Blind Can You Can

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  • Enjoy the Journey: Why the Process Matters More Than the Trophy

    Enjoy the Journey: Why the Process Matters More Than the Trophy

    The result or the outcome — that shiny trophy, that degree, that moment of victory — is merely an instant in time. But the process of reaching a goal? That could be a lifetime of work.

    We’re often so fixated on a single outcome that our mood depends entirely on whether we achieve it or not. And that’s dangerous — because we end up measuring years of effort, struggle, and growth by one fleeting moment of success.

    Think about it: the journey to your goal will be filled with heartache, setbacks, and hardship. Reaching that goal is sweet, no doubt. But what about all the time it took to get there? Do we just write it off as “the struggle phase”?

    That goal, that trophy, that award — it’s only a tiny fraction of your life, a blink compared to the long, often painful, and always meaningful road that brought you there.

    Take a look at sports teams. They grind through brutal seasons, tough losses, and endless training sessions just for a shot at the playoffs. Even the championship series is an intense battle of wills. Then what? You lift the trophy, have a parade, maybe get a ring — and then it’s back to work.

    Sound familiar? Life’s the same way.
    We study for years to graduate from high school. Then more years for college. Then we work decades chasing that magical dream of retirement. But when we look back, our achievements — those few shiny milestones — take up only a few moments in time.

    What about the rest of it? The sleepless nights, the tough days, the failures that went nowhere? They matter too. In fact, they define us.

    Yes, there will be failed accomplishments. There will be goals you never reach. There will be journeys that stop halfway. And you know what? That’s okay. Because life doesn’t come with guarantees.

    You can’t always control the outcome — but you can always control your attitude.

    So, choose to enjoy the journey. Laugh at your missteps. Celebrate your effort. Be proud of the work, even when it doesn’t end with confetti. Because one day you’ll realize the journey was the destination all along.

    If this message hits home, take a moment to reflect on your own journey. Share this post with someone who needs a reminder that their hard work already matters. And if you’re on your own road of struggle and growth — keep going. You’re right where you’re supposed to be.

  • Say What You Mean, Live What You Feel — Life’s Too Precious to Hold Back

    Say What You Mean, Live What You Feel — Life’s Too Precious to Hold Back

    We’ve all heard it before — “Life is short.” Or “You only live once.” (YOLO, right?) It’s become such a cliché that it almost loses meaning. But lately, I’ve started to see life from a different angle.

    To me, life isn’t just short — it’s a gift. Whether it’s long or brief, smooth or messy, life is something to be unwrapped and experienced, not managed or measured.

    I think what people really mean when they say “life is short” is that life is precious. And the most precious thing about it is time. Because time is finite — you can’t get it back once it’s gone.

    Yet, so many of us spend that precious time holding back — holding back our words, our feelings, our truth. We tiptoe around, trying not to rock the boat, trying to please everyone. We form habits that keep us inside the lines so no one feels uncomfortable.

    But here’s the kicker: we still get frustrated when others don’t follow the same rules. We get jealous when someone speaks their mind, lives boldly, or says “no” to something we didn’t have the courage to refuse. They get to live freely while we sit there wondering, “Why not me?”

    Now, don’t get me wrong — there are definitely things worth holding back. Like that punch you want to throw at the grocery store when someone cuts in line, or that not-so-friendly gesture you imagine giving the guy who cuts you off in traffic. (Resist the urge — we’re not trying to star in a road rage video here.)

    But when it comes to spreading love, joy, and kindness, we hold back far too much.

    We don’t say “I love you” enough because we think it’s awkward, or that the other person already knows, or that showing affection somehow makes us weak. We don’t laugh enough, play enough, or express gratitude enough because we think adults are supposed to be serious.

    We tell ourselves that fun is for people with too much time or too much money — and since we have neither, we’d better stay focused, stay tough, and get to work.

    But here’s the truth: life isn’t meant to be a nonstop grind. It’s not all seriousness and sacrifice. Showing love doesn’t make you soft. Smiling doesn’t make you unserious. Laughing doesn’t make you irresponsible. It makes you alive.

    So, say what you mean.
    Ask for what you need.
    Love without fear.
    Laugh without guilt.
    And don’t wait for a “better time” to be yourself — because this is your time.

    Whatever you call it — YOLO, life is short, time is finite, or my favorite, life is a gift — don’t waste it hiding behind a tough exterior. Be real, be vulnerable, and let your true self shine.

    Learn to live a little, give a little, love a little, and have fun a little. You might just find that life feels a whole lot richer — not only for you but for everyone lucky enough to be around you.

    💭 Call to Action:
    If this message made you pause or smile, share it with someone who needs a gentle reminder to live with more heart and less hesitation. Subscribe to my blog for more reflections on mindset, joy, and living authentically — one imperfect, beautiful moment at a time.

  • Control What You Can — And Let Go of the Rest

    Control What You Can — And Let Go of the Rest

    Let’s be honest: most of us are control freaks in one way or another. We want certain outcomes, we pray, we plan, we hope, and we wish for things to turn out exactly the way we imagine. But life has a funny way of reminding us that not everything is in our hands.

    There are the “what ifs,” the outliers, the unpredictable moments that throw us off balance. Sure, we tell ourselves to be prepared. We buy insurance, run through emergency drills, and take preventive training. But all of that preparation really serves one purpose—it calms the mind. Because when the real thing happens, all bets are off.

    No amount of drills or practice can predict what life will throw at you. The only thing you can prepare is your mind—to accept.

    Accept the outcome.
    Accept the chaos.
    Accept the unpredictable.

    Good or bad, the outcome is what it is. You can delay it, deny it, or wrestle with it—but eventually, it settles in.

    I think about this a lot when I look at my parents. They meant well. They tried to control every detail of their children’s lives, laying out a “perfect path” for us to follow. They disciplined us when we wandered off track, hoping to protect us from pain and steer us toward success. But here’s the truth—even when you try to control your own creation, life still has its surprises.

    Now that I’m a parent myself, I see it clearly. My son has a mind of his own—just like I did. No matter how much I want to guide or protect him, he’s going to carve out his own path. And that’s okay. That’s life.

    The same rule applies to everything else—the choices people make, their reactions, their actions. None of it is under your control.

    So what can you control?
    Your thoughts.
    Your actions.
    Your attitude.

    That’s it.

    Instead of wasting your energy worrying about what others are doing, sometimes the best thing you can do is stay in your lane, control yourself, and trust the process. With the right mindset, a dash of patience, and maybe a little humor, the rest of the world just might fall into place as it should.

    If this message spoke to you, take a moment to share it with someone who needs a reminder to let go and breathe. Subscribe to my blog for more real-life reflections on growth, mindset, and finding peace in the unpredictable.

  • Death and Choices: The Real Two Certainties in Life

    Death and Choices: The Real Two Certainties in Life

    I learned something at church this week that really stuck with me — so much so that I keep replaying it in my mind.

    We’ve all heard the saying, “There are two certainties in life: death and taxes.”
    But this week, I heard a different version that completely shifted my perspective:
    “The only two certainties in life are death and choices.”

    That one hit me hard.

    Think about it — taxes aren’t truly guaranteed. Sure, not paying them comes with consequences (and a very unhappy IRS), but it’s still a choice. On the other hand, death is the one thing we truly can’t control. Everything else? It’s a series of choices — big and small — that shape who we are and how we live.

    I’ve come to realize that what defines us most isn’t what happens to us, but the choices we make in response.

    Every day, we’re faced with hundreds of choices. Some are simple — what to eat, what to listen to, whether to work out or hit snooze again (I’m guilty of that one). Others are harder — which bills to pay with limited funds, how to raise our kids, how to treat the people around us.

    We choose whether to be positive or negative.
    We choose kindness over anger, gratitude over envy, and faith over fear.
    And even when life feels impossible, we still have the power to choose how we see it.

    We can’t control death — when our time comes, it comes. But we can control how we live before that day arrives.

    For me, that means choosing to see life as a gift from God, even when it doesn’t feel like one. I’ll be honest — my life is far from perfect. There are days (okay, multiple times a day) when I call it terrible. But then I catch myself and make a choice: I choose to turn that frown into a smile.

    I choose to believe that my struggles can serve a purpose.
    I choose to see my life as a gift, even when it’s messy.
    I choose to walk a path of faith and, hopefully, be a small beacon of hope for someone else.

    You don’t have to be a superstar to make a difference.
    You don’t need millions of followers to be an influencer.

    All you need is the courage to make a choice — to live the best life you can, to be kind, to be grateful, and to see every day as another opportunity to do good.

    Because at the end of the day, life isn’t just about how long you live — it’s about the choices you make while you’re still here.

     Your Turn:
    What’s one choice you can make today to bring more light into your life or someone else’s? Share it in the comments below — and remember, you always have a choice to be the reason someone smiles today.

  • Not Every Mountain Is Meant to Be Climbed: Why It’s Okay to Slow Down

    Not Every Mountain Is Meant to Be Climbed: Why It’s Okay to Slow Down

    Someone just shared with me, “The dead people on Mount Everest were all highly motivated.”
    It made me laugh — then it made me think.

    We’ve been programmed since childhood to chase, strive, and achieve. Study hard, get good grades, go to college, get a good job — rinse and repeat. Success was the destination, and rest was never on the map.

    So I pushed myself, harder and harder, chasing every opportunity, every inch of progress. Even when it came at a cost — my peace, my health, my happiness — I kept climbing. Because that’s what we’re taught to do. Keep climbing until you make it… or break.

    No one ever tells you to slow down until it’s too late. Until you’re sitting in a room, telling a therapist your life story, wondering when exactly the joy faded.

    Motivation can be a beautiful thing — but it has a dark side. It whispers that stopping is failure and resting is weakness. Even our education system teaches it: meet expectations, move up, achieve more. But where’s the lesson in simply being?

    Then came my son, who lives with autism. He doesn’t chase grades or goals. He chases happiness. He laughs easily, gets excited about small things, and doesn’t overthink tomorrow. Watching him, I realized he’s living the kind of peace I’d been too busy chasing.

    Meanwhile, I was stressed, jaded, and tired — running toward success, away from peace. But life doesn’t have to be that way. The moment you decide to step off the treadmill, to stop sprinting toward some distant “better life,” is the moment you actually start living.

    Who cares what others think? The world becomes softer and kinder when you stop measuring yourself by someone else’s timeline. Some mountains aren’t meant to be climbed — especially if the cost is your peace.

    So calm down a little. Take the scenic route. Smell the roses. Order the cheeseburger instead of chasing the steak. You already have so much — God has provided enough. The real question is: will you slow down long enough to notice it?

    If this message resonates with you, take one small step today — pause. Take a deep breath and look for one simple thing that brings you joy right now. Then share this post with someone who needs the reminder: you don’t have to climb every mountain. Sometimes, peace is found when you stop climbing.