As I have learned, life is a journey. We always have things coming our way that may knock us down or lift us up.
It’s how we react to them that help us “stay in the game” and on this life we call a journey.
I’ve got a few stories that I hope you can benefit from which I will highlight the “moral of the stories” below 🙂
The first story is what happened to me last night.
A quick back story……my wife, Cynthia has been out of town since Sunday and would be returning last night. She took our 5-year-old daughter, Mary, with her to help her sister in Louisiana who just had her second child.
That means I was blessed to have the other 4 kids all week.
We have had some help with baby sitters as I have had to do some “work” along with training some fitness sessions.
Yesterday I left at 3:30pm to go train at JP Morgan Chase (their brand new headquarters in Plano). As luck would have it, on the way back from training, my check engine temperature light went on and I pulled over. The water pump had gone out.
I was stuck in the parking lot of a Popeyes Chicken that was 20 minutes from my house when the baby sitter was to be leaving in 20 minutes.
For a quick moment, I thought about how BAD the situation was. I had a WOE IS ME moment. How I had had a long week of watching the 4 kids while continuing to keep up with all my responsibilities as a business owner. I could have focused on all the negative think about the situation I was in.
Then I CHOSE to change my thinking and thought all the good and positives things from the situation.
That I able to carry out all my responsibilities for the day.
That I did not have any of my kids in the car with me.
That I was not stranded on the highway but was able to get off and park in a parking lot.
That the car most likely will only need a replacement water pump.
That I did not get in an accident.
That I could just call the sitter and they would be fine with staying longer or I could call someone else (takes a village) to come help until Cynthia or myself got back.
The list of blessings or positives could go on and one.
I am HUMAN and do have the initial negative thoughts and sometimes those thoughts continue to run through my head until I CHOOSE TO CHANGE my thinking.
I got a tow, the sitter was fine staying and the car will be fixed soon. The rest is history….
The next story is about New Jersey state trooper had an unlikely reunion a man he stopped for a traffic infraction.
During the traffic stop, Bailly told the trooper that he was a retired police officer. Patterson told Bailly that he is from the same town, Piscataway, and Bailly responded by asking what street the trooper used to live.
The trooper replied that he was raised on Poe Place, a street that Bailly said he remembers because he delivered a baby boy there on Oct. 5, 1991, some 27 years ago.
The child’s name was Michael.
“My name is Michael Patterson, sir. Thank you for delivering me,” he told him.
Patterson’s mother had been out shopping when she went into labor. She barely made it home, and a doctor on the phone helped talk Officer Bailly through the delivery.
With help from a doctor on the telephone, Bailly was able to deliver the trooper-to-be.
“We’re not sure what the odds are of this happening — maybe they’re close to the odds of a hole-in-one, winning the lottery, or being struck by lightning — but it happened,” the state police wrote.
Moral of this story… you never know what GOOD happens to you when something bad is happening. In this case, this guy was pulled over. If you have every been pulled over, you know the feeling.
In the end, the story ends much differently than Baily having to pay money for a traffic violation.
What does these two stories have to do with you and your desire to be more, do more and become more?
Your desire to have more energy, look better and be more productive while living the lifestyle you truly desire?
I get the pleasure of hearing the good and bad of the journey to look, feel and perform better.
It’s amazing how one little incident or set back and start the downward spiral again.
How one minor thing will cause someone to not workout one day, which then turns into a week, which then turns into 6 months.
How a family situation you are dealing with causes you to stop eating lean and clean for a day which then turns into your new unhealthy habits.
I certainly understand and can sympathize with many of the stories I hear.
The KEY POINT I want to help you with today is that things are always going to happen to you. It’s the choice to change your thinking and move forward the best you can.
As it relates to your health and well-being…YOU have to just focus on today doing making each CHOICE you have about why you are wanting to look, feel and perform better.
I choose to drink more water, eat clean, eat well-balanced nutrition, take my vitamins, move and make sure I get enough sleep.
WHY?
“So That” I have energy to “feel” like playing with my kids when I get home.
“So That” I can be the husband, father, leader and roll-model I am called to be.
“So That” I can be productive to be able to carry out all my responsibilities I have.
Those are a few of the things that drive me.
You have to have some big “So That’s” in your life which will be on your mind EVERY TIME something comes up in your life.
Every bad experience that comes up.. and they will.
Every negative family, friend of job situation that comes up..and they will
You have got to jump back on the horse and CHOOSE to life a healthy lifestyle for your WHY or “SO THAT’s”
I hope you were able to benefit in some way. Next time something negative comes your way, change your thinking and focus on ALL THE GOOD in your life.
Have a blessed weekend!
Brad
Brad and Cynthia Linder are the owners of Get You In Shape in Coppell, TX.
As a former professional basketball player, Brad utilized the knowledge attained from a Master’s degree in Health, Kinesiology, and Sport Studies, to optimize his performance. With an extensive background in fitness and nutrition, he naturally wanted to share this knowledge with others as he entered into the health and fitness field. Since 1999, Brad has been able to help thousands of participants and clients. Brad has created and produced the Get You In Shape DVD and has been featured as the fitness expert on television and in newspaper articles. Brad has pioneered a high intensity boot camp called Get You In Shape 
Boot Camp, which has received rave reviews. It was featured in The Obama Diaries, by Laura Ingraham.
Cynthia Linder is a former schoolteacher with a Masters Degree in Special Education. She has learned firsthand how to drop dress sizes and get in shape. Struggling for most her adult life to eat healthy and maintain a lifestyle of fitness, she met Brad in 2004. She is now a walking testimony going from a size 10/12 to a size 4/6 and keeping it off. Cynthia has a huge desire to help others by motivating, encouraging, and inspiring others to reach for their goals.
Brad and Cynthia’s fitness business, Get You In Shape, has grown into one of the leading fitness companies in the Dallas area. What started as one man’s mission has grown into a business that offers fitness boot camps, corporate wellness, private training, and nutritional programs. Clients range from high-end millionaires to dedicated housewives. The simple approach of Get You In Shape is to educate, encourage, motivate, and inspire clients to achieve their personal goals. Because of this comprehensive approach to health and wellness, Get You In Shape is ranked in the top tier of fitness businesses in the Dallas, Texas area.
Brad and Cynthia Linder, owners of Get You In Shape, recently joined a select group of the world’s leading health and fitness entrepreneurs to co-write the health and fitness book titled, 3 Steps To YOUR BEST BODY In Record Time:America’s Leading Fitness Experts Reveal The Proven 3-Step System To The Body You Always Wanted…In Minimum Time. On the day of release, 3 Steps To YOUR BEST BODY skyrocketed to best-seller status on Amazon.com, reaching as high as #69 overall in the Amazon Top 100. The book reached #1 in both the Quick Workouts and Weight Training Categories, while reaching #3 in the Exercise and Fitness category and #24 in Health, Mind and Body category.
Owner, Brad Linder
M.S. Health and Kinesiology 
B.S. Health and Physical Education
N.A.S.M Certified Personal Trainer
CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
CrossFit Mobiliy Seminar
Cooper Institue – Pregnancy and Exercise
RRCA Certified Coach
Certified Resistance Band Trainer
Best Selling Author
Each month, the Get You In Shape program analyzes weight loss from the fitness clients, creates a positive environment for healthy support and camaraderie among participants.
Brad also conducts fitness and nutrition seminars, lunch and learns, onsite corporate fitness programs, and 24 Day Challenge Contests.
Brad has been blessed with gifts to help people look, feel and perform better on a daily basis and his passion is to help as many people as he can. In order to support that passion, he has built a team of like minded trainers to help carry out the Get You In Shape Core Values.
Coppell Personal Trainer and Coppell Boot Camp. If you live or work in Dallas, Lewisville, Irving, Las Colinas, Flower Mound, Grapevine, Carrollton, or other Dallas cities, this program is close to you.
