It's cold, so what?

I know it has been awhile since I have posted anything but I wanted to share a story about something that happened to me this afternoon. 

"Question: is this one of those 'Once Upon a Time/ I should go make some popcorn' stories? OR, one of those 'inspirational/ ending with a quote from a celebrity that I have never heard of' stories?" 

Eat all the Smartfood® you want, it won't help! 

So I was on my way home this afternoon I stopped to get gas...

"Dude! Your gas, really? Spare us bro, that shit's GROSS!!"

Um, gas as in gasoline?

"... Go on." 

The attendant was overly talkative and the topic of (surprise, surprise) the weather came up. I  advertently asked my new friend of his ethnicity to which he replied; "Turkish". I value your time so I won't bore you with the details of our conversation but he said something that stuck with me for the rest of my way home. 

"I come from a place that doesn't offer much." He said.  "We had nothing and we were happy with it. Coming to a place like Canada, that offers everything?! I am now over joyed with everyday that I am given. So it's cold, so what? Your transaction didn't decline, you should rejoice my friend!" 

His choice of words, for whatever reason he felt comfortable enough to share them with me, changed my entire line of thinking for the rest of my drive.  

"Oh I get it! This is a 'go see my new friend so I can get free gas' story!?"

No, my comedic vexatious friend. My intention for sharing this interaction is this; I challenge you all to start being more grateful and appreciative for things that you have grown to over look.  

"Challenged excepted! But I gotta tell you though... Not your best story bro!" 

I'm not your bro and even if it wasn't a popcorn popping cinematic adventure, remember this story the next time you cuss that device that connects you to the Internet over its processing speeds. I'm sure there are a few children slaving away in a third world country that would love the opportunity to Tweet about their current working conditions. 

Now if you will excuse me... In the words of my celebrity friend that you probably have never heard of,

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

- John F. Kennedy

Change is a good thing!

Have you ever been lost? 

"Is the Pope Catholic?! I get lost all the time!"

I didn't mean geographically lost. I meant physiologically. Have you ever reflected about your purpose in life? If you were on the right path in your own life? Or, if you have ever made a difference in someone elses?

Have you dreamt into the future to come out wondering about the challenges that lay ahead? Experienced something so frustrating that left yourself asking "what's the point?".

Life is full of challenges. Champions take them on, one at a time, without the fear of failure, to build their legacy. Others let fear win and die in comfort. 

The only consistency throughout our lives is change. Change is inevitable. It is difficult and it is challenging. Change is terrifying but it is something that even the fastest cannot out run. 

Trying to avoid the inevitable will leave you feeling lost and I have yet to find a GSP with the proper coordinates to happiness. 

"What about those people who are still struggling to find happiness, where do we go?" 

Happiness will never be found (If you're looking for it, stop!). Happiness is a choice. It is having the ability to stand up to those difficult questions that you ask yourself and finding the courage to face whatever answers you may find. Happiness comes from the way you choose to live your life! 

Call my bluff?! 

If you choose to live your life "to the fullest" by simply doing what makes YOU "happy" in that moment... You will drown in a sea of difficult questions lost with confusion and sorrow. Excepting the challenge of change and breaking the fear of complacency will allow your mind to become open to interpretation. 

"And, if I choose against managing an open mind?"

To be honest I'm amazed that you have a mind at all. However, this is my opinion: those of you feeling lost and alone are wasting your lives by dwelling over the inevitable... 

Change is a good thing! Embrace it and have a "Happy" New Year...

So in the words of my good friend Leo Tolstoy: 

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing themselves.” 

The future is delicious, embrace it.

Your alarm goes off two hours before it normally does and you are left with two choices...

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Are we really going to sit here and ignore the fact that you've been MIA for like 6 years?!?!" 

You should stop living in the past. The future is delicious, embrace it. 

"Point proven, carry on..."

You can either: 

1) Hit snooze and stay the same. 

2) Keep the promise you made to yourself, get up and be one step closer in creating the new you... 

At the end of the day you're only cheating yourself. 

In the words of my good friend Kai Greene:

"If you want it bad enough.. You'll rest between blinks. We got work to do."

What's the Point?

So in the words of my good friend Barack Obama: 

"We need to steer clear of this poverty of ambition, where people want to drive fancy cars and wear nice clothes and live in nice apartments but don't want to work hard to accomplish these things. Everyone should try to realize their full potential." 

Ten Random Motivational Quotes You Probably Don't Have Time For

10. The only guarantee you'll find in life is that life is not guaranteed. 

9. You'll get back whatever you give so for shit sakes, be generous. 

8. Never judge a book by its movie.

7. People will always care more about their dogs health than their own.

6. Your body is the best investment you'll ever make.

5. The biggest compliment you can offer someone is your time.

4. If you don't have time, make time!

3. Don't overthink things. Simplicity can be beautiful!

2. Keep an open mind. Perceptions are your only reality. 

And last but not least....

1. Your work ethic will determine how successful you will become. Success doesn't give a shit about what you "deserve".

So in the words of my good friend Tim Notke:

"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard".

What is success?

"Well, according to the Dictionary; SUCCESS (noun)

1. the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; the accomplishment of one's goals.

2. the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like.

3. a performance or achievement that is marked by success, as by the attainment of honors: The play was an instant success."

It was more of a rhetorical question, but thanks for that.

Achieving success is simple, it's our interpretation of the meaning the makes it so complicated. Anyone can have a successful relationship, career or hobby. We just have to stop searching for it. 

"Well I don't think too many people want to play 'Hide-N-Go-Seek' with their career, it just sort of happens"

See, that's my point; success isn't found, it's created! 

To be successful in any aspect of life, YOU must be willing to change YOURSELF! Only then will the people around you chose to adapt or, subside to the lifestyle that you have CHOSEN to CREATE for you and your loved ones. 

So in the words of my good friend Gandhi: 

"Be the change you wish to see in the world" 

How to Lose 52 Pounds In One Year

"This better not be one of those advertising gimmicks"

No gimmicks Mr. Miserable, just simple math. 

"I'm terrible with numbers"

Most people are, that's why you leave the complicated things up to the professionals.

"Well then pro, how the hell is math going to help me lose 50 plus pounds in one year?"

Ah, just the segue I was looking for, thanks for asking...

Losing weight is a simple process, really. It's the false promises on magazine covers and dysfunctional celebrities that make you complicate things. 

Call My Bluff?

A regular person consumes an average of 2,000 calories a day. Studies prove that 1 lbs of body fat is equal to 3,500 calories. By burning 500 calories more than your daily intake each day you will ultimately lose an average of 1 lbs a week. With 52 weeks in a calendar year, you'll have no choice but to be "50 plus pounds" lighter a years after you start!

You don't even need to ever step foot in a gym, here's a couple examples of sweaty activities that can help you start dropping LBS:

• Walking
• House cleaning
• Cutting Sugar out of your diet
• Sex
• Masterbation 
• Mowing the lawn
• Sports (playing, not watching)
• Smiling
• Sleeping (6-8 hrs daily) 
• Yoga
• Standing
• Light Exercises (for 30mins, 3 times a week)
• Chewing on (clean) foods...

"Alright, alright I get the point!"

Great! So in the words of my good friend Fouad Abiad (@TheFouadAbiad):

"Sacrifice Without Regret"