Look For Better Ways To Handle The Issues In Your Life.

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Something that people that know or follow me on here probably notice is that I frequently draw a lot of references from movies and television shows when I'm hoping to get a point across. Besides finding personal enjoyment from various shows and movies, I'm not really sure why I do this so often. I bring this up because I'm about to reference to something in a film from a few years back in order to establish a point. Aside from the tragic shooting that took place in Colorado on the opening night of the film that I'm referring to, some of you probably remember the movie "The Dark Knight Rises" from the summer of 2012. There's a scene where Alfred Pennyworth tells an older and broken Bruce Wayne that he isn't Batman anymore, and that he has to find another way to make an impact besides sacrificing his body. The reason why I bring this up is because we all have habits and vices that we engage in that aren't necessarily good for us, and many of us find ourselves relying on these habits whenever issues arise in our lives. Whether this applies to you personally, or if you know someone that frequently rely on their vices to cope whenever things aren't going so well, this probably sounds pretty familiar to most of you. We all know that no one is perfect, and conquering bad habits in our lives isn't an feat. However, what Alfred said to Wayne in the film that I'm using as a reference is the message that I'm bringing to you all this week. We have to look for better ways to handle the issues that we're facing.

Yo! What is up everyone? It is your boy Brad H. back once more, and I'd like to welcome everyone to another installment of 'Brad H.'s Perspective'! I am here once again to hopefully spread some inspiration that can help us all be inspired to be the best versions of ourselves. We have made it to 2018 folks, and this is the first post for this new year. I'd like to start off by wishing everyone a Happy New Year, and I hope that 2018 has been treating you all well so far. As I mentioned in the previous topic that I wrote about, the year 2017 wasn't the best year for me, and I know several others that share in my sentiments on this when it came to their lives. The last couple of weeks of 2017 added to an already extremely challenging year due to the passing of my great uncle. I'm certain that many of you that have lost friends and relatives during the holidays know how much of a challenge it can be to cope with. I'm not one for new years resolutions and things of that nature much anymore, however, I want to encourage everyone (including myself) to try and find happiness in every single day for this year. I'm not saying that we have to be happy all the time, or that we have to front being happy when we're really not. I'm just saying that if you can find at least one thing daily to be happy and grateful for, then you are on the right track towards becoming a happier person. Not saying that this method will work or anything like that, just giving my opinion. So again I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year, and lets try and leave the negativity that happened last year behind. Alright, now that I've gotten all of that out of the way, it's time to get into this week's topic of looking for better ways to handle the issues in our lives.

Before I get into this week's talking point, I'd like to go ahead and say that we all have different viewpoints on life. I say that to say that I don't expect everyone to agree with what I'm addressing in this, or any of the other topics that I talk about. The main objective here isn't to alter or change anyone else's beliefs, but rather to hopefully encourage us all to think about things in ways we may not have before. One of the absolute beautiful things about life that I love is how you can talk to another person, and walk away from that talk thinking about things in a way that you never had before. It's a great thing when you're able to learn from others in my opinion. My hope is that I can give some insight that can maybe encourage others to walk away feeling that they learned something that they never thought of before. If that isn't the case for some, that is totally fine. I always say that I'm just one person with an opinion, but I still appreciate those of you that are interested in what I have to say. This particular topic is one that crossed my mind a couple of weeks back. Not really sure how it came to mind, but I thought it would be a good talking point for a post. Also, I think that thinking about The Dark Knight Rises movie probably helped contribute to my wanting to talk about finding other ways to deal with our issues. This particular issue is one that I'm sure that I've addressed in a previous topic, but I figured that tying in what Alfred said to Bruce in the film helps give it an alternate perspective.

Now that we've established that in the film that we're using as a reference for this week, Alfred was referring to Wayne sacrificing his body, and that he needed to find another way to make an impact besides the physicality of being Batman. What I want to tie all this into is how many of us channel a lot of the negative things that happen in our lives to things that are hurtful to us in the long run. If we're being honest with ourselves, most of us know that we turn to our vices whenever we're depressed, stressed out, etc. Now in saying this, having a vice or vices isn't to be judged or looked down upon. It's in our nature to want to turn to the things that make us feel good when we're uncomfortable. I want to be sure and establish that, because a lot of people that are imperfect and have vices of their own often look down on others for their vices. I don't agree with this at all, and honestly one habit or vice isn't any better than another. Regardless of what the vice is or may be, they all can be detrimental to us if not stopped or controlled. This is where the problem lies, and the reasoning for why I feel that we should look for better ways to handle the issues that occur in our lives. When we make the choice to go to or do something that isn't good for us because we're in a turmoil, not only are we not facing the issues head on, we're self-medicating ourselves in a manner that can be hurtful in the long run. Many of us don't see the habits in our lives as overly bad things, but years upon years of doing something regardless of how minute you may thing it is adds up, and can have negative impact on our lives.

So now I want to get into some of the habits and vices that I'm thinking about as I'm writing this. We're all aware of the ones that many of us consider to be the worse of the worse. These include habits such as drug use, alcohol, self-harm, etc. Now although they are probably considered to be the more dangerous habits, there are others that we have that tend to get overlooked, yet they can have a negative impact in the long run. What are some of the things we're talking about here you may ask? Things like over-eating, video games, and social media can also be classified as addictions if they're overdone. Sure they may not have the same effect as drug use, etc, but years upon years of engaging in these lesser degree acts during times of turmoil can have the same negative effect on our lives. So for an example here, we're going to use the idea of over-eating. I'm sure most of you have heard of binge eating right? How many occasions can you point to where have you have maybe found yourself eating when you find yourself stressed out? If you have never done this, then you probably know someone who has engaged in this act when they were having problems. We of course know that over-eating doesn't do anything but add more pounds to our bodies, which in turn can lead to health problems. Sure it may not affect you immediately, but the long term effects can be hurtful to your quality of life. This is just one example, but I'm sure many of you get the gist of what I'm saying here. Regardless of how small it may seem, anything that you turn to or overdo in time of turmoil can be classified as an addiction.

So how do we overcome these addictions in our lives? Well it depends a lot on you and what you struggle with when you are having issues. However, I have a few things to think about that may help. First, I think it is important to identify anything in your life that can be seen as an addiction. For example, whenever you find yourself stressed or depressed, try and pay attention to the things that you do or don't do afterwards. Secondly, think about whether or not what you're doing is helping or hurting you. Is it really wise or good for you to binge eat because you're having issues? Finally, and the most important part of this post, look for something else (preferably something more positive) to replace that habit. So instead of eating because you're sad or depressed, go talk a walk or go for a run. These are things that can only help you out health wise in the long run, and they can make you feel good about yourself as well. These are just a few examples, but do whatever works for you. As I mention all the time, we're all different and have different ways of viewing things. This also means that the way we choose do things is going to vary from person to person as well. The most important point that I want to get across is to look for other ways that are more positive to deal with your problems. We're all human and fall short, but acknowledging, learning and applying new techniques and strategies can go a long way towards handling our problems better. So lets take Alfred's advice, and lets find other ways to combat the problems in our lives.

Well we have arrived at the end of another topic folks. It is time to depart for now, but thank you all once again for stopping by for another one of 'Brad H.'s Perspective'! As always, I hope that there was some meaning and understanding that could be gained from this, as well as the other topics I address. If you have any comments or feedback on this, feel free to drop those in the comments. You can also follow me on Twitter @BradrickH if you'd like. Well 2018 is upon us folks, so lets try and make this year a good one. All the hardships of 2017 are behind us, so lets be laser focused and positive for this new year. I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year again, and I hope you all have a great weekend, as well as a great week ahead. Take care everybody, and I'll see you all in the next one. Peace!

©2018 Bradrick H. All Rights Reserved.

Things Can Only Improve If You Keep Persevering (Motivation Headed Into 2018).

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Depending on how well you handle things, as well as how strong of a mindset you may have, one of the harshest facts of life is that life can be very difficult to cope with at times. There is so much unpredictability that comes along with living life, and if you don't consistently stay on top of your mental capacity daily, finding peace and joy within can be an uphill climb. In a perfect world, we would all be able to live, laugh and love without any of the stresses or strife that we all encounter occasionally. Just like how perfection is unattainable, a perfect world doesn't exist, which means that we all have to learn how to live in an imperfect world. For many, negative thoughts and feelings can become the norm when you feel like you're on a roller coaster of bad things continuously happening in your life. Some people may say things like "just pray about it", or "think more positive", etc. While this is all good advice and if we're being honest, these phrases are definitely true. However, for a person that has been dealing with so many negative things without a breakthrough coming in, it can be very difficult to remain positive and upbeat when you feel as if there isn't much hope for the future. I believe that this is a state of mind that can become a breeding ground for negativity and hopelessness. Feeling helpless and hopeless shouldn't be a chronic mindset that we have, so it is mindful be aware that regardless of what you're dealing with in your life, things can only look up if you keep on persevering.

What's going on guys? It is I Brad H. back once again, and I'd like to welcome you all to the end of 2017 installment of 'Brad H.'s Perspective'! I am back once again to hopefully dish out some knowledge and inspiration that will hopefully keep us inspired in this wild world that we're living in. Hope all has been good and well for everyone as of late. Well this is the final topic for the year 2017. I mentioned in the last topic that I was probably going to reflect on how challenging this year has personally been for me. Don't get me wrong, there have been some high points for me this year. However, if I'm being honest with myself, the bad has outweighed that good. Instead of reflecting on this year, I wanna talk about something that I mentioned in the last post. I mentioned how so many people usually transition around this time of the year. Well unfortunately, my family has suffered a loss exactly a week before Christmas Day. My grandmother's second youngest brother passed away on the early morning of December 18th. Although he had been very for a long time, his passing was definitely unexpected for most of my family. The last time we saw him as a family was on Thanksgiving. Upon leaving him on Thanksgiving day, I recall my sister mentioning that she didn't really like seeing him in the shape that he was in. She told me a few days after his passing that when she saw him on Thanksgiving that she felt like he didn't have long left here. Mind you, she didn't tell me this until several weeks after Thanksgiving. I say that to say that often time we never know when it will be the last time that we see someone. Life is so unpredictable, so it is essential to try and treasure those close to you. I wanna close by saying that I hope you rest easy uncle Grover. We know how much you have suffered over the years, but you can finally rest peacefully now. Alright, now we can go ahead and talk more about this week's topic of improving through persevering.

As with the usual format I use before getting into the main talking point for the week, I'd like to go ahead and give the regular disclaimer that I use. Every single one of us have different views and ideas when it comes to any topic. The objective here isn't to try to change or alter anyone's beliefs, but rather to hopefully educate and encourage others to view a particular topic in a way in which they may not have before. The basic goal is to provide some insight and inspiration that gets the juices in our brains to flowing. Just like every other part of the body that is working when the blood gets flowing, the brain is similar as well when it comes to thought. I am just one person with an opinion, so I don't expect everyone to share in my views. Regardless if you agree or not, I am happy that you chose to come by and see what I have to say. As for how this topic came to be, I can mainly point to this year in general for the motivation to write this. I've mentioned previously how rough this year has been for me, as well as several other people that I am close to. There have been instances throughout this year where others, as well as myself have thought about giving up on the things we're trying to achieve. I'm sure that some of you can relate to this. These instances that I'm referencing have come and gone, but the fact is that as long as we're alive and breathing, they will likely happen again sometime. Starting right here right now, we have the opportunity to head into 2018 with a more positive and optimistic outlook of how we see our live and goals. The time to give up isn't here, so perseverance is what will be required to keep on going.

Now if you are an individual that is into personal development and motivational speakers, you have probably heard of a very well known speaker named Eric Thomas. He is someone that I admire quite a bit, and I know for sure that I have mentioned him in previous installments. Anyway, there was a video of his that I watched on Youtube where he was talking about perseverance and not giving up. In order to help to get his point across, there was an illustration that was shown within the video. The picture featured two men, both of whom had shovels in their hands. There were diamonds featured in both men's screens, however, one of the men was using his shovel to dig away at the diamonds, while the other was walking away in defeat. Now here comes the important aspect of the illustration. Both men were only a few more digs with their shovel from knocking down the dirt that was directly in front of the diamonds. They were both so close to their goal, but one of them walked away right before the victory was at hand. It was a simple cartoon illustration, but it was one that I think says a lot. Too many of us often give up right before the victory that we're seeking is near. I believe that because we're often not able to see that the victory is right around the corner, we opt to give up and go the other direction like the digger that was featured in the illustration. Just like Eric Thomas referred to in his video, all he had to do was dig just a little more to reach those diamonds. Since he walked away too quickly, he didn't achieve his goal, despite being right at the cusp of it.

So how does this illustration tie-in with this week's topic? Well as I mentioned already, some of you may have dealt with many challenges during 2017. Whatever those challenges may be are totally unique to your situation and circumstances. However, more than likely depending on what those challenges have been, they have likely left you not feeling too optimistic at times throughout this year. There are levels to everything, and from my perspective, optimism or lack thereof is no different. I say this to say that if you've experienced a lack of optimism for your life at sometime throughout this year, you've probably dealt with feeling hopeless also. Now back to the illustration that I referred to in Eric Thomas's video. Although there is no way to prove it beyond the actions that we see, the digger that gave up and chose to walk away likely done this due to feeling hopeless that he would eventually reach those diamonds. Now the illustration deals with diamonds, but those diamonds can represent anything in our lives. They can be something related to academics, business, relationships, etc. Whatever it is that you want to do or achieve requires patience and perseverance, but this state of mind should also apply to life in general. As I mentioned earlier, life can be difficult to cope with at times, and it is okay to get down at times. The point is to rise back up and have belief that whatever is happening in your life can only improve if you believe and persevere.

I often disclaim that I try to promote deep thinking and motivation here. I think that added motivation for this upcoming new year is where I wanted to go with this topic. I know that many of you including myself have faced difficulties this year, but we are still here and kicking because we are fighters that don't give up. Life may bend us at times, but we never break completely. Sure we deal with storms and hardships, and those trials knock us down at times. However, despite those dark moments in our lives, we have a belief that there is a light that is on the other side. I want you all to keep this in mind since we're heading into a new year. If you do no already adopt this philosophy, you don't have to wait till 2018 to do so; you can try and start right now. So for all my people out there that are dealing with things in your life, things can only improve if you keep on keeping on. There is a battle between us and this life that is going on, but remember it is a battle within our minds. The quote that I'm going to leave you all with that deals with this topic comes from one of my heroes; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I'm sure it is one that you've heard before, but it goes; "If you can't fly, then run, if you can't run, then walk, if you can't walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward."

Well that is it everyone. That is all I have for you this time, so I'm going to go ahead and wrap up this final edition for 2017 of 'Brad H.'s Perspective'! I again want to express my gratitude for those of you that take out the time to read these topics. The feedback that I receive on Twitter and other formats truly touches my soul. It is very uplifting and empowering to see that there are people out there that want to become the best versions of themselves possible. If you have any comments or feedback, please leave them below, or you can follow me on Twitter @BradrickH. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays. Lets try to end this year on a high note, and keep that momentum going for 2018. Thank you all again for the support. See you all in 2018!

©2017 Bradrick H. All Rights Reserved.