Do What You Can

Below are a few pictures.  The darker one I took this week in my living room to submit for a role on a new show on ABC (casting requested a shirtless pic) and the other two are modeling photos from a few years ago.  I’m posting them for a couple of reasons.

As with mostly everything I post on this blog, it is meant to encourage those who see it.  

I’ll explain: 

Life has thrown me some really difficult physical and emotional challenges the past five years - even as recent as this past weekend I faced one of the most difficult things I've faced in my life.  Sometimes it has taken all of my effort just to smile, feel normal or to pull myself out of bed and face the day.  I work very hard to focus on others, maintain hope and stay positive, so people usually have no idea that I am facing any challenges in my life. 

Now to the pictures:

I am used to being at least 15 lbs heavier than I am currently, and around 6% bf when I'm able to train regularly (4.5% bf for shoots).  Due to the aforementioned challenges, I have not been able to do so for quite some time.  On top of everything I have faced, not being able to train has been incredibly difficult for me personally, as it has been an important part of my entire adult life. 

The Benefit Within the Adversity:
One benefit to having experienced and come through challenges in my life is I know that this to shall pass, in time.  In the face of everything, I am truly joyful because I have learned to look for the benefit within every adversity as quickly as possible.  There is always a benefit.  If you learn to look for it, you will more easily recognize it. 

Do what you can do:
In the meantime, I maintain a low bf% by keeping my diet lean and eating very clean, because that is what I can do.  

I post these pictures as an example to hopefully encourage people and say, "Hey, even when life throws you challenges and you can't do everything you would like to, you can always do something. Don't give up hope and keep pressing forward with what you are able, until you are able to do what you desire."

YOU: 

I genuinely hope that this does offer some encouragement to you.  Please remember that you may not have control over what happens to you and what life throws at you, but you do have control over how you react to it and your own actions. 

If you are experiencing challenges in your life, - even if it has nothing to do with the physical - know that you have within you the strength to persevere and that things will get better.  Decide today that you will actively look past them and do what you are able, until you are able to do what you desire.  Make it an amazing day, and in doing so each day, you will make it an amazing life.  In short, do what you can. 

Above Picture taken Thursday, August 7, 2014

You are the stardust on the wings of angels

Who are we, if not stardust on the wings of angels?

Our dreams are given to us for a purpose. Our destiny is planted in our hearts, echoing in the recesses of our minds.  It calls out to us in our still moments and longs to be birthed.  Heed the call, when you hear the faint whisper, and it will become the loudest of roars, settling peacefully in the center of your soul, and permeating your existence.

Your life will give meaning to others.  Your connection to this ever growing puzzle of light will be made clear, as you step faithfully into your purpose.  Consciously get to know the love that is within you, within others, and flowing through this world, and realize that their separateness is an illusion.

If anything I write, do or have done, inspires you, moves you in any way, or “impresses” you, please look at it as a reflection of your own limitless potential.  We are all simply and magnificently human, and what we decide to do with this experience, in each moment, is a choice.

The perception is that there is an ebb and flow to everything.  Our existence can seem to seesaw, in that the manifestation of our amazing gifts will, at times, seem to dwarf that of others and at other times, theirs will seem to dwarf our own. This is a symptom of the illusion.  We all possess the potential for the greatness we see in others, and for more than we could ever imagine, from our current perspective. 

We are all playing a part in the existence and the experience of others.  You have, within you, a miracle for someone else.  You are a miracle for someone.  Be open to allowing yourself to be that for everyone you come in contact with, and you will be.  Like individual kernels of popcorn exploding under the heat of the lamp, so will the sparks of inspiration be in the hearts and souls of each individual you encounter. 

“Set yourself on fire and people will come from miles around to watch you burn.” - unknown. 

Let your “fire” be that of passion, love and inspiration, and then observe how you will automatically light the “fire” in others.  Actively do this and watch how your life takes flight.  You are the angel that someone needs today, and your love is the stardust that illuminates his or her way.  Since you are the potential of love personified, so then are you the stardust on the wings of angels. 

NOTE: 

If you have not yet seen the movie Winter's Tale, it is a beautiful story of Love and purpose that transcends time itself. When a man has a purpose so powerful, it holds onto him for another lifetime.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1837709/?ref_=nm_flmg_job_1_cdt_t_17 

One kid’s amazing last days

WOW!  I just watched a video that moved me more than I can convey in words.  Instead, I will try to convey the importance of it’s message.  

I just heard the pastor at the church I attend say, "If you are disappointed in life, it means that you are ungrateful.”  The truth is that you cannot be disappointed if you are truly grateful.  Though I do try to cultivate an attitude of being grateful for everything, more often than I’d like to admit I have looked past the many gifts I’ve been blessed with and looked instead to the things I didn’t have or that I longed for.

Instead of being suspicious of the homeless man/woman who asks for a dollar, instead be thankful that you are in a position to give a dollar (or $20) and that it doesn’t drastically affect your life in a negative way.  Instead of looking enviously at the pair of shoes someone else has, be thankful that you have feet that carry you to your destination.  Instead of feeling sad that you don’t have anyone to call your life-partner, be thankful for the family and friends who have shown you love more times than you can count.

The truth is that life is life and every moment you are given is a gift.  The fact that we can take it for granted is a gift in itself.  It may not be exactly what we want but it is still a gift.  Besides, where you are now is a result of the choices you’ve made up until this point in life.  Instead of being ungrateful, look at all that you have now, start to cultivate an attitude of gratitude and then make daily choices to fully live each moment you are given.  Look at each moment as a blessing, be thankful for it and then live as if you are not promised tomorrow… because you’re not.

If you want to make a lasting and positive impact on the world, start now.  It’s the only moment you’ll ever have.

Watch how this young man turned the last few months of his life into an amazingly beautiful gift to the world.  By being truly grateful for and fully living every moment he was given, his story has touched millions of lives, and continues to, even after he has passed.  You have to watch this video.  Please share with your friends and family.

Title: “My Last Days: Meet Zach Sobiech”

Link to video on Youtube

Thank you to Brooke Bonder and “OUR INSPIRATION STATION” for sharing this video with me.  Thank you also to “SoulPancake” & “My Last Days” for producing such great content to share with the world.

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You are more beautiful than you think.

Watch the video below.  The lesson is beautiful. 

I must admit that I have done this most of my life.  At times even now, despite how many people tell me to the contrary, I feel unattractive and unworthy of love.  When I have looked back on pictures of myself at times in my life when I felt the most unattractive, the most unloved or the most alone, I think, "How could I have possibly have felt that way.  I was such an attractive kid/teen/young man. I wasn’t as fat as I thought I was. I was more athletic than I could see at the time. I was such a cute kid. Etc."  When I look in the mirror now and don’t like the man I see, I have to remind myself of these times I have reflected on my past self and say, “You are more beautiful than you think.”

When I was 12 years of age I felt so bad about my body, the shape I was in and how much I had been made fun of/abused that I became anorexic and bulimic in response to how I felt about myself.  For almost two years, I continued to rob my body of vital nourishment and nutrients because I thought I would loose weight as a result, and then the emotional pain would stop.  The only problem is that, because my pain came mainly from my perception of myself and the world, once I lost the weight and more, my perception didn’t change.  I viewed even skin on my midsection, as I slouched, as unwanted fat.  Fat equaled pain in my mind so I kept purging out of fear.  This continued for two years until I my ribs protruded well beyond my stomach and was almost hospitalized from malnourishment. 

Your perceptions of yourself have always affected your actions and how you have interacted with the outside world.  Change your thoughts and you will eventually change your destiny.  This video is a beautiful illustration of how people see themselves as opposed to how they really are.  Change your thoughts about yourself and you will change your life.  I love and care about you my friend.  Please know that you ARE more beautiful than you think.

This video is titled "Dove Real Beauty Sketches"

Please understand, I am not saying that physical beauty is the most important thing, nor does it make up who we are on a soul level.  I do believe that "Real" beauty is comprised of so much more than physical attractiveness, but sometimes to be able to see what is really important you need to look past the obstacle of your perception of the lack of the physical, which clouds your vision. 

An example: when people say that money doesn't buy you happiness they are correct. Much in the same way that most of the people who do not have money spend their lives focused on getting it, so do most, who perceive that they don't have physical beauty, focus on it (in most cases).  If you remove the perception of the obstacle then a human being is free to focus on what is important.  I'm starting to go a little deeper down the "rabbit hole" then I had intended in this blog so I will save the rest for another time.

Just remember, you are more beautiful then you think.  

Please share this post with people.

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Remember Your Dream

Watch this video. All you dreamers out there; All you who have grown tired and weary of your nine-to-five; Even if there is only an echo of complacency in your life. Don't ever settle, and remember your dreams daily. Don't trade in the possibility of a great life for a good one. Remember, sometimes the security of a paycheck can also be the shackle that holds you back from your own greatness and the greatness that God has designed you to be. You DO have gifts, so explore them. Step out and share them with the world. Step out daily with boldness and grab your destiny my friends. It starts with the first step so take it. Today. Move. Forward. Now.

Video titled: "The American'T Dream (The Purse Suit Of Happyness)||Spoken Word"

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Happy Oscar Sunday everyone!

Happy Oscar Sunday everyone! When going to your parties or events today, remember:
"A healthy attitude is contagious, but don't wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier. " - Tom Stoppard
Also, "Be kind whenever possible. It's always possible." - Dalai Lama

Always take every opportunity to spread love and show kindness, which are both a part of a healthy attitude in my opinion.  :-)  Don't just reserve it for a "special occasion" though.  Make every moment a special occasion.  Every moment we are given is an opportunity to choose how we will react, what action we will take, and how we influence others.

Unfortunately, I have not always been a shining example of my suggestions above.  If anything, I have been the complete antithesis of them more times than I could count or would care to reflect upon.  I have been mean and belittling to others.  I have felt hurt by people and held contempt in my heart toward them. I have been angry with people and chose to strike out at them verbally. At times - though I have not acted on it - I have even had thoughts of violence towards another human being.  I am not proud of any of those choices but share them only to illustrate that I have been a fallible human being.

The beautiful thing about the amazing gift of this day is that no matter who we have been in the past, today is our opportunity to be whomever we decide to be.  Each moment carries with it the opportunity to be kind and loving to others, and to ourselves.  I am so very thankful that I have been given the opportunity to be someone new at least a thousand times.  I am also thankful that the person I choose to be today is not who I chose to be in the yesteryears.

Sometimes I look at the person I was as if to be an echo of a distant memory of someone I knew once. While drawing from the lessons learned and the experience gained during each of those moments, I know that who I am now is not who I was then.  Those moments neither determine nor decide who I am now.  The wisdom drawn from experiencing them does help to guide my steps, but only my actions in this moment decide who I am in the next. 

Remember that you are a human being and will make mistakes. That’s okay. You have the opportunity now to choose to be forgiving of yourself and to be kind and loving to everyone you encounter.  Even when people mistreat you, CHOOSE TO BE _____. I’ll let you fill in the blank.  After all, it is your life, and you choose what steps you take in each moment.  Hopefully this can be a voice of guidance in how you might take those steps.

In whatever your choices remember that you are an amazing human being with unlimited potential, and I believe in you. :-)  I’ll close with the suggestion I opened with: Always take every opportunity to spread love and show kindness. 

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Even Small Steps Are Still Steps

WELCOME TUESDAY!!!  (and every day) 
Welcome Tuesday with a ROAR, not a whimper. Move forward with your life. Even in the slightest step, you are still making progress, as long as it is in the direction of what you desire. Don't wait!  No one is going to show up on your doorstep with a suitcase full of opportunity to acknowledge how talented you are. I've been guilty of that for years. "I'm talented so people are going to notice and give me the opportunities that I desire… Right?" They DO notice and then say something to the effect of, "Wow! You are so amazingly talented. I had no idea. Good for you."  It IS appreciated but... Now what?  In this life, yes, you will get the occasional opportunity handed to you, but for the most part, YOU have to make your own opportunities.

Make EVERY DAY your today of action.  Don’t squander this gift of time that you’ve been given.  Each day YOU decide who you are by your thoughts and your execution of those thoughts, in the form of actions, will determine who you become.  In the meantime, treat your life like there is no such thing as tomorrow because, in fact, there isn’t.  Don’t wait for tomorrow, because tomorrow never gets here.  It becomes today upon our arrival to it. All you ever have is THIS moment, NOW, TODAY.  Today IS yesterday’s tomorrow, so make TODAY your TODAY OF ACTION. 

Again, EVEN SMALL STEPS ARE STILL STEPS toward your goal.  Just do something. . . TODAY.

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