Bringing Dreams into Reality...

“Your life is the sum result of all the choices you make, both consciously and unconsciously. If you can control the process of choosing, you can take control of all aspects of your life. You can find the freedom that comes from being in charge of yourself.”

- Robert F. Bennett

Thanks to Katherine for the inspiration for today's post, titled 'Life is the Sum of all of our Choices'.

I really love the quote above by Robert Bennett, but I think it lacks something obvious that Katherine alludes to in her post.  And that is...even though we makes choices consciously or unconsciously, it's when we exercise those choices, that it is when truly influence the outcome of lives. 

something of the feel of my dream home

If you don't know by now, you may have guessed I'm somewhat of a dreamer.  I have been for all my life.  My dreams and visions of what I want to create fuel my desire and my zest for life.  I only wish there was more time to do everything I would like in this life time.  There is so much to learn and so much to create still, in the way of experiences.

photo courtesy of 1000 Homes of Happiness

As I get older, life is becoming more about the experiential and less about materialistic pursuits.  It's about cramming in as much of life as possible, yet living it with a sense of balance, authenticity and gratitude.  I want to soak up every miniscule moment of the gift of life and part of that is sharing it with those we love.



creating and experiencing wonderfully enriching moments with my children and family are a part of my dreams of a life fulfilled

Yet, even though I've always been a big dreamer, I'm grateful for the gift of action. 

You see...it's all well and good to think about all the choices that are on offer.  But we can delude ourselves into thinking that just by pondering over and filling our head with all the available choices and talking about what we want to do, equates to getting things done.

Bodily aspirations - part of the motivation to exercise and make good nutritional choices on a consistent basis

It's when, after making good choices, we then exercise those choices, by putting them into action and seeing them come to fruition.  Only then, can our dreams become a reality.

So are you making good choices and exercising them...now?   Not tomorrow, not next week, but right now.  Because the choices you exercise today will determine whether your dreams become reality. 

And in finishing, I must share with you something integral in going for your dreams.  It's a great quote by Commando Steve on his FB page today.  You know when you've made good choices, by the person you've become along the way.

"The highest reward for a man's toil is not what he gets for it, but what he becomes by it."

- John Ruskin



Is it True?

Another eye candy shot, compliments of Crossfit.

So I'm wondering...do these guys always train without their shirts on? Hmmm...if that's true, then I'm definitely looking forward to training at Crossfit. :-)

Hot Files...maybe it's time to start

Inspired by Frankie, I've always thought about starting a HOT FILES of my own, but I seem to end up posting FIT CHICKS instead. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not batting for the other side, I just tend to post more of the chicks for my own inspiration.

But after this morning's Crossfit post pic, I thought maybe it's about time I started my own 'Hot Files', but I'll have to call it something else (since Frankie's hot files rocks). Though 'HOT' is the only way to describe men who are generally buff and bronzed, whom you would just love to run your hands over. A bit of hand sculpting (even if it's in your head) never hurt anyone.

Hmmm...another reason I'm looking forward to training at Crossfit! ;-)

"Then We Shall Fight in the Shade"

I thought of you Frankie when I chose this picture of Gerard Butler, aka, 'Leonidis' - fearless Greek King of the Spartans, from the movie "300". Knowing our mutual admiration for such that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and which warrants significant anatomical discussion...lol...I thought Gerard would be a good candidate for your 'hot files'.

Anthony had already seen the movie and said that there were alot of fighting, ripped men who went through a gruelling training program to achieve these amazing bodies with washboard abs. I had been thinking of hiring out the DVD for some time, and after this critique, I thought "hell yeah!...abs...ripped men...fighting...I'm in!" Oh...and honour, loyalty, bravery and all that too of course. :)

Anyway...I've decided this is my latest 'favourite movie'. It's not just about the bodies, though that's definitely a big attraction. It's different - It's artistic...brutal...surreal.

It's about the ideals...bravery, loyalty, absolute single-mindedness in the pursuit of superior physical and mental prowess...a way of life where fighting for, and defending your ideals, even if it means losing your life, is the ultimate honour and sacrifice.

I know that today of course, in this time and country anyway, that is not a reality, but hey...I'm an idealist (and a realist where it counts). This is the stuff dreams are made of, and I'm not ashamed to say that this sought of stuff IS the stuff of my dreams and I really get off on it (metaphorically speaking). These sought of ideals are what motivates me to train harder, do better and to persist, even when the normal person out there on the street thinks I'm crazy and maybe a little too fanatical.

Hey...I'm not even halfway there yet (on the road to fanatical). Now if I lost my husband, friends, family, all in the name of my dreams, then that would make me fanatical, and I'm not about to do that. I do believe in achieving balance, which includes happiness and harmony and being at peace with the world, while still pursuing the best me I can be.

Talking about Spartans and Leonidis, I found this essay, and stumbled across this part of the essay which I think says alot about us humans. And that is, in spite of our foibles, we still have this amazing ability to overcome.

"Perhaps one of the most inspiring accounts of the fearlessness of the Spartans was when they were threatened with Persian arrows so numerous as to "blot out the sun", one among their number replied simply, "Then we shall fight in the shade." Spartan bravery is almost self-evident, and their wit commendable, but there is a very deep, philosophical element to this retort. Popular knowledge has it that when asked the secret to success, billionaire Howard Hughes replied cryptically, "Inch toward daylight". Upon first hearing this, I scoffed and shook my head, but now I realise that perseverance and dedication are the core of success, and who better an example of this than the Spartans?

And as I keep those words in mind, "Inch towards daylight," I realise that fighting in the shade is exactly what this implies - that even in the darkest of moments, one must fight and struggle towards the light, because when you stop fighting, the battle is lost, but never before."

- Mike Sowell