It’s Been a Year
“It’s been 365 of record lows and record highs … it’s been a year”
- Ashley Cooke (It’s Been a Year)
I heard an amazing song the other day. A young lady named Ashley Cooke was singing “It’s Been a Year.” She has a great voice, but I love the chorus when she sings, “It’s been three hundred sixty-five of record lows and record highs. Loving and losing, fun and confusing, praying and shifting gears … it’s been a year”.
What a great hook. “365 of record lows and record highs”, I think everyone can relate.
I was talking to a good friend, and they talked about how rough this year had been for them. They had lost a friend, had a car accident, had some run-ins with stiches and other issues.
I can relate. My record high was having my book published and having it become a Best Seller. My record low came when I lost my dog, Riley.
I told my friend that we can look at the hard times (record lows) as a loss or we can flip the script and be grateful for them.
How can one be grateful for losing their dog, you might ask. I only remember the good times. The comfort that she gave me and my family. The funny things she did. How she filled the house with her energy and her life. I am grateful for the 12 years we had together.
Over the last three years I have lost Riley, my father and my mother. I transitioned out of my one passion (coaching) of 35-years into my new passion (author / motivational speaker). At first, I mourned the passing of them all. But then I found myself remembering all of the good times, the laughs, the hard lessons and adventures that came with them all.
I wouldn’t be who I am today without my parents, so I am grateful that they pushed me as hard as they did. They made me care more (mom) and expect excellence in everything and everybody (pops). They taught me to be work hard, be honest and loyal to a fault, and no matter how hard it is to do, tell your friends the truth as you see it.
I speak around the country today on the lessons I learned in my life and the coaching profession. I don’t have the paper that says I have a doctorate in life, but I have the scars that no book can teach. I am grateful for the hours, days, weeks and years that I was around the coaches and players. The lessons they taught me, whether good or bad, are the lessons I teach when I am out speaking.
I told my friend to see each of the occurrences in their life as a blessing. The hard times are challenges being put in their life. Randy Pausch, in his book “The Last Lecture”, talks about these “walls” stopping people. But he reminds us that those walls are only there to see how badly we want to move forward. The less passionate will become stuck. The resilient will persevere through the hard times and will find a way through, around, over, or under the walls. Randy tells us that those walls are for other people, so they have an excuse for why they didn’t accomplish their dreams.
In coaching we talk about the two choices you have after a contest, you either Win or you Learn. All of those “hard lessons” make us stronger. They allow us to learn how we can be better. They strengthen our resolve that we want to move farther along our journey. These are the Got To’s. The things we have Got To come to grips with. The things we’ve Got To move on from. The Got To’s that make the Get To’s all that more enjoyable.
The “record highs” are the rest of the days:
Move or Die doing as well as it is doing.
My mother-in-law, Frances, who brings balance, humor and her home-spun perspective.
My wife, Louon, who is so full or life. She is the engine that drives our household.
My son, Alex, who makes me proud every day. He is an old soul. He doesn’t get caught up in the bullshit that life throws his way. He’s not afraid to ask the hard questions when he needs the information to fill in his life’s puzzle. His intelligence and humor will make us think and laugh in the same measure.
My quarters, who are always there to keep me moving down my path.
My friends, who are always there with a kind word and a helping hand.
My Move or Die TEAM who pushes me out of my comfort zone daily as they promote the brand.
Even when the day starts out rough, I will receive a text, or get a phone call and the day will turn around completely.
Who do you rely on to help you carry your goals and dreams along your journey? Life is hard, but it can be made easier by simply reaching out to those who want the best for you. All you need to do is add the hard work that goes along with accomplishing all of your goals.
Life is at a point right now where I feel like I did when we were just about to make the championship runs in college or the NFL.
My PASSION and focus are in line with what I want to achieve. All the PREPARATION work is being done. I PRACTICE my craft daily. When I am writing or speaking to a group I PERFORM at the highest level. I can do this all because I have PERSEVERED through some hard times and know I am resilient enough to push through those that will come.
Every night it’s difficult to get to sleep because I can’t wait to get the next day started. Before I go to bed, I end up writing for an hour to clear my head of all the things I want to accomplish the next day. If I don’t get them out of my head, I can’t get to sleep.
How are you sleeping these days? Are you worried about the next day or excited to move the needle in your world? If you are trying to control that which is out of your control you are wasting your time. Make a plan every night before you go to bed. This plan should outline your days schedule and what you need to get done. When you do this, you will stop wasting valuable time, and will get a better night’s sleep. Control what you control!
I have won and will continue to win because of the lessons that I have learned from those who are no longer with me, and for the “hard lessons’ that have come through my life. So, I am GRATEFUL for all that has happened and all that is progress.
What about you? Are you letting the hard times stop you from living your optimal life? Be grateful that you have been challenged. Know that you will find a way through. You might need some help. Reach out, and those who truly care about you will help pull you out of the rut. Get back to your life by only remembering the good things. Use these memories to push you forward to make them proud. And then push yourself to a new level. Stay so busy that there isn’t time to backslide into feeling sorry for yourself. When you speak to yourself, don’t condemn, lift yourself with positive messages. Find the gifts that are there for you every day.
We all have the same three hundred sixty-five days. Let’s make this year full of record highs!
It’s been a year!!
