Month: August 2020

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JUST SAY NO

The above phrase became very popular during the 1980s as part of the anti-drug campaign. Former first lady, Nancy Reagan was a champion for the movement. The campaign was simple, but a powerful tool to keep our young folks away from drug use.

“No” is one of the most powerful words in the English language. We all know the meaning, but are afraid to use it to protect ourselves and our interests. Perhaps we do not believe in ourselves or do not respect ourselves enough to use it. I learned this past week the power that this simple two letter word can have. People can take advantage of others, when they sense weakness. A Young Defender does live to serve others, but it does not mean they should be taking advantage of. As a YD, if you are not comfortable doing something, just say “No.” Remember, a Young Defender loves themselves enough where they do not allow anyone or anything take advantage of them. It is ok to be selfish at times when your best interest and others are protected. The YD oath stresses the need to love oneself. Saying “NO” to others can be an example of Self-love at it’s best. Challenge yourself to say “NO” when you do not wish to do something you are not comfortable doing.

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Another Unexpected CHALLENGE…

The Young Defender formula: Taking on CHALLENGES in your LIFE = leads to POSITIVE CHANGE in your LIFE

For those who have been long time readers of my blog, you know I am a BIG proponent of Challenging yourself to make positive Change happen in your life. For example, you may Challenge your muscles via weight lifting and your body becomes stronger. You Challenge your mind with a new book and you learn a new way of thinking.

Sometimes the Challenges we face are unexpected. They just hit us from no where. It could be a health challenge, a financial challenge, or a work/business challenge. This past weekend someone I care deeply about faced her own BIG Challenge. She was never in true DANGER, but the situation was DANGEROUS enough in her own mind. This person is terrified of water. Out of no where she was faced with the Challenge of being in relatively deep water alone with the current pushing her far from her party. She did have a life preserver on, but that did not make a difference in her mind. She was scared and yelling. No one was close enough to help her. SHE HAD TO HELP HERSELF. She eventually was able to move to some rocks down stream and waited until her family arrived.

When we face CHALLENGES in our lives, there are times we should ask for help. Sometimes help is not always around, so we must take charge and help ourselves. It is ok to be afraid. However, never allow that fear to stop you from overcoming the CHALLENGES you are facing. I am proud of my friend.

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The Young Defender (YD) Oath…

This week’s post is short, simple, but POWERFUL. What does it mean to be a Young Defender? The oaths sums it up. Yes, there is an oath and here it is…

I (state your name) promise to take on the mission of being a Young Defender. I will CHALLENGE myself, LOVE myself, and live my life with HONOR in the WORDS I speak, the THOUGHTS I think, and the ACTIONS I take. I will HELP others to do the same for we are all GREAT Young Defenders!

I personally speak these words at least twice a day. I make the extra effort to speak the oath with my children every morning and every night when possible. I am a BIG believer the words you speak have a direct affect on your thoughts and actions. The oath above is a great way to begin your Young Defender’s journey. Speak it daily and with energy!

Remember Change Comes in the Challenge. Challenge yourself to speak the oath above with your family.

YD

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There is a fine line…

Image result for A Fine Line

Delayed Gratification versus Delaying your Dreams.

In my life, I have been very guilty of punishing myself. I have punished myself thru delaying my dreams. I do believe that one must SACRIFICE (aka Delay Gratify) in the present to reap greater rewards in the future. For example, a person may work their butt off when they first start a business and may sacrifice time with their family in the present. However, the business they started becomes stronger and more self sufficient, which allows more family time. One may work hard at school or at work to enjoy career success down the road. These are examples of delay gratification.

The above examples should not be confused with delaying the dreams you have rightfully earned and have always desired. For example, I would delay seeing family using work as an excuse. I would drive a simple car, when I earned and deserved to drive something nicer. I would let my weight and body go, when I had the time to exercise and make more healthier food options. I would delay starting my business, because I was too busy at work making money. I would delay fighting for Financial Freedom, because I felt I did not know how to obtain it.

All these examples have one BIG thing in common. I DID NOT FEEL I WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO DESERVE THEM. The source of that thinking can vary. However, the BIGGEST thing is to CHANGE that thinking to “I DO DESERVE THOSE REWARDS.” I worked to make those rewards a reality and I deserve to enjoy them.

Remember there is a time and place for delayed gratification. However, do not punish yourself any longer. Go after your Dreams. Help yourself and children to have that same mindset. It is a Young Defender’s mindset.

YD

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A call to ACTION…

Alarm clock

I missed my wakeup call. It has happened to all of us at one point or another. I heard the words, “Honey, aren’t you going to be late for work?” It happened to me this morning. I had overslept for the first time in years. I must have forgotten to set my alarm last night.

More often, we ignore the proverbial wakeup call we receive in life on a daily basis. WE DO NOT TAKE ACTION ON OUR GOALS AND DREAMS. Possible reasons we may do this to ourselves…

  1. We do not feel we are not good enough or deserve such goals.
  2. We are afraid to screw up, fail, and look stupid.

These were my reasons at least. All great accomplishments in our lives can not come without some risk of failure. We deserve those rewards, but only if we are willing to put ourselves out there.

Meditation has been a great avenue for me to learn what I should be doing in life. It allows that inner voice to speak to me and tell me what I need to get done. Practice it daily. Throw questions you may have in your life out to the universe and listen for the answer.

Listen for wakeup call and begin to take ACTION today.

YD

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Adding Wealth to Create Wealth…

In my 45-50 minute commute to my workplace and clinic, I often take the time to listen to Personal finance podcasts or You tube videos on finance. This morning, I happen to listen to one of my favorite speakers, Garrett Gunderson. In this particular video, he was stressing what one must do to create wealth in a short period of time (in this case 3 years).

The formula is simple. Create value in the lives of others. In fact, the more people that you create value with, the greater the rewards.

The definition of creating value can vary. Coke provides value to millions with their soft drinks and the comfort it provides. Apple provides value in the gadgets it markets. Facebook provides value to millions via social media. Walmart creates value by providing low cost household items and more. The first three companies are not considered essential for the world to exist, but still make money by providing a perceived value. The last does provide necessities such as medicine, vision care, and groceries. All of these companies make money.

My goal with theyoungdefenders.com is to create value with readers, especially parents and kids. It is valuable due to the lessons it can teach.

Give a listen to the video above and remember to create value in your life and in your business.

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GOING OFF TRAIL…

Just yesterday, a group of us friends planned an early morning hike near the Chattahoochee river just outside of Atlanta, Ga. The weather was pleasant, the scenery was beautiful, and the trail was new to all of us. At the end of hike we all learned a VALUABLE lesson. Our initial plan of starting our hike fell through due to parking issues. With the help of a park ranger, we began our hike on the West Palisades trail about a 10 minute drive from our initial starting point. We had follow the trail along the river until we came to what appeared to be a dead end. Ignoring our map, we decided to go off trail up the mountain. That is when the Challenge and Adventure began.

There was twelve of us plus one dog in our group. We decided to hike up the face of the mountain rather than turn back. It was full of slips, falls, bug bites, and scrapes. We had no clue exactly where we were going just hoping we would get back to the main trail above. We had to rely on each other to get over some tight spots and slippery slopes. We were never in great peril, but it was a little unsettling. No one said it, but I am sure we all had a sense of relief and our egos got a nice boost when we accomplished such a Challenge.

Positive Change can come in a Challenge. Life is similar to our hiking experience. Sometimes we must go off trail to face Challenges that will help us grow. We may slip or get banged up along the way, but the rewards that await can be life changing.

A quick side note. My son fell a couple times on the climb up and leaped a few rocks on the river that seemed far for him. He never gave up and made it. As a result, his belief in himself grew that day. As a parent, I feel my main duty to my children is to Challenge them everyday.

Disclaimer: I am not advocating any crazy or dangerous hikes, stunts, or adventures in the physical sense. However, I do advocate challenging your mind and getting out of your comfort zone.

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Share Your Story & Challenges…

Change Comes in the Challenge

When I started the Young Defenders and this blog site, I did for a specific and selfish reason. I wanted to be better in all areas of my life. I realized to be a better man, one must Challenge themselves.

This blog was an opportunity for me to review what I was doing well and what I could improve upon to be better man.

In addition, I realized this blog is an opportunity for OTHERS to share their own experience. Ways they have changed in the face of challenges. It was opportunity for all of us to learn from each other’s experiences.

SO SHARE YOUR STORY WITH ME. TELL ME THE TIMES YOU HAVE FACED CHALLENGES. MAYBE YOU WON OR LOST. MAYBE YOU FOUGHT THROUGH IT OR GAVE UP. EITHER WAY YOUR STORY CAN INSPIRE YOURSELF AND OTHERS.

Add your story to the comments section below or email them to theyoungdefender@gmail.com…