could give you the "rub some dirt on it" or "suck it up, buttercup" actions, instead, I will give you my core beliefs that continue to get me through...DAILY.

Here are 3 Simple Principles that will help you during the READY OR NOT periods of your life:

• SLOW DOWN
• Don't miss out on the "moments so dear."  Romans 12:2 says, "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
• The learning process can take some time.  SLOW DOWN and let it mold you from within!
• LET GO
• Realize this:  YOU.ARE.NOT.IN.CONTROL!  When I went through multiple "READY OR NOTs" in 2016, one thing I had to come to grips with is that I wasn't in control.  I knew, based on what I believe, that God DID NOT do any of this to me, but I also knew I needed to trust in HIM to see me through.  
• Hebrew 10:35-36 says, "So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it bring you.  Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will.  Then you will receive all that He has promised."
• BE GRATEFUL
• Grateful NOT because of the READY OR NOT situation, but GRATEFUL that HE (God) has made a way for you to get through it and succeed.
• 2 Corinthians 2:14 says, "Now thanks be to God who ALWAYS leads us in triumph in Christ...."  Another translation says, "...who leads us in His triumphant procession."
• He knows the way, He goes the way, and He shows the way!

Whether you are READY OR NOT, apply these 3 simple actions and you'll get through these moments and on to your BEST YEAR YET!

KEEP IT SIMPLE

I had a conversation the other day with an acquaintance.  He didn't know about my health challenges in 2016, so I did a quick recap for him.

I started by going back to November of 2014, when I turned 49.  I told him about my quest finish off my 40's on a high note with my BEST YEAR YET.  I told him about running the New York City Marathon as my EXCLAMATION POINT to cap off that BEST YEAR YET.

"How do you follow your BEST YEAR YET?"  I asked him.  "By pushing the reset button and having another BEST YEAR YET!" I told him.  Which lead us into running more marathons, a cancer diagnosis, a bacterial infection, hospital stays, surgery, etc.  Things I didn't expect or plan for, but ALL things that helped to shape my "BEST YEAR YET 2.0."  

Which leads us to today, and the current "3.0" version of my BEST YEAR YET!  Today, I was holding on a call and they didn't have hold music, but it was more like an advertisement.  The voice on this recording started off by saying, "Remember when you were a kid?  Things were simple....life was good."

SIMPLE.  

sim·ple

ˈsimpəl/

1. 1.

   easily understood or done; presenting no difficulty.

As I heard this, I thought about my BEST YEAR YET journey.  Others asked me, during the "BEST YEAR YET 1.0", "what does that look like?"  They asked how I was going to quantify this?  In dealing with GOALS, whether in business or personal, there is a statement that says, "if you can't measure it, then you can't improve it." 

What actions would I do so that I could track or measure my progress?  What are you going to do that will improve your BEST YEAR YET?

Here are 3 things that I use to measure my BEST YEAR YET.  You might want to adopt these 3 actions for yourself as well:

• SMILE MORE
• LAUGH MORE
• GIVE MORE

I figured that if I could do MORE of those three things (SMILE; LAUGH; GIVE), I would truly have a BEST YEAR YET.  Even in the middle of challenges, I could still do these three things.

In the Bible, in Mark 10:14, Jesus said, "...Let the children come to Me.  Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children."

"Remember when you were a kid?  Things were simple..."

Look at a stranger; a co-worker; a friend or family member and just SMILE!

Find reasons to LAUGH at life.  Don't take yourself too seriously.

To GIVE is more than putting money in the plate...it does include this, but it's about your life. What you have that others need.  GIVE it away.

Don't make it complex.  KEEP IT SIMPLE!

 

STOP WAITING

STOP WAITING!

Do you convince yourself that life would be better after ________ (fill in the blank: ie.; others around us get THEIR act together; we get a nicer car; we get a better home; we go on a great vacation; we retire)?

There's no better time to be happy than right now.

Challenges will be there.  Understand that....recognize it....and be happy anyway.

STOP WAITING  until you finish school, go back to school, lose the 10 pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you grow up, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until Friday night, until Spring, until Summer, until Fall, until Winter, until the 1st or 15th, until your favorite song comes on, until you've had a drink, until you've sobered up, until you die, until you are born again.....to decide there is no better time than right now to be happy.

Focus less on waiting for happiness to find you, instead, seek out happiness on your own. You HAVE to be intentional to have your BEST YEAR YET!

Are you guilty in getting caught up in the waiting?  Waiting to figure out your dreams or waiting to pursue them.  YOU control your own happiness.  Don't wait for someone else to come by and add to your happiness.

STOP WAITING!

GO CHASE DOWN YOUR DREAMS!

NOTE: Today's post was inspired by an essay I recently read, "Stop Waiting" author Unknown.

What or who inspires you?  If this BEST YEAR YET blog inspires you, let me know and please tell others and pass it on.

MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN

Have you ever won something where the main stipulation was that you MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN?  BIG or small, you just have to be "there" in order to win?

The Cheerleader and I have these friends who were driving around one day listen to the radio.  The on-air personalities of the radio station were doing a live feed from a car dealership and one of the enticements to get people to the dealership was a car give-a-way....BUT, you had to be present to win.  Also, the clock was ticking....they were doing the drawing at a certain time..and that time was quickly approaching.

My friends raced over to the dealership, got their name in the drawing and....YEP, you guessed it...THEY WON!  All because they were PRESENT when the drawing took place.

How about you in your BEST YEAR YET...are you PRESENT?

PRESENT in your marriage?  PRESENT as a mother or father?  PRESENT as a friend or neighbor?  PRESENT on your job?  

It's very easy to get caught up in the "I'm so busy" or "I'm too busy."  Don't let the distractions of your hobby (ie - running; golfing; gaming; social media surfing; shopping; crafts; etc) pull you away from what it truly important in your life.  

Remember, if you want to have your BEST YEAR YET....if you want to have success in life with you spouse, with your kids, and other VALUES you hold up on important, then "race" to where you need to be, because:

YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN!