Marcus Lopes's Blog, page 7

Reminder: Do Not Wait

I’m not sure if it’s because I turned fifty in August 2023, but I’m thinking more and reflecting more about life—what I’m doing, where I am, and where I want to go. And with another birthday looming less than three weeks away, I’m feeling a renewed sense of urgency. To do IT now. Write. Run a marathon. Take a cake decorating class. Go kayaking. It doesn’t matter what the IT is. The important thing is this: do not wait.

Life is Short

It’s easier to keep showing up to a job you don’t really like t...

The Art of Happiness

Recently, I’ve been rereading Brendon Burchard’s High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become that Way. It’s a fitting read as I work to figure out (again) what it is I want in life. How do I spend more time doing what I love? Where do I want to be twelve months from now? Five years from now? As I reread Burchard’s book, I realize I’m not only working to become—for myself—one of those extraordinary people doing extraordinary things. I’m really just trying to figure out the art of hap...

Expect More from Yourself

When you woke up this morning, did you expect something great from yourself? Were you able to say to yourself, ‘I will make this day great,’ and make something great happen? In a world where we’re expected to be on and available 24/7, it’s easy to get lost—pulled away from what matters. I know. It happened to me. It’s still happening. But when you’re chasing greatness, you must expect more from yourself.

Avoiding the Status Quo Free with Kindle Unlimited

I know that twelve months from now I don’...

The Frying Pan or the Fire?

If I didn’t know, really know, before that change was hard, I do now. And as I’m on this change journey, it is showing me what I’m capable of and, equally, where I struggle. I’m spending more time reflecting on what it is I want, really want, before deciding on a particular course of action. Because there is always a choice, one between the frying pan or the fire.

Take the Long View

As you may know already, it was back in April that I decided that something needed to change. I needed to change, ...

When the Going Gets Tough

Growing up, I often heard the expression, ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going.’ And I’d forgotten that it was also a Billy Ocean song. Still, when I was younger, I had a vague sense of what it meant. But now, as I work to bring meaningful change to my life, the meaning behind the saying has more power. It is a reminder that when life becomes difficult, those who are strong work harder to meet the challenge. But let me be honest: lately, I’ve discovered just how weak I am.

You Can’t W...

When Life Speaks

Lately, it’s been a bit of a struggle. The moment I feel like I’m starting to make progress, something happens to stunt my momentum. Working overnights, I’m not strong enough, not yet anyway, to push through the tiredness. I’m not a machine, so when I’m tired, it’s harder to stay focused to write. I make progress on better managing distractions only to end up slipping back into bad habits. Working to change myself and my life, it’s frustrating when things don’t go as planned. Yet it is when I am...

You Can Do It

You’ve signed up for a 5K race but are just at the beginning of your running journey. After a lot self-reflection, you realize it’s time to sit down and start writing that book. Many people have thanked you for your advice and help, and encouraged you to start your own business. Now you know it’s time to take the leap. In all those endeavours, there’s still doubt about whether you’re good enough or worthy enough. Let me tell you this: you can do it.

You’re Not Crazy

After signing up for the Toro...

Keep Showing Up

The other day I was listening to the album produced by Fearless Motivation titled, 10% Human 90%^ Beast, when one of the tracks offered a powerful message: keep showing up. When you’re chasing your dream and you don’t see the results, when you’re tired, when you’re not sure that you’ll ever cross the finish line, you must keep showing up.

Writing into the Void

When I decided to act like a writer and not simply talk about being one, it meant I had to submit my work for publication. Back in the da...

Step into Your ‘Why’

When I opted for sobriety in January 2018, I knew why that option was best for me. For most of my adult life I have had difficulty falling and staying asleep. And that was only compounded when I started working as a flight attendant. And when I was struggling to sleep and always waking up tired, it was hard to stay focused. Everything took a hit—my writing productivity, my running, and my overall sense of joy for life. Sobriety was a way to turn those things around. And to be successful with any...

It’s Not Always Easy

Over the past couple of years, I’ve noticed that it’s been ‘harder’ to write. Not the act of writing itself, but sitting down to write. There have been more distractions, more things that I’ve let get in the way. There are periods when I can focus consistently, making progress on a novel. Other times, anything and everything pulls me away. It’s not always easy, but I’m working to get back the discipline I once had.

The Choices We Make

Over the past twelve months or so, I’ve been reading a lot of...