“Surrender to what is. Let go of what was. Have faith in what will be.”

- Sonia Ricotti

When we get honest with ourselves, most of the upset we experience in our lives is due not to what happens to us or what others have done to us, but to our perceptions, judgements, and stories we attach to these occurrences.

While there are instances in life that can seem devastating at the time they occur, it is my experience that once we move through, accept, and process these experiences, they are often the catalyst for our most valuable life lessons of growth and expansion.

The two most devasting events of my life were losing my 11-year-old brother to a drowning accident the summer before my senior year of high school and going through divorce after a 26-year relationship with my wife.

In both instances, I did not know if I had the strength to carry on.

I was hurt, frustrated, scared and angry. While in this state, I placed blame on others, on God, and even myself. It was ea...

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly; you're doing something.”

                                                                                           - Neil Gaiman

Every four months, I receive a new group of Black Belt Candidates from our martial arts organization to train in preparation for their upcoming Black Belt Testing with me. 

Since most of these candidates are my student’s students, this is the first time many of them have trained with me.  As you might imagine, many of them are quite nervous, not knowing what to expect in their first classes with me. 

This oftentimes causes them to freeze and make errors that they wouldn’t regularly make.  This then causes greater nerves and trepidation which then leads to even large...

“Dedicating your time to being AGAINST something is the same as dedicating your life to something you hate; you feed it with your energy. Knowing what you are against, helps you decide what you are FOR. From there, the best thing to do is to pour all of your focus and time and energy into what you are FOR instead.”

                                                                                                                             - Teal Swan

In our society, we are so conditioned to focus on what we are against.

Today, entire platforms, movements, philosophies and political agendas can be based on this “against-ness”.

In our personal and professional lives, as we encounter difficulties, our initial reactions are generally to resist what is and fight against our challenges to get the results we desire.

While fighting for a cause we believe in is certainly an admirable endeavor, it is my experience that when we place our attention only on what we dislike/hate, do ...

Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.”  

                                                                                           - Joel A. Barker

I believe we are all born with a vision for what we want in our lives inside of us. 

Just think back to when you were child and the numerous visions you had for what you wanted to be in when you “grew up”.  Your imagination was boundless.  I personally wanted to be a cartoonist, a doctor, an astronaut and a super-hero (Actually, when I was 5-years old, I WAS Batman).  

I believe these visions are set inside of us so that we have a path of expression to share our innate gifts and make our world a better place.  This is not just available for some of us, but for all of us. 

However, this begs the question:  If this is true, why is it that so many of us allow those visions to become merely dreams that fade away because we never take action...

“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”

                                                                                  - Aristole Onasis

Each year, I am blessed to share my message of Black Belt Leadership and its Mind of a Champion principles with several groups across the country.

During many of these sessions, I discuss how the negative stories we create in our minds about our lives can dis-empower us and keep us from experiencing the happiness and success we desire. 

In contrast, I also share how Forward Focused thinking, can be used to overcome our perceived obstacles, and also re-frame our challenges as blessings in our lives when we really look at them with an open mind and heart.

To explore this, I have participants in many of my sessions share with a partner a challenge they are currently experiencing in their lives. 

In sharing this challenge, participants are asked to communicate the details surrounding these obstacles ...

“Success isn’t always about greatness.  It’s about consistency.  Consistent hard work leads to success.  Greatness will come.”

                                                                                             -  Dwyane Johnson

As I was hesitating to begin my daily mini-exercise routine this morning because I felt tired and sorry for myself, I was reminded of a story I heard many years ago.   

An elderly man who seemed to defy aging walked into a gym. 

In his early nineties, he still possessed a strong and lean frame with a powerful chest and biceps and triceps a teenager would be jealous of. 

His legs and his back were as solid as tree trucks, yet flexible and supple.  A full, albeit thinning, head of white hair still donned his head, and he lived with a vibrancy of someone a fifth his age with a bright smile and a twinkle in his steely blue eyes.

When asked what his secret was for his amazing physical vitality, he matter-of-factly stated,

"I made a ...

“In the study of truth, we talk often about the power of words.  It is important to put into words only the verbal statements you want to see manifest in your life.  For instance, the word ‘problem’.  You say, ‘I have a problem.’ A much better word to employ when referring to some sort of challenge is ‘project’.  Note what happens when you say, ‘I have this project.’  It makes all the difference in the world.  The word project suggests a positive endeavor of development…..We tackle a project with vigor and imagination and with the conviction that it will be done.”

                                                                                                    - Eric Butterworth

It had often been said that it is not what happens to us that matters, but the meaning we put to it.

Each of us went through our own unique set of challenges in 2022.  For many of us, it may have been the most challenging year we can remember, with several of our most difficult trials continuing into...

"Making a choice that is one percent better or one percent worse seems insignificant in the moment, but over the span of moments that make up a lifetime these choices determine between who you are and who you could be.  Success is a product of daily habits - not once-in-a-lifetime transformations."

                                                                                            - James Clear, author, Atomic Habits

It is once again the beginning of a new year, and many of us have great aspirations for making monumental improvements in various aspects of our lives. 

This is usually the time of year when we set intentions for improving our health (usually in the way of releasing weight or improving our diets and/or exercise habits), our careers, our relationships and/or financial standing.

Having a clear vision on where we want to go is integral to the attainment of any worthy vision.  However, what gets most of us off track is not just lack of clarity for where we...

“Action cures fear.  Indecision, postponement, on the other hand, fuels fear.

                                                                                                       - David J. Schwartz, Ph.D.

We certainly live in uncertain and challenging times.

In times of challenge, it is understandable for us to be in fear.  It is a natural reaction. 

While unpleasant, one could argue that sometimes fear can be a good thing.  Being aware of potential danger and having concern for our personal safety can keep us out harm’s way.  It can also provide us with a surge of power to overcome an immediate threat that confronts us.

As an instructor in adrenal self-defense training for over twenty-five years, I have witnessed time and again, students using their fear as a catalyst for accessing their inner power.  When they do this, fear becomes their friend, their asset, and their secret weapon.  It allows them to access a power inside themselves that they didn’t even know tha...

“Once I made a decision, I never thought about it again.”

                                                                                             - Michael Jordan

Decisions, decisions, decisions…….. Scientists estimate that we make approximately 35,000 different decisions each day.  These range from what we will eat for breakfast and what clothes we will wear to life-altering choices in our businesses, relationships and our health and well-being.  

I know I can oftentimes find myself in “analysis paralysis” as I weigh in my mind what is the best decision to make in a situation. 

However, I have also found that once I make that decision based on the best information and feelings within my heart that I have available, and fully embrace it, forces I didn’t even know were available begin to come into my life to support me.  It was not that I necessarily made the “right” decision, but that I embraced my decision with my whole heart and mind. 

Or as William Hutchison Mu...