My Mantra

As we are ending the year 2014, and we are all thinking about what goals to set for 2015 I want to tell you my Mantra or my code. I may be an extremist, but I live and breathe by these simple words. In every fiber of my being these words are who I am. Don’t Stop. These two words are what keeps my heart pumping and what keeps my goals in the stars. As a side note, I am also someone who get cold chills when they see gatorade commercials. To me there is nothing more beautiful than seeing someone give their heart, soul, and body to their craft. I’m not going to lie to you and tell you that this is always easy, because this year has tested me in more ways than one. The physical pain that I have gone through this year, is unlike anything that I have ever had to deal with. It has been hard to get past; it was hard for me to deal with the trauma of it. I would cry a lot, not even because of pain sometimes, but because I feared it. I never gave up though; and it took me a while to stop crying and being scared. Because of all of those hard days, I am stronger. When I reflect on this year, I am proud of the hardships I have endured. I never stopped, and I never asked for pity. I didn’t stop fighting, and I don’t ever plan to.  I have realized that we don’t have control over so many things that happen in our lives, and there is a much bigger plan than we can fathom, but I am at peace with that because I know that I am giving this life everything I have. I never thought to share this with you until last week when I watched the movie Unbroken. It is about an Olympic 5,000 meter runner who gets drafted into WWII and goes through hell and back to get home. His story was so inspiring to me, for many reasons. 1. He is a runner, which I can relate to. A runner’s heart is something most people cannot fathom. To endure pain and never stop, pushing your body past what you think is possible. Runners are just different humans. Their hearts are pure and few. 2. He inspired his fellow soldiers to fight, he saved those around him, simply because of his spirit. Being able to lead and inspire people is a precious gift. 3. He refused to give up. Period. Not very many people in this world have a spirit like that. 4. He was a born again Christian, and forgave all of those who tortured him, which is a miracle in itself. 

A lot of us will make New Years Resolutions this year, but only 8% will actually follow through with them. I want to let you in on a secret; this is the second year in a row that I have made it the whole year doing exactly what I said I was going to do. I’m not saying this to brag, I am telling you this to inspire something deep within you. The part of your soul that has goals so high you can barely see them, but get caught up in the monotony of every day life, and forget how truly wonderful and capable that God made you.  This is much bigger than a New Years Resolution; this is about not giving up. Ever. I’m not joking. Wake up every single morning with fight for life. We all have hardships, sadness, loss, heartache, sickness, and money trouble. The difference in a fighter and someone else is that a fighter wakes up every single day determined to make a change. Everyone has the same year, same number of days, hours, and seconds. If you don’t do anything with your days, you will look up and time still passes, whether you are ready for it or not. Don’t waste your days waiting. I’m going to tell you on of my biggest pet peeves, Monday Dieters. Why do you feel the need to wait? Why would you waste another second of your life working towards what you want? 

I have found that most of us are our own worst critics. We see something different in the mirror than what the world sees. So what, you ate too much ice cream one night before bed or you missed a workout. The beauty of our lives is that you get to start the next day with a fresh slate. I am by no means perfect, but I will refuse to give up fighting for what I want, which is health. I think I look at it differently than most, because I don’t have this precious gift on many of my days. But fighting is the only option. My days will pass no matter how I choose to spend them, so why not choose to make my life better. If I am being completely honest with you, my brain doesn’t even understand how people give up. Truly, I don’t get it. It breaks my heart that those people don’t have someone to pick them up and show them there are reasons to fight. 

I guess what this blog is meant to do is to inspire you in the New Year to have a new mantra. Don’t Stop.  I want to build an army of people who are fighters. I know life is hard, and no one knows exactly what your struggle is, but you would be surprised at how many people you can inspire by just being yourself. No matter what your past is, or what you don’t have planned out in your life. There are two things in life I know for certain. 1. We have a God who loves us more than we can fathom. 2. We can never stop trying. So, I am inviting you to adopt my mantra for the year 2015. Don’t stop. No matter what. Don’t stop. I’m not saying you wont have days that seem hopeless, or hours that seem endless, but I promise that giving up isn’t going to make like any easier. Be part of the 8% this year, don’t be someone who gives up, or doesn’t follow through. Be someone that inspired others. This isn’t just about workouts or diet plans, this is about how you live your life and how you choose to impact this world and the people in it. 

-B