Bubble

Have you ever found yourself worrying about the past while also stressing about the future? I am almost certain that I can answer both of these questions with a YES!!! I think its almost human nature that at some point we find ourselves over thinking a decision we made 10 years ago or we are stressing about something that might happen months/years down the line. We live in a time where media reminds us what we should look like, think like, dress like and everything in between. What we don't do very well anymore is to live in the exact moment.

Until not to long ago I was guilty of the top question and often found some of my responses and thoughts overwhelming my actions. That was until I realized how much time I was wasting and how much unnecessary energy was given to thoughts that had no bearing on what really mattered. This is when I decided to live life in a bubble. Not the physical bubble to protect myself from injury or harm but the imaginary mental bubble. A bubble that allows me to focus just on the task at hand. A bubble that circumferences just the 24 hours a day I am currently in. Time is a commodity that we can't replenish so to make every second matter is the end goal.

What this allowed me to do was focus on today. To live in the now and not let decisions of the past reflect may actions in a negative manner. Yes I will be aware of what has happened in the past but I will use those events as an ability to grow. An ability to learn from a failure and become a better person. I will not worry about what might happen tomorrow and beyond mainly cause none of that is guaranteed time anyways. Why worry about something that may never happen in the first place.

I will however make sure that my actions today put in place a legacy for the future. One where my kids are proud to call me dad, one where my friends knew I was always there for them, one where my extended family laughed at the stories of our adventures and of course all of my patients knowing that I cared for them constantly.

So my challenge to you is to define your bubble each day you wake up. Stretch, get out of bed and know that today will be your day. Live in the moment and constantly strive to make positive changes in the world. Those changes may be very small or in the form of a moonshot goal but none the less they are a change. Be the person that everyone wants to be around as you are full of energy, motivation, inspiration and a constant desire to continued improvement. Grab your bubble and Make It Count!!!

Superficial Clutter

Every spring we dive into closets, garages, cabinets, drawers and every other corner of the house for one specific reason. The reason is to get rid of clutter that has been over the years. We call it spring cleaning and when we are done we feel accomplished, driven and full of energy to move on to the next phase of life free of clutter. Its the material cleansing we love but how long does it last?

I was recently on a long run and thinking how the idea of spring cleaning can be applied to our lives on a daily basis. How much clutter is in your life in the form of thoughts, ideas, actions, and re-actions? How much of what you do daily, weekly and yearly is potential a waste of your time and energy? I love to end a day analyzing how much of my day was time well spent or time spent on superficial clutter that has no deep rooted meaning. How much of my day is spent building upon a solid foundation or spent of clutter that is leading me down a road/actions that don't support my overall personal mission.

Superficial clutter is constantly present and is in my mind the number one way goals are crushed (AND NOT THE GOOD CRUSH). While I love checking my social media, email, etc. How much of that time could be spent on pushing my goals towards levels of success. How many times do thoughts of what people will think, thoughts on what will happen if I fail, thoughts on it will be to hard, thoughts on will my support system be there for me and thoughts of is this the right choice distract you from pushing forward?

I think one of the most important reasons EVERY single person should write a personal mission statement is to understand what are the foundations principles that drive you. Having principles that have a foundation will constantly give you a basis to avoid clutter. You will be able to examine every thing that crosses your plate and see if it supports your mission.

The one principle that means the most to me in my life is the simple idea of TIME. It is the one resource that we can never get more of. We can always make more money but we can not (not yet at least) make more time. Time is something not to be wasted. Time is something to always love and always apply the mentality of MAKE IT COUNT!!!! However superficial clutter has a tendency to steal this idea of precious time. Wasting our energy on things that don't matter. In my life everything revolves around my wife and girls. So when I develop goals or my paradigm for success my planning includes how it will affect my family. If it takes to much time away I will cross it off and move on. If it inspires my kids to improve then I move it up the chart. Does your clutter affect your time?

Take 5 minutes tonight and examine your day. Did superficial clutter affect your decision process? Did the idea of a monkey mind take over and did you feed the monkey mind or ignore it? Some clutter will always be there but the more efficient we can make our lives the better off we will be personal and the better off we will be to support those around you.

Make It Count!!!!

Knocked Down

Life has been flying bye this year at an incredible clip and couldn't be more blessed to be experiencing all the positivity in life. I would never say that negative thoughts, temptations, experiences or energy don't enter our families life we just choose to focus on what we can and turn everything into a positive.

There are times in life (sometimes daily) when you feel that life is knocking you down. One second your riding that wave on cloud nine and then the next your wondering why me. Life is meant to be a roller coaster of emotions. Life should never be easy or else you would get to comfortable and not challenge yourself to be better than you are. I am here to tell you that there is an easy way out each time you get knocked down. All you have to do is stand back up, dust your knees off and attack the situation with all your energy and desire to succeed.

This past weekend I had the absolute honor/privilege of not only watching my daughter play in a soccer tournament but her whole team. As much as I love to see her succeed I love to see the team succeed just as much. This team has bonded extremely well and no matter who gets knocked down they are always there to pick each other up. At 10 years old their life maturity is beyond the win or loss column. They understand with every once of there body that if one person or the whole team gets knocked down the only way to recover and push towards the path to success is to get up and move. Don't rest on negative emotions or worry about what happened but learn and move on to the next play. While they lost with PK's in the championship games I believe each of these girls came our a champion with their level of teamwork, play and ability to play every play with 100 emotional and physical intelligence.

I understand that sometimes the circumstance surrounding you getting knocked down can be an extremely difficult one. There will be times when you feel your in over your head. These are the times though when we can grow the most as an individual. These are the times when success is the only option. These are the times when we reach for our teammates, family members, co-workers or spouses and build upon that foundation we have in place. There is nothing sweeter than rising from the bottom and climbing the mountain and seeing how far you have come. I wouldn't be the dad, friend, athlete, husband and professional I am today if I didn't constantly push myself away from a point of contention, failure, rock bottom or feeling of hopelessness.

So next time you get knocked down instead of getting mad, frustrated, wanting to get even or feeling helpless stop for a second stand up and think what can I do from this second on to make the next second in my life better. What can I do immediately to take the higher road.

One thing I do every morning is called a 5 minute journal. I take 5 minutes total in the morning and the evening to write the following:

Morning

1. Name three things I am grateful for

2. What are three things that will make today great

3. Daily affirmation...

Evening

1. Name three great things that happened today

I have noticed by doing this exercise almost everyday that I am constantly reminding myself that life is a journey and I will always have things in my life that I am grateful for no matter the circumstances.

Make It Count!!!!

Modeling

Years ago I learned deeply about a topic that to this day I try and incorporate into my life. Growing up I always knew having a mentor would always be extremely important aspect to my life. While sometimes the people/mentors I had didn't pan out like I expected I have been blessed enough to also have some people in my life who will never know how much I owe them. Part of having a mentor is the process of modeling. Modeling is the process of learning what they do in their individual lives that make them successful and then try to implement those procedures into your life. While we are all on a different path in life we can always incorporate some daily routines that improve our efficiency, drive and success. 

I decided to go a different route with this blog. Instead of me repeating to you what I do in my life I have instead reached out to 5 very different individuals within my community who I view being extremely successful. I have asked each one the same 10 questions so sit back grab some popcorn and always remember to Make It Count!!!

Suzy Serpico

Bio - I started triathlons my senior year of high school in 1998. I have been fortunate enough to have competed professionally for the past 3 years, however going back to my age group roots this year. To date I have finished 15 Ironman triathlons, including the Ironman World Championship. I have a huge passion for sharing my knowledge of health, fitness and triathlons among many different ages. Along with being a triathlete, I am also an elementary school physical education teacher, spin instructor, head coach of RIP IT coaching and co-owner of TRIATHLEAN. http://www.ripiteventshome.com/

1. What is your definition of success? I think too many athletes/people define success based on comparison to someone else. I believe success is truly personal. If you set out to do something and finish to the best of YOUR ability, that is success.

2. What is one book you have gifted often or is your favorite? I must admit I am not a big reader. However, one thing that I love to collect and share is quotes/motivational sayings. We all have days we need that extra push, so I try to save them and share them with others when needed. My favorite is "You can't cheat the grind...it knows how hard you've worked, the effort you've put in, and the time you've dedicated towards it...it won't give you anything that you haven't worked for". We actually put that quote on the back of our coaching shirts for our clients. 

3. What does the first 90 minutes of your day look life? I am a pretty routine person. Most days I wake up before work, grab a sugar free red bull, and head out the door to get my morning training in. Monday, Wednesday and Friday are swim days. Tuesday I teach spin class and Thursday I teach boot camp.

4. What is one thing you do daily that adds the most value? I call my parents at the end of the day, even though they live 15 minutes away. I am very fortunate to have a fantastic family. My parents have been my biggest cheerleaders throughout my life and not sure where I would be without them!

5. What is your greatest accomplishment and why? That is tough! There are so many things that I have been lucky to accomplish as an athlete, teacher and coach. Initially I was thinking that an overall win would be my greatest but I truly think that it is people trust me to be their coach. I have had honor to coach many athletes who are doing their "first" race at a certain distance. For them to trust me enough to be part of their journey is pretty amazing!

6. Describe one failure in your life and how it has made you a better person? Ironically I came across this quote recently and for me it answers this question perfectly. FAIL means First Attempt In Learning. I believe that is so true. I don't really look at any experiences in life or training as a failure. Situations might not have gone the way I wanted them to, or the time on the clock wasn't what I was hoping for but I don't considering that failure. It becomes an experience in which I can take away something to improve or work on to be a better me next time. Too many people only focus on all the negatives when there are so many positives within the same moment. Its all about your mindset. 

7. What three people would you love to have dinner with? Britney Spears, Justin Beiber and Eminem. I know it might be random  but I have no shame. For once it would be nice to have dinner and not have a majority of the talk be about triathlons!

8. What is the top thing you would tell a younger version of yourself? That life, no matter how old you are is like a roller coaster; full of ups, downs, twists and turns. So better buckle up and enjoy the ride!

9. What motivates you to push forward everyday? The fact that I can!!! Each day that I wake up and able to train is a gift. I have seen too many people get so caught up in the sport and times that they forget to step back and enjoy. A workout of mine that I like to give my athletes is something called 6 SMILES. The goal of the run is for them to leave any type of technology at home and to smile each and every step because the fact that are out running is pretty amazing!

10. What is one moon shot goal of yours? Is to complete the Ultra 520K this July. It is a 3-day race (Day 1: 6.2 mile swim, 90 mile bike, Day 2: 170 mile bike and Day 3: 52 mile run). I have complete 15 Iron distances and looking for a new challenge. I am excited about this race because it is truly against the clock and myself. 

Peter Odunne

Bio: Business owner, endurance athlete, husband, dad, coach, mentor and facilitator  http://www.rusttotrust.com/

1. What is your definition of success? Getting results that lead to significance. 

2. What is one book you have gifted often or is your favorite? Gifted often: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey. Favorite (gifted to me): Leading and Inspired Life by Jim Rohn

3. What does the first 90 minutes of your day look life? exercise

4. What is one thing you do daily that adds the most value? think positive

5. What is your greatest accomplishment and why? Becoming a dad; It taught me the importance of relationships and leadership. There is so much joy at seeing someone you love begin to grow successfully and begin to inspire others.

6. Describe one failure in your life and how it made you a better person? My first marriage. I met my current wife and started a family.

7. What three people would you love to have dinner with? Jesus; Ronald Reagan; John Wooden

8. What is the top thing you would tell a younger version of yourself? It's not about you. It's all about others.

9. What motivates you to push forward everyday? Feeling good about myself by helping others to feel good about themselves.

10. What is one moon shot goal of yours? Qualify and compete at Ironman World Championships, Kona.

Dr. Judy Staveley 

Bio - is the CEO of The Platform Magazine, a Biology Professor, author, speaker and a triathlete who teaches at several colleges in the Maryland area. She serves as a spokeswoman and advocate for several biological, health, medicine and forensic science organizations. Additionally, as a professional athlete / triathlete, and National Health/Fitness Specialist she assists in several community programs to initiative “health in youth sports”.  She is part of the USA Swimming, USA hockey, USATF and USAT organizations. Dr. Judy Staveley was born in San Antonio, Texas and currently resides in Maryland. Her education was completed at the University of Alaska Anchorage (pre-med curriculum). She graduated with honors, leadership honors along with the honor Society Tribeta. A Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences with research focused on toxicology was awarded to Staveley. Staveley pursued her dream of becoming a Forensic Medical Scientist, by enrolling and completing a Masters of Science degree in Forensic Science specializing in DNA and Serology at the medical school of University of Florida – Gainesville School of Pharmacy. She continued with schooling and pursued a second Masters degree in Biological Sciences and Emerging Diseases. Finally she completed her doctoral in Health Psychology with a Biological and Health emphasis. She continued to pursue her education with a stint at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland and a career in teaching Biological Sciences / Health Psychology at the university level. 

While mentoring athletes at the University of Alaska Anchorage, she took up marathons, cycling, triathlons and swimming along with other sports. She started to compete in triathlons in the year of 2004. She completed her first triathlon in 2004 with team in training, combining sport and charity for the first time. She continues to compete in multisport events, marathons, and ultramarathons. Staveley achieved her childhood dreams when she won the Chancellors AWARD for teaching at the University level. This award was given by the students of the University of Alaska Anchorage and was considered to be a heart filled achievement. This achievement led her to pursue a Ph.D. Professor Staveley is a highly regarded speaker in biology, research, health and wellness, sports, and science. Topics range from motivating athletes in health activities, molecular research sciences, forensics, biochemistry and nutrition. Her focus is to continue to promote the biological and psychological aspects of health and promote healthier lifestyles. Staveley has been featured in numerous media articles, speaking presentations and television appearances. She remains active in her athletic and charitable pursuits and raises money for cancer, autism, and many other charitable nonprofit organizations to help support families in need.
http://www.judystaveley.com/

1. What is your definition of success? Success is based on your thoughts, actions and goals. Reaching your goal is your success. Everything you do is based on a thought. That thought determines who we are and what we do to reach a successful goal. Good thinkers are problem solvers that never lack ideas and become innovators. Success is not measured by degrees or money. Success is measured by the joy of creativity. Creativity is pure gold, not matter what your profession is, if you created something and your happy with the outcome then your successful.

2. What is one book you have gifted or is your favorite? I love books and I personally share so many books from different authors and publications. I love to educate and encourage reading. Being educated and being diverse in different subjects brings about confidence. Confidence brings about success. Most of the material I do share has to do with success or inspiration.

3. What does the first 30 minutes of your day look life? My first 90 minutes of my day, I wake up look at my phone briefly for important message. I eat breakfast and then gear up to train. Exercise helps clear my mind and sends me good endorphins for the rest of the work day. 

4. What is one thing you do daily that adds the most value? Educating others to stay healthy.

5. What is your greatest accomplishment and why? My greatest accomplishment was completing two full marathons back to back in 2013. I personally never thought I was capable of handling that distance or even doing 2 marathons in 15 days. After encouraging myself to set this new goal and do it. It was very rewarding after it was done. A very humbling experience. 

6. Describe one failure in your life and how it has made you a better person? N/A

7. What three people would you love to have dinner with? I don't know? That's a great question. I enjoy having dinner with many individuals and love the company of sharing great stories.

8. What is the top thing you would tell a younger version of yourself? Don't ever fear expanding your horizons, just do it.

9. What motivates you to push forward everyday? Positive self - talk is a great way to push oneself on daily basis. Everyone should give it a try. Affirmations on social media are very popular and can be used for self talk and motivation. I personally enjoy being engaged in self focus thinking. Running helps start my day by removing mental clutter and distractions to harness positive energy to reach my desire goals for that day. Focus thinking has always helped me reach my goals. 

10. What is one moon shot goal of yours? I have accomplished so much in life which I'm grateful for. Whatever comes my way in the future is just icing on the cake. 

Amy Lesko 

Bio - President of Empower Nutrition and Fitness, has more than 12 years of experience in nutrition, fitness, personal training, competitive bodybuilding, CrossFit and athletics, with a special interest in disease prevention. Amy has consulted with more than 100 individual clients, guiding them to achieve their health goals. She has also developed tailored programs for c-suite leadership groups, mothers (pregnant and post-pregnancy), and cancer patients. Amy lives in the DC/Baltimore region, with her wife, Shannon,and their two little boys, Leo, 3 and Wesley, 5.  http://empowernutritionandfitness.com/

1. What is your definition of success? Everyone's definition of success is different. The way I measure my success is if I am living the life I desire...everyday. It's knowing that I am taking the strengths that I have been given, combined with my passion and use them to help others. When I am doing this -and being true to myself in the process - then I know I am being the best person I can be. That's success in my book. 

2. What is one book you have gifted often or is your favorite? I constantly gift the book The Four Agreements. It changed my life and I believe it can exponentially take your life to the next level if you're open to it and if you desire. 

3. What does the first 90 minutes of your day look life? I wake up at 5AM, drink a cup of coffee and read my daily devotions. I also use that time to plan all of the workouts for my clients that day. For me, its is the perfect combination that gives me a peaceful and energy filled morning. 

4. What is the one thing you do daily that adds the most value? Having quiet "Amy" time in the morning to read my daily devotions. These are most often books life The Four Agreements, The Invitation or Everyday Grace. I have found that when I start my day with dedicated time to connect with myself on a spiritual level, than I am most often able to carry that "peaceful" mindset throughout my day, which is incredibly powerful. Life throws all of us curveballs when we least expect it, but doing this keeps me grounded and feeling grateful no matter what. 

5. What is your greatest accomplishment and why? Having my two boys. They show me everyday the meaning of love and how to live life to the fullest. 

6. Describe one failure in your life and how it has made you a better person? Not truly loving myself. For most of my life, I thought I did love myself, but yet, I had not looked closely into my heart and soul. When I truly started to do work on me, I saw clearly that I had spent years living out of fear. What I mean by this is that I was living out of fear of being true to myself. This realization - this awareness - was a significant awakening for me. I now try every day to speak my truth and be who I am. I now have a deeper understanding of what it means when they say YOU must love yourself in order to truly love another. It's so true. 

7. What three people would you love to have dinner with? My mom - She is in the late stages of Alzheimer's and I would to talk with her life we used to. I miss her wisdom and love. Rich Froning - He is a machine and ridiculous athlete. I would love to just talk with him and his training...I know that it would be mind-blowing. Chris Donatiello - He is the wine maker at C Donateillo in Healdsburg CA, a winery that makes one of my all-time favortie Pinot Noirs. There is a science and passion that comes with wine making and would love to share conversation with him...and of course, a glass of wine!

8. What is the top thing you would tell a younger version of yourself? Spend more time loving yourself than worrying about if you are the "perfect" version of you for others. Being true to yourself is the best gift you can give to yourself and the world around you. 

9. What motivates you to push forward everyday? My wife, my boys, my family and friends, my clients and each day I feel so grateful.

10. What is one moon shot goal of yours? To place in a local Crossfit Competition. 

Esther Collinetti 

Bio - Owner Rev Studio, cycling instructor, Lululemon Ambassador, avid cyclist, triathlete, Baltimore 40 under 40, fundraising via fitness/spin classes and passion for helping individuals reach any goal they have for themselves. http://revuup.com/

1. What is your definition of success?

Leading a life one loves with purpose, balance, joy, adventure, playfulness, health, and love.

2. What is one book you have gifted often or is your favorite?

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

3. What does the first 90 minutes of your day look like?

Alarm goes off and I set an intention for my day.  I take my 4-legged baby out, feed the cats, make my espresso, eat breakfast, catch up on work and personal emails, catch up on both personal and business social media, dress up and get ready for a kick ass day!

4. What is one thing you do daily that adds the most value?

I close my eyes and feel grateful for my life and the people around me in my life.

5. What is your greatest accomplishment and why?

Opening REV has been by far my biggest accomplishment in my life so far.  I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur and to be able to transform my passion into a business that works has been truly a dream come true.

6. Describe one failure in your life and how it has made you a better person?

When my father committed suicide I ventured into a couple of dark years.  My biggest failure at that time was drinking to much.  I laugh at people that have coffee cups with the saying “there is a chance this is whisky” as I’ve been there and I am not proud of it.  It took a horrific car accident that I had to be rescued by a helicopter ride to shock trauma where I stayed for 7 days in the intense shock trauma with hopes that I could shit from my own ass one day.  I am forever grateful to University of Maryland Team C and truly I am walking and shitting from my ass thanks to them.  I take my coffee double espresso with a splash of 2% milk please. 

7. What three people would you love to have dinner with?

My father.

Bono.

Any athlete that inspires me and motivates me to go the extra mile.. (there are many)

8. What is the top thing you would tell a younger version of yourself?

Do it.. don’t be afraid of failing... just trust your gut.

9. What motivates you to push forward everyday?

My drive to get stronger, wiser, smarter and more vulnerable with my own self in order to live the life I love with those that I love the most.

10. What is one moon shot goal of yours?

Buy an island in a remote part of the world and create a retreat home for many to venture for wellness. 

Memories

This post comes at a time when my heart is heavy but my drive to MAKE IT COUNT is stronger than any other time in my life. No matter how high we fly in life, no matter how high on the mountain top we seek to motivate, no matter how much positive energy can flow through your body...there will always be times when the harsh events of reality can knock you upside the head.

Without getting into details of recent events I will just say that the evil of cancer has struck across a spectrum of close family and friends recently. Initially it was very difficult and will never get easier but one thing popped into my head that cancer can never strip me of....MEMORIES!!!!

Memories are a powerful tool that when used in the right mindset can set the tone for your present and future self. While I was upset and extremely mad at the moment I heard diagnosis or word hospice it only took one memory to bring me into a state of being calm and having clarity of mind to do whatever was needed for that individual.

While memories can come from a place of negativity at times they can also more often come from a place of motivation, inspiration and growth should you choose to use them in that manner. Time to time negative memories creep into my mindset (no one is perfect) but what I have taught myself is to always think what can I learn from that event. This in exchange turns a negative into a positive. I can thus take a memory of a time when life wasn't working out and apply it to the present moment in an effort to grow stronger.

My main goal as a parent is to always be present in my kids life's. This in exchange gives my kids a memory of dad was always there for us no matter what.

Memories also lead into what I strive for in life...to leave a legacy. When my time comes I want nothing more than my funeral to be a celebration. I want people to rejoice in the memories that I left them with. I want people to say that the world was a better place because Jake was here. All of that wouldn't be possible without the ability for others to have those lasting memories.

While cancer may win or may not win this round what will never be taken away from me is the incredible memories I have of these individuals always being there for me, teaching me extremely valuable lessons at a young age, showing me how to get in trouble and not getting caught (sorry mom) and most of all leaving me with a smile about the good times we had.

Make it your mission tomorrow to leave lasting memories as none of us knows when it will be our time so what other option do you have other than to MAKE IT COUNT!!!

Rainbows

Do you ever see a rainbow and not smile? They are one of a few things in the world that absolutely slow people down and makes them take in the beauty if only for a few seconds. What else in life has this affect on the masses like a rainbow does? Yeah I love to see majestic mountains and they always make me smile but my wife sees them as a hurdle in getting to her piece of the pie which is the beach. When I was a kid we would ride our bikes at a distance trying to find the end of the rainbow in hopes that the old pot of gold would be waiting for us. For some reason though we could never find the end of the rainbow and if we did not sure that leprechaun would have been that friendly anyways.

                                                                                                    

This past year I have grown as a father, friend, husband, professional and individual. I have learned a lot in regards to how the first 40 years of my life has played out. I have had the time to examine the ups and the downs and I can say that I would not trade one thing over this period. The ups during this first couple chapters have been so incredible that I truly have no words and while at times the downs seem sometimes to much to handle they all translate into growth. I have always been a fan of the obstacle is the way mentality and as I get older my belief in that system continues to grow.

While details are not important there was about 5 events in the first 6 months of last year that really tested me.  The “why me” was spoken with a harsh emphasis a few times. However, one event revealed to me how lucky I am and how some events that seemed unforgiving were actually a blessing. It all happened around one single rainbow on one routine day during one of a thousand pictures I take of my ladies. We spotted a rainbow...girls wanted a picture to send mommy...after  I took the picture we looked at it and I realized that all along I have had my pot of gold in my little ladies. 

 Yeah a real pot of gold would be pretty cool to find but it could never replace how much these three girls have helped me grow into the person I have become. They inspire me daily to be the best version of who I am. Every action, word out of my mouth and presentation comes from a deep rooted desire to always be their biggest supporter, fan, hero, mentor, father or what ever you want to call it. My legacy in life all comes down to one simple thing...being the best DAD I can be. Yeah I want people to say he was a great chiropractor, triathlete/runner, husband, friend, educator, motivator or whatever other title people see fit but at the end of the day being the best DAD is my life long goal.

So next time you see a rainbow instead of dreaming about the imaginary pot of gold at the end think of what in your life is your pot of gold. Are there people, events, accomplishments that you are proud of that help drive you to be 1% better each day? While my girls will be at the top of the list I have other rainbows that grew extremely strong in 2015 and which drive me into my next chapter in life with so much excitement, passion and joy.

Wife - I know some people will say what about your wife...my wife knows without a doubt that she is my rock...our 13th year of marriage could easily been a struggle but our love, support and commitment to each other is stronger than ever.

Community - I must say that I am spoiled rotten to live in such a great community in which everyone looks out for each other and the support is sometimes overwhelming. I also through some initial hesitation developed a huge family community bond with an amazing group of people I worked with at Lululemon. I was surrounded by driven people that I had the chance to work with that helped me grow individually and also help mentor along their individual path. 

Family - No family is perfect in life without some occasional dysfunction. The family bond is defined by how strong the bond is after moments of struggle. I can honestly say that my family bond is the strongest its ever been and the future shows nothing to it slowing down.

Education - Time is available for you to choose want you want to do with it. In 2015 I was able to tap into around 100 books covering dozens of topics. My wife would say I was cheating on her with Amazon but the wealth of knowledge that is available to us in today's world is addicting.

Mentor - I was able to finally connect with someone who fully understood me and who I admire and love greatly. He has taught me more than he will ever know and being a part of him publishing a book on his life's journey was a very inspiring process. 

Growth - We had the absolute pleasure of welcoming in twin boys to the family unit this past year. Finally there are boys in the family.

Extended Family - One time period in 2015 that I believe was such a rewarding time was using the simple process of communication to help out the amazing Team Khlo. With everyone's help she was able to raise enough money to acquire a specialized dog that with help with her seizures. To this day I get emotional just thinking about how powerful people can be when we come together to help those that need it. We love you Kim, Kevin and Khloe!!!

Health/Sport - These are one in the same for me as my health (mentally/physically) is geared around what sport or event I am training for. I ran a ton during this time which has played a huge psychological role in my growth as an individual. I had lots of time to think not about what I have done wrong in life, how I would have done something different, how I regretted an action/decision but this time gave me the power to build a solid foundation into the goals, actions and person I wanted to become from that moment on. On a side note I am back to the sport I absolutely love and can't wait to attack triathlon again with a tank full of possibility.

My next chapter starts with Howard County Chiropractic Sport and Rehabilitation. The environment is a perfect fit for me and I can't wait to use the gift of chiropractic to help people achieve their goals. 

My mantra still remains Make It Count!!! Don't ever wait for the perfect moment to start achieving your dreams as no moment is better than right NOW.