On the Verge of Blindness

Day 3 of the detox was a doosie! It seemed like I experienced all of the side effects (headaches, blurry vision, cold sweats and hunger pains) that can occur when one detoxes from 40 plus years of processed food all and once. I must admit that I did think about giving up...more than once. However, I prayed and waited the side effects out. 

Today, my diet consisted of:

Breakfast: glass of warm water with 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon; orange and mixed berry smoothie

Snacks: homemade trail mix (almonds, cashews, peanuts, raisins, cranberries, pistachios, and sunflower seeds)

Lunch: grapefruit; salad and smoothie (beets, apple, carrots, ginger).

Dinner: steamed broccoli and cauliflower

Liquids: I drink half my body weight in water (112 oz.) and one cup of chamomile tea before going to bed.

I'm proud of myself for not only staying committed to the detox but continuing with the #TotalFit Challenge. On
Day 3 of the challenge is called "The Fuel Fit Blazer" from Jay Fuel Fit (@jayfuelfit). 

The workout consisted of:

5 minute jog (I can't believe I geared up and ran in the cold but I did :)
5 Minute Warm-Up
25 Prisoner Squats (I'm glad I didn't know what this was until I saw the video demonstration :)
10 Jump Squat Step Backs
15 Side Leg Lifts
20 Hand Walkout Half Burpees
15 Crunches
15 Toe Touches

The repeat as many exercises (not the jog) as I could in 20 minutes. I was in the middle of my third round when the 20 minute alarm sounded.

First Stage Obesity...I A'int Got Time For That!

In the doctor's office, sitting uncomfortably on the table in a tacky, paper thin hospital gown. I'm wondering if my exam will be good because it's been over a year since my last exam. The doctor enters and introduce herself and ask me a few quick questions. Listening as she reviews my chart that includes the baseline vitals just taken by the nurse. 

Peering up from my chart, the doctor doesn't hesitate to tell me that I am registering at first stage obesity. I look at her perplexed and start to debate her findings. She doesn't seem to care about my excuses that I argue about my current eating and exercise habits. Quickly, I own up to the fact that I need to lose weight and eat healthier. 

Admitting the truth is the first stage to doing something about it! I take the first step and join the #TotalFit Challenge and a Whole Living hybrid detox plan. 

I'm on my second day of this journey and am feeling a wide array of feelings, moods and pains. All and all, I am happy with my progress and the willingness to do something different. There's a saying, "nothing changes, if nothing changes."

Day Seven - Tools of the Trade

Prayer and meditation are the first tools that I'll use to maintain my mindset. I start each morning with a gratitude prayer and then a 20-minute meditation. 

Lately, I've been listening to the following guided meditations that I subscribed to on YouTube.com: 

• Order Creates Peace and Key Principles #thereachapproach
• Healing Journey Beyond Today and Meet Your Spirit Guide #LilianEden 

Subscribing to these two YouTube channels definitely has helped me become more discipline and focused on the mental and spiritual shift needed to pursue my dreams. 

Additional tools that I'll use to maintain my mindset are following leading industry bloggers and websites that inspire. Below are a few I find helpful and would recommend.

• http://littlebigdetails.com/  
• http://blog.jasonshah.org/
• http://uxdesign.smashingmagazine.com/

These are a few of the tools I would use.

Day Six - As a Man Thinketh

"A man only begins to be a man when he ceases to whine and revile, and commences to search for the hidden justice which regulates his life. And he adapts his mind to that regulating factor, he ceases to accuse others as the cause of his condition, and builds himself up in strong and noble thoughts; ceases to kick against circumstances, but begins to use them as aids to his more rapid progress, and as a means of the hidden powers and possibilities within himself."

This quote by James Allen sums up the first thing I commit to doing each day for the next 30 days. Preparing my mind for this journey.  I'll prepare my mind and spirit by committing 20 minutes every morning to meditation and prayer. Through prayer and meditation I'll reflect on my thoughts and actions and commit to making the necessary adjustments to align my behavior to sow the seeds of personal and professional success. 

Second, I commit to seeking out ways to improve my writing and communicating skills. Both of these skills are needed to communicate with my audience. I agree with your post highlighting ad copy being an important tool in having the ability to work remotely. Whether blogging, ad copy or writing business emails, improving these skills will enhance my ability to tell my story and connect with my audience. 

Third, I will commit to learning more about SEO. Currently, I'm a graphic and web designer and I've identified SEO as an additional skill that will increase my marketability. I can see myself working remotely and providing SEO services to current and future clients. 

These three things I commit to do for the next 30 days!

Day Five - Mount Kilimanjaro Here I Come!

The 5th day of the blog challenge has caused me to almost quit. I'm not sure why I wanted to stop...I guess it's because it's asking for me to challenge my belief system and imagination. In the past, I've traveled and worked remotely and experienced the joy and freedom of this lifestyle.I was able to do this for a little over a year until financial resources ran dry. At the end, I was unable to sustain my dream of working remotely from anywhere in the world and found myself in severe financial hardship.

Sometimes I think it's natural or should I say easier to accept the status quo and live a marginal existence. Maybe not...all I know is that the road to living my dream has not been easy and each day I have to pray, meditate and challenge the my doubts, fears and negative self-talk.

Engulfed in my sleeping bag like a butterfly in its cocoon, I awake to the of aroma of coffee. I take a few minutes to pray and thank God. I've finally made it to my dream trip...Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. As I look around at my surroundings, I've overcome with joy and gratitude because my children Imani, Kiyah, Julien and Emmanuelle are with me on this trip.

We exit our tent and head to the galley to eat breakfast and prepare for our initial climb on the 10-day trek up on the western part of the mountain. This route is called Lemosho which is more difficult than the Rongai or Marangu, but offers awesome scenery and the potential to see wild animals along the route.

The porters from the Chagga Tribe break down the tent and pack our backpacks. We eat breakfast and observe the efficiency of the porters who are indigenous to the slopes of Kilimanjaro and are an integral part of the climb. We discuss the upcoming journey and listen to the insight into the culture and society provided by the porters.

The climb begins on the edge of a rain forest and the trek will take seven hours to reach the Machame Camp which is 10,000' above sea level. My day of adventure will not be for the faint of heart but for those with a desire to live life to its fullest. We make it to the first base camp with stories and memories to share.

The smart work has paid off and the months of creating systems and processes to work remotely has manifested into a dream of a lifetime. I utilized today's outsourcing and crowdsourcing technology to leverage my graphic and web design business. 

Day Four - Independence

I had the fortune of getting my feet wet the last few years by running my graphic design business while traveling in Europe. Having the ability to run my business anywhere in the world is what location independence means to me. During my travels, I've found that as long as I had access to Wi-Fi, I had the ability to communicate with my clients via email or Google voice. 

Location independence allowed me to to work in Ireland, England Spain, Italy and Portugal. 

Day Three - Freedom

An awesome breakfast from the Adare Manor

As I traveled from Dublin to the Rings of Kerry in Ireland, I felt the gratitude and freedom of running my graphic design business remotely. I traveled lightly, a suitcase and black backpack that housed my 13-inch MacBook, blue-tooth mouse and charger. All that was needed to communicate with my clients back in the U.S. was a cafe or hotel with Wi-Fi. My favorite cafe was a quaint coffee shop in the city center of Limerick called Arabica. The staff was very friendly and the hot chocolate was to die for. I nestled myself in the corner facing the street to make sure I wouldn't miss anyone passing by and then I would work on current projects and call clients if needed using Google voice. I definitely felt the business freedom that my skills and technology afforded me. During the trip to Ireland, I made up my mind to make a go at life on these terms.

Business came second only to adventure during my travel across the pond. I've been a die-hard fisherman since a little boy and enjoy ed the opportunity of fishing for mackerel in the Atlantic Ocean from high atop the cliffs in the town of Doolin. Although Ireland is known for constant rain or mist, on this day there were no clouds in sight and the sun shined bright. 

Castles everywhere, what a grand sight, very different than the silos and barns I see in southern rural Virginia.  Another adventure that resonates with me was the time I spent the night in Adare Manor.  Adare Manor is a 19th-century castle located on the banks of the River Maigue in the village Adare County, and now a 5-star luxury resort hotel. The manicured grounds and enormous stone facade was very impressive. After checking in, I was escorted to my room which was magnificent and romantic. For me, sleeping in a castle was never on my 'to do list' however, I'm thankful that I don't limit my adventures to a prescribed list.The freedom of adventure never stops amazing me, I've found all that is needed is a desire to let go of my expectations and perspective and allow the light within me to express itself.

My adventures did not stop there, Spain and Italy was next.