Blogs

  • Choosing Your Role: Family Dynamics

    Being biologically related to or a close friend to a new baby born into the family does not guarantee a close relationship with that baby. It’s up to the individual to choose how involved they want to be in that child’s life and to cultivate a relationship with them. Some people may choose to play a more active role in the child’s life, while others may not have as close of a relationship.

    I’ve always known this, but after having a baby of my own, I have really realized that. I’m still surprised by those who have already come to meet our baby and have shown support, as well as those who call or FaceTime me now way more than usual, just to see the baby and have a relationship with her. Since I don’t live near many family or friends, it takes more effort to build those relationships with the baby. It really makes you appreciate those who choose to make an effort. It also makes me take a look at myself and make sure I am making an effort to show my love and support to other’s children as well as make it a point to build a relationship with them.

    Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what type of relationship you’d like to have with a child. Just make sure you’re happy with whatever relationship you do choose to have.

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  • Consistency for 100 Days

    Today marks the 100th consecutive day that I have written and posted a blog. It seems like day one was just yesterday. Time flies when you’re having fun.

    Posting consistently for 100 days has taught me a lot of things about myself. It has shown me that I can be consistent whenever I choose to be. It shows that I am disciplined and can stick to a routine or habit for a long period of time. It shows that I am goal-oriented. I set a goal to post every day, and that’s exactly what I am doing. It shows that I am responsible. I am responsible for my actions, and I hold myself accountable. It shows that I am determined. No matter how my day goes, I know I have enough perseverance to write a blog post.

    This 100-day streak shows me a lot of positive qualities about myself. I will use these qualities in other areas of my life as well to help me achieve success. I encourage you to commit to do something every day. You’ll learn about your character and habits, and ultimately become a better person. 100 days down. Many more to go.

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  • Frustration to Positive Change

    It’s good to be bothered at times. Being bothered can be the catalyst for change, whether it’s from our own actions, or the actions of others. When we are bothered, it can motivate us to make positive changes in our lives. It can also motivate us to address issues with others and work towards a change.

    Embrace being bothered, then make the changes in life that will lead to you being unbothered and to positivity.

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  • Prioritizing your energy

    We all have a limited amount of energy, whether it’s physical, mental, or emotional, and it’s important to use it wisely on the things that matter most to us.

    I’ve really realized this lately because I have a newborn baby. Naturally, I haven’t been getting the same amount of sleep as I used to, and I have to give a lot of my energy to my baby. Same goes to my wife, who is breastfeeding. Breastfeeding can take a lot of energy from a mother’s body. This has been eye opening, and it really made me reflect on how I’ve always used my energy.

    I now have to really make an effort to prioritize my energy. I try to prioritize my time and energy towards my goals, values, and relationships that are most valuable to me, and avoiding time-wasting activities or negative situations that drain my energy. That is something that we all must do.

    By using our energy wisely, we can achieve more and feel more fulfilled. This can lead to a more balanced and meaningful life.

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  • Power of Positive Language

    In high school, I had a football coach who would often say that I wasn’t good at catching the football. I had been playing football for about 10 years at the time, and never had a problem catching the ball, so I knew he was wrong.

    He would say it so often and with so much confidence that my other teammates would start to believe him. Next, I started to believe him. I didn’t want the ball thrown to me because I was afraid I would drop the ball. Sometimes I would drop the ball when it was thrown to me, and he would pretty much say “I told you so”. That season I became strictly a running back. If the ball wasn’t handed to me, I wasn’t getting it.

    The following year I got a new coach who would tell me that I can catch the ball. Not only did he tell me I could catch, he told me that I had to. He would draw up plays that were meant for me to catch passes. I thought he was crazy at first. I then began to realize that he was right. I could catch the football. This gave me the confidence I needed.

    That season I caught a lot of passes. I even had a highlight on the news after one game of me catching a pass with one hand. Me catching the ball that year was very crucial for the success of our team. It all started with my coach saying that I could do it.

    The words and opinions of others can have a significant impact on our confidence and self-esteem. It’s important to be mindful of what we say to others and how we receive feedback from them. Negative or critical words can lead to self-doubt and a lack of confidence, while positive and supportive words can inspire and uplift us.

    It’s important to surround ourselves with people who encourage and support us, and to be mindful of the impact our words can have on others. There is a way to critique others. If you do chose to give criticism, try to give that person a solution or optimism that they can improve. Don’t just put them down and leave it at that.

    Speak positivity in other’s life. Your words have the power to either make or break them.

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  • Productivity with Naysayers

    While it’s important to surround ourselves with positive and supportive people, having a few haters or naysayers or skeptics around can also be beneficial. They can help us see our blind spots, challenge our assumptions, and offer different perspectives that we may not have considered before.

    They may not be right at times, but they will still keep you on your toes. You can also use them as motivation to prove them wrong. You just have to make sure it’s a balance between constructive criticism and negativity. Too much negativity and criticism can be be harmful and demotivating. So if you feel like that is the case with some people around you, maybe you shouldn’t be around them at all.

    Having naysayers is just part of the process. They’ll show you if you really believe in yourself or not. One or two bad comments can’t detract you from your goals and self worth. You can learn from negativity just as much as you can learn from positivity, so it’s key to keep an open mind and a willingness to learn and grow from anyone. Even your haters.

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  • The Freedom in Pursuing Your Passions

    Your life plans and goals are unique to you and don’t always necessarily have to make sense to others. They may not see your vision, or know you well enough to know what you want and need in life. You may be doing something in life right now that doesn’t make sense on the outside looking in, but that’s ok as long as it’s leading you to your purpose and happiness.

    Sometimes people will not see the vision until it’s all said and done. It’s important to set personal goals that align with your values and aspirations, regardless of what others may think. It is your life, after all.

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  • Get back on track

    It’s crazy how you can gradually lose focus over time and not really realize when it’s happening. It doesn’t always have to be a drastic change. You may slowly drift away and lose focus and direction in life.

    It’s good to take a step back and reassess your goals and values. This can help you regain clarity and purpose and allow you to move forward with a renewed sense of direction. It’s easy to realize that you’ve fell of the wagon, then stop caring completely and continue to do the things that are counterproductive to what you want for yourself.

    It’s important to check in regularly with yourself to make sure that you are staying true to your goals, values, and priorities. If you haven’t been doing that, that’s ok. You just have to make the adjustments that are needed and aim to do better the next time around.

    I think a lot of times when we are not happy, losing focus could be part of the reason. Stay on track towards your goals and everything else that could lead to happiness and purpose in your life. Get back on track, if needed. It’s possible.

  • Habitual Mindset Shifts

    When you do something repeatedly, it becomes second nature to you. It becomes easier and more automatic for you to do. Once you realize that, anything becomes possible.

    You can create great habits or learn something new just by doing it consistently over time. Thats how I’ve managed to teach myself a lot of things. It has also helped me do things with no effort just as exercise everyday. Bad habits can also become second nature too, so you have to watch out for those things too.

    Everything that we do is a choice. Choose to do the things that you think leads you to happiness and success, and keep doing them over and over. Eventually it will become second nature and the rewards from your good habits will come.

  • Embrace the Unknown

    A lot of times we have ideas or new things that we would like to do in life, but the uncertainty of the outcome makes us hesitant to pursue it. The only way to know what will come from a situation is to “just do it” (no Nike).

    No matter the situation, I think that if you take that chance and try and do whatever it is that you have in mind, only good can come from it. It can lead to more opportunities that you didn’t know were there, new relationships, or even you learning more about yourself.

    I hate that “what if?” feeling. I gotta see everything through. To me, not doing something that you really want to do, and having that “what if?” thought is worse than trying something new and it not turning out like you expected. At least you tried.

    You have more control of your destiny when you are a doer. By not trying, we can miss out on something that is great. So if you feel unsure about trying something new, it’s worth taking the chance and seeing what happens. You never know what blessings it could lead to.

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