ImNoBetterThanU

     So I realize that I have not posted anything to my blog in a very long time. Well, as you all know life gets in the way and the last few weeks/months I have just not been feeling like doing much of anything above and beyond just being. My next few posts are not original material, but I just thought I would share the information and maybe it will help or motivate someone.       Exercise is about more than keeping in shape. It also can help with your emotional and mental health. Exercise can help you improve your self-esteem, keep your mind off problems, and give you a sense of control. In general, people who are fit have less  anxiety ,  depression , and stress than people who are not active.      Research suggests that exercise can help specific mental health problems. Exercise may help prevent depression from coming back ( relapse ) and improve symptoms of mild depression. footnote 1 Be safe while you exerci...

     Believing, caring, encouragement, kindness, etc.      These aforementioned actions can change the world! Do you not believe me?Have you ever complimented someone to see them immediately light up with joy and gratitude? What if we were more consistent in this. Using our words to build up rather than tear down?      I would love if anyone reading this would commit to a 30 day challenge. Heck even just do it the remaining nine days of January and tell me what you see.      Keep in mind you are encouraged and welcome to go far above and beyond what I ask of you. However, if you choose you can start small as I lay out in the forthcoming sentences.     Choose one individual and tell them something encouraging everyday. This can be in person, via text, through a phone call, Hangout (or Facetime or Skype), or however you choose. Again if you choose more than one person, go for it! Or if you choose to enc...

     So earlier today as I was checking out my feed on Google+ I ran across someone using Matthew 6:3 - 4  to be what I felt was condemning to Christians for participating in the ice bucket challenge for ALS. It also had a link attached to a blog pointing out all the things the organization does to "violate Biblical ethics".      Now I agree that it is good to educate others on practices that may not align with your values and belief system, but at the same time this challenge has raised a lot of awareness and I would bet raised millions of dollars for a disease I have had ties to in my past. There is no known cure and it always  leads to death. Family members have to watch their loved ones deteriorate physically while their mental awareness remains intact. It is a horrible disease.      I am sure not everyone will agree with my opinion on the matter, but I think we need to be careful of being so judgmental and unwilling to do b...

     Some of you know I was never truly a distance runner, but a couple years ago I was approached to train for and run a half-marathon to raise money for A21  and all proceeds we raised would go to fight human trafficking. After not only hearing of the atrocities involved with human trafficking and sex slaves throughout the world, but actually meeting girls who had been rescued from such a horrific life I was all in. Thus began months of difficult training. When I first began I went to the local high school to begin my training...it was humiliating. I honestly could not run a lap which in case you are unaware is a quarter-mile. Additionally, in case you are unaware a half-marathon is 13.1 miles! Clearly I had a lot of work ahead of me which would require diligence and patience. Fast forward a few months and I completed the half-marathon (albeit running ten miles and walking out the last three due to inadequate stretching of my IT b...

I feel like that is what God is wanting me to do these days. He has been doing such an amazing work in my heart over the last month. For several months now he has been telling me to be a better steward. Not only of my finances, but of everything He has blessed me with. My job, time, friends, family, health, etc. I feel that I have been doing a great job of being a better steward in all areas...but we all know God will allow trials to enter our lives in order to stretch us as individuals and make us more mature in the physical realm as well as the spiritual. Well, Friday July 30th my income dropped over $12,000.00 year. This is a significant amount of my net income. This happening at a time when my insurance renewal is due, vehicle maintenance is rapidly approaching, the need for new tires seem to be on the horizon, and that is just expenses related to my car! Needless to say, this is one of those trials. It was extremely discouraging initially, but...

I am truly amazed when I am out and about in public. Whether it be work, the grocery store, a restaurant, and even church *gasp* (yes even at church)...one common occurrence that I witness is someone complaining about something. They may be on the phone going off to the mystery human on the other line; or even just bantering to another individual near them. Either way I am truly amazed that out of everything we have in this country that there is so much to complain about. A country where our homeless live better than many people in third world countries.  I challenge anyone reading this...from this day on...take the opportunity to focus on the positive things in your life. The blessings that have been given to you. If you need to stop and look around at nature...it is soothing, relaxing, and can really allow for you to acknowledge some of the great things we have in life. If you apply your attention prosaically on a daily basis you will find things begin to look up for you. Once you re...

Well, here we are. My first blogoversary! I figured with this I should begin writing again. It has been far too long since I have regularly posted entries in here.  Well the last year was definitely filled with all kinds of change, adversity, etc.  January:  at the time I began writing in this blog I was just coming out of a state of pretty severe depression that was a result of a time in my life of obfuscation. I had never experienced depression before (whereas I am a predominantly happy go lucky kind of person) so it took me a while to even figure out what was wrong within myself. During that time I also began consistently experiencing migraine headaches that would last days. It was what some would call a low-point in my life. The turn around began when I flew into Texas for the holidays. I was able to visit my mother and sister and try to get my thoughts worked out. It worked...I went back to my home in Virginia after the holidays with a new sense of motivation.  February:  I decide...

If we took the time to sit and count our blessings; just how long would that take us?  It would take hours...possibly even days. You disagree? Well you should try it. You have life, family, friends, your computer and Internet connection you are using to read this, the power used to power that computer, talents, skills (like the ability to read you are currently using)...get the picture?  I challenge you all to begin that list. You will not complete it in one sitting but at least initiate the process. Next, I would like for you to rate some of those blessings. Now take the top five (or more) and when you wake up in the morning be grateful for those things. Thank God for those blessings (or just be grateful if a non-believer). You will be amazed at how your day will start off on a positive track. If you make this a habit you will find that you will begin to be more grateful on a more consistent basis throughout each and every day.  Then as you begin to share your blessings with others yo...

I want to challenge you all today to make yourself aware of your surroundings. No I am not tripping on acid; just stay with me here. Really tune in and focus on everyone around you today. Keep track of how many excuses are made by individuals. Maybe a co-worker was late to work, maybe your spouse forgot to run an errand for you, or maybe you did not go to the gym (again) and make excuses for your self. The possibilities are endless as I am sure you can imagine. Anyway...my point is this; I think we will all realize (and further affirm) that excuses are abundant in our lives. How we got to this point with such a lack of accountability is beyond me. It is like the old saying about the frog. Throw him in boiling water and he will fight and jump to get out. Put him in cool water and slowly turn up the heat he will swim around gleefully until well done. I think this is how our society has gotten to where it is because the change has been so gradual over several decades. I digress... What we...

to make a difference in this world. At what point did our society begin to believe that it was so difficult? The smallest things can make the biggest impact in our world. There is a story from someone I know about how a flight had been overbooked and the employee of the airlines responsible for getting everyone taken care of was positive, nice, and encouraging to everyone. Evidentially, once on the plane he was helping an elderly woman to her seat and once he had done so the back of the cabin erupted in applause. At that point a gentleman sitting in first class then stood up commending the young man and telling him that he was not paid enough and that he should be in management for the airlines. Now you want to know what he did that made everyone so happy? Do you want to know the secret? He was kind and joyful. Yes that is it. He was simply doing his job but being kind and joyful while doing so. That is all it takes. I believe that we all underestimate our powers as human beings. We ar...

I know that many of you continue to believe that doing a little bit on your end does not make a difference on a larger scale. Well, I am here to tell you, it is this way of thinking in our (American) society that is keeping us from making a positive impact at the high levels we are capable of in this nation. I think this mya help some of you stuck in this archaic way of thinking. Visit CarbonRally.com this site makes, making a difference fun, challenging, and turns it into a game. I love their motto as well which is "Small Actions. Big impact." Anyway, go check it out and begin doing your part to make a difference. Thank you.