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

The Grand Master Plan

No matter who you are (or plan to be), whatever you’re doing (or plan to do), however you got there (or plan to get there) – you will always have a grand master plan that guides you. Even the most disorganized, scatter-minded individuals need some type of guideline, plan, or general outline for the current and future direction of their life, no matter how big or small the person may seem.

One of the things we all need to avoid when constructing either a new grand master plan (GMP) or updating an old one – do not allow past experiences and situations to have any influence on your GMP – learn from your mistakes; don’t let them control your future. Create a current assessment of your living situation, and go from there. Once a segment of time has passed (second, minute, hour, day, week, year, etc.), it cannot be changed – nor can any situation that happened in it. Move on, look forward, look up, look out.

Here’s a rough outline of the steps you must go through…

#1        Current Life Assessment/ Evaluation

#2        Construction of Goals, Targets

#3        Establishment of Time Guidelines

#4        Preparation for Launch Period

#5        Initiation of Grand Master Plan 

#1        Your Current Life Assessment – In this step, you’ll ask questions (and answer honestly) such as am I where I want to be? If not, how did I get to the place I am now? Am I living up to my absolute potential? Have I placed myself in a positive or a negative environment? Have I educated myself as much as possible? Am I satisfied with my current career/ job? Is my career/ job a boost to me or a drain of energy? Are my relationships a positive or negative influence?

#2        Construction of Goals & Targets – Once you’ve created a life assessment (which is really a list of honest questions we all should ask ourselves on a repeating basis), you can then move into the construction phase, which is where you create solutions to your problems so to speak. This is the largest, most energy consuming, and sometimes most difficult step of creating a new or updated grand master plan.

If you determined you aren’t where you want to be, this is where you make a path for how to get where you want to be in life, and examine what it will take. If you aren’t living up to your absolute potential, what resources will it take to get you closer to that goal? If you’ve realized you’re in a negative environment, come up with a way to get out of that environment. The same goes with if you determine your relationships are negatively influencing your life – find a way out. I’ve always been an advocate of the “life is too short” theory – yes removing yourself from negative areas you’re entrenched can cause even more turmoil short-term, try to think long-term. Never accept to stay put in areas full of stagnation, negativity, pessimism, indifferent, abusive, or detrimental ways of operation. This goes for your work, your home, your friends, your family, and your associates.

The atmosphere you place yourself in is a large portion of the reflection you cast to others – I learned (and am still learning) this the hard way. It can be hellish to snap loose of bad habits (or people), but once you’re truly ready for change in your life you will find it a lot easier to shake loose turbulence. You should also keep in mind that changes you enact to better yourself and your life aren’t selfish as long as they don’t actively seek to suppress others. Here’s a tidbit to go with that thought – divorcing a cheating or abusive spouse isn’t trying to actively suppress them. Neither is distancing yourself from a friend you know has a drug problem. If you find your current job is excessively stressful, unsatisfying, or causes you undue misery – what’s wrong with seeking a change? Don’t let misplaced loyalties keep you stuck in a place that misuses your talents or doesn’t let you operate at your absolute potential – and that goes for all aspects of your life.

When building your solution list, be realistic, but at the same time dream big. If you need more education, examine what resources are available to you to make it happen. Come up with an area you would like to expand your knowledge, and see what programs are offered in your area. Scan for free educational opportunities or advancement courses at your local community college. Attend any relevant job workshops. Look for leadership courses. Examine your community for opportunities to get involved – volunteering, organizations with agendas that interest you, advocacy for certain causes – there are a plethora of ways to expand your horizon. A bonus with expanding your horizons is you increase the chances of meeting more like-minded individuals to yourself.

As you create your construction goals & targets, be sure to think outside the box. Don’t be afraid to seek out help from your close and trusted resources to tailor goals/ targets just right for you and where you want to be. A note I’d offer is be absolutely sure you know where you want to be, or at least have an idea of the right direction to head, so that you aren’t overstretched reaching for too many targets. 

#3        Establishment of Time Guidelines – Once you’ve got the solutions in place for your master plan – you’ve determined where you want to be, who you want to be surrounded by, what you want to be doing, how to be doing it, etc. – come up with target dates. For example – maybe you’d like to have your degree in the next two years, and a masters within four years of that. Or – I’d like to be actively involved in at least two organizations in the community by the end of the year. A target could also be sometime along the lines of being surrounded by a more positive and supportive group over the next few months to help bolster my newly created grand master plan. Even something as broad as becoming a leader within the workplace within the next five years, and being in high-level management over the next decade; while these might not be concrete or have specific dates, they do offer you some guidance and direction over the course of your future and keep you directed towards continued growth.

An important note to remember is when you are building your timeline is to be sure to be realistic and give yourself ample time to enact your “solutions” to your “problems”. In the same token, don’t give yourself TOO much time – it only allows the opportunity to remain stagnant and procrastinate versus being continuously productive.

#4        Preparation for Launch Period – This is the most varying step in the grand master plan process. For some, this step could take a matter of days. For others, this step could take a couple of years. This is the time that you take to put yourself in position to roll out your new grand master plan. It could be the time you accumulate the necessary capital and support network to go back to school or start a new career. For some, this could be the time you take to pry yourself out of the negative environment you’re in. Sometimes, you can be so entrenched in disarray just the thought of moving towards a better day is a pain – which is why this period is included. You could be surrounded by stealers, liars, cheaters, and druggies and just need time to find a safe way out. You might even just need this period to clear your head, clear your thoughts, or ease your conscience to move forward. For some, this is the step where you will build the confidence to let yourself know you can move from a point A to a point B, and then to points C and D.

I can give a personal example to this effect. Right now, my Weathering The Storm grand master plan is in a holding pattern; awaiting the August 28, 2012 release date. The assessment is in place, I’ve constructed all my goals and targets, and timelines have all been put into place save the book’s release date. This hold pattern doesn’t mean I’m not working until everything is finalized, it just means I’m working behind the scenes to ensure once everything has been put in to place that it has been put in to place correctly, and that when I go to initiate my own new plan, it will implemented successfully. Take this step to double, triple, and quadruple check yourself. Keep track of everything you do in a journal and refer back to it to make sure you’re making the right – the best decisions for your present/ future. Also take this time to get those last bad habits out of the way. Get your last gossip in. Release your last bits of frustration. Get your last smoke in. Go and gorge yourself on food and alcohol one last time if you need to; but know that going forward there is no room for error, slip ups, relapses, or mistakes (especially ones previously committed). Get everything off your chest, and then put your adult outfit on and get ready to construct a better life for yourself. Once you know that you’re ready, initiate your countdown clock…

#5        Initiation of Grand Master Plan – Just like the countdown to a rocket launch, countdown to the initiation of your new grand master plan. This doesn’t mean you need to go out, buy all new clothes, a new car, a new house, and put yourself with all new people to announce your GMP. But you should see immediate change in routines, attitudes, reactions, and habits once your GMP has “gone live”. All of your defeats, poverty, complaining, disappointments, disabilities, failures, and sins of yesterday are gone – not forgotten, but no longer influencing your tomorrow. If your new GMP is one health related, such as weight loss, you will go forward with confidence, endurance, and discipline until your goals and targets are met (see how this applies across the board?).

Give yourself the new you and the new beginning you deserve. It’s only fair and another of the many ways to begin living life unconquered.

L|u

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

Weathering The Storm Update

As my first book production date begins (less than two weeks away), I thought I would go through some of the first steps that occur for Weathering The Storm to go from manuscript to actual book. It may not as be as easy of a process as you think; it's certainly been more complex and time-consuming than I ever would have guessed. Moreover, as a first time author, this is a completely new process for me so it's not entirely surprising.

The first step Weathering The Storm will enter is a copy-editing phase of production. This process will obviously be completed by my publisher, Tate Publishing. They will work to improve the formatting, style, and accuracy of my manuscript. They don't change the actual text, but make it more clear, correct, concise, complete, and consistent.

Once Tate has completed the copy-editing, they will turn it over to the conceptual editing area of their company. Conceptual editing looks at the overall book and see what's missing from it, what I could do to make it a better project, what needs to be expanded, and what areas I could condense. This stage, in a sense, gets the message I want to portray across in the most understandable manner. In addition, this is also where the appropriate illustrations and graphics are incorporated into my manuscript. If all goes to schedule, this should happen around a month after the copy-editing process begins - so around the beginning of October.

I imagine this will be a busy and exciting time. I cannot wait to see how Weathering The Storm progresses, and everyday that goes by is a day closer to its release date. I will continue to provide updates (and hopefully in the latter stages I can offer previews), and concurrently begin working on the manuscript for the next book in line - Live Unconquered.

Always remember to make the best of your time. Be productive, and have optimism. Life is too short to be a downer - stay positive, stay motivated, and keep living unconquered.

J. Junior II
8/22/2011

Live Unconquered - The Next Project

In the next couple of weeks, my first book - "Weathering The Storm", will hit the editing and production phases. I will be working with Tate Publishing to make this dream become a reality and bring WTS into market. Concurrently, I have began to develop a concept for my next book, which will carry the same name as this blog. I have already started working on this next project, and hope to have the manuscript completed around the time WTS is officially released in early 2012.

Live Unconquered

breakthrough to a brighter day...

The goal for WTS was to bring you through and out of turbulence; Live Unconquered will serve as the follow up and move you forward/ away from the fringes of said turbulence. My goal is for Live Unconquered to be more in depth and hit more specific topics, in addition to giving you the tools and motivation to live undeterred no matter your circumstance.

This will be a busy yet exciting time. I'm a newbie to this whole area, but I am confident that everything will run smoothly. I look forward to working with Tate and creating the best book possible out of "Weathering The Storm", and constructing another viable manuscript with the Live Unconquered theme --> that of continuous growth, development, transformation, reorganization, faith, hope, and motivation.

Of course, I'll give all the details and exact dates as they arise. Thanks to all my supporters, and don't forget to keep living....

UNCONQUERED.
J. Junior II
08/08/11

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

"W. T. S." Project Groundbreaking

After a pretty hectic, back-and-forth type week, it is with great excitement that I announce I have signed on with Tate Publishing to bring my manuscript into print. This project (code name "W. T. S.") is of the inspirational and motivational genre, and I am glad to see the work put into it come to a fruition. When the idea was first developed a year and a half ago, I would have never known then that in 18 months, I would be a first-time author.

There are many who I owe credit to completing the “W. T. S.” manuscript. While I the idea did come to me a while back, I didn’t complete the bulk of the material until this year, which is where many thanks do come in.

First, there’s my supervisor Alicia Coats, who helped me through many a rough day and gave me tremendous knowledge into becoming a better and well rounded person. Instead of letting me move backwards, she forced my hand and kept me moving in a forward direction and in The James Comprehensive Cancer Center. I cannot say how much working there has opened my eyes and gave me new insight to life in general.

Next up would be my “culturally unfroze” mentor/ coach (and mentee at times) Cheryl Jackson. She has always served as a “check-and-balance” in keeping my attitude on a positive level, which kept me focused and helped me get “W. T. S.” completed. Need I mention she has served as my personal assistant in the last week as I worked hard to get everything I needed to ground break my first book.

Last would be what I would call my “inner-circle” – friends, family, loved ones – who have all supported and boosted me during the process. They served as an injection of “new life” whenever I got down, and helped me proceed forward even if I wasn’t up to the task. There aren’t enough words to express my true appreciation for everyone who has helped during this time, and it is the start of a new era in life, not only for me, but I hope for countless others as well.

Next blog topic – “A New Beginning”
Until then, keep moving forward & live unconquered
J. Junior II
May 22, 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

Rise Above Ignorance

Last week I spoke of having a positive attitude, and this week I'll talk about rising above ignorance. You have to these days in order to maintain an attitude. Throughout the week, the average person faces more than their share of ignorance and ignorant type behaviors. First, practice the two wrongs don't make a right theory. Having an ignorant response to an attitude you don't like with only make situations worse. Be the better person, and keep it moving. Don't waste time and energy on waging senseless battles, or holding grudges over situations most everyone else had forgot about. If you have a grievance, say something and try to resolve it in a civil and adult manner, don't internalize it and have it to stew on some months down the road...

A big point to remember in rising above ignorance is to not empower an "ignoramus". This is someone with idiotic ways, behaviors, thought processes, beliefs, actions, and personas. Often someone you would think of as immature, shady, uneducated, and irrational. An "ignoramus" feeds off of anarchy, disorganization, disagreement, and strife. Cut their food supply off at the source. Don't buy into their schemes and childish ways. An ignoramus lives just for elevating your blood pressure and getting under your skin, but they can only do this if you let them. Strip them of their power; ignore them. Build your "dynasty" on stilts, to stay above the choppy waters an ignoramus can stir up. Remember - they travel in flocks. So if you find yourself surrounded by a herd of ignoramus...

More often than not, you'll find yourself around someone who lives off the glow of others, instead of going out and making their own glow. Don't let others steal your shine and glow, but don't think you always have to call them out on it. You should always remember that fool's gold will be proved false under both examination/ pressure. It may pass the eye test in the beginning, but whether given a more thorough screening or put under pressure, it will not hold up. True 24k gold will endure. It won't crack, weather, fade, peel, flake, or turn you green...

Take this week, and prepare a plan for making yourself a better all-around person. Call it your "Top Tier Candidate Program" - TTCP. You want to be the best candidate for whatever you're going to apply yourself for, so be sure to take this week to make a plan and lay out how you can do just that. Whether it's getting back in shape, furthering your education, repairing relationships and networking, etc. Call it your spring cleaning if you need to; your goal is to further your growth, and move closer to living unconquered...

Until next time,
J. Junior II  5/9/11

A Positive Attitude

It's another Monday, and I hope everyone is approaching it with the positive Monday attitude I spoke about last Monday. They aren't the best of days, especially when it's raining out, but you've got to keep the "it is what it is" attitude and push forward (especially as far as the weather is concerned).

In regards to being positive, you really shouldn't just focus on a certain day, instead focusing to stay positive 24/7/ 365 (or 366). You should have so much positive in your life that you dream it, keeping it going while you sleep. With that - one of the big things with keeping a fresh attitude is to not let someone sink your state of mind. People with idiotic ways feed and live off the bad moods they can tend to put you in - just remember most do it with the intentions of lifting themselves out of their own melancholy. What a sad way to gain a better attitude, right? Two wrongs won't make it right either. Sometimes, you will have to defend yourself and "check" certain people, but don't get bent out of shape and let it torpedo your whole day/ week. Don't be rude, attacking, or vindictive if you do have to "check" someone, and don't go around thinking everyone needs "checked"; sometimes you'll have to "check" yourself first then proceed with caution...

Don't let the moronic ways of your life's antagonists change your mood, your way of thought, or your actions. Keep doing what you do, do it with optimism and positive intentions, and things will work out for the best. You may lose some battles in life, but don't fear a defeat. Just because you lose the battle doesn't mean you've lost the war. Sometimes, you can even attain victory out of a defeat. Your enemies and antagonists might laugh, but with life - everyone will get theirs soon. Don't be the person who is laughing at someone else's trials and tribulations because they could one day be in the crowd laughing at and rooting against you.

Your nay-sayers will come in many forms, including the form of friends, lovers, and family. Keep open eyes, and use intellect in deciding who to surround yourself with. Maintain a winning team (which will assist in keeping a positive attitude and way of life). Try to avoid petty actions, envious behavior, and jealousy, especially in an attempt to even the score. This will do nothing but devalue your own stature in the mind of others. Be honest, have integrity, be genuine, and try to associate yourself with those who do the same. There is nothing worst than someone who presents their self as a saint, and then when you're not around have the actions and behaviors of a demon. Some will stop at nothing to bring you down, especially when things are going good for you (this is why the fight of life never ends). Deflect insolence and those who wallow in it. Rise above ignorance, and do everything that you do (whether a small task or a large project) to the best of your ability. Never cease in your pursuit of excellence, and use every day that you are blessed with life to grow and learn, and then be sure teach and lead. It'll help in your goal of living unconquered...

Until the next time,
Be real & have success.
J. Junior II - 05.02.2011