It's All Going To End Someday(Treasuring Those Close to You).

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I think that a lot of us take being alive for granted. It's not something I think we do intentionally. After all, being alive is the only thing that we know of. Being alive is the natural thing for us to do. Unless you've had a near death experience or something of that nature, none of us really know what it's like to die. Since being alive is all we know, I think that a lot of us believe that it's always going to be that way. From my perspective, it appears that most of us have to lose someone close to us to really grasp the fact that the gift of being among the living is really precious and valuable. I recall having a conversation with my mother about a month or so ago about how everything we're doing will come to an end someday. I thought that particular conversation would be a good basis for another 'Brad H.'s Perspective' posts.

What's up folks? Hope everything is going well for you all. So for this time around, we're gonna be digging into something that most of us don't really like to think about. Some people may find this blog post kinda sad and depressing. However, a depressing post is not what I'm aiming for, but I also believe in reality as well. Yes life is full of highs and happiness, but in reality, there can also be a lot of pain and sadness at various points of life. Remember some of those risks that we took when we were younger? It could have been anything from jumping from somewhere high up risking injury, or doing anything that could have resulted in a serious injury or death. Most of us engaged in risky behaviors mainly because at the time we done those behaviors, we believed that we were invincible. We're always seeing on the news people dying from taking risks, or we may even personally know someone that done something reckless that resulted in something bad happening. I can't speak for anyone else, but as we get a little more older and wiser, we tend to value our lives a little bit more. Most of us become more conscious of the things we do.

There's a saying that goes "Some people never realize what they got until it's gone." I'm not sure who came up with that phrase, but I think it perfectly describes the mindset of the many. Like I mentioned earlier, it seems that most of us have to lose someone to really see the impact and relevance that they hold in our individual lives. I think that because we're so familiar with being able to call and spend time with someone we care about, we begin to assume that it's always going to be that way. Whenever the time comes when it's no longer that way, it can hit hard like two cars colliding head on. Losing someone we love can be extremely taxing on our minds, and can be so hard to accept at times. This is why I think it's vital for us to do all we can while we can with the people we love.

Life always gets hectic from time to time, and for some people, it tends to be constantly hectic. Despite that, making time for those close to us should always be one of life's priorities. It's easy to live in the moment, and I think living in the moment is important. However, it never hurts to think forward as well. All the things that we're doing right this moment, along with the people we care for aren't guaranteed to always be there - nothing in life is. I told my mom about a month or so ago while going to visit my sister at school that one of the reasons why I enjoy the times she, my sister and I spend together so much, is because I know that someday it's going to end. Whether I leave first, or if it's either one to them that leaves, we're all on borrowed time just as all of us are. That's why I feel it's important to take care and value with everyone you love.

I'm going to go ahead and wrap this post up. The most important thing to remember is that nothing and no one lasts forever. Always live in and enjoy those irreplaceable moments with the people you care for. People always say that life is short, but I feel that life is only short for those people that don't have a better purpose for living besides getting ahead in life. Just keep in mind that no matter how much money or status a person has, it's all empty unless you have people in your life that help give your life a higher sense of purpose. Treasure those precious moments people, because all of this will end someday.

Well that's it for this edition of 'Brad H.'s' Perspective'. Hope you all enjoy the post. Again, I want to say that this post wasn't meant to be negative or depressing. Just wanted to give people something to think about, and show that yes there are good experiences in life, but there will always be tough ones as well. Like all of my posts, everything mentioned applies to myself and how I aim to live. Whether you found it helpful or useful, I appreciate you taking out the time to read these posts. Alright we're signing off for this time around, so everyone stay up and take care. See you in the next one. Peace!

The Pros and Cons of Life, and Learning to Take the Good With the Bad.

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"I love it when a plan comes together." Remember that classic line from the 'A-Team' television show? If not, then don't fret, as that quote has little to do with this week's topic. Just thought I'd throw it in there for nostalgic purposes. Although I do love a well thought out plan in general, I also love whenever I come across a topic or discussion that gives me something to think more in depth about. Some people say that thinking too much can be a bad thing, and I do agree with that to some extent. However, when we're thinking about things that can maybe challenge some of our views and help us to see the world a bit differently, then I don't necessarily see it as such a bad thing. I came across a Youtube video awhile back that really got me to thinking about life and the pros and cons that come along with life. Viewing this particular video kinda got my mind to thinking a bit and when that starts happening, it means that it's time for another 'Brad H.'s Perspective' post.

What's up good people? Brad H. back at you once again with another blog post. Hope everyone is doing well and continuing to maintain. So this week we'll be talking about the pros and cons of life, and how we sometimes just have to take the good with the bad. I think that's sometimes important just for our sanity ya digg? Since every single choice that a person will make throughout their lives will have consequences, I felt like this would be a good topic to give my thoughts on. Alright then, lets go ahead and get into the meat of this post. Now we're all aware that the majority of people in this world bask in the glory whenever they do something deemed as good, or whenever something good happens in their favor. Everything and everyone is happy whenever life is going good right?

This way of thinking is quite normal, as most humans from an emotional standpoint often respond to whatever is going on around them. When things are good people are generally happy, and when things aren't so good, people generally feel down and out right? Of course this doesn't apply to everyone. There are always people in this world that are going to find a way to be happy regardless of what is going on. On the flip side, there's always going to be those that see the worst no matter what. I personally think that we don't always fully grasp the true understanding of the pros and cons that come with life, especially when they relate to the choices and decisions that we make in life. It appears that most of us want only the pros when it comes to the decisions we make, but continuously gripe and complain about the cons that come along with our choices. I mean it's all fine and dandy to feel on top of the world when life is good, and it's also quite normal to feel down and out when things aren't going so well. However, we have to learn to be able to take the good with the bad, and realize that there are pros and cons to every choice that we make.

So what does it mean when someone says that there both are pros and cons with every choice that a person makes? Well it all boils down to one thing, and people that prefer not to take the good with the bad may not like this. The truth is there is no single decision in life that is all pro or all con. With every choice that's made, whether it's for the better or not, there's always going to be some kind of downside that comes along with it. Here's a prime example. Lets say that a person that hasn't been working out makes the decision to start going to the gym. This is definitely a choice that would be received as being positive by most people. You're making the effort to get healthier, and that's a good thing. However, in order to achieve your goal of being more healthier and looking more toned, you're going to have to put your body through some pain, which would probably be viewed as as one of the cons for the person that's enduring it. Some people love looking and feeling great, but hate the pain that they have to go through in order to get there.

It's been said time and time again, but the fact remains; we as people complain way too much. We often complain about the smallest of things, which most of the time are situations that we ultimately create for ourselves. We only want to be bothered with and take credit for the good in life, but we're so quick to run away from and reject the bad, especially when it's of our own doing. You ever notice how a lot of politicians and celebrities tend to be on their high horse when they're on top of the world, but try to humanize themselves whenever they makes mistakes like every human-being does? Pros and cons are all a part of life, and I think that people who really understand that are the people that have the potential to be well balanced in life.

I think I'm going to go ahead and end this week's post, so I'm going to close by restating that life is all about pros and cons. Every single decision that you make, regardless of how much it benefits you, will likely have a con that comes along with it. Instead of complaining about the cons that come along with the decisions that you have to make, embrace them as they are ultimately the result of something you chose. Just remember that you can't have it both ways in life. There will always be both a gift and a curse that comes from your decisions. All in all, you just have to be able to embrace both the good and bad things that can happen in life, and find a way for yourself to mentally find a balance.

Well that's it for this weeks edition of 'Brad H.'s Perspective'. As always, everything that I've mentioned applies to myself and how I aim to live my life. Whether you found some meaning and understanding from it or not, I appreciate you for taking out the time to read it. Alright, we're signing off for this week, so I'll see you in the next post. Spring is upon us, so try to get out and enjoy the weather. Till next time, peace!

Suffering Setbacks In Life, and Using Them As Motivation For the Future.

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Perfection is a false reality that does not exist. Although the majority of people are aware that attaining perfection isn't a reality, a good portion of people still aim to achieve it. I feel there's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to achieve the best outcome that you possibly can in various situations, or even striving to be the best person in this life that you can possibly be. However, I sometimes believe that many of us view the setbacks and disappointments that happen in our lives as total failures. Many of us set out upon a journey with reckless abandon to achieve a goal, and if we just so happen to not reach those goals, we sometimes view ourselves as failures. I recently had what I would consider a humbling experience that I would like to share in this week's edition of 'Brad H.'s Perspective'.

What's good people? It's ya boy Brad H. back at you again with another blog posting. Hope all is well and good with everyone. For this week's post, I'm going to share with you all an event that I was involved last week, and use it as an example of how it relates to the topic of this post. Last week was not only a physically painful week for me, it was also a stressful one as well. I feel like what I endured last week is a fairly good example of how having setbacks and disappointments does not always equate to being a failure. We just have to use those setbacks as a motivating force for future events that we will encounter. If any of you have been a regular reader of my blog posts, you've probably seen mention of an annual 5K race that I've run in for the past three years. I enjoy being active and having the experience of running in this race. However, the primary reason that I've done this race three straight times is because it normally takes place right before my birthday. Since I value the old saying that "health is wealth", I've always viewed participating in the race as a birthday gift to give myself.

Now besides enjoying the overall experience of participating in the Gusher/Kinsel Ford 5K, my initial goal when I registered was to beat my previous running times from the past two years. I had high hopes towards the end of 2013 when I decided that I would participate, as I was reaching a level of activity through running that I haven't experienced in a few years. I would dare say that I was somewhat at the level I was when I was a bit younger. However, unfortunately in late November of 2013, I went through another stage of inactivity after a close family member passed away. I basically went almost an entire month without doing any running, or any exercise for that matter. When I finally was mentally ready to start back training again, it felt like I was starting all over again. Just getting through one mile of jogging was a challenge within itself. Saying that getting back into the groove of things as you get a bit older is an understatement. However, after a month or so of training again, I began to make progress; but once again I had to take some time off due to knee problems and consistent bad weather.

Since I had it in my mind to do this race in 2013, I went ahead and registered for the race knowing that I hadn't been training properly. At any rate, I still held onto hope that there would be a slim chance that I would able to beat my race times from the previous years. Then six days before the event, everything came crashing down on me. The Sunday before the race, I lifted a dresser for a family member and hurt my back. Ouch! Instead of using the few days before the race to train, I pretty much had to rest because of the pain that I was experiencing. I thought about just pulling out of the race altogether, and I would have had to if it were only a day or two after the back injury. I just couldn't see myself running at all with a bad back. My back slowly got better during the week, but it was not 100 percent whatsoever. Not only was my back being a hinderance, my mental state wasn't where it needed be either. Despite the bleak outlook, I went ahead and participated in the race.

So you're probably wondering how did I do? Well, I ran my slowest time out of the three years I've done this race, but I did cross the finish line. Following the race, I felt extremely down on myself for not reaching the goal I wanted to obtain. It took me talking to and corresponding with other people to realize that I was being too hard on myself. People were telling me that I should be happy that I finished, and that I was only 3 minutes slower than my fastest time despite a bad back and little training. They were saying things like; "Imagine how well you would have done if you hadn't injured your back, and you did train properly for the race?" When I began to focus on the positive things that I was hearing, I realized that I indeed was being too hard on myself. A humbling experience, but it helped me to realize even more that having setbacks are all about how you handle them.

I'm going to go ahead and bring this week's post to a close, but the main point is that setbacks, failures, and disappointments are all a state of mind. When we have unfortunate situations and setbacks in our lives, it's totally up to us on how we choose to handle them. We can either wallow in them and allow them to take us out of the game completely, or we can use them as motivation for doing and being better in the future. I know this sounds like a simple concept, but sometimes it takes other people telling us that it's okay to fail sometimes. What matters most is as long as you pick yourself back up and keep moving forward. This message goes way beyond just running in a race; it's about all aspects of life, as there will always be disappointments and setbacks that will happen throughout life.

Well that's it for this week's edition of 'Brad H.'s Perspective'. As with all of my posts, everything that I've written applies to me and I how I strive to live. I hope that you enjoyed reading, and hopefully you can relate some of this post to the setbacks that we're all going to have in the future. I also want to apologize for being away and not writing last week, but now you all know why. Everything is fairly back to normal now, so I'll see you all in the next post. Till then, everyone stay up and keep on maintaining. Peace!