Winning at Life

Every day we struggle. Struggle to get up, struggle to get dressed, struggle to get to work, struggle to get through the day, get home, take the kids to practice, make dinner, pay the bills ... The list is endless. I have found that by changing two things I no longer feel like I’m struggling. At first I started managing, then I started overcoming. Now I am controlling—controlling everything in my life.

The two things I changed were the time I get up and meditating. I know what you're thinking, "Yeah right. Mumbo jumbo.” Hear me out. By getting up an hour earlier than I used to I have time to do yoga or workout at the gym. As part of my cool down I meditate. I focus on nothing, but the sound of my heart and my breath—block everything else out for a few moments and focus inward.

After one week, I no longer felt like I was struggling and was able to manage issues that arose during the day. My outlook began to improve and my feelings became more positive. As I moved into subsequent weeks, I began overcoming major obstacles that before would have pinned me to the mat. Now I control everything in my life. Was it easy? No, but I stuck with it and now I’m in charge. I’m happier and have an extremely better outlook.

My family has even noticed and commented on how I don’t look like I’m dragging anymore. My son wants to go do things with me and my wife wants to tag along. We recently started hiking in the woods around our home here in the Pacific Northwest.

I have put together positive names for the days of the week and are as follows:

• Miraculous Monday: There are so many miracles that happen every day and we overlook them because of our own struggles. Find them and celebrate them.
• Terrific Tuesday: This is just a wonderful day to be alive and hustling through.
• Wahoo Wednesday: Go through your day saying “WAHOOO!” and getting others to say it too. It lifts spirits and brightens moods.
• Thunderous Thursday: You will overcome all obstacles in your path with thunderous ability!
• Forget it Friday: Forget all the pain you endured this past week. Don’t forget the lessons from the experiences, but don’t carry the pain. You are in control of your body and how you feel. Move on.
• Successful Saturday: Today you build your plan of attack for the following week. Write it down so it becomes more real for you and you have something to look back at to remember what the game plan is.
• Sedate Sunday: Recharge today. Make this the day you reboot your body to be able to attack and conquer the next week.

All of what I have just said hinges on one thing, you. Until you are ready to commit and push through the barriers and crush the obstacles you will continue to struggle. Take it one day at a time. Kill it that day. Celebrate the wins and learn from the losses. Lift up those around you so they can in turn lift you higher.