Yes!

Life should be fun!

I'm not one to have a pity party and if you think that's where this is going it's not.
I seem to find a way to pull positivity out of any situation.
But man the hard hits in life just keep on coming.

The cool part is some of those hits are home runs.
Yes, I am a white black man.
Yes, I would love to have the chocolate brown skin I had in high school.

A little of my pigment is coming back.
And I am continuing a new treatment that is working.

But I need to be healthy and that's the most important thing I must keep in mind.

I have new challenges.
And I face them without fear, but while I was running yesterday I found tears coming down my face.

I didn't really understand why.
Yes, it's hard to face challenges that seem bigger than you.
Yes, I am doing my part to not only stay in the game, but achieve.

But I don't think that wasn't the reason I cried.
I'm really not sure but the tear came when I looked at the football field and smelled the grass of a beautiful summer day.

My heart was immediately back in High School cracking jokes between plays during football practice with Kelly James and my man Greg Edison.
We had no money, no great jobs but there were few worries and we managed to find so much fun!

I actually missed my youth!

And I realized It was never coming back.
Ever!

So I made a promise to myself as I turned the next corner on the middle school track where I run.
I made a pledge to live my life with youthful eyes.
And that made me smile as the tears faded into sweat and I finished my run.

Yes, life is fun!
And our challenge is to consciously work at keeping it that way... no matter what!

Another Time... Please!

I saw her for the first time last night.
It wasn't what I thought it would be. She was at choir practice with her church. And I was just watching as she tried to get the lyrics to a song right. It was a part with her in solo. A spoken part but she couldn't get it right. And one guy just kept trying to correct her. After about the fourth time I couldn't take it any more.
"Stop picking on the lady... man!"
"I just want the song right!" He said back in a stern voice.
"Maybe would could practice the lyrics outside, I can get you right!" I said back in a stern voice.
I could feel my nerves taking a shot of adrenaline. I was already trying to figure out in my mind, which is the best point of attack. He looked like he was in good shape. So, maybe I should try a fake punch counter. Maybe he had some skills more than me and I should let him show his lead then fake fear and then counter. Anyway, it doesn't really matter. I was there, you know, in that place -- where you have to hit something. It might as well be this jerk yelling at my mom at choir practice.

Then I woke up.
It was so real, I was still angry.
It took a couple of minutes for it to fade.
Then reality washed over me like walking outside into bright sunshine.
I was overwhelmed with a feeling of love.
I was just glad to see her. She looked happy!

Why did it take so long?
My mother has been dead for at least four years.
This is the first time I have seen her in my dreams.
I had so much I wanted to say... and I wasted that time talking to some jerk.
I will see you next time mom.
I miss you soooo much.

Today is the beginning of something new.
I am changing things. My diet is the beginning.
I am excited. But the challenge is to remain excited.
I am documenting the whole thing.

The power of change is one of the biggest. It's better to change how you want when you want rather than to have to deal with changes that are forced on you. Either way you can take the opportunity to evolve into something better.
Let's do it!

It's time!!!
I feel like I have been waiting to change. I know a lot of the qualities that I would like to have to attain more happiness. And believe me I am a happy guy, but there are things you leave behind as you move forward in life. You say to yourself, "I have a good life. I am comfortable, so it's okay to give up on that dream".  And that is absolutely true, but why not go for it all, no matter what your age. If this is the only ride you get with life, why not continue to shoot for the moon.
I am...
Will you?

The Dream Challenge

Everything is changing.

And I love change. It forces you to come up with new/better/innovative stuff.

I have come up with some great ideas and then gone to work and never picked them up again.

Today... that changes.

I have an idea and I promise to follow it to it's natural conclusion.

I am going to do that.

And I challenge you to do the same.

And as they say worse come to worse you are no closer than if you never even tried.

But if this little exercise simple inspires.

It can trigger hope, promise... or maybe it will inspire us to dream again.

That thought alone brings a smile to my face.

Change! Inspire! Dream! I'm in... are you?

By the way, I never thought I would ever go to Moscow... but things changed. :-)

First Task:Game plan

You have to have a plan before you can play the game.

Today, I am writing down my goals for this year.

So many exciting things have grown from many of the seeds that I planted in the last few years on a day like today.

My book came from a goal setting day.

I tour the country as a motivational speaker, sharing my story and inspiring people to live there best life - another goal achieved.

Some of the best new opportunities in my life are real today because I made them a goal on a list of many other goals I sought to accomplish.

Now, my lists always include many things I wanted to achieve in my personal life and in my career. 

I would write down these things. 

I also write down under each goal ways I could accomplish it. 

Now, I don't accomplish most of my list each year. 

And I don't feel bad about the things I don't do.

I relish in the ones that I do. 

Why is it easier to beat yourself up, than to praise and take stock in your accomplishments.

Every year when I try to make these goals realities, some of them become more clear and real than others. 

And Yes!

I do go back to old list and revive some goals from the past, maybe timing is better now. 

If you have a list of 10 things and 20 ways to accomplish them. 

If you get one of them done.

You are ahead of the game. 

Have fun dreaming up your goals, enjoy the thought of getting them done!

Feel that new energy of inspiration and build on it with a realistic plan of accomplishment!

If there are naysayers, don't share your plans with anyone but me and the comments on my blog!

Keep your list close to your heart!

I will share some of mine as the year continues!

This will be fun and exciting.

This weeks task is to WRITE THE LIST!

Lasting Change!!

Now, is the time and day when people pledge to begin a new.

They... we make these resolutions that are lofty on the onset but reality, time and consistency quickly become reason for no change.

My resolution is simple.

I pledge to come up with a schedule of change. 

I will write in down and try over the next 12 months to achieve my monthly goals.

That is realistic for  me. A schedule of change that is achievable. 

Not a drastic and whole change of life, but a gradual and more lasting change that by the end of the 2011 will achieve what I hoped to change on the first day of the new year. 

Let the fun begin. 

I will post my year of change here. 

Follow and participate if you like.