"When the world says, "Give up," Hope whispers, "Try it one more time." " - Author Unknown
A simple water bottle. Filled to capacity and left in a freezer. Pressure within the bottle became too much and it split. Ruined. Never again able to perform its task. Sometimes we can feel like that. Pressures of life seem to be unbearable. Then it all comes crashing down and we split open from it. Unable to see through it to the other side, we huddle in a corner and lick our wounds.
I loved that water bottle. But I nor anyone else should not equate our lives or our lifestyle journey to that bottle when the pressures of life get too great to cause a split or rift. Even after something devastating, we are still able to carry on, repair ourselves, get back on track, and become stronger.
No one is useless. The road may be filled with potholes, but as long as you keep your focus on putting one foot in front of the other, you will ultimately conquer. Don't let the pressures of today cloud your view of the prize...
"If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again." - Flavia Weedn
Friday, April 27, 2007
Friday, April 20, 2007
Leadership...
"A leader leads by example, whether he intends to or not." - Author Unknown
After a talk and some reconciliation this week, I've come to realize that I am a leader. Call me the 'reluctant leader' of sorts because there are some areas where I would rather step back and follow than lead. But I learned that this is not an option for a leader. When you are a leader, you are leading by example in EVERY area of your life - and that is a hard thing for me to grasp.
I mean, I thought I saw myself more as a guide than a leader - but what is a guide? Someone who leads...
This whole concept of leadership is overwhelming. I cannot say that I have been "thrust" into it, rather through my life, experiences, and trials I have "grown" into it. Sometimes I wish I could just step back and not have all these eyes watching me, but deep down I have a feeling that this is something I was born to become. I struggle daily with it, battling my hardest against it, but I suppose I need to step aside and let it sink in - I am a leader.
Who knows? I may grow to enjoy it and grow other leaders along the way...
"Leaders don't create followers, they create more leaders." - Tom Peters
Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com
After a talk and some reconciliation this week, I've come to realize that I am a leader. Call me the 'reluctant leader' of sorts because there are some areas where I would rather step back and follow than lead. But I learned that this is not an option for a leader. When you are a leader, you are leading by example in EVERY area of your life - and that is a hard thing for me to grasp.
I mean, I thought I saw myself more as a guide than a leader - but what is a guide? Someone who leads...
This whole concept of leadership is overwhelming. I cannot say that I have been "thrust" into it, rather through my life, experiences, and trials I have "grown" into it. Sometimes I wish I could just step back and not have all these eyes watching me, but deep down I have a feeling that this is something I was born to become. I struggle daily with it, battling my hardest against it, but I suppose I need to step aside and let it sink in - I am a leader.
Who knows? I may grow to enjoy it and grow other leaders along the way...
"Leaders don't create followers, they create more leaders." - Tom Peters
Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com
Friday, April 13, 2007
Looking Within...
"Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves." - Henry David Thoreau
I am finally back on track after two weeks of what I can only call an annihilated sense of self. That stress I spoke about in last week's blog? I can only say (without pinning someone to the wall) that people really need to think about what they are going to say in reaction to situations. Emotions can bring out the worst in people and with something as impersonal as an email, we can say pretty much whatever we want without fear of immediate retaliation or reaction.
My character was pretty much assassinated in reaction to an email I sent to someone regarding no longer wanting to be involved in a project. I did my best to make the email as non-threatening or blaming as possible as the recipient was only a cog in the project. I guess I am candy-coating it when I say 'pretty much', I mean to say that I was devastatingly annihilated. Something that is going to take quite a while to get over.
Over the past two weeks I have taken what was said in that email as fact, that I was indeed all of those things mentioned - poor leader, insensitive, unforgiving, being unchristian. But that was my instinctive reactions taking over. I was headed into defense mode and as a result my will to continue to exercise and watch my eating habits began to fall apart.
It was today that I finally am back on track. I jogged the full 70min, biked my 25min, and exercised my 45min this morning and I feel like myself again. My eating will be back on track today and my attitude will change. I have come along way and I cannot let things like irrational and unfounded comments to rattle my resolve.
Sometimes I guess we need to have setbacks like these to realize our true strength and refocus our life goals.
"Every one of us has in him a continent of undiscovered character. Blessed is he who acts the Columbus to his own soul." - Author Unknown
Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com
I am finally back on track after two weeks of what I can only call an annihilated sense of self. That stress I spoke about in last week's blog? I can only say (without pinning someone to the wall) that people really need to think about what they are going to say in reaction to situations. Emotions can bring out the worst in people and with something as impersonal as an email, we can say pretty much whatever we want without fear of immediate retaliation or reaction.
My character was pretty much assassinated in reaction to an email I sent to someone regarding no longer wanting to be involved in a project. I did my best to make the email as non-threatening or blaming as possible as the recipient was only a cog in the project. I guess I am candy-coating it when I say 'pretty much', I mean to say that I was devastatingly annihilated. Something that is going to take quite a while to get over.
Over the past two weeks I have taken what was said in that email as fact, that I was indeed all of those things mentioned - poor leader, insensitive, unforgiving, being unchristian. But that was my instinctive reactions taking over. I was headed into defense mode and as a result my will to continue to exercise and watch my eating habits began to fall apart.
It was today that I finally am back on track. I jogged the full 70min, biked my 25min, and exercised my 45min this morning and I feel like myself again. My eating will be back on track today and my attitude will change. I have come along way and I cannot let things like irrational and unfounded comments to rattle my resolve.
Sometimes I guess we need to have setbacks like these to realize our true strength and refocus our life goals.
"Every one of us has in him a continent of undiscovered character. Blessed is he who acts the Columbus to his own soul." - Author Unknown
Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com
Friday, April 06, 2007
Setbacks...
"The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing." - John Powell
Setbacks. We all have them. Some can be huge and painful, some can be seemingly insignificant but still weigh in on the back of your mind. Dwelling on them is the one trap that we all try to avoid but ultimately fall victim to.
I started a motivation group in response to inquiries after my speaking engagement for Holland Hospital. Initially I had 19 interested, one gave me a bum email address and not other contact info. Last week I emailed the group to see how the first month went. The only response I received was from someone that I could tell has not gotten to the 'crossroads' in his life to be committed to change. Here is the response I got:
"Matty,
Thanks for the update. I have just not been able to get myself motivated to begin a program of exercising and intake reduction. I really had good intentions, but so far I just have not made any lifestyle changes. I know that if I don’t loose some weight my Type II diabetes will only get worse and my life will end much sooner than it would if I could just get started..."
He sees the train coming but refuses to get off the track. Sometimes that's what setbacks can do to us mentally. We can see where we are going by dwelling on the setback, but we get too wrapped up in the guilt/shame/depression that we cannot motivate ourselves enough to get back on track.
I felt the exact same way earlier this week. I had some stress going on that really took a toll on my body and my eating habits. I finally told myself that I could not go off track anymore. The stress will still be there, but at least I can get back into routine and make some semblance of life again and press on. Not back up to full speed on my routine, but I have made some great strides by getting back into the swing of things.
We are all human. You, me, everyone. We all make mistakes, that is a part of life. We need to learn from them and move on, being bold to know that we will make more mistakes. That's what learning is all about.
"Just because you make mistakes doesn't mean you are one." - Author Unknown
Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com
Setbacks. We all have them. Some can be huge and painful, some can be seemingly insignificant but still weigh in on the back of your mind. Dwelling on them is the one trap that we all try to avoid but ultimately fall victim to.
I started a motivation group in response to inquiries after my speaking engagement for Holland Hospital. Initially I had 19 interested, one gave me a bum email address and not other contact info. Last week I emailed the group to see how the first month went. The only response I received was from someone that I could tell has not gotten to the 'crossroads' in his life to be committed to change. Here is the response I got:
"Matty,
Thanks for the update. I have just not been able to get myself motivated to begin a program of exercising and intake reduction. I really had good intentions, but so far I just have not made any lifestyle changes. I know that if I don’t loose some weight my Type II diabetes will only get worse and my life will end much sooner than it would if I could just get started..."
He sees the train coming but refuses to get off the track. Sometimes that's what setbacks can do to us mentally. We can see where we are going by dwelling on the setback, but we get too wrapped up in the guilt/shame/depression that we cannot motivate ourselves enough to get back on track.
I felt the exact same way earlier this week. I had some stress going on that really took a toll on my body and my eating habits. I finally told myself that I could not go off track anymore. The stress will still be there, but at least I can get back into routine and make some semblance of life again and press on. Not back up to full speed on my routine, but I have made some great strides by getting back into the swing of things.
We are all human. You, me, everyone. We all make mistakes, that is a part of life. We need to learn from them and move on, being bold to know that we will make more mistakes. That's what learning is all about.
"Just because you make mistakes doesn't mean you are one." - Author Unknown
Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com
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