Tag: .net blogs

Motivation

You cannot retire from your gift

bhillay

A bird never retires from flying. A fish never retires from swimming. You’ll never retire from your gifts.

Me being good at football was never my gift. My gifts helped me be good at football, but I’ll still have them way after playing a sport. We all have God-given gifts within us. You don’t retire from your gifts like you would a job. They are with you forever (or until God says so). You have to choose when and how you use those gifts.

You also have to know that you have gifts to use in the first place. What were you good at as a kid? What came natural to you? What was purposeful for you and brought you happiness? Those gifts are still inside of you, it’s up to you to use them.

Never let a job, a person, or a situation dictate what gifts you have and when you can use them. You’ll have your gifts forever. Use them in whichever way you want, as long as it’s for something positive.

Know your worth. Know your gifts. Use them constantly.

Motivation, Random Thoughts

Start with a walk

bhillay

You might want to begin your fitness journey and don’t know where to start. Start with going on walks. It gives you a good foundation to build on.

A lot of times we get overwhelmed when we see all that we have to do when it comes to achieving a new goal or task. It’s key to break things down into simpler task. They say there is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.

Start with a short walk daily, then gradually increase your walking duration. Then maybe start to walk and jog. Then maybe jog the entire time. It’s just about doing out there and doing something, and then building on that. The small action of going on a walk can give you the right confidence and momentum to achieve your bigger goals, such as weight lifting on the regular or losing weight.

I like to start my day or workout with a walk outside. I think it helps reduce my stress and anxiety. Walking is one of those simple/ enjoyable things that we don’t do as often as we should anymore because we now have a lot of other vehicles to get us around. Nothing beats an old-fashioned walk though.

Rather you’re trying to start your fitness journey, or just want to start your day off on a positive note; start with a walk.

Motivation, Random Thoughts

Everything is Optional

bhillay

Morgan Freeman’s character in the movie “Lean on Me” once said “I don’t have to do nothing but stay black and die”. Nowadays you don’t even really gotta stay Black if you don’t want to. Look at… never mind.

There are times when we feel as if we have to do something, when it’s really a choice. You don’t have to go to work today, you choose to do so. You don’t have to workout today, you choose to do that also. Everything is a choice.

Once you realize that everything that you feel like you have to do on a daily basis is actually a choice, you’ll view things differently, and maybe even appreciate things more.

When you have the mindset that you are choosing to do something, your “why” can help motivate you and keep things in perspective. I don’t have to work today, I choose to work today. Why? Because I want to provide for my family, I like the purpose of my job, I like to make money. Your reason for doing something can vary, but just keep your reason for doing something in mind when you don’t feel like doing that task.

When you feel like you have to do something, it gives a negative connotation towards whatever it is you feel you have to do. When you accept it as you choosing to do something and think of all the positive benefits of whatever you’re choosing to do, things get easier.

Every obligation you feel like you have this week is optional. Make the right choices to help you get to where you’d like to be in the future, and keep your “why” in mind when it’s time to make those choices.

Motivation, Random Thoughts

Location can influence Motivation

bhillay

There might be times when you aren’t as motivated as you’d like to be. Your location could be a big factor. It’s key to be around like-minded individuals and in locations that support your motivation.

Where you live can have a big influence on how motivated you are. Certain cities might have more opportunities that fit your dreams and aspirations, or the people in a different city might have the type of energy and work ethic that you need to be motivated.

I’m more motivated to learn and study and be productive when I’m at the library. I’m more motivated to be a man of God when I attend church. Some days I don’t feel like working out, but when I get to the gym and see everyone else there working out, I get motivated to do the same.

It’s important to be conscious of who we are located near and where we are located. This has a big influence on motivation. You might need to make deliberate efforts to get in the locations that will help you flourish and progress in life. That might be a new city, a new group of friends, going to different events, anything. It can be hard to be motivated in general, so don’t make it even harder by being in locations that are counterproductive to what you want and need in life.

Choose the locations that will help your motivation.

Motivation, Random Thoughts

Clean your microwave

bhillay

How does your microwave look right now? Is it clean? Is there some old food splattered inside? Do you cover your food when you microwave it? Do you clean your microwave daily? Weekly? Yearly? I haven’t done my intensive research yet, but I think the current condition of your microwave is often simular to the current condition of your life.

When a microwave isn’t cleaned often, it can begin to cause nasty odors as well as build bad bacteria. There’s also a chance that your microwave isn’t in proper working condition if it’s too dirty. When you don’t manage things in your life, like old feelings, old bad habits, bad thoughts, etc, they can linger also, causing “bad odors” in your life. Your life might not be in proper working condition because there are some small lingering issues that need to be fixed.

How you do anything is how you do everything. Take care of the small things in your life, such as your microwave. Take pride in all the things that you own. They are a representation of you. God will not bless you with bigger and better things, if you don’t take care of what you have right now.

I’m always a little bit happier when I go to heat some food up and I open my microwave and it’s clean. It’s the same feeling I get when I come home from a long day of work and I see that my bed is neatly made.

Only worry about the things that you can control in life, like the condition of your microwave (and other small things in your life). Go clean them and maintain them.

Motivation, Random Thoughts

Which came first?

bhillay

Which came first? The chicken or the egg? It’s a question that has puzzled humanity for centuries. The idiom is often used when it’s not clear who or what caused something. Some questions are easier to answer, like “which came first? The success? Or the hard work?”

A lot of people think that they would work hard if they were to receive instant gratification. You might start a YouTube channel and post videos consistently if you knew you’d get one million views and 100K subscribers in one day. You might start that business and work hard to grow and maintain it, if you knew you’d have ample customers on the day of the business launch. Unlike the chicken or egg question, I know that the hardwork and dedication comes way before the success.

Not seeing results right away cannot be what discourages you from doing something. Once you understand that the hardwork comes before the success, things will be a lot easier for you.

We also think that we’d miraculously start working hard and do what needs to be done, if we had the money, or the large platform, a lot of support, etc. If you can’t work hard before having those things, it will never work out for you. Hard work is a trait that you have to have initially.

Sometimes it looks like something or someone was an overnight sensation, but if you really looked at their actions, you’d see that they put in a lot of work and stayed the course until the magic of the compound effect worked in their favor.

I don’t know if the chicken came before the egg, but I do know that the hard work and dedication and consistency came before the success and money. Trust the process and put in the work. It’s possible.

Faith, Motivation

Don’t over complicate things

bhillay

Life can be as easy and as simple as we want it to be. No matter the situation, it’s about having a plan and following the plan. We begin to complicate things when we veer off from the plan.

If you are religious, follow the teachings that you believe in. They are made to make life easier. I was gifted a Bible over 20 years ago that I still use to this day. The man who gifted me the Bible wrote in it “This Book will keep you from sin, sin will keep you from this Book”. Although I was only about eight years old when I received the Bible, those words have stuck with me my entire life. When I assess my life, I see that this statement has been very true. The Bible has kept me from sin, but also sin has kept me from the Bible. When I’m not studying the Bible and Gods teachings, I notice my life is more complicated than it needs to be.

You might want to lose weight. Create a workout plan and a diet, and follow it. It’s that simple. You complicate things when you don’t follow the plan.

We can also complicate things by just thinking too much. Life is much more simple and easy than we make it. Once you realize that, you can be more poise in life. We can also make poor choices that make life more complicated that it has to be. We all make mistakes in life, but it’s key to try to limit them as much as possible. When you do make a mistake, accept it and make the next right move.

Don’t over complicate things. Set a plan and follow it. Keep faith in God and yourself and you’ll reach whatever goals and aspirations that you have. It’s possible.

Motivation, Random Thoughts

Ball is Life

bhillay

If you’ve been on social media for a while, you’ve probably come across a “ball is life” person before. It represents someone who loves and live for the game (whichever sport they are passionate about). They might only wear sportswear, and everything they think or do is “ball” related. They often post pictures of themselves doing something sports related with the caption or hashtag “ball is life”. I’ve never been that extreme of an athlete, but I do think “ball is life.”

Over the years I have realized that the same traits that makes someone a great athlete, are the same traits that make them a great employee, entrepreneur, spouse, friend, and just a great person overall. I’ve come across a lot a talented athletes that didn’t pan out because they only had the physical traits to be a great athlete, and not the other traits. I’ve also come across good athletes who transitioned to be good at every other thing in life as well. To be good at sports (and life), you have be coachable, disciplined, have good time management, self-driven, a hard worker, good at teamwork, a good communicator, learn from your mistakes, have good character, etc.

I’ve noticed that the athletes that I went to college with who made it all four years as a student-athlete, are now successful in whatever field of work they chose to pursue. That’s not a surprise to me. Those same skills that made them a good athlete are still being used.

Playing Football for me was more than a sport, it had to be a way of life. Every choice I made off the field would effect me on the field. I had to have a proper diet, a good workout regimen, get good grades, stay out of trouble, get a good amount of sleep every night. Everything matters. I may have thought that what I was doing was helping me be a better player, but it really was helping me be a better person.

You can never play a sport in your life, but still have the traits of a great athlete. This will help you be great at whatever you do in life. Ball is life. Make sure you have the skills to succeed.

Motivation, Random Thoughts

I believe in you

bhillay

When was the last time you told someone you believe in them? It’s a simple four word sentence, but it carries so much weight. I’ve gained so much confidence and achieved so much over the years because I was surrounded by people who believed in me and made sure to tell me through their words and actions.

You may show others that you believe in them through your actions, but telling them is essential also. The key word in “I believe in you” is the word you. You should believe in someone as a person, not in just one aspect of their lives. Everyone needs to know that they are believed in no matter the situation.

It was easy to believe in me when it came to sports and football. I was clearly talented. Those aren’t the people that I want around me. I want people around me that believes in me as a person, and in everything that I do.

Make it an effort to tell your kids, family, friends, even strangers, that you believe in them. It might be the four words that they need to hear to keep going.

Whoever is reading this right now: I believe in you. Keep going.