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Sunday, March 25, 2012

Power of words

We have all been insulted by other peoples words. We also all probably insulted other people by using our words. Our words are the strongest weapons we possess. They can build people up or break people down. They can make people smile or make people cry. The impact our words have on other people can often go unnoticed, but then again there are the words "I'm sorry." When we say "I'm sorry", we are usually apologizing for something we said or did. This shows that there are times when we do understand the impact our words have on others. We are able to see that something we said did not make the person we said it to feel very good.

How many times have we apologized to ourselves?

THIS is where the power of our words truly goes unnoticed. We can sometimes see the impact our words have on others,  but we can rarely see the impact our words have on us. Our words have stopped us from being who we wish we were. Our words have stopped us from reaching our true potential.

How many times have we told ourselves we can't do something? There is one way our words have stunted out potential growth.

How many times have we told ourselves we weren't good enough? There is another way our words have impacted us.

So, what can we do about this? Well, here is the plan. We try to remove these negative words from our vocabulary. We need to consciously be aware of our thoughts and words. We need to take it one minute, one hour, one day at a time. It won't be easy. We will mess up, but we need to be aware when we are messing up and we need to fix it. Practice makes perfect, so the more we do it the easier is will become.

We have to allows ourselves to believe we can accomplish anything.

We need to believe in our potential.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Why the new name?

That's right! One at a Time now has a new name!

Building a Better Us!

Yes, the name sounds weird. Shouldn't it be "building a better you"?

No. It shouldn't be "building a better you" because you aren't the only one who needs to be better. We all do. Therefore this blog is about building a better us.

I decided to change the name because I want to blog to have a newer focus. I want the blog to be an opportunity for all of us to grow together. I want to grow with you. I need to grow with you. I figured why not do this together? So we will. Each post will be about opportunities for us to grow as people. Some may be simple short explanations and others may require a lot of work, but we are going to do it....together.

As always, I appreciate your dedication.

Stay tuned for more

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The First Step

How do we become the best version of ourselves?

We all want to know the answer. The problem is that many times we tend to look outward for the answer. We look to others, we look to movies, we look to music, we look everywhere for that one true answer.

The problem is that we don't look into ourselves.

This was a powerful lesson that I've realized over the past few weeks. You see, I am not perfect. None of us are, but I am trying to become a better person each and every day. If we stop growing then we stop living. I, like most people, always looked for the answer. I always looked for someone who was going to come along and tell me "you can become a better person by doing x,y,z."

These people don't exist. The truth is we all know exactly what we need to do to become a better person. The first thing we need to do it learn that we have the power. We have the control over all of our choices in life. The sooner we discover this, the sooner we realize that we have the power to make ourselves better.

Maybe you are a smoker who is trying to quit. Maybe you are struggling to keep your diet going because that craving for sweets gets you every time. Maybe you are an athlete striving for that last chance at proving your worth. Whatever we are struggling through can be solved by learning that we have the power. We have the power to say no to the cigarette, or the candy, or the negative thoughts we may have.

We have the power to say no and we have the power to say yes. We are in complete control of our lives even at time when it seems like we aren't. The sooner we realize that, the sooner we can take the next step in our personal growth.

Realizing we have the power over ourselves is the first step.

Are you willing to take it?

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The Issue At Hand

At Marist, we have a baseball and softball team and a baseball and softball field. Basketball teams and a basketball court. Water Polo and swimming teams and a swimming pool. The Volleyball team has a volleyball court. Our football team, lacrosse team and soccer teams, all have our nice new turf field. Tennis players play on our tennis courts and crew rows on the lovely Hudson river. Even our intramural softball team and club rugby team have a field to play on. That covers every NCAA Division 1 team at Marist....

...Except for the Track and Field team.


Running can be hard to understand. In fact, runners can be hard to understand too, but that is a different topic. The main question most people ask is "can't you run anywhere?"

Yes, technically we can. Our "distance runs" can be on a turf field, the roads, trails, or a track. When we do our daily runs from campus we can and do go out on the roads. However, for a track team to not have a track is like a baseball team having a batting cage, but not field. It is like a basketball team having one hoop, a ball and a painted foul line in the parking lot. It's like hockey without a hockey rink. The fundamentals of the game can still exist, but the specifics don't. It's like eating only a piece of chicken for dinner without any sides. It is the sides that complete the meal.

Picture this: You are a Division 1 athlete and each week in order to get the proper training for your sport you have to go a local high school, or a Division III school just to use their facilities. Not only are you wasting your time traveling back and forth, but aren't you also embarrassed? Here you are, a collegiate athlete and you have to practice at the local high school.

How would you feel? Put yourself in that situation. Would you feel appreciated? Respected?

I don't. I am not the only person who feels this way.

Please take a minute and put yourselves in our shoes.

How would you feel?

You have your main athletic resource...help us get ours.