Breath, an inhalation or exhalation of air from the lungs. We often take this beautiful gift for granted. Our days are spent expelling a lot of words to each other, more so through virtual mediums these days than face to face. Either way, the focus is on getting our message across as quickly and deliberately as possible. During this time a series of emotions can take place. For me, depending on what I'm writing there can be excitement, anxiousness, anger, sadness, etc. What I

F.E.A.R False Evidence Appearing Real Today is my 41st year on this earth and one of the most revealing of who I can truly become with a mindset shift. I began a journey 68 days ago, and haven't look back once. It has been one driven by health, heart, and centering. The growth that has happened speaks for itself, but I want to capture this moment in time that transcends past anything I could've ever imagined. Let's begin 23 years ago, when I decided that the top item on my bu

Love That term is thrown around so much, and can have a variety of meanings to each individual. You can love friends, family, pets, passions, etc. The one thing I can say all these thing have in common is there is an emotional component to it. I can tell you what it means to me in regards to marriage. Today is my 12th anniversary with the woman I decided to spend the rest of my life with. We started this journey long before the marriage came into conversation. Total years tee

How is one able to be vulnerable, and what does that truly define in an individual? I've wrestled with this term since I was young. The most common association with the term vulnerable, was weakness. As a prideful, insecure, and naïve black kid trying to navigate his way through adolescence and into adulthood, I ensured there were fewer and fewer times to position myself as vulnerable. I needed to be strong, assertive, confident. All the traits that were not bound to a that t

Today I have to circle back on the parenting piece. My wife says often that I'm too hard on my son vs. my daughter. There is no empathy based on his feelings and it is having a negative impact. Usually I just digest and move on with my current parenting style. There is a lot I rationalize when it comes to raising this young prince. First, as previously stated. "I have high expectations for both my kids, and I know they can achieve them." My delivery of those expectations are

"If you don't understand yourself, you don't understand anybody else." -Nikki Giovanni This resonated with me today. I'm getting a late start tonight because some times it's good to use the day to provide insight for reflection. I was looking through quotes this evening to identify what stood out, and landed on the one above. What does it mean to truly understand yourself. Everyone is so complex in many ways. From our preference of food, to our fluctuation of mood. How often

Today I'm missing the feeling of paddling out more than ever. The sea air filling my senses, the engagement of my entire body with each stroke, the unknown of how long before "my wave" arrives, and most of all...….leaving all my problems/worries at the shore. I've been watching a lot of movies and documentaries around the lifestyle of surfing. The therapeutic benefits are hard to compare, if you can get over the fear of the ocean itself and keep yourself vulnerable. It presen

Well damn.............................. I woke up this morning and something just didn't feel right. I knew there was a gap in my routine, but didn't want to believe it. With foggy contacts in, I scurry to the the mirror and quickly realized that my progression pic wasn't taken before I went to bed last night. This means I have failed at my first attempt to complete the 75hard program.......... I stood there and stared in the mirror looking back at my old/new self wondering w

Yesterday I completed the book Grit by Angela Duckworth, and before there was a 4th volume to my blog series, I wanted to let the content digest. This was my second attempt reading the book, but my first time reading it to completion. The first go was a work assignment for a book club that was just starting in our organization. This second time around was on my own accord, and specifically chosen to pair the the 75hard program. There were so many nuggets to help me progress t

38 days ago I took the largest plunge outside of my comfort zone possible. I made the deliberate choice to start the mental toughness program 75hard. If you don't know know what this program is, please go do some research. In summary you have 6 specific rules that you can't change to fit your lifestyle. Rules: Choose a specific diet. (caveat is no cheat meals the entire 75 days) Workout 2x a day for at least 45mins (one has to be outside) Drink a gallon of PURE water a day (s

Today I decided to LIVE with purpose. SWRV SOCIAL was a name/concept that I originally developed with the mindset of starting a digital marketing consultation biz. This could very well evolve into that somewhere during my journey, but not today. A deliberate CHOICE was made to create a space and help build a community of diverse thinkers to express themselves outside the constraints of your average day-to-day. 2020 has been a real asshole, and we've all been a victim of circ