As You Plan Next Year…

December 31, 2025 by Leave a Comment

In a recent article, “Be Inspired” — I shared my perspective on the power and impact of the gift of love in our lives. I was humbly honored when a trusted a colleague, Mark Struczewski offered his complimentary reflections in an article of his own entitled “What the Best Gift We Can Offer to Those Around Us Is.”

I enjoyed Mark’s poignant message about the gift of Love.

“Love is the gift that is literally perfect because everyone needs it, it fits everyone perfectly, it never wears out and never fails…You don’t need any special training to give it. You don’t need to be certified. And everyone pays the same price (which is free, by the way)… So I challenge you this Christmas season – and year ’round – to consciously give the gift of love. Don’t wait for someone to give YOU the gift of love first. Give it even if the other person doesn’t give it to you.”

Love is that simple, effective, uncomplicated, and meaningful gift that anyone can share with anybody at anytime, anywhere. Unfortunately, it also seems to be that one gift that many have far too little time or energy to simply share except in the time of the season, or after a tragedy, or following a life altering event. Love is the best gift to offer every single day of our lives!

This is the time of year where I read, see and hear about people thinking and planning for their new year. There are an increasing number of posts, comments, and suggestions offering guidance to help others plan, organize, and succeed with their New Year’s goals. What amazes me is that so many of these goals are internally focused — personal growth, increased wealth, better health, and professional accomplishment driven.

Where is the plan, the commitment, the goal, and personal challenge to change the world by making someone else’s world a better place?

Instead of focusing what you desire, achieve or accomplish to make your life better — why not look at sharing the gift of your love as an opportunity to make someone else’s life better?

As you ponder your plans, expectations, dreams, and visions for 2013, I would encourage each of you to consider making a commitment to offering the gift of love to the world — family, friends, strangers, people in need — every single day. Imagine the impact of consciously committing to offer the gift of love on your life, your community and on the lives of others.

As you define your personal objectives for 2013 please consider the value you offer through the greatest gift of all — your love — and do what Mark encourages each of us to do: make a commitment in 2013 to “take a moment and unalterably change someone’s life…on purpose” and by design, every single day!

 

Filed Under: Giving Love, Live With Passion

Farewell to An Old Friend

December 24, 2025 by 6 Comments

Whether I was crossing the finish line in celebration of the completion of my 100PedalsChallenge or traveling across the country to Columbus, Tulsa or Abilene, my bike has been an instrumental, reliable, and steady partner on my 100Pedals journey!!

Even though I wasn’t more seriously injured when I got clobbered by a car last week, there was a significant, personal loss associated with this accident — my bike. While it may seem a little strange to mourn the demise of an inanimate object, I can’t help but feel a sense of loss relating to my bike.

From the very beginning of the 100 Pedals journey my bike was with me. Every morning for one hundred consecutive days my bike and I rode around the streets sharing the experiences of the sites, the sounds, the bumps, the hills, and various minor cycling “incidents.” I started many days and completed numerous early morning rides with my bike. My bike joined me on my Summer ’12 Tour as I drove and rode across the country, stopping in different cities and celebrating rides with new and old friends along the way. Though my bike didn’t speak to me or greet me with a big hug, smile, or wag of its rear tire - my bike was always there to greet me just the same.

Over the past two years during my 100Pedals journey we traveled over 10,000 miles together. While I alone with nothing but my thoughts, dodging careless drivers, slipping on slick roads, exploring new routes and celebrating adventure my bicycle was my constant companion and partner on my journey.

As I heal physically and celebrate the reality that I am fortunate my injuries were not more serious, I walk into my garage and look at my bike and realize that some things will never be the same. Just like Tom Hanks had Wilson on his journey in the movie “Cast Away“, my bike was that constant partner on my solitary journey.

My bike was only a hunk of carbon fiber, some gears and chains, a pair of rims and tires, handlebars and a seat. But, for over four years, 20,000 plus miles, and 1200 plus hours, that bike was my companion. I received a lot of benefit riding it. I am saddened it won’t be my riding partner on my 100PedalsRide later this spring. It is only a bike, but it was a big part of an important season in my life and I can’t help but mourn the loss of my trusty, reliable, and supportive riding partner. I am disappointed that my riding will have to wait until I heal. I am even more disappointed that my first really cool road bike, my partner on all my journeys, and my steady, silent friend will not recover to be a part of the next exciting chapter in my life.

Thanks buddy — you took me on an incredible journey and I couldn’t have done it without you!!

Filed Under: Celebrating Accomplishment, Managing Adversity Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Be Inspired…

December 17, 2025 by 4 Comments

This past Saturday I experienced what every cyclist fears — getting hit by a car. I entered into an intersection with right of way when a driver made a left turn into me. The impact of the collision sent me head over heels over my handlebars and I landed squarely on my butt on the cold, wet pavement. Thankfully, I wasn’t more seriously hurt; though there were a few minutes where the pain in my back and left knee — where I hit he car — had me concerned. After a trip to the hospital in an ambulance (no siren) the damages were an abrasion on my knee, a very sore back, a broken wrist, and a totaled bicycle.

I was fortunate. It could have been worse. I am grateful that it wasn’t more serious.

As I was lying on the couch recuperating, I began to absorb the stories of families who were certainly experiencing a more significant, painful tragedy than me. It caused me to reflect on the speed at which our lives can change.

Whether it is an accident, a death, or a huge public tragedy our lives can be changed in an instant. Even though it only takes an instant to completely disrupt our life, it takes time to grieve, heal and recover from the event. Nothing really prepares us for the shock of life’s disruptive, painful events. They happen in an instant.

As I listened to the father of shooting victim Emily Parker, I was inspired by what he said as he shared his story. He bravely offered a very important insight for all of us while he was coping with his own horrific adversity. He asked that the tragedy…

“not turn into something that defines us, but something that inspires us to be better, to be more compassionate and more humble people.”

This is a simple, concise message to us as citizens sharing the pain of an awful, horrific tragedy; but, it is also an inspirational message to each of us as members of the human race surrounded by people working through their abrupt, painful personal experiences.

Tragedy strikes quickly and the experience of that pain lives on forever. It is not the event that defines us — it is how we live, learn, and respond to it that does. There are people around us every day living in pain, dealing with their private hurts and facing their own personal struggles. Because we know what it is like to hurt, suffer, and struggle we need to remind ourselves how much we appreciated the love and humility others offered us in our time of pain.

The gift of love is the best gift we can offer those around us. There is no room for pride, judgement or criticism in our world today. It only takes a moment for something to unalterably change someone’s life. Learning to adapt, adjust, cope and move forward is much less difficult when we are surrounded by the love and support of others.

In this holiday season, I am encouraging you to challenge yourself to “be better, to be more compassionate and more humble.” If you want to honor the memory of those lost this past week — be inspired to honor the request of a suffering parent made in one of their darkest moments. This is the greatest gift you can offer this father, your world and yourself.

Merry Christmas!!

Filed Under: Giving Love, Learning From Experience, Managing Adversity, Practice Humility Tagged With: , , ,

You Are Empowered And Invincible

December 10, 2025 by 2 Comments

“When you know yourself you are empowered. When you accept yourself you are invincible.” ~Tina Lifford

This quote resonated with me for several reasons. First, it closely reflects the perspectives of my lessons and experiences relating to 100Pedals. Second, it reminds me that the key to success and fulfillment in life starts with the awareness of and confidence in our personal greatness.

“When you know yourself you are empowered…”

One of the foundational lessons of 100Pedals is embracing responsibility. We are where we are today as result of all the decisions and choices that we have made in our life. We are here because we are supposed to be here and we cannot change our past. Where we go from here is up to us to define, decide, and act on.

Whether we believe, agree or accept it — each of us is empowered in our lives. We do not need permission or approval to engage in the behaviors or activities toward the life we dream of or the vision we have for our lives. I am not declaring that anyone can simply ignore their current responsibilities to others, quit their jobs tomorrow, or run off to Tahiti and hang out. While we are empowered, some of our past choices have created responsibilities that cannot be ignored. However, these responsibilities do not mean that we are not empowered to influence, create, or define change in our lives.

When we recognize and understand ourselves — who we are, why we are here, what inspires or drives us — we have the ability and the obligation to embrace this awareness of self, bring it out into the open and begin to freely share it with others. Living in full commitment to who we are enables us to influence and define future outcomes and gives us the ability to change or alter our life.

Knowledge of self gives each of us the power to be our self. When we are aware, confident, and committed to being our authentic, honest selves we inspire and create change in others and in the world around us. Our awareness gives us knowledge and confidence. That knowledge and confidence puts us in action. And, this type of action stems from empowerment — knowing we are free to express and live our greatness without restrictions or limitations.

“…When you accept yourself you are invincible.”

Clarity, confidence and awareness of self offers each of us incredible freedom to be who we are and to share the gifts of who we are. Our ability to take this awareness to incredible heights is found in embracing, loving, and enjoying the person we are.

Each of us has been blessed with a unique set of skills, talents, gifts, and experiences. It is these gifts that make each of us unique and valuable. The power of our potential and of our ability to make a difference in our world is not defined by what we could be; it occurs when we celebrate who we are and what we offer others through the uniqueness of our individual abilities.

When we love, trust, and believe in who we are, we become an immovable, influential, valuable, and unstoppable force. In our confidence, clarity, and acceptance of self, nothing can prevent us from our accomplishments.

When I have allowed my heart — my passion, my purpose, my vision, and my commitments — to define my actions, the outcomes have been amazing. The minute I seek approval, seek affirmation, challenge my skills and abilities, or compare my progress to the journeys of others, I stumble. I stumble because I allow myself to be distracted from what drives, inspires, and guides me. The source of that strength is the confidence I have in who I am, where I am going, and what I am offering to others along the way.

You are empowered and blessed. Embrace the opportunity to define the path of your journey — follow your heart, embrace your awesomeness, and give yourself permission to get moving!

Filed Under: Embrace Responsibility, Inspirational Perspectives, Learning From Experience, Live With Passion, Maintaining Focus Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

The Geology of Life

December 3, 2025 by Leave a Comment

“Life is like cycling — you have to keep on pedaling!”

Technically you do not have to keep moving; but, you are moving whether you realize it or not. If you are not moving forward, you are moving backwards. Either way, you are not standing still.

Sometimes progress is painfully, frustratingly, agonizingly slow. It is hard to believe that on those days where nothing goes right, that anyone could possibly be moving forward. When everything is going wrong or gets messed up, how can anyone see progress in these failings?

Good question.

Ever witness your hair growing? Do you see it getting longer by the day? Yet, you know that if you let it continue without being trimmed, cut, or shaved (that’s me) it will end up being longer than it was thirty days ago. You cannot see your hair grow, but you know those hair cells are constantly moving and growing. A consistent effort over a period of time. Though you actually can’t see the progress, you can certainly see the results over time.

This is the geology of accomplished life — little bits of continuous pressure will move mountains. Similar to the evolutionary events associated with glaciers, ice, rock and time, the constant pressure from the earth causes things to move. This is our life. We certainly cannot observe the movements and shifts in the geology around us, yet we all know that mountains are moved by the forces of consistently applied force.

As I work on my current project, the 100PedalsRide, I have experienced some of the same frustrations many of you feel when you take things on. Examining my progress from one day to the next, or in relationship to a time frame for completion, or simply looking for some measurable momentum, at times I have been quite disappointed. These disappointments creep into my head and impact progress. On the days I am not feeling energized about the progress associated with my commitment or the mission, I also do not keep the pressure on. I let my frustrations distract me and those distractions lessen my effort. As a result, progress is interrupted. Continuous pressure keeps things moving forward. Intermittent pressure results in a loss of momentum.

The other night I was at a 100Day Challenge Meet-up and I was inspired by the energy of those around me regarding the 100PedalsRide project. Three months ago many of these people were just starting to understand and comprehend the project, now they are my most enthusiastic cheerleaders and supporters. I didn’t really know I was making any progress until I had a room full of people demonstrate how much progress I had made in ninety days. Though I was concerned I was sharing my passion and commitment for this project into an open space where no one was hearing, listening or being inspired, I realized that everyday I was connecting and touching and sharing my story with someone, I had created more enthusiasm for my project. What wasn’t measurable or obvious on a day-to-day assessment, became very apparent when I was able to measure this incredible progress over time.

Your life, your projects, your commitments face similar challenges. They cannot be measured, assessed, or affirmed, in short periods of time. The consistently applied pressure of your passion will move mountains. You cannot stop. You must continue to push even when it seems like nothing is really happening. And, you have to trust in the passion of your vision. Getting to your significant accomplishments is just like riding a bicycle — to get anywhere you have to keep on pedaling!!

Filed Under: Celebrating Accomplishment, Focusing On Your Vision, Maintaining Focus, Make A Commitment, Managing Adversity Tagged With: , , , , ,