Playing the game.

We all do it right, because life is in reality just one big game. Goals, plans, and at the end of it all, winners and losers. How well you play each period of the game will of course determine if you have any silverware in the cabinet at the end of it all.

In all walks of life, regardless of which aspect, there is always something to gain. Some see the gains and rewards as trivial, others thrive to be the one coming out on top. But the truth is, those who want to win every time are in fact the biggest losers of the games.

Without the lows, there are no highs.  Without the loses, the pleasure of victory dwindles into normality, and what was once something to feel good about just feels like an ordinary day. And that is where it gets a little out of control. Like someone addicted to a high, each high has to be higher to maintain the feel good factor. Some people in life take the same approach to the game of life. As they tire of the normality of their victories over others, getting one over on people, or always being the one getting the cream, they up their game.

Unfortunately, all this means is, the losers they usually leave in their wake. Or should I say, those who were not victorious this time around, no on is a loser really, I digress..... Those not coming out on top each time just get trampled on more and more for the stampede of the selfish and glory grabbing, trying to reach higher and higher.

My personal take on all this is simple I guess (but I bet this turns long winded all the same!)
Victories are over rated. Thriving to achieve something which only makes you feel good is not only selfish, but also just a little bit lonely. Succeeding as a team, a group, a unit, makes any victory far greater. Everyone remembers it, everyone knows what the other did, and what was achieved. Rather than a quiet little hollow victory, with you woop wooping to yourself in your selfish little mind.
While I love a victory of any kind, given the hands I have been dealt in life over the years, I am happy for getting to the end of a day and waking the next morning.

My aim day to day in general is simple, live a full day, smile, make others smile, and end the day feeling ok about the day now behind me. If something amazing happens, fantastic. If not, hey ho, such is life, maybe tomorrow eh.

To all those with so many goals, wants and desires, who are willing to sacrifice the happiness of others around you. Take a long hard look at yourself, and ask yourself..... Is an entry in the hall of fame under "Biggest Wanker" really the legacy you thrive for? Or would you prefer to be the simple existence, but the one everyone cares about, respects, and misses whenever you are not there.

For me, I think quite selfishly I might actually achieve both. Two persona's calls for different goals in life, and im sure I already have the first of the two acolades. Now my goal is simple, be the real me, and be the latter of the two to the majority of people in my life.

Remember now... Dream BIG, tread carefully. You never know when you might need the help of those you consider below you.

Feeling gooooooooood!

Its not often that I can say this, but at this moment in time I actually feel really good. Mentally and physically. Usually when my mind is good my body is goofing around or vice versa, but I'm pleased to report that with one small exception, all is well!

So whats changed. I know, it must be that new year thing that happened a couple of weeks ago. The giant reset button in the sky that wipes away all our woes and worries of the year gone by and starts us off with a clean slate..... Errm no!
Got it, new years resolutions, they are the key to success in life. Say something daft while drunk and on your knees on NYE and of course the stars align and life becomes super sweet.......Nope!

Its simple really, a lot of my troubles of years gone by are just that, left in years gone by. Of course I miss having mum around, and a small part of me misses the responsibility I finally found in caring for her. Purpose in life is important, and gives you a bit of drive to do at least something on a regular basis. Then there is routine. As boring as they seem, they are key in some peoples lives, and help us stay on track for what we want.  Talking this morning I was asked what I was up to today, and I replied joking that it was the same as previous. But honestly, that's not a bad thing, to me at least.

So that is actually the answer to the above question of what changed. Routine... I found mine again. For me life is like a perpetual motion machine, and as long as the motion and activity remains regular, the machine never stops. In fact sometimes its so in sync that it will pick up momentum and I will soon be flying along. That's where I love being.

When my mind is occupied, busy and challenged, I'm at my best. My thought process goes into overdrive, my creativity increases, and my want to get things done grows exponentially. All of a sudden for example, I have the desire to write, lots and lots. Get a couple of my blogs back up and running, and get back to that happy sharing place that I thrive.
The one thing missing from this equation is a little button covered device which once empowered me to write big long blogs on the spot, in the moment. My Blackberry!

A year ago, 75% of all my blogs came from my Blackberry's whichever I was using that day. The speed at which I can rattle off a stream of thoughts was incredible, and as much as I love Swiftkey on my Android phones, and tablets, I just cant seem to get my flow.
Same with modern keyboards, who decided that all new keyboards should be wafer thin with flat lifeless keys on them. The same way my aunt once commented that she could not use a standard PC keyboard and far preferred her typewriter, I am caught in the same bind, but a generation later. Flat keyboards are indeed sexy to look at, and for general use are fine. But for really hammering out a long blog, I find them useless. Each to their own of course, and I'm sure similar comparisons exist throughout the world of input options.

Anyway, I digress, this is about me me meeeeeeee, not keyboard and devices of days gone by. Although I should point out that I am currently using a REAL keyboard, a good old fashioned noisy DELL standard keyboard. Hardcore Old School !!

So back to me... The other part of the feel good factor is physical. Getting the get up and go to get back in shape again, buff for summer, pleasing on the eye for the ladies and all that lol. Seriously though, for me its more health than vanity, but cannot deny that I love seeing the definition start to show again, and the shirts pull tight in all the right places, for all the right reasons. Sadly with that comes the desire for more tattoos, which obviously isn't a bad thing, but it can get expensive to have good quality ink on large areas **and flex **

Over the last couple of weeks I have returned to normal dog walking routines. Avoiding my must reach #10MilesADay goal, and just doing what I can, when I can. At the moment that's about 6-8 miles a day, and slowly increasing as my body adjusts. Unlike previous times I'm not rushing in and setting myself stupid goals. This time its all about steady lifestyle changes, and getting into the groove. Along with the daily walks, there is adjusted food intake, but still plentiful, and two short training sessions a day. Once in the morning with some simple physical activities likes press ups, dips and sit ups. And a PM routine on the multi gym hitting back, chest, and arms.. Glamour, glamour!

All in all its feeling good, core tightened, body got that lovely ache to it constantly, and both sitting and standing taller and stronger.

Enough about physical training though, that's what the other blog is for, right!

I guess I just wanted to make this entry for my own sake really. Looking back over years gone by there have been some super low emotional times around this time of year for me, so I'm doing my best to break the loop, and stay on track for my own good. Early every year has historically been bad with the whole Xmas and Birthday dramas, sadness about my daughter, and in more recent years now with Feb being my aunt and mums birthdays, and with my aunt actually passing on my mums birthday, its still a bit of a weird time for me. But, that said, no sadness, just happiness and celebration these days, even managing to get a little bit excited about my own birthday, only took a few decades to care about it haha.

So here's to positivity, being who you are, showing your true colours, and being that little bit selfish and self centred. After all, if you are not firing on all cylinders, what use are you to anyone else, right?

Thank you to little Miss Sweetie Drawers for the inspiration for this entry lol.