Jarred Smith

My mind has been on the gap between the quality of life you are living now and the dream that lies buried in the wishful thoughts running through your mind.

It is as if you were taught, by parents and upbringing social environments, to look forward to life. Never living it now but always as something that you have to work towards. I suppose this is greatly influenced by the nagging and constant barrage of advertisements that invade one’s presence at every corner. Always showing something through the lens of being the external key to your problem.

The issue is that all of this is feeding the distance between you and presence. Stimulating your wish for more, your desire to someday get ‘there’.

The question I have for you is this. When is your life happening at any time you are thinking about it?

That’s right! It is always happening right NOW. Nothing ever happens then. Then is actually always now. You don’t need to complicate this, nor study the complexities of how time and movement happens to use this. It is simple.

What are the three phases of time? Past / Present / Future. But of these three which one exists? The present moment! The past is only just a memory, it can’t happen now lol. The future is just your imagination. It is thought energy that has not manifested in this reality, yet. So the only real time is happening to you, by you, from you, right now.

So why are you always hoping for a better life? Looking for the weekend to enjoy life and have fun? Always looking for ‘this’ to happen so that you can then have the feeling you think it will produce? This isn’t a judgemental question, we all do or have done this. And I know, it is easy to do but with a growth in awareness of time (NOW) you can choose to BE closer to your wish fulfilled at anytime you choose.

Then pulling this down to actual life and connecting this to your current reality and the wishes you desire. Whatever you are looking for do you think it is the thing that you want or the feeling reaching it will produce? It is always the feeling correct? That is the actual end result. You want to feel the feeling that driving a new car will feel like, the abundance feeling of ease the extra income will ‘make’ you feel. So why not go to that feeling now? Why wait for the future when the future will only happen in a moment of now?

You get to BE the happiness, the fun, the joyful and free person of your choosing, whenever you choose. The choice is always and only yours. You can start right now by wearing that t-shirt you love instead of saving it for a future day that seldom comes. (Wierd example maybe but I bet it’s true) In the words of Jesse Elder, you can choose the Best next thing now! You can stop putting off ‘the something’ better and choose it now. You are always making decisions, most of them very small, and you can choose to make the decision that you feel is best at that time. In the larger actions of driving to work, of managing a job, of eating lunch, of taking a bath, what feels good now? Can you do that? Listen to the music of choice at the volume you desire moving your arms to the beat in that weird way that regardless of what others might say it feels good to you, right now? These small choices of happiness are a valuable key in you seeing the results of living a better life ‘then’. Each moment of now is building the next. Build a better next by choosing a better now.

Go ahead. Have more fun now! That is all it takes!

Light and Love

An enjoyable subject I like to enter often is appreciation.

How much time do you spend on appreciating anything? Doesn’t matter what it is, literally anything. Can be a cup of coffee, the past night’s rest or your body. Could be your children or your job. Anything.

Do you have any idea the last time you spent any time on appreciation?

Appreciation yields one of this reality’s most powerful gifts, and it’s completely free, yet we tend to completely miss out on its benefits.

Usually, life is full of worry, or even complaining, about our life. We are constantly thinking about every task that needs to get done or worse yet, about what already has been done in the past. Yet this moment is what’s so valuable. How we are living this particular moment is what’s contributing to the next moment of life and appreciation yields the most wonderful results.

Think about it for a bit. Isn’t it possible for you to find something to appreciate in just about any and every menial task done throughout the day? It is all about perspective. Washing the dishes can be a grudging chore that you are dreading and can’t wait till it’s completed or you can appreciate the warm water and the fact that dishes are clean. You get to choose and it’s all the angle of the mind that controls the outcome.

Viewing a task thru the negative lens then sets up your following task to start from that place (unless you are one of the few that releases the old and sets a new intention before doing anything).

Think of it like this. You just bought your new car, a grey Toyota Highlander. You’ve been looking forward to this day for over a year. You love your ride, proud of it. Now on the highway, all you see are other grey Toyota Highlanders. They didn’t just arrive since you purchased yours, they most certainly were already there, you are just now aware of them. The same goes for appreciation. When you see life thru the lens of appreciation you are then, all of sudden, aware of everything else amazing in life.

Is the glass half full or half empty?

What do you want to bring more if in your life? More abundance or more scarcity? A very simple choice that we all are making subconsciously yet very few are actually aware of the ramifications that our view on life provides.

Such power in appreciation.

One of the “challenges” that I offer most people that reach out to me looking for a different life is to start each day with appreciation. Write down 5-10 things you are appreciative for. The first several days are easy and all of sudden you feel like you reach a hidden wall. Nothing new to appreciate…and that’s the place where you realize you have a lot to love. Life does provide EVERYTHING to be appreciative of.

Sitting here I appreciate Gambit, my GSD, who just walked past me (damn I love him and the joy he brings me). I appreciate being able to write this blog post at 3:00 in the afternoon. I appreciate the consciousness music I have playing over my Bose system. I appreciate the Bose system and being able to afford such a fine quality speaker. I appreciate my intuition leading me to write, specifically this post on appreciation. I appreciate knowing that I will grow a bit and learn from writing this post. On and on we go…

The amount of appreciation we have to be appreciative for is endless if we choose to make it so.

And it’s FREE. Is there anything else that yields such a high return for a zero-sum cost?

Let’s get specific for a moment. Appreciation is slightly different than gratitude. Gratitude, for most people, is done in the past tense for something. “I have gratitude for my pay raise – I have gratitude for waking up this morning – I have gratitude for this journal I bought last week” Usually it is in the past tense sense that gratitude is used. Appreciation is usually active and ongoing. Not stuck to a certain moment. Appreciating your new car is not bound by a moment but rather active. Appreciating your family is active and ongoing, not the fact that you had them. Appreciating your past pay raise is appreciating what it provides not the fact that you got one back then (as gratitude).

As always, do what works for you but my suggestion is work with appreciation versus gratitude. Every morning start with appreciation. It can even be mentally as you wake up. Just start your day expressing the higher frequency of appreciation and what how your week unfolds.

The universe operates on a very strict “rule” that what you give attention to grows. You are living the life you have right now based on the past thoughts and feelings you’ve expressed. Appreciation is a high frequency that yields the universal spin in your favor. When you are appreciating your life the universe is giving you more of that. More of that same frequency. More abundance and wonderful thoughts and moments to be appreciative for.

What you give attention to grows. What you appreciate appreciates. Where energy is placed life happens.

Change your thoughts change your life. And appreciation is one of the easiest ways to do this.

What can you show appreciation for in your life right now?

Thoughts left with Light and Love,

Jarred

What does it mean to say “I’m a Christian”?

No judgment here but sincerely – what does it mean to you?

How much business and status is given based on that comment? He’s a believer. They are christians. She loves God. All are markings given as though “well that’s it, problem solved” now I can proceed in letting my kids play with your kids. We are aligned. You are a christian so it’s ok to leave your guys unattended in my house fixing the kitchen remodel.

Yet, is the divorce rate exempt for christians? Do believers ever get a DUI? If one believes in God then he won’t embezzle money from you?

I once had a contract with a guy in the south that was strong in his belief of a higher power. He believed in God but did not like to work with christians. He was open about it. His thought was that it provided a wall for people to hide behind.

People that live their life by choice are choosing to make their decisions and the results speak for themselves. People that have a christian status in front of their persona are then living up to that standard vs living by “their” belief. Now, of course, there are christians that are aware and living by their belief and not according to the belief of their religion but the thought was still prompted.

I used to work side by side with an Atheist and an Agnostic. My past religion would have shunned the interaction with them as, well, that social status also clearly meant they didn’t have any moral compass or valued any code to live by…Yet, they were both some of the most honest people I worked with at that time. They were choosing to live and make decisions based upon a belief that they felt was for them and that produced a result that all who knew them saw – honest and trustworthy people, with kind and caring hearts.

On the flip side, I had an experience where a business partner embezzled over 40,000 from me. He was a loud christian and strong believer, active in his church. Apparently, he believed that it was his for the taking LOL.

In business the christian label doesn’t mean a contract isn’t needed yet in the religious circles it seems to carry so much power with it. I don’t understand how I am supposed to let my children spend time with your children based on you being given a broad label of “believer”.

People are human. People live real lives and are constantly given opportunities to learn lessons. Christian and believer alike are labels. Why do we feel the need to create separation? We are this particular label (christian) so we are better than those without? In the religious world (it’s a pretty big world) it is given with the pretense that if you are not a believer then you are not as good as us. Separation. You vs another.

Besides, can people not change? If you were strong and harsh towards your child does that also come with a permanent label of mean? Or perhaps the next time you will remember your miss-take and respond with love and kindness to your child. The lesson was provided and a lesson was learned. No need for a label as you chose different now based on the experience and the result your earlier response provided.

The point is that, either with an intention or without, people are constantly choosing their actions based on who they are at that particular time. Labels are perhaps incorrect.

Being a christian or a believer is just a label, often one that is worn proudly. Can we choose to stop saying that others are not as good as I and simply live our life by our personal code? Do we have to live towards a belief in a system that was a personal code of another?

Christian – living behind the wall that their “faith” (such improper use of the word faith by the way) has put up. Going to church and spending time in that environment can produce wonderful effects yet it too often is simply a place gone to, and then left at the end of the service. Back to the normal life. Plugged in and got the juice for the week so to speak. A disconnect between life and code. When one is living their life according to THEIR deep-rooted belief code then they are truly known for that. Their actions show their belief. Yet living behind the label of a religion or group belief is not fully integrating it within oneself as there is always the separation between the two. The church – the person. God – Human. Always a vast difference between man and higher self. Wearing the label of christian does allow one to feel connected to a higher place but it is a false sense that is known deep inside.

Setting aside what others may think of you and living fully to your belief requires you accepting all of your life consequences. No wall to hide behind. Are you up to the challenge? It can seem daunting at first but when the night is closing and you’re alone you no longer have that empty feeling. Rather the opposite, fulfillment. Sleep like a baby.

Go to church or don’t go to church, doesn’t matter. Look at what you believe in and ask if it is really something you have chosen or if it is simply a belief that was passed on to you. Then decide for yourself what to believe moving forward. In the end (if there is an end) you are responsible for you and the belief and practices of any group of others, a church, or labels worn during the day will have zero to add to you. You and you alone. Born with nothing and leaving as you are.

Thoughts gave with light and love,

Jarred

This past weekend we spent two nights in Flagstaff, AZ and were in our “other home” a term the children call this hotel we stay at. We had made a bed on the floor for the children slept on. In the middle of the night, I hear our daughter calling out “The Smiths” several times and with a lot of expression. It was like, in her dream, she was trying very hard to let someone know that we were the Smiths and the people she was telling didn’t understand her. It broke my heart. I just wanted to hold and comfort her.

How can a 7-year old turn a mans emotions so much? The feelings I felt went all over the place.

Fear – She was alone and trying to explain to others who she was in her dream.

Scared – How would I find her in her dream

Guilt – I had somehow abandoned her in her dream

Guilt – I lived my life in such a horrible example that caused my daughter to have dreams of being alone.

Love – I just wanted to hold her.

Anxiety – I am not doing enough as a parent

Awe – My daughter was so strong in her expressions and not giving up.

So many feelings and emotions. I would say that only a parent would be able to fully understand the pulling of heartstrings that happen in these scenarios. But what is our duty as a father and how do we “react” in times like these is the next round of thoughts I had.

Later on, in the weekend, we were having Sunday breakfast and there was an unhappy child at a nearby table. I didn’t notice it that much child’s but apparently, the child was starting to get to a level that was not satisfactory to the father. I saw the dad intensely get out of his chair and walk around the table. He then very sternly pulled the little girl out of her chair and the two quickly walked out of the restaurant. She starting loudly crying when she was pulled out of her chair.

All I could think of was “disconnected father” and “that was me”. Man, it was not too long ago that that was exactly how I would’ve reacted. “you’re going to change your attitude, I will see to it!” kind of mentality. It was the only thing I had known growing up so I guess it was natural for me to start there. Thankfully I have an angel of a wife who opened my eyes up otherwise but isn’t this the average father figure? The man who fixes their child when things get out of hand?

In my opinion, the child wasn’t getting the communication she needed. There simply was not that connection. As a father, it is so easy to look at the situation as what they are doing wrong according to what our thoughts are on the matter but what if we get on the child’s level. It is then pretty simple.

My son and I are a perfect example of this. He and I used to but heads and I originally thought that I had to win. That was my responsibility as a father, show him my way… After a little observation, it became apparent that nothing successful was happening throughout that process. I then got to his level and wow, he just wanted to be heard. His sock was a big deal to him. He wanted the lego to look like so. In his world life was crumbling and I was ignoring it. I was turning his situation to me and not even looking at what was causing the meltdown.

As the father, we are the strongest person our children look up to yet how do we define strength? Perhaps the very best example we can live for them is being open and vulnerable. Some of the best conversations I’ve had with my son is when I am on his level and tell him that I don’t know, but I’m there with him. He feels me in his corner and that is all he really needs. His dad is by his side, on the same page.

How often do our children get us in their corner is another thought and feeling I had during the “smiths” episode. It is a question, that brings with it a powerful reminder, I feel I get too often from my daughter – dad, are you going to be home tomorrow? I don’t like the disconnect that she shows me exist between work and family. It is one of the things I am changing now but sadly enough it is taking a few months. Leaving home and going to work. It seems that in a child’s viewpoint we stop living and go to work, which sadly enough can be too true.

Our children need our time. Their life is growing and expanding every day. On the ride home, she had my phone and was taking pictures and videos. She did not care as to how her hair was or what others might think of the angle, rather was gleefully capturing her view of beauty. Pictures of the scenery while driving, video of people she holds dear, anything she felt was amazing. No fear of judgment, just awe, and beauty. It was humbling to me. They are perfect. They are completely present. Right NOW is their world.

We as fathers are always thinking of the next moments while missing what is right now. The examples and lessons my children have shown and taught me tell me that they are the perfect way for us to live.

Us showing them what they show us.

This past Thanksgiving weekend my parents came out to visit and I was greatly reminded once again of how we are always making choices while sometimes not being aware of the consequences.

The entire weekend was one filled with plans that they wanted to do. These plans were not what my family does. We don’t eat that kind of food, stay up that late, aren’t interested in those kinds of trivial items or hang out with those kinds of people yet, we did it. All because we thought it respectful to allow them their desire. We went along in order to not rock the boat. After all, they flew out here from way over there.

What ended up happening is towards the end of the weekend we were becoming unhappy. Intensely so at moments. On edge. Then we realized we were giving up our entire lives, putting them on hold, just so two people that we don’t even have a relationship with could live their lives. Live what they desired, performing their search for happiness.

But, us sacrificing our happiness caused us to be less than 100% which then bled into them. So both groups suffered simply because we were not true to ourselves. We started no liking going along with their wishes and they started not liking us not liking and the downward spiral started.

Sunday they went to a Mennonite church out here while we stayed home and had our leisure morning. Later that morning we decided to have a late brunch at a great breakfast diner that took a bit longer than normal due to the Sunday crowd. We then went to have our toes worked on (wife and daughter got their nails painted while son and I got pedicures). WE, our family, spent quality time together doing what we wanted and our happiness blossomed. We were ALIVE. We were living the authentic versions us as we desired at that present moment. Later that evening we took the parents out to eat at a place that we could eat the food we like, clean and supportive of our bodies while allowing them other options. They ended up loving the place. A great example of how when someone chose to live authentically to themselves (us in this example) the surrounding and adjoining relationships glean from this and are added to their life quality vs being pulled down by a lack in fulfillment.

How often do we give up on what we want in order to please someone else? We just go along because that’s what the group wanted to do. We then trade out time for an unfulfilled moment, for unhappiness.

Life is too short for this. Every moment needs to be lived authentically. We might not wake up tomorrow. Nothing is granted. Time is rather unknown. Yet we still too easily trade it for the supposed happiness of others…

It is deemed normal to do this. It is what we are all taught at a young age. Children, follow me, children submit, children do as your told. Not often are we (society as a whole, not you fine exemptions) leading our children to express who they are fully and authentically without any strings attached. Not often do we encourage the belief in one’s self at a young age. Rather we follow along through our life as a child, doing as we are told, then we get older and we end up just going thru the motions of life for the middle portion of our years. Always afraid to speak out what we really desire for in the fear of our “friends” not liking it thus not liking us. We live one life outwardly while longing for another inwardly.

Mid-life crisis much??? Fulfilment happens when we choose authentically what is best for us. Not for others or what the group deems to be the status pro quo but YOU. What you desire. It is ok to be different. Let the freak flag fly and watch how being your true self attracts others by shining so much brighter than the norm. We end up being so much more of us when we stop covering up our core essence.

All these layers we unknowingly wear. I dress this way because I then fit in at work. I act like this because that is what a person in my position does. I am a parent, its what we do. On and on we trade authenticity for a piece of supposed acceptance.

Perhaps it is time to accept putting ourselves first. This does not mean that you don’t care about others, stop living in their world of belief, you are simply choosing to live yours. In the end, their beliefs have absolutely zero bearing on your life. It is always your life and you are the only one responsible for it.

Life is too short. There is not one reason why we should trade our time for the happiness of others. We can’t ever get any time back. Time spent is forever gone. Make every decision based on what serves YOU best. They will take care of themselves (hint – the already are, it’s why they wanted you to make your decisions based on what THEY desired). Let it all go and live for you. Shedding of those layers will fill as free as our family sitting on those amazing massage chairs getting our toes done grinning like fools to each other in authentic happiness.

Light and love,
Jarred

The day is just better when I get to see the sunrise. Seeing the greatness of the day unfold is humbling and empowering.

This morning I was a bit occupied with my routine and was enjoying the dark of the morning a bit too much before I realized dawn was approaching. I quickly made my bulletproof coffee and headed to the mountain. I did not realize the intention I had unknowingly set.

Haste…

I was behind the time I thought I should be.

I ran up the mountain walking only when needing to catch my breath as I kept seeing more color in the sky starting to show. I didn’t want to miss it! Yet I was missing out on everything. It took me a bit to realize, once again, that the journey is the experience, not the sunrise.

When I made it to my particular observation point I was well on time. The real color was just about to start. It was beyond impressive. How does one put words to a sunrise? It is a feeling, not a text.

The color unfolds from purple hues into a golden field with pink’ish red everywhere. All blending so well with the deep tones of grey from the mountain with a burst of color in the bold green of the cactus with jolts of vibrant brown in the sagebrush. WOW. No words to describe.

But then the need to rush thru the middle in an attempt to reach the end, the sunrise. Hurry up sunrise, I’m waiting! SO often that is our view of our entire life. We make the middle of life the chore we push thru so that we can see the reward, the weekend, at the end.

In the middle of an amazing sunrise, this was my reality. Several times I caught myself wanting to finish what was happening, the unveiling of the day so that I could see the sunrise and continue my day.

The middle is the journey, what we are to experience. There is no need to make it the busy chore of life. Yet we only want to rush thru it. Hurry up and get home so I can sit… Push thru the day so I can clock out… Get bath time over with children so we can finish the bedtime routine…

And this is missing out on life. Missing out on the journey. The experience is life. It presents us with everything we choose to see.

This is a daily struggle for me. As writing this I have experienced it, wanting to post on the actual blog site, yet I am here writing not posting. It is not about ‘posting the blog’ but rather living the experiencing of writing it.

Being present is where life happens.

Busy is turning the living into a chore, a means to an end that we never reach.

The end doesn’t exist. There is no finish line. The journey is it. Living in the present moment, regardless of the action, is fulfillment.

Living brings joy. Being present shows us how abundant living can be.

As always,
Light and Love

On October the 22nd I experienced my first Ironman 70.3 and it was AMAZING.

The Preface,

The entire experience began just over 16 weeks prior when I read a facebook post from Goggins. I had just seen the interview with Goggins and Bilyeu and was very much imprinted on how weak, Goggins words, we are living as a normal. Then some of the comments made me realize it on a personal level.

Having wanted to do this for over 10 years I right away knew what was calling. I pulled up the Ironman site and saw that I had roughly 16 weeks to train, called my wife and she only supported me. Less than 24 hours later I signed up and committed.

Now I had never done a race before that with the exception of a 5k foot race about 10 years earlier. I was barely out of the “contractor belly” condition that I had allowed myself to reach. I also knew that I could easily train up to the Olympic size (1600 yard swim / 25-mile bike / 6-mile run) size so I did not see that as a proper challenge. The half Ironman (1.2-mile swim / 56-mile bike / 13.1-mile run) was going to be a challenge that did not allow much room for error so that was it.

Now my intention behind the entire experience was to believe in me more. It was not about the race but rather in whom I would become by completing the overall challenge.

The overall experience went way further in reward then I had even dreamt about. The power of belief!

The Training Experience,

I had 16 weeks to prepare. I started by running 2-3 times per week, doing weight work 3-4 times per week and biking 1-2 times. Then as soon as I got a membership at a club I started swimming. Having never done laps before that was fun learning the very basics. Like step one, two and three. Breathing out underwater took weeks of learning before I stopped getting painfully bloated.

All of this was just fun training that provided me the opportunity to push myself as I desired during each training segment. Sprints are a great example of the push. I was doing 30 seconds on with 90 seconds off for 8+ rounds. Now the 1st three rounds are easy but then you want to quit and that is where the commitment comes in as well as all the self-talk. I don’t like this – This fucking hurts – why the fuck am I doing this – and then your only 2 rounds from the finish and you start feeling the joy of accomplishment knowing you went thru your wall of comfort. Breaking thru that barrier is such an amazing place. A place where your body and mind eliminate everything else but what you’ve committed to do. So sweet, and painful approaching… Let’s get real. It fucking hurts getting there.

This was how I chose to enter the entire experience though. I knew I would become more of ME. But, I had to do the work.

I hired a nutritionist to help with the fueling and that brought an entirely different level of commitment. He also became my running coach and offered me great assistance with my mind game. I have such deep appreciation towards him. We entered our agreement knowing that I was not going to be using Force for the experience but rather Power.

Shortly after that, I hired a swim coach and man, I thought I knew how to push in the water. There were times that I was pushing with absolutely everything I could find and literally yelling underwater yet somehow always found a little bit more in the tank. The power of a correct coach is impressive.

Now during all of this training, I took a week off for the Ayahuasca experience, which resulted in two additional weeks where training was only about 50% as I was getting adjusted to life after that experience, as well as 3 weeks of training suffering due to a gut issue. Needless to say the Universe provided the resistance I needed to overcome.

Anyways, on to race day,

I was confident in my training, my results proved I would be more than capable of handling each leg of the race. I got up around 430 and grabbed my fuel (bulletproof and avocado) and jumped in the loaded truck and headed that way. As soon as I was on the road I remembered I needed to grab my Gym Boss timer for the run intervals. I couldn’t find it anywhere in the truck. SHIT – now what. (inner voice) It’s ok, I will swing by the office and pick one up from there. But that will take time! But I have time. The self-talk was strong as the resistance was trying to get me to conform to the normal setting of FORCE and push myself thru the race. I didn’t accept. Rather I know that I wanted the timer and that I could easily afford the time as the universe spins in my favor. The stop off the highway only took me 4 minutes! See – check Universe!

Then pulling into Tempe I realized roads were closed for the event so I went a strange route. Hit a wall of race traffic brake lights for what seemed like miles. Almost started freaking out until I realized once again that the universe spins in my favor. No worries. I’ve nothing to hid and nothing to prove. I will enjoy the morning while waiting to park the truck in all the traffic. At peace.

The energy of everyone before the race started was wild. I could feel the excitement as well as the nervousness. We gathered for our wave’s start by the water’s edge and overlooking the swim it had the capability of being terrifying. 1.2 miles of water is a long ass way!

I was strangely calm. Never experienced anything like this and was just enjoying all of it. Nerves were lit but I recognized them as excitement vs fear.

The race started and I was in the water swimming with one of the largest waves. Good gosh it was just as described, a washing machine. The first 400 yards or so was complete chaos. No rhythm or pattern, having to stop all the time because everyone was hitting everyone else. None of it was violent around me but you here the stories. This is the point when I was feeling winded by not swimming with any pace and the self-talk hit me again. Really? You agreed to this? Holy Hell Jarred, this is way worse than you thought. You are in for a world of pain bro! Then I took control and knew I was prepared. I put my head down and started swimming and quickly found my pace. All of sudden I woke up and it was the halfway turn. Then I hit the really impressive part of the entire experience. FLOW state big time. Anyone that has done an open water swim with me knows that I pull to the right way more than a bit. But not today. With my head in the water, I had this very clear “compass” directing me. I knew exactly which direction to go. And it was always a straight line. Every now and again I would feel the notice to swerve and when I would check it was always because I had caught up with another swimmer and was about to connect. I ended the swim portion in 47 minutes, which is pretty impressive for me. I should’ve been at the front of my group.

After the water was the transition to the bike. No easy task trying to put socks and shoes on when you’ve just walked across the dried grass. I didn’t want grass in my feet bothering me later.

Hopped on the bike and felt really good. I followed my feelings thruout the bike until I started getting worried about sweating. Then I kept drinking water to the point I was getting bloated. Finished the bike in normal time so I felt great about that. Started the run and immediately felt the legs cramping up. Painful cramps. Not ever having them before I didn’t even know how to handle it. I walked for about half a mile and then was able to increase to a run. Made it to mile 9 before they became a big factor again. This was not going to be easy. On the run, it is so easy to walk that it can be a challenge to get to that sacred mental place. I started losing the battle. I knew I would finish, that was never a question, but the how was in jeopardy. I was walking with pain and fighting the self-talk when I hear people hollering what sounds like JARRED. I look around don’t see anything but here it again. Then I look up and I see complete joy and happiness. Chels had ended up gathering a dozen or so friends who all came to support me and they were holding signs, and children, offering exactly the needed cheer. An impressive feeling. I felt such love and happiness. Writing about that portion brings tears to my eyes. The love was impressive.

To keep this from getting so long I will say I ended the race with 4+ miles of walking. I found a way to run thru the last portion and into the finish and it was all done with a smile. At no point during any of this did feel anything but a smile. I offered support and kind words to everyone that would talk, be surprised how many did, and my spirits were only lifted and the event transpired.

The feelings I am left with is the power of belief. The power that we are and the power that we have access to. We can do so much more than our current level. THere is so much more available, we just have to choose to believe that we can.

I am overwhelmed with amazement as well as humility reflecting on who we are. Everything is possible. The amount of greatness that my life has had in the past 6 months is mind-blowing, and it is all because I BELIEVED more.

One’s inner self-talk has a vital role in the leading of one’s life. I believe I can / I believe I can’t. Both are true. Whichever you choose.

Most people believe in God. God might be given different labels in different belief systems but still – God.

NOTE: I have a very deep belief in GOD but my view has drastically changed during my recent journey in exploring life and who we are.
Having been raised in the bible belt (actually in a cult’ish environment) I only knew this world for the first 20 years of my life.

This “sharing of personal belief” has been brewing for quite some time.

In every religion and spiritual group that I have witnessed everyone views God as someone that we are looking towards. As a higher power.

The overwhelming belief is that humans are “over here” and God is “over there”.

This is what we have all been taught, thru osmosis of every kind, to believe. We are told to pray to God for help, for the answer, for peace.

Always with a very clear separation, a vast distance, between us and God.

We pray TO God while simultaneously taught to then listen to the “still small voice” that comes from within.

I don’t even know how to write/say this. My hands are shaking, emotions churning.

YOU are GOD

God is inside of you.

We are all one and part of the Universal I AM.

There is not a separation between the two. The two are ONE.

The thought of someone, our children, being taught that they are unworthy and to look outward for everything just makes me want to cry. That is how deep of belief this is for me.

We all want more out of everything. Our country needs more. It seems like we are always one step from the next step of chaos. And then we wonder why.

The belief of separate theology causes the belief of looking at life with a separation which causes the core of so many other “problems”. Everyone has separate interest causing the platform of greed, envy, lack of self-worth and so much more.

WE all want to exist, thrive and feel fulfilled.

WE

All are one and one is all.

Look inside. Feel inside. That feeling in your gut, your solar plexus, is the still small voice. Always listen to it as it is your higher power. Your true being.

It is part of you as you are part of the whole.

I know this goes against everything we were taught and I have no desire to change your belief. Please believe as you feel you should. Believe according to what serves you.

I only express my belief with LOVE in my heart for all. I literally have tears in my eyes.

My intention is to be ALL of me. I cannot be everything and hold this belief to myself.

You can choose your next moment. My past, in its entire journey, has led me from being a scared child that hated life, to trying to run away from home, to somehow marrying my Angel, to leaving the religion I was raised in, to feeling all of the shaming and personal self-doubt and a very deep level, to the hamster wheel of life, to my recent awakening has me KNOWING a GOD that is infinitely more powerful and greater than any religious belief I know to exist. And at that same time, I know, I AM God.

Light and Love,

It’s time to start thinking much bigger.

This world we live in is great but needs a lot of help. Pretty obvious if you turn on the news. (FYI I do not. Very seldom will I watch others opinions? The facts are laid aside) Our society is one that only endorses the outward seeking approach to life while also confusing thoughts in chaos.

Example: Look at the current media and all the thoughts, views and opinions on the kneeling before a flag during game time. I agree that it is a rather odd form of protest that is guaranteed a lot of debate but what does the debate do? Me forcing my opinion on how the flag should be respected as it stands for the sacrifice and freedom that our country used to be well known for on a person who believes their world is unjust and kneeling is the best way to get their point across does nothing.

During all this society is constantly showing us that we need to look to others for not only their opinion but for their guidance in us forming our thoughts on it.

Every commercial and advertisement is a place of following. Every thought of every person involved with it, in every aspect, is one of follow.

Our government and its organizations, including the school system, does nothing to encourage self-empowerment. That would literally take away their power.

The larger problems of the world cannot be solved using a low-level solution. Take away one drug lord and two more take his place. The problem is not in the use of the solution but in the actual solution itself.

Take the problem of natures forest, the cutting of trees and its use in all paper-related goods. Hemp could very well be a much better solution but that doesn’t serve the current positions of power so it is banished as a solution.

Look at the use of corn syrup. Seemingly every food item bought these days contains large amounts of sugar. We are killing our health slowly and surely yet it is for the “greater good” to use these products…

Just a bunch of examples that serve the point. Both from a literal example as well as the other deeper one that we could spend all day discussing these examples as issues yet not get anywhere.

We need to go much deeper than that. The power comes from within. When one gets to a place that he/she is not swayed by popular vote then one is starting to see past the effect and towards the actual cause.

Look at a world where outside approval is not needed. Everyone is making the decisions based out of love vs ” how will I be treated if I believe this openly”.

The answers lie within. Maybe not currently but growth happens when we focus inward vs external. With growth comes new insight. With new insight comes new solutions. With new solutions comes elimination of smaller issues. Elimination of smaller issues allows more thought on the bigger picture which equals greater results.

The solution is you. The way to improvement is within. You are always the solution. Your growth can prompt another to rise above a current life situation. That end result can spark an interest in another person. The ripple in the pool has much larger implications than one realizes and it all starts with you.

Pick up that book and learn something which will inspire thought from a slightly different angle. A few different angles of viewpoint and all of sudden you are meeting a new person who opens your thought on something completely different. Before long your entire reality has changed. You might never know that the smile and kind words you gave the gas station attendant this morning prevented them from committing suicide. They could just probably tell that story to a listening ear that prompted them to tell someone else who used that idea to write a movie script. The movie ends up being grabbed by an A-list actor and inspires an entire country to think of suicide from a slightly different angle. This hypothetical story could be traced anywhere. Yet, it is exactly what could happen! It all started with YOU.

Everyone is connected, apart of, the universal energy field that is very real. When you grow you are adding to that field in a positive way thus contributing to all of the mankind. Your growth alone can change the world.

Perhaps stop looking external for everything and rely on your inner strength. You are everything already. Perfectly made. Everything you need is right there in front of you to make that one small step towards something just a bit better.

You have no idea the true power you have available. Believe in yourself. You are way more than you currently believe.

You are the solution.

Light and Love