October Updates

Now that Weathering The Storm has been released (August 28th), I am working to expand my footprint as a new author. This takes significant time and effort, but thus far I've made tremendous progress towards accomplishing all the goals I set. Part of this expansion includes establishing a presence on Goodreads (amazing site) and Amazon, and letting that presence trickle down from there. In the coming weeks, I will also have more information on niche events I'm planning to schedule in both Ohio and Virginia. All of the work I do now will serve as a major launching pad into 2013, which is usually how the life cycle of a book operates. In the meantime, here are a couple of links -

Goodreads, October Giveaway (will hold monthly) - http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/35579-weathering-the-storm 

Goodreads, Weathering The Storm page -
 http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15897883-weathering-the-storm

Goodreads, my author page -
 http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6496672.J_Junior_Reynolds_II

Amazon, Weathering The Storm seller page -
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1618627457/ref=dp_olp_0?ie=UTF8&condition=all

Amazon, my author page -

www.amazon.com/author/jjunior2

These pages are all still under construction, so will change a over the course of the next few months. If you'll note - Amazon lists the book at a $7.99 rate instead of the list $9.99 price - consider it a sale. Since these books will come directly from me, books purchased via Amazon will be signed.

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By the first day of 2013, my goal is to export my blog (Live Unconquered) to its own website. This will allow me more formatting and web creation freedom than I have under the Blogger domain, and offer a united website to post all my links (Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Twitter, Facebook, etc.). I have already started working on this project and look forward to completing it over the holiday season.

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With all eyes already focused towards 2013, Live Unconquered's mission will shift towards psoriasis advocacy. This was the foundation upon which Weathering The Storm was constructed, and is the true direction I would like to steer all of my future efforts. Of course, the topics will remain viable to everyone - but in working to create a "mission" for Live Unconquered (and my goal to make it more than just a blog), I will be using my fight against psoriasis as the bedrock for everything here on out. I plan to post the full official mission statement of L|u by Thanksgiving.

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Please keep updated on changes as I will be more active on the blog (and other websites) going forward, including a motivational/ inspirational writing towards the end of every month. As usual, stay positive, and make the most of everyday because tomorrow is no guarantee.

LIVE | unconquered

October 17th, 2012

J. Junior II

Chasing Oranges (When You Need Apples...)

This blog is all about the pursuit of what you want versus what you need. It’s about the chase of your desires versus what you really need that could improve your life.  It is my belief that a large portion of our life’s regrets are built on this chasing oranges when you need apples policy, and it distracts from our ultimate mission of living unconquered.

First and foremost, know what oranges in your life are. They can vary from person to person depending on your circumstances, situations, etc. Something that is an “orange” for someone could be an “apple” for another person. Oranges in this concept are things that detract from your ultimate mission – living unconquered. Things such as unethical behaviors, actions, and routines, shortcuts and quick fixes, lies and dishonesty, greed, personal satisfactions that cause harm to yourself or others, cheating, you kind of get the idea.

The saying an apple a day keeps the doctor away is very true in this concepts. The apples in my concept aren’t the fruits a lot of us like, but these “apples” in life are those foundation things in your life that promote success, happiness, and long term stability. Honesty, hard work, dedication, loyalty, fidelity, and discipline just to name a few.

We’ve all been there. I can speak from my college days, when like most of us, you had to spend wisely but often times didn’t. Do I blow my money on school supplies, or do I prepare for a big party weekend? A new shirt, new kicks, and if you know me – a new bottle of cologne because no amount is never enough, not to mention the array of college party supplies (I’ll leave it at that). More often than not, that big party weekend won out.  That was me putting a Thursday – Saturday weekend over a couple month long semester. I chased an orange (temporary satisfaction) versus buying into an apple (long term investment).

It’s the putting your wants before your needs. We all want a nice new Mercedes-Benz, a trillion dollar house, a high and fly wardrobe – but at what costs? To be in debt up to our eye sockets? This same theory in a way explains the state of America’s economy, and what’s really a shame is our failing to acknowledge that chasing dreams is partially responsible for this. We all want more salary for less work, more benefits, a bigger office and more space, yet a lot of times can still live vastly above our means and accrue dangerously high debts. Chasing oranges, when an apple would do. Chasing grandeur when above average is nothing to be ashamed of…

This theory also applies for those who lose sight of what is better for them. We all get off track on certain things in our life at one point or another. It can be in our careers, our goals, our relationships, our families, and our friends. Instead of being content with the apple in front of us (in any of these situations), an orange can come along and derail everything. No matter what circumstance, don’t feel like you’re settling. Appreciate what is in front of you; be content and don’t overreach. As most of us find out – the grass is never greener on the other side, and in the event it is, it needs ten times the care to keep it that way.

To expand on the paragraph above – I’ll give a personal reference. I start to feel stagnant in any job after about six months (which would explain why I’m 25 and had more jobs than some will have their entire life). I get tired of the same old type of apple after that time, and of course, a more appetizing orange will rear its head. When I was younger, I would take the bait every single time, and sometimes end up in a job I didn’t particular like or a job that was great but didn’t give me any opportunity to grow. Sometimes, that “orange” would be a higher salary and me thinking, “oh yes the grass is a lot better over there than here…” – which is never truly the case.  I’ve always worked with great people, and more often than not under a great boss - and sometimes chasing an orange damaged bridges and work relationships.

This is not to say we should never fall to this concept, because honestly a lot of those chasing oranges moments I had prove to be excellent learning opportunities. I always say you learn the most in life from your mistakes, and errors like this often give you the opportunity to correct flaws with you/ your life. Moreover, you don’t ever want to find yourself in a circumstance where the damage from chasing that ripe, acidic orange outweighs the lesson(s) in life you took from the mistake. Stay focused on what is important, what helps your life in a positive manner in the long term, and don’t fall prey to short term fixes/ desires/ wants. Analyze every situation presented to you, and always be aware of your environment so you can make educated decisions. Keep your gaze on your goals and projects; the positive and life-constructing realistic ones – not those wild and crazy half bait ones!

Not too long ago my grandmother and I – the ever wise Eunice Oracle as I like to call her, discussed this same theory as it relates to getting lost off your journey in life. Visualize it’s sweltering outside, and over the hill lies your grove of apple trees. Though it’s been a hot miserable summer, they’re loaded down to the ground. As you wander along your path in life, just before getting to the steep climb of the hill to your grove, you come across a patch of ripened orange trees. What would you do? Keep moving up the steep hike to that what is yours? Do you put in hard work to do what’s right, or drop everything to take a shortcut and succumb to the oranges that aren’t yours?

Doesn’t that sound like situations we face all the time? The scene or the circumstance might vary, but most of the time it all boils down to doing what is right against doing what is wrong but will bring us a short-lived boost in satisfaction. Always plan for your long-term well being. Don’t take shortcuts, don’t succumb to dishonesty or unjust ways of thinking. It might be painful in the short-term or you may have to work a little harder, but that hard work for tomorrow can reduce a lifetime of regret down the road. Even in the times when oranges are numerous and apples are few – keep your eyes fixated on the right side of your journey.

To truly live unconquered, you always want to be in control of your life, and not have it vulnerable to outside forces that you can’t control (that can cause things to unravel quickly and you unable to stop them). One way to maintain control is to not fall for those oranges; when they appear be content with your bedrock diet of apples instead.

Until the next time, may your crops of apples be plentiful.

J. Junior II
March 4^th, 2012

Motivational Tid Bits

Just a few thoughts and "tid-bits" to get your fall started right...

> First and foremost, life is never about the mistakes you make, have made, or will make way down the road. It's about the lesson(s) you take from them, and the journey they place you on. If a mistake placed you on the road to destruction, know that while mistakes can't be changed, the actions and/or results in/ of their aftermath can be altered. You write your own storyline. Plan and choose to write a successful one.

> Maximize your potential as an individual. Scan over your dreams, your hopes, and creative desires that you have. Don't let any hidden talents escape, and worse yet don't let any hidden talents sit unused. Your hidden/ unused talent(s) could be the things that bring you forward into a brighter era within your life. Don't be afraid to hone and fine tune your talents either. Everyday should be a day of betterment. Train yourself and your talents if necessary, give them the soil they need to grow.

> Know the different types of motivation and adjust accordingly. There are two general branches - intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation refers to the motivation driven by the interest in, or the enjoyment of the activity itself, rather than external pressures. Extrinsic is just as it would sound - a motivation that is derived from the external environment of an individual. For example; rewards, coercion, threats, prizes, and recognition. While not all extrinsic motivations are bad in nature, try to focus on the things that come more natural, and thus are likely intrinsic to you (internally based).

> Plan out a realistic timeline for your future, whether short-term or long term, and stick to it. This can give you internal motivation to accomplish whatever goals or complete whatever projects you have out there. This can also serve as a source of optimism if you're lacking.

> Always enable those who surround you if you plan to succeed yourself. You cannot have constant success if your growth stymies those around you. Growth should be done in conjunction. Growth amongst your surroundings will lend itself to more growth; whereas you growing yet breeding a stagnant atmosphere around you lends to your eventual upending.

> Remember that your struggles are polishing you up for a better place. Don't get distracted, distraught, or disorderly when things don't work out as they should. Unfortunately, they never do. With anything, expect the unexpected but don't let it bend you out of shape. Maintaining a positive attitude even in chaos usually makes the struggle not so bad, and makes it pass you by just a little faster. Keep your mood together and push forward.

> Comprehend, communicate, achieve, succeed. And as always, live unconquered despite your circumstance, not conquered because of.

- J. Junior II
9/21/2011

A Time To Review - Part II

This week, I’ll continue going over posts from the last two months. Rehashing and refreshing is a vital point in the goal to live unconquered. It is easy to become sidetracked; to get completely off-course. It’s not about straying off your path – we are all human and will at some point or another – but getting back on your path in due time without inflicting damage to your life.

New Beginnings - They are important. Sometimes, you will need change and to start over – all environments will stagnant and become routine overtime without it. If you ever feel like you’ve “worn out the welcome mat” – that’s only a sign that it’s time for a fresh start. Don’t fear change – embrace it. I can’t tell you how many times I lamented something being changed – and later found out it was in my benefit…

The Healing Process… - Don’t take two steps forward, only to take three backwards. Let the past go, and turn over a new page. Former chapters need not be a reflection on those yet unwritten. Forgive, which doesn’t mean forget, but letting loose and moving forward. Letting things linger can act as a dead weight on your life, and for many years afterwards. Being unable to let go can also give you an irrational mindset, and lead you into making uneducated, rash, and harmful decisions/ choices. So, stop focusing on yesteryear, because it hurts your planning for the next year.

The Power of Knowledge - It is a key to many doors. It can pave a way out of trials when isn’t a clear path present. It can lead you out of dark and into the light, and deflect detrimental circumstances and situations. It can serve as armor around you if you surround yourself with it. The power from it is infinite if used properly, and there is no task impossible if used with morality. Never end the quest to educate yourself.

Get Out! - If you live in a bad state of affairs, then you need to run from under those clouds as soon as you can. Don’t make excuses, and don’t look for ways to NOT get out. You deny yourself growth and development by sitting in a unfavorable environment. Why live suppressed and defeated, without any goals, hope, knowledge, or faith. Why be in an atmosphere that drains all of your will and strength? You shouldn’t. GET, OUT.

A Tragedy --> A Triumph - Turn your disasters into blessings. Catastrophic events will happen to all of us, and for all their negativity, try to find something positive to take away from them. A horrible event can serve as the seed for something immense. Take a tragedy and create something that is for the good of all. Don’t forget that once your tragedy is a triumph; be sure to assist others to their breakthrough as well.

Beat All The Odds - If you have a negative mindset, you already enter a situation with defeat on your shoulders. Always go into with whatever you do with confidence, a positive and winning mindset, and believing you can achieve – and you can do this without arrogance or pompousness. You can defeat any odd you set your mind to – or at least go out trying. Do not ever concede defeat. You are not truly beaten unless you give up and throw in the towel. Hang in there even when the going is tough, stay motivated; you can accomplish all you set your mind to if you believe you can first.

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Try not to become a man of success but a man of value.
Albert Einstein
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The power of imagination makes us infinite.
John Muir

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Keep Living…
J. Junior II
08-03-2011

Your Enemies Have Eyes

This week, I’m going to tackle the notion of defending yourself from negative attitudes, people, and perceptions – because in this day and age, they are all around you. Moreover, you must always maintain a course of integrity, because your enemies have eyes that are always watching. In mere seconds, one small mistake can cripple the mightiest dynasty build over decades. Your enemies have eyes, lots of them, that are always watching, waiting for you to slip just that once...

On the quest to do better and living unconquered, you will come across many pitfalls. Obstacles in your life are continuous and without end, so the best advice you could be given are to learn how to manage impediments, and progress in spite of. One of these obstacles will be those who seek to pull you down into the muck, speak ill of your labors, and actively attempt to disrupt your advancement. Your enemies, or antagonists if you will.

Always remember that misery loves company, so a miserable person has no better agenda than to cause desolation in your life. That is why it may seem some people are put on Earth just to hinder you; because in a way, they are – it becomes their scheme in life. While truly unfortunate – you would think someone who is truly despondent would instead seek out assistance from others verses seeking to snatch down those within reach, it is the way things operate and something you’ve got to learn to handle. Ignore malevolence, because the biggest fuel you can provide it is to let the source know you’re being affected by their insolent actions.

Try to avoid those who operate with reckless regard, because they’ll be the first to bring down your efforts. You cannot surround yourself with those who live life in contempt of others, because they have no true loyalties but to themselves, and sometimes they can’t even have loyalty for their own soul.

This all leads me to the title – your enemies having eyes. Someone who is an active antagonist to you will always be watching and waiting for the one crack they need to insert themselves (and their "agenda"). It avoid putting yourself into compromising situations. Even if your adversaries aren’t the ones actively watching, they have eyes in the form of minions, vultures, and associates that survey in their absence. Malevolence does not take a day off, so you cannot afford yourself any downtime, or the enemy will sneak in and strike you down.

Do not feel for one second that being on a “righteous” course will repel devious behaviors. In fact, it is opposite. The better you try to do for yourself and those around you, the harder the opposition will seek to bring you down. If you’re running a dynasty, you better run it with humility, because if it falls you don’t want to have scorched all the bridges around you. In this day and age, it would seem that no matter how good one is doing, a cloud of disarray will be lurking close by. All you can do is to ever-increase your “protective force-field” by always operating in truth, integrity, and be accountable. Don’t deviate to a road lesser traveled because it seems easier. Keep your eyes fixated on your goals, but not to the point you lose your sense of reason and ration (because an irrational action is just the “crack” in your foundation your adversaries need). 

Use sound judgment, and always educate yourself. The pool of knowledge is never-ending, so you should always continue to increase your intellect. The smarter you are, the better decisions you will make, and the more awareness you will have. Make sound and steady decisions on a constant basis, and no matter how many eyes your enemy has, you will be protected from their debauchery. Don’t let them bend you out of shape, but let them shape you. Better be than the disorder they promote. When all of your foe’s eyes are fixated on you, blind them with your brilliance; send them running into the cowardly shadows they belong, and continue on your quest to live unconquered.

Make it a great week.

J. Junior II

6/6/2011

Moving ^ and Moving >

Good evening everyone. Sorry for the delay in the posting, a little late getting it up due to problems with the Blogger log-in. The theme for this week is moving up out of the bad, so you can move on and move forward with the good in your life...

Moving ^ and Moving >

To have a positive attitude (two weeks ago) and to rise above ignorance (last week), there is one thing that you have to do in life, and that's move up, and then move on. More often than not, negative attitudes can dwell from past perceptions, actions, or events in your life. The best step to having success today is to let yesterday (and anything else beforehand) go. Letting go doesn’t mean you necessarily forget, but you forgive, which in turn allows you to move onto bigger and better things. Feeling scarred from bad friendships or relationships in the past? Move yourself up, and then move on. Annoyed about being undermined or stabbed in the back? Let it go and move forward.

Another thing you want to ensure is that you aren’t moving in reverse. Whether you’re moving forward at a snails pace, or at the speed of light—there is never a day in life that you want to say you lost progress. You should never take one step forward only to take two steps backward. Be sure to do a thorough analysis and ask yourself these questions if you feel like things aren’t progressing for you…

1). Why am I in a stagnant place and not growing/ developing?

2). What can I do to improve my situation without suppressing others?

3). Am I surrounded by a positive, encouraging, and winning team?

4). Have I become a victim of my environment?

5). Am I putting my best effort forward no matter the circumstances/ odds?

6). Are there negative things in my life that need removed?

7). Are there any antagonists/ anchors weighing me and my goals down?

8). Have I forgiven and let all my past ill-wills go?

9). What work do I need to done in order to surround myself with positivity?

10). Have I worked to empower those around me, or do I act as a suppressor?

You have to be aware of these in order to know what needs fixed, and begin your forward progress. Create a “starting point” today, and move forward from that point every day. It’s never too late to have an epiphany, whether you’re 25 or 75. It’s not the years in the life, but the life in the years. Be sure that you move on with your life and start the ball rolling on a forward moving path, and you’ll be one step closer to living unconquered…

Start living your legacy TODAY.

J. Junior II 5/16/11