Will you do it?

Welcome to “The 30 Day Challenge 2012″!  It’s completely up to you to participate.  I’ll describe the challenge I’m taking.  You have 30 days to challenge yourself.  Is there something you’ve always wanted to add to your life?  Is there something you want to remove from your life?  Now’s the time to make it happen.  Don’t wait another day to begin creating the life you want to live!

Ok, here is the challenge I’m taking on for the next 30 days…

For the next 30 Days I will “Live like a World Class Runner”.   The sacrifice and commitment of our Olympic athletes inspired me.    I’ll be posting 5 days a week about my progress and reflections.  I’d love to hear from you about your 30 Day challenge and any feedback you’d like to offer here.     Well we’re gonna see if I do. No one ever changed the world in their comfort zone (or changed their lives).  I’ve been reading about how world class runners live and…  Read more…

The Sidewalk is Not an Escape.

There are always a few times during a ride where I’m tempted to ride on the sidewalk.  Really rugged streets and fast and heavy traffic sometimes concern me. Wilshire has got to be the most run down street in Los Angeles.  I was so surprised.  “Miracle Mile” is the worst section.  The miracle is that I made it through there alive.  The “bike” path is actually the same are that the buses roam.  The big machines create big cracks and pot holes in the street.  Its the most rugged on the downhill sections.  I guess gravity teams up with buses to make those portions extra fun.

Fast and heavy traffic can really raise the hairs on your neck.  Big trucks make the earth shake when they hit 40 mph.  small cars zip behind you and around you and they are not as small when you’re on a bike.  For some reason when buses slow down from going full speed they backfire, which sounds like gun fire.  It took a few of those explosions before I figured out what it was.  Everything is just so loud on the bike.

Situations like theses tempt me to cruise up onto the sidewalk, even though its illegal.  A strange dynamic occurs when I ride on the sidewalk.  Its boring.  Its easy.  All of the intensity goes away.  It feels safer, but I just  Read more…

We learn a lot about ourselves when we experience adversity.  Its important to work on our character.  If we don’t confront those things inside us that hold us back, then those things will destroy us when adversity comes.  There are an endless number of stories of people that have persevered and thrived during adversity. Its possible.

1. Adversity is like a forced confessional…the truth comes out.
2. The sun shines on us all and the rain pours on us all.
3. Our character matters… others need us at our best during adversity.

“Adversity can expose the ugly truth about us or reveal the absolute treasure in us.”

Trust is such an important thing.  When your trust has been violated its tempting to trust less or to never trust anyone again.  This lessens the quality of your life.  Most rewards are wrapped in some type of risk.  Trust is a risk.  Do not let your let downs in trust cause you to lose the ability to trust.  Keep giving people a chance… and yourself a chance for meaningful and fulfilling relationships.

1. Trust is not earned, but is a gift.
2. Do not use trust as a reason to check out in life.
3. Instead of worrying about whether or not others can be trusted, work on being a trustworthy person yourself.

“Without trust one becomes an island.”

I am quickly becoming a fan of the culinary arts.  I”ve always loved food, but not as an art, more as an unrefined, sometimes, hard to watch gridiron war.   Narayanan Krishnan gave up a career as a chef to feed the homeless three meals a day in Madurai, India.  I love the story of this culinary artist.  Its as if he developed into a world class chef simply to get the world’s attention.  Once he had the world’s attention he said, “this is what’s important”.  He is a true artist.

1. Too many artists and entertainers get the world’s attention… and say nothing.
2. Every talent is meant to get the world’s attention and breath hope.
3. Live your art.

“People like Narayanan Krishnan remind us of what the role of the artist is truly meant to be.”

I’m heartbroken over the loss of my friend and mentor for the last 14 years, Cesar Calderon. He was the Executive Director of SEA.   Since I heard the news I’ve been praying for his wife Dina and his children. Cesar’s fingerprints are all over my life because of his investment in me as a man and as a leader. I know the same is probably true for many others.  

The news is still so new and I am still in shock. The question that comes to mind first is why. So young, so much talent, wife and young children, amazing work…why? When I ask God why this happened, no helpful answer comes. I doubt anyone could come up with a suitable answer for why it happened. God led me to another question. Why did I know Cesar? With that question, my heart is flooded with thoughts and memories and love and all of the things that he poured into me.

These memories fall short in replacing the ability to call him or shake his hand or talk with him. I still haven’t experienced the raw emotion that I know will come. I still feel a little numb. I’m grateful though that God is giving perspective now before the wave of emotions come.  His legacy was to bring hope and opportunity to people.  May his legacy continue through each of us and SEA. May he rest in peace.

Laura and I spent  a day together reflecting on 2010 and dreaming about 2011.  We laughed and cried and dreamed.  It was by far the best talk we had in 2010.  We spent time alone writing down goals and desires for 2011.  We shared them with each other.  In the next couple of days I decided to create a document that I could look at daily to remind me of my goals.  I read a verse in the Bible that was so meaningful, that I decided to make it my one pursuit.

1. Repentance and rest is my salvation.
2. Quietness and trust is my strength.
3. I love new beginnings.

“Strength coming from quietness and trust seems counterintuitive.”

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, huh?  I returned to my amazing high school students today.  I really look forward to seeing them everyday.  I hope they feel the same way, although they probably associate me with school, which is not their favorite pastime.  They’re so great and I’m inspired by their will to move forward through all kinds of obstacles to get to school and change their lives. It keeps me motivated to change mine.

1. Our young people are inspiring.
2. Make an effort to spend time with teenagers.
3. No one gives more honest feedback than a teenager.  Trust me.

“If you’ve made it through your teen years, you can make it through anything.”

We had such a great Christmas.  I thoroughly enjoyed having my Poncho and Lisa, (bro-n-law and sis-n-law) stay with us.  Mom and Pop (Laura’s parents) also stayed with us.  They were the best gifts we could have received this year.  I’m just gonna say it, Pop is one of my favorite people on the planet.  I have learned so much from him over the last 19 years that I’ve been with his daughter.  I’m so grateful.

1. The best gifts in life are the people you love and love you.
2. Don’t let one day pass without expressing your gratitude to God.
3. Make an effort to be a gift to as many people as you can.

“The best gifts are with you everyday.”

At triathlons there are kayakers in the water to help struggling swimmers.  I don’t want to be saved by a kayaker.  It took sweat and guts prepare for a 1 mile swim.  I should be able to pull kayakers to safety!  In life, sometimes we get stuck in a rut and just wait for rescue…over and over again.  Stop looking around for a hero.  Its you!

1. There may be more in you than you’ll ever know, but test yourself to find out all you can.
2. No matter how desperate your circumstances you have what it takes to find a way.
3. God has created you for great good in the world.

“I needed a hero, so I became one.”

Sometimes you have to will yourself to move forward.  If the inspiration isn’t there or if you “feel” like giving up you have an ability to make a choice…a willful choice.  Now is one of those times for me.  I’ve had great success with fitness for most of this year.  Right now it is a decision of my will to keep at it. 

1. My will can override my feelings.
2. Inspiration often comes after you’ve accomplish what you’ve set out to do.
3. Finding my will removes any excuses.

“The only way to develop an iron will is to use it.”

I wouldn’t say I’m quite a full-time Train/ Bike Commuter , but I’m very close.  I take the Gold Line from Lake Ave. to China Town.  Then I ride “Toothless” (My 2010 Cannondale Bad Boy) from China Town to my school at Crenshaw and Potomac.  After work, I ride back to the China Town Station, take the Gold Line back to Lake Ave. and ride home.  My favorite part is the coast down Lake Ave. at 5:50am.  I feel free.

1. I feel so much more connected to the city when I ride.
2. My goal is to use the train and Toothless 5 days a week.
3. I’m hoping to get fit in the process without me knowing it.

“Finding something that makes you feel free, sets you free.” 

Toothless on the Train

Some days you might just feel sad.  On those days you gotta search for the joy in your life.  Find it.  It is there. Sometimes your outlook and attitude can shift as simply as shifting your right leg in front of your left leg.   Search for it. 

1. Finding the joy in your life opens a windfall of gratitude.
2. The sooner you find it the better life gets.
3. On those sad days, find someone else to comfort.

“Great treasure requires a great search.”

Sometimes breathing is all we need to focus on.  There are few things more satifying than a deep, fully-inflated lung inhale and a tension releasing exhale.  Sometimes on my bike I can feel the tension in my shoulders, calves and chest muscles.  A deep conscious breath relaxes everything and brings me back to life.

1. Breathing give you life (literally and figuratively)
2. Inhale all the goodness (O) and exhale all the rest (CO2)
3. Take 5 good breaths today and enjoy.

“Breathing is completely underrated”.