I reflect to a few months ago when I was angry and forced to accept the fact that a former place where I maintained employment treated my existence.  During my 10 year tenure my last 10 days were nonexistent despite my loyalty for those years.

How unfair?  How hard this was going to be to start over?  How could things have ended up completely different?  As I lamented about my next steps I received a text stating that, “the way I departed was never the way he envisioned it would be, but unfortunately it turned out that way.  I envisioned a big send off but the atmosphere wasn’t conducive for it.  There will be another TIME to celebrate.”

So as I grieved emotionally, mentally and physically I also began to realize the mental toll this job took on me over the years.  Unfortunately I had to experience the pain in order to build a new life and I correlate this loss with a divorce process 6 years earlier.

It was TIME to create new goals with the people who have supported and been too loyal to me.

It was TIME to take my preparation and meet the opportunity head on.

It was TIME to not only focus on the good habits I had, but to work on the bad habits that would prevent me from reaching my full potential and keep me struggling to reach my goals.  Those goals and visions of G.H.O.S.T. , community fitness, branding, speaking, blogging, book writing, etc…

Just like heavy weights tire you out, fatigue you, slow you down, weigh you down, frustrate you so did my bad habits of behaviors, thoughts and feelings of doubt.

Some things in life can’t be erased; bad childhood, bad relationships, genetic injury/disability as life’s problems big/small and self improvement and reflection takes TIME.

“Think Positive, “my girlfriend, Michelle, would state as it will all come together in TIME.  Optimism alone isn’t enough to help you reach your full potential.  Example being, that I fear ANTS.  Completely irrational right, as they are small and harmless?  But when I was stationed in Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in 2002 I had a visit to the informatory due to red ants swarming me and biting me as I slept in the desert.

The rational thinking is to just step on those Ants or spray them with RAID.  I needed TIME to balance my emotions to make decisions.

1- Removing my anger and replacing it with Logic

2- Instead of acting tough, act with the values that grew my reputation over TIME

3- Don’t treat my body like a machine.  Listen to it, it needed rest and I can’t help everyone.

4- Relying on my own self reliance.  Don’t burn bridges as GOD is the only person to be able to walk on water and you will need others along the way.

5- FAD.  Fitness trends are fads, fitness diets are fads, but my TIME couldn’t be a FAD this TIME around.

This TIME might require more effort, more focus, more work but all things are possible through him.  The benefits of TIME are:

1- Resilience

2- Satisfaction of Life

3- Enhance Performance

Note:  You will never become an expert by reading this article.  Musicians don’t become overnight sensations; athletes don’t get million dollar contracts for showing up.  You have to practice and master your craft.  Growing, improving and striving to become better in TIME. 

He was right, there will be another TIME to celebrate.

-Jesse