Ricardo Miller's Blog, page 11
May 17, 2021
Family is Important
One of the foundational five “F‘s” of Effective Living is FAMILY!
I truly believe family is extremely important. We are social beings and it is a known fact that we operate best within a community. Family can represent a community, a tribe, a group or even a team, in addition to those who are biologically related to us.
You can create your own family. It does not necessarily have to be only biological, just people who love you and you are close with. A person can actually decide to build and structure themselves to have a healthy community around them that serve as well as a biological family.
Here’s what you need to know: Your family is your first attempt at learning how love works and how forgiveness works. Additional skills and experiences that come from having family include:
-learning to get along with others,
-learning to help and support them,
-solving problems and taking care of tasks for no pay,
-giving and receiving material things, affection, and time,
-learning to clean up after others,
-learning how to express yourself clearly and authentically,
-doing things without getting credit.
All of these skills and experiences are important and used throughout your entire life.
But also realize, no family here on earth is perfect. People fail us and hurt us. People have their own issues that affect how they treat us. The trick is to learn what you can from the imperfect people who you love and live with. Then create a healthy life both, because of them, and in spite of them.
Remember, family is defined by the members of the group. Humans are social creatures rather than solitary creatures. We crave companionship.
Why do we need a family? What are 5 reasons?
1. Support system.
2. Unconditional love.
3. Sense of belonging.
4. Protection and comfort.
5. Growth and learning.
On your journey to living life effectively, don’t neglect your family. It takes time to have a great family.
There comes a time in your life where it is good to know that when the chips are down, someone has your back. As you read this week’s blog if you’re in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I would love for you to join the Effective Living Family for our fun Fitness in the Park, Saturday, May 29 at 8:00 a.m. Get more information and register HERE.
May 10, 2021
I Can Eat Anything
Without our health we are nothing. That’s all I want you to think about as you read this week’s blog.
Too often, we put other priorities ahead of our health. We strive for personal success, often to the detriment of our health. We only really understand the value of health once we’ve had it and then lose it. We take our health and our bodies for granted until we’re broken or in pain. We try to undo years of unhealthy habits often when it’s too little, too late.
Health is wealth because without it you are nothing!
As we move into the summer months, it is important you start looking at what you have been eating and how it relates to your belief system.
I want to focus on not being so continuously reckless as it relates to what you put in your body. Pay attention to those random cravings you have. It’s easy to confuse which foods are healthy and which aren’t.
You generally want to avoid certain foods if you want to lose weight and prevent chronic illnesses. Your goal is to live life effectively and you’re going to need your body to do just that. Remember, toxic beliefs as it relates to our thoughts about food can hinder us from living life effectively.
Here are 7 foods that are generally unhealthy — although most people can eat them in moderation or special occasions without any permanent damage to their health.
- White bread
- Pastries, cookies, and cakes
- French fries and potato chips
- Candy bars
- Most pizzas
- Ice cream
- Most fast food meals
Though the Western diet packs plenty of junk food, you can maintain a healthy diet if you steer clear from the processed, high sugar items. As your life management coach, I’m trying to help you.
When you choose to focus on whole foods, you’ll be well on your way to feeling better and reclaiming your health.
Additionally, practicing mindfulness when you eat by listening to your body’s cues and paying attention to flavors and textures, can help you be more aware of how much and what you eat, allowing you to achieve a better relationship with food.
When it comes to the food you’re putting in your body remind yourself on a continuous basis, health is wealth .
If you are in the Dallas / Fort Worth area, I personally invite you to our May Fitness in the Park Meetup, Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday, May 29 at 8:00 a.m. We'll be back at River Legacy Park in Arlington, TX. We'll have fitness activities, a mini fitness workshop, and a scavenger hunt. This is a great opportunity to reconnect with the Effective Living Crew. We are limiting the number of participants and slots are filling up. Be sure to register today HERE.
Too often, we put other priorities ahead of our health. We strive for personal success, often to the detriment of our health. We only really understand the value of health once we’ve had it and then lose it. We take our health and our bodies for granted until we’re broken or in pain. We try to undo years of unhealthy habits often when it’s too little, too late.
Health is wealth because without it you are nothing!
As we move into the summer months, it is important you start looking at what you have been eating and how it relates to your belief system.
I want to focus on not being so continuously reckless as it relates to what you put in your body. Pay attention to those random cravings you have. It’s easy to confuse which foods are healthy and which aren’t.
You generally want to avoid certain foods if you want to lose weight and prevent chronic illnesses. Your goal is to live life effectively and you’re going to need your body to do just that. Remember, toxic beliefs as it relates to our thoughts about food can hinder us from living life effectively.
Here are 7 foods that are generally unhealthy — although most people can eat them in moderation or special occasions without any permanent damage to their health.
- White bread
- Pastries, cookies, and cakes
- French fries and potato chips
- Candy bars
- Most pizzas
- Ice cream
- Most fast food meals
Though the Western diet packs plenty of junk food, you can maintain a healthy diet if you steer clear from the processed, high sugar items. As your life management coach, I’m trying to help you.
When you choose to focus on whole foods, you’ll be well on your way to feeling better and reclaiming your health.
Additionally, practicing mindfulness when you eat by listening to your body’s cues and paying attention to flavors and textures, can help you be more aware of how much and what you eat, allowing you to achieve a better relationship with food.
When it comes to the food you’re putting in your body remind yourself on a continuous basis, health is wealth .
If you are in the Dallas / Fort Worth area, I personally invite you to our May Fitness in the Park Meetup, Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday, May 29 at 8:00 a.m. We'll be back at River Legacy Park in Arlington, TX. We'll have fitness activities, a mini fitness workshop, and a scavenger hunt. This is a great opportunity to reconnect with the Effective Living Crew. We are limiting the number of participants and slots are filling up. Be sure to register today HERE.
May 3, 2021
Mental Abuse is Real
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been thinking about the fact that there are so many people who have been mentally abused. It blows my mind. I’ve come to realize, mental abuse is meant to undermine your self-esteem and make you feel worse about yourself. It is also a form of manipulation and control. The effects of mental abuse are just as detrimental as the effects of physical abuse.
This week, I want to focus on this subject that cannot be overlooked on your journey to living life effectively. If you are being mentally or emotionally abused, trust your instincts. Know it isn’t right and you don’t have to live that way.
In my studies, I have discovered, someone who has been mentally abused will:
⁃ Constantly apologize
⁃ Need a lot of reassurance
⁃ Break down over small disagreements, thinking things will explode
⁃ Hide their feelings in order to not upset you
⁃ Have low self-esteem.
It is very difficult to not only recognize mental abuse but to also have the courage to confront it. You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do, to make sure you can take care of yourself. If you know someone being mentally abused, offer to get them help.
It is super important you understand, emotional and mental abuse takes a toll on someone’s health and life in general. I believe we need to look out for one another. Life is hard and suicide is real.
Everyone deserves happiness. If someone around you makes life challenging, consider somewhere down the road they are on, someone wasn’t nice to them either. Again, mental abuse is just as real as physical abuse and needs to be treated just as serious for it to heal.
You’ll never know someone else's pain unless you've been in their situation, so always be kind. You could be sitting next to a person who has lost everything or someone who has been physically, sexually, and mentally abused. No matter what happens, be good to one another.
If there is someone around you who has been – or is currently being – mentally abused, please be patient with them. They might exhibit some negative traits, it's okay. Healing is a process. It takes time.
If you have a message and you're ready to share it, but need help developing your platform, I invite you to join me for my Speak Boldly webinar. You can be anywhere in the world and attend. You can find out more information HERE.
For those of you in the greater Dallas / Fort Worth area reading this blog, I would love for you to join me Memorial Day Weekend for a special Health and Fitness meetup fun day in the park. Find out more information HERE.
This week, I want to focus on this subject that cannot be overlooked on your journey to living life effectively. If you are being mentally or emotionally abused, trust your instincts. Know it isn’t right and you don’t have to live that way.
In my studies, I have discovered, someone who has been mentally abused will:
⁃ Constantly apologize
⁃ Need a lot of reassurance
⁃ Break down over small disagreements, thinking things will explode
⁃ Hide their feelings in order to not upset you
⁃ Have low self-esteem.
It is very difficult to not only recognize mental abuse but to also have the courage to confront it. You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do, to make sure you can take care of yourself. If you know someone being mentally abused, offer to get them help.
It is super important you understand, emotional and mental abuse takes a toll on someone’s health and life in general. I believe we need to look out for one another. Life is hard and suicide is real.
Everyone deserves happiness. If someone around you makes life challenging, consider somewhere down the road they are on, someone wasn’t nice to them either. Again, mental abuse is just as real as physical abuse and needs to be treated just as serious for it to heal.
You’ll never know someone else's pain unless you've been in their situation, so always be kind. You could be sitting next to a person who has lost everything or someone who has been physically, sexually, and mentally abused. No matter what happens, be good to one another.
If there is someone around you who has been – or is currently being – mentally abused, please be patient with them. They might exhibit some negative traits, it's okay. Healing is a process. It takes time.
If you have a message and you're ready to share it, but need help developing your platform, I invite you to join me for my Speak Boldly webinar. You can be anywhere in the world and attend. You can find out more information HERE.
For those of you in the greater Dallas / Fort Worth area reading this blog, I would love for you to join me Memorial Day Weekend for a special Health and Fitness meetup fun day in the park. Find out more information HERE.
April 26, 2021
You Created MOST of Your Problems
Don’t complicate life. Life is actually very straightforward. Ups and downs happen to everyone. We all experience pain, hardship, grief and suffering. You have to learn to take things in stride.
Again, don’t complicate life, my friend. Don’t create problems that aren’t there in the first place. Live simply. There’s no need for excesses. As you read this week’s blog, don’t overthink.
Life can take many turns. Things don’t always go the way we’d like, which can be a good thing. Problems come up left and right…or do they? What is a problem, really? Do we have as many problems as we think we do, or do we complicate life by thinking something is wrong?
In reality, your attitude determines whether you have a problem and how big it is. It’s how you evaluate a situation that makes it a problem, or that turns a challenge into a threat.
When you don't give yourself to the actual things you were created to do, you will spend most of your life solving the problems that emerge from doing the things that you weren't supposed to do in the first place.
Live your life in accordance with your purpose. If you’re honest with yourself, you will accept the fact that…
….you have created most of your problems. The truth hurts, so we try to avoid it. Most of our problems are created by the mind.
Life would be much simpler if you could turn off the mind when it's not needed and use it without attacking your identity.
This is a reminder that 90% of the problems you face in life, are created from your own actions. From this day forward, take responsibility and face your life head on and own it.
Don't blame others for every difficulty you face, as that difficulty is most likely your own doing. If you accept things for the way they are, you’ll be able to take advantage of the opportunities for learning and growth they provide. Acceptance is one solution to adversity, to adapt and start anew, when there’s no other way to innovate or when the price for any alternative is too high.
Whether or not you like it, want it, or are prepared for it, adversity will cross your path at some point. You’ll have a lot of questions when that time comes. The most important question to ask is: what are you going to do next and how will you incorporate what you learn in the future?
In other words, are you going to let the situation become a problem, or will it be another opportunity for learning and growth?
“I do not fix problems. I fix my thinking. Then problems fix themselves.” - Louise Hay
I would love to help you on your journey to living life effectively through my coaching programs. We offer one-on-one coaching and group coaching, both at competitive pricing. Learn more here on the website.
You are also invited to join me and the Effective Living Crew for the May Fitness in the Park Meetup. The meetup will be Saturday, May 29 and we'll be back at River Legacy Park in Arlington, TX. This event is strictly limited to 48 people - and spaces are filling up. Find out more information and register TODAY.
Again, don’t complicate life, my friend. Don’t create problems that aren’t there in the first place. Live simply. There’s no need for excesses. As you read this week’s blog, don’t overthink.
Life can take many turns. Things don’t always go the way we’d like, which can be a good thing. Problems come up left and right…or do they? What is a problem, really? Do we have as many problems as we think we do, or do we complicate life by thinking something is wrong?
In reality, your attitude determines whether you have a problem and how big it is. It’s how you evaluate a situation that makes it a problem, or that turns a challenge into a threat.
When you don't give yourself to the actual things you were created to do, you will spend most of your life solving the problems that emerge from doing the things that you weren't supposed to do in the first place.
Live your life in accordance with your purpose. If you’re honest with yourself, you will accept the fact that…
….you have created most of your problems. The truth hurts, so we try to avoid it. Most of our problems are created by the mind.
Life would be much simpler if you could turn off the mind when it's not needed and use it without attacking your identity.
This is a reminder that 90% of the problems you face in life, are created from your own actions. From this day forward, take responsibility and face your life head on and own it.
Don't blame others for every difficulty you face, as that difficulty is most likely your own doing. If you accept things for the way they are, you’ll be able to take advantage of the opportunities for learning and growth they provide. Acceptance is one solution to adversity, to adapt and start anew, when there’s no other way to innovate or when the price for any alternative is too high.
Whether or not you like it, want it, or are prepared for it, adversity will cross your path at some point. You’ll have a lot of questions when that time comes. The most important question to ask is: what are you going to do next and how will you incorporate what you learn in the future?
In other words, are you going to let the situation become a problem, or will it be another opportunity for learning and growth?
“I do not fix problems. I fix my thinking. Then problems fix themselves.” - Louise Hay
I would love to help you on your journey to living life effectively through my coaching programs. We offer one-on-one coaching and group coaching, both at competitive pricing. Learn more here on the website.
You are also invited to join me and the Effective Living Crew for the May Fitness in the Park Meetup. The meetup will be Saturday, May 29 and we'll be back at River Legacy Park in Arlington, TX. This event is strictly limited to 48 people - and spaces are filling up. Find out more information and register TODAY.
April 19, 2021
Everyone is Going to Die
Everyone YOU know will eventually die - including YOU.
This this week, I would like for you to think about that statement. The reality is, we all are going to die one day. Unfortunately, we don’t know exactly when that day will be. I am of the belief that it is critically important we live our lives so effectively that we do not need to concern ourselves with death, but to simply focus on living life to the fullest on a daily basis.
“Don’t be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don’t have to live forever, you just have to live.” - Natalie Babbitt
We only live once. But if you live a good life, once is enough. I want you to make a commitment to go hard living your life to the fullest. You have been given another day. Don’t you dare waste it.
Over the years I’ve come to understand there are too many people who are scared of death; so much so that they spend their lives trying to avoid death and as a result they are no longer living. THEY ARE JUST ALIVE!
Don’t allow that to be you. Do be afraid of not fully living while you're alive. Be afraid of not going after your dreams while you're alive.
This week’s blog is a reminder that everyone around you is here for a limited amount of time. The friends you have will fade out, one after the other, unless you are the first one to go.
TOMORROW IS NOT PROMISED TO ANYONE. DEATH HAPPENS AT UNEXPECTED TIMES.
Someone once said, “if you think an alarm woke you up, try setting an alarm next to a dead body.” Today is actually a gift, which is why it is called the present.
You’ve got to learn how to appreciate the gift you’ve been given. At this particular stage of my life, I am on a mission to help people learn how to maximize their days and enjoy their lives.
Something I’ve had to realize and accept is there are no guarantees in life besides death. You have been given 1440 minutes in a day, 168 hours in a week, 365 days in a year.
It’s your responsibility to learn how to use your time wisely in your pursuit to get the most out of your life. Time is the most important thing you have.
If this blog resonates with you, I would love to challenge you to join our Effective Living Group Coaching. Monday to Friday, I’m teaching practical principles to live life effectively. Our private group is a great community of people who are like-minded, on a journey to creating the life we don’t need to take a vacation from. Find out more information on how to join HERE.
You don’t want to live a life of regret, nor find yourself on your death bed never having lived. Let me help you. Stay connected to the Effective Living platform through the blog on this website, our social media pages, including our YouTube channel.
Mark your calendars for our upcoming May Fitness in the Park Meetup event, Saturday, May 29 at 8:00 a.m. This event will be limited to 48 participants. Go ahead and register right away.
This this week, I would like for you to think about that statement. The reality is, we all are going to die one day. Unfortunately, we don’t know exactly when that day will be. I am of the belief that it is critically important we live our lives so effectively that we do not need to concern ourselves with death, but to simply focus on living life to the fullest on a daily basis.
“Don’t be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don’t have to live forever, you just have to live.” - Natalie Babbitt
We only live once. But if you live a good life, once is enough. I want you to make a commitment to go hard living your life to the fullest. You have been given another day. Don’t you dare waste it.
Over the years I’ve come to understand there are too many people who are scared of death; so much so that they spend their lives trying to avoid death and as a result they are no longer living. THEY ARE JUST ALIVE!
Don’t allow that to be you. Do be afraid of not fully living while you're alive. Be afraid of not going after your dreams while you're alive.
This week’s blog is a reminder that everyone around you is here for a limited amount of time. The friends you have will fade out, one after the other, unless you are the first one to go.
TOMORROW IS NOT PROMISED TO ANYONE. DEATH HAPPENS AT UNEXPECTED TIMES.
Someone once said, “if you think an alarm woke you up, try setting an alarm next to a dead body.” Today is actually a gift, which is why it is called the present.
You’ve got to learn how to appreciate the gift you’ve been given. At this particular stage of my life, I am on a mission to help people learn how to maximize their days and enjoy their lives.
Something I’ve had to realize and accept is there are no guarantees in life besides death. You have been given 1440 minutes in a day, 168 hours in a week, 365 days in a year.
It’s your responsibility to learn how to use your time wisely in your pursuit to get the most out of your life. Time is the most important thing you have.
If this blog resonates with you, I would love to challenge you to join our Effective Living Group Coaching. Monday to Friday, I’m teaching practical principles to live life effectively. Our private group is a great community of people who are like-minded, on a journey to creating the life we don’t need to take a vacation from. Find out more information on how to join HERE.
You don’t want to live a life of regret, nor find yourself on your death bed never having lived. Let me help you. Stay connected to the Effective Living platform through the blog on this website, our social media pages, including our YouTube channel.
Mark your calendars for our upcoming May Fitness in the Park Meetup event, Saturday, May 29 at 8:00 a.m. This event will be limited to 48 participants. Go ahead and register right away.
April 12, 2021
We are What We Settle For
Look at your life. Look at every area. Don’t settle.
It is so important you take time to study where you are and what it is that you want in life overall. There are many people living life without the understanding that there is so much more than what they are currently experiencing. Because they have become accustom to settling, they are no longer engaging themselves to level up for a greater level of success in life.
At 45 years old, I’m constantly reminding myself not to settle. The older you get the easier it becomes to settle because most of us are not prepared to do the work necessary for what we could have, if we just decide not to settle.
That’s one of the reasons why I think it is extremely important we live our lives based on vision. Vision is a bigger picture than the present moment. Vision is the ability to see far beyond where you are right now.
Most people settle because of lack of vision or the unwillingness to put in the work to see that vision come to fruition.
In life, you will go as far as you’re willing to keep going. As long as you live, you will never hear truer words.
People settle all the time.
They settle for jobs that make them miserable.
They settle for relationships that are just okay.
They settle for cities were nothing ever happens.
They settle for less than they wish they got.
As a kid growing up in the Bahamas, I always knew there was so much more than what I was experiencing. I’ve come to accept the fact that I was born with something inside of me that refuses settle for average!
For those in my coaching program, I remind them often during our coaching sessions, we do not settle. Our goal is to become the best version of ourselves.
I need you to totally understand that what you want exists. Don’t settle until you get it. If you need my help, join my one-on-one coaching program and let me help you get to where you believe God is wanting you to be. Find out more information and register HERE.
Have you subscribed to my YouTube channel? Be sure to subscribe and turn on the notifications to catch when I go live.
It is so important you take time to study where you are and what it is that you want in life overall. There are many people living life without the understanding that there is so much more than what they are currently experiencing. Because they have become accustom to settling, they are no longer engaging themselves to level up for a greater level of success in life.
At 45 years old, I’m constantly reminding myself not to settle. The older you get the easier it becomes to settle because most of us are not prepared to do the work necessary for what we could have, if we just decide not to settle.
That’s one of the reasons why I think it is extremely important we live our lives based on vision. Vision is a bigger picture than the present moment. Vision is the ability to see far beyond where you are right now.
Most people settle because of lack of vision or the unwillingness to put in the work to see that vision come to fruition.
In life, you will go as far as you’re willing to keep going. As long as you live, you will never hear truer words.
People settle all the time.
They settle for jobs that make them miserable.
They settle for relationships that are just okay.
They settle for cities were nothing ever happens.
They settle for less than they wish they got.
As a kid growing up in the Bahamas, I always knew there was so much more than what I was experiencing. I’ve come to accept the fact that I was born with something inside of me that refuses settle for average!
For those in my coaching program, I remind them often during our coaching sessions, we do not settle. Our goal is to become the best version of ourselves.
I need you to totally understand that what you want exists. Don’t settle until you get it. If you need my help, join my one-on-one coaching program and let me help you get to where you believe God is wanting you to be. Find out more information and register HERE.
Have you subscribed to my YouTube channel? Be sure to subscribe and turn on the notifications to catch when I go live.
April 5, 2021
Easy Choices & Hard Choices
Where are you today in life?
Are you where you want to be?
Are you happy, sad, or maybe indifferent?
Where you are is a direct result of the choices you made up to this point in your life. At the time, some choices might have seemed inconsequential, while others were major life choices. But in the end, all of these choices formed together to create the person you are today and the life you currently live.
As you read this week’s blog, I want you to consider the fact that the first three months of this year are gone. It is necessary to become extremely intentional about the type of choices you’re making to ensure you can live life effectively.
My friend, I want you to know that if you start becoming more aware of your choices, you can change your life. Everyone knows life is all about the freedom of making choices — but only few realize that it's also about taking the responsibility for those choices.
At some point in your life you’ve got to come to the understanding, “the choices I’m making are causing me to have the type of experiences I’m experiencing.” This is the reason why you see some people struggling and others thriving.
YOUR LIFE IS A REFLECTION OF THE CHOICES YOU MAKE.
A few years ago, one of my mentors shared with me, as long as I make the hard choices in life, I will WIN.
I saw this on the Internet and found it to be true:
Easy choices = Hard life.
Hard choices = Easy life.
I think it’s so important we study our choices and start looking for solutions that will bring the type of results we are desiring to have in life.
The right solution is expensive. The wrong solution costs a fortune. Remember, once you make a decision, your life will reflect that decision – good or bad. You must choose.
This might be a hard truth, but it will benefit you in the long run.
As you move forward, I want you to realize, life can be awesome, or it can be terrible. Your choices and attitude are going to make a huge difference in the outcome.
Take some time this week and study your practices as it relates to the choices you’ve been making up to this point.
In my book, Effective Living: Your Guide to Creating the Life You Don't Need to Take a Vacation From , I share, "Success means different things to different people, but true success has only one definition – accomplishing an aim or purpose. It is establishing and maintaining the balance of faith, fitness, family, finances, and fun, all with unlimited peace and satisfaction. By this definition, success is synonymous with effective living." We, in the Effective Living community, are making the choice to take control of our fitness! Make plans to join us and attend our Effective Living 5k Run/Walk on Saturday, April 10, 2021. You can be anywhere in the world and run or walk 3.1 miles. Proceeds from the 5k will benefit our Shoes for Kids campaign, getting shoes to kids in the Bahamas.
Be sure to post your pictures when you run or walk your 3.1 miles!
Are you where you want to be?
Are you happy, sad, or maybe indifferent?
Where you are is a direct result of the choices you made up to this point in your life. At the time, some choices might have seemed inconsequential, while others were major life choices. But in the end, all of these choices formed together to create the person you are today and the life you currently live.
As you read this week’s blog, I want you to consider the fact that the first three months of this year are gone. It is necessary to become extremely intentional about the type of choices you’re making to ensure you can live life effectively.
My friend, I want you to know that if you start becoming more aware of your choices, you can change your life. Everyone knows life is all about the freedom of making choices — but only few realize that it's also about taking the responsibility for those choices.
At some point in your life you’ve got to come to the understanding, “the choices I’m making are causing me to have the type of experiences I’m experiencing.” This is the reason why you see some people struggling and others thriving.
YOUR LIFE IS A REFLECTION OF THE CHOICES YOU MAKE.
A few years ago, one of my mentors shared with me, as long as I make the hard choices in life, I will WIN.
I saw this on the Internet and found it to be true:
Easy choices = Hard life.
Hard choices = Easy life.
I think it’s so important we study our choices and start looking for solutions that will bring the type of results we are desiring to have in life.
The right solution is expensive. The wrong solution costs a fortune. Remember, once you make a decision, your life will reflect that decision – good or bad. You must choose.
This might be a hard truth, but it will benefit you in the long run.
As you move forward, I want you to realize, life can be awesome, or it can be terrible. Your choices and attitude are going to make a huge difference in the outcome.
Take some time this week and study your practices as it relates to the choices you’ve been making up to this point.
In my book, Effective Living: Your Guide to Creating the Life You Don't Need to Take a Vacation From , I share, "Success means different things to different people, but true success has only one definition – accomplishing an aim or purpose. It is establishing and maintaining the balance of faith, fitness, family, finances, and fun, all with unlimited peace and satisfaction. By this definition, success is synonymous with effective living." We, in the Effective Living community, are making the choice to take control of our fitness! Make plans to join us and attend our Effective Living 5k Run/Walk on Saturday, April 10, 2021. You can be anywhere in the world and run or walk 3.1 miles. Proceeds from the 5k will benefit our Shoes for Kids campaign, getting shoes to kids in the Bahamas.
Be sure to post your pictures when you run or walk your 3.1 miles!
March 29, 2021
Live in the Moment
We live in the age of distraction. Yet one of life's sharpest paradoxes is that your brightest future hinges on your ability to pay attention to the present.
Life unfolds in the present, but too often we let the present slip way. Time rushes by unobserved, unseized, and squandered the precious seconds of our lives as we worry about the future and ruminate about what has passed.
If you are planning on living effectively, you have to do things that will remove boredom out of your life. There are certain things you’re doing that is causing you to live a life of boredom.
Here are my tips for how to live in the moment.
1. FOCUS ON THE NOW - In order to live in the moment, you need to focus on the now. Focus on what you’re doing. Turn off the TV. Turn off the computer. Slow down and savor the right now. During this pandemic many people were forced to slow down and focus on the now.
2. PAY ATTENTION TO THE SMALL THINGS - Notice the world around you: the small things. Be thankful for them. Living in the moment and taking notice of the small things will help you cultivate more positive experiences.
Never forget this: True and lasting success comes from how well you "govern" and not how well you "campaign." In other words, it’s how well you manage what you have, rather than how well you reach out for more. It is he who has been faithful with little who shall be given much.
3. SMILE - If we feel happy, we smile. If we smile, it makes us feel happy. Our face communicates our state of mind to others and to ourselves. So, smile — it will make you happier and help you appreciate life in the moment.
Smiling is good for the heart. Laughing is good for the soul. Loving will keep you living, laughing, and smiling.
4. PERFORM RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS - Random acts of kindness, those selfless acts that help others, help you live in the moment, making others smile, and making you smile as well. Random acts of kindness are just that — random. They are spontaneous, in the moment, and a great addition to your daily life.
Let's all do our part and perform a few random acts of kindness this week. Almost any kind deed will do.
5. GIVE THANKS - Be thankful. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? But it isn’t always. It doesn’t have to be Thanksgiving for you to feel grateful and express that gratitude. Every now and then, remember to stop and take stock of just how good you have it.
Be thankful for everything, because everything teaches you something.
6. DON’T WORRY - It’s much harder than it sounds but try to remember that worrying today won’t change what happens tomorrow. Every second you spend worrying about the future is a second of the present wasted.
Pray, hope, and don't worry.
The above tips are things you can do on your journey to living life effectively. I’m an extremely practical guy. The tips I provide weekly here on my blog are designed to help you identify the things you can do as you take control of your life and enjoy every bit of it.
Reading this blog weekly is great. Take another step and join me at the Effective Living Virtual Retreat, April 9-11. There will be 5 workshops, 4 activities in this one weekend, all designed to help you along the journey as you create the life you don’t need to take a vacation from. OR join us for the Effective Living 5k Run/Walk, which you can do anywhere in the world or complete 3.1 miles with me in Arlington, TX on April 10. The retreat and 5k is fast approaching, and limited space is available. Be sure to register today.
Life unfolds in the present, but too often we let the present slip way. Time rushes by unobserved, unseized, and squandered the precious seconds of our lives as we worry about the future and ruminate about what has passed.
If you are planning on living effectively, you have to do things that will remove boredom out of your life. There are certain things you’re doing that is causing you to live a life of boredom.
Here are my tips for how to live in the moment.
1. FOCUS ON THE NOW - In order to live in the moment, you need to focus on the now. Focus on what you’re doing. Turn off the TV. Turn off the computer. Slow down and savor the right now. During this pandemic many people were forced to slow down and focus on the now.
2. PAY ATTENTION TO THE SMALL THINGS - Notice the world around you: the small things. Be thankful for them. Living in the moment and taking notice of the small things will help you cultivate more positive experiences.
Never forget this: True and lasting success comes from how well you "govern" and not how well you "campaign." In other words, it’s how well you manage what you have, rather than how well you reach out for more. It is he who has been faithful with little who shall be given much.
3. SMILE - If we feel happy, we smile. If we smile, it makes us feel happy. Our face communicates our state of mind to others and to ourselves. So, smile — it will make you happier and help you appreciate life in the moment.
Smiling is good for the heart. Laughing is good for the soul. Loving will keep you living, laughing, and smiling.
4. PERFORM RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS - Random acts of kindness, those selfless acts that help others, help you live in the moment, making others smile, and making you smile as well. Random acts of kindness are just that — random. They are spontaneous, in the moment, and a great addition to your daily life.
Let's all do our part and perform a few random acts of kindness this week. Almost any kind deed will do.
5. GIVE THANKS - Be thankful. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? But it isn’t always. It doesn’t have to be Thanksgiving for you to feel grateful and express that gratitude. Every now and then, remember to stop and take stock of just how good you have it.
Be thankful for everything, because everything teaches you something.
6. DON’T WORRY - It’s much harder than it sounds but try to remember that worrying today won’t change what happens tomorrow. Every second you spend worrying about the future is a second of the present wasted.
Pray, hope, and don't worry.
The above tips are things you can do on your journey to living life effectively. I’m an extremely practical guy. The tips I provide weekly here on my blog are designed to help you identify the things you can do as you take control of your life and enjoy every bit of it.
Reading this blog weekly is great. Take another step and join me at the Effective Living Virtual Retreat, April 9-11. There will be 5 workshops, 4 activities in this one weekend, all designed to help you along the journey as you create the life you don’t need to take a vacation from. OR join us for the Effective Living 5k Run/Walk, which you can do anywhere in the world or complete 3.1 miles with me in Arlington, TX on April 10. The retreat and 5k is fast approaching, and limited space is available. Be sure to register today.
March 22, 2021
Pursuing an Effective Living Lifestyle
"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." -Charles R. Swindoll
Most of us go through life feeling like we’re not in control. On your journey to effective living, you have to take control of your life. You cannot allow everything to overtake you to the point you are not structuring your life in a way that is favorable for you and your future.
You will find our time is filled with things we have to do, while our dreams are filled with things we assume we can’t do. Social and financial obligations dictate most of our behavior, while the remainder of our choices are constrained by fear.
Life becomes a series of things that happen to us. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
You can systematically conquer your anxieties and eliminate the external obstacles holding you back. You can take back control. Your life can be yours. You can live life effectively.
We generally change ourselves for one of two reasons: inspiration or desperation. Whenever you can, always aim for inspiration to take massive responsibility of your personal development.
Here are five things a person pursuing an effective living lifestyle should never forget:
1. Nothing is free
2. Respect is earned
3. You will regularly fail
4. You’re entitled to nothing
5. Nobody cares about your problems
Accepting these facts will position you to take control of your life. Start to align yourself with accepting that your choices and decisions are going to make your journey to effective living possible.
Developing a greater urgency can help you make important life decisions, and you will feel less overwhelmed, less stuck, and not lost. This is what you’ve got to do: step up your commitment to making life work for you.
Don’t ever forget, every choice you make is a reflection of why your life is bad or good.
Stop saying you can’t do things unless they’re physically impossible. Instead, say you won’t, or you have other priorities, or you’re not willing to make the effort.
Reflexively saying “can’t” all the time trains us to immediately dismiss every possible course of action that is not obvious nor easy. By removing that word from your mind, you’ll train yourself to genuinely think about whether something can be done, rather than immediately discarding it as impossible.
Life is all about making choices. Always do your best to make the right ones and always do your best to learn from the wrong ones. Taking back control of your life by making your own decisions and your own choices is essential to effective living.
At our upcoming Effective Living Virtual Retreat, we will have workshops that will go deeper, teaching practical ways to live life effectively. Join me, Friday, April 9 to Sunday, April 11. In addition to workshops, we will have activities to provide a retreat experience. Get more information and register today. I want to see you virtually in a few weeks!
March 15, 2021
Commit Yourself to Exercising
We all have obstacles to exercising, whether it is a lack of motivation, a busy schedule, or adopting a harmful "all or nothing" mentality.
Over the years, I have developed a commitment to take care of my body because I understand it is the vehicle God is going to use to fulfill my assignment here on earth.
I do understand working out looks different for everyone and we all have different ways of honoring our commitment to fitness.
On your journey to living life effectively, these five identified obstacles can interfere with your commitment to exercise, but there is a way to overcome them.
1. Waiting to Feel Like Exercising
Even the most devoted fitness enthusiast doesn’t always feel like getting out of bed at 5:30 a.m. for a workout. It isn't the desire to exercise that gets them out of bed, but a combination of habit, discipline, and persistence.
Waiting for the feeling to exercise is a huge mistake.
2. Overdoing It
When we fail at our commitment to exercise, we usually respond from the most emotional part of our brains, the part that says we have to fix this and we have to fix it fast. And how do we fix it? Sometimes we cram all the workouts we missed into a week of punishment and torture.
This sets us up for even more failure.
3. Setting Unrealistic Goals
Yes, it seems like working out diligently and limiting your calories for a week or two should lead to noticeable weight loss.
The reality is usually less than thrilling. Sometimes, nothing much happens (at least externally) except sore muscles and frustration. Sometimes it's even worse – you may actually gain weight. This is usually temporary, but it's still no fun to experience.
4. Making Excuses
We can all come up with tons of reasons to skip exercise and they all seem important. We're too busy, tired, or we really need to clean out the car. Oddly enough, people who exercise have the same issues and obligations, yet they somehow manage to exercise every day. As you read this week’s blog, I want you to identify your excuses and work on to eliminating them.No more excuses.
5. Thinking It Will Be Easy
Buying a machine or a gym membership or even hiring a trainer isn’t magically going to make exercise easier, no matter what those infomercials say. If you want to change your weight, body composition, or health, you will need to work hard.
So you now you are asking the question, what should I do instead? I’m so glad you asked!
Make the decision to exercise. It all starts with a decision.
My decision is to do some sort of exercise Monday to Friday. It has worked well for me, with the goal to intensify my efforts overtime.
Your body is the vehicle God uses to fulfill His assignment here on earth. Decide to do what you’ve got to do to make sure you’re putting in some exercise time on a weekly basis to take care of your God-given body.
There can be no effective living without our bodies. Exercising regularly will help you on your journey to create the life you don’t need to take a vacation from.
“Take care of your body. it's the only place you have to live.” - Jim Rohn
During our Effective Living Virtual Retreat, we will have a 5k run/walk. You can complete the 3.1 miles anywhere Saturday, April 10 OR you can join me in Arlington, TX. The 5k run/walk is not about competition, it's about completion. Join the community as we take care of ourselves. When you register for the 5k run/walk, the proceeds will go towards our Shoes for Kids campaign, which will help us get shoes to the kids in the Bahamas.
Register for the Virtual or In-Person 5k run/walk or better yet, register for the retreat, which includes 5k run/walk registration. Those who participate in the 5k will receive a t-shirt.
Decide to commit!
Over the years, I have developed a commitment to take care of my body because I understand it is the vehicle God is going to use to fulfill my assignment here on earth.
I do understand working out looks different for everyone and we all have different ways of honoring our commitment to fitness.
On your journey to living life effectively, these five identified obstacles can interfere with your commitment to exercise, but there is a way to overcome them.
1. Waiting to Feel Like Exercising
Even the most devoted fitness enthusiast doesn’t always feel like getting out of bed at 5:30 a.m. for a workout. It isn't the desire to exercise that gets them out of bed, but a combination of habit, discipline, and persistence.
Waiting for the feeling to exercise is a huge mistake.
2. Overdoing It
When we fail at our commitment to exercise, we usually respond from the most emotional part of our brains, the part that says we have to fix this and we have to fix it fast. And how do we fix it? Sometimes we cram all the workouts we missed into a week of punishment and torture.
This sets us up for even more failure.
3. Setting Unrealistic Goals
Yes, it seems like working out diligently and limiting your calories for a week or two should lead to noticeable weight loss.
The reality is usually less than thrilling. Sometimes, nothing much happens (at least externally) except sore muscles and frustration. Sometimes it's even worse – you may actually gain weight. This is usually temporary, but it's still no fun to experience.
4. Making Excuses
We can all come up with tons of reasons to skip exercise and they all seem important. We're too busy, tired, or we really need to clean out the car. Oddly enough, people who exercise have the same issues and obligations, yet they somehow manage to exercise every day. As you read this week’s blog, I want you to identify your excuses and work on to eliminating them.No more excuses.
5. Thinking It Will Be Easy
Buying a machine or a gym membership or even hiring a trainer isn’t magically going to make exercise easier, no matter what those infomercials say. If you want to change your weight, body composition, or health, you will need to work hard.
So you now you are asking the question, what should I do instead? I’m so glad you asked!
Make the decision to exercise. It all starts with a decision.
My decision is to do some sort of exercise Monday to Friday. It has worked well for me, with the goal to intensify my efforts overtime.
Your body is the vehicle God uses to fulfill His assignment here on earth. Decide to do what you’ve got to do to make sure you’re putting in some exercise time on a weekly basis to take care of your God-given body.
There can be no effective living without our bodies. Exercising regularly will help you on your journey to create the life you don’t need to take a vacation from.
“Take care of your body. it's the only place you have to live.” - Jim Rohn
During our Effective Living Virtual Retreat, we will have a 5k run/walk. You can complete the 3.1 miles anywhere Saturday, April 10 OR you can join me in Arlington, TX. The 5k run/walk is not about competition, it's about completion. Join the community as we take care of ourselves. When you register for the 5k run/walk, the proceeds will go towards our Shoes for Kids campaign, which will help us get shoes to the kids in the Bahamas.
Register for the Virtual or In-Person 5k run/walk or better yet, register for the retreat, which includes 5k run/walk registration. Those who participate in the 5k will receive a t-shirt.
Decide to commit!
