A Long Road to Freedom

I sat by the bay window, gazing down at the street below. A white Mercedes and a man walking his dogs entered and left my field of view, in the most mundane, yet poetic sequence of events. Such small details in the grand scheme of living, seem like nothing important on the surface, however on a deeper level, you begin to discover each of us are apart of a complicated ever expansive web of humanity. As I continued my trance like gaze, I began to observe how the tree in my front yard softly sway in the wind, seemingly performing an interpretive dance to the beat of nature. In my abstraction, I hadn’t noticed how the blue sky faded into dusk, draping darkness over my neighborhood. The street lights turned on, causing people to scurry to their homes, to do what people did on Sunday nights. I glanced at my watch and my mind began to free fall. “Tomorrow is another Monday and I’m still not where I want to be,” I sighed to myself. It’s in some of our most obscurely blissful moments, we seem to introspectively sabotage ourselves, spoiling the moment.

I stepped away from the window thinking about my life’s path. The choice between quitting and trudging forward confronts many of us— often. Some days you can see light at the end of the tunnel and then there are days the road aimlessly winds before you with seemingly no end in sight. If you’ve found yourself questioning whether you have the energy to keep pursuing your dreams, then this essay is for you. This essay is for those who’ve toiled for years, with hardly any traction. If you’re tired of feeling like you’re stuck between a rock and hard place, I wrote this to tell you, this isn’t the time to quit or give up on yourself. This road of becoming the best version of yourself, can feel like a lonely road. While everyone else is settling, you want more. While others are making excuses for their mediocre lives, you’re craving to be better. I know you’re tired of feeling like your best efforts are getting you know where. Trust me, I know the feeling, all too well. I’ve come to tell you today, keep building, learning, and continually developing yourself. There will come a day, when your focused effort, discipline and faith will have you standing proudly atop the mountain of extraordinary success.

You may be an entrepreneur with the dream of financial freedom. You could be a student studying to earn your undergrad, Masters or PHD or perhaps you’re someone who’s devoted the past few months to kicking a bad habit. You might be a single parent raising kids on your own with dreams of building a better life for your family. Though these goals and dreams may be differ on the surface, they each require our best effort on a continual basis. Day by day, things happen and situations arise that apply pressure. Anxiety, fear and discouragement try lay root in your mind. The negative thoughts pile up and pile in, causing you to question yourself. The people and all the chatter from outside influences appear, attempting to devour what little motivation you had left. You then begin to see social media post after post, filled with people who appear to have it all together, living their best lives day after day, leaving you to wonder if you’ve missed the boat. The mental levy breaks and you’re standing face to face with the option to give up. Stop. Hold it right there and think about how far you’ve come despite life’s challenges. 

In a world full of faux excellence and unrealistic standards, you must never forget who you are and what you’re capable of. Here’s what I’ve learned so far in my 33 years of living. The journey is just as, if not more important, than solely arriving at the destination. Ultimately, it’s who you become that prepares you for your seat at the table of success. I encourage you today, to look at your road ahead with confidence, knowing and believing you have what it takes to get all that you desire in life. You too, can have a successful business, find wealth, live in total happiness and truly achieve all that you wish to achieve. Make no mistake about it, it takes guts to battle sneers and jokes from those who have given up on themselves. It takes strength to battle the voices in your mind that tell you that you’re fooling yourself for thinking you can be somebody. More than anything you must believe in yourself. In closing, may you become closely aquatinted with the freedom of charting your own course. This life is yours. You get to decide who you are to become. Though this journey is long one, or at least it feels that way, it’s worth it— you’re worth it.

At all Costs.

The aroma of fresh pastries and brewed holiday flavored latte’s, filled the air about us. In the midst of a chorus of chatter in the small coffee shop, we took our seats at a small table near the back to escape the black Friday rush. I knew from the look on her face we were’t going to be eating a thing. "I think I’m going crazy. I can’t keep doing this to myself," my friend Michelle groaned with frustration as she looked up from her laptop. "Don't say things like that," I said with a gentle reassuring smile. With her face rested in her hands, I could see her internal turmoil as if she wore neon sign above her head that screamed discontentment. She continued, "No, really, I can't do this anymore. It’s taking too much out of me. This job is literally making me sick." Thinking of what to say to bring her comfort, I eventually asked, "If working that job makes you feel so miserable then why continue to do it?" Michelle paused for a moment, unsure of how to answer my question initially, she eventually replied with a small stutter, "I...I..don't know." .

Michelle illustrates a fascinating dilemma that many of us face on a daily basis. How many times have we settled for things that continually rob us of our peace of mind and happiness with the hope that things would someday change? For many, however, that someday never arrives. The idea of spending an entire lifetime indulging ourselves in a perpetual cycle of unfulfillment, stress and unhappiness is a mindset we can’t simply afford to subscribe to. While it’s true we may have to endure moments of temporary discomfort, but I challenge the notion that we should settle for it being a normal way of living. Why continue working job you hate? Why deal with people who fail to see your value? If this is how you’ve been living recently, please understand, you deserve better— much better in fact. Our society normalizes stress, dread and despondency to a vilifying degree. You don't have to venture very far to find someone who's burnt out, frustrated and running on fumes. If their peace of mind were represented as a tank of fuel, they'd be running on empty. With one incredible life to live, we each owe it to ourselves to live this life to the fullest, fully enjoying the joy that is meant for us. In other words, we must each become practitioners of our own wellness if we are to open ourselves to receive the beautiful gift of peace of mind.

Peace arrives when you decide to live on your own terms. It blossoms when you put yourself first for a change. It thrives when you walk away from toxic relationships you've been reluctantly holding onto. It embraces you when you finally face your fears. It shouts from the rooftops when you learn to accept yourself. It does a joyful two step in your heart when you choose to believe you’re worth it. We’ve all seen what happens when negativity festers in the human heart. It manifests itself as poor health, frustration and prolonged unhappiness.

You are so powerful. Seriously. I'm willing to bet you’re one the most incredible forces on the face of this planet. Knowing who you are is one of the foundational aspects of keeping peace within you. When you decide you've had enough peace-less days there's something deep within that churns with incredible power causing you act with intention. You’ll begin to find yourself setting boundaries with others, searching for opportunities that ignite your passion and distancing yourself from things that invade your life with negative energy. Choose to live each and every moment savoring your peace of mind as if it were a plate of the ripest fruit around. Peace comes from within and It’s something worth cultivating, watering and guarding at all costs.

"Lessons From Belize"

"Take this envelope and give it to a man named Gerson when you reach Belize City," Jose said with a smile. I took the ruffled envelope and placed it carefully in my book bag that I had securely placed on my back. "No Problem at all," I replied while he led us to a boat that would take us from San Pedro which is situated on the Belizean island of Ambergris Caye, back to the mainland to meet our tour guide. "You'll find Gerson holding a sign with your name on it," he said as his final departing words. We carefully boarded the ferry and waved good bye. The water that morning was a beautiful hue of turquoise blue. The rays of the sun made the water sparkle; It was a sight that words alone could not paint it’s essence. The boat picked up speed and we were finally out in the channel with the wind in our face and San Pedro to our backs. Eventually the little island faded in the distance. One hour and twenty minutes later, Belize City came into view.

"Watch your steps folks," the captain of the ship called out to everyone aboard when we docked. We disembarked from the ship at the Belize City in search of our tour Guide Gerson. At the port there are tons of people scurrying about in every direction. Just a quick glance around and you'd find vendors selling goods and merchandise while other people are carrying luggage trying to get their bearings. Up ahead was a street where many of the hired drivers awaited their patrons. In the distance as we fought through the crowd of people, I spotted the man with the sign. "How was the seas this morning?" he asked as I handed him the envelope. We shook hands and he led us to his van in a lot behind the port which appeared to be an earlier model Chrysler. I could see he used sealant to seal some of the holes in the frame while the side of the vehicle looked as if Randy Johnson, the legendary Baseball pitcher had throw a few fast balls into it. In other words it wasn't in the best condition but I could tell he took pride in it none the less.

I sat up front next to him while he focused on cooling the vehicle down as it had been sitting in the hot Belizean sun all morning while he awaited our arrival. Out of the corner of my eye I watched him carefully examine the contents of worn white envelope and to his delight it featured his pay and other items related to our tour. "Alright folks, Welcome to Belize City, our tour today will take us far west and it will approximately be a two-hour drive," he exclaimed with a large smile on his face.  "Sounds good to me," I laughed. We were headed to the ruins of Xunantunich the ancient Mayan city. As we left the city Gerson spoke with passion about his country. He shared facts and other fascinating information while en-route. I soaked up his words and I have to admit I learned quite a bit from him. That morning, I expected to learn about Mayan culture and other things but what he taught me in his sincerity was much more than a history lesson.

"You see that over there guys?" he said as pointed with a grin. "The mountains?" I asked while I swiveled my head from side to side to see what he was pointing at. "That Village up ahead, is where I live." His village was a small piece of land with a few small homes on it with one dirt road that provided access to the main road which was two lane road we traveled. He explained that was where he had been living most of his life. Being a tour guide was his way of supporting his family— the family he adored with all of his heart. He shared plans of building his first home himself with his own hands. I could see the wide eyed look on his face. I smiled while he spoke because I could genuinely feel his happiness. He went on and shared more details about his family. His younger brother was the first to go to the University as he called it and he talked about how proud he was of him especially because of how they grew up. His parents could not read or write at all and spent their entire lives picking fruit for a living. Gerson believed in the value of putting your heart and soul into whatever you do. His goal was to become to best tour guide in all of Belize and maybe even start his own tour business. I believe he'll do just that.

At the end of the day when we stepped back onto the boat to head back to San Pedro after all the fun we had, Gerson’s enthusiasm for life rubbed off on me in a profound way. He was a man who had never been outside of Belize yet he did not give any excuses for why he couldn't do something big in life even though he felt opportunities were limited. He took advantage of what was before him. We all can take something from Gerson's mindset. As I reflect on my time in Belize, I learned a few things that have much more meaning to me. I learned in many cases less can be more. I learned also to never take our opportunities for granted. Family and togetherness is worth more than anything you could ever buy. Do the best you can with what you have and never forsake life’s simplicity, there’s peace that comes from understanding that.  

"The Hidden Scars of Inadequacy"

I'm going to take you way back - circa 1997 to be exact. I was ten years old then. No bills, no responsibilities, just homework and sports. Those were the days when kids stayed outside until the street lights came on. After school me and my buddies rushed home to fake our homework so we could go outside. Sports was all I ever thought about then. Posters of Troy Aikman and Ken Griffey Jr lined the walls of my room, which fueled my belief that I too could one day be like them. Thinking back to the formative years of my youth, I realized this was when I first came face to face with the complicated feelings of inadequacy. 

 "I'm last again?" I thought while I watched everyone else get picked ahead of me for the third time that week. Getting left out or picked last became the story of my young life. To be fair, many of the guys I played with were my friends and that’s what hurt the most. It affected my self esteem even though I tried so hard to pretend I was unbothered. It didn’t help that my childhood best friend Jr. happened to be the best at everything he did. The guy practically turned a ball into pure gold. He could put the ball in the hoop with the best of them. Not only could he hoop but he could run fast and catch a football like Jerry Rice. We were an odd pair of buddies but none the less I thanked God for him because he made sure not to leave me out of things when he had the chance to pick.  

I wasn't very fast and with two left feet how could I have been? I had the chubby body of a used tire, or so I thought. My inability to perform well stemmed from my fear of not measuring up to the other guys. That led to me being over cautious and fearful. It was a tough concept to learn as a kid. The older guys we often played against didn't go light on me either. "Who wants to guard B?" "He ain't going to catch nothing anyway!" they’d all laugh and jeer. "Whatever," I'd mumble in an attempt to make it seem like I wasn't bothered by it. The truth was, I was bothered. Sadly, I began to accept the names and unfortunately I allowed those names to become apart of my identity. I carried that into other areas of my life too. 

The feelings and thoughts I had about myself as a result of those events didn't go away even as I grew stronger, faster and much more capable. Inadequacy is one of those things that many people tuck it away - they bury it. As the years continued to go by I noticed moments where I'd catch myself retreating into that young man who'd been left on the sidelines. In order to grow, I had to deal with how I felt. Many still carry invisible scars from stabbing words and experiences that have cut deep and it's effects linger. Can you relate? Have you ever stopped yourself from speaking up? Have you ever felt easily forgotten? Do you still harbor pain from being laughed at or disregarded? Are you hard on yourself? Do you feel like you aren't worthy or deserving of good things in your life? Feelings of Inadequacy seem to nudge at us at times when we need our self confidence the most.

It's absolutely profound how things that have occurred long ago could still have the ability to affect the way we view ourselves. I found peace when I confronted my feelings head on. I found strength in learning to embrace my imperfections. Perfection, quite frankly is an illusion and it doesn't exist. It took a conscious effort on my part to examine my life in away that would cause me to think differently. If you are feeling the sting that comes from feeling like you aren’t good enough, I want you know I understand. As you've seen above, I've been there before many times through out my life. The feeling can drive you to question if you matter at all. You matter and you are enough. I encourage you to embrace who you are. Try not compare yourself to others as we all have our strengths and weaknesses. There's freedom in accepting yourself just as you are as you strive to become the best version of yourself.  

A Tale of Two Mothers: The Essence of a Mothers Love

As I sit on the side of my bed in a posture of great reflection, I've come to grips with the fact Mother’s day will never ever really be the same. I say that not from a place of despair or agony but from the realization that change is ever flowing. It’s life at its core. I gathered myself and pulled back the curtains to let some light into the dark room. The sun fought to reveal itself through the clouds of gray. Funny. Even nature understood. A Mother’s love is unique. It’s calming yet fierce. It’s selfless, abundant and at times painful. It’s life-giving. I argue that it’s God’s love embodied in human form. 

"To my mother who’s gone on to be with the lord" 

I never thought in a million years I’d to write about you in the past tense. Though it’s been nearly three years since you’ve departed, there are days I stop and think of your untimely absence when your memory crosses the cortex of mind. “I can’t believe she’s gone,” I quietly whisper to myself from time to time in an attempt to make sense of things. The pain has subsided some but I don’t think it’ll ever really all go away. I do however find peace when I remove my selfishness. You’re no longer in pain and you can finally be with your Jesus. They say our loved ones can see us from afar, some days I do things in an attempt to make you smile. Loving you wasn’t always easy and I won’t romanticize your departure but nobody’s perfect anyway so I won’t hold those things against you. I will, however, cling to those days you told me you loved me and the few times I said I made you proud. That’s what makes memories one of the most powerful cognitions. Rest in love and eternal peace of mind. You’ve run your race and I’ll continue mine with the lessons you taught me about life. 

“To my God Mother”

You came to know me when I was in a place of deep transition. Lost, confused and ultimately afraid of what life would bring me next even though I tried my best not to show it. The essence of God is found through a Mothers love in which I thought I lost forever when I walked away from that small country church on that chilly rainy day in September. You were always there but little did I know my mother would pass the torch to you. A motherless child was the badge I planned to secretly wear my entire life. To be young and to hear others speak of going to visit their moms when mines was now a resident of a place who’s visiting hours are yet to be posted. You came and swooped me up with a quiet hug. I barely knew you then but our hearts were already connected. As time continued you still remain a towering figure of love in my life. 

"The Essence of.."

May we all take time to honor our Mothers today and every day. Let her know how you feel today. Send love, extend forgiveness and live exuberantly in the moment. Please don’t leave anything left unsaid. I extend a special acknowledgment to those whose Mothers have departed this life. Keep your head up, the sun will shine again. I honor soon to be Mother's and Mother figures alike. A Mother’s love is unique. It’s calming yet fierce. It’s selfless, abundant and at times painful. It’s life-giving.    

Perseverance: An open letter of hope.

There is a mountain that stands before each and every one of us. This mountain I speak of is figurative in nature, but represents everything that attempts to block our path to becoming all that we wish to become. The towering giant of opposition stands tall seemingly laughing at our squeamish attempts to scale it's treacherous walls. It could be fear, doubt or a situation that takes so much of your energy away that it feels impossible to make any progress. It could be a mistake from that past that you still may be paying for. It could be the lack of resources you need to make things happen. Maybe you fell on your face after trying for the 100th time to go for your dreams and now you feel like giving up. No matter what this mountain is to you, the fact still remains that it wishes to reroute your deepest desires, ultimately sending it to an abyss of deferred hope and the land of deceased dreams.  

In order to get anything worth having in life you must persevere. Success in any area of life will require tenacity and steadfastness. To scale the mountain in your pathway you must learn to weather the storm, navigate perfidious terrain and scale the wall of fear as if your life depended on it. Life is unpredictible at times and there are seasons when it feels like nothing will seem to be going right. You may question whether continuing is even worth it anymore. I’m encouraging you to push through. Those who find the courage to keep going when things get tough are the ones make things happen. Every morning we are faced a decision. Are we going to quit when the going get's tough or are we going to fight with everything within us to achieve all that which he hope to achieve. You can have any and everything you want in this life. It's just going to require something of you. If you get knocked down, get yourself up and go at it again. That's the staple of perseverance. 

Keep your eyes fervently on your goals and your dreams. Let that become the fuel that propels you. The only thing that can truly stop you, is you. Every mountain can be scaled and conquered. The good Lord reminds us that we are all more than conquerors. That applies to every single one of us regardless of what we have done or failed at in the past. Mount Everest at one time was viewed as the mountain that was deemed impossible to climb. It claimed the lives of many who dared to face it but something incredible happened on Friday, May 29th 1953. Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit. What appeared to be impossible by many was made possible. It doesn't matter where you've been in life or what others have said about you. The only thing that matters is what you believe. You've got to know you can make things happen even in the odds don’t appear to be stacked in your favor. The mountain that lies in front of you doesn't stand a chance. Your best and most incredible life is on the other side of the towering giant. Today is the day you move foward in courage. It just takes one foot after the other. Persevere friends. Keep going. You're almost there.

-B.W. Mckay

“Leaving Self-Doubt Where it Belongs”

Growing up I was an avid ball player. I pretty much ate, slept and breathed basketball. Every day there was a basketball in my hand. Up and down the street I went, bouncing that ball around working on different aspects of my game. I spent countless hours perfecting my craft. I pretty much slept with a basketball in my hands. I had dreams of becoming a hoop sensation. Some of my friends would laugh at that sentiment and I wouldn't blame them. When I dribbled the ball alone at home, I felt like an unstoppable force but when it was time to compete I often disappeared. Whether it was a pickup game at the park or high school tryouts, physically I was present but my effort was somewhere hiding in the bleachers. Ultimately I was stuck in my head worrying about how well I would do while being consumed with the possibility making of mistakes and looking uncool. I was quite frankly, a mess.

“The Folly of Self-Doubt”

Self-doubt reared its ugly head so many times in my life. I allowed it to derail so many of my early opportunities in life. It is no secret self-doubt has killed so many dreams and has prematurely squandered chances at truly getting what many want. I allowed my fear of what others thought of me to keep me out of my zone. Truly Immobilized by the pressure I put on myself, coupled with the feeling of not quite being good enough was enough to paralyze me. Not only did it stop me in sports, but it wreaked havoc in other areas of my life too. Things didn't change for me until I developed the courage to face my own limiting beliefs about myself head on. Maybe you can relate. Has self-doubt caused you not to speak up in a moment when you really had something to say? Or maybe you chose not to pursue a dream because you didn't think you were ready or good enough. Whatever the case may be, I encourage you today to leave self-doubt in the past right where it belongs.

"Your Own Worst Enemy"

Most of my life I thought the biggest threats and crimes were things that were outside of myself. Not once did I ever consider one of the biggest enemies in my life was actually myself. My failure to believe in myself was holding me back. Self-doubt holds many people hostage. The second-guessing of one's abilities leaves so many people standing on the outside looking in on their dreams. I believe there are people who could have impacted the World in a powerful way but didn’t because they allowed the voice in the back of their mind to convince them to stay on the sidelines. You are good enough. You are strong enough. You have what it takes to accomplish everything you desire in your life. Working through self-doubt isn’t easy at all but it's worth putting in the effort to overcome. 

“The Take Away”

The road to dream fulfillment requires courage. There is a big amount of courage already on inside of you right now at this very moment that is waiting to be unleashed. Being able to move forward in spite of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty is what separates those who stand on the outside looking in and those who get what they want. Every single one of us will have moments where we will feel like we aren’t good enough at some point or another but it’s all about facing these feelings head-on. Don’t allow past failures and the fear of making mistakes stop you. Let go of the need to be perfect. You are perfectly imperfect. You are capable of learning, growing and becoming all that is necessary to achieve your deepest dreams. Look toward the future with great optimism.  Next time you have something to say, say it. Even if your voice trembles with anxiety and fear, say what you must. Let your voice be heard. When the moment comes to seize an opportunity, seize it. Live your truth. Growth comes from facing our fears and living our truth. This is your moment, your time. May we all strive to leave self-doubt in the past, where it belongs. 

"Unmasking the Pain"

“Keep pedaling,” she said as she patiently watched me slowly wobble down the sidewalk on my new bike. The day I learned to ride a bike was one of my greatest accomplishments as a child. The look of joy on my mothers face as I began to pedal faster and faster with more confidence in each stride was something I'll never forget. A mothers love is special.

Nobody ever wants to think of what life would be like if something were to happen to her. It was a thought I never quite considered. Sure, one day, it would happen. But not anytime soon I reckoned at the time. She was always there to help guide me through my teenage breakups, kiss my bruises and listen to my deepest dreams. We didn't always see eye to eye but she was my mother and I was her son.

My life changed forever when she suddenly became ill and passed away shortly after being diagnosed with cancer. The grief that swept through my world was debilitating and my journey to overcome it proved to be worth the fight. Pain is no stranger to us all. That's something we share in this thing called life. Even during difficult days, you can rise up in strength. Earth shattering pain doesn't have to be the end of your story. There are brighter days ahead. Take it from me, I've been there. 

"Picking up the Pieces" 

The day I received the call that my mother had died was the day the earth stood still in my life. Maybe for you in this season of your life, it was a painful breakup or an unfavorable situation. When I went through my tough time, I didn't quite know what to do. It didn't feel real at all. I couldn't quite process what to do next. I stared into the darkness of my room with the phone glued to my ear after just being delivered the worst news of my life. Receiving bad news isn’t easy for anyone. It took awhile for the situation to register as real in my mind. It's ok to take a step back and do nothing at the onset of pain. Grief has a way of challenging even the strongest amongst us. Don't allow anyone to rush your process or attempt to force you to be ok because it is uncomfortable for them. Picking up the pieces is a very personal experience. Lean on those you trust and don't ever feel ashamed to ask for help. 

"Acceptance"

When you experience a painful situation, you will feel a range of emotions that can leave you feeling confused and frustrated at best. Grief for me reincarnated itself in a variety of ways. When you are going through something, it seems like everything around you reminds you of the situation that hurt you. There may even be moments of debilitating anguish when you think of the memories. This feeling often creeps up on you when you least expect it. Acceptance is an important step on your path to healing. Being able to acknowledge and accept what has occured is vital to your healing process. That doesn't mean you won't have some rough days as you move forward but it certainly puts things into perspective.

"The Take Away"

Surely, as the sun rises each day, it is a perfect reminder of new beginnings. Cloudy days won’t last always. I'm a living witness to that. I'm still standing and you are too. Take heart in knowing there are better days ahead no matter what you face right now. Though you may hurt right now, I want you to know the sun will shine again just as it always does. In my situation, I took comfort in knowing my mother was is in a better place. That's what brought me peace. That same peace is available to us all. Take your time. If you just recently went through a breakup or job loss, don't beat yourself up. You're not a bad person or a failure. Did you just receive unfavorable news? You will recover. My heart goes out to anyone who lost a loved one. Things always get better, even though it rarely ever feels that way in the beginning. You're an overcomer, that's for sure. Smile, because your best days are ahead.   

"The Every Day Miracle"

I used to think miracles were something that only happened in dire circumstances for certain people. The only time I’d ever seen a miracle was within a page of the bible or in a dramatic lifetime movie scene. As silly as that may sound, I’m probably not the only one who felt that way or perhaps may still feel that way. Miracles are often seen as some mystical event that appears after we’ve prayed, wished and hoped long enough. The beautiful thing I’ve discovered about life is the fact that miracles happen far often than we might have ever thought. In fact, I believe miracles happen every day. These miracles aren’t reserved for a select group of people or situations, they’re reserved for you to experience every single day. Many times these miracles are overlooked because they may appear in unlikely ways. 

“An Unlikely Gift”

It’s hard to look for something you may not even know is present. Some of our greatest blessings are right under our nose. All around us wonderful things are happening even during some of our darkest moments. The sun rises each day regardless of how dark the clouds may be. Stormy days and difficult times don't ever prevent the sun from rising each day. The same thing can be said of miracles. Have you ever had a rough day interrupted by the smile of an innocent baby? Have you ever got up on the wrong side of the bed just to have your mood turned around by a kind word from a complete stranger? These are all examples of the type of miracles that can appear in our lives on a daily basis. Most people look for the big magnificent miracles of life while overlooking treasures hidden in plain sight. The good Lord so graciously reminds us every day that we ourselves are miracles. The air within your lungs is a reminder that everything will be alright.  

"A Brand New Perspective"

We find meaning in the things we understand. Value is expressed when context and clarity are present. Once you begin to notice all of the miracles that surround you each day, you'll begin to find peace like never before. Gratitude removes the cloth from our eyes. With the cloth removed you will see gifts each day that you would have overlooked in the past. You'll begin to notice that you have everything you need to continue this journey of life no matter what comes your way. There are subtle reminders all around you, all you have to do is pay attention.

"The Take Away"

Beginning each day with gratitude opens up your eyes to see the miracles that lay before you each day. A baby's smile and a kind word from a stranger are just a few examples of some of the miracles we experience every day. Remember the air that you breathe right now is a reminder that everything is going to be alright. Today, take a look around you. Pay attention to what happens. Did someone offer to buy you lunch? Did you find a few dollars in your pocket? Was there an open parking space close to where you were headed? Maybe you'll find out you got the job today. Or perhaps a loved one is coming home from the hospital. Something good happens each day. Just by opening your very eyes in the morning, there are miracles waiting to happen for you and around you. After all, you, yourself are one. 

"A Renewed Purpose"

The beginning of a new year is often reserved for a time of great reflection, renewed hope and a revitalized sense of direction. It's not uncommon to look ahead to the upcoming year with optimism as we all begin to draft our goals for the new year. 2017 provided some of us with great victories and also some crushing defeats. The most important thing of all is, we're still standing. As I look back over my previous year, I found growth in many areas of my life which I can be proud of. I also found areas that I'd like to improve as well. If we choose to view life through the lens of gratitude, many of us can find things we did that we could be proud of. It doesn't matter how seemingly small or insignificant it was. Don't let anyone coerce you into believing that small changes are not valuable. With all that is going on in the world around us, it is easy to lose sight of the strides that were made in our lives. Celebrate the successes. Celebrate any step taken forward. Look toward 2018 with great expectation because it can certainly become whatever you chose it to become.

"Purpose Driven 2018"

There is nothing quite like knowing where you are going. Thanks to GPS enabled phones, people have a greater sense a direction when it comes to getting around unfamiliar areas. My mother, God rest her soul, always had trouble with technology. I still laugh when I think about how many times I had to teach her how to use her iPhone, so she could get the places she needed to go. Just like we use GPS technology to get to our physical destinations, our lives need direction too. Discovering our purpose is what gives life meaning. Knowing where you are going is one of the most important things you could map out. A lot of people fail their new year resolutions because they create goals with no clearly defined purpose. A life with no purpose is literally like a ship in open water without a sail. This is why I encourage everyone to create a vision board because once you know where you are headed, goal creation is more effective. 

"Goals, Goals and more Goals"

Goals are always the hot topics when the new year arrives. Everyone is talking about resolutions. The most popular goal is the goal of losing weight. We all want to be healthy, after all, health is wealth. "I'm going to lose 30 pounds this year!", many will say. There is nothing wrong with these kinds of resolutions or goals at all. It is, in fact, a wonderful. Even though fitness goals are the bunt of many jokes because it is one of the goals that is often abandoned shortly after the new year begins. The problem is never the goal, it's the method used to achieve the goals. Have you ever wondered why the gym is crowded in January and by March its back to normal? It's because most people set goals at the Macro level. What that means is, they formulate an overarching goal but fail to map out the day to day processes that help you achieve the goal. These day to day processes are called micro-processes. Things like eating right, committing to going to the gym 3-5 times a week could be some of the micro-processes that lead to the macro goal of losing weight. We can apply these principles to every goal we set in our lives. 

"The Take Away"

2017 is now officially a closed chapter in the story of our lives. Maybe some things didn't go as well as you hoped. The wonderful thing about life is the gift of new beginnings. 2018 could be the year everything goes right. Remember discovering or revitalizing your purpose leads to a life of absolute fulfillment. At the end of the day, that's what we all are looking for. Knowing where you are going and defining the way you get there is an amazing way of starting the year off with a bang. May we all get the things we desire this year. Let's celebrate our new beginning with loved ones with a renewed sense of purpose. This is a new chapter in life. Here's to a wonderful new year of health, happiness and the manifestation of our deepest dreams.