Category Archives: Fitness

“Unlock Your Best Life: 5 Must-Do’s Before Life-Changing Decisions”

Faith, Family, Fitness, General

We all face choices daily, from what to wear or eat to more profound decisions that can alter the course of our lives. Let’s talk about those big life decisions, the ones that demand more than a flip of a coin.

Life decisions are the game-changers, choices that have the power to shape the trajectory of your existence. Before we dive in, it’s worth mentioning that life circumstances, like the curveballs of death or sickness, often come uninvited – we’ll save that discussion for another time.

Your choices shape your destiny. 🌟 #LifeDecisions #EmpowerYourChoice" Share on X
  1. Prayer & Spiritual Guidance: Pause for prayer or seek spiritual guidance. Connecting with your inner self and seeking divine insight can provide peace as you navigate uncharted waters. It’s a moment to find clarity amid the uncertainties.
  2. Core Values Check: Reflect on your core values. What truly matters to you in life? Are your choices in alignment with these values? Understanding your fundamental principles can be a compass guiding you through tough decisions.
  3. Outcome Investigation: Count the cost. Delve into the potential outcomes of your decision, weighing both the positive and negative aspects. How might it impact not just your life but your community? This foresight helps you make an informed decision.
  4. Emotional State Assessment: Take a moment to assess your emotional state. Is fear, stress, or impulse driving your decision? Ensure you’re in a calm and rational mindset before taking the plunge.
  5. Talk it Over: Don’t go it alone. Reach out to trusted friends or family members. Discussing your decision with others can provide valuable insights and emotional support. Different perspectives might unveil aspects you hadn’t considered.

And then, when you’ve done the groundwork, make your decision. Own it. Whether you decide to take the leap or stay put, remember, the power lies in your choice to make it right for you. It’s your journey, after all.

"In the realm of life decisions, emotions can be the navigator or the storm. Take a moment, assess, talk it over with loved ones, and then choose your course wisely. ⚖️ #DecisionMaking #EmotionalIntelligence" Share on X

PSA Cycling 

Family, Fitness, General

Everybody is in a hurry. Speeding tickets prove this. It seems some believe the road is made of lava, and the longer they stay on it, the worse things will be. I get it. I can be impatient. But when it comes to life and death, I think we all should and would choose life. 

So, because I value your life and mine, I wanted to give a little 

PSA concerning cyclists. 

I ride. I cycle. My main exercise activity includes miles on the road riding a two-wheeled, chain-driven, human-powered machine. 

BTW, my name is Steven. I have a family that I love. So that you know, I have three beautiful grandbabies. This is very important because, just like you, I want to make it home safe. 

As a cyclist, I’m not trying to impede your progress of getting off the lava; I’m just trying to enjoy my chosen form of exercise. 

The most important idea you can embrace is that every cyclist has a name and a story.

When you, in your car, come upon me on my bike (cyclist) or a group of cyclist (peloton), here are a few things to do. 

Give me room. Minimally 3 feet, but moving to the other lane is much better if it is safe to do so. Oh, and you don’t have to show off your loud mufflers as you pass.  https://georgiabikes.org/resources/georgia-bike-laws/

Passing on hills or sharp curves is dangerous for everyone. If you can’t see what’s coming, be patient and enjoy the ride in your car with AC, watching me struggle up a hill in the heat. 

Fourways and roundabouts. Simple, give me the lane. It won’t take much time; I want to move through quickly, and I appreciate this one. 

BTW, blowing your horn don’t make my legs move faster. If you see me on the road and want to wave, great, I will wave back. Your horn can startle me and cause a wreck. If you must blow that horn do it after you pass me. 

Flick me off.

I get it you may be having a bad day, and I and my spandex add to it. So I receive your finger with compassion and wish you the best. Just give me a little room. 

And if you are just an angry person and want to cause issues with me on my bike, please know you and your car win every time. Also, listen to the song #TryJesus -Tobe Nwigwe

Remember, my name is Steven, and I Love my family and life, most likely just like you. 

#everycyclisthasaname 

What can you do to make the roads safe for everyone? 

Stretchy pants can be deceiving.

Faith, Family, Fitness, General, ,

One thing I’ve learned in quarantine is that stretchy pants can be deceiving.

See, the thing with stretchy pants is the elastic in the waist allows them to expand. Therefore, our expanding waistline under the stretchy-ness of those comfortable pants can increase without our knowledge. 

It’s not until you go to put on actual pants (without an elastic waist) that you realize, um, “these jeans use to not be this hard to button!”  Who put my pants in the dryer?

Our bodies are made for tension. They grow under stress. Whether it’s birthing babies, trying to finally get those coveted abs, training for a race, or studying for a test. It’s in the hard things we do that keeps our minds sharp and our bodies healthy. 

From growing plants to forming diamonds, most good things only happen under tension. They have to be broken down to come back, and they come back better and stronger. 

When my son broke his collarbone playing football, the doctor told us that he most likely would never break that bone again. Why? Because after it’s been broken, it heals stronger than it was before. Our creator designed us that way. 

It’s not His will that we stay broken. 

The thing with comfort is that it can be deceptive because our minds and bodies need rest to heal. Here lies the tension. 

If we stay in something comfortable too long, our muscles will atrophy, and we will become weak in our ability to do hard things. And life, my friend, is full of hard things. 

Comfort in itself isn’t bad. I’ll be the first to say how much I love my stretchy pants. And we as humans all need to be comforted. It just can’t become our way of life. 

Being comfortable has a way of lulling us to sleep, and giving us a false sense of security, making us want to camp out. It’s a nice place to visit; you can’t build your house there. 

Being comfortable has a way of lulling us to sleep, and giving us a false sense of security Share on X

I dare to say all of us this year, in one way or another, have found ourselves in places where we have become too comfortable for too long. One more brownie, one more Netflix original series, ah, maybe we will catch church next Sunday. Can anyone relate? It is way to easy to do. 

But I would ask you to consider embracing the tension between comfort and growth. Absolutely enjoy a dessert and a good movie. By all means, take the time to be with your friends and family. But also make it a point to grow!

Go for a daily walk. Read a good book. Eat a vegetable every now and then. And most importantly, spend time in the presence of Jesus and the Word every day. This is where real change happens. We all want change; it’s just harder (uncomfortable) to do the changing. 

But, no doubt, it’s worth the effort. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 5 For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 6 Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. 7 We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.

Where have you gotten too comfortable?

Growth Plan Part 1

Faith, Family, Finances, Fitness, Uncategorized, , ,

Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning. Benjamin Franklin

Every year we have a new opportunity to revise our plans. At the end of one year, we can look back and examine what worked and what didn’t. Then make adjustments and grow into a new year.

We don’t want to drift into a new year just like we wouldn’t drift down a white-water river. Drifting leads to circles which leads to everything flipping over. Did you see Bird Box? We must be intentional about our growth.

Growth requires a mindset and a plan. In Carol Dweck’s book Mindsets, she describes two basic mindsets fixed and growth.
A fixed mindset assumes that our character, intelligence, and creative ability are static which we can’t change in any meaningful way.
A growth mindset, on the other hand, thrives on challenges and sees failure as a springboard for growth and for stretching our existing abilities.

Check out Mindset book here.

Our lives are designed to grow. (Think Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy.) God has created us in His image. We have His appearance and his character.
This must be developed.
God has also called us to work and care for His creation.
We are created to bring order to the chaos. We are called to create.
This will require us to grow/learn.

Growth is at the foundation of who we are.

Because we are multifaceted people, consider these five areas for growth.
Spiritual Life
Relational Life
Physical Life (Health)
Emotional Life (Mental Health)
Financial Life (Money-Career)

Let’s grow stronger and better in the new year!

This is part 1 of a series of post about developing a growth plan.

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