Be Brave

#bebrave

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:33:00 -0500

#bebrave

Doing that veggie thing @ Ruby Tuesday. Zucchini minis &...

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:40:00 -0500

Doing that veggie thing @ Ruby Tuesday. Zucchini minis & squash spaghetti! You know!

The fruit was so good this season that it got a spin off....

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:08:00 -0500

The fruit was so good this season that it got a spin off. #breakfastclub

#bebrave

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:07:00 -0500

#bebrave

"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying..."

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 08:46:54 -0500

““Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.””

- Dale Carnegie

I often refer to my journey as a story. I’ve been doing...

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:00:00 -0500

I often refer to my journey as a story. I’ve been doing that since I was a kid. In fact, one of the more annoying qualities I have, is an incisive knack for finding appropriate literary and television correlations for life.

I remember in high school I had this really dumb catch phrase “Do it for the show.”

Which simply meant, MAKE LIFE INTERESTING.

If your life were a play, a movie or a television program, would you watch it?

To do something for the show was to make your life worth watching… carpe diem and all that jazz.

But as I mature, i’m finding that life has a much deeper meaning when you refer to it as a story, because what you unintentionally do is admit that your story has an author. And if your story has an author, you can begin to trust that the future is already written and thus not needing of your excessive stress.

The other day I drove to a gym that’s about 20 minutes way from my house. It was a cool night, so I rolled the windows down and opened my moon roof. I love doing this! I hardly ever get to because Florida’s so hot, but this night was perfect.

There’s something about resting my left hand outside my window and rolling my knuckles in the wind that makes me feel alive.

I drove down a long country back road with my entire iPod on shuffle. Much to my surprise, a playlist of laid back inspiration songs formed without me ever skipping a track.

At a red light, a strong gust of wind kissed me on my cheek and made me feel like I was on the right path.

It was… peaceful.

I consider that peace the calm before my internal storm.

I parked my car and looked up at the sky through my moonroof. I felt an anxiety brewing inside of me that I haven’t felt in sometime.

You know in The Sixth Sense when they say you get really cold and the hairs on the back of your neck stand up when a ghost is near? Well, true to fashion, the ghost of my insecurities appeared in my passenger seat.

For a while I just sat with him. The music played like a background score and he just sat there looking at me for almost a half an hour. I began to feel incapable of success. Like nothing I ever did would be good enough. Like there was really no point in trying.

I thought to myself “You know what, I’ve been working out everyday this week. My body deserves a rest.” Which is true! Your body does need rest, but I wasn’t leaving because I wanted a rest, I was leaving because I got scared. I once again, let my fear dictate my behavior and I was not happy about it.

As I reversed out of my parking spot and drove through the silent parking lot, a song began to play.

“How The Story Ends” is one of my favorite songs, if only because I relate to it so strongly. So as i’m driving through the parking lot, overcome with defeat, I hear a voice sing:

“Every great story that’s ever been told has a hero that would of been ordinary, except for he endured the impossible”

I feel like I saw those words slip out of my speakers. Those words were the words I used to live by and here I am too afraid to walk into a gym. What the hell was wrong with me? I know better than that. I know that I have to bare through this sucky second act if I want a happy ending. I know that I have what it takes to be successful at this. So why was I leaving? Why was I doubting myself? Why am I still afraid of ghost?

“Come on T, Do it for the Show”

The song climaxed and I immediately U-turned on the quite country back road. I sped back to my parking spot and literally leaped out of Honda Accord.

I walked into that gym knowing that I’ve already done the hardest part! I walked inside! Anything I did from that point on would be a win for me.

I ROCKED that gym for over an hour and walked out feeling like a champ.

I can’t say that the perfect song will always come on and change my bad mood. I can’t say that inspiration will always find me. But what I do know is that every great story that’s ever been told has a hero that would of been ordinary, except for he endured the impossible.

We all have the ability to make our stories redemptive… we just have to want it bad enough! & I know as a certainty that the desire for greatness will get me through the horrible in-between period and lead me to an ending that’s better than I can imagine.

Just be patient

it’ll all be worth it in the end.

“I know how the story ends

& it’s good

It’s good

So much better than the way it all began

Oh but, I know it gets rough in the middle

Swimming up a stream, surviving seems impossible

But I know

that’s what makes the end so good”

#breakfastclub

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:16:00 -0500

#breakfastclub

Photo

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:55:00 -0500

Treadmill Diaries

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:41:56 -0500

I have been doing SO GOOD the past few weeks.

So why do I still get discouraged when I look at myself?

I’m doing things I never thought possible, inspiring people to chase their dreams and working towards this goal i’ve had since I was 5 years old… but I still find myself feeling hopeless.

What it all boils down to, is that insatiable dream killing notion that I AM NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

I AM NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

Those words appear like a billboard behind my treadmill and as much as I try to out run them I can always feel them catching up to me.

It’s poison.

Whenever I’m at an all time high, the slightest reminder of my shortcomings can trip me up and have me second guessing myself.

Have I lost enough weight?

Am I finally normal?

How long will it be until someone sees the kid behind the fat?

I feel like I’m getting there, slowly but surely. Right now I am stuck in this dreadful second act trying my hardest to get to my happy ending.

And that is why I am at the gym everyday. because the harder I work, the faster I get towards my goals.

No matter how badly this sucks sometimes, no matter how loud the voices of doubt become, I am not giving up.

I will finish this.

I’m gonna prove everyone wrong

& for once, someone will see the kid behind the fat.

#thealchemist

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:26:00 -0500

#thealchemist

#breakfastclub

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:59:00 -0500

#breakfastclub

I’m converting people like every single day. Get on your...

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:11:00 -0500

I’m converting people like every single day. Get on your grind yo! #bebrave

The best gift I got all day was the gift I just gave myself....

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:53:00 -0500

The best gift I got all day was the gift I just gave myself. How’s that for Valentines Day? #feb14th

I got a feeling that somebody needs to hear this...

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:19:00 -0500

I got a feeling that somebody needs to hear this song

#treadmilltracks #valentinesday

& miles to go before I sleep

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:46:00 -0500

& miles to go before I sleep

Completely infatuated with this…. As if I didn’t...

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:09:00 -0500

Completely infatuated with this…. As if I didn’t love CHIPOTLE enough already

love getting messages like this!

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:57:00 -0500

love getting messages like this!

Whole Foods on a budget

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 17:57:00 -0500

Whole Foods on a budget

#healthfacts

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:41:08 -0500

#healthfacts

Just stop it Panera. Dang.

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:19:00 -0500

Just stop it Panera. Dang.